Category Archives: Garden Musings

Garden Musings, photography

Sorticulture 2016

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Awesome Spiderweb

I must first apologize for the horrible quality of most of the pictures in this post.  I had the camera settings way off and didn't realize it until it was too late.  So the result was that most of the shots ended up in the trash.  And I suppose many of these should as well, but its just too cool of an event not to make a note of it.

This is a spiderweb hanging one of the vendors had.  He also makes those little stick in the ground birds and critters for your yards.  I told the lady running the booth that he really, really needs to do a spider like that.  I would buy one of those!
Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (1 of 41)

Spider Closeup

This is a close up of the spider.  He was just amazing!  If I had $300 to spend on a wall sculpture, I would consider doing so for this one.  Alas, I do not.  So, I will just hope he makes spider yard stakes next year.Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (2 of 41)

Funky Bird

Again, sorry for the blurriness of the shot.  *Sigh*  I could shoot myself for that mistake.  But, he's a very cute bird!Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (4 of 41)

My Name is Margie-Rosanne-Rosanna-Dana

This is my Artsy Fartsy friend Margie, doing her best Rosanne-Rosanna-Danna imitation!Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (6 of 41)

And They Put There Heads On Stakes!

Kind of like a cartoon version of Game of Thrones where they put their heads on spikes, isn't it?Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (8 of 41)

Dragon MacBeth

To Be?  Or Not To Be!

Oh, make him a not to be George!  Then maybe we can get some peace.Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (13 of 41)

He's Tailing Me

Follow me kid!  I know the way out of here!Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (15 of 41)

Tool Cabin

Now that's my idea of a cool tool crib!Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (16 of 41)

Flying Condos

And no garden is complete without Designer Birdhouses!
Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (18 of 41)

Its a Horse's Ass

And even one with a Horse's Ass for those really jerky birds that dive bomb you for the good food to be replaced.Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (20 of 41)

The Makings of an Owl

And this was kind of neat.  The guy was working on it just before I got there.  I would have like to have gotten pictures of him actually working, but the person he was talking to seemed like a friend and that they would be talking for quite a while.Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (21 of 41)

Owl Drone?

Bawk!  Bawk!  Do the funky Owl!!!Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (3 of 41)

Window Shopping

Lots and lots of people, though it got even busier just before we left.Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (27 of 41)

Yessss????

I know that face.  Though it is generally peering over the edge of the warm bed.  Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (31 of 41)

Dangly Bits

And I so love the creative re-purposing of things you see at this show.  Teapots and chalices and bowls and any sparkly bits you can find to dangle down.Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (24 of 41)

Trucking Along

They went that a-way!Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (29 of 41)

Bauble Bits and Green Things

Ornaments on house plants.  How cool is this?Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (25 of 41)

And the Sunlight Pierced Through the Haunted Forest

And thankfully, this one came out beautifully!  At least I think so.  I do love this tree!Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (36 of 41)

If the Houses Could Talk!

Nooo!  We won't talk!  What happens in these walls stays in these walls!  Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (30 of 41)

Where's the Doctor??

The Doctor is In!Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (38 of 41)

SHINY!

Shiny Baubles . . . Glinting in the air . . . . Shiny Baubles . . . . Sorticulture June 2016 Low Res (41 of 41)

 
Garden Musings, Ponderings

Just Add Peeps!

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View 1

Well, I finally got one of my projects off my list for the year.  I finished my fire pit!!!  And no, that is not a compost fence inside it.  Its a steel cage thing my old next door neighbor gave me to keep yard cutting together for burning.  Its a mini towering inferno!20160708_165233

View 2

There is a very interesting rock that i Place in the lower left that has a hollow out section.  Not sure what I will use it for.  Maybe a waiting room for the Peeps just before being sacrificed.20160708_165220

View 3

I'm thinking I need to add a rebar stand with a cross bar for hanging a cauldron pot over the fire.

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Next up, Finishing the Craft Studio.  Then digging up the garden areas.  Woot!

 

 
Garden Musings

Marching in the Garden and Jumping in Puddles

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Garden March 2016 Lo Res-1
Hellebore Okay, this is odd, I had already written things in the first two panel of this.  So, I appears that the word gremlins got hungry and decided to feast on my commentaries.
Garden March 2016 Lo Res-3
Hellebore Flowers
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I really do need to figure out what these little flowers are.  If what a google search is correct, it appears they are forget-me-nots.  Not totally sure its correct, but I’m going with it.
Pretty little things, aren’t they?Garden March 2016 Lo Res-5
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A missed hydrangea from the pruning
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My white Weeping Cherry Tree
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White Cherry Blossoms
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Cherry Blossoms
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Cherry Blossoms 3
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Cherry Blossoms 4 Sepia
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Cherry Blossoms 6
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Cherry Blossoms 7
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Cherry Blossoms 8
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Little White Cherry Blossom Tree
I just love the cascades of flowers.Garden March 2016 Lo Res-18
Garden March 2016 Lo Res-19

