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:)
It is so hard to believe that we are already into August. This year is zipping by. Wonderful that the boys have jobs and I am empathize with Noah! Picking blueberries is no fun, especially on a hot, hot day! Not for what you are paid. Your blooms are so pretty as is your shed. I know I always say that. Your focaccia is perfection. I bet it tasted fabulous! Hoping you enjoy what's left of the summer! xoxo
ReplyDeletePS - Why are the stores always in such a rush to push the next holiday on us! It annoys me!
No clue but I saw Christmas baubles at Michael's today:( I might be blueberry picking Friday w/ M and N..if it cools down.I have relatively low BP and can faint in heat.. Like today..I ain't gardening;0 A true zipline!
DeleteGood Morning. Your flowers are lovely, dry weather or not. We are having the hottest and driest weather on record.....just north of Austin, Tx. My grands were at camp, mostly outside, in July. I don't know how they stood it.....but, I am a bit older, so I guess youth has it advantages. One was helping campers and counselors who were passing out; and one who slashed his hand with a matt knife. She is changing for learning firefighting in school to EMT. Since she doesn't panic, I think she will do well.
ReplyDeleteI check out your new art classes....the one of 5 villages. His artwork looks like it would be in a fairy tale book.....wonderful detail. I am excited to see what you do. You might enjoy Nature Creative classes. I am almost finishing one year this month, which is videos by the month with a Zoom at the end. But, it also has include 2 studies on authors. We are doing Wind in the Willows right now.....painting Ratty, Toad, and Mole, so far. Happy August.
Thank you for the recommendation..I'll look for certain..I like this class because you keep them forever:) I love Jean Haines..but once you are done you are done..the subscription..Ian's is lifetime access and I love his quirky work:) Sounds like she will be a great EMT!!Happy Aug to you:)
DeleteYes, summer is simply flying by so quickly. Our garden and flowers have been tested by the heat and dry conditions, too. When we lived on our farm, we had a pond that was plumbed for our outdoor watering needs. Gosh, I didn't know how valuable that was! It was easy to grow everything and anything. I will learn how to do things in our new spot, though. Little by little, we win the battles of life. Eh? You mentioned dry conditions, but your flowers and that tomato plant look lovely. Speaking of "lovely," how adorable is your painting of the little girls with their yellow scooter. Of course, I'm crazy about little ones. I'll bet you have to pinch yourself, just thinking about Lucas turning 17. They grow up so quickly. Bittersweet. You can be proud of your grand boys--all working. I think that's good for young people.
ReplyDeleteMonique, your words, "Let's not race to the finish line," really stood out to me. Pushing on, pushing through, is who I am, but as I age, I want to learn to slow down and soak up all the goodness in life (and try to ignore the other not-so-good stuff, lol). My husband often asks me, "What's the hurry?" Indeed, why should we hurry? Thank you for this lovely post. I hope August brings you good things!
What's the hurry?:) I am a fine one to talk.I can't procrastinate..it's ingrained in me for some reason..I always feel I must do it now..makes me cringe..lol it does..and relax? For some reason..only at night for ap 2 hrs watching tv..the rest of the time I am pushed by my brain to do something..Not always physical..it can be painting and I guess that's the relaxing:)But its more in winter.Winter is a more relaxing season here by far.I remember my mom being able to sit..and listen to music and read..etc.
DeleteThe tomato plants..I dug holes beside the plants and put 4 inch pots or larger in the holes adj to the tomato plants..I water in the holes.. it goes to the roots..a blogger showed this last yr,so my forlorn tomato plants are catching up but their rough start in life has kept them back..
Pam that's one of my fave Paris People watercolors too:)Thank you!
Let's try and slow down together:)Have a great week!
All my adult married life I made sure everything was tidy..lol who CARES?Me I guess..that's 40 yrs of this nonsense;)
Me too! I'm always cleaning because my eye goes immediately to anything that's out of place. Kinda wish I didn't have that type of outlook. Yes! I think we should try to slow down. Really...who cares?? You make me smile!
DeleteYou too :):):)
Delete"What's the hurry?" is what I sometimes say to myself if I am rushing around in the morning. Then I slow down and think, I have all day, I can do what I want, when I want. MOST OF THE TIME!!! I am a big fan of garlic & your focaccia looks so yummy. This Wednesday it promises to be 100 degrees where I live which is 60 miles south of Chicago. We are in corn country here and many of the youngsters have jobs detasseling the corn. Including the famous Cindy Crawford who grew up here.I am like you Monique, need to limit my outside time in this type of intense heat. Have a good week & August!
ReplyDeleteThat air did wonders for CC..still so lovely.Corn is upon us also.. so stinkin hot here too;)Even with my hurry..there's still more ..lol.Have a great day Ga!
