Patience of Gardening

Song - Harvest Moon by Neil Young

Happy Fall

"A garden is a grand teacher.  

 It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; 

it teaches industry and thrift; 

above all it teaches entire trust." 

 – Gertrude Jekyll

BONK!

 Song - Hawks and Doves by Neil Young

 

 

Several days ago I was sitting at my desk working when I heard a rather loud bonk on my window directly in front of me. From the bushes below the window a rather large bird emerged and wobbly flew up onto the pergola and sat for about five minutes.

 

A Cooper's Hawk that had missed his mark (the bird feeder full of birds hanging in front of my window) and bashed into the window instead of grabbing a song bird. 

He seemed OK other than a little shaken and flew off into the oak trees above.

I doubt he will be back here very soon!

 

"Listen to the wind

it talks

Listen to the silence

it speaks

Listen to your heart

it knows."

 

--Native American Proverb

Creature Comforts

Song - Birds by Neil Young

Meet my new bird friend "Hop A. Long".  Every morning he shows up on my outdoor fireplace expecting some peanuts.  And again in the afternoon. He hops along (hence the name) any lifts each peanut in his beak assessing it's weight....then he flies off with the heaviest one.

But sometimes......

.....his enemy Mr. Scrub J will show up as well and they will duke it out over who will get the most peanuts.  

God.....I really need a life!

Hop A. Long will keep watch while grabbing more than his share of the nuts.  

But look who is overhead peering down on Hop A. Long......Mr. Scrub J!

I truly need a life.............

 I see you little trouble maker up there......

Help.............

Friday and Saturday I spent the day between my pool and vegetable garden staking up my tomatoes.  The tomatoes are so heavy with fruit that it took me half a day each day to untangle the vines and pound stakes into the ground to hold them off of the soil.  I even used my son & daughter-in-law's wedding sign for some support!

 On Friday I was able to pick two zucchini and three ripe tomatoes as well as a ton of Basil! We have had a heat wave in Northern California and every thing is either frying or maturing rapidly!

And look at this cute little guy - he is a little watermelon!  I have never grown one before.

A dragonfly resting on some of the tomato stakes.

I still see you Mister.....don't even think about raiding the bird feeders!

My shade garden is fairly happy because they don't get that blast of sun but just a little heat and dappled light.  Above is the row of Limelight Hydrangea's that I planted for the wedding two years ago.

The Hosta's are in bloom right now along with the Gardenia's.........

....which smell heavenly!

I have fresh water all around my garden for the birds and they really appreciate it when it's warm out.

But since I have been feeding the Steller's and Scrub Jay's, I have noticed that they are chasing the songbirds away from their feeders.

And they are making a mess on my patio furniture..........so, as much fun as they are to watch I think I am going to have to stop feeding them.  

Yesterday afternoon as I was reading by the pool, a family of five Blue Birds came to my feeders to eat a little and drink some cool water and then flew off happily!  I did not have my camera at the time but I will from now on!  It was a magical moment!

As the day was ending Mr. B joined me in the pool and we both read and relaxed.  He motioned for me to come over to the deck to see something.  So I grabbed my camera (I had grabbed it right after the Blue Birds showed up) and there was a Great Blue Heron looking for fish in the creek.

I guess I do have a life.....in my own backyard!

And look who snuck into the bird feeder while I was busy admiring the heron...........

"Do not take life too seriously.  

You will never get out of it alive." 

--Elbert Hubbard

Oscar

Song - The Painter by Neil Young

Friday a friend and I went to an exhibit at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco.  The exhibit was "Monet - The Early Years" and encompassed his paintings from 1858 - 1872.

He put in the work to find his style.  

Would you ever think that these two paintings were painted by Claude Monet?

 

 The card for the above painting read "the still life was the rainy day activity for plein air painters"

This painting is a detail from the two huge canvases that depicts an outdoor luncheon.  The dappled light just brings you eye around and around the paintings.

His snow scene's were brilliant.  My very favorite painting of his (the one directly about) brought tears to my eyes - The Magpie.  Even though it looks like a pretty basic snow scene, there is so much soft color in this painting.

And his depiction of water during these early years shows where he was style was heading.

 A

 B

 C

D

Can you match the water details in the paintings above with the paintings below?

B

D

C

A

And check out a close up of the "people" in the above painting.

Two are headless and one mans pants are not attached to his upper half!

And does this even matter when you look at the entire painting?  Not to me as I enjoyed the energy of the painting, the movement in the water, the colors, the brushstrokes and the feeling that it evokes.

 "The Beach at Trouville"

His people in these scenes are just "suggestions"!

Another favorite of mine was borrowed from the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC for this show and is titled "Argenteuil". 

I loved the show and I loved seeing so many paintings of Claude Monet that I have never seen before!

Now you are probably wondering .....

"Why did she name this post - Oscar?"

I never knew.....now we both do!

And I still say that Brandon Crawford looks a lot like Oscar!!!

"Everyday I discover more and more beautiful things.  

It's enough to drive one mad.

I have such a desire to do everything,

my head is bursting with it."

--Claude Monet

Confusion in My Garden

Song - Harvest Moon by Neil Young

Fall has arrived in Northern California.  The squirrels have busily gathered the acorns and the trees are just beginning to change color.....although some are undecided if it truly is Fall or still warm Summer days or maybe it's already Spring!

I have Azaleas and Iris and Narcissus blooming which usually bloom in the Winter & Spring.

And the wall of Limelight Hydrangea that I planted for the wedding are beautiful!

Some plants are slowing down and going inward for this time of season.

Within two days, I could see the change of color in a new Maple we planted last year.

However my Dahlias are still hopeful.........

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." 

--Ralph Waldo Emerson