Sunday safari
When I drive home, I feel the same happiness, the day we moved to the Farmhouse
The gates close, and once again I am in my own little world.
I find peace, through observation of nature.
I use the garden, as a place to forget the stresses and pressure of life.
Nature looks after itself. To be a gardener is to work with the seasons, and the natural cycles of life, not to try to fool or fight them.
Each garden has a secret life of its own.
Heart beats, wing beats, new life. We only see a tiny part of what goes on. We are able to act the part of silent watchers :)
This summer is a busy one for me, I shall be running here and there. The garden is overgrown, little people will be with me for much of the six week school break, and
our son and partner expect their first child in August. Along with the care of my elderly parents, life is full.
I will take time to smell the flowers.......
and try to enjoy the garden, no matter what Mother Nature throws at me.....
Happy Sunday safari.......
That is beautiful. I like how the rabbits are taking care of your lawn for you! Love the hot aired balloon!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flowersforums.com/ruth/blog/
Tku Ruth,
DeleteI rabbits do take care of the lawn, but they also eat plants and dig holes in the lawn :( Bad rsbbits....Grrrrr.
Lovely post Cheryl. I think that this year especially Nature has the upper hand - perhaps it is a lesson to us all that she is more powerful than humankind in her own gentle way and that we should work with rather than against her.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Jane,
DeleteI do hope you are okay....I know there has been many flood warnings in your area.
It's very wet round here but we are on a hill so if we ourselves get flooded heaven help everyone else! Thanks for your concern. The sun is out this morning too which helps.
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased to hear that Jane. I live in the lowlands of Kent, so with torrential rain during the night, I did not sleep well. This morning the sun is shining:)
DeleteLet us hope the rain will stop for a few weeks and we can have a taste of summer.
When I read your blog I always sense that peace and enjoy it vicariously!
ReplyDeleteThe weather conditions here have made things quite different to normal in our gardens, especially the vegetable garden. We are probably going to have to learn to work with the monsoon-style rainfall and improve all our drainage systems - ugly, dirty work which will disrupt the fruit garden. I am trying to regard it as an opportunity to try out a few new things as we reconstruct..
Hi Elaine,
DeleteI have made many changes in this garden. I have learnt a lot these last few months. The plants have done well in the waterlogged conditions. There are still more changes to be made.....
I hope your reconstruction goes well....the land will benefit in the long run. Godd luck.
I love love love seeing the moisture, blooms and critters in your garden. Can't wait to see "little people" in the garden too. You do have your hands full.
ReplyDeleteIs that a gallinule running through your garden? I looked in my bird book and it says you have Moorhens in your area. ??? What a treat that would be to have one of those sashaying through the garden.
We have even had rabbits in our garden lately. Luna has been staying inside much of the time due to the heat. No relief yet. Possibly today.
Happy Safari Sunday.
Hi Lisa,
DeleteIt is a Moorhen, frequent visitors all year. They bring their young sometimes to feed on the dropped seed from the feeders.
Cute balle of black on legs :)
I send you blessings each day and pray that you have rain. I know I keep saying it but it will come.....hang on in there my friend.
A lovely post, Cheryl, and your parting words are so true. Whether it's all the rain you are having or the lack of it here, we can't do much about what Mother Nature gives us so we can only make the best of the situation and accept what is.
ReplyDeleteIn the photo with the bird walking across the grass and the rabbit, is there a dog hidden in the shrubs? I thought surely not, but it looks like another creature watching them.
It is a little bit cooler here this morning, thank goodness, because we discovered last night that our air conditioner wasn't working. I may be spending all day in the basement until the repairman gets here!
HI Rose,
DeleteI am learning to live with rain, it is amazing what you can get used to :)
I am so glad I changed the planting, moisture loving plants was the way to go....
Ha! That did make me smile Rose, you seem to be developing my vivid imagination :) It is in fact part of a tree trunk, and some plants....
I can just imagine you sheltering in your basement. During a spell of torrential rain yesterday I spent 30 minutes in the shed.
I did not have the courage to run to the house with summer clothes on :)
Dear Cheryl who has webbed feet,
ReplyDeleteWe are only stewards..It is a lesson I have been learning for the last 6 and one half years....
