More family time and summer sun...

 Well,  we were very busy this week.  We went to Minnesota to see my husband's family outsideof Rochester.  Then swung up to see my brother in outside of St.Paul.  

We had a great time with Kelly's family.  We watched baseball, drove around the country,  and best of all visited.   It was super hot, but that didn't slow us down. 

 Next we saw my brother's new home.  It was such a treat.  I am very happy for him and his wife.  If I ever had to live in a city that would be the spot.

On the way home we stopped to see "Dignity." What an amazing sculpture.   It was 102 in Chamberlain, SD.

I had a pleasant surprise when I got home.  None of my plants died form the heat and I had a rufous hummingbird.   Do you have hummingbirds?  If so what kind?

I have to say this has been a great July.  Spending time with family is a blessing. 

Family time...

 We interrupt this summer for some family time. Hope you had a great weekend. 

Happy 4th of July my way...

This is my kind of 4th of July fireworks...

Northern Lights to celebrate our 250th anniversary.

We even had a turkey parade.  

Every parade has to have someone watching on the sidelines.  Yes, if you look closely that is a mountain lion watching Dollor and I.

Happy 4th of July and Happy Birthday America. I hope you all were able to celebrate your way.

The flowers are fenced...

 The last few years I have been getting a little frustrated with gardening. The deer eat whatever the hail doesn't get.  I can't give up without a fight, so today we fenced.  I found this decorative fencing on the way to work.  I stopped and asked the people that had it rolled up next to their barn if they would be willing to sell it and they were.  My husband got the posts and cut them to size.  After some fence stretching and cussing everything was nailed into place.  

I used to have blog posts about what is old is new again.  This is an example as old fencing was given a new life.  

It is hard to see, which is exactly what I was hoping for.  It should keep the deer out and the flowers in.  We left the back open, so I can deadhead, plant, and still have easy access.   Speaking of flowers, the garden is looking amazing.  

The western fires are making the sunsets and the moon extremely colorful.  The sunrise on Saturday was ominous.  Luckily nothing happened in the hills.  I do believe there was serious weather to the north.

Last night the Strawberry Moon was actually strawberry colored.  That wasn't why it was named the Strawberry Moon.  It is called that because this is when the wild strawberries are ripe.  The fires made it a red color befitting its title.

Did you see the Strawberry Moon?  How do you deter deer?  How are the sunsets where you are?

A day in the life...

 The horses went home on their own, escaped again, and went home again.  The ringleader, a bay mare named Meg, was taken back to where she came from.  Too bad.  

A lot has been happening around here.  Some baby spiders hatched on the porch and floated away with the wind.  It was something to see them floating across the yard.

It has been cool and rainy.  Everything is lush and blooming.  Columbine and my pink dianthus.  
All of my irises are flourishing.  They are a great flower, hardy, and every color in the book.

They also look amazing in the rain.  The bees love them.  I suppose because they have a perfect landing deck built in. 

I have hail netting over my vegetable garden.  Thankfully, we haven't had any hail yet.  It is nice to see all of my flower's blooming, instead of beaten to smithereens.  

My peas are blooming like crazy.  I've never seen pea blooms this pretty before.  Hope they taste as good as they look.

The view from my porch is filled with flowers, birds, and chipmunks.  It is very relaxing.

My husband mowed the trails through our property.  Things are green and lush.

After 6 months, our oven parts finally came in.  I am able to make muffins again.  I really missed baking bread.  We've used our smoker for everything, and it did a great job.  

My Western Tanager is getting braver and coming closer.  He sure is pretty.  I was a little worried I wouldn't see him this year.  He came quite late.  The wrens that nested by the house last year did not show up.  I'm sad about that.  

I hope everyone had a great Father's Day.  

I went to see a man about a horse...

Not enough time to post about the weekend.  I spent my evening rounding up some strays.  It felt a little like those Beverly Doolittle paintings.  I saw them and made a quick about face, so Dollor didn't see them.  I'm sure he would have chased them.  I got a halter and some oats.  Took forever to find them again.  Their owner came up and we looked high and low.   Right after she gave up and left, I found them again.  Amazing how hard it is to find a horse in a forest. I tried to call her, but my phone was dead.  We hung out for a while.  There wasn't anywhere to take them, so walked home and let her know where they were.  Hopefully, she will find them tomorrow.  They are safe where they are for the night.

Sure made me miss having horses around.  They were very sweet.  
 

June is for flowers...

 I don't have much to say.  Just enjoying the clouds and the flowers.  

My timing couldn't have been better, catching the little chub coming in for a landing. 

My Australian Copper roses are blooming like crazy.  They only bloom once and don't have a scent, but I love them anyway. 

The yellow roses are also blooming and they smell heavenly.  Nothing smells better.  They are also a one and done, but worth it. 

These pink diantus have a great scent.  I lined our path from the garage to the cabin with them.  

I love my gardens in June.  What do you have blooming?