Gardening + Nature

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currants

rabbit brush

yarrow

ratibida

mallow

orange horned poppy

prickly poppy

A slice of the backyard garden scene. This year may be one of the most lush and green – plants enormous, birds plentiful, smiles abound!

We are settling into our summer routine. Greg works on the back porch, mostly with Juniper, very often with me, sipping coffee, fountain babbling and brook-like, birds chirping, until the heat becomes too much. We head in, work some more, and enjoy a meal. The afternoon is a battle against heat, of closed blinds and fans, reading and cleaning and programming and dog jaunts.

On special days, we host a visitor – Jeff! We play games and eat exceptionally well. This time was a feast of Korean style summer favorites, bulgogi burgers, homemade pickles of the cucumber, onion, and bell pepper variety, topped with a gochujang sauce that also served as salad dressing, poutine with gochujang gravy (fries courtesy of Wendy’s!). Traditional cherry pie, made with a bounty of home grown cherries. That we had enough for pie and two jars of jam was pure joy! Then there were rum and cherry cokes, with syrup made from the cherry pits (Seriously!). Exquisite and fun and the height of summer flavors.

Happy, happy…hope you are, too.

indian paintbrush

mallow

oak

sumac

loco weed

buckwheat

the flowers are about the size of a pin head!

wild garlic

sand lily

currant

mertensia

spider wort

vetch

phlox

loco weed

Greetings, fellow flower lover (I hope). This is a week’s worth of morning stroll blooms, which is pretty darn spectacular in my humble opinion. Just think, nature makes these for everyone to admire!

I have identified all that I know off the top of my head, but don’t quote me on them! Happy day…

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Despite the snow on the mountain horizon, I do believe spring has officially arrived in Colorado Springs! As ever, it feels as though it came at exactly the right moment, too. It was so thouroughly balmy that I wore shorts today. Huzzah!

Cherry blossoms blooming

Lilacs bursting and filling the air with their intoxicating scent

A cacophony of birdsong, here, there, everywhere! I do believe this is a Phoebe.

This guest room refresh happened ages go, but I only just remembered to photograph it. We painted the closet and paneling, got new lamps after a horrific electrical storm burned out the other two, updated the bedding, got a new rug, and slip-covered the headboard. I am super pleased!

Two of our latest eats: steamed eggs, which taste like the most delicate savory custard, Hummus Bling Bling with pickled raisins and homemade pita, jazzed up with store bought tulips. Happy Spring!

Lazuli Bunting

House Finch & Rufous Crowned Sparrow

Yellow Warbler

Bullocks Oriole

House Finch & Dove

White Crowned Sparrow

Robin & Spotted Towhee

Yellow Rumped Warbler

Scarlet Tanager

Common Yellowthroat

Chickadee

Green Tailed Towhee

Female American Goldfinch

Rabbit

I don’t know what special alchemy was afloat, but boy howdy, did we have the most wondrous migration season in the garden this year! Though I included some of our regulars (finch, robin, spotted towhee, chickadee, and dove), because we enjoy their company, too, I was astounded at all of our visitors. There were little flocks darting and singing and eating and bathing. What a joy!

Hopping on quickety-quick to say H E L L O !

If you reside on the Front Range of the great state of Colorado, I sincerely hope you weren’t blown to bits today. Good grief, what a fierce wind! We waited and waited to promenade our most precious pooch, and it was such a misery. We only made it one block. Better days ahead, but not tomorrow, so the weatherman says. Soon.

The photos were another quick dash in gorgeous afternoon light around the garden. The green is coming, and I could not be happier about it. If I had one complaint about my home state, it would shockingly not pertain to wind, but winter and spring brown-ness. We do have ample amounts, save in the verdant high country, so I must keep my eyes further afield so as not to lose my spirit. Blue skies and mountain vistas are, indeed, the answer.

Hoping it is lovely wherever you may be…

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