Monday, June 23, 2008

Relax and look at the flowers!

As my daughter's graduation approaches seems like there's not enough time to clean, cook and prepare for all that needs to be done for the onslaught of visitors, but since our house is old, dust looks right at home in it. If we don't have enough food to go around, people will just have to chat. Anyway, I was feeling a little stressed by day's end, but a walk around the yard put things back in perspective.

Here are a few leaf snapshots:

water like beads on a newly waxed car

wavy leaf

leaves at work

Even the ordinary is beautiful in sunshine

Sunlit leaves

Leafy prayer

And here are a few pictures of blooms:


Top view

Posy profile

Beautiful from any angle

Veined petunia

Mostly white pinks

pretty from any direction

petals like a pair of hands clasped around a surprise

tender smiles of gold

beauty born of rocks

feverfew in early evening light



Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

I almost heard Gomer Pyle (remember him?) exclaiming "shazam" and "surprise, surprise, surprise" in my garden when I took a quick stroll around this afternoon. A lot of flowers burst into bloom, seemingly overnight! Must be the flower fairies FedExed them. Foxglove, columbine, cornflower, sweet williams (pinks), campanula (balloon flower), colorful, yellow coreopsis blooms... The overpowering sweetness of the brambly, multi flora rose has almost peaked, and the old fashioned roses are spent (due to several heavy rains) before they really had a chance to bloom. The glorious poppy is just a bright memory and the peony's petals have fallen with the rain.

Foxglove (digitalis)

Coreopsis

Coreopsis -bloomed overnight!

Coreopsis bud

Multiflora rose- so sweet !

Blue cornflower

Sweet Williams (pinks)

Columbine

Old fashined rose

Rosebud

Campanula

Yellow flag iris- thanks, B!

Decorative grass from a dear friend

Friday, June 13, 2008

Flag Day

Today the school celebrated Flag Day, community and school spirit. The entire student body (pre-K through seniors) gathered on the bus loop to raise the flag and recite the pledge of allegiance. Afterwards, several hundred voices joined in singing "Happy Birthday" to Mr. P, and then the whole crowd cheered the winning softball team as girl received an introduction along with their coach.The whole community wished them well on tomorrow's games. J's entire class got into the patriotic spirit by wearing red, white and blue clothes with matching hair!

Honoring Flag Day, an important birthday, school spirit and a winning softball team & coach

Flag day hair

Getting the gunk off

Thursday, June 12, 2008

An official welcome

Afton Welcome Stone


Today the new stone announcing Afton, NY, was set in place and it looks very official now. You are here. Afton. Welcome! There are many more new blooms to usher us into the summer season also. Attended a fine, fun baseball game between seniors and staff yesterday. Loose rules, lots of fun, winners all.

Big truck


Iris

Sweet William (pinks)


Daisies

Poppy!

Poppy bloom

Happy Poppy Day

Lone poppy

Lily

Flowering kale, strawberries, lettuce

Big checkers and small potatoes

Watching

Staff league

Seniors

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Hot weekend

Yesterday, I noticed a Scarlet Tanager cooling off in the creek. I haven't seen one often but it's very a very distinctive bird with a brilliant red body and black wings.Later in the afternoon my daughter and a couple of her friends were cooling off in the same creek, which gave the mosquitoes welcome variety in their diet. I laid low this weekend, trying to shake the remnants of a cold so finished reading Clear Springs by Bobbie Ann Mason.Today, we noticed Sunday traffic slowing in front of our house where the creek runs under the Route 7. Much to my husband's joy, a crusty, old snapping turtle was crossing the busy road. D loves turtles and will make a U-turn every time he sees one on the road. Maybe he should have a bumper sticker that reads, "I brake for turtles".Anyway he and J grabbed a long walking staff and herded the turtle toward the other side. It may be looking for a place to lay eggs- I think this is the time of year they dig a hole to deposit eggs.

Phlox along the creek

Pa's potato patch

Backyard garden

Phlox and Iris

I love lupine!