Our not so Secret Garden, Geese story

I was asked to post this sheep when Con got the curls popped out.

Well here it is. Funny thing happened when he popped them out, it made the sheep look round and it isn't. Cool affect.

Be sure to enlarge photos.

We have been working in the back yard for a few days now trying to get it looking good for Lynn's Visit. I went to Big lots and found a new colorful plastic table cloth to add some color outside. They were out of the florals so I got fruit motif.

We went to Home depot for some white Lattice to put on the chain link fence and gate to hid the carport mess. Trash cans etc. makes it much more charming. I also painted a black rooster white with orange head piece. So I have been doing some painting. Just not on canvas. :)

Our walk way out one side of our sun room is looking pretty right now too with the Daisy's blooming.

Bird bath I painted was put in the shade garden and on bricks so we can see the birds taking a bath from every angle. So far no birds have discovered it yet. But give them time. The pigeons and Starlings are now gone.

We also move the picnic table down to a shadier more sheltered area where I have my Shasta daisies. They didn't used to be in the shady area but still somehow get enough sun to bloom for now. So I planted some Salvia in here for color. It has become so windy here lately. It never used to be windy every day. So I am hoping I can paint out here still this summer.

You can see the table peeking out from where we put it. It also was in the way of us trying to water the lawn.

I took this shot this morning. It doesn't show up how pretty it was but that's all dandelions out there blooming. Tomorrow Con will mow them all down again.

Our Veggie garden is growing fast now too. This was taken last week. It is further along now.

We have the Pole beans growing up the net and two kinds of tomatoes. Sunflowers again and zineas in here.

These started as a couple I got at a garage sale and now look at them. Chickens and hens or Hens and chickens they are called. It is after all Cactus Monday. :)

My Fairy Roses are starting to fade out now. I was hoping they would still be in full bloom when Lynn gets here on the 4th. but not sure they will be.

Our Grapes took off this year and if the birds don't get them we will be making jelly again this year. Concord grapes here. Annie is looking behind where Con is planting a photinia along the fence behind here. We are making a hedge for privacy as they aren't watering the fairy roses much and are dying out. We need to keep the deer out and they would be able to hop over without anything there.

Well This is the end of the photos for now.

***

We took off this morning early with Fair and Anabelle to walk in the park before it got hot. We have been doing pretty good getting out most days. We did miss Sunday. We will be going as early as we can to beat the heat from now on as it is going to be getting to warm for the dogs later.

We saw the geese this morning and I didn't have my camera so I missed a couple choice shots. They were in a large group walking across the parking lot to a grassy area across from the pond two by two. We were a ways back from them but could see them pretty well, but as we got closer they all of a sudden came running and half flying back across to the pond. Something had scared them and the babies, now young adults, that weren't moving fast enough were being bawled out by one of the parents and boy did they move fast after that. Lucy was there too and we were cracking up as it was so funny to see.

****

Art Festival 2009

Been so busy lately I just haven't had the energy to download the photos I have been taking much less blog. But I finally found some time to get these on my blog.

This was taking at the Art Festival we went to on Friday.

We have a Three day weekend Festival every year.

Its on the Grounds of the Art Center here.

On about the same grounds where we walk in the park and around.

Be sure and enlarge the photos.

I forgot the get the main sigh photo.

We walked in and didn't get very far before I found Julie Peterson's Oil paintings and prints.

I fell instantly in love with her work and colors.
Guess they remind me of what I love to paint.
I bought a cute little print of one of her garden paintings.
Shown last here. I had to get her photo and photos of her booth to share with you.

She is a delightful person. Not to much younger then me.
She is self taught and prints her own prints too.
Her Husband is now retired and they make the circuit of Festivals and Art shows in many states.
She is from Washington.


we walked back by when we were leaving and she had lots looking at her works and she was selling too.
We yakked some more. I really liked her as well as her work.
She uses such lovely colors that on her web site she said she slowly layers colors.
She said to email her.


Making a sale.

The grounds were spread out with lots of booths from woodworking to iron works.

There weren't to many painters this year.

But you can go into the Art center building and there are Artists inside showing off their work.

This is our favorite booth. I took two photos but it is hard to get a good shot of all her stuff.

Every year we have bought something from Teresa G.

Last year it was the egret and this year we got the sheep with the bird on its back we wanted last year. It turns out it was their last one too.

After walking an hour and half we were tired.

Here's the sheep we bought. I am missing my sheep in the back field so had to get it.

