Sunday, March 11, 2012

Gardening, Shopping & Sushi ... Lowes, Mikata & Baskin Robbins

Yesterday was a beautiful day ...
gorgeous weather,
gardening, shopping
and sushi!
What more could a gardener girl ask for?


Yippee!  The irises are making progress (looks like I have more weeding to do).  I guess standing over them, and wishing them along isn't hurting!  Other "mad gardeners" know the gardening insanity of which I speak ...


I love my garden cart! It took many moons for me to finally get my little Cadillac.

Sycamore
The sycamore is one of my favorite trees.  They seem like they are made of porcelain with their smooth, white texture.  


"Mad Gardener" early in the morning ... that's a symptom of Spring Fever!

I'm going to have a mixed perennial bed here again very soon. :-)


Now, for the shopping ... on the way.


along the way ...


Here we go ... the Garden Center at Lowes ... I feel like a "kid in a candy store" already!



Hot Pink Geraniums - I'll be back for these!
 
I had to keep chanting to myself (silently, of course, since people would stare otherwise :-) ... focus, focus, you came here for specific plants, focus, focus ...



Cosmos
 
The Herb Department

I spent a lot of "thyme" ... yes, I just had to say that ... (among other thing$) in the herb department where I got:
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Cilantro
  • Oregano
  • Sweet Basil
  • Parsley
  •  Pineapple Sage
Special Pineapple Sage Note:  it smells like a pineapple upside down cake ... fabulous!  I always plant it near my path in and out, so I can stop and enjoy the lovely fragrance.  I've heard this is a delicious addition to iced teas (I'm sure it's good in hot tea too ... I'll let you know how that goes).

I still need marjoram, so I can make my spaghetti sauce with totally fresh herbs. 


Just caught my eye ...


Roses
 
O.K., aside from the herbs, I had two Double Knock Out red roses on my list.  I have spotted them down at the end of the table.  Focus, focus, focus ... lol


Ohhhh, the orchid section!!!  Focus ...




I really think orchids could be my next flower addiction ...  I quickly left the orchid section ... too tempting (plus my husband was watching me).  There would be no way to smuggle one to the Sequoia without him seeing me!  The daylily addiction is bad enough anyway!


Time for dinner at Mikata and here's a pic of our favorite, fabulous sushi chef.  Dinner here is always delicious.  :-)


I think this is just what my husband needed after his journey through the Garden Center ... :-).


Seaweed Salad

Rainbow Roll & Green River Roll


On to Baskin Robbins for a scoop of Three Point Chocolate for my husband, and a scoop of Daiquiri Ice for me!


Again, focus, focus, focus ... lol


:-)

Friday, March 9, 2012

Daylily Kwanso



Daylily - Kwanso

Another bloom from yesteryear ... still waiting on current blooms. :-)

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Confederate Jasmine

Confederate Jasmine ... my favorite of the jasmines in my garden.  It is very fragrant and perfumes the whole garden with an intoxicating, exotic scent.  Honestly, it smells like someone has splashed perfume in the garden when this is in bloom ...


... my Paint Shop Pro project

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Garden Visitor - Great Egret


GARDEN VISITOR - GREAT EGRET (USING THE STEPPING STONES)

GREAT EGRET - I SURPRISED HIM/HER WHEN THEY ROUNDED THE CORNER!
 I had a very unexpected visitor to the garden in the past.  I looked outside and there was an amazing Great Egret walking across the back yard (three feet in height)!  I found it very interesting that this bird used the alligator stepping stones in the garden.  I'd been replanting a flower bed, and I don't think he/she wanted to step in the loose dirt ... LOL.  After reaching the front yard, "Big Bird" (you know I name the birds around here) walked down the street, and disappeared into one of the neighbors yards.  I'm afraid he/she was up to no good.  One of the neighbors has a koi pond!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Fourth of July Roses by David Austin


FOURTH OF JULY ROSE BY DAVID AUSTIN

FOURTH OF JULY ROSE BY DAVID AUSTIN


More blooms from the past ... I love these Fourth of July climbing roses by David Austin.  I think they look like they're right out of "Alice in Wonderland."

Monday, March 5, 2012

Perennial Garden

BELOVED BIRDHOUSE AND PERENNIAL GARDEN
This is one of my perennial gardens from the past.  The daylilies are Mount Herman Giant (gold) and Point of View (red).  This little garden also contained Black-Eyed Susans, Blue Black Salvia, Cannas, a pink Knock Out rose and Lily of the Nile.  It was a joy while I had it until some juvenile delinquent squirrels decided to make a salad out of most of it (roots included).  Thank God they didn't have an appetite for daylilies!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Country Stars


CROSSING THE LAKE ... FROM ONE BRIDGE TO ANOTHER ...THE BEGINNING OF OUR DRIVE THROUGH THE COUNTRY ...


COUNTRY STAR #1 (WE THOUGHT HE WAS A COYOTE TO BEGIN WITH)


COUNTRY STAR #2 (A LITTLE SHY)

COUNTRY STARS #2 AND #3 - THE "MANE" ATTRACTION! 


HUGS


COUNTRY STAR #4


COUNTRY STAR #5


COUNTRY STAR #6


COUNTRY STAR #7 (WILD TURKEY) .... THIS MADE MY HUSBAND'S TRIP!



COUNTRY STAR #8

Just some sights we saw along the way this afternoon on our drive through the country ...