Day 136

This Dill reminded me of fireworks!

The ones that burst out high and huge in the sky, 

arcing outwards then slowly string down to the ground below.

I was sitting on the floor of my living room, just inside the bay window

watching and waiting...and waiting!

Then they arrived! Flying in with the evening meal for the babies...

Good Momma and Daddy!

Day 135

At the end of the day today (well, the end of my yard work/gardening I should say) I had to just walk away. No matter how many times I looked at the garden, from any angle, it all seemed to be blurring together and I was feeling like it was NOT coming together. So I took a break and checked on the babies living in my hedges and shrubs...Although I can't see them, I think the Robin babies have hatched by the way the Momma is behaving in the nest. The Cardinal babies in my front yard Barberry shrub have definitely hatched. My husband heard them "chirping" (more like little squeaks) and we peeked in!!! There are two babies in the nest no bigger than my thumb! Mom and Dad fly in an out of there constantly. Daddy Cardinal was keeping his eye on me this afternoon as I stood on my porch thinking I might catch a shot of either him or Momma. Not a very good shot but I love watching them!! No sooner did I go in the house he flew right into the shrub with the babies!

After last year of being out of commission all Summer and nearly all of Fall, my gardens didn't resemble anything but neglect. I promised myself that this year was going to only be a year of getting things back into shape. No big changes. So far, I've stuck to that. I did divide up some perennials and move a few things around but mostly it's been about weed control, adding mulch and just cleaning up. I think it's looking OK but I already can't wait for next year when the few things I have added/changed start to bloom and bring a new touch of beauty to the garden! I've been told so many times by all my experienced gardener friends that it's a continual work in progress but I think my problem is I always feel like I'm 

starting over each year and not really getting anywhere!

Well, it is what it is and it really is OK...maybe not magazine worthy, but it is nice and most definitely a work in progress...I still need to finish my bricks and some other final touches 

but I guess it is "coming together" after all...

My favorite little fun corner of my backyard world...
where Fairies and Gnomes live and play together! :)

Day 134

Meadow's keeping track of her new ball! 

And me, I'm keeping track of the Coneflowers about to bloom!

These two different varieties look the most different at the stages they're in now. They seem to look nearly identical after blooming. I have to look very closely to tell any difference at all later. I think there's a minor difference in their centers but even those look very similar later after blooming. 

At least that's what I remember from the last couple of years! 

This year I'll get up close and personal with my camera to see the differences!