Tuesday, May 11, 2021

News from the garden -


Yesterday, with the surprise of what must have been quite a soaking
 rain during the night - the best kind for the garden - I opened
 the front door to a beautiful shock of green. Layers of color all the
 same hue but each a different shade. Washed clean, undamaged, 
refreshed, with no fallen leaves or twigs.
Many birds were at the feeders - including the invincible four-legged
 versions with the bushy tails! A large rabbit hopped across the lawn, and 
two chipmunks scampered around the front porch, one stopping for a
 drink at the fountain which I'd not seen happen before.


I baked a French pear Gateau de Mamy (Grandma's Cake) for Mother's Day
and decorated simply with garden pansies. I couldn't eat any though whilst
 on the Low Histamine diet!  I'm feeling great though cutting out so many 
food items which may have been causing problems. I did cheat a bit for
 Mother's Day by drinking a glass of sparkling Prosecco during a visit 
with a dear friend. She bought it especially for me to sip, along with
 thoughtful carrots and broccoli rather than cheese and crackers which
I've had to give up for a while!

She also gifted me with this..........


.........a very pretty bird snack wreath now hanging on the porch.
Note my special 'garden boy' Bob working in the background!


This was another beautiful gift from Anthropologie for Mother's Day, 
one I'll be using a lot - even later today as I'm heading into the garden
 now to prune the massive azalea bushes. If you have azaleas always
 prune at this time when the blooms have died - that way they can set
 buds during the summer for next spring's glorious display.

Who doesn't love peonies! I cut the first open bloom from the garden
yesterday as it was so heavy and hanging down - the perfume is
 awesome, I wish you could sniff, and the petals so pretty.

15 comments:

  1. You are ahead of me, my Peonies are only in bud. I'm waiting anxiously!

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  2. I am so glad for you that your eating plan is having such positive effects! A glass of prosecco certainly won‘t harm the overall benefits.
    The wreath, the soap, the wonderful cake and, last but not least, the gorgeous peony - it is all very wonderful!

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  3. Your cake looks delicious! Love that beautiful peony.

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  4. Peonies are Jane's favourite flower - they don't last long here in the wind. Your french pear tart looks amazing; can I order one please!!! And as for the garden - rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels - my dog Oscar would be heaven and hell at the same time ... pesky squirrels, his nemesis...

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  5. Dearest Mary,
    Your French gâteau de poire de maman is magazine worthy!
    LOVE your French paper doily with roses, you may know by know that I love roses and angels.
    Where did you get those?
    Yes, such a rain over night is the best for our garden and for us; not interfering with any activities.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Mariette - it's a simple cake but a few fresh flowers makes it pretty!
      I think I found those vintage doilies At SuzAnna's Antiques several years ago. I must search for more as I only have one remaining - will let you know if I'm successful as they really are beautiful compared to modern versions!
      Mary -

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  6. This time of year is the best …. All that fresh green growth ….. I am sure everything grows over an inch in the night !!!!! Such a beautiful cake Mary . XXXX

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  7. Isn't rain at night the best? We had it the last two nights, and the grass is so green, all the plants look happy. How cute to see a rabbit run across and well done to catch a photo of it. Your gateau for Mother's Day looks beautiful, and what good control you have not to have a taste. I am glad you had a glass of bubbles (I did too :) and the birds will love that pretty wreath. Happy Mother's Day! xo

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  8. Hi Mary! It is raining here today, a really nice gentle soaking rain. We needed it so badly here in SC. That rabbit's little puffy tail... :). I love your descriptions in your blog of all the greens. You made a beautiful Mother's Day dessert even though you didn't eat it. Just gorgeous-foodie magazine worthy! I'm glad you are feeling better. I love that pretty bird wreath you were gifted, what a wonderful gift! I love peonies. Since I moved and my daughter, Jenny had all my plants my peony tree didn't bloom this year. It is doing well in the pot but she pretty much had all my plants in the shade. I think the move also stopped it from blooming in general. My early peony I was gifted years ago my one of my dear friends, did bloom, however. Now that it is done, I can separate it and plant it here at the new house. I have ordered some more peonies too and hope to someday have a whole row of peonies here at this house! Take care xxoo!

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  9. Oh Mary, how disciplined you are not to have any of the gorgeous pear gateau! Rain is needed here and it is wonderful when it comes, washing everything clean and fresh. Your bouquet of green stems and single hydrangea is so whimsical and elegant. Glad you had a good Mother's Day.

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  10. How nice to have rain. I can't remember the last time it poured here but it must have been before Christmas. We've had a very dry winter, for the second year running.
    I love your beautiful garden and cheeky visitors. Do you know when hydrangeas should be pruned? I forgot to do it at all last year and they're not flowering as much this year.

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  11. I'm glad you're feeling better. Your landscaping and gardens always look so beautiful. Believe it or not, we desperately need rain. We have been so short of it here in IL, which is unusual for our spring. Usually we get too much! I think it's supposed to rain this weekend - finally. My one peony bush has big, fat buds all over it, so I'm thinking in a week or so, it will be in full bloom.

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  12. Probably I will be able to prune the azalea next week. This week, it is very happily still blooming. I have crossed major branches shifting on each other so will have to make a painful decision.

    I have never seen anything like the birdseed wreath. It is very charming.

    Wonderful that you are feeling ever so much better.

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  13. I do love peonies! Beautiful!
    Fun to see your "garden boy" in the picture with the gorgeous wreath. What a lovely gift.
    Good luck with the new diet. I do hope it helps.

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