The Grove In My Front Garden

Usually I go out to my backyard garden in the mornings and take photos of what is happening that day but this morning I decided to check out the front for a change...We have this grove of trees in our front that were like toothpicks when we moved in...Most of them were smaller than my wrist and some of them like a man's thumb...just little saplings. The builders wanted to cut them down and open up the space, making it easier on them to build...Like my big pine tree I said no...We want them to stay and like the big pine tree I like them to grow naturally so they are pretty much in a natural state...other than the things we have added like hanging planters, birdhouses &  birdbaths.

Trekking and Treasures

My Rambling this weekend took me up to my daughter's to spend time with her and family and to just relax and enjoy ourselves and for her to help me draft a dress pattern...

We drove up in a storm and then enjoyed the storm for the remainder of the evening while sitting on her deck and drinking wine. I love storms. I went out to take photos of the clouds and my ears were was assailed by a cacophony of teeny tiny frogs singing. I would like to have gotten a recording of it but since I couldn't you will have to imagine it. The amazing thing about it was the tiny size of the frogs and the loud sound. They only did it the one night while it was storming...

The following evening gave us some amazing cloud formations and colors but no storm. That meant we could swim so after a day in her studio drafting and sewing a sloper from unwanted fabric and a light dinner and some photographs we spent the remainder of the evening enjoying the clouds and water. No frogs singing this night'

On Sunday we trekked over to see my grand daughter's new home that they bought just before they got married. It is a very old house with lots of work to get it up to par but they are young and the house is worth it.  I loved the tree I spotted from the back porch.. Trees are among my favorite things to photograph. I wonder why the trunk  grew this way. Mother Nature does such marvelous things with her creations.

While we were there said grand daughter gave me two hanging lights to do with as I please...One is going to go on the back lanai to replace a shabby one I have now and the other one is either going to be turned into bits and pieces for an assemblage or some type of art project or I am giving it to my son ...will decide later after I get a good look at both. 

My grand daughter's hubby works for a company that is remodeling their space so he had these fan blades he thought might fit their fans but they don't so I am the recipient of those. There are 15 of them...I haven't decided what to do with them yet but one fun thing would be to paint Florida themed pictures on each one and use them for art in the garden wall (fence).

After leaving grand daughter's home we trekked over to my grandson's home for a short visit and to pick up a supply of my favorite coffee that they get for me at Costco. Our nearest Costco is a 2 hour drive.

Before we left for home my daughter gave me this lovely little gift of 4 stones to represent her and her siblings that she had tangled on with a marker. There are two brown and two black stones to signify my two sons and two daughters.

We had a wonderful time but it was nice to get home.

Early Morning Ramblings

My internal clock went off at 4 so my ramblings got off to a really early start this morning with a predawn photo of the sky down the street when I went for the morning paper. The weather was humid but cool and I thought about going for a walk right away but after seeing the headlines in the paper of a black bear spotted in my neighborhood I changed my mind. Close encounters like that are not on my bucket list. So instead I had coffee and worked the crossword and then went out to do some tree trimming.

We needed to trim some of the branches that may be blocking the view of people who want to turn and who do a rolling stop or no stop at all when pulling on to the cross street. When the sun came up I took the loppers out and did what was necessary to protect stupid people in cars.

Later, after Bob was up and finished with his breakfast he came out to help me with some really high branches that needed to be taken off. Most of them were dead and just weighing down the good branches

Then I took some photos of new blooms

Day Lily

Sage

Snapdragons

A little shadow play

And my favorite of all

Now, as my rambling comes to a close and the thunder is rumbling overhead  it is time to close up the house to help keep it cool and get about my daily chores.

Morning Ramble in a Garden Sauna

Junk

Before breakfast I decided to take a walk around my back garden area, pen in hand and make some notes of things to clean up or change. If I closed my eyes I would have thought I was opening a door and entering a sauna. No breeze just heat and moisture. This is what I do not like about the weather here. Makes me pine for the coolness of the pacific northwest. But I am here so I will bloom here...a bit droopy but bloom never the less.

