End Of Month

The early morning sun was hot. The morning breeze was warm.

The water hyacinth are blooming in the back pond.

The Amish Cockscomb are in bloom. These were winter sowed from saved seed.

The Kumquat is in full bloom again! We could have fresh fruit come January.

Robin sang to me. His water was empty. I am keeping watch on the plants and animals.

Today is the last day of the month. I enjoyed the way July unfolded. Forever I will be smitten with the Swan. Forever I will remember the kiss of the Tiger.

Too hot for outside adventures so I went to the thrift store. August has needs.

The black stemmed vase became an oil lamp for the mantel.

A pair of brass enameled candle holders will receive glass inserts so I can use tea lights in them. This will finish the dining room table. Five, new to me, frames are filled with photos of my sunflowers. August is starting to pull together. I am excited.

Dragonfly

We have Dragonflies that patrol. . Baby bunny is growing.
The Pines are setting cones.
The bees are happy.

Another hot day for us.
I am watering .
End of month review, "hot and dry."

Sunflowers and Roadrunners

August decorating this year is all about Sunflowers.

"SUNFLOWER: (Helianthus annuus) This fast-growing annual has a thick, tall, hairy stem, heart-shaped leaves, and large yellow flower heads in late summer. The nutritious seeds are eaten raw, roasted, and ground into meal or nut butter and were used by Native American warriors as "energy cakes." In Aztec temples of the sun, priestesses carried sunflowers and wore them as crowns. If you cut a sunflower at sunset while making a wish, the wish will come true before another sunset - as long as the wish isn't too grand. Sleeping with a sunflower under the bed allows you to know the truth in any matter. If you wish to become virtuous, anoint yourself with juice pressed from the stems of the sunflower. Sunflowers growing in the garden guard it against pests and grant the best of luck to the gardener."

I enjoy this web site. The writer has so much information to share.





I am slowly acquiring the vases for arrangements. Doing up the table tops and counter spaces.




Finding just the right frames for photos of our Sunflowers, I am poking around. I have this idea of doing a grouping of all the different varieties we grow.

I have shopping to do too.

August has needs.
Sleeping With A Sunflower by Louise Riotte stays out all year as it is a monthly adventure in old time gardening lore. In August I have it on a stand in the kitchen.
A couple of years ago on a weekend outing in Southern Missouri, my husband and I saw a roadrunner. So fantastic for us. Now this charmer is our bird of the month for August.

Switching to August

The surprise lilies bloomed this morning.

Time for me to pack up July and begin decorating for August.

My Great Grandmother's Prairie bonnet is my hat for the month. It is too fragil to wear.

It is sunflower time!

I have many to cut for the vases. The birds have also planted many under the feeding staion.

The tomatoes are ripening now at a nice pace, two or three a day. Peppers also are turning red and orange. I have my monthly review to do and journals to update. July has been hot and dry. Looking forward to August.

Hair Cuts

It misted most of the day.
The front Maple and the Pin Oak needed hair cuts, just a trim, a little thinning out.

Lots of wood from the Pin Oak came out to let the light come in.

The Maple had a few dead branches.

The canopies needed to be raised.

I have wood for a staff.

It was a spa day for the trees.

Thunderheads at Sunset

After the supper dishes are done up my husband and I go for our evening walk. Tonight we spent some time cloud gazing.
The thunderheads were spectacular.
Supper tonight was Yukon Gold Garden Potato Salad
Q's Potato Salad

12 small Yukon Gold Potatoes, boiled, chilled, cut into bite sized pieces
24 small carrots, chopped
1 medium sized red onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
3 cups 4 bean salad
Mix all together.
For garnish I used sunflower seeds.

Cool and refreshing and lots of leftovers for tomorrow.

Yumm.....

Morning Glory greets me as I open the back door.

Three Brandywine Tomatoes are ripe. I cut some basil and some Red Oak Leaf lettuce.
Tomato sandwiches are delicious. I spread some Hummus on the toasted bread. When I fix these I make four; two for supper, two for the next day's lunch.
Tomato steak sandwiches still warm from the vine, Heaven on Earth. Very soon the peppers will be ready for picking.

Rain is in the forecast.

Day Out Of Time

Peace.

Today is known as Day Out of Time for those that follow the 13 moon calendar.
It is a global awareness day. Learning to celebrate the different ways humans express their spirituality is a way towards peace. It is an expression of unity.

Today is Water Blessing Day. Although the ceremony at the Sea of Galilee has been postponed we still are sending our blessings of water today.

