Rosie

Song - Rosie by John Mayer

My rose garden is beginning her bloom.....I am so excited!

Support

Song - Lean on Me - Playing for Change - Song Around the World

Just checking in on you.....are you coping?  How are your loved ones?

I have been trying to bring you beautiful images from my garden or from trips I have taken.  Reading and music take me away when I am in my bubble at home. The music that has been inspiring me lately is from a group of musicians - Playing for Change


"Playing For Change is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music. The idea for this project came from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people."

"These musicians come from many different countries and cultures, but through music they speak the same language."

These quotes are from their website which you can find HERE.

Constantly Evolving

Song - Changes by David Bowie

Back in 1996 we purchased our home and this is what the garden looked like at the time.  But Mr. B and I could see the "bones" of the property and fell in love. So the guy working in the yard then is the same gardener working in our yard today.  Every time I ask him to move something that he put in twenty years ago, he just shakes his head and laughs.

Once the yard was cleared of ivy & pyracantha we began to plan.  And gardens are constantly evolving because hey trees grow and a once sunny patch becomes shady so the plants that used to thrive in the sunshine, now need to be changed out.

This week we are tearing out the plants in our "island" (it's not really an island, more of a peninsula). It became a beautiful rose garden but it has seen better days and is a little too busy for my taste now.  As I searched through photos to show you the before and after, I realized that I rarely took photos of the island because it was not a beautiful focal point.  Yes I enjoyed the individual roses, most of which were David Austin fragrant English roses but I failed to enjoy them in a mass.

I kept eight of my favorite ones to replant elsewhere and closed my eyes and tossed the rest.  As we pulled the plants away from the stone wall we realized that the wall has begun to lean over time and needs to be restacked.

This is the corner where the island meets the vegetable patch and was fairly straight three years ago.

Two more Japanese Maples will be planted in the back, the stone wall rebuilt and raised higher at the bottom, a fountain will be placed where that stake is and the rest of the area will be filled in with white Iceberg roses so it will feel cleaner and less chaotic.

I'll keep you posted as long as my gardener isn't laughing too hard at my changes!

"Nothing happens unless something is moved."  

--Albert Einstein

Listen

Song - Rain by The Beatles

Six days into the new year and I hope you have had time to curl up by a fire 

and read a good book after all of the busyness of the holidays! Sigh....

It's finally raining in California!  It was so wonderful to hear mother nature's "pitter-patter" on the rooftop. There was a certain amount of calmness about it but then we had an earthquake later that night that jolted most people awake, so that was the end of "calm" for awhile!

My Sweet Peas have begun to bloom - they were just a little 

confused by the warm, dry winter weather.

The Daffodils have begun to emerge from the ground.

And the Snowdrops have begun to show their little white bells.

The birds began coming to the feeders a little more often as if in anticipation of the rain.  Above is a female Nuttall's Woodpecker who seems to have made herself quite at home in the bowl of seed!

 And the hawks have been calling to each other in the early morning sky.

 My roses are about done for the year but it's fun to catch one blooming in January! 

I think I will wait a few more weeks before pruning them back for the winter.

What do you hear in your garden?
Have you been listening?

PLUVIOPHILE 

(n) a lover of rain; someone who finds joy 

and peace of mind during rainy days

Oh Dear!

Song - Bambi Say Bird


The other day I opened my front door and found this.......

.....happily munching on my white roses!

So I sent her on her way......

.....and behind her were two little ones.

They trotted up our lane.....

....up to my neighbors yard to much on something new!



"I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls.  
They always say because it's such a beautiful animal.  
There you go.  I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her."  --Ellen DeGeneres

Stop Thief

 

Yes, it's true....Mr. B was thrown in the stocks at Warwick castle on Saturday.  

 

For going to St. Edwards church on Friday and then.....

 

Smelling the flowers at Hidcoate on Friday as well as......

 

Enjoying the gardens at David Austin's Garden on Saturday.....

 

And dining on the water in Chester, near Liverpool.  Great few days.  

