Our Life in Idaho

Ahhhhhhhhhhh..........

2012-01-18T09:26:00.006-07:00

We'd almost forgotten what it looked like.

Our first major snowstorm of the winter arrived today.

Cat Fun

2012-01-14T18:33:00.000-07:00

With Jessie and Felix it's all.....

....fun.....and.....

.....games......until.......

....someone lunges at the camera!

How To Extend the Holidays

2012-01-04T12:52:00.026-07:00

This is how we did it; by going to the Winter Garden Aglow event at the Idaho Botanical Gardens.

At $8 per person ($4 for members) it's quite a bargain. There are fire pits throughout the garden for warming up and Santa makes an appearance on certain nights as do carolers.

(I recently won their Facebook photo competition with one of my photos of the lights. Very cool!)

That wasn't all. We also saved our Christmas money for a nice dinner out with family at Chandlers Restaurant.

Great food, good times.

I'm feeling very fortunate for having such a great family. That's really what it's all about, isn't it?

Hope your holidays were wonderful.

Taking a Break

2011-12-20T09:50:00.006-07:00

Well I seem to be taking a blogging hiatus.

In the meantime; Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, whichever fits.

Update: Tuesday night Kim and I attended the X-treme Holiday X-travaganza here in Boise at the Egyptian theater. This event is hosted by Curtis Stigers. What a great show! Who knew there are so many, many talented musicians right here in Boise! We had a great time. And perhaps the best part; it's all for charity. The proceeds go to the Interfaith Sanctuary here in Boise to help homeless people. I've made a video of some, just a few, of the acts. Some of the best acts I didn't even record, they were too mesmerizing. This is the sixth year for this event. Kim and I won't miss another one.

And two of my holiday video "classics": (click on each to play)

Click To Play

Fall Inspired

2011-11-09T10:31:00.013-07:00

There are so many nice fall posts to peruse right now.

For instance Andrea at I Garden Daily, Tatyana at My Secret Garden and Grace at Gardening with Grace.

So I thought, "What the heck, I'll jump on that bandwagon."

I thought I was going to wreck the car trying to get a good look at the gorgeous color on the oak trees lining Park Center Boulevard this morning. Perhaps it would be better to stick to my own back yard.

Our dogwood tree is looking its fall best right now;

In the front garden the birch tree is putting on a show;

And to accompany the birch's color the miscanthus grass seedheads are floating;

Our sweetgum trees are just starting to turn color;

I thought there wouldn't be anything blooming since all the frosts we've had but these common calendulas just won't stop;

And every year these fall crocus bloom so late I think they're done for, but here they are again;

This Sheffield Mum looks as if it was frozen mid-bloom;

And finally here's Jessie following me through the front garden. This is the best photo I could get of him;

If fall hasn't already turned to winter where you live I hope you're enjoying the colors.

Naked Chickens

2011-11-05T12:58:00.006-06:00

Well it's happening again, the chickens are molting.

Last year Tootsie was the first and around the same time of year.

Here's Ginger looking completely disheveled;

I was surprised to see the girls out of their coop. This picture was taken while they were messing around in the compost pile. While molting they seem to feel......down, or something. Not really their perky selves. I don't know if it's because it takes so much out of them to form new feathers or if they just feel their unattractiveness.

You can see Ginger's feathers starting to grow back. You can also see how naked her neck is.

Here's a photo of Ginger looking "normal."

Normal for her anyway. Since she's at the bottom of the pecking order she gets pecked at by the other two hens. Ginger is an Araucana. She's supposed to be giving us blue or green eggs. She gives us brown. (I guess she has a mind of her own.)
She might not be as pretty as Tootsie or Jelly Bean but she's an interesting and entertaining hen, that's for sure.

I hope they get over their molting soon. We haven't had eggs from them in weeks and have even needed to buy some! (Horrors!)

All three last year....from the left; Tootsie, Jelly Bean, and Ginger.

Fall Continues

2011-11-02T10:28:00.015-06:00

Well, Halloween is over. (Sad face.)

Here is our sumac about one week ago.

And recently.

Kim and I managed to get out in the garden yesterday and moved a rose bush, hydrangea, helianthus, giant reed grass, various cacti, and we planted the Cherry Bells that Kathleen sent me. (Check out her blog to see all the snow they've had. Amazing.)

We still have 300 tulip bulbs to plant; 150 in our garden and the rest in my daughter's yard. We'll use Kim's drill and auger so it won't be so bad.

A week ago Felix and Jessie were outside playing around the containers. This was before we'd had any frost.

Here's Felix looking particularly sweet.

Now he's more likely to be doing this.........putting a spot of sunshine in the house to good use.

(I can't help myself with all the cat pics. I'm having so much fun with these two new kittens.)

If you didn't make it to see Jeanne's Halloween display (Gone Feral in Idaho) you can catch some great pics of it at her blog.

Here's just a sample;

Also a link to her video.
Amazing stuff. She set the lighting to sync to Halloween music and made all the decor herself. Check out the pics on her blog, it's worth it.

We stayed home for Halloween and treated the kids.

I made some cookies for us, and for my niece. (By the time she sees this post they should have arrived.)

Hope your Halloween was safe and fun.

Fall in Full Swing

2011-10-19T09:58:00.021-06:00

More fall photos from our garden.

Here is aster 'Lady in Black'.

For an idea of how small the blooms are;

It's always been a little too weedy looking for me but this year I'm not minding it so much. Possibly because I've given it a little more room to sprawl and it's looking as if I planted it on purpose.

Here is Aster tataricus (Tatarian aster).

And here's an idea of how tall this aster gets; growing right up in front of this aspen tree.

BTW, no staking required. They multiply and transplant well. I've moved some around to other areas of the garden with more sun.

White Japanese anemones still shining.

Persicaria 'Pink Elephant' still has a few blooms.

A couple of mums, but you have to look close.

Fallopia japonica 'Crimson Beauty' is doing what I bought it for; looking lovely in the fall, at around 10 feet tall now.

It is herbaceous and has never "run" in our garden. But it does have these pretty flowers in the fall.

Of course now that summer is over the hanging baskets of ivy leaf geraniums have never looked better.

In the front garden this salvia is blooming its head off right now.
Probably salvia greggii (Wild Thing Sage).

A couple of gourds we didn't know we had until Kim started cleaning up the veg garden.

Some of my Halloween decor this year;

It's not much but it was easy. I gathered some river rocks a few years ago and painted them. The fake pumpkin I carved a few years ago also.

And I'm with Randy on the Occupy Wall Street movement. I've been involved in two marches and plan on doing more.

Here's hoping we can make a difference!

If you're here in town you can check out Occupy Boise.

Gifts, Garden and Cats

2011-10-11T12:45:00.015-06:00

It's been a busy week.

I received these plants in the mail from Kathleen at Kaseys Korner.

That's right, plants.

She offered some Campanula 'Cherry Bells', but I was expecting seeds when these showed up in a box along with some pretty Pink ruffled columbine seeds.

They're doing well and I'm excited to get them into the garden in this nice cool, wet weather we've been having. Kathleen warned me they're aggressive spreaders but worth it. Thanks Kathleen!

I also received these seeds from Lona at A Hocking Hills Garden blog.

They are Crape Myrtle seeds which she successfully grows in her Zone 5 garden. I'm hoping I can get them to germinate and have some of my own. Thanks, Lona!

I'm also very excited about this:

Lynda at Mind Muffins gave me some delphinium plants this summer. I was satisfied just seeing them survive, I certainly didn't expect blooms this year. I think they're gorgeous. Thanks so much, Lynda!

(Postscript: This is not delphinium as I thought, it is actually aconitum, or Monkshood. Still, a lovely, lovely plant.)

And to keep the gifts coming I purchased this cute shopping bag for just $11. Because it's in French and because I'm worth it!

Our garden is winding down. We still have some dahlias blooming. I'm allowing them to go to seed now so I'll hopefully have some surprises if they germinate next year.

A few mums are in bloom. Nothing special. We always talk about replacing them with some spectacular types but don't get around to it. Oh well, they're doing their job; providing some color for fall.

Castor Bean seed pods looking beautiful.

