A Day of Gratitude

Fresh From the Garden

This is the first year we're growing vegetables at our new home. I was saying a prayer as I planted seedlings and seeds because the soil in this area is virtually builder's sand. Plenty of soil amendments - - compost, garden soil, blood and bone meal...plus anything and everything else I could find to improve the soil - - were generously added. 

Almost immediately the caterpillars showed up to feast on my tomato plants. I did a lot of plucking and squeezing in an effort to get rid of them. Once the temperatures cooled down a bit I noticed the cats disappeared. Pickle worms pierced the cukes, and powdery mildew finished off the leaves. I find cukes very hard to grow. I gave up on them since I'm not a big cucumber eater anyway, and replaced them with bush green beans . . .  a favorite of mine.

It's taken the tomatoes a while to ripen . . . with Sungold being the first . . . but now they're all slowly turning color. And, the lemons, too are ripening. A cocktail citrus tree was planted, so hopefully next year this time we'll be enjoying some homegrown citrus.

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On a different note, I made this horrifying discovery in my garden yesterday.

I almost had a heart attack when I saw him perched in the tree, especially since Nutty... the squirrel we raised . . . was darting all around this tree and at one time was about a foot away from it. Fortunately, the snake was in the process of digesting an earlier catch as you can see by his bloated mid-section. 

Apparently, I disturbed him when I moved some large pots on the side of the house. I didn't see him at the time but am thankful I did eventually discover him and doubly thankful that the "Wild Animal Evictors" came by and evicted this non-venomous Coat Whip (one of Florida's largest native snakes) from my garden. I don't mind black racers but I'm not willing to tolerate a BIG snake in my garden.

For all snake lovers out there . . . don't worry he wasn't destroyed just relocated to an orange grove quite a distance down the road.

Oh Dear . . . Now I Must Share

Sweet Leslie over at Spruce Pine Cottage has nominated me for the Beautiful Blogger Award. Thanks Leslie . . . I think!

According to her post I must answer 10 questions and share the love by nominating other blogging friends for the award. Okay . . . here goes:

1. What would you do if you won $10,000 tomorrow? That's easy . . . I'm a saver, so in the bank it goes . . .  at least until my next trip.

2. Best lifetime moment? Without a doubt, it's when I met my adopted daughter for the first time in China.

3. Are you happy? Extremely!

4. Do you prefer Facebook or Twitter? I have a Facebook account but rarely post anything.

5. If you could change something in your life what would it be? Nothing!

6. What is your biggest vice/habit in life? I have a sweet tooth and eat way too much sugar.

7. What is a good point about you? I try to be friendly and polite to people. A negative point? I need more patience.

8. What is your most embarrassing lifetime moment? Hmmm, That's a tough one. I'd have to say slipping and falling flat on my face at my daughter's school a couple of years ago.

9. What is your favorite flower? I LOVE all flowers, but if I have to choose just one I'd have to say roses, orchids, camellias, azaleas, daylilies. Oops, I guess I just can't pick one.

10. What's your biggest love in life? Aside from my family, it's gardening and being out in nature.

My nominations for Beautiful Bloggers are:

Sherry - If only Sweat were Irrigation

Chris - The Great Wall of Lutz

Daisy - Maple Hill 101

Kimberly - Garden in Paradise

Ami - Southeast Florida Garden Evolvement

Jeanni - Roses and Gargoyles

FloridaGirl - Peace in the Valley

Kay - My Garden Path

Nominees, here’s what you have to do:

1. Include the award logo somewhere in your blog.

2. Answer the same 10 questions I did, for fun, if you want to.

3. Nominate 10 to 12 blogs you enjoy. Or you pick the number.

4. Pay the love forward: Provide your nominees' links in your post and comment on their blogs to let them know they’ve been included and invited to take part. 

5. Pay the love back with gratitude and a link to the blogger(s) who nominated you.

What's Your Dream?

Have you ever thought about what would be your "dream" rose . . . flower . . . or plant? Pictured above is Belinda's Dream. No, I don't know who Belinda is but I imagine her as a rosarian who has a yard full of every rose imaginable . . . kind of like Sherry over at "If Only Sweat were Irrigation" or Flowerlady at "Flowerlady's Musings." I imagine that she learned how to cultivate roses and did so for many years in search of the "perfect" rose. And, eventually she found success and aptly named her beautiful rose - - Belinda's Dream!

Belinda's Dream has become a dream rose for many Florida gardeners as I see it pictured often on other Florida garden blogs. And I agree with Belinda that it is a dream rose. A nice shaped bush with healthy leaves (no black spot) and beautiful  large soft pink flowers. Much to my satisfaction she is singing autumn's praises with a shrub full of buds that are soon to reveal a bounty of glorious flowers . . . some of which I'll enjoy on my kitchen island. Thanks Belinda for sharing your dream rose with all of us!