The military is out in force at most public places with guns at the ready. We need to stand in secondary lines for purses & backpacks to be gone through but it's all worth it to ensure safety. 

Word of the Day - pinch = steal

Garden Colors

Song - Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls (Kina Grannis Cover)

The first round of roses are blooming and the very first one was this beauty above.  I don't even know the name because it was one of the few plants that we kept when we bought our home 20 years ago. In honor of the woman who built and lived in this house for about 45 years, I have nicknamed it "Nancy's Rose". 

The main plants that are blooming right now are the bearded Iris.....

And the Wisteria.....oh my.....

If you walk anywhere near this Wisteria you will hear the hum of big ol' fat black bees and get knocked over by the aroma from the flowers.

The Dogwood trees are loaded with blossoms.....

....as are my three white Lilac bushes.

And if you look closer.....

The Lady apple trees are making me and the honey bees happy.

 The little Japanese Iris in the woodland garden loved all of our winter rain!

 

Even the Foxgloves are preparing to bloom.

Our side garden has once again become my meditation place after we brought back 

our lawn for our son and sweet daughter-in-law's wedding last Fall.

Mama Dove and Papa Dove are enjoying the new nesting box under our eves.

Last night Papa showed up one hour early to relieve Mama.  

True Love.

I find that my day is not complete without a morning & early evening walk around our garden to see what's blooming, growing, changing, hatching, in need of pruning, etc. each and every day!

"Nothing in nature blooms all year.  

Be patient with yourself." -- Unknown

 

The Rat Pack

Song - I Put A Spell On You by Nina Simone

Last years jack-o-lanterns.....

...and this years roses.

 

Andy circa 1991

Halloween is this guys favorite holiday.....not the guy in the photo above 

but the photo of Mr. B below....

Can't you just see the love and determination on this guys face to carve the best pumpkin to date?

Last year Tyler did a "Mr. B" jack-o-lantern....pretty good imitation!

Here is Tyler a few years ago, balancing a pumpkin on his head for some unknown reason.....

And this year we have a new member of the Baird Halloween Rat Pack - Ashley!!!

Go TEAM Girls!

Boys - 4 Girls - 2

We're gaining...

Of course when the boys are as cute as this, who cares?

I forgot to tell Ashley that her new husband is a Joker....oops!

Happy Halloween!

"How beautifully leaves grow old. 

How full of light and color are their last days."

 -- John Burroughs

Spring is in the Air

Song -  The Green Green Grass of Home by Joan Baez

Five days ago mama Mourning Dove was sitting on the nest with out any evidence of  babies.

Then this morning, guess who showed up? She was in the nest alone because I think mama was out getting something to eat. I'm going to name her 'lil Debbie Dove.

The Spring garden is full of life.  

The Dogwoods are in full bloom in the shade garden.

The lettuce that Tyler planted last fall is yielding some beautiful plants just ready for eating.

Freesia is bloom in both the front yard and back yard.

The Wisteria is full of blooms and happy bees!

Roses are just starting to burst into bloom.

Hosta's are emerging from their winter sleep.

Dogwoods up close.

 Soloman's Seal fills in the base of the shade garden

Camelia's are just finishing up their blooms.  This plant was left from the original owners of our house and it produces non-stop!  I call them Nancy's blooms.  Maybe 'lil Debby Dove will fly over to Nancy's blooms one day soon?

 Our lovely apple tree is filled with these soft pink blooms.  One of my favorites!

 And of course our lawn is filled, filled, filled with Dandelions.  They remind me of childhood and blowing a wish. 

 Bearded Iris - fist blooms!

 I forget what this ground cover is called but don't these flowers look like they are having a conversation?  And maybe one is sticking his tongue out at the other?

 Even the Japanese Maples are happy that it is Spring!

And here is my little buddy Mika who was walking around the garden with me but then got tangled up in the lemon trees.


"If life gives you lemons, don't settle for simply making lemonade - make a glorious scene at a lemonade stand." -- Elizabeth Gilbert