Sunday Stroll - Dappled Light

The end of June is almost here... Accordingly, the iris have bloomed and faded. One last skywings iris is in bloom amid the dry papery husks of the other blossoms. I wrote earlier in the years of "seasons within seasons." So as Iris Season, which bridged the gap between spring and summer, passes, the first of the roses unfold and the lilies and daylily buds swell. Their season swiftly approaches... it is just around the curve in the garden trail.

A clover blooms amid the lemon thyme, a charming invader, and the butterfly weed is cheerful and bright though not yet fully in bloom.

The Japanese Dappled Willow waves its green, pink and white flag-leaves in front of a bed of spent iris, while sunlight and shade dapple the garden trail.

This spicy pink dianthus blooms along the trail, and furthur down a single blue campanula has appeared this year. Many of my pansies are whithering away in this dry dusty season, but these blue beauties offer a splash of cool color.

Nothing cool about these bold and beautiful, Baby Sun Coreopsis!

The last of my peonies to bloom is an unknown cultivar... full, pink and old-fashioned and my most fragrant variety. This delicate mallow seems poised for flight, though if I lived among the herbs and roses as she does, I wouldn't be in any hurry to fly away.

Where-ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you joy!

Photo note: These were taken on Friday afternoon so that my daughter could borrow my camera for an event this weekend... The stroll and narrative, however, are from today. All photos by Aisling.

Sunday Stroll Invitation

"That beautiful season the Summer!

Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light;

and the landscape

Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

If you have time to stroll today, and if your weather permits, please post about about it on your blog and then come back here with a comment and a link to your post. You may use the Sunday Stroll button at the top of this post on your post or side bar if you would like. I will add participant names to this post so other strollers can walk through your garden too.

Look who's strolling:

Ruth at Musings of an Everyday Woman

Abbie at Farmer's Daughter

Margaret at Periodic Pearls

Cloudhands at Uncarved Block

Rapunzel at Rapunzel's Castle

Me, here at the Quiet Country House

Christiane at Spiraling

Jessica at Green Mamma Blog

Sunday Stroll - Meet the locals

Aidyn, one of our spoiled house cats, followed me down to the garden this morning. He decorated the bench, while I enjoyed the blossoms and the summer sunshine.

This little fellow, Ruby, came to visit while we were there. What? You can't see that little hummingbird sipping from the coral bells. (I know... Bird photos are not my strong point!)

A few days ago this lovely dinosaur...er, snapping turtle, visited our veggie garden looking for a place to lay her leathery eggs.

The pincushion flowers have burst in to bloom in the past few days, attracting butterflies, moths and honeybees.

Meanwhile, the poppies by the playhouse are losing their petals. I enjoy the orange petal-rain that litters the garden, but I am enchanted with the motley crew hanging around by the playhouse. Don't they look like characters from a Tim Burton film?

Wherever you are, however you are spending this first day of summer, I wish you wonder and joy!

all photos by Aisling, except the snapping turtle, which is by Haiku

June 2009

Sunday Stroll Invitation

"There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story."

~ Linda Hogan

If you have time to stroll today, and if your weather permits, please post about about it on your blog and then come back here with a comment and a link to your post. You may use the Sunday Stroll button at the top of this post on your post or side bar if you would like. I will add participant names to this post so other strollers can walk through your garden too.

Look who's strolling:

Cloudhands at Uncarved Block (A stroll down memory lane)

Linda at Crafty Gardener

Ruth at Rose Orchards Farm Market (and of Musings of an Everyday Woman)

Jessica at Green Mamma Blog

Abbie at Farmer's Daughter

Margaret at Periodic Pearls

Christiane at Spiraling

Sunday Stroll - Haiku's Vision

I took a stroll this morning, as clouds gathered. Many of the blossoms remained folded and tucked into themselves as I walked... but later in the day Haiku walked beneath sunnier skies and took these photos. Her close-ups are gorgeous, taken with an artist's eye I think, so I'm borrowing her images for today's post (with her permission.)

1) iris from a friend, unknown cultivar 2)fragrant yellow iris from the same friend 3)dark purple siberian iris 4) German bearded iris, Rock Star 5) Abalone Pearl Peony 6) Scarlette O'hara Peony

all photos by Haiku, June 14, 2009

Sunday Stroll Invitation

"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June."

- L. M. Montgomery

If you have time to stroll today, and if your weather permits, please post about about it on your blog and then come back here with a comment and a link to your post. You may use the Sunday Stroll button at the top of this post on your post or side bar if you would like. I will add participant names to this post so other strollers can walk through your garden too.

Look who's strolling:
Jessica at Green Mamma Blog

Linda at Crafty Gardener

Ruth at Musings of an Everyday Woman

Abbie at Farmer's Daughter

Cloudhands at Uncarved Block

Joyce at Tall Grass Worship

Margaret at Periodic Pearls (more of a "Sunday Soar!")

Diana at My Quiet Place in the Country

Sunday Stroll - The Blessing of Rain

Rain drips from glistening blossoms beneath a cloudy sky which promises more rain. The Clementine Aquilegia is a petite plant, almost overwhelmed by the other plants growing near it, and I have to move in close for these photos.

At the south trail-head of the butterfly garden the Skywings Iris, after which I named my garden (The SkyWings Butterfly Garden), are blooming and, nearby, bold Yellow Bearded Iris, a gift from another gardener, are standing proud and tall.

The fairy-tale series miniature lilacs are blooming now... Fairy Dust, Tinkerbell and Prince Charming all charm me with their delicate blossoms and the way they sweeten the air in the garden.





Descendents of the pink lupines that I brought home from my mother-in-law's property are just coloring up and a blue aquilegia, probably a McKana's Giant started from seed a couple of years ago, is blooming near a long stretch of lady's mantle (alchemilla mollis.)




Iris are blooming in other places along the trail as well, including these purple bearded iris and this Wild Jasmine Iris that is beautiful even before it fully opens.



I take a last glance over my shoulder, down along the trail. The garden is a quiet contemplative place on this rainy morning, as it receives the blessing of rain.


Up on the hill, by the garage there are only a few small shrubs planted, but this potentilla seems to thrive in its rocky bed.


At the front door, I pause again. I look out at the day, with its cloudy sky and its not-quite-warm June air, and I am content to be at home on this green hilltop. Where-ever you are, whatever the weather, I wish you peace.

Sunday Stroll Invitation

I am finding only a little time for blogging, or gardening for that matter, while I am enrolled in a very intense summer Economics course. I have two mid-week posts in draft form on my computer right now (Ruth, I will respond to your nice award eventually!) The one thing I just have to squeeze in is my Sunday Stroll... not only the blog post, but more importantly, that quiet, slow-paced walk through the garden. It is raining this morning, but I will be waiting for a break in the rain to get outside with my camera.

If you have time to stroll today, and if your weather permits, please post about about it on your blog and then come back here with a comment and a link to your post. You may use the Sunday Stroll button at the top of this post on your post or side bar if you would like. I will add participant names to this post so other strollers can walk through your garden too.

Look who's strolling:

Abbie at Farmer's Daughter

Margaret at Periodic Pearls

Me, here at the Quiet Country House

Nan at Letters From a Hill Farm

Cloudhands at Uncarved Block