Blooms For Mother's Day

These gorgeous flowers always bloom in May, and they remind me so much of my mama, Sam.  Jerold's mama also loved flowers, so every Mother's Day we bought them pretty hanging baskets for their porch and patio. A spring and summer of colorful blooms brought them more joy than a couple of days of expensive flowers in a vase!

Sam liked digging flowers nearly as much as she liked fishing. She'd stop by the side of the road to get a wildflower and never, ever passed up a plant sale. She generously shared cuttings and bulbs that I still enjoy today. Quite a few of them came from her mother's flower garden, especially the iris. I often gave Sam pots of perennials, which we planted together in her yard. I hate that I didn't get to dig up any of those daylilies and ferns before her house was sold.

Apparently my love of flowers must be genetic; I have an old fashioned rose that came from my great grandmother and a blooming shrub from my granny. 

This Mother's Day, I'm buying hanging pots for myself, and planting a few perennials in memory of the women in my life who passed on their passion for flowers and digging in the dirt.

Flowers...

are sunshine,

food,

and medicine

for the soul.

~Luther Burbank

Odds, Ends, and Junior

First and foremost, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won yesterday at Pocono! Although I'm not as wildly passionate about him as I was his Dad, he is my favorite active NASCAR driver. Second win of the year gives him a shot at the championship in this new format. Go Junior!

88 - 88 - 88

While we were camping last week, the deer apparently knew we weren't home and planned a raid on the smorgasbord of flowers in our yard. Massive hosta are reduced to stalks; my favorite roses were nibbled down to nubs. Of course they didn't bother the wild ginger or poison ivy. They have the whole woods, why do they need to graze up next to our house? 

Wittle do dey know dat I have my Elmer Fudd hunting hat and shotgun all weddy to twack dem wascally critters down...Wevenge will be mine!

** - ** - **

You never know what you'll see at the campground. People watching is one of our favorite activities. Some sights and sounds are indescribable and cannot be revealed. This trip included rednecks, unruly dogs, and questionable wardrobe choices. I'll leave you with this one. Picture a medium height, slightly chunky man with a beer belly, sporting a straw cowboy hat, wearing a form fitting green tee shirt with bright blue and white Hawaiian print knee length swim trunks, clomping down the path in a pair of cowboy boots, guzzling a beverage from a pink can coozie.  

No, he wasn't my guy, and yes, I was afraid to snap a photo.  

Unpredictable April Camping

We just got home from two weeks at Defeated Creek Campground. Springtime camping in Tennessee can be a little unpredictable. We experienced whistling wind, pouring rain, magnificent lightning, a bit of frost, sunshiny blue skies and gorgeous sunsets. Temperatures ranged from 31 to 80 degrees. 

 

Nevertheless, we were prepared and enjoyed most of our getaway on the shores of Cordell Hull Lake. One evening there were eighteen deer grazing together only fifty feet from our site, but they bolted before I could get the camera out. 

Camping Dinner

This week you'll find us at home, making up for lost time. I'll be zipping around on the Mustang mower and pulling weeds out of my flower beds. A trip to the garden center is in order for some pretty new blooms. It's work but I'm rested up and ready to dig.  

"If you don't like Tennessee weather, just wait a bit and it will change." 

 

All Play And No Work Equals Weeds

While we were camping, my flower beds have been taken over by weeds. Lots of them. That nasty invasive wild ginger has woven into the mulch and is trying to crawl up the shrubs onto the brick. Poison ivy is growing into saplings. Little maple trees have germinated from those whirlygigs. Pokeweed, wild blackberries and privet are everywhere. And I don't even want to talk about the crabgrass.

We kept the lawn mowed between trips, but I didn't take the time to pull weeds or trim. I'm making up for that now. I don't mind weeding, really, but this much is nearly overwhelming. One section at a time, and I'll get it done. It's the price I pay for living in the country and having natural, unstructured flower beds instead of manicured landscaping.

I was thinking of using a blow torch on the wild ginger, but since I mulch with pine needles that might set the whole yard on fire. At least my arms are getting a workout yanking up the stuff, but my hands are beginning to cramp. My trigger finger is sore from spot spraying poison ivy that decided to sprout between my hosta plants and behind the shrubs. If I could sell all the poison ivy on these five acres, I'd be a bazillionaire.

Oh yeah, thanks to the state highway workers who sort of mowed the right of way while we were gone. They cut to the ground the iris and vinca under our mailbox but trimmed carefully around a giant thistle plant and left it standing.

On a positive note, while I was taking a break I noticed hummingbirds are enjoying my gorgeous daylilies and butterflies are flitting around the purple coneflowers and blackeyed susans. If you need me this week, I'll be outside weeding, or resting on the porch with an icy cold beverage, or on the phone looking for a landscaping service.

When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it.  If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.  ~Author Unknown

I appreciate the misunderstanding I have had with Nature over my perennial border.  I think it is a flower garden; she thinks it is a meadow lacking grass, and tries to correct the error.  ~Sara Stein, My Weeds, 1988

Another Excuse To Sew

Summer Garden Paths

During the recent week of 100+ temperatures, I stayed inside as much as possible. I do not like hot weather, at least not that hot. It was a perfect time to indulge my sewing habit. Two new quilts, for wall decor or table runner, are nearly done. I made a pillow from the block I used to experiment with quilting stitches. A couple of new cotton shirts and a breezy summer dress are finished, and I shortened an old but favorite wrap skirt.

