August is Half Over Already!

 Well the month of August is half way over already!  Where does the time go.  I hate to say this but I am so ready for Fall and cooler temps.  It has been so hot here lately.  The heat index around 105-107 and the humidity has been about 98%.  I like when it is around 68-70 degrees.  Oh well that is summer in the South!

Well I did something I have been dreaming about ever since I saw we had a snowball hydrangea bush in the yard, I made a hydrangea wreath!  Some of the hydrangeas have been turning greenish and pinkish from the original creamy white color.  Here is the results:

This is part of the bush the wreath hydrangeas came from.

I was excited to see that my moon vine was getting ready to bloom.  I have had 2 buds open so far.  This is a tradition I always did with my Nana.  She would plant the Moon Vine seeds in a pot, let it grow and when it was going to bloom she would call me on the phone to run down and watch it open with her.  You see the moon vine blossom starts shaking and unfurling very slowly.  You can watch the whole thing open if you have the time.  This all happens after dark.  

Moon Vine bud before it starts to open.

Moon Vine about 97% open.

The birds and butterflies have been very active this August.  I love to see the butterflies flitting around the flowers in my garden.  They especially love the phlox I planted.  I had also put a shallow butterfly/bee water dish out for them and the butterfly I have seen drinking from it quite frequently.  Here are some photos of the birds and butterfly:

Steve caught this photo of a male cardinal feeding one of his young ones on our planter.  He was actually feeding 2 young ones.  It was so adorable!

This is a Tahitian Sunset rose from my garden.

These gladiolus are from my garden and I just enjoyed them so much!  I love the color.  I hope the bulbs winter over and multiply, I would love to have alot more than 10 plants next year.

We had the shrubs trimmed in front of our house last week.  They were a bit overgrown and the crew who does our lawn came in and took care of everything so beautifully!

My orchids are blooming so much lately.  I have about 4 or 5 blooming now.  I really love this cute little one.  It is white with magenta inside the flower.  So pretty!

I have been noticing the sunsets have been so pinkish and bluish lately.  I guess because the time of year it is.  So beautiful the other night.

Sunset in our backyard.

I have also noticed a few of our maples trees changing already!  I love the coloring on this little maple we have in the front yard off to the side.

Lastly, Steve's nephew, Tony passed away in the middle of the night on Friday.  It was very sudden, he was 46 years old.  It was a shock to everyone that he had a heart attack.  He owned a gym and kept in great shape and ate so healthy.  We have the visitation on Friday night and the funeral on Saturday at a nearby church.  Tony's Mom is taking it very hard.  That was their only son and both Steve's brother and sister-in-law feel lost.  Please keep the family in your prayers.

Everyone have a happy rest of the week.

Sherri

Where did July go???

 Hi Everyone! I can't believe this is the second to last day of July!!  Where did July go???

We have had some really bad thunder, lightning and rain storms here.  They say we don't have a drought anymore which is wonderful!!  Last week the transformer box got hit by lightning the other night around midnight.  It caught on fire and I had to call 911!  Everything was under control in a matter of 1/2 hr. thank goodness!

The garden slowed down a little bit with so much rain but it is rebounding now.  Here are some photos from yesterday:

Hibiscus on the front porch

Mr. Lincoln Rose

Planter filled with white and purple petunias.  They were all eaten by the squirrels, but now they are back and blooming again!  I sprayed them with essential oils, oregano, peppermint and eucalytus and they don't eat them anymore!

Bluebird Rose of Sharon

Our snowball hydrangeas are doing really, really well.  I love making arrangements and bringing them in the house!

Hydrangeas, red and white cottage roses and red alstemeria.

Bumble loving the hydrangeas too!

Hydrangea arrangement in the living room.

I have quite a few orchids getting ready to bloom.  This one started blooming in our bedroom.  So pretty!

My birthday was last Thursday, July 23rd.  I had a wonderful day with Steve.  He took me to lunch at Five Points Public House in Albemarle, NC.  We really love that place!  Then on Sunday we met up with Steve's son, Scott, his fiancee, his daughter, Crystal and her husband, Kelly at Village Tavern in Winston-Salem.  Crystal and Kelly gave me a beautiful cutting board with our last name on it and Est. in 2026.  She also gave me homemade pickles.  The cukes were from her garden.  They are so good.  I hope she makes me more!!!  They are such good kids.  Tyler, his youngest son  had to work so they weren't there.

Steve and I at Five Point Public House 7.23.26

From left front to right front:
Anna (Scott's fiancee), Steve, Me, Crystal, Kelly (Crystal's husband) and Scott at Village Tavern.

