Category Archives: flowers

Aug29

For you

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2011 by Dianne

These were some of the sparse flowers I grew from seed. With the unusual growing season, only certain things (thinking tomatoes and zucchini) shot to stardom in my garden.

I had a few visitors on this Monday; our parish priest and a house painter, though not at the same time. Father only stays for about 5 minutes for family updates. We talked cars a little since he drives a Chrysler Sebring (a gift from the parish a few years ago). He asked if my car was a ‘mustard’ color-I replied ‘Inca Gold’.
The painter’s sign was seen up in Kennett-we need the short sides painted and over the roof. I hope he’s not too pricey as the paint is peeling over the roof.
Brian is over with his dad as he couldn’t get his cell phone to work right. We go to the concert tomorrow night. It’s a bit cool tonight, so I better take a jacket with me tomorrow. Can’t wait. I love to go to at least one concert a year.
It was a glorious day here and will be for a few more days.

I put up a sunflower wreath and added the sparkley metal one to it:

I’ll be taking down the beachy decor soon, but since I just dusted it, I took a few shots of it:

Aug11

A fine feathered friend

Posted on Thursday, August 11, 2011 by Dianne

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Yesterday when I was lazying around I was sitting at the dining room table and saw movement in the tree through the window and it was directly in front of me! I saw it was one of the birds we have been hearing and hardly seeing across the street! I think it was a young she (from the bird guide book) and ran to get the camera and add the zoom lens. Here is one of the better captures:

At first I thought it was a Peregrine Falcon, but it is really close to the Cooper’s Hawk! We have a development 1/2 mile down the road called ‘Falcon’s Lair’. But the funny thing is on the way to shopping yesterday, we passed a Lane called ‘Cooper’s Hawk’ in Chadds Ford! Go figure. I guess she was watching the bank and stream for dinner!
It’s really a pleasant day out and I’ve been mostly inside messing with uninstalling and installing software. I finally got the EOS digital to work on my computer, but I didn’t want to load it up with a bunch of software and photos. I guess it’s good to have the camera software, which doesn’t seem to work. I had to go to the control panel and it found the camera and then imported the photos. I would like to take the 460 mbs of photo stuff off if that’s what I have to do everytime.
I have an issue that I hope goes away before our trip since I have to sit a lot. I have had this issue off and on for years. Pain in the…opps! ; )
And here it the Moonflower in bloom. It’s had a few more, but I see Mr. Catepillar nibbled some of them…

It smells nice too! Maybe I will go and take a cushion to enjoy a little of this low humidity day! : )

Aug7

Crepe Myrtle and other things

Posted on Sunday, August 7, 2011 by Dianne

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Crepe Myrtle in full bloom, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I always enjoy seeing the Crepe Myrtle bloom this time of year. It covers up my garden window in the kitchen and Brian cuts it way back after it blooms. I did that with the butterfly bush last fall and it’s big as ever again, but not very healthy looking.
Here is the Moonflower about to open…it’s kinda foggy and mysterious looking:

I did take a photo when it was opened up pretty much, but didn’t upload it yet.
I potted up some baby coleus today and was in a dripping sweat after only 20 minutes!

I did this card a few days back. I have a book on France and wanted to use a map for the background:

I did a couple more collages today after dinner as I had some new stampers I wanted to try.

A former high school alumni opened a page on Facebook called ‘You grew up in Media, Pa if…’ and within a day there were over 200 of us reminsicing about the old days. You should start a page like that too!
Bloodwork tomorrow…I am protesting some of it as I never took the diruetic and he wanted to check to see if things were effected because of it. My poor mom was not allowed to have any more pain pills (she ran out) that she has been taking for over 8 years and she was going through withdrawal on Friday! I haven’t heard her that miserable since she had Shingles! I didn’t know what to do. Finally my brother called the emergency number in the evening and he went and got some for her the next morning. He gave me an earful for not going down, but I know that medicine is the only kind that will help. She’s had shots, physical therapy, etc. I mean come on, she’s almost 81, so let her be comfortable. And my brother making her clean the basement (lifting and leaning over too much), caused her to have to take more pills. The doctor said no more physical ‘labor’ like that.