DeleteWell, you make August look amazing! I'm in awe of all the lush gardens a blaze with zinnias and such. I know you are proud of those young men. How special to have them close by and in your lives. As it should be! Grandparents are such an important link for children. I never knew my grandfathers, but was very close to both my grandmothers. My mother's mother lived with us when she could no longer live alone. My sister and I were just sharing memories of those times. We both remember different things! She always says I have the better memory, but my mind keeps visuals filed away. Easy to see something in my mind. I'm in no hurry, though I'd welcome cooler temps! Hideous summer heart we have and are having. Thanks for the happy, colorful post!
ReplyDeleteI have heard how hot is is..I don't think I could keep glorious gardens like you do Sarah in this heat for so long..We are a country of extremes..Freezing cold to hot .That's why people adore fall here.The colors..the temp..I love it too but it means winter is coming.But..I relax much more in winter apart for Christmas:) So lucky to have a sister!:) I see her so vividly in my mind:)xoxo
DeleteGorgeous blooms amid the hot weather. so nice the boys have jobs. Picking berries in the hot weather is no fun. Our poor plants are suffering from the heat.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you do it!! Kudos to you!! Have a great week Linda:)
DeleteGorgeous pics. I planted blue salvia this year and they were decimated by the slugs, never saw any slugs but something ate them. We were only 29 degrees yesterday here on the coast after a week of 37 degrees. It was bliss. It is a better summer than last year though. Way fewer wild fires. Happy August. Angharad.
ReplyDeleteOh good re fires:( I have perennial salvia. but bloom time is short for me..need to rethingk things..I just walked around..so much decimated by JBeetles..heartwrenching..the phlox! They never feasted on those before..I need to cut back loads of spent blooms in round cutting garden..just will wait till a touch cooler:)
DeleteGlorious, each and every image. I love the borage -- that's gorgeous. And those last two garlic photos -- simply to die for at the end.Your "boys" sound like such wonderful young men (and teens). I can tell how proud you are of them and I think you should be. They sound terrific. 17 already. That time has flown, like the summer has.
ReplyDeleteIt has.. I love fall but then its winter..I love winter but its like the guest that stays too long..But I like it:)Thanks Jeanie!
DeleteI can't believe it either! OY. Lucas 17!! Good grief, something else that zipped by so quickly, it seems. Mack will be 13 next month! Our first teenager :) Our boys are at camp this week - they would love Lucas as their camp counselor. ♥ Your zinnias are gorgeous! I planted them also this year and so far so good with no rust. I love the 'flower within a flower' in your closeups! Beautiful blues! What a bounty of garlic and having some in focaccia is a delicious way to use it. I have tomatoes that look just like that and even more bizarre shapes! Just a few ripe cherry tomatoes so far here. We are having a rainy day today which is great for the lawn and means relaxing for me, which is wonderful to me after all the work of getting ready for and hosting our Gourmet Group on Monday night!
ReplyDeleteOli will be our last teen in Sept..the last 13 yr old..they follow each other so closely!Hollyhocks are rust magnets here:( Havent seen rust on the zinnias and soon Ill share French Marigolds:)
DeleteThis past Moday you had Gourmet or next Monday:)? Its so fun you still do this..I remember your set ups around the pool:)Beautiful..My gardens are waning:(. Hoping for rain.we had 10 drops yesterday....
We had gourmet Monday, August 1. It was a beautiful night - so grateful for the weather and that everyone was in town and feeling well enough to join us. Can't wait to see French Marigolds! I couldn't find the same variety this year and the seeds I started while we were out of town for two weeks didn't do well. I think I left them in too much water! The variety I found this year are still pretty and blooming their heads off. Dahlias are starting. ♥♥♥ Hope you get a good rain soon!
Deletewe may have had some overnight but very little..
Deletethe marigold seeds may have had 1 % germination.. But still LOL..Im a determined auntie:)
That's about what I had too! I wonder if I should have left them to dry on the plant longer? I'll have to research :)
Deleteme too!
DeleteThose flowers are all so pretty and your bread looks wonderful. Those boys are really growing!
ReplyDeleteThey are growing and still so darn loveable:)And funny:) Thank you!
DeleteSuch pretty Summer pictures Monique! Thank you for the intro to the ineffable Linda 👏👏👏
ReplyDeleteThanks Carol..and yes she's a whiz!!!!
DeleteLove your zinnias! 🍀🌺🍀🌸🍀🌺🍀 enjoy your weekend Monique…love Zria and Leaf 💗🐾
ReplyDeleteAnd you too:) Bon weekend!
DeleteI like the last sentence of your post. "I hope everyone has a smooth August..no situations.. health..to all:) " That's what we all wish for, especially at our age. It never mattered to me when I was younger LOL. Have a great August Monique! Always love to hear about your boys. As you know, Xavier put a snail on my arm this weekend and thought it was so cute.. He also told me he is lucky to have two awesome grandmas. LOL
ReplyDeleteI find when I'm with the boys..Im at my happiest..still:)Oh I remember the bug days. so much we would hunt for them here..Xavier won't change..Lucas..Max..the eldest even though young me..give the best hugs and tell us always they love us..That word gets used a lot and I love it ..LOL.
DeleteLove that :-)
Delete