And this was taken under the tree looking out.  I think I need to put a little seat here.  Even if it is just for the blooming time.  But, even the leaves are pretty.
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Lovely Lavender Primroses
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Lavender Primroses
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Primroses
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Oregon Grape Blossoms
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Oregon Grape Blossoms
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Cherry Blossoms
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Interesting dead plant
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More Cherry Blossoms
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One of the first pink cherry blossoms
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Pink Cherry Blosoms
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Cherry Blossoms
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Cherry Blossoms with a fade filter
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Yesteryear filter applied
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And Cherry Blossoms in Sepia
 
Garden Musings

Garden Start – Clearings

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IMG_2624  First day out in the garden for the year.  I do need to do this right in the future and take the camera when I go out and take the before pictures.  Started by raking up the leaves.  Probably could have used them to slide down.  Unfortunately, the leaf claws are too small to sit on for sleds.
 Next up!  Digging up the area for the herb spiral.  Okay, partially digging it up.  I got distracted a few times and clipped some trees, pruned some bushes and ripped out some berry bushes that wandered into areas they don’t belong. IMG_2625
IMG_2626  I did pretty good.  Next time, I need to dig up the lavender and the other bushes and put them into buckets until I get the garden laid down.
 And I have a very nice start to a lovely fire once the weather dries a bit.  That with the bushes I cut back last year and it was too dry to make fires.  That certainly is not an issue this year.  At least not at this point.  It could change come summer, I am sure. IMG_2627
IMG_2628  Nice collection of quarry stone for building walls around the spiral.  I will have to bring in some soil as well.  Need to get the bottom laid down.  Hoping the weather will allow me to get a bit more down this weekend.
 And I have bulbs coming up already!!!  Yayyy!!! IMG_2634
IMG_2639 And her Cassieness was just not at all interested in today’s activities.  She was when it was lunchtime.
 
Garden Musings

Clipped and Clean and New Babies To Put To Bed

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Cassie 1.27.2014 -2
Well, hey there!  I guess its time to go play in the garden again.  Contrary to mom’s opinion, I think I would be most helpful out there lending assistance to the tasks at hand.  I have looked out the window and seen all those feathered and furred morsels, uhm, I mean monsters, that are in need of my eradication of.  I am far more capable that mom gives me credit for and just seek the opportunity to prove myself.
Ooooh lookie!  Squirrel!Cassie 1.27.2014 -1
May Shots-1-2
Sometimes the universe just smiles on you and you are heading home from the store and catch the tail end of a plant sale on the island.  You pick out a couple of plants and are told they have dropped the price on every plant there.  Then they keep handing you more and more plants as freebies.  And when you get to the final total for the overwhelming batch of plants, its $5.00.  Wow!!!  I do love this island!
May Shots-4-2
Tada!!!!  The front yard is now freshly mowed.  Will save the raking for another day.  All I have to say is all that time I used to spend at the gym has NOTHING on all of this!  And then there is the additional payoff of the beauty of the land and gardens and your feet in connection with Mama Earth!
That really is a lotta lotta space to mow!May Shots-5-2
May Shots-6-2A view looking in.  And I am sure that her little flooferness self is looking out drooling all over her ruff and wishing she was out here with me.
See?  There really is quite a yard in front as well.  May Shots-7-2
May Shots-8
And then there is my tiny forest trail.  I think this was one of my favorite things when I looked at this house.  I need to do some cleaning and clearing here when I get the expanse fully taken care of.
May Shots-9-2The flowers are gone, but its still such a beautiful tree.  And I love the little cupie curl on the top of it!  I will have to take care of that after fall and its bare.
May Shots-10-2Another interesting thing I am noticing here is that it seems plants with different blooming times are all over.  Just when one bloom has ended and tipped its head in a final farewell another one opens up and spreads its petals in celbration.
May Shots-11-2
Need to get some pictures next time round of all the bees that dance around these flowers.  The neighbor was telling me that they had not seen many of them a couple of years ago, but they seem to be coming back in force.  I wonder if that means that the people on this end of the state have paid attention and stopped using the pesticides that are attributed with killing bees.  Would be an interesting thing to look into and see if that is the case.
May Shots-14-2The BACK YARD!!!  Yes it really is that big!!!  Oh, and the prodigal son is coming and I have his practice swords.  I suppose if he promises to play nice, we can try and play with them while he is here.
See?  BIG!!!May Shots-16-2
May Shots-17-2The back gardens from the porch view.
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Sooo?  Was it good for you?  Did you bring me a bird?  Well did you at least bring me a squirrel?  One would think that the least I should be able to expect since I am held prisoner in this place is that I can trust that the visitors will at least be considerate enough to bring me an offering after they have flaunted their ability to wander the wilderness that is denied to me.  Okay, well can you at least toss me a treat on your way out?Y’all come back now okay?
 
