The struggle for beauty

Inner beauty is important.............................in the garden we usually look for outer beauty. It is often fleeting and we must capture it immediately before it's gone. So, the roses disappointed this Summer (see yesterday's post) but there is always next year. Meanwhile, this morning as I walked the garden bounds, distressed to see so much plant life struggling in the heat and drought conditions, there were these beauties showing off their amazing colors as if to say, " roses we aren't, but goldenrod, mandevilla, morning glories, petunias and hydrangeas we are........and gorgeous too".

The "Fireworks" goldenrod is just starting to add some color along the back fence.

See the terrible state of the grass..................what grass say you?

These "Flying Saucer" blooms are huge.

The gazebo has supported this mandevilla all Summer..........now the blooms are cashing in!

Can there be a Morning Glory more blue than this one?
These were the best white petunias - strong, with ruffled edges, ever blooming in a pot. And here.................one of a few late blooms on the "Endless Summer" hydrangeas. A little smaller but still pretty - living up to their very appropriate name.

Hope you enjoy this little morning stroll around the garden. My neighbor called earlier and said she doesn't want a hurricane of course, but a nice tropical storm would certainly perk up the gardens! This has been the hottest, driest August ever in our part of North Carolina and next week the temps. will continue in the nineties, whew!

I'm off to look at Fall displays at the craft store, pumpkins, russet leaves, chrysanthemums, perhaps that will have the cooling effect!

Inspiration Friday ~ ROSES

I really believe that the last roses of Summer are struggling in my parched garden - this Peace rose is the only near perfect bloom left and, unless we have some rain soon, I fear there will not be a flush of Fall flowers. As of this week, our water restrictions are so severe, we have to just about give up on keeping anything going.

Well, for our hats we can rely on silk roses - this one's so pretty.

After all they say...........a rose is a rose...........I won't argue with that statement.

Just love these photos of beautiful pale pink roses - perhaps next year mine will do better and I will have bunches to fill my pretty vases.

These roses are sent with love and thanks to a special friend who not only loves roses, her name is Rose - and she will know who I mean. A smile coming your way right now - cheer up, and enjoy each day knowing you are special to so many people.

Ochre and Cerulean Blue

I love these colors together - the ochre shades of Fall foliage mingled with Cerulean ocean blues. I love the pre-Raphaelite ladies, thick red tresses, folds and gathers of a silk and velvet dress, calm countenance displaying thoughts of...............only she knows!

I made this wall hanging with tags this past weekend. The words read "Only your heart knows what is precious" ~ I feel this is true for each of us.

When life gives you cucumbers!

When life gives you cucumbers..........................................................................make Green Gazpacho!

Disappointments come easily when the garden doesn't live up to expectations - the good years are always discussed lovingly. "Remember the year we were still picking a ton of green tomatoes in October when the first frost was expected?" The poor years, such as this one, are best forgotten, except for cucumbers, well we did pick several pounds of tender haricot verts, but the tomatoes and peppers were disappointing. However, those European cucumbers - all grown from seeds - despite almost no rain, but enough hose water to make us quake in our shoes when the water bill arrives any day now, THESE cucumbers, wow! Bright green, yellow green, a few short and stubby, others as long as baseball bats, some even curved into alphabetical letters - they just keep coming and they are so good - small seeds, sweet, even tender skins.

If you enjoy the better known tomato based red Gazpacho, you may enjoy trying this one for a change. We actually like this one better and tonight, after it's well chilled, we'll enjoy a bowl along with our salmon Caesar salad. Today was another scorcher so anything light and cool is welcome sustenance.

GREEN GAZPACHO

4-5 medium European style cucumbers, peeled, any large seeds removed

1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia, cut into chunks

1 red bell pepper and 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded, deribbed and cut into small chunks

1 medium jalapeno pepper seeded, deribbed and chopped

3 large cloves of garlic, minced

4 slices of day old Italian style bread such as Ciabatta, cut into cubes

3/4 cup good quality olive oil

Several sprigs of fresh mint

Juice of one lemon

Salt to taste

Croutons and parsley to garnish

Puree the cucumbers in a food processor until completely liquid, pour into a large bowl. Pulse the onion in food processor until coarsely chopped and add to cucumbers. Pulse peppers until coarse and add to bowl. Place jalapeno, bread cubes, garlic and mint in processor and slowly add olive oil through the feed tube until everything is well blended into a paste. Add to bowl with lemon juice, salt, one cup of ice water and a couple of ice cubes. Stir well and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Stir again, soup should be thick but if too thick add more ice water. Ladle into glass bowls pre-chilled in the freezer. Top with croutons, finely chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Keeps well refrigerated for a couple of days - 6/8 servings.

