Nasturtiums

Nasturtiums are the first flowers I remember planting as a child.  My mom made an area for us to plant them in the garden.  Looking back, this was probably a big deal because we ate everything that came out of that garden.  None the less, I remember the orange flowers growing under a huge Douglas fir tree on the edge of our garden.

These darker colors are so pretty.

Nasturtiums are great for kids to grow.  The seeds are large and easy to plant.  And the plants produce lots of seeds for the kids to gather and save for next year, thus teaching kids about plants (free home school tip) and their life cycles.

I did a little reading about them in preparation for this posting, and although I knew that the flowers are edible, I also discovered that the leaves and seeds are also edible, as long as they are not sprayed with any chemicals.  The seeds can be pickled when still green and are comparable to capers.  Who knew??

One of the things I like about them is that they are easy to grow, even in poor soil.  I also love the vining habit of some varieties, and the colors are amazing.  They are also nice with other plants, adding those oranges and yellows that complement pinks and purples.

Hummingbirds

Let me say it flat out:  I LOVE hummingbirds!   I love having them buzz my head on their way to the feeder, I love that they're tough, and I even admire their territorial tendencies. 

I am awed when they fight, zipping around like fighter pilots out of a science fiction movie.  Only no real fighter pilot ever had that speed and agility.  They are amazing.

We had been without a feeder for more than a year, our neighbor with all the hibiscus was getting all the hummer action.  Finally, I found a good feeder that we could afford, and away we go.  They were sipping on this feeder within a few hours of it going up.

I feel blessed to have hummingbirds in my yard.

The Entrance (Part 3)

Here's another installment on my friend's yard and garden.  This time, we'll look at the front.

Mexican primrose, jasmine, miniature roses
and geraniums fill the corner bed.

Lovely place to sit near the front door.

Now for some close ups ...

Lobelia and Columbine

I love the contrasting colors with the yellow columbine, blue lobelia, and pretty pink geraniums.

Just very sweet with the little pansies.

I love the colors in these columbine.

Finally, these horsetails are a lovely border and soften the fence.

Thank you, Linda, for sharing your yard and garden with us.

The Garden

I promised pictures of my friend's garden ...  It's all about saving space (as in Square Foot Gardening) and the soil, as in worms are one of her secrets.

Overall view of most of the garden. 

Beets ready to harvest.

Yum, fresh beets.

For the past several years, my friend has had critters that came in and dug up her beds, pulled out plants, overturned bricks and generally caused havoc in the garden looking for grubs.  The culprit:  raccoons.  But not this year ...

This netting finally worked to keep the critters out.

Itty bitty squash on the vine.

Blueberries in the flower bed.  Notice they also have the netting. 

Asparagus that has ferned.  Fresh, raw aparagus out of the garden is wonderful!

I hope you enjoyed this little sample of the garden.

And when you read this, please pray for her family, a dear member went to be with the Lord yesterday.  We grieve, but we have hope.

My Friend's Yard, Part 1

I promised a tour through my friend's yard a few weeks ago, and finally (!) here is Part 1.

When you walk out her back patio slider, there is a covered patio with lots of plants in pots.  We'll save that for later.  Just beyond the patio, the yard opens up into a flower wonderland.  And there's even a great little vegetable garden.  Beyond the yard is a pool.

Today, we'll look at the flowers in the main part of the yard, going around the yard right to left.

Bougainvillea that behaves

Riot of colors

Roses, nasturtiums, geraniums

Pink ti tree in the corner, more roses and nasturtiums, the vine is a jessamine

The garden is tucked in the corner behind this fence.

Here are a few close ups of some of the flowers in these pictures:

Next time, we'll look at her veggie garden.

Bees

I looked for Scriptures on bees to go along with this post, but didn't find many.  I wonder why.

The Promised Land was also called a land flowing with milk and honey (and there are lots of references to honey).  And bees make honey, they are very busy.  But God's people are told to look to the ant, a creature I detest.  They over-run my kitchen counters on a regular basis, looking for water or food, depending on who knows what trigger.  Ugh.

In the mock orange.

But we're talking about bees.  They're very busy, flying here and there, pollinating plants and making honey.

Oxallis

 

I'm glad there are bees in our yard, the garden and flowers need them.  A large hive on property behind us was destroyed last summer when the property was prepared for reconstruction of a huge house and back house.  So I'm very glad to see bees in my yard.

We weren't so glad to see this a few summers ago, outside the kids' window, but obviously, nothing could come of it and we didn't really worry about it.

None the less, I'm always glad to see bees.  And I still wonder why they barely receive a mention in Scripture.

Flowers

Enjoy ...

"Volunteer" flower (better known as a weed)

Day lily

Geranium -- our garden

Easter Lily

Beautiful Flower -- or Weed?

Even on a plant that we consider a weed, God put so much care and detail into the flower, it's amazing.

I got a new camera today (mine won't turn back on anymore), and my daughter took this picture using the close up function.

We had never noticed the curls on the end of the petals until we looked at this picture.

God has made each of us with special little details that often are not noticed without the aid of some magnification and/or the desire to take some time to really look.

Who needs you to see them today as the wonderful creation God meant him or her to be?

Descanso Gardens

My kids were so stinkin' cute way back then  (they still are, but it's different when they're teenagers).

The photos were taken during the spring tulip season at Descanso in April of 1999.

Thank You!

I just want to say "Thanks" for following my blog and leaving such sweet comments.  I feel truly blessed, and you all are making me feel as if it was a good thing to start this blog.


Now for some more flower pictures.  These are morning glories from a few summers ago, the photos were taken by my daughter.  Morning glories always make me think of this passage.

Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.

No Pleasure, says the Lord

Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?

Ezekiel 33:11

I so want my heart and mind aligned with God's thoughts and heart.  It's hard this morning:  one part of me is glad that Osama Bin Laden is finally dead, the other part is sad that he has gone to meet God without acknowledging that Jesus is God's Son.

Why wouldn't we as humans be glad that an evil person has finally left this earth?  Aren't we glad when serial killers are stopped?  Wasn't the world grateful when Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot finally met their end?


Another part of me sees each of these as human beings, created in God's image.  Here in Southern California, we've seen our fill of murderers and savages, yet part of me does not want to believe that any person could be so mean and cruel.  That any person deserves death.


Yet God instituted the death penalty -- a life for a life (and I know you might disagree with this interpretation, but just go with it for now).  Because each life is important, and the taking of life wantonly is wrong, and goes against all that our God of Life stands for.


So, I come to this:  God is grieves this, but He does not disapprove.