AUGUST GARDEN

We've had abundant rain lately, even a thurnderstorm with lightening! This morning the temperature was verging on cool, almost needing a light sweater, (in Georgia!). It's hard to believe it's already mid August. 

 The garden is winding down. Usually my garden is still going strong with annuals now, but this year I've not had good bloom on the begonias that I replaced the ailing impatience with.  Is that due to my negligence? I have not fertilized them in a while and I'm thinking of trimming them back and giving a good dose of Miracle Grow. I usually have good annual growth through October, at least.  

 For years I have planted Purple Fountain Grass in my garden urn, but I just haven't been happy with it for the last two years.  Perhaps the lack of sun is finally starting to affect it. I have found a gorgeous container on Pinterest that I am thinking of copying next year. You can see it by clicking here. Dichondra does grow good in my shady garden, and I think this arrangement will be beautiful all summer.  I can't wait!

I have already started going through my photographs and making plans for next year.  I had forgotten  how pretty the garden was in June.  Even with the Impatience being replaced, I had a lot of good things going on (if you click on the picture it will open it in a bigger window, the only way to really see it in all it's beauty!). 

Every year I write myself a note that says, "BUY MORE LILIES", and I put it on February and March's calendar for the next year.  I bought ONE lilly this year.  I should have bought so many more! But at least I bought one!  I would also like to get more White Coneflowers.  I gathered seeds this year because I read that's the best way to reproduce.  But I'm not really optimistic, the pink ones pop up all over the place, but I've had a white one for several years and never had one pop up.  We'll see.

Today has been a lazy day for me. After church we had chili and cornbread, and then just settled in to watch some golf. When the sun goes down I might go out to the garden for a bit and do a little maintenance.  I hope you are having a lovely Sunday. Thanks so much for stopping by! 

I'll be participating in Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper and Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer. 

CRITTERS COME, CRITTERS GO

We've had lots of visitors to the garden this year. The deer are frequently checking up on us.  There's a cute little chipmunk that is seen running from one garden to the next, quick as lightening. There's a skink that skitters across the deck every time I go out- his blue striped tail flicking from side to side. Ants, birds, even an occasional opossum. Hummingbirds dine with us as do the cardinals, wrens, titmice and chickadees.  But our favorite visitor (other than the mothering wren) that visited us this year has got to be this 5 - 6 foot black snake.  

My son LOVES snakes.  He knew this one was living in a hole that had opened up from a long gone tree. He spent many an hour watching for it.  He thought it might have moved on to better digs (catless perhaps?). One morning he heard the Mother Wren squawking wildly and thought it was kitty. When he went out to shoo kitty off, he found Mr. Ssssssssnake instead, trying to sneak up on the nest.  

That's one Happy young man there.  

Do you welcome nature in to your yard, or does it freak you out?

Totally unrelated, but a really funny read...
http://thebillfold.com/2012/08/lets-discuss-the-merits-of-anthropologie-the-clothing-store-not-the-discipline/
Honestly, I laughed out loud so many times.  I was first guided there by Angry Chicken, she only laughed 3 times, but it must be because the kids were interrupting. I found it the funniest thing I've read in ages. Go have a laugh.

I hope your having a great Saturday! Thanks for stopping by!  Say, how about becoming a follower?! I'll follow you back!

WEDNESDAY MUSINGS

A little cooling off period happening! Such a nice change from the sweltering heat of late.  It's been cloudy with a bit of welcome rain! 

The sampler above was done by my dear mother.  She passed away 5 years ago.  I have always treasured it  from afar, but recently my dad gave it to me.  I love it so much. I am always inspired by Alicia Paulson of Posy Gets Cozy for my photos.  This one is another, inspired by a recent photo of hers with a black sampler. Below it is a little crazy quilt piece I'm working on for a "welcome back to school" surprise for someone at work.  It's going to be just a little vanity pillow, she once told me her bedroom is black and white...sure hope she hasn't changed it over the summer:) If she doesn't have a vanity I'll add some cording so it can hang around the doorknob.

Work and Olympics (go Misty and Carrie!) have been filling my time. First day of school was a nightmare, but the next two were the best they've ever been...go figure!  

Hope you are having a lovely Wednesday.  Thanks for stopping by.

BENTO BOXING IT FOR LUNCH

I don't remember how I found out about Bentos, but when I did I became obsessed.  I loved the idea of a neat little packed lunch. I loved the little compartments.  

I loved how the Japanese moms seemed to pack a little bit of everything!

They are perfect for the dieter.  

Here is my lunch for tomorrow. A little salad, a half a chicken breast, two pieces of a small new potato, about 1/4 C of greenbeans, 4 grapes (on adorable penguin and panda picks) two strawberries, and a tiny pink cup with about 5 nuts.  

 You stack one on top of the other (there are rubber plates that you put on top of each one before you stack them), put the lid on, and put the band around it.

And it even comes with a neat and tidy little drawstring bag. 

 Bon appetit!

Tomorrow I'll show you all my Bento paraphernalia, they are so cute and fun!

Hope you're having a great day, thanks for stopping by!

LOST AND FOUND

Do you ever find things buried in chests or closets that you had forgotten about?  Here is a collection of 6 inch quilt squares I found recently. I had forgotten all about them.  This was a project I was doing when my children were very young (I'm sure you can date it by the fabrics!).  I can't even find the pattern/instructions. I think each corner was to have the fan and maybe there was a center with the fans because I have more than 4.  It was a combination of pieced blocks and appliqued blocks. 

 I really love the tiny triangles and squares in the pieced blocks, and the small  leaves and flowers of the applique. 

I wish I could find the desire to try to figure out how the blocks went together, and then do it.  I think it's probably a wall hanging.  Hopefully all the blocks are done because I have no idea where to go from here if they aren't!

  We're watching the Olympics, which I think have been fabulous! I"m going to really miss them when they're over.  Thank goodness it's only 2 years before the Winter Olympics ! I hope you are having a great Saturday. Thanks for stopping by!

ALL GONE NOW

Our little chirpy residents have flown the coop (or the nest)! I am ecstatic that they survived the extreme heat and our stalking kitty and the 5 ft snake (I'll post about it a little later).  I tried so many times to get a picture of the eggs, but I guess they were deep down in the nest.  After the babies hatched I tried again, but they would draw back into the nest when I approached.  Finally, just the day before they flew away, my daughter caught this one peeking out.  Isn't she sweet!  Now my dear daughter advises me that we must leave the Christmas wreath up because the  birds will come back next year, dismantle the old nest, and using the same materials, rebuild.  Hmmm.  Not sure about that, we'll see:)

You can just see the beak of the other one.  She's a little more shy. After they flew away we found on little unhatched egg. 

I just love the nest.  I would really hate to destroy it.

 Maybe a Christmas wreath, left out all year, isn't such a bad thing!  

What do you think?

I hope you are having a great Wednesday!  Thanks for stopping by. I'm joining Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Dreamer, I hope you'll drop by.