The first thing I did on arriving home from Colorado (and Idaho and Reno and all the other little trips I've been on this spring) was to re-acquaint myself with our house and yard. So much changes in so little time once it warms up. Plus, we'd had our windows and house cleaned while we were gone and everything was sparkling. Dang, it looked good! And it has a chance of staying this way for awhile since it is just me and the cat here, living lightly.
Trader Joes had peonies and I can never resist peonies so these came home with me. Unfortunately they only lasted a few days. I'm not sure why - I know I've had peonies last in the vase much longer, but these were a bit of a disappointment.
Someday my own peonies will bloom. I planted two more this spring and one of these days all this peony planing will pay off. Until then I'll continue to snap up cut peonies whenever I see them.
I put this mirror up. I bought it with the thought I'd put it up on the back fence once I had painted the back fence some bright and cheerful color. I haven't painted the back fence yet and the poor mirror was stuck behind the toolbox in the shop so I pulled it out, cleaned it up and hung it on the front porch.
And did a little more decorating with the roses that have been hanging in my art room for a year or more. Things have got to start moving around here. I bring stuff home to make things with and then it just accumulates.
The hollyhocks are blooming and there is such a variety this year. I've got a love / hate relationship with hollyhocks since they can quickly look shabby - but they are such an easy plant and their old-fashioned look just goes with this house.
Perhaps this year I'll be a little better about trimming down the spent hollyhocks - but then I haven't gotten to clipping back the spent iris or roses yet. What exactly is going to change? Am I going to suddenly have more time or inclination? Or does hope spring eternal?
This is my favorite - I just love the fringe. This one is out by the pumphouse and I transplanted it there - but I don't see the fringed flowers anywhere else. A spontaneous hybrid.
This rose is beginning to thrive. I found this tucked away in the back yard being strangled by the virginia creeper and have paid special attention to it over the last couple of years. These are the cutest roses - candy-striped. And there are more blooms this year than ever.
The tomatoes are in, late but at least in the ground. And I put up this brick barrier in hopes of preventing last year's tomato-cide by weed-whacker. Several heirloom tomatoes - Cherokee Purple and a couple who's names I don't remember, and several yellow pear tomatoes. Grow babies, grow!
The black grass we bought at the San Diego swap meet is blooming and what a nice surprise - pretty little hanging bells. Happily it is doing well in all three locations.
This year, for the first time, there are daylilies blooming in the back yard. Luckily, too, because they are growing where nothing else seems to grow and thrive - in the concrete planters.
My new baby, the bench grinder. It still needs to be bolted or clamped to the workbench but I used it already (gasp!) and all I need is a brass brush wheel instead of that course grinding wheel on the left.
And this is one of my latest thrift store purchases - a spontaneous purchase much like the barn painting. I looked at this, looked again trying to figure out where to put it in our house, and finally just bought it for $3. Ended up in our bedroom. And it fits.
Summer is just about here and the temperatures are rising. This is that brief period when it is still pleasant to be outside before the heat really sets in. I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts.
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