loss in the garden

Every season the garden teaches me something.  Whether it be patience, perseverance or simply to be still, I always come away changed from what unfolds.  This season has brought about some loss in my garden.  The biggest loss to swallow is my maple that is in the center of my shade bed in the front garden.

  I began to notice that large branches were dying and with this being the second year that it has not produced seeds I knew that something was wrong.  After consulting with an arborist we have come to learn that one of my favorite trees in our garden has girdle root which means that 20 something years ago when this tree was planted someone most likely planted it incorrectly by leaving it in its metal basket.  The roots are basically suffocating the tree by wrapping themselves around itself instead of growing outward.

I will miss the change of seasons with this tree and all of the memories that have come with it.  When my son was born I would look out his window into its canopy on cold November days as I fed him in his room.  Its brilliant autumn color when the beans were headed out to go trick-or-treating will be missed as well.  Yes,  I am mourning my tree.  Comes with the territory of life.  Nothing is permanent and we all have to adjust our sails to the changes that come.

So you shift and get busy heading in a different direction.  Or as Liz Taylor would say....

Though I don't wear much lipstick I do think this quote is fantastic and so it has been my mission the last few days to walk around my imperfect space to look for beauty.

 {my newly planted Oenothera tetragona by my bird statue}

 {quick combo...Campanula and Foam Flower}

{My new shrub Calycanthus Floridus....Allspice is beginning to bloom brilliantly}

 {long view of the back bed as it unfolds this spring}

 {golden rod, phlox, butterfly weed, roses and sedum filling in and getting ready to bloom...almost covering utility box...finally!}

 {Rambling Red climbing rose and Hyacinth Bean which is an annual vine to fill this season as the rose grows}

{the little guy cutting lettuce for dinner}


Beauty elsewhere

{a visit to the arboretum}

And today we went down to visit some family and enjoy the farmers market.  So many organic farmers selling their beautiful vegetables and plants.  And whatever your stance is or isn't on GMOS,  any crop that is sprayed with crap is bad for the Earth and all who inhabit it....bottom line.  

and to take in a little of this....

my brother entertaining the whole market with his tunes...

{photo taken by my lovely sister}

John Till Music

My tree was special.  The garden is ever changing as nature is.  It's our job to keep on going and seek out the beauty.

I hope that whatever your garden, whether it be a window box or a farm, that you pass on your love of it to just one person.  Together our seeds will transform the future.

Pass on the garden folks and make it a great weekend!  

Happy Growing!  

day trip

With summer approaching and school coming to a close we were able to start exploring today.  I must say that I've never been to the farm we visited this morning and I have lived in this area my whole life.  What a treat when you can find a bit of magic right out your own backdoor.  Kline Creek Farm is a working farm that has been setup to model how the farm looked and ran in the 1890's.  The summer kitchen was in full swing on the property and women dressed in 1890's attire were busy baking cinnamon rolls.  The beans took in story time under the tree and were able to select books that once belonged to the Kline children.  After helping gather eggs from the chicken coop the beans learned about how all the meals that are made daily on the farm come only from what they grow and raise.  A lesson we've been talking about as my bean boy collected greens from our garden to make a salad for dinner last night. The flower gardens were packed with Irises, Columbines, ferns, Alliums and Corydalises.  In the center of the property they had a large vegetable garden growing where all of the food harvested goes to feed the workers and volunteers who run the farm.

A place to clear the head and take in a slower pace.  Something I have been needing with all of the busy that surrounds daily life.  Hope you find a little bit of magic this week too.  Happy June!

MAKING Mondays.....Children's Garden

Happy Mother's Day to all you out there!  We have been working on a little children's garden out back...here's what's happening....


we painted our old fence posts today...

I repurposed my old garden buckets and filled them with cement to hold the posts....

Their little space connects to our veggie plot

buried the buckets and began laying out annuals (Verbena Boniariensis and Salvia black and blue) between the posts....

added some stumps from my parents house for sitting and a pallet for a bridge entering the garden...

Things left to do....

paint the back sides of the posts

make some hooks for our watering cans

plant more annuals between our posts

add some blue stones (shiny as requested from my bean girls) to represent water in-between our bridge slats

have the beans make their pots of annuals that they will be responsible for this summer

So there you have it!  A little spot for the beans to be in the garden.  And I just wanted to say I'm a bit behind with my blog reading but will be around to check in with everyone today!!  Have a great start to your week friends!!!  And happy growing!!!  

seeds and eggs

There is so much information out there on gardening.  Sometimes it's just best if you put the books down, go out and buy yourself a pack of seeds, throw them in the dirt and see if they grow.  Don't make it so hard but I guess that's just our nature.  We started some of our seeds.  I'm not an expert on the subject but I do know that I like saving money on the garden and this is one way to do it.  Plus the beans like to watch them grow.

They each picked out their packs and then we put them in some little cups for a soak overnight.  

Play in-between of course.

Me busy reusing the millions of old bricks from the old patio to line the back bed.  I figure if I lay 10 a day I may be done by July!

 Again my little station isn't fancy.  This is the kids art table.  I put command hooks on top and attach a shop light to hang under the table for my seeds.  We are growing all kinds of things from flowers to veggies.  Whatever takes is a bonus.  

Zinnias are starting to say hi!  

And because Easter is near we have started working on some eggs.  Washi tape and paper strips.  A fun and easy one!  

So there you have it!  Check out this fantastic lady for some organic seed companies....

VIA~Empress Of Dirt

Happy Making, Baking, and Growing Friends!