Summertime Porch View. . .

Do you see the Robin?
Two views, one at the front of the bird bath and one at the back.
I love to watch the robins in the bird bath.
They duck their heads right in and shimmer and shake all over.
Linking with Saturday's Critters.

California Heat
~
"YES . . . Hot is the word

but cooler yesterday and it should be the same today.

It was 117 on the patio a week or so ago..and I thought that was horrific,

but then just three days ago it was 120 out there.

It just plain cooked my plants.

I've tried to keep them sprayed to keep them cool

and it worked on some and not on others.

My pretty plums have been sunburned

and so has my pretty little Japanese Maple tree. 

The little tree is just crispy!

My front porch was full of birds . . .

I counted five hummingbirds and all sorts of other sparrows, and little finches. 

The five (second hatching) baby birds on the back patio

decided to leave on the hottest day. 

I am not sure how many made it. 

The parents were frantic . . .some were on the patio deck

which is stone and I had kept it watered to keep it cool. 

The bird house is on the patio in the shade

but it is up near the tin roof which was like an oven.

I've also tried to keep a bit of water in the gutter

out front of the house under the pear tree and pine tree for the birds

and both of my fountains are kept full of fresh water. 

It's pathetic to see so many birds with little open mouths

sitting around on top of the fountain trying to just stay alive. 

The giant pine cones fell in record amounts. 

We got scorched and I understand more is on the way this weekend."

~

It is hot in Michigan this weekend but nothing

like what they have had in parts of California.

A blogger friend who some of you might know

isn't posting as much as she used to.

I sent her a message asking if she was

having the horribly hot weather that has been in the news.

Thus, her answer above.

 

How kind she is to help her bird friends with fresh water.

Thought you might enjoy reading this message from Mona.

She gave me permission to share. 

~

I am keeping these words/thoughts in my heart this week

and even the weeks beyond.

liberty   peace   honor   independence   justice   respect    

Summer Ending . . .

Jack and I took a drive to the big lake

the other night to watch the sun set.

It was a beautiful summer evening.

maybe you'll think that first photo is the best

but almost in the same setting

the second one really spoke to me

I saw  . . .

the beach   the sand

the water

off in a distance

a lighthouse close up

a light house far out

sailboat

park bench 

trash barrel

people standing on the edge of the shore

evening clouds

sun setting

summer ending

~

Happy Labor Day

enjoy the day

One More Thing . . .

crossed off the list . . .

Grandson Jordon and I cleaned up an unsightly bunch of

dead Bitter Sweet vines hanging in the huge Oak tree behind our house. 

Jordon did most of the work,

 I just shouted the directions.

The trimming and pruning took a few hours.

The yard was a mess but we had it cleaned up in no time.

The Bitter Sweet vine is at least twenty five years old

and through the years it has woven

itself up and around the bark of a huge oak tree.

The vines had climbed so high that we were unable to see the berries.

Jordon's trimming left a few branches down low,

fortunately they are laden with berries.

The squirrels and birds will enjoy the berries wherever they are

and we will enjoy seeing the unsightly vines removed!

The vine seems to be losing its end of life.

The twists and turns of the wooden vine almost

take on the appearance of an art piece.

I was happy we could maintain most of the "art piece" look.

(Maybe some of you'll remember seeing the tree/vine from past posts.)

If you look at the photo of Jordon climbing inside the tree

you'll see some of the vine winding up the tree, some of the berries too. 

Soon they will be a vivid red orange.

Jordon has been such a help with different outdoor projects.

Not only for me, but for his other granny too.

We appreciate him

 and his cheerful, considerate, self motivated

fun way of being.

Once again, thanks Jordon!

~

In addition to cleaning up the unsightly vines

we were able to have out first fire in our new fire pit.

Believe me . . . I will be showing some photos very soon! 

~

that's all I have this time

see you again soon

thanks again for your friendship

Love ~ Lynne

Blue Beauty . . .

 

My friend Jackie's Hydrangea . . .  she does nothing to create this beauty.

 no watering, trimming, fertilizing, NOTHING, yet . . . she brings some beauty

 she smiles at them and watches me when I stop over to steal a few!

I bet they look large here to you, in person they are HUGE!

Jackie isn't sure how old this Hydrangea bush is, thinking may 50+ years. 
year after year she brings this blue beauty
 

I dipped the ends of the hydrangeas in some alum,

per a suggestion from my friend Barbie.  

thus the cloudy water.

~

For Jackie

"Even in the smallest and humblest garden,

a sturdy hydrangea at once proclaims the place

as the abode of a real gardener

rather than a mere purchaser

of plants to cover the landscape."

Washington Park Arboretum Bulletin, 2006

~

he draws the essence

of his heart - a nascent firefly

in meadow-spun light

and blazing summers arrive

summoning blizzards

of blue hydrangeas

kokoro

from

hellopoetry.com

~

be kind to one another

shalom

my friends



Summer Picnic . . .

We were invited to a summer picnic a few nights ago.

The very hot and humid weather that has been 
hanging around the past few days.

certainly didn't faze our having a grand time.

It was a wonderful evening.   

This  greeting was visible by the door.

We had been with this group of people at various holiday gatherings

but this was the first time we had been in the Walters home.