It isn't easy to get photos in here due to all the big old trees and shade the make.

Here's a better shot of it. We are to pop out the curls on it to catch the light to make it look like sheep's wool. Haven't had time to do that yet.

This was the print I got. A small one and it doesn't show the colors well.

I didn't have much cash with me and so I was limited to smaller ones and also I don't have a lot of wall spaces.

Her Website to look up her work is,

http://www.juliepeterson.net/
***

We have been planting more flowers. I keep saying no more but then I find a space for some more summer color annuals. Our plant stand is going to close down soon so I wanted to make sure I have what I want for the summer.

I was looking at pictures of our yard when we moved in over five years ago and even two years ago and what a difference from then to now. Our back yard is now how I always envisioned a back yard. Cozy, private, peaceful, usable with flowering beauty and water fountains and birds and bird baths.

I will post some soon.

Have a great weekend

****

Geese update, Butterflys & flowers, Some art work done,Cherry picking and cobblers

Its been a busy week so far.

We always seem to find lots to do in Summer and this year is no exception.

There's always lots of work in the garden and we just seem to keep adding more.

But that will be another post.

Here's some of what we have been up too.

I planted several Cosmo flowers for summer color and I just LOVE this color.

Up date on the Geese.

Seems that the Teenagers are now young adults.

Be sure and click on the photos to see them better.

You can almost not tell the adults from their babies here. These are the Teenagers almost grown up, but even tho they have all their feathers they are still just a tad smaller and a tad gangly yet. But give them another week and you wont be telling the difference. There are more young ones then adults here.


Lucy is still with her family.

These are the last set of gosling babies.
They aren't quite teenagers yet.
There were six of them but now we only see four.

Behind these babies are baby ducklings in the water.
So there are still a few babies about.

We found this bird bath on sale and liked that it had a center part in it for smaller birds to take baths. it isn't as deep as our other one.

But it was boring.

So Con said,

PAINT IT.

So I did.

Of course it HAD to have PINK flowers on it.

:)

While sitting out enjoying our gardens along came this Yellow guy.

I knew the name when I went to post these photos but right now it wont come to me.

It really was loving my Sweet Williams

We see them every year and I was wondering when one would show up.

And today was the day.

I got in really close to watch it parting the flowers with its legs and I guess drinking the nectar like a hummer. ?

I never saw that before.

And Fairs cherriy trees were ready to pick and eat

She had us over to pick and eat cherries yesterday.

Oh my they are good.

Nothing like bitting into a sweet cherry and have cherry juice running down your chin.

We helped her pick five cups of cherries for a pie and ate about a cup full while doing it.

LOL

Then we picked about that many for us.

Con was sitting and resting after gorging himself on Bing cherries.

:)

Best to get the darkest cherries for the pie or cobblers, but there are lots rotting in her trees because of a late storm we got a couple weeks ago. But the transistor radio did keep the birds from eating and ruining the cherrys.

Fair is standing by the Bing cherry tree and off in the middle is the Royal Anne she has to pollinate the Bing. With out it the Bing wouldn't get cherries. Something new I learned about Cherry trees. The other thing is that no two Bing cherry trees are alike. She said they all have their own unique taste. Some are more tart and some more sweet.

Who knew!

We needed five cups of Cherries to make a cobbler

We also needed to PIT the cherries before making the cobbler.

I started out doing it and then Con decided he wanted to do it as I was to slow.

He wanted that cobbler made this century he said.

:)

We ended up with almost ten cups. We were shy a cupful so I went over and picked a cupful and we froze the other Five cups for another day.

Con insisted on doing most of the cherry pitting and I was so happy to see how well he was using his left hand.

On July 11th it will be one year ago he had his bad accident. He has come a long way in that year of healing.

This Cobbler with vanilla Ice cream was pronounced

DELICIOUS.
****

Fair said she was cherried out and that she had enough to freeze and her Sisters got what they wanted and she was going to let the birds get the rest now.

So I asked if we could pick some for our neighbors across the street.

He has lung cancer and is going thru Chemo and loves anything from the Garden.

Fair said sure, so we picked another five cups for them

Elaine was so happy to get them too. She said they will dry some of them as her DH loves dried cherries.

***

This week we have been to a cute nursery to buy another Fairy Rose and planted a few more plants.

Were walking still and enjoying the warm weather finally.

I have to many photos to post right now so will post some more pix of the plants and walk soon.
***

More Beauty in my Gardens & ATCs from Deepa

This is now my new header.

