July flowers?

June tornadoes bring July flowers?

My tigerlilies! (Their actual name is hemerocallis fulva, or common roadside lily. I just love them. I need more.)

An artistic shot.

These babies are still going crazy! I've decided I need more orientals in my garden, because they actually stay open and continue to bloom, while the daylilies (as their name suggests) are only open for a day each.

The third branch was going yesterday.

I can't remember if the back plant is my Little Italy or the dark red one, but it's sending up shoots, whatever it is!

This phlox is budding and just about ready to be purty!

Speaking of sending up shoots, my hostas are ready to roll!

The hibiscus is blooming again.

This Outback Paper Flower is just so unusual!

And my portulaca, trying desperately to overgrow its planter.

GOOD NEWS!!

While we were in Maine, I got a text message from Melissa, who found Pevensie outside of work with me. She adopted her!! So now my sweet little thing has a good home and I can hope to see her again!

Melissa said she's really not a cat person, but she couldn't resist this sweet little thing.

She really is just a doll.

And it nearly killed me to take her to the humane society. She was shaking and I was crying and it was really just a big disaster.

Also, our vacation was a blast. Maine is gorgeous.

We snuck around in the bushes by the ocean.

The Owl's Head Lighthouse says NO TRESPASSING!

This is the view from the restaurant we had lunch at one day. Delish.

Chuck spotted this boat, and I had to take a picture. ;)

LOBSTERS! They're nasty little creatures.

Dan made a friend.

...and so did I.

Look at that water!

The rocks at the Pemaquid Point lighthouse were sooo cool.

That's the Pemaquid Point light in the background.

The sound of the waves is so soothing.

This is the Breakwater, another lighthouse. The actual light isn't nearly as impressive as the huge granite stones you walk on to get there. It's like a mile out into the ocean.

This looks like a pirate ship! And the flowers in the foreground are pretty cool.

The "sunset" off of the World War I memorial tower on Mount Battie.

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!

Turn on your PHONE!!

Yes, that's right. I want to send you cryptic text messages that won't make sense to anyone else. When Dan and I watch a movie and I think it would be funny to send you a quote I know you would know, I realize it would be silly because 7 days later it would be sent back to me with a message with the general gist of, "Hey doofus, don't you know that she doesn't check her messages? Stop sending them!"

Anyway.


The dianthus is going crazy! I just love it. I bought one for Granny for her birthday, but it isn't this color. I'm thinking I might have to buy one like hers. But I do have seeds I need to sow -- two packets of pinks. :)

Look at my Outbacks! It's a good plant. I'll have to get another one next year. Do annuals in pots last more than a year?

This white petunia pooped out for a little while, but it's back with a vengeance.

Dahlias from tubers coming up very prettily, wisteria going cray-zay, and basil.

Dahlias making a comeback, especially the pink. The highlighter dahlias don't seem to be too excited about an encore.

Fusion Glow exotic impatien. Aren't they pretty? The plant had absolutely zero flowers on it when I bought it. Yay for blooming!

The coleus are both going crazy with their flower stalks.

Look at the buds elongating on the oriental lilies! Hopefully they'll open soon.

My newest iris, Before the Storm, opened up on Monday, the day after the incredible psycho storm. So I told Dan I was going to dub it "Before/After the Storm." We'll see. Anyway, it's so dark purple it's almost black. I got it because I thought it was so unusual. :)

Here's its close-up.

I'm pretty sure those are my glads coming up. Please please please!

This little guy is all alone out in the middle of the yard! I almost stepped on him today and I'm surprised I didn't decapitate him with the hose.

The peaches are getting big!

Elph decided the strap on this handbag looked like a yummy treat.

Much to Ginger's chagrin, Elphie does still seem to have the urge to nurse. Which kind of freaks Ginger out.

So I gave them both a bowl of milk.

Elph also explored the sink in the bathroom.

And the mail cubby as Dan took it apart and shrunk it. (Notice her new collar?)

Hiding. Encouraged by dad.

Ginge was still ticked that I was outside watering plants without her.

And last but not least, Dan decided that the pre-cut, easy-to-assemble picnic table kit at Home Depot was just not a good design, so he made one himself. From scratch. Well, obviously he didn't grow the trees to harvest their wood, but you get the idea. The finished product will be posted tomorrow. :)