Looking Back - Looking Forward

I am looking back over August this evening. Each day I was gifted. The sunflowers were beautiful all month. I will be planting many more next year. I have made notes.



The Hummingbirds delighted me very much. I will put the feeders out in March for when they return. I read they migrate by hormones not by food source. It is a good idea to keep feeders up until frost. I am thinking of doing a Hummingbird- feeder tree next year.
August was fun. Learning the names of the different butterflies was nice. I will plant lots more zinnias. The butterflies seemed to go for them. More host plants too. Lots of parsley and I would like some thistle. The butterfly bush could draw some Hummingbird Moths! On my wish list.

Our son has moved to a different city. Our daughter has also moved to a new city. They are having their adventures. They are finding their happy way.

I will finish the August scrapbook and I am ready for September.

Stories

Each of us has a story. We tell our story until we are finished telling it.

I tell my story with pictures of the flowers and bugs that visit my gardens. The zinnias are full of Skippers today. They are in full bloom. Lots of pollen. Early Autumn this year.
The Rosemary is blooming for the second time. The recent rains have been a blessing to all of the plants. The Buckeye shares with the other pollen eating bugs. There is plenty.

Certain flowers are memory flowers. They came to me from my Father or my Grandparents. Certain trees were gifts. I connect with those that have gone before me.

I mark my life by events in the garden. I will tell the story of the ice storm. Floods, drought, wind storms, lightening hits, the heat waves and cold snaps all effect me. The early snow storm of October 22, 1993, is part of my story.
When I am sad or happy I go to the gardens. When I am tired or full of energy I go to the gardens. It is outside with the flowers and vegetables and herbs, the bugs and birds I find peace. It is outside with the clouds and the stars I know
we are one. It is when I plant my seed I have hope. It is when I gather my seed I trust another Spring will dawn.
I am a gardener.

Daily Dose of Butterfly Medicine

They just transform me. One minute I am busy thinking of where I will plant more mums and the next minute I am far away on butterfly wings.
I was able to find a pretty Gerber Daisy for the front porch.

I went a- mumming

It is mum time. Next week the nursery's mums will be in full color. I am in search for a yellow mum with a dark brown center. I also would like a yellow Spider Mum. This red one did catch my eye.
This yellow-orange one is also beautiful.
I bought this yellow daisy mum for my potting up table.
I will be going a-mumming lots now. Will try to stop at every nursery in town.
The grocery store has mums as does the hardware store. My in the ground mums are budding. I should have a nice mum show soon.
I need a mum for the kitchen table and a few for the hearth and one for the counter would be ever so nice. The front porch should have a mum and the deck could use a couple. A wee mum for my desk would be nice.

Monarch

After supper I was refilling the bird feeders and the monarch came up to the deck. These pink zinnias are in all different shades of pink.
I love being so near the butterflies. I will save seed for deck pots next year. 2007, could be the Year of the Zinnia.

Remembering

He was a tree man. He wanted us to have the Crab tree. He picked it out and showed us where to plant. This past spring it was full of blooms. During the extended heat it dropped it's leaves. The berries began turning early. The berries held the rain drops through the weekend. As he was passing the droplets shimmered in the evening light. We will care for his tree. He will be remembered. He will be missed. He was a tree man.


August decoration are packed up. I have begun decorating for September. At first I struggled. I just could not get that "Wow" I always work for. I ended up letting go of items I just did not love. I have two boxes for donation. I am creating now. The strawflowers and dried Aspen leaves are this year's potpourri. I will add Crab Tree berries on Thursday. I used Peppercorn oil for scent. Our daughter and our son-not-in law are moving today from Colorado to Oregon. I will find out what their new state tree is. I will dry some leaves. It can go in the new potpourri.
Lots of the dried wheat went into the vases. I still have plenty to do a wheat weaving later in the month. It is time for squashes and apples and pears.
Small black boards are bases in honor of back to school. One of my seed boxes took center stage. My daughter gave it to me. It is special.
September is coming along. I have scheduled a week to get it beautiful! I am having fun creating the table top and counter top scapes. I am remembering those who have gone before me. I am remembering their kindnesses.