Anyone want seeds? I have plenty to share.

The back porch is looking ready for fall.

And likely the last rose of our season, Heritage.

On the cat front, Felix and Jessie are getting along great.

Felix has begun acting like a "kitten"; running around, very playful, and eating all the time.

As it's October 11th already I plan on putting out my little tribute to Halloween soon.

If you want to be impressed by a hand-made Halloween display, check out Jeanne's upcoming display at Gone Feral in Idaho. Talk about impressive! I can't wait to see the finished display.

Happy Fall everyone!

I Give Up

2011-09-28T11:51:00.015-06:00

I do. I give up.
Fall has arrived and I can't deny it any longer.

'Oranges and Lemons' Gaillardia blooming with some asters;

Busy bee on those asters.

Lovely bouquet.

The hibiscus have finished blooming.

Now we have 'Fireworks' Goldenrod, some phlox, and Japanese Anemones going at it.

Russian sage blooming with nice morning sunlight.

'Alma Potschke' aster falls over;

The girls run to the back porch when we let them out of the coop; they're anxious to eat any grapes that have fallen off the vines.

I only want to show you these little vignettes because the garden looks so tired now that September is almost over and October is sneaking its way in the door.

The weather has been cooperating though. No rain, but gorgeous days in the 80's. The sunlight streaming through the grape vines on the back porch while I lounge around and do some leisurely reading has been nothing other than lovely.

I also often have this little fur ball on my shoulder;

We've recently adopted a "half brother" of Jessie's.

Meet Felix; (My French cousin, François, suggested the name.)

His eyes really aren't that blue, must be something about the camera flash.
But he is a cutie. We were willing to adopt another one since our old cat, Ebbie, disappeared, and we thought Jessie could use a play pal.

And Jessie has been enjoying what he seems to think is his new "toy."

(Yeah, I know, I bought Jessie a bone shaped ID tag.)

There have been plenty of times we've rescued Felix from Jessie's rough housing, but they've been OK most of the time.

Hope your transitioning into fall has gone well and that you have plenty to feel pleasant about.

It's Not Over Until The Calender Says So!

2011-08-30T10:07:00.017-06:00

(And maybe not even then!)

Seems like all I've been hearing lately is how "summer is over", how "it feels like fall is in the air", "I'm soooo ready for autumn". One of my co-workers even wore a sweater to work this week!

The horror of it all!

Maybe you can tell; I'm NOT ready for summer to end!

And summer still reigns in our garden. The proof:

Just look at these volunteer morning glories blooming on our trellis.
Could they look so pretty if fall were just around the corner? I think not!

Here's Chelsea, enjoying the warm summer sunshine....

Do you have these big garden spiders? They're a sign of summer, right?

Do you see any blooms on this aster?
No, you do not.
Asters bloom in the fall, not in the summer.

Jessie; enjoying his summertime with the "girls".

Another summer activity: Jelly Bean and Ginger try to help me with the crossword........

.....or possibly they just like the look of that pepperoni.....

This Japanese Anemone blooming in the garden is an anomaly.
Because they are a fall flower.

Evidence of last nights dinner in the garden.
No, no one needed a sweater or a jacket because it's summer.

We did have to turn on the yard light around nine o'clock but that's only because the sun decided not to cooperate.

Speaking of dinner, this was my breakfast this morning; Moroccan Serpent Cake.
(You can find the recipe here.)

My French teacher, who happens to be from Morocco, joined us for dinner. He said this dessert was traditional but it needed to be topped with honey. I did that later and it was the perfect touch.

And how can you ask me to give up my back porch?
Not going to happen any time soon.
Because it's still summer!

What evidence are you still seeing of summer in your garden?

August Garden

2011-08-17T08:53:00.016-06:00

I love Kathleen's post, August Garden Mayhem. She talks about how her garden looks a "little worse for wear" this time of year.

For us, now is the season before the mums and asters and after the daisies, lilies, crocosmia, and daylilies.

The plants that help us through August;

I love our 'Norah Leigh' phlox paniculata.

Here it is with Lychnis coronaria.

And with some sunshine;

I love the bi-colored leaf.

Here she's leaning over our new garden path.

This is also a good time of year for dahlias, either from tubers I bought or seeds I started.

Of course we wouldn't be without echinaceas. I've tried getting other colors than purpurea going but so far no luck.

Here is a "mess o' flowers" along the right path. (You can see Chelsea on the back porch.) But I love the mess right now - coreopsis, Russian sage, calendula, coronaria, rudbeckias and morning glory.

Here is a typical garden bed for us this time of year;

That same bed on July 27th;

Did you notice Jessie hiding out in the photo above?

Here's a tighter shot;

He's having a great time playing in the garden every day. On Monday he has an appointment with the vet to lose his "manliness".

Hope your August is shaping up wonderfully.

Garden Break

2011-08-10T19:01:00.013-06:00

Just so you know, it's been too long since I posted and WAY too long since I visited your blogs.

I suppose you think this is a pine cone;

It's not a pinecone, it's a cat toy;

Kim and I went camping over the weekend and took our new kitten, Jessie. He had a great time and stayed close to camp all day. We put him in the tent at dusk and he slept under the sleeping bag with us at night.

He isn't the first cat we've taken camping. Two previous cats were also great campers.

Vanessa, Chris and Casey all came up to enjoy the camp out. We hiked, we went to the hot springs, we sat and talked around the campfire. It was great.

Chelsea came with us, of course.

The Hot Springs;

The REALLY hot pool;

I'm hoping we can do it again next year.

Give and Take

2011-07-26T13:29:00.007-06:00

What an easy topic to post about. I've been on the receiving end so much lately that I wanted to write about it.

Earlier this year I was fortunate to meet Lynda. Check out her blog, Mind Muffins. She had some plants to give away and since we live in the same city and we're both gardeners, I contacted her right away. No problem, come over and pick them up, she said. Off I went across town to a strangers house. But not really a "stranger." After all, we are fellow gardeners, right?

Now every time I see my delphiniums, Heavenly Bamboo, new hellebore starts and pulmonaria plants I think of her. And she happens to have one of the loveliest gardens.

One of her hellebores;

From Plants and Stones I got a great idea to use our lavender. Check out her post. Mine might not be quite as pretty but I think they're great anyway.

When I want a great recipe I know I can count on the author of the October Farm blog. I've tried a few of her recipes and I've never been disappointed. Recently I made her Blueberry Muffins with Lime Glaze and both Kim and I loved them.

My friend Teresa from Seasonal Wisdom called the other day and said did I want some pond plants? Now we have three more plants for our pond. She also gave me some garden books. Good grief, thanks!

I've received seeds from Patsi at Garden Endeavors and from Connie at Notes From a Cottage Garden.

I've also been given countless gardening advice just by reading all the blogs out there, including Gardens of the Wild Wild West (thanks for the tip about Kintzley's Ghost Honeysuckle, I bought one for our Moongarden), I Garden Daily, Catherine at A Gardener in Progress, this guy makes me laugh; An Obsessive Neurotic Gardener, her troubles make mine seem small; Brambleberries in the Rain, of course Gardening With Grace, her courage and sense of humor inspire me; Here On The Prairies, my little taste of France; La nature et la plume, insect education from Randy and Meg, one of my first blogging "friends", Rosemary, and fellow chicken lover, Green Frieda.

There are so many great bloggers out there and I am enjoying all of you.

I think that with this awful tragedy in Norway recently it's made me think of all the really great people I see in the world. There are so many. And perhaps this is a good time to remind ourselves of that. I know I need something to counterbalance the horrible actions of one person.

So thanks to all of you. I know I haven't included everyone I could have, there are too many, but I appreciate you all.

What Can One Say.......

2011-07-26T12:04:00.003-06:00

I'm so saddened by the tragedy in Norway. My heart goes out to all Norwegian citizens. Best wishes to their eventual healing from this ordeal.

The Living is Easy?

2011-07-12T20:33:00.028-06:00

It's been a busy couple of days. Last night my daughter Vanessa, her boyfriend Chris, and our son Casey came over for dinner. Kim and I decided to eat "en plein air." (Can you tell my French lessons continue?)

