I've been meaning to share these photos from the garden for awhile. These were taken in the garden's prime. It certainly doesn't look like this now as everything is starting to fade.
One of my favorite things this summer has been sitting at the bistro set on weekend mornings while I drink my tea and my guy drinks his coffee. I usually have music playing and sometimes I bring my camera.
It is complete serenity at 7am in our backyard. I find it impossible to not feel at peace in that moment. We sit and sip and talk about gratitude and dreams. I would happily start every morning for the rest of my life just in that way.
This girl is always by our sides. First she strolls around the yard, exploring for any new smells since the evening before. Invariably she wanders over to the tomato or berry plants and helps herself to a little treat, maybe a trip through the catmint which will make the kitties crazy when she makes her way back inside and then she plops down near us, looking as content to us as we must look to her.
Like everything else around here, our gardens have been a labor of love, slowly being molded to resemble the vision in my head. I really have no idea what I'm doing but I never let that stop me. I just fumble along buying and planting, moving and rearranging.
I used to get frustrated with myself for working this way. Now I just embrace it as part of my process and I actually enjoy it. It's incredibly satisfying to keep at something that you know nothing about and to eventually create something that makes your heart happy.
When I think back to what this yard looked like when we first bought the house, I am amazed at what we have created. There is still much work to do ,but I'm enjoying every moment of the process.
These sweet pea were gifted to me by a blog reader friend. They make the treehouse look like an enchanted fairy house while they are in bloom.
My gardens are starting to fade, too ~ except for my butterfly garden, which is going strong. I would love to sit outside this time of year and just sip on my tea, but the mosquitoes are insane. I hate having to resort to using chemicals, but we will probably get our yard sprayed one more time. It's ridiculous that we can't enjoy it. Your dog looks so peaceful and content. :-)
ReplyDeleteJen - Your garden photos are beautiful. Mine is really beginning to fade out also. We had a couple of weeks of very intense heat and so many of the flowers just couldn't survive it. They just started fading out.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
Judy
at this time of year, my garden reminds me of an overripe woman of a certain age desperately & determenedly trying to dress like she is in the spring of her youth:). i just want to burn it all to the ground and watch the gourds & pumpkins grow, put in prosaic spinach, kale and give it a little bit of autumn spit shine with mums. but it is so lush (i.e. an overgrown jungle) that i just can't make myself rip it out. plus, the bird & bugs are loving it.
ReplyDeleteyour garden is so perfectly lovely & perfectly you! love seeing it grow and evolve through the years.
oh, and i have that same vintage field guide to birds!
at this time of year, my garden reminds me of an overripe woman of a certain age desperately & determenedly trying to dress like she is in the spring of her youth:). i just want to burn it all to the ground and watch the gourds & pumpkins grow, put in prosaic spinach, kale and give it a little bit of autumn spit shine with mums. but it is so lush (i.e. an overgrown jungle) that i just can't make myself rip it out. plus, the bird & bugs are loving it.
ReplyDeleteyour garden is so perfectly lovely & perfectly you! love seeing it grow and evolve through the years.
oh, and i have that same vintage field guide to birds!
precious fur-girlie. how old is she now?
ReplyDeleteours (same breed) is 11.
lovely life and surroundings. thank
you for a glimpse. :)
Sherry,
DeleteShe will be 12 in September. I can't believe it and I hate it. I wish we could have her with us forever.
It's all absolutely beautiful, JJ! I want to take a garden stroll with you. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying this hazy lazy time of year. The sun isn't so blinding now and the heat has dissipated somewhat. You and I garden quite the same. I poke plants in when I find them or they strike my fancy, I divide what does well. I add little cobblestone or pea gravel to make paths and try my hand at new vines. It's an ongoing educational experience with lots of benefits!
ReplyDeleteYour dog is so, so sweet!!!
Jane
Your garden looks lovely -- it's always a work in progress, isn't it! Am afraid our yard has gotten so overgrown -- why is it that weeds seem to grow the best for me!! :) Enjoy the transition to fall -- one of my favorite times of year!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post. I felt such a sense of peace reading this. Your photos are just so sweet and your fur baby made me smile. I'll definitely be putting sweet peas on my list of flowers for next year. I've always loved them. I feel the same way about gardening as you do. I kind of just plant where I think something would look good and watch it grow. Trying to make the gardens our own since it's just the first year in our new home. : ) xoxo
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
Jen, I'm so with you on gardening, it is all about experimenting and yours looks a beautiful experiment! I adore your birdhouse and it has inspired me to make one myself ....I keep you posted how I get on!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post!!!
Love your photos and that beautiful dog ♥
ReplyDeletesummerdaisycottage.blogspot.com
I love the line, "I just fumble along buying and planting, moving and rearranging". That is exactly how I garden.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful little place to start your day off with! Don't worry, I don't think many of us have a true plan with our gardens. It just happens and works out in the end. : )
ReplyDeleteWhen we would take our goldens out for a walk and they would begin sniffing I would say that they were getting "the news of the day". I miss them. Your girl is so gorgeous. I love your gardens and imagine the fairies do too!
ReplyDelete