Pretty in Pink + Wildlife!

This has been another crazy, far too busy week. 

The garden took up a lot of time.

Household things went wrong and kept us on our toes.

Appointments had to be kept.

Hair cut - shorter as weather heating up.

Purchased an iPhone 13 Pro Max, love it.

Food shopping and cooking for company.

Cat sitting again for my neighbor.

I'm hoping for a weekend where I can just sit a while, gather my senses

 and make plans for what looks like an even more hectic week ahead as we

will be taking a little trip.

I'm going to Van Gogh The Immersive Experience on

 Mother's Day with granddaughter Jasmin.

We love Van Gogh's work and I visited his last home in Auvers-sur-Oise

 at the Auberge Ravoux (click to read and view photos from that visit.)

 Also took Jasmin to Arles, Provence several years ago where we visited

 his yellow house, climbed the stairs to his bedroom, and other locations

 where he painted his remarkable canvasses.

"Glance up at the glimmering heavens of The Starry 

Night, admire the Almond Blossoms bursting into flower. 

Take a step into the world of Van Gogh's most iconic

 works of art and experience what it is to be inside a painting!"

Beside the pink roses, the pink peonies have also bloomed this week and

 many other plants and shrubs are filling out with lush leaves and buds.

Our weather has been fine with hot days reaching almost 90F but low humidity, 

and no mosquitoes yet which was great for working outside.  This will change

 soon of course and later today bad weather is expected with possible severe storms . . . . . .

. . . . . . .hopefully not upsetting my little baby bunny.

I prepared him for rain yesterday by accidentally watering him with

the garden hose!

Speaking of arriving wildlife. . . . . I also have Charlie gecko

 back on the front porch which makes me think he hibernated 

nearby all winter.

He was bright green before jumping on my new chair cushion where

he immediately changed to brown to blend in, wonderful camouflage!

Yes, all is very green here. This week I also cleaned out the potting shed

 with a little help.  As mentioned before, April and May are beautiful months

 in this part of America and gardening keeps us so busy.

Enjoy your Mother's Day weekend.

New Dawn . . . . . . . and appendicitis!

It's a new day - it's a NEW DAWN. . . . . . rose, that is. 

They are in full bloom right now, delicate in their pale pink ballerina-like skirts.

Enjoying the garden - this is really the best time of year for color. . . . . . . and of

 course weather, for the southeast garden. We are reveling in the beauty.


However - I've been very busy helping my granddaughter Jasmin (21) since
 Wednesday morning when she called needing assistance. 

Severe pain took her to the doctor, followed by a CT scan at the radiologist,
(where she had a mild allergic reaction to the contrast dye, which held us up longer),
 and then off to the Emergency Room at the hospital where appendicitis was
 confirmed and she was admitted. Appendectomy surgery was done at 7:30 pm 
 and she stayed in the hospital overnight. I brought her here yesterday morning
 after being discharged. She's doing well but won't be able to drive, work, lift
 heavy items etc. for a while. 
Please think of Jasmin and wish her well - many of you
know how precious she is to our family. 
Thanks.

Roses from the shade garden. . . . . . . . . . . .

I pruned my climbing New Dawn rose on the back fence down

to the ground last year. It was out of control, an overgrown mess, and

 not blooming much at all the past several years. 

The neighbor behind us planted a small southern magnolia tree a

 few years ago. It has already matured into a 30 foot giant, leaf dropping

 monster, and cuts out the sunshine to my sweet, delicate pink rose. 

After so much rain last week the rose is blooming anew and growing taller. 

 I'm now having to tie it up on the fence again and I'm so pleased knowing it still
 has the will to climb and bloom despite being in what is now a shade garden.

I cut a few roses for the kitchen window sill to enjoy these last few days before
leaving on my trip. Outside this window is a large variegated privet - now in
 full bloom also - the white flowers look like snow.

If you grow roses, remember they love full sun.

I sure wish that huge magnolia had never been planted.
Fences make great neighbors - messy trees above them do not!