“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Summer Flowers


Hello friends! I am taking a brief break from the gardening to just step back and enjoy for a bit.  I wanted to share a few photos I took the other day before our torrential rains hit.  I rescued these blossoms in the nick of time!








Some of you gardeners know what these flowers are, but for you non-gardeners I will identify them for you.  At the very top are white Mock-Orange blossoms. I truly adore them for the unmistakable scent, they smell like orange blossoms! OK, so I've never actually smelled an orange blossom, what I have smelled is the orange blossom perfume they sell in Florida. Maybe some of you Floridians and people in orange territory could clarify this point!  Whatever! They smell fabulous!!






The next flowers down are a couple of very pale, blush-pink roses (again, wonderful scent)! At the bottom are the Peonies, a dark pink one on the left and at the center and right are some creamy white ones that fill out the vase.  If you are wondering about the tablecloth, it is one I inherited from my Mom. Those are strawberries decorating the border.  It is one of my favorite treasured keepsakes from her.






We had absolutely terrible storms that rolled through last week. This was the same storm that started in Canada around Calgary and then continued down through Fargo and then into the Twin Cities and then Chicago. Anyway that evening I was worried about our large trees, the branches were whipping around violently and I was sure they would come tumbling down! It rained, it hailed and all #%@8 broke loose!

We headed for the basement for awhile till the worst passed. There was so much rain hitting the windows we couldn't even see out. About half an hour later  it was all over and we had two inches of rain in the gauge. The good news was that only one small limb broke off of our silver maple tree. We were extremely lucky, not so for many others. The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation has estimated that 3,000 trees were completely destroyed by the storm.

Thank goodness the weather has started to calm down again and we have several gorgeous days ahead in the forecast.  After I have rested up from pulling three wheelbarrows of weeds ( errant wildflowers) and now that the Aleve has kicked in for my arthritis pain.... Oh my I am getting old!!

Well, LOL, I will be trying to get around to all your blogs 
to check in with what YOU have been doing!
xo ~  Diane


Friday, June 14, 2013

I'm In the Garden



Hello all blog friends! This little sign will be popping up on my blog from time to time this summer.  I thought instead of just disappearing for days on end, I would let you all know where I am.  Now that we have finally warmed up here in Minnesota, I will be taking full advantage of our glorious weather. I am armed with mosquito repellant and sunscreen, and will finally be heading outside to work on a few gardening tasks that have been sorely neglected because of all the cold and rain.

I hope everyone celebrating Father's Day this weekend has a wonderful time with family.
I'll be checking in on all of your blogs when I can.  My garden cat companions (Guy, Dot and Ginny) love the warm weather and all wish you well too! See you soon.  ~~ Diane


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Pixie Dust


This Pixie Boot Planter is as cute as can be! Made between 1934-1957 in Culver City California at the Gilner Pottery Company. Check out my shop CraveCute on Etsy for more cute things! I found a couple of quotes to go with my Pixie post, hope you enjoy them.  ~~ Diane


All the world is made of faith, and trust, 
and pixie dust. 
                                                  ~~ J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan





To Be A Child

Know you what it is to be a child? ... 
It is to believe in love, 
to believe in loveliness, to believe in belief;
it is to be so little that the elves can reach to whisper in your ear,
it is to turn pumpkins into coaches, and mice into horses,
lowness into loftiness, and nothing into everything,
for each child has its fairy godmother in its soul.
~~ Francis Thompson



Monday, June 10, 2013

Minnesota Mud

Purple Haze Hazelnut Shrub against a hazy sky....

You may have thought Minnesota Mud was going to be a recipe for some yummy ice-cream pie, but no, it is regarding our weather.  I have been waiting for some sunshine and warmer temperatures for what seems like weeks.  Don't get me wrong, I am so grateful we have not had horrendous and dangerous weather like so many lately, but still, it is supposed to be spring and summer is knocking on the door!  I came across this quote that pretty much sums up our situation here.


" ... but there was no mud like what they found in Minnesota.  The town sat in a swamp from April until June, and then again in July, and often in August, too, while September brought some more, and one October, three days of rain made them a lake that promptly froze over for six months, a spacious icecap, though that was an unusually cold winter-often, January brought a false thaw and a week or two of mud."

Garrison Keillor
American humorist and native Minnesotan




Here are a few good things about all the rain and cold, the hostas love the cool and damp conditions, we haven't had to water, the drought is over, the grass is incredibly green, it's been too cold for mosquitoes.







This Pagoda Dogwood (a native plant), is doing its best to continue its natural cycle by blooming.  These pictures were taken on a morning with overcast skies and almost foggy conditions.  The atmosphere is most apparent in the first picture of the Purple Haze hazelnut shrub.











Some plants, as in these Cosmos, are not doing well at all. It was supposed to be at least two foot high, but is barely even peeking above the surrounding ground cover plants. We are supposed to have some sun later today and the warmer temperatures to follow.  We will have about two weeks of spring weather before summer arrives!


You know what they say... "It could be worse!".  
Let's look forward to a wonderful week!





Linked with: A Piece of Heaven

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

The Laughing Duck



Well maybe he's quacking and not laughing, but whatever he's doing, he is very cute! I picked him up at a local Flea Market last weekend. This duck planter is from McCoy pottery and was produced around 1951.  He still retains some of the paint which was cold painted over the glaze.

If I had more room I would keep him, instead he and the books below are all going into my shop. Goodbye little ducky, I will enjoy you while you are here!





This book is titled "Somebody Saw ...." by Adriana Saviozzi. Vintage 1962. This book has many cute illustrations throughout. It depicts animals doing the most unusual things!
























Here is another book that also has a nature/botanical theme. It also seems to be similar in color. Maybe I am being drawn to the yellows because we have a string of gloomy days forecast for this week.  At least we will have some sun by Friday (the weatherman promised)!  In the mean time, these happy images will have to do.



The book "Apricot ABC" by Miska Miles and beautifully illustrated by Peter Parnall, depicts the demise and rebirth of an apricot through the view of the animals and insects that encounter it.
















 Once again, my funny, yellow duck!



Sorry, I just can't resist saying this.....

Hope your week is just ducky!