I took this hoping it would turn out but not knowing for sure until I downloaded it. I was pleasantly surprised I even got the pollen on the Bee.

I love that I got both colors of my Mallow plants in one shot with the Bee.

We have an abundance of Bees around here now due to the beehive the neighbor across the Street has going. I love the buzzing of them around me. It brings hope that the bees aren't all disappearing.

This shot is coming in from the side gate. It just doesn't photograph well for some reason.

You can see Cons arm off to the left.

I took another one and deleted it instead of this one.

Joys of photography.

:))

The View thru the Sun room window.

Where I used to paint before making a studio in the guestroom.

Daisies for Teri Casper
with one of Cons handmade bunnies.


Penstemons and Fever few in the back side.


I love anything with little bells on it.

My Fairy Roses keep filling out with more blooms.

All on the other side of our viewing.
Except when I sit at my computer and look out my window then I can see it well.

Looks like a bridal veil of pink.

My favorite colors too.

I should go get more of these and plant them around where some of my Roses aren't doing so well.

They tend to get wild but they sure put on a show and grow so fast too.

Love and Peace Rose.

Same Rose.

a tad brighter then it is.

Annie guarding the yard from Squirrels watching a bird or two eating on the stump table.

They don't seem to mind her there and they don't seem afraid of her and she doesn't bother them either.

Our CA Quail family.

Haven't seen any babies tho.


And last but not least

Deepa's, ATC's came in Friday.

http://deepazworld.blogspot.com/

They are absolutely beautiful.

I didn't get them posted in time before she left Dubai for her home land India for two months.

I hope she can get Internet connection while she is there.

Thank you Deepa I LOVE these ATCs they are very well done and thought out.

She sent this lovely Post card with a message on the back too.

I love the camels on it.

****

Everyone seems to be going on Vacation right now and wont be around much.

So I am leaving my posts up a little longer then usual.

I haven't done much Art work. Have had some so so stressful things to take care of so it has side tracked me for awhile.

Also I have been spending it cleaning and Gardening.

I need to get our home nice and tidy as we will be having a, short but sweet, visit from Lynn on her way home July 4th.

I am looking forward to it. One always needs some motivation to clean well don't you think?
LOL

Everyone have great vacations.

ATC from Lynn, Our weekend in flowers

Its getting to be Cherry season.

I love cherries. Especially Bing cherries which these are.

These are in Fairs yard.

Be sure and click on photos to enlarge them.

Her Tree is loaded. She also has a Royal Anne cherry tree right next to it.

We thought she had lost her Cherries off her tree during our Bad Windy Thunder & pouring Rain storm a week or so ago. She is losing some to mold tho from that storm, but The birds usually eat the rest before she can get to them. So this year I told her about a Guy up the street using a transistor radio to keep the birds away. So she gave it a try.

It seems to be working too. She put it on an all talk show and the birds might land but they take off really quick again. She put it in a plastic bag to keep the moisture out and brings it in at night.

This got out of order. But I took it in the park on one of our walks this weekend.
Wild sweet peas. There were white ones too.

And this lovely ATC came From Lynn . I love hearts.
So I asked for it. She also send me one of her wonderful cards below with it.

This is of one of her plants like I have called Jupiter's Beard.

They are such a pretty flower. Easy to grow too.
Thank you Lynn.

This Oak tree is in the Woods where we walk.

We went in there after the Storm and saw the damage from the storm.

This is where the huge limb below came off.

There was more of it off to the side. Someone must have pushed it off the walking path. There were several trees like that in here.

As I was taking pictures I spied this little guy. he was eating the seeds off the tall dried grasses. He would pull down some grass and then strip off the seeds and munch. You sometimes really have to look to see whats right in front of you.

Here's part of our walking path. Love these interesting trees we pass by. Be sure and enlarge.

Con and I did some Garage saling this weekend.

I saw this tree bush and had to get a photo of it.

I am not sure what it is. There IS a handkerchief tree but not sure this is it. Very unusual.

Con and I did the walk this weekend by ourselves. Fair and DH went out of town,

so we were on our own walking.

We decided to go by the River for a change.
Its so pretty thru here.

Actually we had the WHOLE weekend alone here. Both sets of neighbors went out of town for three days. I got to get a shot of my Roses WITHOUT their Trailer as a back ground.

You can see we have a wonderful view out that way without a big trailer blocking our view. Sigh

You can also see here that my Fairy Roses on the arbor are starting to open.

But it is the other side that shows best because it faces the sun more.

