This morning Jon was picking blueberries, and he thought he felt a little sprinkle.  He looked up and saw a rainbow.  He ran back to the house and tapped on the window for me to come out with my camera.

 

We don't usually see rainbows here.  Too many trees.  

 

We thought of our neighbors with a clearer view of the western sky, so I texted them:  Rainbow!!!  Look west.  

 

I got some pretty pics before it faded, but this one came from Lisa.  WOW!!!

 

HAPPY TUESDAY!!!

 

Patty's Balloon flower is blooming.  She told me that she planted it several years ago, and it comes back every summer.  Apparently it likes where it lives.    

 

It's easy to see why it got the name Balloon flower:  the unopened flower buds are puffy just before they bloom.  They look like little balloons, full of air.  I've read that they come in pink, white, and this luscious purple.  

 

Platycodon is native to East Asia (China, Korea, Japan, and the Russian Far East.)  It  is hardy down to 5 degrees F, so it can be planted here, and survive our winters.  It is probably readily available in our local garden centers.

 

It really is cute;  go see it in bloom.   

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

Bill and Kelly's Yucca is in bloom.  Aren't the flowers pretty against the Leland Cypress backdrop?  

It is Yucca filamentosa.  There are threads on the edges of the leaves: filaments.  If you enlarge the picture, you can see them.  My books say that Yucca filamentosa is native to the desert Southwest, but it has adapted itself to the Appalachian mountains too.  I'm pretty sure Joel planted this one years ago;  it doesn't look native in this spot.  And this is the kind of plants he liked.  

 

Siri told me that Yucca is the state flower of New Mexico.  ;D   

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

Look at my beautiful "weeds" in the garden.  Black-eyed Susies come back every year in the nether regions of the garden.  

 

By that I mean they grow down in the northwest corner where I don't plant anything.  The area is full of tree roots and rocks, so I just leave it alone.  And look who has taken over that area.  They certainly are welcome to the space, and whatever nutrients they can derive from that soil.  

 

They make me smile every time I go out there.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Have you seen all the new babies?  It must be fawning season because we've seen about six in the last few days.  Just what we DON'T need in the neighborhood, more deer.  But they are so cute.  

While we are ALL oohing and aahing over the new babies, many of us are shoring up our gardens and flowerbeds.  These deer will eat everything!!!  We have seen some very interesting barriers to keep the deer out:  fencing, wires, tomato cages, etc. etc. etc.  Not too attractive, but effective. 

 

I could never shoot one, but I must admit I do fuss about them daily.  Meanwhile, be careful on the roads;  the little ones don't know about cars yet.  

 

Mixed blessing, the deer.  We are so tired of them eating our plants and flowers, but we love seeing them.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

This is the "resting rock" up near the summit of Five Forks Drive.  We stop here to rest every day when we're walking the loop.  

 

Apparently there is a Daddy Longlegs Convention in town.  They are all congregated right below the spot where we sit!!!  

 

Thought you might like a look at our big, pretty, popular rock.

 

HAPPY HIKING!!!

 

LOOK!!!  The leeks are all-out blooming, and the Fritillaries love them.  So do the other pollinators.  So do I!!!

 

I love how the little stems that hold up the flowers are white and pink and purple.  Each little flower will open up, and then they look like fireworks, just in time for the Fourth of July.  They also taste like leeks.  We put the individual flowers in our salads.  

 

I wish you could be here to walk with me in the garden, especially now when the leeks are blooming.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Look at Jim and Nancy's St. John's Wort blooming.  

 

Its botanical genus is Hypericum, and consists of several species.  This one is so pretty:  mounding, about 3 feet tall and as wide, with these beautiful yellow flowers.  It is just starting to bloom, so go up there and catch it as it blooms into its glory.  

 

You may have heard of St. John's Wort as an herbal supplement to treat depression.  It is still used in herbal medicine, but since it contains hypericin, a photosensitizing substance that reacts with light to cause skin burns and blisters, it is best to leave the processing of St John's Wort to the pharmacological community. 

 

My plan is to just enjoy it for its beauty.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

Here we are:  at it again!!  We changed the display to Flags and Fireworks.  We got it done in time for Juneteenth and it will stay up through the Fourth of July.   (That's Patty and me trying to hide our grubby works clothes behind Uncle Sam's hat.)

 

We hoped to just give the flamingos a rest, and bring them back after the Fourth, but the haybale is too tired.  (It has been on this hill since last fall.)  So we asked Mike to get George to take it away.  He loves any excuse to play on his tractor.  

 

Funny story:  After we got it all done and came home, we were out in the garden and heard George and his tractor driving up Stonebriar.  I ran across our yard and through Dan and Lisa's yard to try to catch George to tell him we didn't need him to pick up the haybale yet, cause we had it covered with the bunting.  But he was on his way to meet Jim and Mike down there.   So I guess the haybale is gone now, and our display is a bit different.  

 

I hope it still makes you smile when you go past it.  

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

 

Even though this picture is from last December, it looks like the perfect Fathers Day entry.  

 

This is what Fathers Day looks like at our house. I hope your house is as loving and peaceful.  

 

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!!