Thursday, April 12, 2012

Sneezing our way home.............


Nature notes from the garden on our return...........

It's fun traveling to new places..............but there's no place like home. The blooming Peace roses beckoned as we walked up to the front porch..........

..........and the Clematis was twirling up the front steps.

On our return the garden was especially lovely and full of floral surprises..........but I won't show you the thick yellow coating and tangles of oak pollen threads covering and discoloring everything in sight! Major cleanup is underway as we scrub the cars, power wash the deck, blow away the sneeze producing pollen.......and reach for the allergy medicine.  Oak pollen appears to be at a 25 year all time high...........I believe it.


An extra surprise...........a nest being constructed in the jasmine climbing the porch post and finches flying in and out. Birds active now - and as soon as we filled the feeders they were joined by our many resident squirrels. Our neighbors spied the foxes in our garden whilst we were gone......so far we don't seem to have a new family out there but who knows what might happen later this Spring.
Yes, home and garden........still my favorite place.

12 comments:

  1. Home...I couldn't agree more. No matter where I travel, I always enjoy coming home. (Even when the pollen is an inch thick on the porch!) -Carla

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  2. Your flowers and garden are beautiful Mary. We have a little pollen here at the new house, but mostly little buds and fuzzies falling off the trees onto the deck.

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  3. Dear! Welcome back home! I have missed you lots! Hope you had a wonderful time on this fabulous trip of yours, can't wait to hear all about it. Meanwhile, I've been enjoying daddy's visit. We're having a great time! Sending my love your way, hugs and kisses! Miss you! Love, Vanessa

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  4. Traveling is wonderful, but, as you've said, home is even more so. And what a pretty welcome you've had - other than the oak pollen. A-choo!

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  5. Welcome home - and here's a virtual box of tissues! I hope the beautiful colours of the blooms make up for the pollen.

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  6. How lovely to return home. It is always so wonderful to travel, but returning home has such sweetness. Being greeted by birds and flowers, even better. The Peace rose is one of my favorites and rose and clematis together is pure delight.

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  7. There is no place like home is there. Your front porch and beautiful flowers look wonderful to me too. I hear it is to be a longer allergy season due to the short winter. It doesn't affect me but hubby gets quite sick with it. Time to medicate him! Hugs, Pamela

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  8. Welcome home, Mary. Although I didn't always comment, I followed you on your travels! It's not quite pollen season here, so I have been rather lucky. But when it comes...look out! You might just hear me sneezing!

    Your garden is looking beautiful and I know it is a real treat to see those cute little finches!

    XO,
    Jane

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  9. What a beautiful home you have Mary!

    I love your clematis.

    Sft x

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  10. Another wonderful adventure under the belt!
    So pleased to see you are back home safe and sound dear Mary. Peace roses are one of my favourites, they're so beautiful and with such an appropriate name :o)
    Sending hugs
    Rose H
    xx

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  11. Welcome home, Mary. I've been cleaning the green off things for over a month. One can't keep up with it. ;-)
    Glad you are safely home and that your beautiful spring garden was so welcoming. Happy Springtime! ~ Sarah

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  12. Lovely flowers to welcome you home! How sweet to discover the little finch family, too!

    Thanks for commenting on my several posts!

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