I have dozens of quilts, more than enough to cover the beds and walls of my home. I don't need to make new clothes or purses since my closets are already overflowing. I just can't help myself...I love sewing, quilting and creating things out of beautiful pieces of fabric. It's an addiction and I don't want a cure!

Purple Log Stacks & Teal Mixed Squares

Little Garden Square

 “The best thing to do in hot weather is stay inside and play.” –Anonymous

Random Summer Favorites

These are just a few of the things I love about summer. It's a time for being lazy at home, riding around the countryside, and listening to great music. Enjoy and have a safe Memorial Day.

“Saturday in the Park” – Chicago

Icy cold lemonade

Sittin' on the screened porch at dusk watching lightning bugs

“Windy” – Association

Breezy sundresses, sandals, and light cotton camp shirts

A delicious BLT made with Tennessee tomatoes

Fresh home grown veggies right out of the garden

“I'd Rather Ride Around With You” – Reba

Bright tropical island prints and cool sweet pastels 

“Soak Up The Sun” – Sheryl Crow

Juicy sweet watermelon and cantaloupe

Watering flowers in the early morning

“Brandy” – Looking Glass or Kenny Chesney

Reading a romantic novel or a challenging mystery

Homemade ice cream, any flavor

“Summer Rain” – Johnny Rivers

Watching the hummingbirds feed

AIR CONDITIONING!

Secret Ingredient For Luscious Blooms

My flowers have been extremely pretty this year and my yard is a riot of color. I'm sure part of it was the early spring. Big bright blooms and lush green leaves cover my rosebushes. My New Dawn rose on the trellis has lasted longer than usual, although yesterday's rain shredded some of the hundreds of sweet scented petals. My iris were huge and spectacular.

Purple petunias, vanilla marigolds, bright pink pentas, and coral geraniums have healthy, gorgeous blossoms and seem to be spreading quickly. Orange daylily plants are budded and ready to pop out this week; the vivid yellow Stella D'oro and Asian lilies are already blooming. My ferns, shamrocks and hosta are thriving. Even the houseplants are happier.

Perfect spring weather may be the answer. However, I believe some of the credit goes to the new ingredient I added to my plant routine this year...ordinary household epsom salt. 

Once a month I sprinkle some around in each flower bed, and a few grains in the hanging pots, either right before a rain or when I water. The only downside is that the weeds are growing well too. 

Thanks to my sweet mama for sharing your love of flowers with me.  Love you, Sam...Happy Mother's Day! 

Joy is a flower that blooms when you do. ~ Author Unknown

Happiness is to hold flowers in both hands. ~ Japanese Proverb

Preserving Summer's Bounty

This year we had decided to just plant enough that we could eat out of the garden, and maybe freeze a little bit. We were going to be camping and having fun, so I didn't want to spend time canning food (except for our famous salsa). Spring rains delayed our planting, but we finally got tomatoes, peppers and okra in the ground. My sweet mama planted some seeds while we were gone camping. “Just a few,” she said. Now we have cucumbers and zucchini growing like there's no tomorrow.

Friday, we sliced up cucumbers to soak overnight in lime and water to make them extra crisp. Saturday, we chopped them and mixed up sugar, vinegar and spices for another overnight dip. Yesterday I heated the mixture, sterilized jars, and canned eight half-pint jars of sweet relish. It's a recipe from I got from a co-worker over 30 years ago, and the only one I use for sweet pickles.

Funny thing, once I get started, I really enjoy the whole process. It's relaxing and satisfying to grow, preserve and eat your own food. It reminds me of my grandmothers, who had to can their own food in order to feed their large families over the winter. There are no artificial preservatives, only natural ingredients.

I'm sure if I calculated the cost per jar, based on my time and effort spent, it would be cheaper to buy them at the grocery. That's ok...I like carrying on family traditions, spending time outdoors, and seeing these pretty jars lined up on the shelf. For the next batch, though, I'm going to call my mama to come help me with these “few” cucumbers she planted!

Sweet Lime Pickles

           4 lbs. Cucumbers                               4 cups distilled white vinegar (5%)

           1/2 cup pickling lime                         4 cups sugar

           1 gallon water                                    2 tsp. pickling salt (non-iodized)

                                                                       2 tsp. pickling spices

Soak sliced cucumbers in water and lime mixture in a crock or enamel pan for 2 hours or overnight. (Do not use aluminum pan)

Pour off lime water, rinse cucumbers 3 times in fresh cold water. Soak 3 hours in fresh ice water.

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt and spices in a large stainless steel or enamel pot. For relish, chop the slices here and put spices in a muslin bag. Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar. Add cucumbers and remove from heat; soak 5-6 hours or overnight.

Boil mixture 20 minutes. Fill sterilized jars with hot mixture to ½ inch head space. Wipe jar rims and cap. Process pints and half-pints 10 minutes, quarts 15 minutes in a water-bath canner. Set jars on a towel until cool. Check lids and wipe jars with damp rag when cool. Refrigerate any jars that didn't seal; store others in a cool, dry place.

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The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses.  ~Hanna Rion

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