Jul15

Monochrome flowers

Posted on Friday, July 15, 2011 by Dianne

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Monochrome flowers, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I went to Longwood Gardens by myself as my mom said she wasn’t able to drive as her back was bad. She said she doesn’t think she will be able to drive out here that much anymore. : (
I was sitting fiddling with the camera settings as the files were too large and my card was filled up. I decided to try the monochrome and shot this right next to where I was sitting. Pretty cool!
I walked around almost the entire place and did well, not too hot! I walked up at least 50+ steps. I guess losing 6-7 pounds is a plus. More photos…

I ❤ you!

Reflection of sky with water lilies

For Zoey!

Jul14

Where is July going?

Posted on Thursday, July 14, 2011 by Dianne

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Echo Picotee Lisianthus, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I got to spend some outside today potting and repotting flowers and not roasting doing so. I could stand to do weeding. Bri stopped and got me a spool for the Weed Whacker, but not in the mood to do that. I did make some homemade potato salad to eat with our fat-free hotdogs. I also sat and got inspired to do a few more collage cards. I must have purple on the mind!

The Lisianthus is called Echo Pictotee. Haven’t had too many of these in the garden, but I am liking it! Got two (buy one, get one free) from the Amish lady. It’s like a rose and tulip in one!
Also got the cutest decorations:

the above is for the pond garden
And this is for the fairy garden! : )

Mom may come out tomorrow to go to Longwood Gardens. : ) Hope so!

Jul6

Summer spruce up

Posted on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 by Dianne

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Repainted garden gnomes, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

As you know I have a garden that has both fairies and gnomes at the side of our house. I’ve have this garden a number of years and some of the older inhabitants were starting to look faded and sad. I picked 4 of the worst and cleaned them up and gessoed them all in white as I didn’t want to sand off paint I knew nothing about. I’m not that great with faces, but I think these aren’t too bad. After this shot, I sprayed them with acrylic sealer.
Here is Mr.and Mrs. Gnome back out near the Strawberry house (that needs a dab of green paint on the front there).

Here’s a new flower that I saw at Longwood Garden and wanted to see if it spreads. It’s called Throatwort:

The tomatoes almost 5 feet tall now! It helps that they are planted in a circle as they have the fence for support.

There’s Brian cutting the grass tonight. See that huge maple there-he planted it! Like all the other trees, this is way too big!

The daisies are blooming nicely at the corner of the house and near the pond.

This is around the front. The hanging baskets look good (Fuchsia and Geranium). I need to weed out a lot of things like spent Bleeding Heart.

These pots near a sitting area look good.

The Lilies are giving us a nice show.

Hydrangea and Hosta blooms
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Tomorrow I go drop more things off at the thrift shop. The first bunch of things isn’t selling well. I left a message for someone to call back and she did tonight. I had my old art table and she said to bring it over Sunday or another week. I can bring 15 items at a time and only 2 have sold in 2 weeks. I guess people are using money for vacations. I plan to keep consigning.

Jun30

Somewhere over the Rainbow…

Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2011 by Dianne

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A rainbow of colors

And who went over the Rainbow…

Jun25

Front step blooms

Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2011 by Dianne

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Front step blooms, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I bought the pretty geranium and wicker plant holder from the little Amish lady yesterday.
Did a little puttering around, not much as I was tired from yesterday. It was fun to put things around the yard, but I only planted a Turkish eggplant (you know I like unusual plants-scroll to bottom to see the orange fruit) and moved a droopy pepper. I took some photos as my flowers looked pretty despite the Chestnut tree catkins all over the place.

I’m getting lots of Lily blooms this year!

Pole from clothesline used for cone planter

And a few bowl gardens-the fairy one is filling in nicely:

And the Succulent one with new green pebbles:

Some bauble in the Viburnum next to the fairy garden:

The little jars (only this one is showing and the pebbles for the bowl garden were both under $2 each at the Christmas Tree Shop. : )
Tomorrow I hope to weed around the fairy garden and plant up a few more things. I’m on my 4th bag of potting soil (the soil from Dollar General for $3 is fine and like the pricier stuff).
Have a nice Sunday!

