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

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Barefoot Days


Hello friends! I know I have been in and out of blog land for a few weeks now.  I am trying to find time to enjoy all of the beautiful joys of summer while I can.  In this part of the country our summers are fleeting and will be just a memory in a few short weeks!

I hope you took a moment to read the poem above, it is from my favorite vintage book Poems for Boys and Girls, illustrated by Lois Maloy.  I think the poem Barefoot Days above, sums up my thoughts about this full and lush season, even the roses, which are beyond beautiful, are adorned with bees!




I thought I would share a few garden pictures with you today. My daylilies are really starting to take off!  The one above is a favorite called Orchid Corsage.



This peachy-pink one is called Pink Monday. I am happy to report that this year our bees have been returning and I've even seen a few more honeybees mixed in with the dependable bumblebees!



If you look closely in the middle of the image, you will see a small bumblebee on this vervain plant.












The vervain (tall plants in back) and catmint (forground) are loving the abundant rain we've had.  The bees have been covering them for weeks now!







 Another of my favorite day-lilies called appropriately, Summer Wine!






This is another favorite (OK they are all my favorites), called Lemon Custard! I love the color and the frilly ruffled edges.




A blue clematis adorns a trellis next to the house. I've forgotten the name of this one.





This daylily is called Grape Ripples and has stunning dark purple blooms! Well that is the end of my garden tour, except for an update on my two year old cat, Guy Noir.





Guy has become afflicted with a condition I'm sure many of you who have dogs and cats have heard of. 

It is called
 Chipmunk Fever!





Symptoms may include: Inability to focus on anything other than chipmunks, severe agitation, yowling at the door to go outside, ears twirling in various directions while listening for chipmunks, unable to eat or sleep without thinking of chipmunks, thinking that any moving object is a chipmunk. Unable to sit still for photographs and of course.....
Dreaming of chipmunks....







Pleas share any anecdotes you have of your encounters with chipmunks in the comment section!! I would love to hear them.

I will be taking a few weeks off from blog land to enjoy the summer and take care of some projects, but if I have time I will stop in and visit.  I will be trying to organize my disaster of an office and get all sorts of goodies photographed and ready to list in my Etsy shop.
And remember this summer to go out early in the morning, barefoot where the ferns grow curly, to feel the cool grass between your toes!!

~~Diane~~




20 comments:

  1. All those daylilies have such wonderful names -- Pink Monday! Lemon Custard! And my, my, my doesn't Guy Noir look FIERCE! Chipmunk Fever helps keep them young!

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    1. Guy does look fierce with his ears back in the last picture!!

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  2. All of your flowers are still so beautiful. I miss having a pretty garden. (The grasshoppers and heat and deer have killed just about everything). I can't help you with the chipmunk fever, but I have a sneaky suspicion that Guy doesn't want a cure.

    Around here it's snake fever... which is so terrifying it even invades your dreams at night! One of my littlest dogs went up to a snake yesterday to play with it! Her nose literally touched the darn thing. That scared me so badly, but thankfully this one was a grass snake.

    Enjoy the rest of your summer! (Around here it's the opposite. We 'hibernate' in the summer, only with our heads stuck in the freezer). And have fun organizing, too. (I don't know about you, but I love organizing. I find it relaxing).

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    1. I'm not a big fan of snakes. I haven't seen one since we moved here almost 20 years ago. Once I get started I enjoy organizing, I just need to get motivated. Usually watching an episode of "Hoarders" does the trick!!

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  3. I love all of your daylilies and the clematis as well. I need to organize a couple of cupboards as well, but it's been to hot to do much of anything. At least that is my excuse. Enjoy your summer, Diane!

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  4. Hello Diane, this is such a beautiful post, from the poem which I love although it’s new to me, through all your wondrous flowers and on to sweet little Guy.
    I’m already envious of your blog break. I'm only just back, but I don’t think it was long enough. Like you, I have so much that needs organising right now, and I don’t want to miss too much of the summer. Maybe I will feel better if it starts to rain!
    Enjoy your break and try to get some time just for you. Barbara x

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  5. Love the poem, that sounds like a good thing to do, all the lilies are beautiful too, no chipmunks here though :)

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  6. Ah yes! Chipmunk Fever! I know it well. Or I guess, I should say my kitties do. Lol. Wow! What gorgeous summertime colors in your garden. The lilies are magnificent! And I totally see the bumblebee. Our bee numbers seem to be back up some out this way too. I'm so happy about that. Such magnificent creatures for so many reasons! :)

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  7. Oh, I like the barefoot poem a lot, Diane. Barefoot days in the summer are the best. These pictures in your garden are so pretty. Poor little Guy. He is getting so curious about things outside. I hope you have a nice break, Diane. I could use one myself.

    love,
    ~Sheri

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  8. Didn't even notice the bee at first

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  9. A very heartwarming poem, and your photos are gorgeous! I love the music, too! Thank you so much for sharing.

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  10. Love all your beautiful flowers, especially the clematis, I always wanted one. No chipmunks here, just lots of squirrels and bunnies. Enjoy the rest of your summer! :)

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  11. Your garden is spectacular! Those daylilies are gorgeous, as daylilies always are. And your clematis is so beautiful.

    Chipmunk fever! Hahaha... Oh, yes... But my cats suffer with it through the windows because they don't go outside. When a chipmunk runs by, they practically foam at the mouth!

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    1. Thank you all for stopping in! We have had a few close calls with the chipmunks, but so far none have been harmed! I think the rain earlier this summer really helped some of the garden recover from our three years of drought! The milkweed has come back, and I saw three Monarchs and a couple of yellow swallowtail butterflies the other day!

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  12. Dear Diane - such a great post. Love the poem. Also the illustrations are beautiful as well. Your flowers are gorgeous. Many of your day lilies look like mine. I know I have a Summer Wine. Being further south some of mine are finished blooming. So glad to be enjoying yours. Hope you get everything done and enjoy the rest of your summer. Like you I want to savor every moment of it.

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  13. Guy looks like he's enjoying your beautiful garden! Hope you both have a wonderful summer!

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  14. Great photos, and lovely flowers! Although Vasil and Mandrake are indoor kitties, we know all about chipmunk fever...or in our case, squirrel fever.

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  15. Diane, this is such a great post ;o)
    I love that poem and I love the photos ;o) your garden is gorgeous! We have been getting tones of rain too! Things are growing, that I didn't even know we had! LOL!
    Guy Noir is gorgeous! I hope he has fun with the chipmunks ;o) As long as no one gets hurt, that is the main thing ;o)
    Have fun the rest of the summer ;o)
    Big Hugs ;o)

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  16. Beautiful photos, and have a wonderful summer! Chipmunk fever - haha!

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  17. I hope you are having a good blogging break and a beautiful summer :-)

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