Rosemary likes Morning Glories

So do we.

Especially the Dwarf Morning Glory (Convolvulus, Ensign mixed)) seen on the right.  Perfect for ground covers and containers.  Available in pinks, reds and blues from Thompson and Morgan.

The Morning Glory we don't like is pictured in the top right and lower left.  It is the ordinary morning glory, also known as bindweed,  despised by everyone because if left unchecked will choke out even grass and has no problem growing through cement.  

But we like Rosemary's Morning Glory.
http://wherefivevalleysmeet.blogspot.com/
And have a look at Rosemary's Dracunulus Vulgaris plant blooming.  Rosemary promises that it only smells terrible for 24 hours. 

Happy weekend my dear Blogging Friends.

Gina

Yes, there is color

In my House

Yes, Lavender,

and Yellow,

and more lavender,

all lovingly hand block printed in France.

And the walls are three layers of Peach,

And there is also lots of Gold,

And Desert Peach Marble floors,

And Roses from my Garden.  And it all makes me so happy.

Have a great remainder of the week my dear

Blogging Friends.

Gina

Too Close

A fire has been raging

Salt Lake Tribune

Only 15 miles from our town.

Saturday evening.  Taken from our house, when the fire first started.

Salt Lake Tribune

53,000 acres have  burned. Homes have been lost, Livestock has perished. 

Hundreds of brave firefighters are risking their lives. 

This has been a very strange year.

High winds, no rain in weeks, no snow in the mountains, freezing temperatures and record highs in June.

No fruit on my trees, none.

My garden doesn't want to grow.

Our chickens are hiding from the sun.

Irrigation water has been shut off until further notice.

We are able to pump water from our pond. 
Our garden will eventually grow.

Warm wishes to you, my dear

Blogging Friends

Gina

Roundels and Tondos

How to make a round picture out of a square picture.
by Rosemary of
"Where Five Valleys Meet"

http://wherefivevalleysmeet.blogspot.com/2012/06/in-round-roundelstondos.html

Rosemary, you are so clever and so smart.
You write not only a beautiful and interesting blog but it is also a blog that is designed the way a blog should be designed.

The background is perfect and so are your color choices.  The print is the right color and so is the size of the print. 

And, you have only been blogging  for 11 months. 

And then, there are your most interesting stories and the most fabulous photographs.

Thank you for sharing your secret of making roundels/tondos.

Gina

Mein Blumenstrauss fürs wochenende

Lady's Mantle

Lady's Mantle (alchemilla vulgaris) has very thin but also very sturdy stems...

perfect for arranging in large containers lined with chicken wire.

Lady's Mantle is a long lasting Perennial, seeding itself wherever it can find an open spot, showing up in the most unexpected places.

 Large leaves hold water droplets which glisten in the sun, pretending to be precious jewels. 

Lady's Mantle is long lasting, perfect for arranging with other flowers. 

Have a great weekend my dear

Blogging Friends.

Thank you so much for your visits and comments, they are so appreciated.

Gina

Never have enough bowls

My dishwasher is always full of bowls.

It's the one item in my kitchen I never have enough of.

I paint them fancy and I paint them plain.

I paint the inside. 

And I paint the outside.

I paint them bold.

And I paint them colorful.

I paint them sweet and simple.

Even just in blue and white.

I can paint them so you can show off your family crest.

Or we can design one for you.

Most often I paint bowls just for the fun of it. 
No matter how many bowls I paint I end up with only rejects in my house.

Have a wonderful week my dear
Blogging Friends.

Gina

Piano Nobile

No, not a noble Piano

Piano Nobile (Italian, Noble Floor)

The Piano Nobile is an elevated storey immediately above the basement  (as it is in our case) or above the ground floor. Many country Villas in the Italian Veneto were designed by Andrea Palladio (16th c. Architect) featuring  a Piano Nobile to avoid dampness from the low lying Po Valley and the watery lagoons of the Venice region. 

Our house is built on a Podium with steps leading up to the terrace  and elevated above water level of our spring. The spring which provides us with  ever changing vistas,  natural beauty and a very important water source during the summer months. 

Historians have suggested that Land Owners could observe their workers from the elevated terrace.  Barchese or arcaded side wings were part of the design scheme which provided sleeping areas for farm laborers during the growing season.

Note:  We have terraces, we have arcaded side wings, but we have no laborers.

While we were building our house it occurred to me that it would be wonderful to have the elevated base broken up with flower boxes,

Every year the flower boxes look different.  Each exposure presents a different challenge.   But all of them are at perfect height.  No back breaking planting and weeding. 

My plantings always include Salpiglossis.

 These are last years' flowers.  Up and until a few days ago we had frost every night, my flowers are barely showing right now, but they will shine in a few weeks just as they have in years past.

Hopefully, the seeds I planted only yesterday,  in the front of the barn,  will hurry and grow just as they did last year.

Last years' vegetable garden.

My vegetable garden does not look like this yet, but it will soon.

Better head outside and get busy.

Have a great weekend my dear

Blogging Friends.


Gina

Birds, Birds, Birds.

So many birds keeping me company...

while I work in my Garden.

Instead of working so hard in my garden I should be rowing my boat, shaded from the sun by an umbrella, with champagne on ice and a few tasties to keep up my strength.

 It's time to call it a day.

Have a great remainder of the week my dear

Blogging Friends.

Gina





Plastic turning into stone

It's true,
 Trompe l'oeil it.

What a difference a little paint makes.

These little plastic urns were a plain brown color.

The urns were painted a solid green first.

On an old plate add several of your favorite acrylic paint colors.

With a flat, two inch wide brush and working sideways, apply paint in streaks.

In places stipple on a little white paint.

When completely dry spray with high gloss sealer.

You can improve so many different surfaces with just a little paint.

It is the paint treatment that separates the ordinary from the  special.

Have a great weekend my dear Blogging Friends.

Gina

Just a quick hello

My garden is looking better

Still, much more to do.

I don't know why we work so hard in our garden.  Every night we have frost,  it is not very kind to our plants...the chickens keep escaping, I didn't know that Arugula was on their menu.

My daisies don't mind the cold and the chickens are happy eating the rest of my new garden.

Thank you my dear Blogging Friends  for being such loyal readers. 

Have a great remainder of the week.

Gina

Taking a short break

From Blogging

My garden needs me.

See you soon.

Warmest wishes to you my dear

Blogging Friends,

Gina