Harvest Moon

What a beautiful full moon we've had the last couple of nights. The Harvest Moon is definitely larger and brighter than other full moons. Even at 6:45 am it was still shining bright over the lake. I was lucky enough to catch the "Blue Hour" in my photo. If you're not familiar with the "Blue Hour" . . . click here for more information. It's always fun to try and capture the "Blue Hour" in dusk and dawn photos.

A Nutty Story

What in the world could be so fascinating on the patio as to hold the attention of our 3 cats?

Aha, a squirrel!  

You might be asking yourself . . . why does she have a caged squirrel on her patio? Good question. My sister who is part owner of a veterinarian clinic recruited us to finish raising this baby squirrel who was displaced from his nest.

Such a sweet little face...don't you think? 

I can hear you squirrel non-likers out their....ugh, a rodent. I've always liked squirrels (even though they can be a pest on the bird feeders) but, Nutty (named by my daughter) has stolen my heart. Each morning when I checked on him he'd slip his adorable little face out from beneath his blankie and give me a big yawn. When you live with a small piece of the 'wild' it changes your attitude about it completely.

Once he got big enough we hung his cage beneath a large tree and wired the door open so he could come and go until he got used to his surroundings.

He was slow to venture on to the top of his cage and then on to the tree.

But he quickly was enjoying his freedom and was busy snatching insects off the tree trunk.

After a week he was still sleeping in his cage and I was a little fearful that another animal or snake would trap him in there, so I purchased a birdfeeder and took the plastic sides off. We transferred his blanket into it so he would continue to feel safe. One morning when I went back to check on him he popped his little head out from under his blankie.

With each passing day he would climb a little higher into the tree to check out his new neighborhood.

He continued to be happy to see us and would eagerly jump on my daughter's arm.

and head.

Three weeks passed and he was still hanging around the same tree.

 Last week we couldn't find him around his home and tree, so we wondered if he finally took off for good.

But on Sunday as we walked past the small oak tree in our front yard a small squirrel ran down the trunk and looked at us. We stopped and said, "Nutty" and as my daughter approached him he eagerly reached out for her hand. She kept rubbing his head and picking him up and he seemed genuinely happy to see her. We wondered how in the world he came from the backyard all the way up to the front which is approximately 125 yards. But, nonetheless, we were delighted to see that he is still around and still remembers us.

It looks like he's successful in finding his own acorns and is quickly growing up. Raising him was another fun experience since the time we raised "Chirp" the bluejay. We hope he continues to remember us and be friendly with us when we're out in the yard. 

Shades of Autumn

The shades of autumn are like poetry without words . . . the colors, so rich and vibrant, don't need words to describe their beauty. They are earth tones . . . the colors that resonate most deeply with me.

This peachy-pink cluster of Drift roses is pretty enough for a wedding bouquet. You can almost feel their softness on your fingertips. And, yes, they do give off a sweet citrusy scent.

My poor orchids which I sadly neglected all summer . . . have blessed me with a stunning spray of the most vibrant autumn colors. I've moved this orchid on to the patio so I can enjoy its beautiful blooms.

A new plant to my garden...this copperleaf plant is a real beauty. The larger it grows, the more I like the green and russet combination . . . each leaf a slightly different color variation.

A ray of sunshine . . . these Hawaiian Sunset hibiscus are in full swing in the autumn garden.

The hummers are taking full advantage of this Florida-friendly Firespike in my wildlife garden.

Even the hydrangea are joining in as their pink flowers faded to green and now begin to turn a pretty shade of pink blush that will eventually dry into a natural attractive brown. Hydrangeas are a fascinating plant that adds a different kind of dimension to the garden with it's attractive leaf shape, it's large clusters of ball-shaped flowers and lastly, the ever-changing colors of its flowers. While hydrangeas are finicky and definitely not the easiest plant to grow in Florida . . . it definitely is worth trying again and again until you finally find a spot it is happy with in the garden.

And some of the shades of autumn in my garden come in jewel tones that are brilliant and glowing. This Mexican bush sage with its vibrant, deep color makes all other purple flowering plants pale in comparison. The poor little vincas which looked great all summer must take a back seat to this autumn bloomer.

Paired with the sage...the kaleidoscope Abelia shines brightly in the garden. These two work well together making each other appear more vibrant together than they do alone. It's an eye-catching combo that catches my eye every time I look out the window. I must try to root this plant.

For a totally different look...the sage exudes a deeper purple color when it's next to the soft white colors of flax lily. These two create a very calming affect for me.

How happy I am that autumn has arrived, and . . .  like other Florida gardeners I look forward to spending more time outdoors enjoying the garden. 

A Closer Look

Here's the closer look . . . that I promised . . . of the picture-perfect landscape beds leading up to the Hotel Iroquois on Mackinac Island, Michigan. This space is no longer than . . . maybe 25 feet and you can get a good feel for the width . . . but you'll be amazed at the variety of plants it packs into this small space.

It has a nice back drop of green on the left side and a couple of medium-sized trees on the right to frame it all.

