New project!

Create 2 tables from 2 of the spools left behind when the electric company redid the electric wires last summer. 

Step 1. Move spools from storage to garage.

Step 2. Sand the top until it is clear of markings.

I started Friday evening and sanded the tops with a coarse sandpaper until midday Sunday. Then I went over the tops with a very fine sandpaper.

Step 3: Continue sanding with fine sandpaper.

With the tops clean and smooth and the edges slightly rounded I was ready for the next step.

Step 4: I cleaned the dust off the top.

Step 5: Stain with MinWax Special Walnut.

Step 6: Varnish with Bar Top coating. 

I need to let the varnish dry until tomorrow. Then I can go onto step 6.  

Painted Daisy

I was weeding by the one lone daisy plant that has come up so far this year. I accidentally  broke off one of the flowers (luckily with a long stem.)

I took it inside and put it in a small vase with water.  Within  24 hours the white daisy was painted a pinkish-red.

Oh yeah, I put a touch of red food coloring in the water. I forgot to mention that? Day two with the light shining in from the window behind the flower the veins of red pop out from the white petals. 

Burst of color

I walked around the corner and said WOW!

The red lilies are in full bloom. Awesome!

This cute pink flower is in the hollyhock family. I am trying to get the full size hollyhock growing. But I don't seem to have any luck.

You might not be able to tell but the flowers below are waist high! Yowza!

In a different garden, a shorter pink lily is blooming. Some lilies I planted and some were in the garden already.

Here is a closeup. God is a beautiful painter, isn't he?

Smello-vision

Remember that term? Well this is the Blog version. The Japanese lilacs are in full bloom.

The Japanese Lilac trees are clusters of hundreds of fragrant blooms. 

Not far away in the other direction are the soft sweet smelling pink wild roses.

Every time that I open the door to let the dogs out, I get a nose full of double sweet succulent flowers.

I love them but my allergies don't. 

Flag pole garden

I spent some relaxing time this weekend weeding the garden under the flag pole. At the same time I scratched I more bachelor button and moss rose season to the ground. I'm trying to nurture this garden so it is a mid summer bouquet.

A few of the bachelor buttons from last year did seed themselves. So did many moss roses. 

I planted 4 moss roses. My hope is that one day there will be 6 inches around the edge of this garden packed full of moss roses.

Every year more of this garden will seed itself.  Tulips to lilies to bachelor buttons moss roses and maybe a few black eyed Suzie and daisies.

Midnight

Finn had kittens on top of the bales quite a while ago.  A couple of days ago Fin. Brought one kitten into the barn.

I'm calling this kitten Midnight. Any guesses why?

It's eyes were a bit mattered. I've been cleaning them every day. I'm afraid if she had more than one that they are lost in the wall.  Out of all the kittens born this spring, this is the only one that has been introduced to us.

TGIF

There they go! Daylilies filling the plants with flowers. The turtle is playing guard duty.

Friday evening the sunset was beautiful! Just enough clouds to add dimension and color to the sky.

The astilbe is starting to bloom.  The entire plant is texture that can last into the winter.  The colors may go but the texture is there.

I'll show the snowball bush in a few days.  It is just starting to form blossom clusters.

Any volunteers for weeding?

Star gazer lilies are beginning to bloom.  What a great POP of color!

Tucked in the middle of some weeds is a small daisy plant.  Do I hear any volunteers?

These yellow daisy like plants have a base like a bush.  I have yet to see them in full bloom.  I'm not sure what they are so I'm not sure if they are root bound.

The spring before we moved out here, we bought two clematis plants. We never got them planted in town. I took the risk and planted them in the fall. This is the first time they've bloomed. It will make a nice cover along the fence. 

The Evening Primrose is now in full bloom. Such brilliant yellow!

The Delphiniums are also in full bloom.  They were just starting to bloom a week ago.

It is a rare few days when I get to see the seed pods and the blooms together on the same plant. 

I love the bright red and the texture of the seed pods. It is such an unusual texture and shape. Don't you want to reach out and touch them?

Bye bye tree

Last weekend while we were in Iowa, a storm went through the area.  We were lucky. The only thing that happened was a tree went down.

It smashed several panels of fencing along the West fence line of the pasture.

It looks like we will get to have another bon fire this winter.

Friday and today we were beginning cleanup. Friday Dale's nephew and great-nephew also helped.

That post took a beating, literally. It was twice as high. The branches going down beat it into the ground.

The dogs, they did a lot of watching while we worked.

New blooms

It has been about a week since I took these photos.  It has been a WILD week! I had several interviews very quickly and Thursday afternoon I accepted a new job which started Monday. 

The Ninebark, Diablo started blooming.  I love the color and texture of the leaves and blooms on this bush.

BIRD! Hummingbird on the overhead wire waiting for a turn at the feeders.

Rose buds. These soft pink old fashioned roses are so fabulous! One day I am going to buy a yellow old fashioned rose again.

Stella O'day day lilies are starting to bloom. It won't be long and these plants will be mostly yellow blooms.

The Delphiniums are are starting to bloom also.  I love the spike of blooms that this flower produces when in bloom.

The Evening Primrose is a splash of yellow in my otherwise purple garden.

Oh look! I found a rose that is open!

The Japanese Lilac is also beginning to bloom. A few more days and this tree will be packed with flowers.

There is something new every few days. It is one of the reasons that I love it out here.