flowers

My Hollyhocks have started to bloom.  What a contrast in colors.

In the spirit of Georgia O'Keefe.

Not quite as dark with the sun shining.

The coreopsis are blooming nicely and shown along with my blue bird and solar ball.

These are going to be cosmos.  We got a free package in the mail for some reason and this will be the perfect spot.  In the background along the garage.  They should be tall and bright and reseed. 

Close up of one of the solar balls.  I really, really like these. 

Coreopsis up close and personal.

Now this is my wintered over geranium that has sprouted and nice fat bud.  I kept the little darling in the garage and when spring came about it started sprouting the leaves.  The other little sprouts are nasturtiums.  I had a package of them and just put them here and there.  There are so many pluses for nasturtiums.  They sprout easily and fast.  They have beautiful colors and are edible. 

This is a pot of pansies that are wearing down.  I have put more seeds in it and when it gets cool I will bet they will sprout up.  As you can see more nasturtiums. 

This solar ball is so pretty, especially at night.  The colors are pretty and subtle.

A beautiful red geranium pot with marigolds and snapdragons.  A knockout rose in the background-they smell so, so good!  The windchime was a gift for a house move in.  I just really enjoy the sound of it.  I have it sheltered because we get so much wind out here.  The soothing sound of it makes it seem as if everything is ok. 

This pot was empty so I put some extra seeds in it.  I know there are sweet peas (that is why I have a stick)  There are also zinnias and I can't remember what else.  It will be a surprise all over again.

Hope there are lots of nice surprises in your garden. 

Blacksmithing

On Friday and Saturday of this last weekend we were up in Scotts Michigan which is between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.  There is a place called Tillers International that teaches sustainable farming to other countries like Africa for instance. They also offer many different classes and Kevin has taken Blacksmithing I and II now.  They are good people there and of course very down to earth, he enjoys it very much and learns a lot.  He made three items this time.  The one pictured is a trivet and he also learned how to rivet the pieces together.   

Very good for his first time. 
He also made some blacksmithing tongs to hold hot items and also riveting tools.   

Plow horses in the background, baby oxen to the left.  I saw someone working with them with a harness.  There are many goats, different kinds of chickens.  They had baby turkeys that they were raising for thanksgiving.  Many heads of cattle, all grass fed.  It is a neat place. 

The Blacksmith Shop

We drove into Portage Michigan to find a bite to eat and the country road was just so pretty. 

This is just on the outskirts of Portage, it is empty and someone was mowing the lawn.  I bet it has an interesting story. 

On Saturday Tom and I went over to Jackson Michigan.  This is the site of the First State Prison in Michigan.  We were going to take a tour but the tour people were not here.  I loved this dogwood and had a good picture of Tom in front of it.

An Armory had also been located there also but art shops and instruction was in it now.  That I am saving for another post. 

There are now apartments in this part of the prison and that would have been interesting to see. 

The back side of the apartments.

One of the prison walls made of old stone.  The yard once had many manufacturing buildings which have been torn down. 

Guard towers and iron doors

It just felt like a lot of sadness in this area. 

These walls were built in the 1840's and they have seen a lot. 

It was nice of you to check in.  Thanks!

Book Review-The Search by Nora Roberts

I enjoyed this book very much.  It had many different elements.  Drama, Mystery, Romance, Animals.  The setting was Orcas Island in Washington State.  Fiona, the woman in the story had a search and rescue business and dog training classes that she held.  She owned three impeccably trained Labradors which was a delightful aspect of the story.  The lead up as to why she had this business is very intriguing and horrible.  The man in the story, Simon is a wood crafting artist and makes beautiful furniture and wood items.  He has just moved to Orcas Island and his mother bought him a puppy, that has become a handful.  His name is Jaws if that tells you anything.  He has paid a visit to Fiona to join her dog training classes.  Well, as you have probably guessed they eventually become a couple, but she has much baggage to work through.  I suspect that the author investigated how the search and rescues work, which I thought was very interesting.  This business plays into the end of the story and it was very much a Rah Rah moment.  It did not take me long to read this book, and it's a nice summer read.

I am sending my book on to a close friend who happens to live on Orcas Island part of the year.  I hope she enjoys it as much as I did.

I have always like Nora Roberts and can't think of a book I haven't enjoyed. 

new stuff around the house

I had many little things that I have collected through the years that I didn't want to let go, but I also didn't want to put out because they would be a pain to dust. 
I found this neat distressed cabinet and though it would be perfect to display my little items. 

Here I put a portion of them out and it was a nice walk down memory lane.  Thinking about where I got them or what friend gave them to me.

I love fun sayings and my friend Theresa gave this to me.  The neat bird on a spindle I picked up at Pottery Barn. 

A delphinium-the blue is so stunning.

A garden stake-it is supposed to glow in the dark.

I really liked this bulletin board in a green frame, and the mirror was my father in laws.  A friend had given it to him when he retired.  I thought the place worked out well, this is the way we go out to the garage.  Do a last minute check before we leave and if there is something we don't want to forget it will be on the bulletin board. 

A Kelly Rae Roberts design that I fell in love with.  I love her art. 

A little primitive piece I had picked up.  I loved the black frame too. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

herbs

I have become infatuated with herbs and want to learn more about them.  The last two summers I started them by seed.  I have this great three tiered pot stand and cute Terra cotta pots, that I have to replace every so often because of a wind storm or something.  Anyways, the first year I had the stand on the covered porch, but realized that I had it too close to the French doors and the reflection of the sun burned up my plants. 
Last year I moved it to the other side of the house and the summer was so hot, it burned them up again. 

This year I am trying a different spot, and bought potted plants.  I do hope that I have found the answer.

The herbs I have this year are:
Top Row
1.  oregano
2. sweet basil
3. cilantro
4. sweet marjoram

Second Row
1. spicy globe basil
2. sweet mint
3. flat Italian parsley
4. purple basil

Bottom Row
1. Onion Chives
The others are empty at this point

They all smell so good.  I love to rub my hands over them to release the smell. 
What a great pleasure this is. 

I am going to thin these eventually but what a good crop of mornings glories I am going to have!

The Lupines I started from seed last year with a wandering sunflower.

This is a newly bought plant, salvia.  The spot I put it, I needed something tall that stood out. 

My grown from seed Hollyhock.  Wonder what color she will be. 

Another newly purchased plant, poppy.

The place I have the herbs are at the back of the house, outside the bathroom door so I can get water.  It gets the afternoon sun but is also sheltered a bit.  That Lily, she loves to be with us when we are outside. 

Mint-I wish you could scratch and sniff.

Here are some Herb books I have picked up in the last three years. 
I saw a lot of Jack in the Pulpits during my field study class.  I did not realize they were also thought of as herbs.

This book I found from searching on the Internet and then bought it from an individual seller of used books.  What I really love about it, it has the authors signature on it.  The author was from Indiana and she has since passed away sadly.  She had an herb farm in West Lebanon Indiana. 

This one was new last year that Better Homes and Gardens came out with.  Lots of good pictures and information.  I don't think you can ever go wrong with Better Homes and Gardens publications.

This one I found just a couple of weeks ago.  It's the premier issue, again lots of good pictures and information. 

All are very enjoyable.
Thanks for stopping by, maybe you will want to learn more about herbs also?