We’re getting better at lots of things and I even got some work done outside this afternoon. Remember that I said I hated those phlox? They have taken over and I might even mow the whole garden down – hostas, lilies and all!
Ugh. And the fencing needs to be put up in front of the hydrangeas so they don’t fall over.
Are you gathering your UFOs? July 1 is coming.
Awww. It is great to see Hazel and Rick together. And, it is good things are getting easier. My hubby’s motto is TTT—Things Take Time. Your gardens are truly beautiful. You DO have a green thumb. Thanks for the quilt and garden show😃 Hang in there, Mary. It does get better. Some rain today.
Glad things are getting better for you and Rick. We had not had any rain for 3 weeks till last week. Everyone was out mowing over the weekend. Grass turning green but has a way to go before it is a nice green. We have had severe thunder storms this afternoon and now we in flood warning. Go figure.
Carolyn b Shenandoah Valley VA
Carolyn – I hope your rain doesn’t go overboard! Seems it’s either feast or famine – everywhere.
My Hoya is blooming too. I’m not fond of the scent. I’m thinking of moving it outside. Rick looks good and Hazel is great therapy. Love the quilts. I am ready for the UFO’s.
Good for Hazel! Tell me, Mary, when do we get “old”?
Nancy – I swear I’m there now but I want to do all these things and some have become almost too hard already.
Mary, glad to hear things are going well.
Garden is looking good, Mary! Thanks for the quilt, garden, and animal show. Having Hazel taking it easy with Rick is great therapy!
Enjoy your week!
Rick looks good, bet he’s glad to be on this side of his surgery. Nice to see that you and Hazel are taking such good care of him! You have a lovely yard, I have mostly weeds. Not much grows in the high desert without a lot of effort and then the critters just eat it! At least we’ve had a decent amount of rain this spring and are no longer in extreme drought. I think I might just take a run at DD this year. I need a kick in the seat of my pants!
Colleen – yea, you should join us!!!
Your yard is beautiful! Wish i had your green thumb! Isn’t it just amazing how dogs know just when to cuddle with their humans? ❤️❤️
Glad to see the picture of Rick with Hazel on his lap. You didn’t realize she was a therapy dog, did you? That’s exactly what happened the entire year my husband was home on hospice. Our Shih Tzuwas always sitting on his lap with one of hubby’s hands massaging her. They were good daytime buddies. (This is the man who said “No more dogs” for five years before he finally agreed to let me get one). At bedtime when I finally got him in bed, he’d always ask where Abby was and I’d put her on his hospital bed for 5 or 10 minutes to say goodnight before I got my turn to get my good night kiss. What would we do without our fur babies? Mary, your yard is wonderful. I know how much work you put into keeping it that way. I’m sure that is therapy for you, but it can be very tiring also. I loved the strippy quilt, in fact, I wish the person who made it would have kept going and made it into a size that would cover not just the top of the bed, but hung down over the sides also. It is very attractive. I wonder if it was made from jelly rolls!?! Prayers for both you and Rick. He’s lookin’ good, how does he feel? I hope he heals quickly.
Hugs, Jeanne in Co.
What a green thumb! At my house, aspen trees suckers grow everywhere. They are quite a problem.
The roof on my house is finished. Tomorrow starts new gutters, then the metal roof on the arbor and addition to the barn. This has been a journey.
Jo – oh my, I’ve been there before – so many things getting done at once and while you’ll be glad when it’s all finished, it’s very overwhelming right now. Are you still having trouble with woodpeckers?
Hi Mary, good to see Rick and Nurse Hazel together! Katrina’s parents have arrived from Taiwan, enjoying taking girls to school and kindy, next week they are all going to the waiarapa, wine country and lots of lovely country towns Watching the Crown and quilting on a chilly afternoon. Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – I’ve watched The Crown and really enjoyed it. Would love to see the little girls.
I would never mow hostas-they are about the only thing I can grow that do well. Squirrels are a horrible nuisance here and there are so many of them this year! I can’t find a bird feeder that is squirrel proof. I had bell peppers and carrots growing in pots and the squirrels pulled the carrots up and ate all the little green peppers! I also think they are getting my figs when they get any size to them. We have massive oak and hickory trees all over our property (acorns/nuts) and I am sure they get leftover grain from where we feed our goats but they won’t leave the other stuff alone.
Debbie – someone told me to cut up Irish Spring soap and put in the pots – guess we could both try it. It’s funny – the squirrels don’t. bother anything else except Jade. I put all the pots of pencil trees along the edge – they’re toxic – ha! But they don’t go near those pots!
Thanks for the picture of Rick and Hazel! I know the fur babes are relieved Dad is home; I would have liked seeing that reunion.
Take Care, 🥰
I too hate phlox and pull them every time I see them. Gaylen spent an entire morning on Saturday getting rid of phlox. I know Connie likes them. I wish she’d come here, pull them out and take them home with her.😁. And they have a heck of a root system.
