Inter-Hosta Spike

Nice. We are hoping this lupine will rebloom (is that a word?) this season. At least we are hoping for some multiplication. It's too nice an additon to our backyard to hope otherwise.

Front Yard Fancies

Geraniums. This variety grows wild in Ohio woods, and when they're seen in a wooded glade, they are called Cranesbill. But here in my front yard, it's another lovely purpley-blue flower that goes by the name 'geranium'.

Day's Eye

Our daisies are growing simply *everywhere*! This one is part of a clump that sprang up between our brick steps and asphalt (who's fault?) driveway. Persistent! And I love them.

Columbines!

They came back in droves to brighten our front garden beautifully this year. I love columbines!

Green Car? Hybrid? SOMEthing...

May I present (fanfare, please!) The Sproutmobile! Some mystery seed found a home on one of our VW Golfs. I'm not sure *what* that says. I *am* sure, though, that we won't let this odd sprout grow to full maturity just to find out what the screaming heck it is...

The Rabbit and the Wolf(flower)

I did NOT plant that lupine there to feed the local wildlife! That's for MY eyeballs!

Don't get me wrong. I love rabbits; the babies are extra cute. But come ON!! Nosh on the buttercups, for cri yi! There's tons of that. I've only got one lupine.

Please don't make me hanker for hassenpfeffer.

Thanks.

 

Color Swatch

Just a small taste of our developing front yard. The bulb plants and red ossier dogwood are done blooming for the season. The rudbeckia and cannas aren't anywhere near their full height, let alone blooming. So today there is beauty and drama, but there is promise of plenty more to come!

I have to give credit to my ever hard-working husband. The garden is his masterpiece. There is some naturalizing involved, but he has done all the digging and initial planting. He amazes me, and each year our yard looks more lovely than it did the last.

Criminy. Not AGAIN. Not TWICE in a Day.

Criminy. Not AGAIN. Not TWICE in a Day.
Originally uploaded by sunspotting.

Well, now we know why I don't EVER pick the flowers from our yard for interior flower-strewing: they really WILL be strewn. Note the tasteful and artistic reflecting pond that cascades down the face of the dresser and moistens the table linens within.

Arrangement by Rebecca. REarrangement by Anonymous F*c%ng Cat.

 

I guess this makes me paparazzo...

...that's one of the baby bunnies. But probably not 'THE babies'. Check your local tabloid before freaking out...

Heh Heh Heh...

So many comments, so little bandwidth. This is my dad and my husband and our hand-me-down patio furniture. I guess a good caption would be, "How many men does it take to open an umbrella?" Heh heh heh...

The Grandpa Stone and the Allium

The flower is one of Rick's favorites, for how ethereally symmetrical and oddly perfect it is. But they are toxic for dogs, being part of the onion family, so it must be in the front yard to keep the back yard safe for Cleo. She likes its grass-like foliage.

The Grandpa Stone once was one of several lining the driveway of my Grandpa Kopsell's farm. Each spring they were freshly painted bright white. You can see the remnants of the last painting, done in his own hand. I am allowing it to weather; I don't care, myself, for painted stones, and as this stone is not being used as a guideline for nighttime drivers or widely-spaced tractor tires, it no longer needs to be as bright. The effect is appropriate.

When we grandkids were young, we would play balancing games on them, which was very challenging, given how widely spaced they were. We weren't supposed to do that; of course, we weren't supposed to play in the barnyard when the steer were out either...

(Simply amazing, isn't it, that any of us 'of a certain age', made it to maturity? Though there are those who make the argument that we've still got a ways to go.)

When he left the farm, the stones went with him. When he left this world, my mom asked for a stone for me and for my brother.

I treasure my Grandpa Stone and the still-vivid memories it helps me nurture alongside our plants in the garden.

Impressive Feat

Tired now, but resilient, these tulips have been blooming for almost a month. Love that azalea, too!

Our Front Yard

A good start on seasonal color! Amazingly, if you look closely enough, you can see a steadfast group of purple tulips. Yes, even this late in the season. (I think they just earned their own post.) Today's posts will be their second time featured; scroll down far enough and you'll see! Aim for April 24, or thereabouts.

Sidewalkside

Daisies and buttercups, spilling out over the sidewalk.

Is it a neighbor or a thief?

Can you see the bunny?

Hallo Your Name to the Reverberate Hills

My community has once more exceeded my expectations. We attended a meeting of our street with representatives of City Hall this evening. It ended perhaps an hour ago.

Now our street measures only two blocks long, so we have relatively few households. And from that number, one must remove the houses which are vacant (sadly, quite a few) and those occupied by renters (traditionally, transitional, and therefore uninterested with any real commitment to the neighborhood). Amazingly, there were probably about 20 people in the meeting room by the time the meeting ended. Yes, that means people trickled in as the meeting progressed, ourselves included. Nowadays, folk do not have traditional 9-5 work schedules the way they used to in years past.

It's good to see so much interest in preserving the integrity of our neighborhood. It's good to see that people care. I was delighted to see faces I'd never seen before. I made a commitment to sit on my porch more this summer. I plan to do that as soon as it's warmer. I want to get to know these fine faces better.

It all started with one person calling City Hall with a complaint about one of the vacant houses. One person, one phone call, one cry for help. She was heard; assistance was offered to the community. All because of that one cry.

There was real warmth in that room. There were genuine smiles, and very robust handshakes. We solved some nagging neighborhood problems. I liked the friendliness behind the laughter. Names were exchanged. "OK, now which one do you live in?" ... "Oh! Sure! I'm just across the street, a bit further east, in the green one. We have lots of flowers..."

I think today is when the real thaw took place. I don't think we have to worry about late season frost anymore.

 

Back at Lock 39 Parking Lot

End of this week's ride! Martha, the ride leader, is at front left. My Beloved is behind her in black and yellow. It was a perfect day and a perfect ride. And only 20 miles, so I anticipate no major aches: bonus.

 

Friendly Farewell to the Hostel

Yum! That was fantastic. Plus, there were members of the Cleveland Colectivo, another altruistic group we belong to, serving the breakfast, so that was a nice surprise. Heading out with full stomachs and heads full of good conversation, we are very ready for the bike trail!

 

At the Stanford Youth Hostel

Paladins (and many others! ALL friendly!) eating pancakes to benefit the Stanford Youth Hostel. We made new friends that day, and discovered friends in common with friends. How fun! What a small world!

 

"Roads go ever ever on, ..."

"... Over rock and under tree
By caves where never sun has shown,
By streams that never find the sea:

Over snow by winter sown,
And through the mery flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon,

Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green
And trees and hills they long have known."

--J.R.R.Tolkien, The Hobbit

I hope you'll indulge the whim. The windingness of the path just seemed to fit.