It all starts with a welcome sign at the very front. You can already get a good feel for how they intermingle a number of different plant varieties and colors. The colors seem to be repeated down the line . . . white, dark red, and green.  A row of higher growing plants fill out the back of the bed . . . hydrangeas, alocasias and some other green shrubs.

Flipping over to the left side this colorful combination shows off nicely in front of the evergreen trees. So many different varieties packed into one small space.

Here I see some hostas hidden in the back, coleus, impatiens and some more Autumn Joy sedum up front.

Some of the plants I can identify are more of the sun-tolerant impatiens, hostas, sedum, petunias and sweet potato vines. I really like this layered look with the flat stone.

Here's a little higher stone wall with a beautiful color combination of flowers. The buds on the dark leaved plant with the yellow flowers resemble peony buds but I'm not familiar with the plant. It is a stunning color especially when contrasted with the yellow flowers. 

Here's a little closer look. The black and chartreuse leaves next to each other are absolutely fabulous!

Another beautiful spot that contains impatiens, elephant ears (2 different varieties) a grass that grows in water, lilies and petunias.

The master behind this piece of artwork definitely has a green thumb and a talent for combining colors, textures, shapes and sizes.

Love how the chartreuse and black foliage play off each other and then add the beautiful soft pink flowers and WOW...it's gorgeous! When you think it couldn't get any better . . . take a look at that soft fluffy grass at the base of the pink flowering plant.

A combination of ornamental grasses look beautiful against the white bark of the birch tree. So much color in this photo with mostly foliage.

A  crisp and traditional look with simple elements - a white fence, green plants, stone wall, impatiens.

Another birch tree simply planted with two varieties of fern, two different large-leafed plants and impatiens. This gardener knows how to make impatiens sparkle.

The detail is incredible. The dark color in the coleus is picking up the dark color of the stems of the alocasia. Nice combination of leaf shapes - large, spiky, soft and rounded. All it takes is 3 plants to create such an eye-pleasing look. This would make a great container combination. 

Great example of the varying heights in this border and as you can see the bed is not very wide at all.

There are so many lessons to be learned from these beautiful garden borders. I know I'll be studying these plant combinations over and over, and in the future I'll be definitely looking at my own beds from different angles to see if I can accomplish something even 1/10th as beautiful as this. 

Hope you enjoyed a close-up look at this magnificent garden space.

The Gardens of Mackinac Island

We recently enjoyed a visit to Mackinac Island in Michigan. One of the most enjoyable parts for me were all the beautiful flowers and gardens.

The weather was perfect....highs in the low 70's and lows in the mid 60's. Do I hear a bunch of sighs out there? Yes, those temps were a nice break from our endless summer in Florida.

 This particular garden walkway was fabulous. I'll share more up close photos of this garden in another post as it was absolutely picture-perfect!

Don't you love these flower boxes? Breathtaking!

Here's a close-up shot.

To a Florida gardener the dahlias are X-tra special and X-tra large.

Striking color!

There were many containers overflowing with pretty color combinations.

I felt like I was walking through a garden magazine. So much beauty everywhere.

This gardener used only 3 colors...pink, purple and white.

Here's a another view of the same garden.

 This gardener filled the front bed with zinnias only. Love how the colors blend nicely with the house color. 

This was a particularly pretty garden area with a great view.

This is another shot of the garden above.

And, there's nothing like looking through a circular opening in a garden gate to grab your attention. The vine is a climbing hydrangea. 

Hydrangeas appear to be a signature plant on the island as most people have them in their garden.

Really nice color combinations.

Isn't this place adorable? So colorful and welcoming. So much candy for the eyes.

The butterfly house was landscaped very nicely and they had a nice array of butterflies, too.

Slopes like this one on the fort were landscaped with mostly wildflowers (yes, that's goldenrod). This particular one included some hollyhocks, too. 

 So much color everywhere. I feel like I've died and gone to heaven.

Love the cat hidden amongst the flowers.

And, how about this...they even know how to make a garbage can look pretty.

More of the beautiful hydrangeas in the landscape.

The Grand Hotel had tons of colorful flowers.

And a long border filled with zinnias and sunflowers.

Lots of wildflowers were blooming on the island.

Here's a pretty collection on the beach.

Not sure what this large bud is...but it's pretty cool looking.
Added Note: Thanks Flowerlady over at Flowerlady's Musings for identifying this plant. She said it looks like Queen Anne's Lace.

Here's what the flower looks like when it's fully opened. 

Goldenrod tucked in between the large white rocks that are common throughout the island.

And, I'd be remiss if I didn't include a photo of the Mackinac Bridge . . . a fantastic sight, too. 

If you ever get the chance to visit Mackinac Island...you won't be disappointed. It's a wonderful place to meander around...relax...ride bikes...and tour by horse carriage. 

There's lots of fresh air, clean water and beautiful gardens. Definitely one of my favorite trips.