BW’s been off to the beach with pals this week, and I’ve tried to make the most of the quiet house—and no cooking. Good, solid writing days—a few interruptions for other business, other duties, but a good, solid week.
That left the weekend to catch up a bit with domestic chores. Weeding, deadheading, watering, laundry—and I do believe our washer is dying, which will be a PITA to deal with. Oh, and scooping dog poop off the pavers. Why, why do they do that? There are countless places for dogs to do their business around here.
BW’s in the habit of giving the paver-pooping dogs their evening treat right around eight o’clock. Since he’s not here, they come wherever I am, sit, stare with loving and hopeful eyes. Right about eight o’clock.
How do they know it’s time? And when I go to the closet where we keep those treats, it’s insanity. Dogs are so easy to make happy.
Though we have a sprinkler system for the garden beds, the lack of rain and the heat (I LOVE the heat!) meant pots needed watering pretty much daily. But they’re rewarding me for the attention.
And finally last night, the breeze started blowing through my open windows, and I heard it coming. Some rain, at last.
So today, on this Sunday in June, after a morning workout, I could just walk around the gardens and enjoy. Something’s knocking up in the woods, but it sure doesn’t sound like a woodpecker. I don’t know what else might make a softer, slower knocking sound, but hope it’s friendly.
I’ve already got Black-Eyed Susans blooming here and there though it’s early for them. And the nasturtiums I planted from seed are growing bigger. Can’t wait until I see them bloom. The sweet alyssum and heliotrope smell glorious. My woods are green and lush.
We’ll be heading out for our family vacation in just a couple weeks—destination to be revealed when we get there. But for now, I’m prizing this home and garden time. June rewards a gardener for work done in April.
Nora
Happy National Garden Week! I love seeing pictures and hearing about your garden.
Beautiful gardens. Nice green thumb.
We’ve had a solid month of rain in the Colorado high plains. Unheard of! My two acres are filled with weeds and frogs. Am reading the In the Garden trilogy again since I can’t be outside gardening because of the steady rain. On the bright side, I should have plenty of fresh salad stuff next week.
What type of flowering shrub is in the first photo? It has pink flowers. We lost some landscaping to a late hard freeze in our area and will need to replace a few things. It is a type of weigela? Anything with pretty flowers that is low maintenance, blooms all season, and tolerates benign neglect and less than full sun would be welcome. Your garden always looks wonderful, but I have a black thumb and only choose what I want and delegate the planting to someone else!
It’s a spirea. Very low maintenance.
That’s a Spirea. They grow fast and beautiful!
Thank you for the pictures! Your gardens are so beautiful and I hope you find out what’s knocking up in the woods…
By the way I LOVED reading “Identity”. It was so exciting I read it in 2 sittings…
Sounds like the perfect weekend.
Just finished Identity this week 👍🏻
Such a lovely garden!!! I live through others’ gardens 🙂 I can’t grow anything – I’ve even killed bamboo once!!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your garden with us again, Nora. It sure is a beautiful reward. And I absolutely love the dragon! Looking forward to another of your captivating travelogues. Not to mention learning the answer to, “Where *is* this year’s family vacation?” 🙂
Getting a new washer is a PITA, but not nearly as big a one as it flooding out the bottom, depositing 2-3 inches of water in the finished basement, and having 5 months of chaos, noise, smells and dust. Ask me how I know. Just get a new one ASAP. I still have PTSD.
Your gardens are so magical, I simply love the Dragon sculpture, have a wonderful holiday with your family.🤗
I love your gardens and all the fun decorations you have added. It looks like such a fun, cheerful place to be
Always enjoy pictures of your lovely garden. Isn’t it great to just a place all to yourself once in a while?
Love the pictures of your garden. My knee replacement makes gardening not possible for me currently, so enjoy yours. Love the dragon!
Love the pictures of your garden. My knee replacement makes gardening not possible for me currently, so I enjoy yours. Love the dragon!
Beautiful gardens. We haven’t had rain in almost 2 weeks here so I can relate, daily watering. I love the dragon. Is it destined for a special spot?
Always fun to see what’s up with you and family.
Enjoy vacay where ever it is 👍👍👍
I always enjoy your garden updates! Have you tried nasturtium in a salad? You can use the leaves and the flowers. I use just a little along with a salad mix of different greens. It gives a nice peppery pop without being too spicy. Mine just got planted along with a few other direct sow seeds yesterday. Won’t take long for them to catch up with everything else. We haven’t had much rain in the Vancouver area so watering on the balcony is a daily endeavour.
Yes, indeed. Love adding it.
I’m chuckling about your dogs. We have two rescues, and one of them is poops on the driveway every day! And treats? Oh boy! It’s crazy time. They get a treat when they go out to do their business. I swear that they go out so often is because they know treats follow! They have me trained.
I love your garden. Mine is minuscule, but enough work and pleasure for me. I’m always reading one of your books. Im now reading Without A Trace, finishing the O’Hurley trilogy. Next is Identity. Keep them coming, Nora, if you please. I love everything you write,, but I’m running out of new titles! Bless you!
Sounds like a beautiful, peaceful and productive week. You have a lovely garden (love the dragon).
Beautiful garden
Love your flowers! Our washer died so we purchased a Speed Queen top loader (TC5000). LOVE it! It’s made in WI and is a basic model, no frills. Takes only 30 mins. to wash a load of laundry. I can wash a set of queen sheets and a blanket, it doesn’t get out of balance. Check it out! 😍
Oh my! I love your garden! Thank you for writing some of my favorite books!
I’ve been in the garden too! Mowing the lawn took up 3 big bin bag fulls to the recycle bin but so worth it. I’ve trimmed the borders and it looks so much better! I’m on annual leave next week so hopefully the gods will shine on me and we’ll get more sunshine. Happy gardening!xx
When I was a kid, we had a Brittany that my mom swore knew how to spell ‘treat’ and ‘bone’. She was a maniac for milk bones. Your garden is looking fantastic! Early spring in Colorado this year has been a series of highs and lows. As soon as it looked like something was ready to bloom, we got more rain/snow/sleet. Holding my breath over the clematis. Springtime in the Rockies. Hope your trip to places unspoken goes without a hitch.
Your gardens remind me of those in THE WITNESS.. how well tended by both Abigail and Brooks. As for the pups… they belonged to the eldest 2 boys and adored by the 3rd… Wicket could hear HER boy when he hit the neighborhood, home from College. How she knew? Beyond me. Cassidy understood that she was THE QUEEN and he waited patiently for treats and food until she had hers. How did HE know that? And wen she traveled over the Rainbow Bridge… he literally mourned her for a month. Slept next to me and at 31 days… back to his bed at bedtime. How did HE know? I think they just do… my grandpups bark upon my arrival, sniff, bark HI GAMMA and then are off after hugs and loving. They are all part human I believe.
Just finished Identity – a treat I found in my library after a root canal at the dentist !! And I’m the first one to read it !! Thanks Nora – it eased the pain 🙏
Love all your books!
Have re-read most. My library doesn’t have all and I can’t afford to buy so I keep looking for sources. I haven’t found Lilah and Suzanne’s stories yet..my next goal. Also Irish boo.ks.