New Moon and Lemonade

Today is New Moon day. I named July's New Moon "The Tiger New Moon".

I am smitten by the swan and thought I would name today's new moon the swan moon but I learned something new this afternoon. When I went to get a Tiger Lily for the kitchen I set my intention. I asked for guidance. I was thinking about New Moon and the way July has unfolded. While getting my lily I saw the female Tiger Swallowtail butterfly getting sweet nector. I carefully cut my stem so as not to disturb her. I glanced up and over the house was a Tiger Cloud.

I find when I ask for guidance I am led to a deeper understanding in all aspects of life. I learn.
The more I learn about the stars the greater my understanding is of the dance of the cosmos. Plants and animals, people and places all are affected by each other and by the Moon and Sun and Stars. The more I learn about the body the easier it is to care for it. The more I learn about other cultures the deeper I understand my culture. Today I am learning about the Tiger.
It is endangered.

As I go about my day and pick yellow squashes for supper and check for ripe tomatoes and peppers I see how I am connected. I watch the bugs. Without them I would not be here. Some of the bugs pollinate and are part of the food chain. We strive for balance. If one species gets out of balance all the other species are effected. I seem to have an abundance of squash bugs! I wonder what critter eats them?
For Tiger New Moon I fixed lemonade. I used 3 lemons and 1/2 cup Lavender Syrup. A toast, to the Tiger and the Moon. A poem by William Blake

Rosemary

A cloud to watch came over while I was beginning my Rosemary Harvest.

My Rosemary is in it's own area. I have three large stands and I am propagating so that the entire area will be filled in one of these days. Today I began my Rosemary Harvest for winter use. I can always cut fresh for use now. Come this winter I will need to use dried. I do the Rosemary like I do the Lavender. As I cut each branch I think about the plant and all the joy it gives forth. I am grateful the Rosemary grows so well in its spot. A perennial bush for me. I grow Rosemary Arp, hardy to zero degrees. In extremely cold winters I will mulch. My Mother plant did die during the heat. I am letting the roots dry and will use them. I have this idea of carving small beads and making a Rosemary garland. Her last branch has dried nicely and looks to be a lovely base for a dried arrangement for October. I have a large platter this could lay on. With gourds and pumpkins and seed pods I could do a pretty hearth piece. My Mother plant is at least ten years old. I am very fond of this plant. I do understand the cycles of plants. Honoring my Rosemary is what I am doing.

Today I cut 200 stems. I save the small needles that fall off during the binding up process. They will dry too and be usable. I bundle 10 stems and hang to dry.

Today I am reading about the folklore of Rosemary. Another way of knowing about this herb. I like that.

ROSEMARY
Folk Names: compass Weed, Dew of the Sea, Elf Leaf, Guardrobe, Incensier, Polar Plant, Sea Dew.

The qualities of a plant inspire me to make beautiful things for our home.....

The folk lore reminds me to think differently when I am finding ways to use my herbs. A sprig of Rosemary on my hat would be so charming.

Today I am working with Rosemary.

Happy Birthday

Happiest of times for those born in the sign of Leo the Lion. The music associated with this sign of the zodiac is Achille Claude Debussy "Afternoon of a Faun". We are listening this afternoon.

Tonight we look for Regulus, the paw of the Lion.

I am outside today. When I can be down on my hands and knees weeding I can fully see the marvels. This gorgeous yellow garden spider made her web between two spent daylily stems.

Mangaris wood

My husband brought home some wood scraps from a project that he did at work yesterday, Mangaris wood. I will find a way to use this gorgeous wood in the gardens. A raised bed would be pretty. I have been wanting to create an area to grow the minature herbs.

The Dipper Gourds are in full bloom.
In one day many of the vines have grown out of their bed.
Baby Luffas are forming.

Bow to the inner light and to the light that is in all.

"Nameste" we say at the end of Yoga class. We bow. As I begin this day I bow to the East. I set my intention. I honour life. All of life. Please join with me and others as we bow and send love to those who are suffering. I send forth a prayer.

Cool Down

As I was getting my morning coffee the wind began to blow from the Northwest. The wind harp sang forth. Rain began falling and did so for three hours. Beautiful sounds to start the day.

We received eight tenths of an inch, nourishing all of nature.

This evening I did some cloud watching.

Learning to do cloud readings like those of ancient times.
I have been learning the different types of cloud formations and their names.

The evening is near. The suns shafts through the trees. I draw in a sweet breath.

The temperatures have dropped. A most lovely evening.

I am refreshed.