Cottage Life - and the garden. . . . . . . . .

Life continues to remain hectic around the cottage. 
Daily dramas seem omnipresent.
Worrisome news of health problems from across the pond, and me so far away.
Local news revolves around loved ones, family and friends,
also with health issues, and Monday a serious accident where my
 neighbor's son fell 30' from a ladder whilst working. He's already had
three surgeries, and will require more, to repair his shattered leg and ankle.
 We were all sharing Birthday cake and laughter the previous afternoon,
 even warned him to be careful on his ladders in the windy conditions.
Please send good thoughts to Nelson and his family, all of whom
are very kind to us, their elderly neighbors.

Ladders can be monsters!  I never allow Bob on a ladder now unless I am right 
there to steady it and watch where he steps. I don't know if I would ever be able to
 save him in a fall but at least I'd try - and I don't let him climb very high! 

After the rains of Tuesday, the azalea blooms have seen the last of their

 best days - they were really lovely this year. This weekend I will start pruning

them back and fertilizing - this should always be done shortly after blooming

is over as the plant sets buds for next Spring during the Summer.

I do not prune hard or into shaped balls as some people do, and I never

  give the shrub a 'crewcut' with electric clippers. I like my azaleas loose and

natural looking, just keeping the really long branches clipped and tidy.

Daffodils and tulips are finished - bluebells almost over.

I loved all my Spring flowering bulbs.

Sad news - we lost a sweet Mourning dove this week - this one might just be

 its mate as it shows up alone now, whereas our doves are always in pairs as

 they mate for life, usually seven to ten years.

We saw a large hawk zoom downward past the living room window early

 one evening. Rushing to the back door I then saw it fly off with something

 in its talons. Outside on the ground and deck there were a lot of feathers

 which were definitely from a dove.

Another normal occurrence in nature of course, but always so upsetting 

as we really love our garden birds.

Note my fiery red maple tree!  

This remains colorful for a couple of weeks when it first leafs out, as it

is doing now, then it changes, and all Summer it will remain green.

  Come Autumn it will change again, gradually back to a rusty red before the leaves fall.  

I planted this maple several years ago when it just a tiny, very inexpensive,

sapling, never expecting it to grow so tall and full, becoming a lovely 
addition to the front garden.

We're off to the garden center this morning - long list in hand.
Pine straw mulch, fertilzer, seeds for colorful annuals including morning glories
and moon flowers, and herbs such as basil, parsley and chives. . . . . . 
and several other must haves to keep the garden growing.
Weather is perfect for outside work - dry, sunny and still a lovely 
coolness in the air, and for me the most important thing. . . . . . no darned
 biting mosquitoes YET!
See you later, and you know I'll have more to share from the garden.

What's happening in your April garden?

Rainy day on the front porch. . . . . .

Rain, rain come and stay. . . . . . we love having you

 for a day!

Yesterday's near perfect weather provided quite good conditions for mowing

 the grass and tidying up a bit around the front garden. 

Pollen still a problem as it was breezy - evening was spent sneezing - but fortunately 

we don't seem incapacitated by serious allergies as are so many during this season.

Our fixer-upper guy had a medical problem and hasn't shown up yet, hopefully 

he's going to arrive tomorrow and start on the cottage repairs.

Today it's raining which has helped dampen down the pollen. You can see it here

 on the cushions - no point in cleaning them off until perhaps next weekend when most

of the pollen should be done with. After today the weather will be sunny and dry for 

many days.

Did you see my little nesting box in the above photos?

I told you some weeks back that the Carolina chickadees were cleaning out 

the box. Later they brought in new twigs and such, now there are apparently 

eggs being kept warm - both male and female incubate - and we see this pair

coming and going with food as this one was yesterday in the sunshine. 

Baby chickadees soon hopefully!

Our two jasmines on the porch posts are already in bud, new growth is rampant

 and will soon require pruning weekly so we can get in the front door!

Everywhere is looking quite lush and lovely. That middle tree behind the bird

 feeder - which needs filling again - is our Celeste fig which hopefully will bring us a

 good harvest again in late Summer.

We live on a cul-de-sac and are fortunate there is no house directly across from us,

 just the small wooded area where the foxes and hawks hang out.

In so many ways we are lucky to live here, and it looks like we too will be 

hanging out here for a while longer!!!

Fixing house and home. . . . . .

Next week some planned home and garden Spring fix ups will be addressed.

Due to start Monday, a few days of repairs by a professional hopefully

will take place - please 'Mister Contractor' answer my text of yesterday and let me
 know if you really are going to show up, grrrrrrr!
Keeping up a property no matter the size or age, seems to be ongoing with
 something often breaking down, wearing out, or looking just plain old and
 dingy. . . . . . .hmm, the owners have similar problems but I won't even go there!!!