Garden Musings

Sadness, clippings and cages

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Garden Blog May 201420140502_2023
May began with a sadness this year.  A farewell to one of the most beautiful souls I have ever
had the privilege to know.  May your soul fly free now dear Julian, may you dance and sing, may you run like the wind, dive the waves like a dolphin and may what lies beyond be all you deserve for the beauty and light you brought to all who had the honor to know you.  And don’t forget to sometimes visit to breath words of comfort into your dear mother’s ear.  As she will miss you most of all.
Cassie-3.9.2013--1And so mom’s idea of how to deal with the grief is to do massive amounts of work in the yard.  Personally, I think she should stay inside and let me cuddle with her, but she doesn’t listen to my floofy wisdom.
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Yeah, I’ve decided I really don’t have a need for a gym membership.  I figure I will be nicely trim and strong by the time I have this yard to my liking.  Plus, there is always the potential for some running spurts in the instance of an unplanned game of eaglescat invaders!
May 2014-2I know, I did’t finish it.  But, I got about 2/3 of it done.  And a hot bath will be in order at the end of this day!
Its a POTATO enclosure!!!!May 2014-5
May 2014-6And another enclosure for the compost pile.
May 2014-8
Yup!  That was a lot of work for one day!
JMay Shots-1ust an interesting piece of driftwood in the front garden.  I’ll find some shapes in it another day.
 Cassie-3.30.2014--2
Done already, are you?  Well, I am sure mom will be right back at it very soon.  Don’t forget the offering dish right over there.  Just pull a handful out and set them on the chair here.
 
Garden Musings

Digging In The Dirt

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Cassie-4.13.2014--17
Well, it looks like its that time again.  When my day gets disrupted and I have to watch from some vantage spot as humans get to run around the yard, giving not a care to the fact that I, the divine princess, would also like to frollick in the sun and maybe catch my own dinner.  I think I’ll just sit here in my little cage that frames my exquisite beauty so very well.  Have fun!
Garden Blog April 201420140428_1924Okay, pit stop on the way out to look at the lovely colors in the basket on the back patio.
Garden Blog April 201420140428_1926
They may be a simple flower, but I do love daisies.  They are daisies, aren’t they?  Well, I know they aren’t poison ivy or those evil blackberry bushes that keep sprouting up everywhere!  You literally have to dig to the root to grab them with out tearing up your fingers!
Garden Blog April 201420140428_1935Its a sphere of trapped fairies crying out for some soul to harness the power of the West wind (or the East wind for that matter) to break them free of their bondage.  “Its the Dryads that are into that bondage stuff, not us.”  they whisper.
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Seems a thistle sneaked its way into the garden.  Still trying to decide if I should move it.
Garden Blog April 201420140428_1957Yeah, yeah, I didn’t get it all cleaned out.  But, it was covered with plant life before I started.  Now I just have to figure out what I will plant here.  Maybe corn???
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The soon to be home of the new compost pile.
Garden Blog April 201420140428_1928Don’t you just love the way the thready thingie just curlie-cued all around the top of the plant??  I did!
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And they were pushing up Tulips.  No, wait!  Tis the season for tulip rising!  Well, that does kinda work.  I was never much of a fan of tulips before, but I have discovered the incredible beauty they have.  I am a convert!
Garden Blog April 201420140428_1938And the golden tufted crowns strain their heads to listen to the conversations coming from the bed of the more cultivated flowers.  Prissy little things they are, and such high maintenance, they thought with much laughter.
Cassie-6.28.2013--4

Shhhhh!!!  Its beauty nap time.
Garden Blog April 201420140428_1939Baby seedlings coming up in the herb patch.  And I have identified the big leaf plant!  Its rhubarb.  Yeah, I know.  Most people will find that surprising.  But, I have never been a fan of rhubarb, so I don’t have any idea what a plant looks like.  Its quite a pretty plant, so that presents the question.  To keep or not to keep??
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And even more babies coming up.  Yay!  Gonna have a nice little garden soon here.  This will make the first time I have actually had a produce garden.  A couple of tomato plants don’t really count.
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So many possibilities for this lovely stump.  Still trying to figure out how much of that bush to remove.  Problem is that it keeps wanting to make new starts all over the place, so its a bit of an invasive plant.
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And clearing out at the back of it, I discovered this other plant growing at its base.  Yes, there are many possibilities.  And there is a rock garden off in the corner as well.
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Just screams for a little fairy village under here.  Gonna have to give some thought to this one as well.
And the cranberries are doing very well!Garden Blog April 201420140428_1948
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And the lovely Hellebores!  I will probably have to add some more colors at some time.  Unfortunately, they are not cheap.  *sigh*
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Still thinking about what to put here.  I’m thinking maybe the corn is a good idea.  I do like corn.
Garden Blog April 201420140429_2014

I need to dig these plants up and make them patio plants or bathroom plants.  Very pretty.
I think I cleaned it up very well!  Garden Blog April 201420140429_2018
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“Little birdie, hear my call!  Come to me, fly through the window and join me for lunch.  Yes, yes, yes!”
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Oh Hai!  You’re back!  No really, it isn’t what it looks like.  I was only admiring the little birdies!  There are a lot of them, aren’t there?  And that is NOT drool on my ruff!  Mom just over-filled the water dish.  So did you enjoy your wander through the garden?  Now, you need to make yourself comfortable so I can perform the ancient ritual dance in your lap of transference of the scent of the wild to my body.  Hmmm?  Might provide a cloaking device to get the birds a little closer.  What?  Oooh, that was my outside voice, wasn’t it?  Well, I am glad you enjoyed your visit!
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