Caught this little fellow lurking and trying to be unnoticed up by the new bottle wall. I crept slowly as far as I could and finally got a good close up...he sprinted away just after I shot the photo. This is one of the things I love about being here. 

I love how well my bougainvillea is doing after Bob moved it to this corner. Protected in winter by the house and gate. Although the gate is becoming obscured by it's growth and I hate to trim it. 

My passion flower is growing so well this year and I was told that if the caterpillars don't eat it I may get some fruit. I have never eaten a passion fruit before but always willing to try something new. What to do with all the beer bottles generated by a beer loving hubby Make a border.

I still have a couple of stragglers blooming under the India Hawthorn tree. Not sure what they are. Maybe African Iris...I think my friend did give me some and we did plant it there so perhaps that is what is blooming now. One flower at a time.

And my mirrors. I have several scattered around the fence and love the way the garden and sky reflects in them. I have on my list of "to do" things to raise the mirrors off the ground and attach them to the fence so they reflect more now that the shrubs in front are getting higher and fuller and one of them is going to be moved to a new spot since now it is completely covered by foliage.

So that is the end of my daily rambling in my outdoor garden sauna. I have my "to do " list for cooler weather and which includes a list of new projects to add to the garden next year...

Rambling in the Farmers Market

Today I braved the heat and went to the farmer's market in Inverness. A walkable city about 20 miles south of me. Not within walking distance like I would like it  but close enough for a morning drive. Temps were in the upper 70's when we left home and close to 90 by the time we left the market an hour and half later.

 It was rather small, with only three short rows of booths as the 'snowbirds' have left and the locals, for the most part, stay out of the heat...I did spend some money. Need to do my part to keep the economy going.

At this booth I bought some kohlrabi to eat fresh and some kale to saute in olive oil and garlic...yummmmm! 

What is an outdoor market without food.

So I bought Bob a yummy Italian sausage on a bun with grilled onions and green peppers

It is a great city to walk around in with many interesting stores for browsing and is also a good bike destination and they have chargers for electric cars and outdoor cafes. Next fall when the weather is nicer we will return to the market and do a walk around town but for now it is way too hot for this old lady to stay out in the heat that long.

Morning Walk

This morning I got off to a nice start with a morning walk instead of evening. Weather was okay when I started at 9:20 but got hot before I got home at 10:00...Not a long walk but I did get in over a mile so not too shabby...and got some photos along the way..Here they are...

I started my walk out with getting a photograph of the line of sight from the stop sign where,I am standing on the corner, down my street to see if my trees are blocking the view needed to make a safe turn...Standing there I can see almost to the curve so it seems like if you stop and look it will not be a problem...zipping out into the street without stopping might be...but to keep the peace and not have to spend time in a squabble we will trim the trees...

Streets are not just for cars...

Wild blackberries. 

From the vine to my mouth in one fell swoop

 

Today's Rambling

First thing today was the customary walk with Marshal around my garden looking for new life to photograph. Here is a new spiderweb that I was able to get half of since the sun blocked out the other half...I was actually able to watch him/her build some of the radials...plus dinner was neatly wrapped and waiting in the center 

Next stop was the Webber Gallery looking and photographing favorites in the June art exhibit which was very diversified with art in oils, acrylics, clays and many other less traditional mediums. As is usual for me my favorites were the less traditional pieces of art. Here are some favorites.

I See You
Mixed media

Pireqrew
Sculpture

Flowers Are Forever
Sculpture

Cavern Life
Mixed Media

Birds of a Feather
Mixed media

Earth
Oil

Gasparilla
Encaustic

Windows Past
Photography

Suffering The Past
Photography

Cala
Sculpture

After the gallery came lunch at Panera's. Usually it is a favorite but for some reason today I really did not enjoy it all that much though Bob did.

Too many choices

Then came shopping at my favorite local veggie and fruit stand where we bought Georgia peaches and Vidalia Sweet Onions and local cantaloupe, tomatoes, red, green and yellow peppers and zucchini...good eats!

The end of a nice day was a leisurely drive down the back roads to home.