So we dragged the dining room table outside in the shade. Since the dinner was for Vanessa's birthday I made bruschetta (her favorite appetizer), Calabrese pork and fennel ragu with pasta, fruit salad, and chocolate cheesecake for dessert.

This morning after breakfast at Goldys we decided to ride our bikes to the Idaho Botanical Garden. The garden is about 4 miles from our house so it was a decent bike trip for us.

There is always something new to see at the Garden. This is the first time we've seen Amber Conger's metal sculptures. We were very impressed.

There is some sculpture in the Garden I'm not fond of but I loved Amber's artwork.

Also at the Botanical Garden, wouldn't you have fun with this hollowed log? It's big but I'd find room somewhere for this.

Cool plants...

And what great use of a fountain - fill it with succulents.

And what do you think? Would you put purple pillars in your garden?

I think I would.

Back to our garden......

We have Monarda 'Pink Lace' blooming.

Florida Sieboldii is also looking great.

Another clematis, Comtesse de Bouchard, is blooming in the Moongarden,

along with our Heritage rose.

The Nicolas daylilies are blooming with lychnis coronaria. This photo shows just one Rose Campion, but you know, if you have one of these plants, you have ONE TON of these plants.

Kim harvested the first carrots from the cold frame, and they taste good! We're excited since this is the first time we've actually tried growing veggies in there. We've also harvested lots of lettuce and chard from the cold frame.

Also, our new kitten, Jessie, has been busy meeting the "girls." Here he is, nose to nose (nose to beak?) with Tootsie. (Jessie is hard to see, but he's in the lower right corner, just peaking out.)

So far, so good.

And finally, Tootsie looks like she's posing for the cover of Horticulture magazine.
(Don't think she'll make it, but she's giving it a good try.)

Summer has been great for us so far. How has yours been?

Chickens Again

2011-07-06T07:36:00.011-06:00

I know you've all seen many a post about our "girls" (hens). They've reached their second birthdays this year. Kim and I have been very lucky (or the girls have been lucky I guess), no illness, injury or deaths with our girls during these two years.

Yesterday I thought our luck had run out. We've banned them from the back yard this year in order to allow the garden to recuperate. They've been confined to the area behind the garage where their coop sits, with access to the three compost bins and plenty of area in which to run around.

Seems as if Ginger wasn't satisfied with that arrangement. I went outside to give them some greens yesterday and as I was counting heads I could only count to two. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I quickly made a search and couldn't see Ginger anywhere. Kim began searching the yard as I began searching the neighborhood, wondering if she had finally "flown the coop" for the first time. I was envisioning her encountering a neighbor's dog and the end result of that wouldn't be pretty.

Well, looky here. A normal strawberry patch, correct?

But, look closer.

This was where we found her yesterday the second time she went missing. So we gave up and left her alone. We figured at least she was still in the yard.

When I came back later Ginger was back in the coop (we leave the door open all day so they have access to water and food and the nesting boxes) and she had left this in the strawberry patch.

All the information we read concerning raising chickens said that with just three hens, two nesting boxes are plenty. Yesterday Jelly Bean was using the right hand box. Seems as if the left hand box just won't cut it for Ginger so she flew over our little four foot fence into the veg garden and made her own nest.

So we gave up and since we were both gardening outside yesterday we let them all have a day in the garden.

Here's Tootsie ravishing a Tartarian aster.

A nice view of Ginger's butt as she looks to see what's under the Crambe cordifolia.

Jelly Bean poses on a lawn chair.

And Tootsie gets friendly with Kim.

All three of them looking innocent.

We plan on bringing them into the garden at least once a week from now on. As long as we're with them we can minimize the digging, scratching and constant munching of plants. I did realize yesterday how much I have missed seeing them in the garden. And they are such a natural pest repellent, we really need to let them do their job.

Said I Wouldn't, Did it Anyway

2011-06-29T07:27:00.007-06:00

That "said I wouldn't" would be to add yellow foliage to my garden. I've never enjoyed the look of yellow foliaged plants and the main reason is because here in southern Idaho when the summer sun gets going plants can tend to look a bit "over-baked." To me, yellow foliage has always tended to appear sickly in our heat and strong sunlight.

Well, my friend Teresa at Seasonal Wisdom has been busy adding yellow foliaged plants to her garden. And I've been watching. Watching with skepticism. But watching. And thinking.

And then here's what I remembered. We already have at least one yellow foliaged plant in our garden and I love it.

This is Sambucus Nigra 'Madonna', a shrub that grows to about five feet. We moved it last year into partial shade and it seems more in control and has put on its first blooms.

I love this shrub in its semi-shady spot.

So I took a leap of faith this year and added four (that's right FOUR) Heucherella 'Gold Zebra'. I planted them among Heuchera 'Prince'.

I like the way it lightens up the area. (How many times have I read that sentence when gardeners are talking about yellow foliaged plants?)

Planted behind these heuchera/ellas are some large hostas.

Then I went absolutely crazy and bought three of these. Adriatic Bellflower 'Dickson's Gold'.

They are planted at the edge of a bed between Carpathian harebell 'Blue Clips.'

How could I resist these pretty little flowers?

And besides, all together now, "I like the way it lightens up the area."

Some things I've come to realize.
1. The trees we planted along the way in our garden are putting out some nice shade.
2. Yellow foliaged plants can look exceptional in that shade.

Any "Aha's" been coming at you lately?

Bloomin'

2011-06-21T20:27:00.017-06:00

Lately we've been in the garden like crazy. And it feels sooooo good! There's been weeding to be done, moving things around, adding plants; the usual.

Right now what's blooming;

Abraham Darby, planted last year. Huge blooms. Very nice. I have it growing on a trellis with Clematis 'Viticella Polish Spirit' which has yet to bloom but is growing like crazy. I think these two will eventually be a nice combo.

Geranium 'Biokovo', recommended by Garden Girl.

A geranium that does well in partial shade. Lovin' it. Nice little plant, puts out plenty of blooms and doesn't seem to ask for much in return.

Kim isn't too thrilled with purple clematis but we seem to have had this one forever and it comes back every year; Haku Ookan.

We planted Elsa Spath this year, she promises to be a beauty.

The iris are on their way out but have been lovely and always add such a great scent. We have pink, blue, dark purple, white, light purple....so many. Love them all.

A new plant for us this year is Purple Mountain Sun Daisy, Osteospermum barberiae var Compactum. Don't you love that color? I put in five of these this year.

The blooms aren't big but they're bright.

I planted this Clematis integrifolia in 2009. This will be its first bloom. I've read lots of great reviews of this plant.

The poppies have been thrilling us. This is 'Pink Ruffles.'

And....

In the front garden we've been enjoying Gaillardia 'Amber Wheels.' I saw some on the Garden Tour a couple of years ago and just had to have some. I planted three, this is the only one that made it.

The front garden is mostly xeric and we try not to water it much. Plants need to be able to live in that environment.

Also in the front garden Eremurus bungei (Foxtail Lilies) are just coming into bloom. These bulbs will multiply and need to be divided eventually but they're so worth the trouble.

They come in a few different colors; yellow, white and this light peach.

This is our tallest grouping at around 6 feet.

The foliage is similar to large daffodil foliage. When it's finished blooming it gets ratty looking so it needs a camouflage plant.

But it's such a stunner in the garden.

Well, we're happy; summer is officially here. Happy Summer Solstice!

Day Two of Babysitting

2011-06-19T05:29:00.005-06:00

I guess I should have made it clear that I'm staying at my son's house. Bruno and Scarface are way too much dog for our house and garden. (See previous post). Much less for Chelsea to put up with. And also since we have these two staying with us for now.

These are two homeless kittens born next door under our neighbors shed. We'll keep one and my daughter is adopting one. (We will spay/neuter of course) Next job will be to catch the mother who is rather wild. We'll have her spayed and hopefully adopted out.

And finally a pic of my other "grandchild", Scarface.

He was a pound dog. Look at the gray on that muzzle. My son has had him for about 7 years now. Poor old guy is getting up there.