Wouldn't you know it. The neighbors get the best view. Arrgh.

Something to think about when planting pretty flowering things.

And when taking pretty pictures,

Remember to remove ugly sprinklers and hoses!

:))

These little Daisies are called Fever few.

They grow like weeds.

Maybe they are weeds but aren't they pretty?

My yellow Daisies are doing great.

I planted them in these pots two years ago.

Last year they got so leggy I decided to dump them.

So in Fall I cut them off at the top and left them in the pots on the side of the house not getting much water. Would you believe they came back and are doing better then ever?

Daisies are amazing flowers.

Fair bought this little guy for me.

It was a nice thank you for something I did for her.

Columbine flowers

***
We did lots of yard work this weekend.

Our backs were killing us. But I think we got most of the weeds taken care of.

We took care of Fairs bird feeders and bird baths.

We also had to go shut our neighbors garage door that have the trailer and aren't all the friendly because they left and forgot to put it down and there sat their Harleys and the way into there house.

I told them about it when they got home last night and I never heard one thank you.

Oh well I did it because it was the thing to do.

When Fair got home last evening Anabelle came to visit.

So Annie went out and they romped around a bit until Annie let out a horrible yip. Something they do when playing sometimes but she started acting funny. She acted like she couldn't get up and started to drag her front end towards us. I thought she had a stroke or something and being the baby she is she wouldn't let us touch her. So I ran for Con to help carry her home and Fair calmed her down and checked and found a big nasty burr in her stomach area burrowed in her fur. When con got out she did get up and ran for the house. Upon getting in the house she wanted a cookie for her bravery. So I got her a dogie cookie but she dumped it on the floor and pointed to where the people cookies were so she got one of those.

She seemed OK and I felt relief. but then she started doing the same thing again. So I got her down and checked her over and found ANOTHER nasty burr in same area.

I think & hope that is all it was and she seems fine today but boy did she milk it for all it was worth last night. I've got to say I handled cons cut hand better then I handled her 'what ever' last night.

Groan

Peonies & Birds, Baths and Gardens

The storm didn't get my peonies thank goodness. They were budding out and made it thru without being ruined.

This is the back of one and I thought it was as beautiful from the back as the front.

This year they out did themselves and they were given to me three years ago from someone who was thinning theirs out.

Be sure to click on them to enlarge.

This is the front of it.

From another bush near by. The color is magnificent this year too. Usually they have been a washed out pink. I've feeding them something called BLOOM.


This is our friends garden. I got a couple quick photos.
Con built this arbor for her a couple years ago. her peonies were laying on the ground from the wind and her Roses had lost a lot of flowers. That big tall bush was loaded with pink flowers.

The front plant is some kind of Japanese willow such pretty colors that didn't show here.

She is plagued by Deer tho but uses Liquid Fence spray

We cant keep the water filled in this bird bath.

These Starlings love bathing. So do the blue Scrub jays.

We call it the communal bathing pool.

:))

Another walk at the Duck pond get me these photos. I want to paint this one or one of the others.

I just cant get enough of these guys.

I loved this view

Lucy Goosie on the right.

Thistle patch.

I thought it was so pretty but the photo doesn't do it justice.

Fair said that if you pick them and spray them with hair spray and hang them upside down to dry they will stay pink and pretty.

As we walked on we came across a Killdeer that ran out from along side the path where some water and rocks were and started running up the sidewalk away from there. Fair said " I wonder if she has some eggs around here somewhere. Lets watch and see if she starts acting like she is hurt."

Lo and behold she runs to the side and lays down and starts acting like she is hurt, flapping her wing.

I got this photo only. She got up as we got closer leading us further away from the spot they had stopped at and did it again. She kept doing this until she thought we were far enough away and then slowly headed back.

We giggled all the way back to the car.

****

I am posting less right now as we are spending so much time out in the yard & Gardens weeding, feeding and watering our plants. If I want some more Roses blooming I had to get out there and feed them well.

My Fairy roses are starting to bloom right now and I am hoping they are as spectacular as they were last year.

Con mowed the lawns. I chased away a Deer in our back field. I was mad at myself because I reacted without getting my camera and getting a photo first. But I didn't want it getting used to being in the field and it was half way up to our main garden.

I haven't had much time for doing any Art right now but I do consider my Garden a work of Art.

