I wish. 🙂
I not only would like a snappy title but wish I could start this post with recounting some really exciting or at least fun event from last week – nope. Everything is open here and the tourists have arrived, so we’re still hanging close to home except for those errands that have to be done because online isn’t an option.
Boring equals safe right now. 🙂
Gardening in the morning, working on my windmill wall hanging in the afternoon which I should finish this week, reading a mystery and blogs in between.
The most exciting thing that has happened in the past week is that we received a little rain overnight and there’s hope for more. I’ll smile at every drop we get.
Some flowers are blooming. The lillies are beautiful, and I picked them up at Home Depot last summer for $1 a bag on a clearance rack.
The veggies are growing.
The berries, especially the raspberries, are turning red.
And, let’s not forget the insects even if the photos are less than acceptable. I cut the branches with the galls off the blueberry plant, the soldier beetle isn’t doing much damage, but that milkweed beetle can wipe out some of my butterfly plants. Speaking of which, I haven’t seen any so far this year, and there are definitely less bumble bees.
This fall, after gardening season comes to an end, it sure would make for a lively conversation to get together with some of the new 2020 gardeners and listen to their experiences with starting seeds, insects, watering, weeding, actual crop harvest versus expectation, and storage.
Hope you are all well and safe and keeping busy as we close out June and head into July. Who knew being boring was going to be a plus this year. 😎
NewEnglandGardenAndThread 
Flowers are all beautiful, but the Asiatic Red Lily is a show stopper! Looks like a promising harvest from the fruit and veggie department. Hope you can keep those nasty beetles at bay. I’ve seen the soldier beetle here as well.
We had a horrific line of thunderstorms yesterday afternoon into evening, complete with lightening!
Hope to get some weeding done before it gets too hot and humid. We’ll see!
Can’t wait to see your windmill hanging. Always a treat to see anything you’ve made!
If this week isn’t fun for you, I hope it’s at least safe, stress free and pleasant.
🐾Ginger 🐾
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I decided after posting and enjoying breakfast, I’d make dessert – key lime. I figured that would definitely get me off to a positive start. 🙂
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I hear you! I was talking with my daughter on the phone yesterday and she said “That’s all I got, we are the house of the nothing new still.” Even though things are opening up to some degree, that doesn’t mean I want to go there because so many folks are not very good about wearing their masks! However, the flowers are also opening up, and we can at least enjoy the beautiful roses!
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Perfect – we will enjoy our flowers opening up and leave the rest to the more adventuresome. 🙂
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The flowers are beautiful. I hope you get more rain. Maybe it will help the flowers and dissuade the tourists. Good luck protecting those berries.
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I meant to count those blueberries because I want every one of them. But, we’ll see if the four legged critters get under the net and help themselves even if I keep out the feathered ones. 🙂
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Somebody has been eating the new leaves of our zucchini plants. We haven’t figured out who the culprit is.
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I don’t like to admit defeat, but I cried uncle with summer squash a couple of years ago. It really doesn’t like it here so I’m better off paying a local farmer. Win-win. Let me know if you find out if it is insect or four legged.
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My wife is pretty sure it’s not an insect. The leaves are just gone.
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Wow! Your veggies are looking great and your flowers are gorgeous. We went to an outdoor restaurant last week for a special occasion but other than that it’s the same old same old.
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I think the outdoor restaurants are keeping busy, for sure not making as much revenue, but definitely keeping busy. We see signs up here to make reservations for outdoor seating. Who knew people in 2020 would prefer to eat outdoors. 🙂
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Your gardens look great and those lilies are especially lovely. After irises, they are my second favorite flower. Rain, rain in Maine! Hope you got some in New Hampshire, too.
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No dragging buckets or hoses – yeah! I really like those lilies, and my iris for some reason definitely did not bloom this year like normal. A lot of them didn’t bloom at all, and I can’t figure it out. Happy Monday. 🙂
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Yay!!!! Blessed rain. And a nice one, too. Not driving. My irises were a bust this year. Plenty of foliage, only a few blooms. Will be interested in seeing what happens next year.
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Here is how our gardening goes.
“Is that a vegatable or a weed?”
“It’s a vegatable.”
“Is it one we planted or a volunteer from last year?”
“Does it matter?”