To all the school children

UNDAY MORNING

Sometimes we grownups need the company of the young. Their innocence brings back times when we too were full of promise and great expectations of life ahead. Before realities of how life truly is set in, we skipped through Summer vacation with no sense of hours passing, no cares about being too hot, or too wet. Meal times, bed times were not scheduled. Life was beautiful and we took each minute as it was given to us, a small gem to handle as we wished, not realizing that it would be gone in less than an instant, never to return.

This lovely Sunday morning shared with my granddaughter Jasmin has been special and her granddad is now driving her home. Last evening we went out for dinner then home to spend a couple of hours watching a movie - granddad made the popcorn. She requested a "proper breakfast" which included her favorite maple and brown sugar oatmeal, scrambled eggs and bacon, and as a treat, these fresh buttery croissants. We were able to relax and just enjoy each other, chatting about our lovely Summer together.

School starts tomorrow. The early morning rush will not be here in my house, she and her mom will be facing that, just as so many of you young moms across the country. I don't envy you, but I've been there too. I admire you, each and every one, readying your precious children for the day, sending them off out of your sight, confident they will stay safe, wishing and hoping that they make the right decisions.

My thoughts and love go out to each of you as school begins - moms, dads, and the many grandparents who are often the caregivers..........................and to all the wonderful children. May it be a great school year for everyone.

Bouquets especially for the MOMS!

Join my garden friends

Elephants have not invaded my garden. Families of hungry grey squirrels have, along with bunnies, chipmunks, raccoons, foxes, bats and birds. They are all hungry and looking for food to fatten themselves up now or store in nooks and crannies for Winter. This severe drought in the Southeastern states has really taken a toll on the berry producing plants and the nut bearing trees. We spend a small fortune keeping the feeders full and tossing out fruits and nuts because we care about these animals and birds, they are what keep our garden alive. We even forgive them for pecking the ripening tomatoes.....................but which one of you picked and hauled off my lovely purple eggplants? This I really want to know!

This whimsical wallpaper with jovial clowns is called Circus Toile by Schumacher - I found it in Victoria's "Decorating with Wallpaper" book - yesterday's $2 bargain at the used bookshop.

These lovelies do not steal, they offer food, and provide a resting place on a hot Summer day.

Although the color is fading from the Summer garden, soon, with some rain, the goldenrod will bloom next to chrysanthemums and asters.........perhaps the Japanese anemones will waft tall in the Fall air. The hydrangeas are turning that fabulous chartreuse green and grey as they begin to dry to everlasting..............well for a year or so anyway before they crumble in the air when gently touched. The cat keeps watch...........when it's not sleeping.

My favorite rabbit causes little damage - unless you trip over him on the front steps.

And the leaves will turn and fall once again as Nature continues her dance of the seasons. Waiting out the days in anticipation of a brilliant Fall...........see pumpkins in the shops so can't be much longer, can it?

Creativity unleashed

If you are not familiar with amazing artist Sandra Evertson go quickly to her blog. Not only will she amaze you with her creativity, she shares wonderful pieces of art for you to download, such as this femme fatale from a 1930's Paris cabaret show no doubt. My return to playing with paper and running with scissors happened when I started scrapbooking ten years ago. Since then I have enjoyed making cards and tags, illustrating travel journals, altering books, and trying my hand at other creative endeavors which have turned "our office/computer room" into "my studio". Well I do let DH in now and then!

My version of this "lady" was fun to do, especially as it was for my art pal in Washington State. She is another glamorous, artistic, and very creative woman, so I really felt she would connect immediately. I made a pocket on the reverse to tuck in some tags.

Sandra is a contributor to Romantic Homes magazine - see her latest article in the October issue just out. She creates collages from vintage ephemera, has written several books on paper crafting, and her work is often showcased, along with her line of rubber stamps, in Somerset Studio magazine and other Stampington publications.

I'm just thrilled when I find creative women who really live their dream and then share their beautiful creations with us. Perhaps you know a creative someone you would enjoy sharing with us. As they say, the more the merrier!