First it was the daisies on the side of the drive Then the irises. Bless them for staying ahead of the weeds – I haven’t with this year’s mosquito population at an all time high Then the wild roses And the valerian is starting to open Flowers are in almost every direction I look! No peonies yet, though
Earlier this week I had library books to return. After doing that and some other errands, I thought I would like a treat. I stopped at the grocery store. I went through the aisles. Nothing local that I could see. And as I read the ingredient list of each possibility I decided no, no., and no. So I got some tulips. And even then I heard Ken’s voice say, “Humph! Grown with chemicals and shipped …
Today I walked down the drive to open the gate for someone. First, among the rye I saw hollyhocks! And then on the west side of the drive, I saw a greyish lump and thought something had killed a turkey. No. As I approached she lifted her head and moved off some babies. Hope she is a good mom!
Flowers cheer one. And this week I cold use some cheer. So this morning I wen out to sample what was blooming. I did two arrangements. This first is a purple cone flower, astillbe, bee balm, butterfly weed, daisies and black eyed Susan. The second is the same type flowers minus the cone flower. The bee balm or monarda were one of Ken’s favorites. …
Having a steady supply of flowers blooming over a season provides pollen and nectar for pollinators. This season flowers started a bit slower than usual, but with some heat and two major rain events they are now moving ahead of usual bloom time. After the trillium, the woods here fill with wild geraniums. They are a small pink flowered plant. Then we have a wild apple or hawthorn tree …
When I met Ken over two decades ago, friends told me it was obviously serious – I was moving my perennial flowers to Turtle Lake. Ken tilled an area, and I planted. It was not the same as my established beds in the city. I battled poison ivy, weeds creeping from under a rock pile, etc. Ken moved the rocks, and really helped over the years. But first an old knee injury and then sciatica …
