Flowers and Winged Things

Hello, friends!  Just a quickie post today with a few things from the garden.  First up is this vase full of Alstromeria from the back yard.  They're long lasting as a cut flower.  Just put them out on the cool back deck overnight.

The next photo is flowers in "casualty vases" on my kitchen windowsill.  I have one or more casualty vases all summer just for the things that somehow get broken off.  They turn into the prettiest arrangements.

Pictured below is a European Wool-Carder bee.  I spotted him/her in the garden and found it a curiosity I've never noticed before.  Easy enough to Google and learn it's relatively new to our area.

Finally, summer can't go by without a picture of a swallowtail.  Look how raggedy the poor thing's wings are.  Life can be rough.

We're heading out for a few more days of camping.  I appreciate the chance to escape this relentless wind and the neverending housework.  Wishing you a happy week!

First Camping of the Summer

Where is summer going?  I feel like we haven't done much of anything, even though we vowed we would get an earlier start this year.  Sure, we've enjoyed the garden and we love our home, but sometimes you just want to get away.  Well, we finally managed a few days -- close to home, but it felt like another world.

North Lake RV Resort and Marina. Lakeside, Oregon.

There's a huge area where dogs can be off leash, but you hardly run into another soul out there.  Do you think the sign below is a deterrent?

We've never run into a bear on any of the three occasions we've camped out there, but I suppose there's always the possibility.  Our first destination:  The north lake where Wally and LuLu like to swim and explore the reeds and water lilies.  LuLu is pictured below.

There are endless trails going every which way, perfect for hiking or biking.  No motorized vehicles other than the golf carts the employees use.

Plenty of wildflowers in bloom.  Pictured below is the fluff of an Oregon Douglas Spirea and the waxy red blooms of Black Twinberry.  Am I imagining how gorgeous this unexpected pairing is?

We like to stop for a lounge in the grass before we head back to camp.  Perfect temps for basking in the sun.

 

A woodland path is not to be resisted.  It's just one of many paths we walked during our 3-day stay.

 

Back at camp and ready to relax a bit before dinner.

 

This was a full hook-up campsite -- sewer, water, electric -- so we were able to avoid all contact and simply greet other campers from a safe distance.  It was just what we needed and we're ready to go again.  Thanks for visiting!

Life in the Garden

Our life pretty much revolves around the house and yard these days, with the daily neighborhood walk and an occasional trip to the store.  I keep telling myself how lucky we are that we have a sturdy, comfortable home and a roomy lot on the edge of the woods.  If we have to stay home and play it safe, this is not so bad.  There are days I don't feel so positive... and then I look at this face:

LuLu made a point of bringing this pot to me just in case I needed it.  She was so happy and proud.

She's my pretty girl.

Just walking around the yard taking pictures of this and that... these Oxalis along the path are such a delicate pink:

 

Pots of color on the south deck:

Wally and LuLu -- my two sweetest sweeties:

Just a snapshot of the day's activities... Rich was trimming some tree branches, Wally is coming to see what Mom's up to:

 

Another variety of Oxalis with daylily and Lady's Mantle:

The preceding photos represent a beautiful day in the garden.  The next day was ferociously windy, as is often the case here, so close to the bay.  Our little sanctuary has its own microclimate which is more sheltered, but the wind in the trees overhead is a branch-cracking horror.  The picture below is a sad sight, indeed:

I never expected to lose the tree that provided such pretty dappled shade over a good part of the garden.  All the plantings were structured according to that dappled shade.  I do love the sunshine, but the loss is huge.  A tree service will remove it on July 17 and the area will heal and start over.  Isn't that the way of things?  Take good care of yourselves.