Posted on May 30, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
Thought you might like the reminder.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!
Posted on May 29, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
Photo from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company
The rest is from Farmers Almanac:
Why Is The Poppy Associated With Memorial Day?
Poppies are associated with those who died during wartime since World War I.
In the U.S., people wear the red poppy on Memorial Day to honor those who died trying to protect the country, according to The Department of Veterans Affairs. In Canada, poppies are worn on Remembrance Day, November 11th.
The red color is not a symbol of blood, death, or support for war. Instead, poppies were the only flowers that grew in war-torn battlefields. When the countrysides were nothing but mud and devastation, poppy flowers sprouted up and flourished. The sight of the red poppies inspired one Canadian soldier, Colonel John McCrae, to pen a poem in May 1915:
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly.
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Colonel John McCrae
That's your history lesson for this holiday. You're welcome.
Posted on May 28, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
It's almost Memorial Day, the unofficial beginning of summer. Time for a picnic with our neighbors.
I hope you are planning to come to the pavilion this afternoon at 4 o'clock. We will be set up and ready for a summer picnic.
The grill will be ready; just bring whatever you want to cook and a dish to share.
Let's all pray for nice weather. See you soon.
HAPPY MAY!!!
Posted on May 27, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
I wish this was growing in my yard, but it is just around the corner, close enough to catch the scent. I love the smell of honeysuckle.
Over the years we have noticed that day one blooms are bright white, and day two blooms are vanilla. Same smell.
I collect a few flowers and add them to my water bottle, and in a couple hours they have infused my water with that lovely smell.
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on May 26, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
We are still in the Wild Garden. These are Fire Pinks. Called pinks, not because they are pink, but because they are in the same family as pinks. This family includes carnations, bachelor buttons, chickweed, and pinks. These are the most beautiful red!!! And they are in the same bed as the orange lilies.
Happiness in our garden!!!
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on May 25, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
Our orange lilies are blooming in the wild garden.
The Wild Garden is a patch of cool stuff that we just let go. Years ago we planted these lilies in this garden up near the tree. Since then, they have migrated to the middle of the garden. My guess is the bulbs travel downhill through the mole tunnels. How else could they move that far? The daffodils in this bed have done the same thing. Interesting, though, we never know where they will show up.
Oh, at first I planted this pot of lilies in the terraced beds across the driveway, and they were beautiful for a couple years. Then the deer discovered how tasty they are, and now we have none up there. Just the ones behind the fence in the wild garden.
I just love the orange; so bright and cheery.
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on May 24, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
What were you doing this morning at 7:30?
Jon was up on the roof looking for the spot that a flying squirrel was getting into the overhead. He saw it this morning, and went on a search and destroy mission. Didn't want to destroy the squirrel, just wanted to block the entry point. So he went up there armed with steel wool, and caulk.
We've heard that lots of folks have dealt with flying squirrels, but amazingly we have not, until now. I'll let you know if his fix works.
You have to admire him for doing it though. I do.
HAPPY HOME MAINTENANCE!!!
Posted on May 23, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
I just got this catalog, and thought it kinda late in the season to be buying seeds. I wondered WHY they sent me a catalog in May.
Well, the inside of the front cover answered my question. May is when you start sowing seeds for your fall and winter garden. Seeds need about 6 weeks to get big enough to put into the garden, then another 100-200 days or so to produce their produce. So if you don't start early enough, it gets too cold, and lots of plants freeze.
I am ready to start seeds for my fall and winter garden. I love the cool season crops: Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Kale, Leeks, Spinach, and Swiss Chard.
So exciting!!! I can stretch this out past November 15 (our frost date.)
HAPPY MAY INDEED!!!
Posted on May 22, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
Look who's blooming on our front railing. Clematis that we planted the first year we lived here.
Clematis like their feet in the shade and their heads in the sun. So we planted it under the deck, and guide it up the post to the railing. See the red string? The leaves twirl around the string and the whole thing climbs up. It's up to about 7 feet now.
We love it. Unfortunately, the deer do too, and last year we didn't get much. So we set up wire barriers, so they can't reach it.
And this year she is gorgeous!!!
HAPPY MAY!!!
Posted on May 21, 2022 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
Look who we saw in the park this week. It's JACK!!! Jack-in-the-Pulpit.
We know where the colony is, so we always look for them.
HAPPY MAY!!!