They're Back!

Hey Friends,

I know this blog has been terribly neglected lately.  It's a wonder it isn't just totally grown over with weeds!  I've turned into a traveling gypsy, and have been to Illinois, Nevada, California and Virginia since March, so life has been a bit of a whirlwind.  Hmmmm, maybe I should temporarily rename the blog to Daylily Whirlwind.  Sometimes, I just click my heels together and repeat "There's no place like home."  Anyway, I'm home for a while and what a time to be here!  Showtime has begun for the dayliles, and it's been lots of fun so far.  I'm trying to stick to my resolve to quit moving them around just for the sake of "rearranging," and that's turning out to be a good thing (I did move a few to sunnier spots though).  It's amazing how much taller they are once they've been left alone to settle in for a couple of years.  Here are a few blooms of late I'd like to share with you:

'Cameroon Night'

 This one resides near the back of the main daylily garden (referred to as The Daylily Soup Garden around here).

It shines like a beacon back there!

'All American Chief''

 Brilliant!

Super tall, re-blooming, large spider that seems to glow.  

I never can quite catch the elusive beauty of this one in a photo.

'Texas Big Bend'

This has been one of my favorites for the past two years with its beautiful color, substance and ruffled edges.  

This bloom is huge and some have compared it to a fancy squash bloom.  

What a fancy squash bloom!

'Rip City'

This tall bearded iris is a keeper.  I bought it after reading reviews that it will bloom in hot climates when others don't.  

Well, I have not been disappointed, so if you're looking for a rugged, heat tolerant bearded iris, this is the one for you!  

'Rip City' has bloomed consistently since landing in my garden even when it wasn't particularly babied.  

We all know which flowers get babied in this garden, don't we? ;-)

Clematis

'Firefly Frenzy'

This is 'Firefly Frenzy's first year anniversary in the garden, and look at all of the buds!

It doesn't quite look like it did when I bought it but it's still settling in.

 

Crazy Garden Getup

 Sometimes, one just has to get out to the garden with coffee in hand right away!  

Hence, more crazy garden getups!

Yes, that is a gown with the gardening bogs!  LOL

What's your favorite bloom of this group?  I'd love to hear.

So glad you stopped by!

All the best! :-)

Gonna Garden Like a Rock Star!

Yep, gonna garden like a rock star in the Daylily Soup garden today! LOL. An update will be along soon unless I'm locked up in "the big house" for my rock star behavior! I'm on my way out the door in my gardening getup of gray safari cargo pants (protection from fire ants), blue flowered gardening boots, white flowered gardening hat and red gardening gloves ( I'm not hard to spot in the garden). What's your favorite gardening getup? Hope you have a lovely day, friends! :-)

Daylily Soup goes to Illinois!

Hi Friends,

I must warn you, this post is being created totally from my phone, so I'm not quite sure how the final post will look. I just got a new phone since the old one decided it didn't want to perform as a phone anymore, and am unable to upload photos for use on my blog as I used to. The former phone just didn't want to ring when someone called (now, that's a problem). Anyway, I recently took a trip to Illinois where I braved the snow and ice complete with a winter storm. It was quite pretty but I am so glad to be back in Alabama (yes, I've become a sissy when it comes to cold weather). The beach is the place for me! Hope you enjoy some of my photos from my little adventure. All the best, friends! :-)

View from the rental car line ...

At the hotel ...

This view wasn't my cup of tea ... homesickness was setting in but I would persevere ... :-)

Winter storm on the way ... supposed to fly out the next morning at 6:00 a.m.

My view before the de-icing!

Back home again ... southern sunset. :-)

Travel Chit Chat

I'm leavin' on a jet plane ...  Stay tuned for some travel photos soon, friends. I've never been very good at packing, and used to try to take the actual "kitchen sink" with me. I've since changed my ways, and have decided Ziplock bags are the supreme packing essential as you can tell from my photo. What about you? Are you good at packing? Have any funny travel moments?

Until next time, keep on shining! :-)

Good Morning, Sunshine!

Lately, I've been snapping photos of the beautiful sunrises from our deck overlooking the garden (had to mention the garden).  I'd like to share some of Mother Nature's masterpieces with you along with some favorite sunrise quotes and rhymes.  Please join me on a February sunrise tour if you have a moment.  Here we go:

"Red sky at night, 

Sailor's delight;

Red sky at morning, 

Sailor's warning."

- Ancient Mariner's Rhyme

"What is the good of your stars and trees,

your sunrise and the wind, 

if they do not enter into our daily lives?"  - E. M. Foster

"Climb up on some hill at sunrise.  

Everybody needs perspective once in a while,

and you'll find it there."  - Robb Sagendorph

Until next time, let's keep on shining. :-)

Out in the trees, there arose such a chatter ...

Out in the trees, there arose such a chatter, I flew from my bed before windows shattered.  I threw on my bogs and made a mad dash, when what to my wondering eyes did appear, but hundreds of Robins signaling spring might be near ... (yep, just had to do it). :-)  Don't forget your sound before viewing "Robins Gone Wild."

Sounded like a rain forest full of Robins might sound, didn't it?

 I know Robins being one of the first signs of spring is considered an old wives tale by some but I choose to BELIEVE.

Are you a BELIEVER?

What's one of the first signs of spring for you?

C'mon Spring!

'Flower Child'

Hey Friends,

I know I've been missing for a while, so I hope you've all been doing well.  I've been trying to keep up with your blogs while in holiday mode.  Soon, all will return to normal.  Even though the holidays can be fun, I think there's something to be said for normalcy.  Now that I've escaped to the computer for a moment of solitude with a nice cup of green tea infused with spearmint and lemongrass (trying to have a Zen moment), I'd like to share something very exciting with you.  The first new bloom of an orchid under my care has been witnessed!  Yes!  It's true!  Here it is:

This is so exciting!

This particular orchid is present for all of our meals at the table, so she has ended up being named 'Flower Child' (FC).   I moved her closer to the china cabinet (should really just call it my teapot cabinet) :-) hoping to find a place FC might look more at home in, but it's back to the middle of the table with her for now. 

FC started out as a moderately sized centerpiece, but now she floats high above the table. Above is my view while seated.  Time spent at the table is even a little more special now. However, if FC taps me on the shoulder while I'm elsewhere in the room, it will be time for a pruning.  Yes, I just threatened a dreaded pruning if things get dangerous!  ;-)  

Oh, please excuse the bougainvillea in the background.  She just moved in for the winter, and is in dire need of a trip to the salon.

'Flower Child' in all her glory (taken last night before the bloom opened). 

Hope you all have a lovely week.  Until next time, keep on shining friends! :-)