Rainbow Watch

Last evening as the storms moved eastward we were on Rainbow Watch. I glimpsed small segments off and on as I watched the Sky Scape change.
From Friday night to Sunday might we received 6 inches of rain.
We were able to enjoy the outdoors in- between showers during the day.
At night we slept to the sounds of rain.

Today I am packing up the August decorations. My husband brought up the bins. I will clean and begin decorating for September. I am thinking about August. It has been a month of gifts. Each day a delight. Sunflowers and hummingbirds, butterflies and tomatoes have entertained me, feed my body and my soul.
Our children are happy. They also have new adventures. Summer is coming to an end. Autumn just around the corner.
It is Apple time. It is time for the circus to come to town.

Just had to share

I had never seen a Hummingbird's tongue! This just brings tears to my eyes.
I love everything about this photo.
Heavy rain is on the way.

Kumquat and Hummingbird

I looked out the backdoor and Hummingbird was flying in. It is the offspring of the female Hummingbird that has been at the feeder all summer.
She is much smaller than her mother.

No feeder necessary as long as the Kumquat is in bloom. Such sweetness and joy.

A Walk in the Woods

My husband had not been to the Arboretum for at least 10 years. I was there last year visiting the Medicine Wheel. It has changed since he last visited.
Lots of paved sidewalks and resting benches and water features, with all sorts of trees and flowers. The entrance has a post rock fence. I was pleased. Post Rock says, "Kansas" to me, as does wheat and sunflowers.
I have many butterflies in my backyard but I do not have thistle.
The Gardens still have some areas that are not paved and cultivated. We were able to walk in the woods. The sounds of birds and bugs and the whispering of trees was still here. Natural running water sounds different than water that has been pumped to man-made waterfalls.
The White Cabbage butterfly is pretty. Having one stop long enough for a picture was nice.
At our house we had 2.2 inches of rain Friday night.
This morning I check for Saturday's overnight rain total and we had received another 3 inches of rain. I think that is plenty for awhile. Should catch us up for August.

Happy Anniversary

Thirty-four years ago we said, "I do." Every day since we have said,"I will."

We have grown up together.
We have danced and we have sung sweet songs.
We celebrate us.

Oh My Goodness

The Butterflies speak for themselves.


I am sure this winter I will be ever so delighted I took the time to enjoy them.

" Cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'til December. For butterflies migrate as I so remember. So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep I am watching the butterflies and butterflies don't keep."

Rolling Thunder

I was making the bed this morning when I heard rolling thunder. I stopped before the spread was on and went outside. I wanted to be with the thunder. I wanted to feel the breeze. I wanted to see the clouds coming in. We need rain.
The light was extra-ordinary. The birds were feeding and singing. The thunder rolled. The Doves stayed at the feeding station. I knew it would be awhile before rain came.
The female Cardinal and an offspring were chirping and eating Dogwood berries. Hummingbird and her daughter stopped for breakfast in the zinnias. I watched as they flew to the east side to try those flowers.

The birds leave me gifts. I stayed outside for over an hour. I sat quietly. I closed my eyes and listened.

Petal by Petal

She is coming along. I have a few more petals to put in and some leaves and the shading. Today I put the sunflower pollen I have been saving on the center of my darling. I am having lots of fun. I think I am taking to this painting idea. I will be wanting my smock.
I wanted to see sunlight through the sunflowers and I saw this incredible blue wing creature. My husband thought it could be a black wasp.
My Buckeye fix for today. All I really want to do is take pretty pictures.

Paying Attention

I saw a flash of black fly into the sunflower stand. I grabbed my camera. Seeing the Chick-a-dee on a sunflower was ever so fine. Today I was going to work in the sunflower patch. I thought I would go ahead and start cleaning it up. Maybe I will just weed. The Gold finches have strong legs so they can turn upside down. Little Chick-a-dee has to perch on the flower and must depend on the small lower to the ground heads. Maybe I will leave the weeds. They do offer some protection. Seeing the Orange Sulphur looking orange and the black edge of her wings was fun.
A new Swallowtail came in as I was coming inside.
I want to paint for awhile. I will show my sunflower next time. She is coming right along.