****

Flowers before The storm. Update of the Baby Geese now Teenagers

Peony's blooming before the Storm on Tuesday.

which I found out brought 40 miles an hour winds. Sheets of Rain and loud thunder and lightening over head. We got the brunt of that storm in our town.
Also before storm.
They came thru OK but rather frazzled
We lost quite a few flowers and had to tie up roses bushes and other tall flowers.
Lost lots of tree limbs but around town there were trees toppled
It ruined the $8,000 Half Dome at our park for summer concerts and the sound too which will take hours of fixing hopefully in time for the concerts and the Saturday out door movies they are going to have this year.


All photos need to be enlarged by clicking on them.
this came thru rather battered this is before. I took no afters it was to disheartening.

My Foxgloves bent over and one broke off so it is in the house along with snapped off roses so I can enjoy them inside.

Our neighbors lovely trailer is our back drop for my roses now.

American beauty climbing roses.

Yellow Daisies and wave petunias

Jupiter's beards got rather tattered to but here they are perfect.

My favorite rose bush had to be tied up after the storm. This was the afternoon OF the storm.

I loved this droopy peaceful scene.

When I looked out at it during the storm it looked like some one was shaking the bjabbers out of it and yet some of the flowers on the inside made it thru because they had flattened out.

This is Wednesday after the storm.

We went to walk in the park as it was cool but humid and to check out the damage.

we saw many trees ripped off at the root.

but the birds seemed to be OK.

Had to check out the baby geese which are now gangly teenagers.

Lucy Goosie was out there with her family too.

As I got closer the pack started separating and moving of in packs of families. How do they know their parents. They all look alike to me. :)

This was adorable

They were right on the side and didn't even move when we went by.

I think everything seemed a bit shaken up from the storm.

We have rainy weather today too. We kept losing our Internet connection yesterday and we might have another Storm tonight but I am hoping not. Once is enough for me thank you very much.

*****

ATCs from Katie Jane & Bad storm passed thru.

I got these in the mail today from Katie

http://mykatiejane.blogspot.com/

I was expecting the Rose but she sent another one as a surprise. it is called

SPACE. They are much prettier in person. The space one has a very pretty almost heart shaped colored rock or glass on it. Both seem to glitter too.

Thank you Katie I love them and I will be doing something for you soon.

They came in this pretty card

I keep wanting to pick off the yarn on the card it's so real looking.

:))

We just had the worse Thunder and lightening , rain and hail storm I have EVER been in all at once.

Scared me & the animals to death. It hit hard and right over head. Took forever to pass thru too.

It blew hard and took off most all my Roses on my beautiful Rose bushes out back. I am so glad I got the photos of them before.

It blew over other plants with the wind and the HARD rain, and Hail.

I had a hard time getting the computer off in time and then I pulled all plugs and TV plugs and any other plugs I could think of.

Just to be safe.

:)

I was so afraid that it would blow some big branches off the HUGE trees in front and back of us onto the house. It took sprinklers and objects on a table out back and blew them across the yard.

It blew the tarp off the fire wood on the side. blew alot of my plants over. The Fairy roses on the side fence are all on our side and not ON the fence any more. I am not sure till morning what else it blew over or off but in the middle of it all I realized I had forgotten to bring in my hummingbird sugar water feeder and out there sitting on it several times were two little hummers drinking away uncaring of all the noise , lightening hitting, hard blowing wind, heavy rain and hail going on and that the feeder was swinging back and forth like crazy, not once blowing these little puffs of feathers anywhere, and yet my sprinklers were tossed across the yard. Go figure.

Tomorrow we will go out and do damage control. Right now I need something strong to sooth my raw nerves.

LOL

****

Sun drenched Roses. One painting done & one begun

My Roses outdid themselves this year on their First bloom.

The weather also co operated and didn't rain to ruin them.

We did get a heat wave that made them open faster but what a glorious sight.

I wanted so badly to capture the sun drenched colors but it was way to hot to try to paint them so I used my camera. They just don't look as gorgeous as they did with my eyes so I drank in every last lovely color and scent of them.

Enlarge photos.

This one wont enlarge.
They were finally feeling the heat and starting to go here.
I had to do some deadheading today.
Nothing beats the first blooms of Spring.


Looking out through our sun room window.
I couldn't get the whole row of Roses tho.

I also did some painting.

Finally finished my bird painting from last year.

The trees are looking like this again this Spring.

Mama Starlings and Babies.

We are putting out one suet lard a day right now. Lots more Babies this year too. Soon they will move on.

I started a new painting.

I am starting out using Acrylics to get the drawing done, Then I will finish in Oils.
*****