Today after work I get to go home to my house again. Can't wait. It's been a little mini vacation here but I'm ready for my hubbie, house, pets, and garden.

Babysitting Again

2011-06-17T20:08:00.006-06:00

I'm babysitting the "grandkids" again.

Here's what you bring when you babysit my "grandkids."

Bruno, one of the "grandkids,"

A face only a grandma could love?

Does he look as if he's getting ready to eat me?
He's not, he's just preparing for a kiss.

I'll try to get a pic of the other one, Scarface, when he's finished with his bone.
Wish me luck.

Garden Tour

2011-06-15T09:27:00.018-06:00

Kim and I attended the Lunaria League Garden Tour for the Idaho Botanical Garden this past Sunday. As usual there were some great gardens to peruse. I'll share what I considered to be the highlights.

The first garden started us off well with a massive garden including a stream, an elk topiary, grand views and attractive flower beds. Here the owner, in red, chats up a visitor.

I love the way these columnar trees frame the sunken garden.

Various musical groups were performing throughout the tour. An opera singer was on stage here. Just lovely.

Veggie beds were extremely popular this year. And we saw all sorts, from raised wood-framed beds to rock framed beds to beds framed with "beds".
(Click on this pic to enlarge.)

Keeping with the veggie theme I thought these signs, hand painted by the garden owner, were adorable and practical, too.

A hatted man enjoying the tour.

Beehives were evident at two of the gardens; obviously trending up.

There were lovely shady gardens,

gorgeous views,

ponds,

water features,

and great landscaping. (The pink tree is a Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki').

That hatted man again, enjoying the view. (Is he following me?)

There were also too many details to share here. Such as this painting of a clematis, hanging within that same clematis. Great idea.

And look at the decor on this shed,

old watering cans. Clever.

As usual we enjoyed the tour immensely. We appreciate home owners who allow the public to roam their private gardens just for the enjoyment it brings.
Can't wait for next year.

And that hatted man? It's Kim, of course.

Our Fireworks Clematis...........

2011-05-31T19:49:00.004-06:00

.......is blooming.....

Getting Going in the Garden

2011-05-29T16:40:00.020-06:00

Seems all we've had lately has been rainy, cold weather. But things are moving along in our garden regardless, so that I feel the need to share.....

The bluebells (hyacinthoides) are blooming in the Moongarden. I thought I had ordered a mix of blue, white and pink. But they're all blue.
I don't mind.

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) always looks nice during the growing season, with white blooms in the spring. This plant does great in our garden and I love it as a ground cover since it isn't too invasive. My friend Teresa told me about using it in a May wine recipe and I may just try it this year. (Although it will more likely be a "June" or "July" wine.)

These Mountain Bluet (centaurea montana) are blooming all over the garden since they re-seed a lot. I like them for their spring color but the foliage gets tatty looking later in the year. I usually try to cut them back when that happens.

I like this Amethyst in Snow version I bought a while back but I need to move it out from under the rose that is threatening it.

Another great ground cover is Snow in Summer (Cerastium tomentosum). It too likes to spread but who can resist it's cheerfulness? This plant enjoys full sun and doesn't need a lot of water so it also does well on mounds.

And of course Soapwort (saponaria ocymoides).

Our viburnum is blooming.

This shrub took a while to get going but I just love the flowers.

We're still seeing Indigo Buntings around. It would be great if they stayed for the summer.

And this lone quail made itself welcome at our birdblock.

Two more pics. (I know this is a long post.)

Kim took this picture without my knowledge. We're enjoying the back deck.

And from our back porch you can see that back deck in the upper left corner.

OK, that's it. I think I'll go check some of my favorite blogs now and see what you've all been up to.

Oh, I think I found out what killed my roses........here.

In Two Days...

2011-05-21T18:01:00.005-06:00

From this.....

to this.....

I love this tree peony.

I'd love to tell you the name of this one but we bought it mislabeled.

Out With the Old, In With the New

2011-05-17T08:26:00.011-06:00

Well, perhaps the title should be "out with the dead........."

Kim dug the three dead roses out of the moongarden.

(any growth you see is from an old clematis)

I planted two new roses; Penny Lane and Lavender Lassie. Both with continual blooms and highly fragrant.

I also added two new clematis to the mix; Montana Elizabeth and Macropetala Markham's Pink.

I was sad to see our Moongarden coverage disappear in one season. This used to be our Moongarden:

The three roses we lost were a climbing Iceberg, climbing White Dawn and Blanc Double de Coubert. I decided to go with completely different roses and I'm exited to see how they will look in a few years. Our Heritage rose made it through and is looking great.

Onto better news...
The hyacinthoides in the Moongarden are threatening to bloom. I planted 200 bulbs a few years ago.

And one of two climbing schizophragma hydrandeas our neighbor gave us 10 years ago (yes you read that correctly - TEN years) has finally decided to put on some significant growth!

Kim has been making fun of me for years for not giving up on these vines. But I'm always reminded of how beautiful they could eventually become. (See here or here.) Besides, the other day we were reading through my garden journals and remarking on when some of our trees had been planted; ten years seemed to feel only like about five years in our minds.
Someday these vines will thrill someone. Possibly not me, I could be dead by then, but someone!

Is there a plant you just can't give up on?

Worth The Wait?

2011-05-15T16:59:00.003-06:00

It only took seven years to achieve this:

Kim collected seeds from the wild Arrowleaf Balsamroot which grows among the sagebrush in our area.
Then he scattered it seven years ago in our xeric front yard.

Two plants germinated and grew. This year they bloomed for the first time.

Worth it?

You decide.

They're Back

2011-05-10T19:04:00.003-06:00

These gorgeous flowering trees in our neighborhood that is.

And the Lazuli Buntings.

These little birds never hang around long and they're very nervous but when you see one it's such a thrill.

I've been busy-busy gardening. It's been great! :-)

Rhubarb or Alien......

2011-04-29T05:48:00.001-06:00

You decide......

Spring, Come and Get It!

2011-04-25T17:59:00.001-06:00

Although we've had a setback with the loss of some roses lately, (and losing roses shouldn't seem so bad but one of them was a 10 foot iceberg rose) we have seen some minor successes also.

The astilbes I planted in the shadegarden last year are coming up.

These red primroses I bought for the front porch last year and then transplanted to the shade garden are in bloom. I haven't had a lot of luck with primroses returning other than a few pink ones I've had for years.

These goofy Fritillaria imperialis keep coming up. They haven't bloomed in years. I moved them a few years ago into this sunnier spot, hoping that would motivate them to show off.
(OK, that wasn't a success story.)

Take a look at Kathleen's.

Better appreciate the daffodils while they're here, they've already started fading.

I think the Professor de Monsseri tulips are just as pretty closed as they are open.
(You can see them in our header.)

This little blanda White Splendour I planted years ago is blooming in the gazebo.

The goldfinches have been at our feeders all winter but now they're back in full force and in living color.

Just look at that female stretching her neck to get at the seed.

I should leave a little sign out there with my daughter's address on it. She's waiting for these guys to show up at her feeder.

Feeding the "Birds"

2011-04-22T06:05:00.001-06:00

I'm always amazed at the antics of squirrels. Kim and I were taking a break from gardening when three of these guys/gals showed up.

I didn't realize they could climb up poles until we saw this one do so; right up to the bird feeder which Kim had just filled that day - thank you very much.

We watched more acrobatics as one of them jumped from the tree to another bird feeder, full of seed and just waiting to be dined upon. Thanks again!

Here's a nice BIRD house Kim built years ago.
It has areas for bird feed on the sides.
Can you tell what is in the opening?

Let's take a closer look.

That's right. It's a little paw. It is NOT a bird's beak nor is it anything related to a bird.

It's this little guy.

I noticed the "bird" house was moving around quite a bit.
Then I saw this.
Twins?

I hope they're happy in their home.

Of course it is no big surprise to me that they've taken over the "birdhouse."
Two years ago I saw this little guy, literally sprawled out as if on his own porch, just before I snapped his photo. S/he seemed to be outside enjoying the sunset just as I was.

I know squirrels are pesky critters. They've moved a few plants of mine and I partially blame them for my lack of success with tulips in containers. But they're here to stay and we'll enjoy them as much as possible.