Love the picture of Rick and Hazel – they both look content.
We had to take Angel to the emergency vet last night. All of a sudden she started shaking and panting. We let her outside and she would pee a little, walk forward a foot and crouch down again. Oh, oh! Urinary infection, kidney stones, bladder stones flashed through my mind. Urine test showed an infection but no crystals. She’s on pain meds for 3 days and an antibiotic for ten days. I’m praying she’ll be okay soon. If you don’t mind praying for an animal, please say a prayer for my special Angel. Thank you and have a great week.
Oh Mary! I’ve been at your place when the Lillie’s are in bloom. Heaven couldn’t be any prettier. It would be a shame to lose that. I’ve seen the hydrangeas also. Quite a show. I think the work is worth it. It might just be too much though what with being a nurse along with being a gardener. Hmmmmm
Jean – yes, what was I thinking to start all this gardening work yesterday? I think I was so tired of nursing I just had to get outside. I told Hazel we were going outside to do SOMETHING, even if it was wrong! Haha!
Hi Mary, thanks for the pictures. Glad day 2 went better. You have so much work. We downsized our garden this year. It is so much more manageable! We don’t have all our usuals, but it is easier on both our backs. Hope day 3 is even better! Hazel is such a helper!
Can’t believe how well your Phlox does that you want to remove them, mine not so much! Your Hydrangeas are outstanding too, got 2 new ones this spring and they are starting to bloom, replaced 2 that never did, hopefully they bloom again next Summer! To use the fence to help hold them up is brilliant!
What a great picture with Hazel and Rick, looks like he is doing good and hope he continues to do so! Having to be a nurse and take care of all the gardens and outside is a lot of work, hope you take a little time out for you Mary, you totally deserve too!
Carmen – I wish you could join me right now – I’m drinking coffee in the porch and talking to all of you. It’s perfect! And I’m going to throw those clumps of phlox out in the grove – maybe they’ll grow out there.
We began today with a cool breeze, so I opened several windows, but five minutes after I did that the acrid smoke from the northern fires arrived again. I feel such a loss to not be able to enjoy these summer mornings outside. Air quality is at 86… not good at all. My flowers look pretty from the window. Your hydrangeas are gorgeous! The phlox plants! I too planted that variety and was soon digging them out of the garden. The flowers weren’t great to begin with. Oh well, live and learn.
I am impressed your mother in law tongue plant is blooming. I have read that is very rare. Also read that the flowers may have a slight vanilla scent.
Hubby looking good. You and Hazel are good nurses.
Karen – I was shocked, too – that’s why I showed it to you guys. It’s pretty old – do you suppose that’s why it’s blooming? I should go online and read up. I’ll smell them today.
I also read they bloom only when they are stressed or neglected. I have long felt the more you neglect a houseplant the better they do.
My sister-in-law has a REALLY old mother-in-law tongue plant that blooms quite often. I have a start from it that’s at least 20 years old and it’s never bloomed. I’m forever hopeful!
Hoping for a great recovery Rick. Everyone is different but I was going back to church 2 was after my hip replacement and it was the best thing I ever did for myself. Now able to get out and do gardening and my yard work like before. I should have just done it sooner. Take care and don’t be to hard on your home nurse.
Mary, your gardens and plants are beautiful!! I always enjoy seeing your animals pictures too–especially that cute little Hazel!!
Your 🪴 r looking great,
Sorry about your cat..
It’s good Rick is home , it’s the best place to heal
With your pets surrounding U
Have a good day in Iowa,
I am trying to sew more, a few ole body aches hold me back some days..
But today I am ready to hang in my 🧵 room🙏🏼
Everything looks so green, healthy and vibrant around your farm! Rick’s therapy dog is doing just what she should- Hazel is the most precious nurse! ❤️
Hi Mary, have just sent you photos of Stella and Luna and Bella helping me make the quilt layout decision, and kinky ,quilt assistant. Also one of girls and Pauline and woody ,grandparents from Taiwan, hope all is going well with Rick. Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – I saw the pictures first and sent questions before I read this. Gosh I love those little girls – they’re the cutest things I’ve ever seen. I’ll bet those grandparents are missing them. Love the quilt, too.
Please don’t mow them down! I love lillies and hosta, not sure I’ve grown Phlox. I understand your frustration though. I planted a small clump of Lily of the Valley several years ago. They steadily took over one of my flower beds, trying to squeeze everything else out. I advertised on a local site “free Lily of the Valley, Come with tools and dig your own”. It didn’t take long and they were gone. I had my husband till that part of the flower bed pretty deep to get all the roots. We till about every 2 weeks to catch anything we may have missed. I’ll wait for next spring to see if there are any stragglers, then choose other plants to put there. I’ll do my homework before planting though!