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