July Farewell

Just in time for the last post in July, I finally took a picture of this amazing flower with the most evocative name: 'love-lies-bleeding'.

I've always wanted this plant in the garden, and have several seed packets in my stash as witness to my intention. Finally picked up a little 4-cell pack of the plant in mid-June and used it in this purple and rose container combo. I pinched back the top of the plants and have been multi-rewarded -- the plants are just so beautiful and soft -- like ropes of chenille. (There's a green-blooming love-lies-bleeding, too -- must plant that one next year.)

So, with love-chenille blooms in the garden, it's goodbye to July. I can see autumn on the horizon. But first August, that last wonderful month of summer.

Back on the farm growing up, the entire summer was long long long days of hollyhock, wild strawberries, swims in Dumont Lake, 'spook-tag' around the house in the darkness of the country night. We'd lie in bed sweating through July and especially August. No air conditioning; just one giant exhaust fan mounted on a home-made stand that was supposed to cool off the upstairs of the farm house. (It didn't; the noise kept me awake and aware of the sweat running down my face.) Mid-August we found the long long days of summer suddenly fewer -- back to Beeline School come September. August is half-summerwonderful, half-sad.

Goodbye July. Here comes August and the knowledge that the beautiful garden of summer will soon be gone. Love-lies-bleeding.

Summer spot

We don't have a front porch. So in the summer, we have this little spot, positioned between the entry garden (below the birch tree) and the big perennial bed in the middle of the front yard. My favorite place to eat breakfast (usually solo; spoon-size shredded wheat with bananas and cinnamon) and for the two of us to sit at the end of the day. Love the summer spot.

Balloons in the garden . . . . and WIP

Balloonflower -- the buds are balloons!

'Annabelle' hydrangea and 'Prom Puff' somniferum poppy. Don't the seedpods look like balloons?

This is globe thistle. A fuzzy garden balloon!

Beginning a purse, using Creative Little Daisy's tutorial. Pleased so far. . .

Fabric!!

Just what I need . . . finding a garage sale with tables of fabric for sale. Nice sized pieces, these are all new fabric. (The one on the top left is a finished needlepoint square. Thinking of making a purse with this on the front. . . . )

And these are vintage pieces:

The top one is a little rayon piece; second from the top is barkcloth; all the others are cotton (I think barkcloth is cotton, too, isn't it?) Much fun! P.S. Did you know if you double-click on the picture, it becomes much larger?? Check out that vintage stash close up!

Seeing Spots

Tiger lilies in the garden

Tiger lily petals fell to the table . . . next to the spotty bananas.

I love the extreme curves of the petals. And the intensity of the yellow. But if I assigned a flavor to the petals, I'd say lemon rather than banana.

Red White Blue

I made Strawberry Rhubarb muffins, using Soulemama's recipe, and the taste reminded me of my Mom's Strawberry Shortcake. So -- I broke up a muffin into a bowl, added crushed, sweetened strawberries on top -- oh yum! Red.



White is 'Old Man's Beard' blossoms -- Fringetree, which blooms here in late May. So serene. White.


My cousin and I went on a merry chase for blueberries up north Michigan a summer or two ago. Samples are swell! Blue.