Honestly..and I now have a 47 yr old:)

 The gardens feel like the end of August..so parched and dry..and bug eaten..

I cut back all my lilies apart from a very few..all shastas..The peony leaves are turning brown.. honestly..  it's all going to pot.

Except the zinnias and hydrangeas..

And some cute marigolds:) Some phlox but quite a lot has been eaten by the chafers..

The 4 o'clocks are just starting..rudbeckias..russian sage..

Ever since we moved here I have had Japanese Anemones around our small pond..A lot..dancing in the breeze attracting bees  bees bees..

NONE..These are true blues but pink for me..

Across the street they have gone forth and multiplied..Imagine that.

Honestly..

The destruction of squirrels..

I always said a good time to go away was  September as my gardens were  pretty much done by Sept..August is the new September.

And gardening has changed with the coming of Japanese Beetles..  I was used to rose chafers.. 2 yrs ago or so beetles appeared.Those are lasting much longer.

And squirrels never ate my tomatoes..never..I had such beauties..

Garlic is my first love now..

Squirrels don't eat garlic..I have tried planting garlic close..I'll get closer next yr..I'll plant in between.

Definitely not starting indoors..

Nope..no way..enough self-punishment.

They are slow this yr and Babette's Feast for the squirrels.

I HATE squirrels.

There.I said it.I won't change my mind.

Living in the country has so many advantages..but the wildlife is not always friendly:(

Celebrating our eldest daughter's bday today..it was the 10th..I was up at 5.30 AM..why?

Most of the things are prepped..

That's me in a nutshell..Never late.

Every home we lived in when the girls were young...my husband  built them a playhouse..this was the first..La maison Sous Les Arbres I called it..She's in pink..and white (second pic) I made that..never had zippers I didn't know how:) I guess I was 25 ..oyoyoy..

My red dodge dart out there..:)

I like everything matchy matchy..she's in the dark Polly Flinders below..they looked like they were now fed up w/ pic taking..

I loved those purses..I was maybe 26 by then..I was all bout Priscillas and gingham..Raggedy Ann's to match..bows..barettes..

Recital days..

I never wanted them to be cold;)

La Maison sous les arbres~

I think I loved those years the very best..until we had our grandsons.

I have always loved children..Embroidered her little dress..

♥

Oh My Gosh August!

 

Oh lala.. August! It has flown by..

Driving along shore road yesterday I was in awe of certain gardens..waterfront homes with gardens that look like someone planned them perfectly..still so much blooming!

My gardens get dry..they must have wells to water when they want..nothing looked burnt or spent..standouts bright pink phlox..coral phlox ..mounds of purple coneflowers..rudbeckias..hydrangeas..just gorgeous..

Ill try and insert more..annuals yet again..as I particularly loved blue salvia..pink impatiens ..repeat repeat repeat..on both sides of their entrance oh so pretty!In my memory box.. 

All the garlic is cured..snipped..and put aside..the one to eat and the one to plant .I snuck some in my last focaccia..so good.I may be ordering some different garlic online:) To shake up my routine lol.

Lucas is 17 next Sat..he's the eldest of both my daughters sons..

I cant believe what a lovely lovely young man he is..You would all be smitten on the spot.

All 3 boys in that family are working now..  Oli is a CIT..counselor in taining..no pay..at his school..but loves it! Max has a couple of days at Dollarama..:) and Lucas is the Counselor at summer camp here.

Poor Noah got a job blueberry picking on the hottest day of summer I think..and did not go back :)

Sept will bring back to school for all..all new experiences..  new schools..(2 of them ) and new grades..

I'm really very glad I am past that.I don't want to have to perform..

I'm at a stage in my life where I would like less routine ..although I am SO routine..yet not school I wouldn't want that.

Signed up for a new art class ..Ian Fennely.. out of my comfort zone..looking forward to it.

Back to school and Halloween showing up in stores..EGADS.

Let's not race to the finish line.

I hope everyone has a smooth August..no situations..  health..to all:)

Gardens~Painting~Cookies.

 

Needless to say I loved that tutorial.I would love to be able to paint such as this no tutorial:)

I baked more cookies after ordering a few custom cookie cutters..

The cutters come with a recipe..Ill try it next time;)

This time I made the ones I love the taste so much of..brown sugar shortbread cookies..I know I have lots of faves..this is one of the recipes..I have shared it before with the Je T'Aime cookies..

They  are really good..  however..I really do understand what certain cookie cutter ..stamps need..and I still make errors..For this recipe I added more flour..I still rolled in sugar..but after chilling the balls (bigger) I dusted with flour and did the same with the cutter..prior to baking I chilled again..I made these on a 100F day mind you but when you make stamped cookies a lot you get the hang of them

Note..One day all my fun stuff will be somewhere in a huge garage sale lol..contact my daughters;)

My gardens are work..lots of work but lots of joy.The big work is Spring and Fall..right now..it's primping and cutifying..and caring for them..

You know..I walk the gardens several times a day..

and does this happen to you?

I walk by and bend down and look at a flower..and think to myself..:"you're so pretty"..sometimes I say it out loud.I do..Not LOUD more like just telling myself that vocally.

Some things I grow to mainly take photos of ...some things to punish myself lol..some to eat..some a challenge..some to remind me of friends.Some because they are larger than life and floriferous..others so small almost invisible.

Some to make bouquets and some to just bring a peacefulness to the gardens.

But it's the fact I actually say:"You're so pretty" ..?

We had Oli one afternoon and he wanted to take photos..when I downloaded the pics..I saved 3 of me..usually it's..garbage..bin..don't share..

But I saved 3 :)

I thanked him.

All the boys are well..♥

I've been taking small trips down memory lane..Europe 2008..Glad we traveled when we did..I know overseas is finished.

♥But I am grateful for all the beauty I saw the four times we went..minus one place:(

I could live in an old charming(of course) home..easily..in the south of France..but with all my family there too.

A lot of people have stopped blogging in general..and have stopped commenting on blogs because they become the dreaded ANONYMOUS and then say who they are..

This girl..

Everyone's tech guru princess..Linda has written a great post..thought I would share..

It's here at Life And  Linda..

She graciously shares tips to make Bloggers Lives..  far easier.

PS It's verbena bonariensis I forgot this year..def next yr.

~Mid July~

 

Mid July and it's mostly Lily time..My fave is the before last one..Maggie..blooming in profusion.

I would have them everywhere..I may divide and try that:)

JB love these too though so it's hit or miss..

I looked back to July last yr and my cherry tomatoes are a bust this yr:(

The larger ones seem better but not stellar..If anything is abundant Ill be shocked.

Happily surprised let's say.

Purple poppies no go this yr..just the ones I always have..

Dill is great:)

NEXT yr GOMPHRENA  I forgot:(

I took a wonderful online tutorial..With Marco Novo  he's just great..

that's the class the two little beach girls..

Still baking..always..

The bread is from Nusrat on IG..her name there is sabzi.schabzi

I don't know what happens if I directly link my account being a bit more cautious..

The bran muffins are from Chris..one bowl bran muffins..soo good..

Noah is in Maine..I miss going there..so charming..with his mom having a ball.

The 3 other boys went to Football University in Naples Florida..

3 days of extensive training in hot as heck weather.

Summmertime..and the livin' is easy:)

Into July~

 

It's all about the gardens:) And Noah's 14th birthday..wow..14..unimaginable ..I keep repeating myself but time is whizzing by.

The thing I enjoy about photography ..is ..well one of the things I enjoy..is that sometimes the lens catches something you didn't..like that hovering wee creature above the zinnia..

Or all the lace patterns on a dragonfly's wings.

Have a very good coming week~