Dreams of Last Summer

I couldn't end with that dreary picture of the ice storm. I must post some cheerful pictures, we all need brighness and cheer, right?

Ice Storm

The recent ice storm have made a few changes to our backyard, one, we now have a hole in the privacy fence. The weatherman called it a 25 year storm, I wonder if he meant that was how long it would take to clean it up? This is just one branch out of multiple ones that came down.

Green Green Hosta of Home

I have had this hosta for years, it gets the tall white fragrant flowers on it. It was given to me my a coworker a long time ago.

Hostas have never really been one of my favorite plants but the past few years I have purchased some new varieties and ordered a couple new ones for this year. One is called Sun Power and has lots of yellow in the leaves. For some reason I don't like the purple flower spikes that most hostas produce.

Shades of Green Once More

Green is one of my favorite colors, must be my Irish half :).

February Blizzard

In Iowa we have been having a blizzard that will be remembered for some time, in fact it may be one of those that people will refer to for years to come. We were without power for about 4 hours tonight, from what I heard on the radio there are over 200,000 people in Iowa without power. When the power went out the dogs spent half the time pacing back and forth, they knew something was wrong, now tht the power is back on they are both sleeping soundly.

Ice is coating everything, branches are hanging almost to the ground, my husband says it will be September before we get the yard cleaned up. I wanted to go outside and take some pictures to share and to remember the whole thing by but did not think taking pictures on one foot in an ice storm was a good idea. It has now started snowing.

Since I can't share a picture of the ice, I will share a cheerful picture, we all can use that, can't we?

More Shades of Green

Shades of Green

All green photos can be very interesting.

Hens and Chicks

I have a special affection for sedums, who could live without hens and chicks after all? What else could take you back to Grandma's garden more than hens and chicks. My Dad's Mother, my Grandmother and all his sisters, my aunts, were all fantastic gardeners, they were all so much alike, their houses were homes, all spotless, always something yummy to eat and always flowers in bloom both inside and out if the season permitted outside blooming that is. They all spent their summer afternoons, canning and later freezing. Anyway back to the hens and chicks, they all grew them so I can not see hens and chicks without remembering all of my aunts and grandmother, all who are no longer living.

Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory

This is a picture of Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory, it is very prolific and self sows with gusto! Late in the summer it completely covers our compost pile and anything else in it's path :). It is actually a darker purple than it looks in these two photos.

Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah, IA

Seed Savers Exchange has been around for years, I first started reading about the farm in Organic Gardening 20 years ago. I was a member of the flower and herb exchange for several years. Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory was one of the first flowers I received in the exchange, I now have enough seeds of Grandpa Ott's morning glory to cover the entire state :). SSE is a wonderful source for heirloom seeds if you are interested in that type of gardening. We have tried many of the heirloom tomato seeds and have decided that we like the hybrids much better but the farm is a fun place to visit if you are in the neighborhood. The flowers are beautiful. I understand they have rare types of cattle also but did not see any the livestock when we visited.

Old Botanical Prints

I love old botanical prints! I found a site today that had lots of old garden catalog covers. Those old catalogs were truly works of art.

http://www.nal.usda.gov/speccoll/collect/nursery/nursery.html

Carolina Wren is Back!

After not seeing our southern visitor for 15 days she was back at the feeder today, with the temps in the 20s for the first time in a long time. I wonder where and what she was doing while it was so cold. I would have taken her picture but it is kind of difficult to do on one leg :)

I received a catalog in the mail today of all Japanese Maples, I had a wonderful time looking through it but the company obviously does not know it's gardening zones as Japanese Maples do not survive in zone 4, I wish they did as they are beautiful!

Since I like to share pictures with my posts, I decided to share a collage I made of my summer blooming honeysuckle, Lemonade, I believe is the name of it. The hummingbirds love it!

Lavatera, more snow and foot surgery.

Foot surgery has been humbling for sure, I am having to use a walker and not put any weight on my foot at all, it is horrible! I will be glad when this is all over. I can't even get a cup of coffee to my computer table by myself.

Well, now that I am done feeling sorry for myself I will talk about Lavateras since Ruth thought that my last photo was of one, I can see why she thought that. I got my first seeds for Lavateras a long time ago when I belonged to the Flower and Herb seed exchange which is part of the Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. They are a wonderful little flower that self-seeds like crazy for me. I just happen to have some pictures I have taken of them, does that surprise anyone??? :)

It sounds as if our cold weather may be coming to an end, why does it matter to me, I can't leave the house anyway??????????? There I go again feeling sorry for myself :), this too shall pass as the saying goes, soon I hope.

More Cold, No Carolina Wren and Foot Surgery

Well, my hopes for the Carolina Wren are fading, still no sight of her. The weather here is still really cold and we have more snow predicted for tomorrow. I had foot surgery yesterday, I will be off of it for two weeks, I wanted it fixed before spring. I am having to depend on my husband for everything, something tells me he will be really glad to see the two weeks pass by quickly. This will be the first time I will have had more than 5 days off of work since I started there almost 20 years ago. Wanted to post a picture that is bright and cheerful, we can all use that, right?

Carolina Wren, Robins, Grandsons, and Deer

I have not seen the Carolina Wren at my feeder for nine days now and I was watching all weekend, makes me sad for the little visitor from the south. Friday afternoon while going to get my grandsons I saw my first robin of the season, others have been reporting sightings since mid January, this robin almost flew into our windshield, I am not sure but I think he may have been attempting suicide but changed his mind at the last moment.

We had a great time with the grandsons, we did not get much outside time but it was great to see them! We did see some deer, however it was from the car, not walking like we usually like to do.

Jon Pickles and Peach Begonias

This is Jon Pickles, my grandson named him, the vet's office tells us he is the only patient they have with that name.

Scarlet Begonia

Well, these begonias are not scarlet but it does happen to be the name of one of my favorite Jimmy Buffett songs. I took these photos this weekend.

Digital Art

Well, it is a strecht calling this art but when I have the time I like to play with Paint Shop Pro and my own photos to attempt to make the photos look like paintings.

Cold Cold Weather

Still no sign of the Carolina Wren, I fear the worse. The birds are feeding like crazy, in the evening as it is getting dark while I am fixing supper I watch the cardinals, they are always plentiful at dusk and dawn, I have counted as many as 16 at the feeder and in the bushes around the feeder. On a higher note, my grandsons are spending the weekend with me, they love being outside as much as I do, I am not sure how much time we will be able to spend outside this weekend, I better get my long johns out :). The picture is a favorite of mine, the boys and I were walking back from an "adventure" in the woods last fall. Gran was trailing behind at this point.