Summer Time

 

...and the livin's easy! well, for me anyway. School's out, work's done, and flowers are planted.

the living isn't so easy for this little gal. just look at that load--check out all that pollen! back to the hive she goes, and then off again for another load. she just visited my cosmos, and i hope she'll be back. I'd really like a visit to my tomatoes. pollenation keeps everyone happy!

i'm so fascinated by these little bugs. they work so hard, know so much, and have so much to give. they are so amazing! I read a book last summer called Robbing the Bees, written by Holley Bishop, that is one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read. It has a little bit of history, a little bit of personal narrative, and a lot of teaching. makes me want to buy some Tupelo honey (and a hive of my own)! you should check it out if you haven't and are remotely interested in bees, beekeeping, or something good to read.

Buzzing off,

kt

 

Posted with Blogsy

It's Plantin' Time!

Good Friday morning!  It's a bit chilly here, and so windy, so I'm inside writing this instead of outside visiting my garden.  Oh well--I need the time inside I think.  I've nearly abandoned the inside of the house over the last couple days.  If I can get the kitchen cleaned and the bed made, we're golden.  

Anyway, we learned the hard way last year that April is too early to plant.  *gasp*  That was so foreign to me--I'd been eating fresh garden tomatoes by then for years!  About two weeks too late someone told us, "Yep, Memorial Day or when the snow melts on Taylor Mountain, whichever happens last."  What?!  For the record all the snow finally disappeared from said mountain in June.  We hiked & camped in the snow over Memorial Day Weekend, an absolute first for me.  So weird! 

With that knowledge this year we waited, and I am glad.  We did put the veggies in at the beginning of May or so, but made sure we bought frost-hardy, Idaho-friendly plants.  School ended the Friday after Memorial Day, so you know what I spent Monday & Tuesday doing!  I raided the local nursery and got busy in the backyard.  

Dahlias are one of my favorite flowers, and I'm glad these are coming up so well.  My zinnias--an absolute favorite--are trying, but I think something's eating them.  I'm working on those guys.  In the meantime, here's my first bloom from the dahlias.  They're so sunny and nice, and I enjoy seeing what color they'll turn out to be.  I've got a red one working on opening, and it will be fun to see what other colors we'll get.  Last year we planted a dinner plate dahlia--those were awesome!   

In other corners of the flowerbed and patio pots, I'm happy to report we're getting our first peony.  I planted a bulb last year and got the plant but no flowers, and this year it came back with one bud (yay for successful perennials!).  That bud is finally starting to open, and I hope it finishes by Tuesday.  That was one of our wedding flowers (that's why I bought it to begin with), and Tuesday is our second anniversary.  How cool would it be to get a bouquet flower on the day we celebrate our wedding?!

Well, that's it from here for now.  Have a perfect Friday, and I hope the weather wherever you are is good, safe, and makes you happy. 

With dirty fingernails,

kt