May31

My Fitness Pal

Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 by Dianne

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As you know, I acquired Sean’s ‘old’ G1 phone. So 4 days ago, I started to use the above named app which is also online where you can utilize it for free. The phone app is pretty good and it’s really an eye-opener too. For instance, after eating lunch, I had used all my sugar credits-that quickly. You plug your weight and weight loss goal in. You can even scan the food packaging (you have to download a bar code scanner) and it finds the nutritional info 8 out of 10 times. Then, if you are like me, you eat similar foods and you just check them off and they get added to the correct entry. You also say what kind of exercise you do (mine is mostly walking and gardening) and you ‘get’ credit and can have a snack that doesn’t go over your daily calorie intake. I’m really trying to get serious about weight loss since two of my brothers have Diabetes and I am being watched for it. I’m giving the guys whole wheat pasta and other fiber rich foods. My tummy was making lots of noises this morning-lol. I’m going to go out to eat once in a while. Yesterday was a ‘over the limit’ day, so I ate lighter today. I do like the credit for exercising-you just have to be honest!
Here’s a 4″ x 4″ collage I made over a week ago. Art has slowed down a lot, but I plan to get back to it soon. I had to wait so long for gardening, it’s my top priority. The lady was from a card making kit and I decided to do a collage:

I have an ‘Asian’ garden under the Japanese maple tree-why not! I try and paint the little pagodas, but missed the one last year. I have my Sweet William (Dianthus) under it. I believe it’s a biannual, but I add to it every year. My grandmom loved Zinnias and Sweet William as that was her dad and brother’s name. Princess Catherine had some white ones in her wedding bouquet.

I love them too for their colors. I added some white Impatiens and a few potted plants like Begonias and Zinnias in there too.

The heat here is southeastern Pennsylvania has been miserable the last few days. I am so glad I mulched when it was still in the 80s! A cold front is on it’s way!
Both Brian and I are off to the dentist tomorrow-him for 3 of 6 fillings he needs and me for a chip in a fix-ka-ching!

May26

Dianne’s country excursion

Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2011 by Dianne

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Hidden Acres Amish Nursery, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

Today I did get out to the doctor’s office to sign the release papers to the new doctor(s). Since I drove all the way out there, I decided to take a drive around to look for nurseries. It was about 90 degrees out-was I crazy to go driving around? I was ‘into’ adding to foursquare, the phone app that says where you are going. I checked into 5 places, but not the little nursery pictured here-too remote. I left the hospital and headed to Oxford, past Lincoln University and Tastykake Bakery. I decided to stop at Dollar General and Rita’s Water Ice (had Mango and Peach Gelato). I went by one small perennial place but it was a bit on the small side. I decided to stop at a thrift shop and bought a few little things. Will show the sweet mermaid decoration from I think I the 50s or 60s. I asked the young man in there about nurseries and he said there was an Amish one down the hill and to look for a sign. I drove by the road and had to go through a auto shop, down a road and then up a gravel road and found ‘Hidden Acres’. There was no one around and I was looking around for about 10 minutes. I could have helped myself (ha ha), but just got in the car to leave and the Amish lady came around the corner and she said she was at the house. I think most of what I bought was between $1-$3. : ) She helped me to the car and I had a big bag of plastic trays and pots in the back I was taking to Lowes (they recycle) and she took them. Glad to help.
My last stop was for white pizza for Sean and me as Brian was going to his dad’s house for a visit. After dinner I planted a few more pots of things. The air was so thick I could almost slice it.
So I had a nice time. I’ll be able to share more photos when I drive around as I don’t mind snapping photos with a cellphone. : )
I’m thinking of going to Longwood Gardens tomorrow before noon as the exterminator is suppose to come between 2-4.
Right now we have a thunderstorm watch-not a surprised!