Homemade pickles from Crystal

Cutting board from Crystal and Kelly

I have been seeing so many bumble bees in the garden this year.  Either they are gather pollen or they are asleep on the sunflowers.  This one decided it really liked my basil!!  Love to watch them!

Well that is about all I have for today!  It has been nice chatting with all of you!

Sherri

Even with the heat the garden has come alive!

 I hope everyone is trying to keep cool.  The temps the past few weeks has been in the 100 range.  It is so dry here!  Last night we finally had a great rain and hopefully it has saturated the ground and also filled up the reservoirs.  Some towns around us are putting water restrictions on and 1 town said they only have enough water for about 5-6 days!  

Here are some of the beautiful plants blooming right now:

This is a closeup of the Hydrangeas that are blooming in the side yard!

Joan Senior Daylilies

Lady of Shalott Rose

This is the gigantic hydrangea blooming in the side yard.

The bumble bees have been fascinating this summer.  They have actually climbed up in the sunflowers and have fallen asleep many times.  I guess they feel protected inside the sunflower.  They are so cute sleeping away!

Bumble bee asleep in the sunflower.

This bumble was working away in the petunias for his pollen.

Rex Begonia on the screened in porch in the morning sunshine!

Bumble in the dianthus

Tahitian Sunset Rose arrangement.

I made this arrangement with our hydrangeas and then alstromeria and delphinium from Harris Teeter.

Lastly my sweet grandson, Owen turned 15 on Saturday, 7/11.  I haven't seen him in about 2.5 years.  My daughter who doesn't talk to me actually sent me these 2 photos of Owen at Colonial Williamsburg on Saturday.  I really miss him and wish she would let me see him.  Here are the 2 photos she sent of him:

Well that is about all the news I have for today!  I hope you all are enjoying your summer.  Stay Cool!

Sherri

4th of July Weekend is Here!

 Hi Everyone!  Where did the month of June go!  I can't believe it is the 4th of July weekend already!  The heat is just too hot to do anything here.  Yesterday it was 101 with a heat index of 105.  Even the birds aren't as active as they usually are.  

Even though it has been hot here with alot of watering by me of the gardens and container plants the garden has been pretty good.  I had to laugh last night when I was watering, a bumble bee had fallen asleep in the sunflower in the garden.  I thought he was awake, but then I nudge him and he was asleep.  The sunflowers in the garden were volunteers from the birdseed.  Here he is taking his siesta!

We have an Annabelle Hydrangea on the property.  It was put in by the previous owner to cover up the view of the propane gas tank.  It is doing really well this year!  I made an arrangement out of some of them and added 2 bunches of Delphinium and Alstroemeria from Harris Teeter.  So pretty together!

Closeup of the arrangment I made.

Closeup of the Annabelle Hydrangea flowers.

The arrangement I made.

The huge bush of the Annabelle Hydrangea in the side yard.

You all know flowers mean alot to me and this year even though the garden is the first year we have been having some beautiful plants.  See below:

Joan Senior Daylilies

Lady of Shalott Rose

Tahitian Sunset David Austin Rose

I'm going to close with a little bumble on the petunias in the planters we have.  I also want to wish everyone a very safe and wonderful 4th of July!  God Bless America!!

Sherri

Goldfinches at the Feeder

 I bought a really nice bird feeder for Steve's birthday last month.  When we went to NJ for Easter, he loved my sister and brother-in-law's feeder.  I got one just like it and he spends time now watching all the birds.  He really loves the little goldfinches that come and eat there.  Today he was sitting in his chair and a goldfinch came by so he snapped a great photo of it.  I love birds too, so this is something we can share together.

We have so many birds coming to the feeder now.  Cardinals, House Finches, Carolina Wrens, Titmouses, Goldfinches, Bluebirds (come to the bird bath) Eastern Phoebe, Sparrows and Chickadees.  They are alot of fun to watch!

Have a great day!

Sherri

Father's Day and a New Plant!

Saturday I went to Lowe's to pick up some plumber's tape and this beautiful plant was in the garden section. It is called a Rex Begonia. I have had a few begonias over the years-Angel Wings, Dragon Wings, etc. The colors on this one is just gorgeous! I also picked up a pink phlox, a Rose of Sharon bush and a yellow hibiscus for Steve. He loves yellow plants and he loves hibiscus-win/win!! Here is a photo of the rex begonia:

Sunday we met Steve's 3 kids, their significant others and Kelly, Steve's son-in-laws son, Daniel at Longhorn Steak House in Salisbury. It was a great time and everyone had fun!

Everyone have a wonderful day today! Sherri