Growing Things

2011-04-20T08:00:00.008-06:00

We've finally had some decent weather on my day off and were able to get into the garden and finish a lot of the clean up. Sadly, three of the five roses in our moongarden died this winter and it will take a full day to take them out. That will have to wait for another day off. I've asked around and it seems other people lost roses this winter also.

Happier news is that Kim and I are getting some extra use from our cold frame. We've been using it for years to house our new perennials and to sun our tender annuals. But we've never planted in it directly.

Here it is after Kim cleaned it all out. (After he built his shed.)

Then he put in some beds.

Now we have lettuce, chard, radishes and carrots growing inside.

We're newbies at this so we know there will be a learning curve involved but it's nice to put this space to some use.

And finally, a headless chicken?

No, just Jelly Bean enjoying one of the compost piles.

Spring Shopping

2011-04-10T05:31:00.002-06:00

Well it's spring and I can't stay away from my favorite nursery - Edwards.

My friend Teresa and I shopped there late in March and hubbie and I made a trip this week together.

I picked up a few things; some hostas, clematis, coreopsis, ferns, a new dicentra to replace the one the chickens destroyed, agastache, etc.

I couldn't resist these beautiful 'Berry Smoothie' Heucheras. Don't you love that color?

I didn't even try resisting the 'Tiramisu' Heuchera.

I find it so refreshing to see all the plants out, ready for us eager gardeners. Edwards makes me feel hopeful somehow. I guess that's just spring's job, isn't it?

I thought this seating area was very serene looking. And I love those chairs.

I think we'll try planting our veggie garden as densely as their sample garden.

Rows upon rows of plants to choose from.

I thought this castle was pretty clever.

As is this planted dining table.

These trips were fun but I'll be back. My daughter is allowing me to plant her back yard. (I've made her think it's a chore - ha ha ha!)

Spring Things

2011-04-06T09:02:00.015-06:00

I've been neglecting my blog due to some family issues but now I hope I'm back.

Spring certainly seems to have arrived. We've been getting rain, then sunshine, then more rain, then sun; you get the idea. I have my fingers crossed that the birds haven't eaten all the flower seeds I've scattered in the back beds.

The chickens haven't been eating them because we've locked them out of the garden.

They do have a bird block to keep them entertained. We buy ours from D&B.

Jelly Bean gets some sun.

Our seedlings are up and moving. This photo is from a couple of weeks ago.

And we have a few things blooming in the garden.

Hellebores;

And finally some daffodils.

I've tried growing tulips in containers a few years now without success. This year I'm hoping I have the solution. I placed the containers in our shed and Kim watered them about once a month during the winter. I think my past problems have included too much moisture, freezing, squirrels and cats. I placed the containers in our cold frame a few weeks ago and they're looking very nice.

I've always wanted beautiful spring containers like Tatyana's.
Maybe this will be my year.

SFTUCBZKA9HD

Careful now.........

2011-03-22T10:12:00.007-06:00

Dare I say it?

I think Spring has a foot in the door. (!)

Just look at these crocus.

They've really spread in two years. Here they are in 2009:

The daffodils are beginning to wake up.

We haven't seen these crocus in the grass for a couple years.

I have a feeling the "girls" (see chickens in sidebar) must have been eating them.

We've penned up the girls again this year, but more permanently. They have the sideyard to themselves which includes three compost piles, a flock block, plenty of free greens from my workplace and mealworms once a week. So far they seem to be accepting it. We're hoping many missing flowers will return this year without the chickens scratching and pecking at them.

And another reason to feel optimistic; I've started taking French lessons from a person at work who is fluent in four languages. Wish me luck.

A Reminder

2011-03-15T11:00:00.001-06:00

From Stuff No one Told Me.

Seedlings Again

2011-03-08T12:04:00.004-07:00

Where is Spring???

It's snowing as I type this; right outside my window with no respect for my feelings at all.

Anyway.....Kim saved tomato seeds last fall. His method;

1. Scoop seeds out of your tomato.
2. Cover with water for 2 weeks as the gelatin around the seeds ferment and break down.
3. Rinse in colander and dry.

This site has all the details also.

The saved, fermenting seeds:

And, his seedlings:

I managed to sow some flower/veggie seeds last week. Some have germinated already. I think I'll play around with some more seeds today and pretend it's as good as playing outside in the garden.

Waiting on Spring

2011-02-23T13:39:00.015-07:00

Not a lot going on here, at least garden wise.

Kim and I actually were able to get into the garden and do some work last week as we were blessed with some gorgeous weather.

We saw some alliums coming up.

Along with some crocus.

Then we were given another taste of winter.

I would love to show you a picture of snowdrops blooming but all I have is this:

I'd also love to show you a hellebore bud but all I have is this:

Weather wise we're just a bit behind this year. I'm impatiently waiting for spring.
(Can you tell?)
It's mid day and 35˚F right now. Not what I refer to as optimal gardening weather.

I did manage to do a little garden shopping this week at my favorite nursery - Edward's Greenhouse. Great way to perk up a "starving" gardener; visit a nursery. Just look at the color.

And how can you resist this color combo? I couldn't. I bought all three.

And just one more tease. I don't know what this is and I didn't purchase it but I thought the bloom was lovely.

It's almost time for me to start some seeds. That should help with the winter blues.

What are you doing to survive until spring?

Yurt 2 Highlights

2011-02-11T17:43:00.009-07:00

Kim and I recently returned from our second yurt trip of the winter. I'll give you the highlights.

Our second night up we were the fortunate witnesses of a gorgeous sunset. Kim trekked around the corner to take a pic of it with the yurt in the foreground.

He also caught a close up of these ice crystals on the deck. Don't they look like miniature snowflakes?

I finished knitting a hat to match my new sweater.

Chelsea had her usual great time running around in the snow chasing imaginary squirrels.

I made a short video in an attempt to demonstrate what an effort it is to use the outhouse at the yurt. That's the one drawback of "yurting" for me - walking to the outhouse when the temperature is hovering around 17˚F and the toilet seat is covered with ice crystals.
Now imagine doing that in the pitch black of night.
You get the idea.

Finally, I had some fun making Chelsea "sing".

Just in Time

2011-02-07T10:38:00.003-07:00

I finished knitting my newest sweater just in time for another trip to the yurt.

This is my third sweater from this pattern. You can see my 2nd sweater here and my first sweater here.

This time I chose a much more subdued yarn. I'm also knitting a hat to match but I'll have to finish that up at the yurt. I added cables to the pattern and I like the way they turned out.

I think next time I'll try a cardigan pattern but I have three pairs of socks started that I want to finish first.

Oh, and since spring will arrive at some point.......gardening will soon be my priority.

And happy Anniversary to us! Happily married for 19 years!

Just Two More Weeks.........

2011-02-01T08:49:00.002-07:00

A reminder from Funny Times.

There's always hope...

2011-01-26T11:45:00.006-07:00

The garden is showing signs of waking up. I know it's early still, but I feel the time has arrived to start looking and thinking and planning.

Primroses making an effort:

Snowdrops shooting up:

And really good news:

The second egg in two days! I suspect it is Tootsie who is finally laying again and that Jelly Bean and Ginger will soon follow her lead.

The Rest of the Yurt

2011-01-23T15:03:00.006-07:00

We enjoyed the usual activities at the yurt; snowshoeing, sledding, eating, drinking, relaxing. There are a few chores to keep up on - hauling in wood for the fire and snow to melt for water and shoveling snow off the deck.

One of the biggest chores at least to me, is the walk down to the outhouse. Especially at night. More on that later.

We took our usual pretty snow and tree and mountain pictures but also as we looked around we noticed a few new things to see up close.

We noticed these crystals on a tree one morning;

And during a snowshoeing "hike" we saw what looks like "snow feathers" on another tree:

So pretty.

My newest socks were great for the yurt. I knitted them with DK weight yarn on size 1 needles so they're nice and thick and warm.

We had a good time. We'll go back. Soon.

Back From the Yurt.....

2011-01-21T17:13:00.003-07:00

....more to come.

