08.26.19 Remembering Auntie Paula - one year anniversary

It has been one year since Paula has passed away. She was an "Auntie" to the boys and loved them very much. They loved her visits and would cuddle with her and run and play with her. It was fun to watch them all together.

She was a grade school teacher who loved her children and no doubt they loved her as well.  She is fondly remembered for her kindness to everyone she met, and for those who follow the blog, for her great efforts and donations for the children in Yap and the refugees who were there in 2014-2015.

We miss Paula very much. I can still see her smile and the facial expressions she would make when she had to do something she did not want to do. I can still  hear her voice and her laugh. She touched many lives and I hope in return those people will also touch the hearts of others. One of the songs from her funeral Mass was "remember me as loving you".  I think that sums up her life very well. She had a great heart.



Paula loved pink roses.

Paula is walking with Fionnegan, Gunnarr and Shorty on a trail in the park.

Rest in Peace Paula. I know you are watching us!

08/01/19 Gardening with special interests

Where has the time gone this summer? Before I knew it, it is August and I have not done many posts for my friends. It has been a busy summer. We were very fortunate to have a visit from Heidi and Amos and their children, have been sailing a bit and doing a lot of gardening.

A few years ago I decided to plant flowers that would attract butterflies and bees because their numbers are decreasing and also for hummingbirds because, well, they are cute! I also decided to plant oriental lily bulbs in pots to protect them from the gophers that ate the bulbs in the ground. Well, it worked this summer. Well, today I saw three hummingbirds drinking the nectar of the honeysuckle, and a few butterflies and quite a few bees. The hummingbirds have nested in the garden and I have had at least one pair every year for a few years now. They make such a distinguishing buzzing sound when they fly from flower to flower - noisy little birds. This morning we had the resident cardinal pair at the feeder as well as several gold finches and the usual chickadees and titmouse. We also have lots of dragonflies and damsels for our garden entertainment.

There are flowers in bloom from the snow melt and we will have flowers until the heavy frost. With all of the rains and hot weather, everything is growing with abandon! I can barely keep up with the weeding and keeping a clear pathway to the house! The sweet fragrance from the lilies above fills the kitchen end atrium - a nice welcome to the morning or coming home. 

This is one of my favorites greets all visitors to the house. It is located on the corner of the driveway and sidewalk and is very showy with its deep purple color and bright yellow throat. To make up for the short duration of the bloom (one day hence the name day lily) there are many buds per branch.

We have lilies of all different colors, sizes and bloom times along the driveway and in multiple gardens around the house. For the most part, the deer do not eat them, hence my interest in planting them. However, I have had a few years where the deer walked up the driveway and had a colorful feast, much to my dismay.

Also keep wild flowers protected from weeding. These are my favorites - black-eyed Susan.

This is one of the most fragrant day lilies I have. It is absolutely beautiful and has a very pleasant sweet fragrance.

 

See the dragonfly on the lily?














It is time to end this show of flowers as I need to get to work. Hope you enjoyed this brief show of the lilies.

Fionnegan and Shorty watch me garden from afar! Somehow I am going to have to teach them how to help! Since Fionn is a digger, maybe he can help with the weeds! Unlikely I know.

 

My constant companion and buddy, this is Gunnarr who is never far from my side, or watching me intently from behind the fence!

May the road take you where you need to go.