Surprises and Thank Heavens The Move is Over!

It has been a long couple of weeks! Between working, packing, moving, unpacking, making phone calls, meeting with lawyers and fixing meals-I am pooped!

The good news is my Dad is now in his new apartment and for the most part settled in. We had lots of help the day of the move, mostly hubby's side. Two of his brothers volunteered and of course our daughter and some of the grand girls. Our 2 son-in-laws had to work so they missed all the fun. We made it in one trip with 2 trailers, a couple of pick ups and of course a couple of cars. The men did most of the heavy lifting and we girls sorted and put away. I had almost everything packed before hand and that was a big factor in being able to do the move in one day. All workers were treated to a spaghetti supper at our house-who had the energy to go out. I had planned ahead and made the sauce the day before so it was fairly easy to throw together a salad and slice some Italian bread while the spaghetti was cooking. By 8:00 that evening, all but 2 granddaughters had gone home and I could finally put my feet up. This week we(my Dad and I) have been finishing sorting and putting away and finding things that were lost. Today, I took him to a bank that is much closer and got his new account started, called Social Security and changed where his check would be deposited, called Dish TV and set up a time for them to put up his new satellite, and paid bills for the month. I think we are done!


Do you remember my post about the Japanese Beetles eating my sunflowers? Well, an apology is due them. They weren't the culprits in this case.

With apologies to Mary and Cheryl for the quality of my pictures, I'll show you what has been eating the sunflowers. So please bear with the horrible pictures-they were taken through a window, and try to imagine my delight. I have gold finches by the dozens! They are eating the seed.

This one is sitting on one of the leaves. Enlarging the pictures does seem to help.

Another one deciding if the coast is clear.

They are such fun to watch trying to get the seed. They flutter their wings trying to stay in one place long enough to eat.

And they even hang upside down to get their lunch!

Some of the sunflowers have very few seeds left on them. But that's okay. I am enjoying the finches!

The beetles seem to be leaving, although it's a little early. Queen Elizabeth has bloomed without them destroying her bud.

A new climber this year Golden Showers, has finally bloomed. I didn't expect too much from this and a couple other roses I planted this year. They were very small and probably not #1 grade. These were some I ordered on line from Direct Buy Gardens. I don't think I will order any more from them. The plants were all small, they arrived way to early and some of them were not in a survivable state. I could have gotten them replaced, but figured I had learned a good lesson. Order from a well known reliable source.

I know I have shown this before, but I am so thrilled to have one in bloom. It is the Butterfly Weed, I started from seed March 30. 5 of the 8 I planted lived to be transplanted outside and so far all of them are doing well. I am hoping they winter over and come back next year.

My Moon Flower Vine, is certainly vining! It just keeps sending out runners and they are growing on the sunflowers now. Long ago, it out grew the lightning rod I planted it on. My question is, When does it bloom?

My zinnias are so pretty and I am really enjoying the groupings of them I planted. I intended to plant even more next year. The cutting bed is coming along a little slow, but that is my fault. When I made the new bed, the leaves weren't out on the trees yet, and so I have it in the shade. This is a green one-not sure if I like it or not. It's different, though.

And finally,the last oriental lily bloom. I am going to move these this fall. They are in an area I don't see every day and these deserve to be seen and enjoyed.

I have so enjoyed reading your posts- taking a few minutes each evening when I get off work. I still feel connected at least by doing that. They brighten my mood and make me smile. Thank you!

Have a great gardening week.