Chicken Update

2011-01-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

Remember when Tootsie was molting and she looked like this?

And she spent her time hiding and being pathetic?

Jelly Bean and Ginger soon followed her lead and lost feathers also.

We haven't seen an egg in over two months now.

Tootsie is back to normal, looking like her old fat self. And so are the other two.
Here they are, happy to venture out of their coop as long as the snow is gone.

We're hoping they get to laying again soon.

More evidence that Tootsie is feeling her oats again occurred recently.

Tootsie decided our dog Chelsea needed proof of who owns the back yard.

Some Ultimate Chicken/Dog Fighting ensued as Tootsie attacked and Chelsea reacted....

All ended well as each went their own way unscathed....

I don't think Chelsea would ever seriously hurt Tootsie but Chelsea will stick up for herself when necessary. (Otherwise she goes out of her way to avoid running into Tootsie when in the yard.)

They were featured on Cute With Chris.

Here's looking forward to longer days and having our own eggs again.

Birds and a Walk

2011-01-14T16:31:00.018-07:00

This week Kim and I took Chelsea on a walk along the Boise river. Snowy, icy, cold and beautiful.

There is one area that always has swans.

I'm not sure how the swans are enticed into staying around.

Perhaps the other birds tell the story.

As you can see there was a lot of activity on the other side.

You can just make out what that swan is up to.

There's a bird feeder full of food.
I guess that would keep me around too.

And some birds on our feeder recently.

How To Prolong Christmas......

2011-01-12T10:17:00.034-07:00

1. Don't buy presents
2. Decide to get together for a special dinner out instead of presents.
3. Make the reservation for after the holidays. (At Chandler's Restaurant)

4. Follow through..........

I was told the steaks were wonderful. I had the sea bass which was excellent.

For dessert; Crème brûlée, Fruit Cobbler, Chocolate Mousse, Key Lime Pie and Cheesecake......

Appetizers.....

Chelesa and Ebony are famous

2011-01-11T07:25:00.004-07:00

Chelsea and Ebbie were featured on Cute With Chris again.

Chelsea has been on Chris' website twice before.

From the website:

Work Ethic.

"Chelsea and Ebony". Welfare lives here. Sent by Victoria in IDAHO.

Final Vegas Baby! post

2011-01-07T15:45:00.001-07:00

In my last post I promised to show you the two reasons why I traveled to Vegas.

Remember this post? The Marriage of Thibeault and Yamuna.

Thibeault (my cousin François' son) and his wife Yamuna had been staying in Vegas while Thibeault trained for his career as an Ultimate Fighter. Since they had come all the way from London I figured the least I could do was travel to the next state to visit them.

We had a great time. They are one fun, gracious, intelligent, couple.

Thibeault, along with Audrey,(another Ultimate Fighter and his best friend) were being filmed for a French documentary. Lucky me, I got to tag along while we attended a club where the final filming took place.

Yamuna, Audrey, Cleo and Thibeault.

Lots of posing and silliness.

Notice my makeover, compliments of Yamuna. (She did a great job, and made it fun, too.)

The filming was rather difficult to deal with. Luckily the cameras weren't directed at me too often. (Yes, I might show up in the background crowd of a French documentary)

Yamuna, Thibeault and Audrey.

What a great time! So glad I made the effort.

(And no, I wasn't tempted to gamble even once. Always makes me feel like I'm throwing my money away.)

Vegas Baby! Part 2

2011-01-03T16:48:00.003-07:00

As I said in my last Vegas post, the decadence of this town is hard to absorb.
Here I am in the lobby of the Venetian Hotel. (I even took pics of the public restrooms in this and the Paris Hotel. Yeah, I know that makes me sound like a country bumpkin, and maybe I am, but they're soooo pretty!)

This is the hallway leading to the lobby.

Paris hotel at night:

I treated myself to lunch at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant.

And what a treat it was! Their service made me feel like a queen, even in my jeans and T-shirt.

Cream of Butternut Squash soup:

Ocean Seafood Salad with Lobster, Shrimp and Crab

And Crème brûlée for dessert.

It was all sooooo delicious!

In my final Vegas post I'll show you the two reasons why I went to Las Vegas.

Holiday Interruption

2011-01-01T10:20:00.017-07:00

(Interrupting the Vegas posts for this holiday update.)

I had a great Christmas. It's always good when we can get our family together and have a nice relaxing dinner. As usual I tried out some new recipes this year.

We've enjoyed having crown roast for the past few years at Christmas dinner. This year I found a recipe for a stuffed one.

It turned out great.

Here's the recipe I used. (click on it to enlarge)

Also had these great carrots with it: Glazed Carrots and shallots with thyme. So good.

For dessert I made Martha S.'s Bûche de Noël.

The recipe:

I suppose many people have made their own Bûche de Noël or Yule Log cakes. They are fun to do.

According to France Guide; "At one time, all the family would gather around the hearth for Christmas. The children sang songs and listened to stories told by their grandparents while an enormous log burned in the fireplace. It would be made of a strong, hard wood that would burn all night. Decorated with leaves and ribbons, it was lit by the youngest and the oldest family members after being blessed by the head of the family with oil, brandy or sometimes with a branch that had been dipped in holy water. The ashes were then saved because they would protect the home from lightening and the devil in the upcoming year.

This custom, starting in the 12th century, travelled throughout most of Europe and even to Quebec. In Italy, the log was called the “ceppo” and in England, it was known as the Yule log. However, the tradition had disappeared by the end of the 19th century because the large fireplaces were replaced by smaller, iron stoves. The big log was substituted by a small one that was decorated with candles and greenery and used as the centerpiece on the Christmas table.

Today, a cake shaped and decorated like the Christmas log is used. It is the color of wood, and covered with chocolate or crème de café. It is sprinkled with glazed sugar and surrounded by little woodcutters and meringue mushrooms."

My meringue mushrooms in the oven:

Adding the chocolate to make gills under the mushroom caps:

My finished cake:

Here's Martha's cake from the magazine:

It's a fun project if you have the time.

The best part was spending time with my family:

And just so you don't leave with the wrong impression, here's a pic of an elf I tried to make out of marzipan.

Don't let him give you nightmares!

Hope everyone had great holidays!

Vegas Baby! Part 1

2010-12-16T15:48:00.009-07:00

I just returned from a short, short trip to Las Vegas. I was meeting up with some relatives from Europe.

It's been quite a few years since I've been to Vegas. Kim and I used to go every February for the Photo Marketers Association convention. We were even married there.

This time I stayed at the MGM. It was surprisingly pleasant. There were Christmas decorations everywhere. I'm always surprised at the decadence displayed in Vegas.

The view from my room;

The MGM lion in the lobby.

You can view real lions in their cage.

New York, New York is right across the street.

Waterfalls in a mall;

Gondoliers inside the Venetian Hotel;

Oversized decorations at the Bellagio Hotel;

Next post; more pics of how your gambling money is spent.

December Beginnings

2010-12-03T16:46:00.007-07:00

Here are a couple of Christmas videos I did a while back. Wish I had some new ones for you but they're so darn time consuming.

Click To Play

Some Christmas themed cartoons from Funny Times. (You really should subscribe.)

And remember back in February when I had the superficial basal cell carcinoma on my nose? Turns out it wasn't so superficial. More like "stubborn" basal cell. Anyhow, I had to go in and have the Mohs procedure and have it cut out. So I'm dealing with this now:

Yeah, it sucks. That's eight stitches on my nose and it's sore as hell.
So keep slathering on the sunscreen!

"Real" Thanksgiving Feasts

2010-11-25T10:22:00.004-07:00

Outside our house (shot through a window) yesterday:

Not sure what type of hawk this was - maybe Cooper's or Sharp Shinned?

And I loved this from our local newspaper;

another "real" Thanksgiving Dinner - Feeding the turkeys instead of eating them;

You can read the story here.

However you celebrate it - Have a Great Thanksgiving!

Winning is Good - I Love My Hug-Bot!

2010-11-20T05:32:00.003-07:00

Like the package said, "Shopping is Cheaper than a Psychiatrist".

Were truer words ever spoken?

I am the lucky winner of this cute Hug-Bot pillowcase.

