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| Deer .... stay away ! |
The monsoon season here has passed. Now, it's just hot and dry. If the flowers are to survive, they need water . . . daily. While giving them their morning 'drink' today, I listened to a podcast by Sean Dietrich (aka "Sean of the South") from July 4, 2018. In that program, he frequently spoke the words that are the title of this post.
Our yard has been a riot of colors since last February
when the little purple crocus emerged. There has been a progression (not necessarily in this order) of jonquils (buttercups), azaleas, iris, dogwoods, roses, day lilies, camelias, hydrangia, gardenias, canna lilies, calla lilies, hibiscus, mandavila, petunia, hosta, coleus, ferns and one volunteer sunflower (courtesy of a bird who enjoyed the suet feeder)
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| Spot the butterfly |
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| Looking down from the balcony |
My wife has a 'green thumb'. I think she could make flowers grow in cement. I ? Well, I cheer her on.
We have collected day lilies of numerous colors on our vacations. We love them . . . so do the deer. It is a contest from late May to now as to how many buds become full flowers. A friend who is a professional landscaper called them
'deer candy'. For many years, my wife was renowned for her many varieties of roses. Ultimately, the deer won that struggle.
Today whenever I catch a whiff of a fragrant Sweet Betsy bush, I am transported through the years to the sidewalk at my adolescent home where mom had planted that treasure.
Like my wife, she excelled in making miracles in the soil.
In our home she had a small plaque that expressed well her
philosophy of horticulture: One is nearer to God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.
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| The Promise of Spring |
Apropos Sean Dietrich's comment, flowers complement most every occasion and situation: births, weddings, funerals, graduations, on the church altar or communion table almost every Sunday, at dance recitals, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's Day, apologies, parties of many descriptions, and you likely can add to that list. Beauty may indeed be in the eye of the beholder, and, if so, the tenacity of this volunteer by our trash can gets my vote.
Flowers make everything better !
Satchel