Meanwhile, my weekend is going to be busy enough with some gardening

 chores on the schedule. 

Concerns are building for budding and flowering shrubs and plants with the predicted
 below freezing temperatures on Saturday night bringing possible plant damage.

  Fingers crossed this won't be serious, however I'm putting off purchasing my 
new annual Boston ferns for my porch hanging baskets until later next week.

Mother Nature up to her old tricks again!

Figs are forming already, another prolific harvest perhaps, even though

 I still have pots of jam to be eaten from last year.

Brown Thrasher in the fig tree.

Hostas are poking through.

Time to mow again Bob!
Sweet birds -  Mourning doves and a male finch. . . . . . 

. . . . . . and nuisance cute squirrels, are enjoying the warm weather and water this week. 

Have a fabulous weekend wherever you are.

Long Awaited Spring Day. . . . . . . . .

It was a lovely day - started cool and sunny, warming up enough by 

mid-afternoon for Bob to cut the grass for the first time this year.

Trees not yet showing much green, but blossoms are blowing 

gently in the breeze. 

I checked the azaleas but they are sad looking with few buds. 

Perhaps the usual Easter waves of bushes in typical southern 

gardens, smothered in pink, purple, red and white, 
will not happen this year after the frigid weather last month.

My heartfelt condolences go out to all the families and friends 

of the people who died in the terrible plane crash today in the 

French Alps. 

Farewell garden delights.......

It's hard to drag myself away.....even to Africa......when the garden is just coming into bloom.  The hydrangeas are covered in their lovely pale green flowers, a few just starting to show their Summer blue dresses.  Most likely they'll be in all their glory when I return, which reminds me I must tell DH to water, water, water - they love to drink on hot days!

This old Jasmine I really thought had died last Fall. I cut a lot of it off and didn't expect much if anything this year.  Spring arrived and brought it back to life with more blossoms and heavier perfume than ever, amazing.

Recycled bedroom curtain panels ~ a little front porch privacy now the trees have been removed from the driveway...........and blowing in the breeze prettiness.

Annual Morning Glories and Moon Flower seedlings up already.  I scatter these all around the garden where they can grab on to climbing places...........and here in pots to train up the porch for Summer shade.

Herbs are doing well, variegated sage from last year is healthy, next to it lemon thyme with basil seeds sprouting - they get tossed everywhere also, never can have too much much basil for the Summer tomatoes.

Clematis climbing the front steps

It's always hard leaving the garden at this time of year.  I just hope it rains the perfect amount, the sun shines down warmly, and gentle breezes blow until I get back.

Chattering in the green garden........

Pale yellow flowering jasmine along the side fence ~ opened its simple, delicate flowers and perfumed the entire back garden this weekend.  I left the upstairs bedroom window open on that side of the cottage and I can smell the thousands of tiny blossoms on the stiff breeze blowing through today. 

It's really amazing how the garden gets a real jump start after a Spring rain.  No matter how often one drags around a plastic hose to soak sleepy roots and shower dusty leaves, it takes a good soaking by Mother Nature to truly get things going......well, at least in my garden it does.

The Endless Summer hydrangeas are budding ~ definitely a welcome sight after the unusually cold Winter in North Carolina.  I may not see these fill out and open as I'll be far away in May, however I have a feeling those sparkling blue blossoms will be lighting up the front porch on my return.

Well I'll probably still need to find another source for a box full of juicy figs to make my favorite recipe from John Burton Race's French Leave cook book......Roasted Figs & Walnuts.

BUT ~ do you see it, tucked away between the beautiful palm-shaped leaves?  A fig, the first, and the little tree now growing happily in it's third year since planting.  We had three trees taken down here in January, perhaps the fig is happier with more sunshine beaming down on it.

.........and as if the perfumed fence in the back garden isn't pleasurable enough, the two white blooming jasmines on the front porch are also sharing their heady fragrance as I walk by.  This one on the outer end of the porch took a beating through the Winter and I was certain we had lost it.  I cut off all the dead wood and leaves and am thrilled that it seems to be thriving again....perhaps because I talked to it, encouraged it to try harder, because we love to sit on our little porch and breathe in the sweet scent.  Talking to one's plants and shrubs is encouraged..........we elderly gardening gals have earned this right, you younger ones can join us if you're brave!!

Do you grow perfumed plants?  What are your favorites?  And, most important, tell me if you chatter to your plants..............or am I the only strange one!

........a job never finished

Such a busy weekend.....lots of fun and much hard work.

Today I was working in the garden from 10 AM until the cows came home it was almost time to light the candles and open a nice bottle of chilled Rose from Provence!

I'll tell you more tomorrow......I'm off to bed.  I have more garden chores still waiting to be crossed off my list.......and tomorrow is almost here.