I'll enjoy putting my sleepy head on this tonight.

Also, and probably offensive, but totally funny in my opinion, this dish towel;

Thanks Prairie Chicken!

Check out her blog, and buy some of her handywork for yourself from her Etsy shop.

Mostly Fall

2010-11-02T13:44:00.019-06:00

Hope your Halloween was great.

Ours was fun.

Wish I'd done this:

These great looking witches were all made by hand by Jeanne. Amazing, aren't they? I can just imagine what a hit they were with the trick or treaters. Just look at those teeth! Check out her Halloween blog.
(She's got a great video on her blog now of her Halloween decor.)

You can also tag along as she gardens in Idaho at her Gone Feral in Idaho blog.

I'm loving the shed Kim built for us.

Look at my containers inside, all neat and tidy and ready for winter.

And an update on Tootsie's molting. She's growing new feathers!

She must be feeling better because she's chasing the dog again.

Finally, some fall pics from the garden.

Sumac over the pond.

Fall crocus.

Koreana Sheffield Chrysanthemum.

Dogwood tree.

And of course, now that it's November 2, you know what's coming.

Yes. I put up some Christmas lights today! (Sorry, I couldn't resist, the weather has just been too darn nice.)

Strange Things

2010-10-26T11:32:00.007-06:00

Weird thing number one:

Remember our "top" chicken, Tootsie, who usually looks so gorgeous?

Well, now she looks like this:

No, she hasn't been plucked by some random predator. She's molting. (And yes, that is a chicken butt in the second photo. You just saw a chicken butt. *gotta laugh here* )

First time for all of us. Just wish she hadn't picked so late in the year to do it. The weather here is turning chilly rather quickly now. Supposedly she'll be finished in a couple of months. We'll be giving her some extra protein (suggestions are organic liver and/or yogurt) and keeping an eye on her. She'll probably stop laying during this time. For her sake I hope she does put a pause on her egg production in order to retain the energy she needs to produce new feathers.

Wish her luck. I suppose she'll be followed quickly by Ginger and Jelly Bean.

Weird thing number Two:

My Pink Blush aloe plant bloomed!

I think this is cool because I've never done well with succulents. (I tend to over water.)

Pretty, huh?

Question; what do I do with that "pup" on the stem?

Good news; we've been getting some rain. Finally.

Any weirdness happening in your world?

Update: Here is where Tootsie spends most of her time outside the coop now; on the backporch behind the couch. Hiding, I guess. It must be true, when chickens are molting it really affects their personalities. At least during the night she's sleeping inside the nesting box and staying warmer. Whether she's doing that in order to stay warm or because she's allowed the other chickens to bully her off her favorite roost, I'm not sure. She's a sad little chicken now and I don't like it.
I am looking forward to this business being over and for her to be back to her high and mighty self.

Saying Goodbye to Summer. Again.

2010-10-06T07:55:00.025-06:00

I was going to say that summer is winding down but I guess I need to face it; summer is over.

Asters and calendula counterpoint.

A successful dahlia from a tuber I overwintered.

Clematis seed heads.

Garlic harvest.

Ginger in pot.

Joe Pye seedheads.

Reblooming larkspur.

Plume poppy seedheads.

Number One chicken.

Sunflowers in veggie garden. Probably our biggest "crop".

Datura - "Moonflower".

Finch on sunflower.

Monarda Bergamot.

Alice and friends.

Fireworks goldenrod.

Mums.

Porch pedestal.

Girls at their seedblock.

This summer, as most, went by way too quickly. (See this post for why.)

I tried a coordinated color scheme for the front containers this year.
Didn't especially like it. I think I'll go back to my hodge-podge norm next year. I also need to face the fact that our front container garden is now mostly shade and I need to stop planting things that need full sun. Gees. I like full sun flowers. Oh well.

Yesterday Kim discovered a nest behind a tomato plant in the fenced in veggie garden. The next was filled with 14 eggs. Chicken eggs. Now wasted chicken eggs. Ginger is the only chicken we have who is thin enough to fit through the veggie garden fencing. She must be the offending chicken.

Now we're like most people who raise chickens and realize they enjoy laying their eggs in places other than the proper nesting box. So we'll be checking this nest daily from now on. Bad chicken!

What have you learned over the summer?

My Busy-ness

2010-09-22T09:38:00.022-06:00

What's been sucking my time all summer you ask?

Well, I'll tell you.

It looked like this:

That's part of my four month training schedule.

Remember those half marathons Vanessa and I have been running?

Well, one of us, (and we can't remember who it was so we'd know who to blame!) - thought it would be fun/a good idea/challenging/ whatever, to run a full marathon.

That's 26.2 miles.

Yeah. It's a long way.

Let me explain. Vanessa and I are not athletic. Yes, I know, we've run some half marathons. Well, walked/run them. And they've been tough. We're really NOT very athletic. But we were told that we could train for a full marathon in four months - and all the running sites online agree - so, for some very odd reason, (now that I look back on it, it does seem so VERY odd), we thought, running a full marathon - "Yeah, good idea!"

So we signed up. And we started training.

At first it wasn't too bad. The runs were four days a week. Not bad, right? Not at first. The runs were rather short - three 3 mile runs and a 5 mile. No problem.
Then, of course, they get longer; Two 3 mile runs, a 4 mile run and a 9 mile run.
Yeah, a little tougher.

The training wouldn't have been so bad if we weren't also working 40 or more hours a week and attempting to have a social life of sorts. Lucky for me Kim picked up most if not all, of the gardening chores. At least two runs per week had to be done after working 8 hours on my feet all day. When we started hitting the longer runs of 12 to 18 miles all I could do the rest of the day was recuperate.

So I ran both the longest runs of the week during my weekend. Not the best plan. I really needed more rest then NONE between the longest runs. Oh well, hindsight and all that.

We did get some great advice on where to run a marathon and I'm glad we listened: choose a destination marathon.

So we looked around and found one happening at Lake Tahoe. A place we'd never been. Beautiful!

And Lake Tahoe is very pretty.

Here we are pre-race.

Mile 13; halfway through.

Mile 20 with beautiful Emerald Bay. You can see the 2nd hill behind Vanessa we still have to climb.

I'm still not sure how, but we made it to the finish. (Don't want to mention how sick I was from mile 15 to mile 21. But I was; nearly vomiting and almost passing out.)

Actually, I do know how we made it to the finish line. Hard work and perseverance!!! And thanks to my lovely daughter for never giving up on me!

Post race well-deserved Champagne.

And hours later we're still managing to stay upright and go out for a fantastic celebratory dinner.

The time spent at Lake Tahoe was great. Loved finishing the marathon. Enjoyed spending time with Kim, Vanessa and Chris.

Smartest thing we did the next day: NOTHING!!!!

Would I run another marathon? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo. But I'm glad we managed to do at least this one.

Busy, busy

2010-09-21T15:58:00.005-06:00

Here's what's been keeping Kim busy this summer.

He did a make over on our kitchen; new paint, new tile, new light fixtures and new counter top.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

He also built this:

This nice little shed I didn't especially think we needed but now that it's finished I really like it.

It will house all our plant containers over the winter and the chicken food among other things.

(We have some winter plans for our greenhouse.)

Poor Kim has had to try keeping up with pretty much everything around here on his own this summer, including finishing these two major projects. He's been VERY busy!

Next post I'll show you what's been sucking up all my time......

Boiling Springs

2010-09-08T07:47:00.042-06:00

Kim and I managed to fit in one camping trip this summer and it was a lot of fun. We went to Boiling Springs with our daughter Vanessa and her boyfriend Chris.

You can see the steam off the hot springs in the early morning. Maybe that's why it's named Boiling Springs.

Here we are enjoying those hot springs.

We indulged in the usual camping activities.

Sitting around doing nothing;

Taking some mini-hikes;

Seeing some butterflies and taking pics.

Smelling trees because Vanessa told us some of them smell like vanilla. (And some do!)

For one of our dinners we made campfire meals. They were a big hit. In case you've never had them here's what you do.