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Oh my goodness. I do thank you for a really good laugh out loud moment here. Too funny and too true. 🙂 You will appreciate the irony in this. Last year I had Schwartzbeeren (small blue berries in the nightshade family and a throwback to my husband’s family favorite pie) planted in one tank. This year I wanted it in another tank so I requested seeds from a family acquaintance in the Midwest and planted up. The seeds are not doing well, but the leftover seeds from last year started to flourish in the original tank. So, there I am every day out there picking these little seedlings out from around my squash and moving them to the other tank. If I’d just left Mother Nature alone, the original tank would be up and growing. Oh well, I do laugh at myself as I find myself doing it. And, laughter is always a blessing. 🙂
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Our problem is squash. It sprouts everywhere and grows exponentially on rainy, hot and humid days when the bugs are out and we stay indoors.
Rumor has it that the State is going to proclaim our region as a State Zuccini control Zone, kinda like a Mosquito Control Zone.
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It gets hard to figure out what to write about because nothing much — except the weather — changes from day to day. But we are safe at home and it looks like this is where we will be until something major changes, Who knew “air pollution” could mean actual disease?
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I don’t know about your neighbors, but mine are boring too so there’s not even anything going on in the neighborhood to check out. 🙂 These are definitely strange times right now and as different parts of the virus are studied so many reports come out that you feel like you need a bunker. Stay well. You sure had some high numbers in your area, but they’re getting better so that is a really good thing.
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Your flowers are gorgeous, and I’m sure they loved the rain! We had a surprise downpour and hail last night after 9pm. I was so startled by the sound I didn’t recognize what it was at first! He-Man and I met at the sliding glass door to check it out after we realized what was happening. 😀 It only lasted 10 minutes or less, but I’m sure our thirsty ground loved it.
We’re staying close to home too outside the weekly trip to the grocery store and Costco. Every other outing is hiking or walking…me, and cycling- He-Man. We’re not running into many people at all on those outings, thankfully!
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Yesterday, we had about a ten minute downfall. By the time, I got to the window to admire it, it was over. But, this evening, we have been getting a nice slow rain. I can almost hear the plants, shrubs, and trees doing a happy dance out there. Sounds like your schedule allows you to pursue your interests but keep away from crowds sounds like a good plan. I have to admit I still missing actually seeing people, but these are strange times and the social distancing seems to be a positive response. Stay well and keep shooting. 🙂
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Nothing gardening is going on in my life. The weather continues on being weird as it is the last day in June and it is raining. It should be in the high 90s F. and no rain. On an outing, we passed by a lovely Lowes Garden Center. I didn’t even look as I am out of window space.
If you want t what’s eating your plants, take a flashlight and do out at and check your plants or place a damp piece of cardboard and lift in the morning. You might be surprised at all the insect life. Good gardening.
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It’s a busy place out there day and night that’s for sure. I must admit I don’t go out after dark with my neighborhood skunk out there. 🙂 Hope your weather as well as the rest of us levels out so we can all enjoy our gardens.
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The rain has stopped for now and we have sunny weather right now.
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It must be very satisfying to have a gentle sprinkle water your lovingly cared for gardens! Hopefully you’ll have as much as you need.
Beautiful lilies in such a striking color, and what a great buy you got on them! Reminds me of an orphan of a “Charlie Brown” blue spruce tree we brought home as newlyweds for $3 on fall clearance. By the time we moved on to a bigger home, it towered over the ranch, full and rich, nicely balancing it at one corner. I felt sad to leave it behind!
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What a great memory, and it made me think about a blue spruce we have out in the yard that was started from a sprig maybe 6″ in length from top to the bottom of the root about 13 years ago. It’s about 5′ tall now. I’ll grab a photo and include it next week. You’ll get a chuckle. 🙂 I’m a sucker for anything ‘Charlie Brown.’ 🙂
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I don’t know how you can say you’re bored. You are so busy. Flowers have been beautiful this year. Love the color of your lily.
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Isn’t that lily a kick. I bought every one they had on that sale rack. 🙂
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Boring is good. Take a look at Florida to see what happens when things open and people behave badly. Your garden looks very healthy. Are the flowers by the tomatoes decorative or for another purpose?
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I’ve been watching your numbers as well as those in SC, and I’ve been cringing. A friend told me about a gated community in SC that decided to have a group high school/college graduation party. The only problem was over 50 of the young folks then tested positive. Sad state of affairs. The orange flowers planted with the tomatoes are marigolds which help protect from harmful soil borne parasites. The alyssum is just for looks. 🙂
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That Red Asiatic Lily is really beautiful!
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Thank you. 🙂
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I was wondering just yesterday when I will actually feel safe again going out and about… not for a while, I expect. I am grateful we have a nice yard, land and river to peruse, and the gardens certainly keep me busy.