My work is to plant for the bees and butterflies. To bring back to these grasslands native host and nectar plants. I notice the native plants are doing just fine in the 105 degrees and no rain....last summer I never needed to water. It was a wet summer....this year dry....cycles and seasons.
Your life is full. You are daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and gardener....cycles and seasons....lover of the bees....guardian of the sacred places...who holds the hands of the future and passes the treasures of the past to those who come after. Your sanctuary honors the soil and the soul....the photograph of the hot air balloon is beautiful...rising above the mist...up..up and way...
Lovely safari, thank you.
Sherry who is praying for rain
Dear Sherry, Who is praying for rain,
DeleteYour gardens are a credit to you, an oasis for bees birds and butterflies.
I felt sure your native plants would do well in the heat.
The hot air balloon came very close to the house. I think he may have been caught out by the weather. He did land safely :)
I thought it was beautiful.....I watched for ages until he disappeared. We see a lot of hot air balloons.
Cheryl, who is also praying for the rain to come to your garden.
Hi Cheryl...How true.. gardeners have to work with nature..!! Hot,humid,and,thunderstorm for days..you could pass out just pulling a weed in the garden!! Today it has cleared out blue skies,no humidity,and 80 degrees..if only it could stay like this!!
ReplyDeleteHow true it is that we only see a little bit of what goes on in the garden..sort like a secret that only the creatures that live there know!!
Such cute creatures in your garden..I love the rabbit's : }
Your words, and photos are inspiring!! It seems your in for a busy finish to your summer, so enjoy family and garden!!
I read your other comments ..so many issues all over that friends are dealing with...makes me feel lucky!
Grace
Hi Grace,
DeleteI am glad the weather has settled in your area, and hope that it stays that way for a while :)
It will be very busy, I thought it was supposed to slow down as we age. I seem to do more and more but I am glad to have it that way.
Wonderful Safari once again. I'm so glad you blog about your lovely garden. I often return to posts like this one to feel the peace of your words and the beauty of your garden. Thank you for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteI am humbled, thank you.
DeleteI feel the same way about my garden - and try not to interfere too much with the workings of it - although sometimes nature does need a helping hand. Lovely pictures to lift my rather wet spirits.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is true Elaine, sometimes she does :)
DeleteIt is raining this evening. I tried to cut the grass earlier, and gave up. The ground is now a little boggy.....
Such lovely photos again which convey so well the wonderful sense of tranquility you have achieved there Cheryl. It certainly sounds like you have a lot on your plate at the moment and I'm sure spending time, working in the garden allows you to recharge your batteries and prepare yourself for the fray. Many congratulations to your son and his partner and indeed to you and Mr P on the prospective new addition to the family, how exciting too for Riley and Poppi! I'm sure Poppi in particular will be looking forward to the arrival of their cousin.
ReplyDeleteThe red poppies looks so bold and beautiful! I knew you had Mallards visit your garden but didn't realise you had Moorhens too, how delightful, I would be enchanted by that! As I write this the sky is getting blacker and I think we have more rain to come quite soon! The ten day forecast shows more of the same, will it never end?
Hi Jan,
DeleteHow strange, I was just thinking that. You must have read my mind. I have been trying to garden in between the showers.
It is hopeless. I cannot get into the copse.....the hedgerow that leads you in has met in the middle. To be honest, I am a little overwhelmed at the moment.
Yes Moorhens visit regularly. I always check the garden before I let Nella run free. I met a fox again the other morning. Great news for me....I did tell the young fox that rabbit was on the menu as often as he likes :) He seemed to be more interested in the juvenile heron that was in next doors garden. I do so hope he does not catch that :(
Wishing you sunshine Jan.
What a delightful post. Glad you're still going to find time to smell the flowers.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely about working with nature rather than against it. Just hope can I get the ark finished in time.
Hi Crystal,
DeleteIf your ark is finished before mine, may I step aboard....I am very good at cleaning the decks :)
Such a beautiful post Cheryl.
ReplyDeleteWhat you say is so true, it is so tempting for me to grumble about the weather and the difficulties in harvesting medicines etc but I try to remember that there is a larger pattern that the small part I can see or understand.
Nature is always teaching me surrender when I hope to control things too tightly,
Enjoy your family time and may your wonderful garden sustain you. x