Farmhouse Flowers...

So many flowers in full bloom at the farmhouse this month! On the north side of the farmhouse resides a gorgeous, lush white hydrangea. I think it's also called Bridal Wreath, but either way, it's incredible. It used to wrap around to the front of the porch, but in the rebuild, much of it was removed during excavation. I was heartsick, but hoped beyond hope what was left would survive. I wasn't disappointed.

Along the fence row, there are these sweet purple flowers nestled in with the Queen Anne's Lace, which is just beginning to open all around the yard! The raspberries are part of the prolific vines that "volunteered" all around the edges of the yard, thanks to the birds. I picked enough for Handsome and me to enjoy with cereal for a few mornings before the mosquitoes drove me off. I'll try for more another day. (I was sprayed with bug spray, too. They just laughed at that!)

On the corner of the retaining wall in front of the house are the daisies I planted to honor Mom Grace. They grow in front of the monument Dad brought up on one of his scuba diving forays. There are daylilies growing under the apple tree, as well as all along the front rock wall across the yard. 

Crown vetch also volunteered, and I can see I'm going to have to make a decision. Whether or not to let it take over as a ground cover that will choke out all the weeds (and any other plants I've put in the same area), or whether I should just pull it out completely and tame the garden it currently inhabits. I'm sure it seeded itself in when the interchange on the highway was built over a year ago. (You can usually see it in some of my front "weather vista" photos from time to time.) The state plants crown vetch as a retainer to keep the soil from eroding on the hillsides. Mixed blessing for us. 

Finally, outside the pantry window is a small patch of "wildness" that I've also neglected. These tiny Johnny jump-ups are coming up right through the grass!

Next time, I'll share the wild violets, bird's foot trefoil, clover, and some of the others. The lily of the valley has finished blooming for this year, as the bleeding hearts are fighting for space among other wild things. I need to clean out around it so they don't kill that beautiful specimen. The milkweed is blossoming, too, so I'll take photos of it soon to share with the others. I hope you enjoy this little garden tour.

Plans have morphed this week after some concerns for my sweetheart over the weekend. If I were to go camping with Di, I'd be seven hours from home. Handsome, Di and I discussed it, and Di and I decided that here is where I need to be right now. Handsome was grateful I made the decision. 

So, as I'd planned to be away from Wednesday through to the following Tuesday, I was added to the schedule to work today and tomorrow, my usual Tuesday. I let my boss know I'm sticking around, so I've also picked up Friday day hours, as well as an extra day next week. I can do that, as I'm only three miles from home when I go to work, and readily available should I need to quickly get back home.

We're going to make some calls before I leave today, and get Handsome in to see the doctor or his primary care provider this week. We have things to address as soon as we can get an appointment. Not to worry. He's okay in the meantime, but darn. If it's not one thing...