Some new babies!

And by babies I of course mean flowers. I'm still so sad that gerbera daisies are annuals. I just love them. These are the "festival" variety -- red and apricot.

These Ultra Rose petunias are definitely filling in the windowbox.

I think it's time to give up the ghost on this poor cyclamen. I just couldn't make it happy. :(

Elphaba has been up on this shelf a lot lately. She's such a little demon.

These guys are crabapple seedlings from Dan's uncle. We're hoping they get big and strong.

I really really like these begonias. They're so pretty!

I think this is a lily, but the stalk looks so dark. I've got my fingers crossed that I didn't let a weed get huge and take over.

In other news, we finally figured out where to put the windchime! Merry Christmas to me! :) Thanks, Mom and Dad!

This little guy is a new addition: a Japanese iris named Imperial Magic. Isn't he beautiful?

I also got one named Pink Lady (I didn't have any pink irises!), but she isn't blooming right now.

This sprout is coming up back in the corner by the windchime, columbine, gaillardia, etc. Not entirely sure what it's going to be.

Speaking of!

The Russian sage is really pretty too.

I love the texture of the sedums so much, so I thought I'd try for some close-ups. This is the serrated variety.

And here's the Kerry sedum.

They're just little paddles. I love them. :)

And the close-ups just kind of continued. Here are my precious little violas. :)

Wee yellow trumpets.

This one came out really well. My little Sarah Bernhardt peony.

I'm pretty sure this dianthus is just called Pink Picotee.

And my Granny dianthus. On both of these dianthus pictures you can see sooo many buds!

And speaking of buds, look at Stella!

I tried several close-ups, but bleeding hearts are so hard to get focused. This one of the white turned out pretty well. :)

My creeping phlox.

The very happy Shastas.

Summertime Blues

Well, we haven't really had any summertime blues this year, unless you count the horrific weather we've been having. Dear Mother Nature, screw you. Love, Mary

But on the bright side, if it doesn't rain today (unfortunately, rain looks eminent), we're going to have a barbecue! Every two weeks (give or take a month) we rotate with some friends of ours for who hosts a dinner party. This week/month was our turn, and we decided we needed to take advantage of it being summer, so it's going to be a cookout. We have everything prepared for make-your-own shish kabobs, which should be delicious. We also have garlic bread, ice cream with waffle cones, and a spiked watermelon. (You can't have a gathering of twenty-somethings for a meal without alcohol!)


Home de Pot has a nifty picnic table kit that includes the pre-cut wood and hardware. All you have to do is put it together. Of course, Dan didn't like the design, so he built his own.

We're thinking we might have a campfire tonight, too, once (if) it gets dark (while people are still here). To this end, Dan decided yesterday that it was as good a time as any to trim all the trees and make some firewood. The really cool thingy he's using is a little chainsaw on a long pole. Don't worry, he didn't make it himself. You can buy them like that, with the trigger at the end of the pole.

Your first view of Elphie's new collar! This cat is very unusual. Nikki and her roommate Val gave the kittens baths once a week just to make sure they'd be used to water. So when we put Elphaba in the sink, she's not the least stressed about it. In fact, she'll drink straight from the faucet.

I love how her little tail is draped over the edge of the sink. :)

She's been doing this thing today where as soon as Dan gets up from the table she immediately occupies his chair. She's a little brat.

My petunias are looking purty!

I don't know why there's that patch that has no flowers, but otherwise the dianthus is looking gorgeous.

Here's a (somewhat) better picture of the Before the Storm iris.

I'm really surprised and thrilled that the pansies are still doing so well! I know it's just June, but it's been getting into the eighties and nineties out there.

This petunia is on a mission to steal the show in my garden. And it's succeeding so far.

Outback!

My Gerbera daisies are reblooming! I wasn't sure if they would or not.

I'm so incredibly pleased with this Twist and Twirl coleus!

Iris heaven!

I have Las Vegas on both sides of the porch! The one on the other side finally bloomed. :)

And the main side is just going bonkers.

Three huge blooms on Las Vegas and one about to open up.

The newest one to bloom now has two flowers!

They're SO PRETTY!

I, uh, just can't seem to stop taking pictures of Princesse Caroline.

My snaps are looking good, even though I accidentally knocked one over with the hose. Oops!

All the verbena is going crazy, including the verbena in the mailbox!

See?

And unfortunately, it seems that there's a problem with this Gerbera daisy, because one of the new flowers has started getting brown spots too. :(

I need to make a matching one that says, "Keep Off the Indestructible Thyme."

My grape hyacinth isn't looking as bad as I thought. It almost looks like it's trying to make a comeback, but isn't it too late in the season for that?

This lisianthus is so darn pretty!

And last, but certainly not least, Her Royal Highness. Angry, as always, that anyone would dare to go outside without her.