4th of July

A time to celebrate

Celebrate like you never have before. 

Leave your worries behind and CELEBRATE. 

Gina

Radicals in my Garden

Radicals in my Garden

That is an Opium Poppy,  (papaver somniferum).

When I was a very young girl I spent a lot of time out in the country side gathering food for our many rabbits. 

Sooner or later I would run into a Poppy field. 

Often the pods were almost ripe but not quite. 

I would open a pod, empty the many seeds into my hand and hold my hand up toward the sun. 

Within seconds the unripe and green seeds would turn into black poppy seeds. 

Yes those innocent looking black seeds.  The kind you would sprinkle onto baked breads, cookies and cakes. 

As soon as the seeds turned black I would eat them.
All of them. 

All at once. 

I told no one.  

Have a great week dear friends.  

Gina  

Mein Sonntag strauss am Samstag

So few roses survive our harsh winters. 

I treasure every one of them.

Happy weekend to you and yours. 

Gina 

What is going on around here?

The word is out!

When we built our house 23 years ago,

the pond was here but not a single bird was in sight.

We thought that possibly something was wrong with the water.

After a few years wild ducks and wild geese would stop by when every other pond was frozen. 

Our pond is spring fed.  

For years the birds did not bring their young. 

So what is different this year?  

Did it take 23 years for the birds to feel save with us?  

What is wrong with this picture?  

There are too many parents. 

Salpiglossis and Iceland Poppies grow in my garden. 

Now is the time to bring poppies into the house. 
Be sure to singe their stems first.  
They will last a week in water.   

And inside the house,  a Cymbidium  orchid is getting a bath. 

Happy Sunday to you and yours,

Gina  

My charming friend Karen.

All day Karen helped me wash those enormous windows 

which go all the way around our house. 

Window cleaning formula: 
Bucket of warm water, a splash of white vinegar and a drop or two of dish washing soap AND a squeegee and clean towels.

Then she baked lemon cookies decorated with pansies and wild rose petals. 

And she brought a bouquet of her very special

Peonies.

And yes, maybe you guessed it, she is also the Karen who hand makes these very fine chocolates. 

Thank you Karen, you are a very special friend. 

Gina 

This is strange

I had no idea.

For the first time in 23 years, a pair of wild Canadian Geese brought their goslings to our pond.  

Occasionally we have a brave duck bring her brood.  

When geese stretch their necks like this that means that they are ready for a fight.  They don't have any goslings and they are jealous.  

Every now and then one of the adult geese would disappear for a day or 2.  Then, would reappear with two or more goslings. 

Originally we had 7 goslings. 
Now there are twelve. 

I have not known for Geese, or any other bird, hatch their young in spurts.
Females usually stay on their nests until all have hatched.  

My lilacs are beautiful this year.  
They survived a late frost. 

Amaryllis brought in from my greenhouse.
They used to bloom just before Christmas. 

Since last October I have painted nonstop.  Murals and tiles for new and remodeled kitchens.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend on this very special holiday. 

Gina