Is This The Real Life? Is This Just Fantasy?

Monday is the 4th of July.  Our plans this year were simple.  We would ditch our yearly party in favor of a fun quiet day off. Maybe go to someone else's party for a switch.

No frantic weeding, mowing, cooking, cleaning, prettying everything up and then at midnight taking down tents, rinsing out recycling, reloading the dishwasher, hunting feverishly for one forgotten slice of blueberry pie.

Just a nice day at home, a shower and showing up somewhere to be entertained.  But......the pregnant sister in law wants to come over, they can't grill on their condo's terrace,she mentioned bringing brats and German potato salad.  Just family she said.  Who says no to family and sausage?

The Major and A. want to join in the fun, no problem, they live across the street. Family by proximity? And A. makes a kick ass basil lemonade.  We're up to 6 now.

Oops, I just got a call from our garden mentors, Geoff and Chuck from the farm.  They want to come and they'll bring a blueberry pie baked with their own blueberries, and farm fresh eggs, maybe a tomato or two.  What can you say but "6:30 or 7:00 sound good"?

If they're baking they must be family, right?

But that is it folks.  For real. 8 people. No more.

Unless one of you are  going to be in town.  Then all bets are off and we'll resume the feverish weeding, mowing, watering, cooking, cleaning.

Because for sure you are family. Let me know what you'll be bringing.  Ok?

United Nations Of Flowers

After work last night I worked in the garden.  Thunder was booming, the skies were dark, it was raining elsewhere. To the south of us, to the east of us, people were running  wildly into apartment buildings and bookstores.  They were buying umbrellas for $5.00 from street corner vendors, they were covering their heads with newspapers.  Here, I was still watering and looking wistfully up into the sky.  Nothing.

The flowers glow in this strange light.  I'm reminded why I every spring I buy a white mandevilla vine.

And a gardenia.

.

 

And why the white echinacea are my favorite.

But my most favorite of all is this little succulent (?) with it's tiny, intense purple blooms. 

We had it in this pot last year and to our extreme delight it has returned.  Does anyone know it's name?  I would like to know how to address it as I whisper sweet nothings in its ear.

Thank you all for participating in Flowers In The House.  And thanks to all who couldn't attend but sent regrets.  We hope to see you next month.

We've been christened by Marie at 66 square feet.  She proclaimed us a global floral chain.  The chain has expanded to include South Africa and  another gardener from Brooklyn.  Australia chimed in as did Ireland and of course England, plus many American friends and one from Canada.  Our very own floral united nations.  Let's see what other countries we can get to join us next month.  I know there are flowers in many casas we haven't visited yet.  Here's to inclusion.

 xo Jane

Flowers In The Summer House

What I always seem to forget about Sundays is that we are rarely in the house.  We're in the garden, at the grocery store or hanging  about at Starbucks drinking coffee and reading the papers. But flowers were never far from my mind.

 In the afternoon we went to see Midnight In Paris. We left in a dreamy mood having spent an hour and a half hanging out with the likes of Gertrude Stein and Zelda Fitzgerald.  

So  flowers in white and greens with a touch of black seemed appropriate.

The kitchen got a little jam jar full of white nigella, black scabiosa, lambs ears and bits of mountain mint.

The dining room went uptown with white zinnias, Tibet roses, a hugely scented peony, Queen Anne's lace and more of the scabiosa plus bronze fennel, crazy green allium flowers and a bit of grapevine.

The blue vase is right next to the computer, as ever I wish you could take just one deep breath....

And this?  This one perfect peony?  It resides nowhere and everywhere.  We move it wherever we go. 

Bliss in a bowl.

I'll be bringing it with me to your houses, be there soon.

xoxo Jane

Hollaback Girls ( And Boys)

Are you home this Monday?  My vacation weeks, the last two weeks of August seem very far away.  I could use a little break.

So if you're not at the beach or diving into a cool lake, wanna do Flowers In The House ?