I suspect many of those ‘new’ gardens are now choked with weeds, seedlings not thinned, possibly drought-killed and totally abandoned! Folks don’t realize the work that goes into such things. 😉
Yours are looking very well tended…I admire your clean edging!
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I know it’s going to be a while for us too, and I’m positive it won’t be during tourist season. 🙂 I think you’re probably right on the mark with some of the new gardens because it is a lot of work and there are lots of challenges. I love that metal edging. I sure wish I had the energy to change out some plastic I have in a couple of other places. The metal seems to be staying in place and straight while the plastic is wonky. 🙂
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I am speechless and struggling to find the words for everything you grow! It’s so beautiful and tidy! It certainly seems captivating to me! That red lily is magnificent, and, oh, all those summery greens! They lighten the heart!
You are right that boring equals safe; I wish everyone could accept that. I’m needing a higher dose of my patience pills to even read about people who refuse to be bored. I’m glad you’re bored!
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That lily really is a pretty one. I must admit I’ve never embraced boredom, but it seems now like every time we talk about doing something we end up weighing the pros and cons and here we stay. 🙂
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Thanks for transporting me to a world where things not only get planted but thrive in the summer. LOL. My garden is topsy-turvy these days. But I’m certainly enjoying yours. As for the other stuff that’s going on, this sentence is so true: Boring equals safe right now.
Stay bored, my friend.
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You too! It sounds like AZ is struggling a little with higher numbers. You and all of your family stay well.
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Being one of the states with the highest spike isn’t something I’d like to see, but we’re doing as we’ve done since we got here, which means we’re staying as safe as possible. No gyms and certainly no bars for us. 🙂
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Nothing wrong with boring! We have three blueberry bushes, one of which is pumping out berries like you wouldn’t believe. We’ve baked with some, froze some, and given out some to neighbors (who, hopefully, will reciprocate with avocados 🙂 ). I guess we don’t have blueberry stem gall in this neck of the woods as I have never heard of it. As long as we can continue to prevent the squirrels from digging under the blueberry cage, we’ll get a full crop this year. Stay safe and enjoy your slightly quieter summer in your beautiful garden.
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Oh my, it sounds like you are having a bumper crop. Glad you have a cage to keep them all to yourself. 🙂 It’s a different summer that is for sure.
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I’m so pleased to hear you are staying home and staying safe. Every day when I see what is happening in America on the TV I think of all my blogging friends and hope you are all well. The extra TLC in your garden is really paying off, so the enforced stay at home has been worth it.
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I think your lovely country could teach ours how to handle this pandemic. I think we certainly didn’t handle the long-term care facilities correctly which had deadly results, and now we have a few too many folks who decided it was over or to heck with it, so we’re dealing with a new wave. Stir in the tourists, and boy do we have a mess. We will continue to watch from afar as this new chapter plays out.
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Your plants are doing well even with a dry spell!
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I mulched with wood chips, but this has been a long dry spell so I’m grateful they’re doing as well as they are.
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It just made my day looking at the photos of all your flowers and especially your vegetable garden …. every plant is glowing with summer growth….It is a dreary winter day here ( I know, we all have to have them)…. but I’ll start planning for spring soon. Yes boring is safe here too, have a good week & happy 4th July in advance..😊
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Thank you, and spring planning is full of fun too plus no hard work. 🙂
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This is not boring at all… flowers, veggies and beetles …oh my! I enjoyed all your gardening pictures.
Gardening is what makes our world go by in a fun way.
We are doing about the same… but I am going to see my boys soooooon!
Have a beautiful week!
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A family visit is the very best at any time, but during this time, it is like winning the lottery. Enjoy. 🙂
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You said that right!
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I know what you mean about boring. I am about as dull as can be, doing nothing outside our house and garden. We live where it has been suggested that we stay home, so we are. *yawn*
On a different note, we’ve had more bumble bees than ever around here. Our catmint has gone wild and our roses look ratty but are prolific. Hence it is bee-a-palooza out there. This makes me feel less isolated, oddly enough.
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Our catmint looks good too, and my roses look terrible but I can’t figure out what to do to help them. Yesterday morning, I was outside for about an hour, and I saw almost zero insects of any type including not one bee. It was very weird, but I guess this entire year has been weird.
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Admiring your astilbe. They’re so lovely! I’m trying AGAIN this year. One year, it’ll take, I just know it!
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A bargain and beautiful, you really scored with the lilies. Wish I could send some of our rain your way. 😘
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I envy your tomatoes and your berries!
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I can’t think of a better place to be than surrounded by gardens in New England this time of year! Yours look amazing and well worth your efforts all year long!
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