Five minutes after I was there I felt honored to be invited to

spend some time with this gracious, welcoming family.    

 It didn't take me long before I noticed some of the art work. 
This piece above was done by a family member.
The hostess told me that their grandchildren
had named each person in the painting. 

 and the food, oh my goodness.
Steak and Walleye and Perch  

 potatoes, cole slaw, baked beans, green beans,

 

 fresh fruit, veggies

and every kind of pie imaginable

vintage table cloths on each of the tables, so pretty

there were appetizers and refreshments too

and a decision was made to eat indoors because of the

warm, still, no breeze weather



and after eats and visits we were treated to a hay ride around the farm

not everyone went on the ride but those of us that did

enjoyed every minute

even the narrow turns, branches, bugs too

and the sunset was beautiful

and almost hidden from view was this old wire fence and post

a perfect pic for good fences 

I wondered if we would cross this bridge

I just knew there were trolls under there

and I could hear them say

"whose that crossing over my bridge"

(we rode beside not over)

 Jerry the host had put up hay the day of our picnic
We had fresh hay bales to sit on while on the wagon  

the evening ended with us visiting together outdoors

we enjoyed watching and listening to the host

as he called up the

bull, steers, calves

 to the house

 for an evening treat

"C'mon Boss, C'mon Boss, C'mon Boss"

~

a truly wonderful evening

~

In all of life, have much fun and laughter.

Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.

Gordon B Hinckley

~

Home wasn't a set house, or a single town on a map.

It was wherever the people who loved you were,

whenever you were together.

Not a place, but a moment, then another,

building on each other like bricks to create a solid shelter

that you take with you for your entire life,

wherever you may go.. 

Sarah Dessen, What Happened to Goodbye 

~

time to say goodnight

good night

 



Roadside Stands . . .

 

We have benefit of a wonderful City Farmer's Market.

We also have benefit of many Local Roadside Stands

located here and there, not far from our home.

 

Each, both are wonderful.

This is a post to honor the local farmer

and summertime roadside stands.

 

The other day we took some time to visit a few roadside stands,

Sodini's Blueberry farm was one of our stops

 

 

 you can pick your own blueberries or purchase already picked

we purchased already picked and started eating them right out of the box 

Shortly after arriving home
I made a yummy Blueberry Torte for starters.
I'll be making Blueberry Muffins next.

River Road Roadside Stand

fresh veggies daily

Just a hop, skip and a jump
really not far from our home, there is a small veggie stand.

I drive by this stand when leaving the house to go out and about 
and drive right by when I am returning home.
Perfect place to make a quick stop
to pick up some fresh veggies for our evening meal.
can you believe it, only 25 cents each

Naan Bread, Veggie Pizza
I cut up some zucchini and summer squash,
 and began to saute' the veggies
with sliced onions, peppers, tomatoes.

I brought out a cookie sheet,
 added a bit of olive oil to the Naan bread,
sprinkled some pepper cheese on the bread,
added the veggies, added more cheese on top,
  set the oven at 400 degrees
and baked the Naan bread, veggie pizza
for about 8-9 minutes.

no doubt about it
YUM

 our favorite sweet corn stand wasn't opened on

Maple island Road

but right down the road we found another

and it is a gem

the photos say it all

this stand was totally self serve

one red money box, a few signs and some corn

loved this, one size bag for 1 dozen and a different sized bag for 2 dozen

I was over the moon at this tackle box, tool box, make shift money box
duct tape signage works too

this was the first corn pick of the season,
very young corn is truly my favorite
I bet the next pick will be perfect

Michigan Home Grown Sweet Corn
 

 

Zucchinis terrific!

Like bunnies, prolific!
author unknown
~
The trouble is, you cannot grow just one zucchini.  Minutes after you
plant a single seed, hundreds of zucchini will barge out of the ground
and sprawl around the garden, menacing the other vegetables. At
night, you will be able to hear the ground quake as more and more
zucchinis erupt.
Dave Barry
~ ~
There Are No Happier Folks
Than Plant Lovers
And None More Generous
Than Those Who Garden.
author unknown
~ ~ ~
Gardening is cheaper than therapy
and you get tomatoes.
author unknown
~
that's all I have
signing off
nite, nite

 

Ask Yourself . . . .

Ask yourself what is really important
and then have the wisdom and courage
to build your life around the answer.
author unknown

  





 

I am lost in flower joy

out I go with the scissors

snip, snip, snip

and I have flowers

for my vases

the bright reds are a combo of

crocosmia and montbretia

(first found in Ireland)

some bee balm in there too

what a wonderful world



 We lose ourselves in the things we love
We find ourselves there, too.
Martz

found on tanna's

The Brick Street Bungalow

~

"I want to take this day,

fold it up, and put it in my pocket

so I can have it again and again. 

What is really necessary in life? 

A blue bay to gaze on . . . sun."

Under the Wide and Starry Sky

Nancy Horan 

a great book about

Robert Louis Stevenson

~

"The fact that I can plant a seed and it becomes a flower,

share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's,

smile at someone and receive a smile in return,

are to me continual spiritual exercises."
  Leo Buscaglia

~

“The things that make me different are the things that make me."

A.A. Milne
Laura, Forest Dreams

~

enjoy sharing your beauty