Step One: Lay out some aluminum foil and put together your personal meal from a variety of foods such as potatoes, corn, peppers, onions, meats, cheese, tomatoes, etc. Add olive oil and seasonings to taste.
(I had par-boiled most of the veggies.)

Step Two: Wrap them up nice and tight in 4 to 5 layers of foil.

Step Three: Arrange them around the campfire, turning occasionally.

Step Four: Play a few games of Blongo while they cook. (For about one hour.)

(This is a great game, especially since I could play it with one hand while still holding a glass of wine in the other.)

Then enjoy!

Great time.

Sawtooth Mountains; Backpacking, Flora and Fauna

2010-08-12T07:34:00.026-06:00

My daughter Vanessa and I and our friend Steph recently spent four days backpacking in the Sawtooth Wilderness area here in Idaho.

There was the usual gorgeous scenery;

But being a gardener I was equally impressed with all the beautiful wildflowers. We had timed our trip well for viewing the flora.

Look at this breathtaking Little Pipsissewa which was quietly posed beside our first campsite:

According to my wildflower guide book; "The genus name, from the Greek cheima ("winter") and philos ("loving"), refers to the evergreen nature of the plant. The common name Pipsissewa is believed to be derived from the Cree Indian word pipisisikweu, meaning "it breaks it into small pieces;" the plant was once used in preparations for breaking up kidney stones or gallstones."

A less friendly plant is the Elegant Camas;

Still lovely, but according to my guidebook; "Camases are among the most infamous western plants, poisoning many livestock, especially sheep. Indians and early settlers were also poisoned whenever they mistook the bulbs for those of edible species, such as the Camas Lily."

I didn't haul up my wildflower guidebook, I had enough to carry, but I was pretty sure this was heather when I saw it.

I believe it is Pink Mountain Heather which has a range from Alaska to northern California, Idaho and Colorado.

I just love what I've always referred to as "Indian Paintbrush." This one must be Giant Red Paintbrush as opposed to Desert Paintbrush. It was everywhere and so gorgeous.

In this field of flowers you can see Sulfur Paintbrush also. From the guidebook; "Most Indian Paintbrushes are bright red; this is one of the few yellow ones. The large genus is found primarily in western North America."

Sulphur Flower (Eriogonum umbellatum) from the Buckwheat Family.

Hooded Ladies' Tresses (Spiranthes romanzoffiana) from the Orchid Family.

Probably Sticky Aster (Machaeranthera bigelovii) from the Sunflower Family.

I was constantly tempted to stop, kneel down, and take wildflower photos which is really very difficult with a pack on your back. Luckily I only fell down once as I was attempting this maneuver. But really, how could I resist?

We did manage to see a bit of "fauna" but not much;

Vanessa and I, standing on top of a waterfall.
(Our packs are covered with ponchos because of the many thunderstorms we encountered.)

It was a good trip but it's always nice to be back home with toilets, electricity, running water and a real bed.

Hummer Pics

2010-07-26T16:12:00.009-06:00

We've had so many hummingbirds in our garden this year. It's been fun to sit around and take pictures of them with Kim's camera set on burst.

The crocosmia flowers have been a big draw for them.

The Magic of Photography

2010-07-18T17:49:00.011-06:00

.......as Kim makes our garden look better than it is.

The front;
right side

left side

The Veg garden;

The back;

The crocosmia;

Tootsie;

Hope your summer is going great!

Things I'm Happy With

2010-06-23T12:19:00.015-06:00

I haven't been online enough lately. Like most people I seem to have plenty going on right now.

For instance we haven't had a working kitchen sink for a few days now and it's a surprising inconvenience. Kim decided to paint the kitchen, then that led to being unhappy with the counter top which led to replacing the counter top which led to not liking the old faucet, drawer pulls, back splash, etc. That's what happens when he's left alone with a week off to himself.

Oh well, it's going to look great eventually.

Now on to Things I am happy with;

1. The nasturtiums in the hanging baskets on the garage. They're actually blooming. I usually don't get many blooms from my nasturtiums. These are Empress of India.

2. My foxgloves. I just love them.

See that short wire fence? That's all it takes to keep the chickens from eating them into the ground. Yes, I know foxgloves are poisonous but the chickens LOVE eating their leaves.

(I told you I love foxgloves.)

3. Poppies and iris. Although they're both finished they were great when they were in bloom.

Two different poppies with Constance Spry rose in the background.

4. Goldfinches.

5. Watching the chickens.

6. First Strawberries of the season from our plants.

What are some of your favorite summer things?

Garden Tour 2010

2010-06-14T15:35:00.008-06:00

As usual the Garden Tour by the Lunaria League had some fantastic gardens.

I just love nosing around in other people's back yards and the Garden Tour presents the perfect opportunity to do just that without being arrested!

Vanessa and Chris accompanied us this year and since they're having a house built they were particularly interested in the landscaping elements and use of trees and shrubs.
Here they are on the right perusing that nice spruce.

I thought this planter would look fantastic in our garden.

Isn't this nice?

This is one huge Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans). I wish you could see just how large that trunk is.

I loved the way this gardener tucked hens and chicks into crevices in the rocks around their stream.

When Vanessa saw this tranquil pond she asked why our rocks aren't covered with moss. Anyone know the trick to this? We've had no success with the yogurt painting method.

Great tour. Really enjoyed it.

And it seems as if summer has arrived in Boise!

Getting Back to Normal

2010-06-01T18:38:00.019-06:00

As the weather has been getting back to "normal" for spring/beginning of summer there has been more of this happening:

This lovely Blue Moon clematis has been blooming on the gazebo.

The pond iris are blooming.

This yellow tree peony came up with one blossom.

Red Charm peony is blooming its head off.

Still some columbines blooming. Most of these we started from seed a few years ago.

The flag iris are still blooming; most out front and some in the back garden.

Kim catches me contemplating the garden. You can see Chelsea under my seat and my glass of wine on the side arm. I was updating my garden journal.
(The wine helps.)

And Kim gives Tootsie a little lovin'.

Back to Winter

2010-05-22T17:38:00.003-06:00

Our back yard today.......

Looks as if summer has been put on hold for a week or so here in Idaho.

From Spring to Summer

2010-05-19T15:31:00.015-06:00

Well spring seems to be past us now and all of a sudden we're heading into summer.

I managed to spend some time actually gardening today and I couldn't believe all the plants that are blooming right now. How did this happen? It all seems to have been in the past few days.

The iris are coming into bloom out front.

They're looking and smelling great.

And along with them the Blue Flax are brightening the front garden.

Onto the back garden....

A few columbines are showing their pretty faces.

The bluebells I planted last year.

and alliums, bluets,

amethyst in snow,

Fireworks clematis,

early daisies,

and the tree peony has bloomed and gone.

(There are also plenty of weeds which I won't bother showing you. I suspect you've seen a few too many of those yourself.)

We've lost a few plants this year. We suspect it was due to the cold snap we had in early December. One of the hydrangeas didn't make it along with our ligularia and a tree peony. The wisteria vine we've had for years is just starting to open a few leaves. We're hoping it recovers but it should be blooming now.

My Golden Chain Tree is actually blooming so I'm excited that in the future it will come around and become a "real" tree someday.

The garden has just been full of all sorts of birds today; blue buntings and goldfinches along with some I couldn't identify. I didn't manage to take any good pics but I really have enjoyed watching them and hearing their sweet singing.

Happy gardening everyone. Hope you're enjoying the beginning of summer.

Another Half Marathon (13.1 miles)

2010-05-15T14:04:00.008-06:00

Vanessa and I ran the half marathon part of the Famous Idaho Potato Marathon today.

Here we are pre-race.

Yeah, I look goofy. Try not looking at me.

It was a chilly morning; 50 degrees. Which doesn't sound chilly, but in the shade and with the wind, it was very chilly feeling. Which is why we were taking shelter in a shed with a bunch of other people before the race started.

The beginning of the race and all the people ahead of us;

And here we are post race with a friend of Vanessa's.

I was sooooo glad to have Vanessa run with me. She was a huge help as my body tried to give up along the way.

Do I look tired? Cause I am! And I think I'll spend the rest of the day relaxing in our garden and being entertained by our chickens.