Friday, April 25, 2008

Quiet morning

I decided to bond with nature this morning, as I am still tired. I am used to quiet mornings. Having to leave home at 8 one morning and 7:15 the next were just not part of my regular routine. I am usually just eating breakfast at that time. It doesn't hurt to have a break in the routine once in a while to realize how much I enjoy my usual quiet time.

Here are the hostas that were just peeking out on Tuesday. It is amazing what a few warm days can do.
Here is my favorite "weed". I was telling someone one time that I was so excited to have violets growing all over in the shade garden. Their response was "You like weeds?". I have always loved violets. When I was a small child we would take a picnic lunch out to the creek in the back of our property. I later learned that this was really just a drainage ditch that went from farm to farm. It was full and rushing after a rain, and just a trickle a lot of the time. We would pick buttercups and violets and take them home and enjoy them for days.
I have some plants with this color bloom.
Who planted these? A friend gave me a few tulip bulbs about 10 years ago and I planted them in the front flower bed. I have redone the bed twice since then, the last time raising it with about 4" of soil. I thought I had dug out all of the bulbs. When my parents lived next door to me for 3 years, my dad planted yellow tulips all across the front of his house. Now I'm wondering if he sneaked over here and planted some in my garden without telling me. There are more blooms each year and they are my favorite color so I'm not complaining.
I'm going to start cleaning a closet today and by this evening I hope to get to the sewing machine and lose myself in a zone.

10 comments:

Rebel said...

I'm so glad you posted this!!

I have some mystery bulbs popping up in my garden and I wasn't sure what they were. I'd planted anemones a couple yeasr ago but none came up so I thought they died. Nope - it's hostas!! I didn't realize hostas came back.

and I didn't realize that violets were shade plants (not weeds!!), I'll have to pick some up to see how they do in my shade garden.

Elsie Montgomery said...

My hostas, in deep shade and a low, cool spot, will be the last plants up so it is nice to see these photos.

My mother told me to plant tulips at least 8" deep so the mice would not eat them. Also, they become larger when planted deep. Maybe you did miss a few (but I like the fun of maybe your dad did it!)

We still have most of our great spring snow dump (12") as the temp is just around freezing. The streets are bare, but no tulips yet!

Enjoy your day!

Quiltdivajulie said...

I used to protect the violets in my mother's yard whenever there was a war declared on weeds. They are NOT weeds!!! They've always been one of my favorites...

I love quiet mornings, but rarely get to savor one. Hope you enjoyed yours.

Jane said...

Oh, those sneaky tulip bulbs! Just gorgeous pictures of your yard -- sure wish we were still neighbors. Sigh.

Love,
Jane

Paula said...

I love violets too! A dear neighbor, about 75 years old, shared some with me years ago. We had to leave them behind, but everytime I see violets, I think of her. Lovely tulips too! And it would be so sweet if you knew your dad really did sneak in and plant them!

Anonymous said...

Hi Wanda, You know I love your nature shots.
Jim Fizzell was on a radio show recently and the caller asked how to get rid of violets. His answer
was, "Just enjoy them." Thought that was perfect.Enjoy your day. jmh

Anonymous said...

VIOLETS! My favorite spring flower, although I had never heard that they were considered weeds. We ALWAYS put violets in our May day baskets. Do they still practice that in IL. ? 42 years ago~ we through the neighbor kids for a loop as they were unaware of the 'mid west' tradition. It never caught on.

J~MT

Pattie said...

Hi Wanda -

Wow, those hostas are going like gangbusters! I love the violets, too - so cheery.

Thanks again for your help on posting more than one photo on my blog. As you saw today, your advice worked! :-)

Gina said...

Just remember that a weed is only a plant growing in the wrong place.

love and hugs xxx

Lynda said...

Your garden looks great. I'm so envious of you having hostas in your open garden. I have to grow mine in pots, as the slugs and snails love eating them, and it's the only way the poor things stand any chance of growing! Don't you have slugs in America?