You know the drill, pluck a few blossoms, plop them in a jar or a bottle you found while traveling the shores of a forgotten beach.  Maybe you have a cool plant you want to show us, or some flowers on your picnic table.  Then you amble over here, leave a comment, link up through Mr. Linky with your information.  Then go and visit all the other houses.  Make a new friend, leave a comment, have something iced to drink.

We have acquired some new friends here in blogland and I hope they'll join us too.

Give us a hollaback if you'll be receiving visitors this Monday.

And have a fabulous weekend.

xo Jane

Through Rose Colored Glasses

I walked the garden after work.   I didn't look down at the weeds or the mayhem created by the fig tree's fall from grace.

I looked at what was blooming instead of what wasn't.

There is much that is pink.  Am I wild about those mauve lilies?  No,but I'm wild about the friend who gave them to me so they stay.

Did I believe those tiny bulbs I planted this spring and almost forgot about ( thank god for rain) would turn into a potfull of pineapple lilies?  No, but how fabulous are they? ( no thanks to me)

Did I expect the African foxgloves to reseed and return ( wherever they damn well wanted)?  No, but I scattered seeds and crossed my fingers.

Do I mean to have fields of yarrow in various shades of pastels? No, but what a tough little bugger this plant is, surviving drought, visiting dogs, and careless postmen.  This yarrow rocks!

As does this one growing among the monarda and hydrangea.

And did I expect to round the corner and find the fig bound and tied with secured with an ingenious assortment of stakes and wire and garden hose?  Well ,yes actually, because GG was home alone for 2 hours and she had a plan. And let's be honest, you all expected it too, didn't you?

So this is how my garden grows, with lucky rainfalls, and windfalls and gifts from friends and a v. clever G.F.

Glass overflowing:)

xo Jane

More Porridge Please Sir

Hi y'all, it's me Nika.  If you don't know who I am, read here and here. 

If I'm sounding very southern tonight, it's the weather swear to God.  I'm actually from Connecticut, but now I live in Virginia.  It's hot here, the nights are sultry and filled with fireflies and lightening. Sometimes it's scary to take a walk, the skies are rumbling, I don't know if it's thunder or a plane, but it's noisy and I have to keep turning around to see what's in back of me.

But then I quickly turn around to see what I can see in front of me. last night it was a CAT!!!  I took GG on quite a run down that little alley, jajajajaja.  I would never hurt another animal, but I sure like to chase them.  

And my daily walks/ runs have been increased because GG took me to see some quack, er vet, who claimed I had gained 7 and a 1/2 pounds since last year.  Excuse me????   He also said that is why I've had problems with my hip, getting up and sitting down. Well, no worries,  like anybody is going to tell me to sit to get a treat anymore. And the whole neighborhood knows.  Ron? From across the street ? Who started " Bone Sunday"? Well he's changing it up to "Carrot Sunday".  Hello?  Carrot Sunday?  Who gets out of bed for a carrot?  Not this Lab.

So if anyone would like a nice Lab who will clean up your table scraps, doesn't snore very loudly at all, and will keep all the squirrell and rabbits off your property, comment here.  Have leash will travel.

P.S. Don't worry, the cat's not part of the deal.

P.P.S. Don't fret about the fig tree, you know those 2 are gonna get that tree standing again.

A Big Storm Knocked It Over

I spoke too soon about our figs.  And I neglected to go into detail about how much rain we have had these past four days.  Apparently last night's deluge tipped the scales, and the fig tree.

I can't tell you how surreal it was to go out on the back deck this morning and see the fig, sprawled out on the grass.  Where is the red current bush and the black and blue sage? Buried?  Who knew figs had such a shallow root system?  Not us.

Suggestions?  Condolences?  We did buy some new blueberry bushes yesterday........now we might need a new tree.

It was as tall as the house.  At least the house is still standing.

Glass half full.