Please, come have a seat!

I love my front porch. It looks out over the street beckoning to passersby. For some reason it has gotten a lot of compliments lately. I think it really has to do with the fact that the landscape is beginning to look mature. This has to be the case because I haven't done anything different than I have for the past two years. Same pillows, baskets, furniture arrangement etc. Nothing new. We have poured a lot of heart and soul into this house and garden. I cannot tell you how good it makes me feel when a perfect stranger stops me to say "Hey your yard looks really good, this house has come a long way." It's a painfully slow process and I am always certain there are not enough hours in the day but, I do enjoy the rewards. So come on by. We'll sit on the porch, have some tea, and raise our glasses to the people as they pass by!

Knee High by the Fourth of July

My father used to always say the the corn needed to be "Knee high by the the fourth of July". Who's knee do you think he was taking about? Things are definitely coming along out there in the garden. Several things didn't germinate this year. I think it had a lot to do with the cold weather. The ground just didn't seem to warm up quick enough! I missed all of the great early crops like radish, lettuce and spinach. I intend to try again this fall but I must say the salad bowl is very sadly empty!

Youthful Favorites

My mother always planted moss rose. Every summer, somewhere she planted some. They really are cool little plants. The leaves are fleshy with flowers doubled and showy. Typically they are in multiple colors. Occasionally they will self seed but most reliably perform as an annual. Looking at them makes me feel a bit nostalgic for my youth. Do you remember a plant from your youth? Something that reminds you of hot summer days that seemed to last forever?

Not Your Ordinary Shoe

Sometimes your flip flops just need a little bling. Something to make them a little fancy smancey. Something that says these aren't your ordinary foam shoes. So just take a little time and make your plastic fantastic! Tee hee!

Jam It

Do you see these beauties? I had to stand at the corner of the strawberry bed defending it with a hose from would be marauders(my husband and daughter) in order to get enough for some strawberry jam! As I am sure you have noticed my lack of posts, I am seriously short on time these days! Watering, weeding, summer fun and such has kept me very busy. As a result I decided to give freezer jam a try. It takes much less processing time and is really simple to do. Basically you mix pectin, fruit and sugar together and then mash the fruit. Allow to set for a bit and then you can put it in the same jars you use for regular canning and throw them in the freezer. Google a few different recipes, I picked mine from a recent issue of Organic Gardening. The flavor is just as good if not better. The texture may be a bit runnier but that just makes it more suitable to ice cream topping if you desire!

Poppies

What do you think of these poppies? They look more like peonies to me! I missed the blooming of my peony while I was in California. I have been waiting for five years for that thing to finally get big enough to bloom. Wouldn't you know it happens while I am out! I started it from a root. All I can say is slow and painful. This poppy reseeds itself in my garden in random places. I was looking for the bright orange variety and ended up with this very pink carnation looking one. I'll try to seed for the orange ones this fall. In the meantime, I will enjoy this one with its carnation like flower and sleepy seed pods.

Color

Well I am glad to be home but seem to have brought a cold with me. I am hoping it is just allergies....something in California I was not used to. I found lots of wonderful things in my garden when I got home. Amazing what a week of hot weather can do!
I seeded these California Poppies last summer. I have always liked them for their vibrant color, willingness to self seed and their need for little water. Needless to say I am really pleased to see how nice the color plays with the purple of the salvia. I would like to say I planned it that way but I did not. I am however pleased with the result and would recommend it for someone looking for something vibrant in the garden!