Catching Up! And Bees!

It has been two weeks since I last put a post up, and I have missed the connection to Blogger Land. I have explained in some comments that after a really busy week, my Internet was down for a week. This past weekend was our monthly visit with the granddaughters and then I have been working more than originally planned. Excuses aside, I have truly missed being able to contribute to the community of friends out there. So I hope you will forgive me. I promise to get caught up on my reading and will try to get back into a routine.

I have had so little free time , that I have not been able to enjoy my gardens as much as I would like. I did take a few minutes a couple of different days to go out and take a few pictures. It amazes me how much can change in a garden in just a short while. There are lots of zinnias blooming-ones I started from seeds. Gladiolas are blooming, cosmos, some wildflowers. The roses are still making buds and once in a while one will make to full bloom before the Japanese Beatles get to it. Day lilies are still so pretty and I ave a couple of trumpet lilies blooming. Russian Sage is in full flower, and I even have a few volunteer petunias. And last but not least, the WEEDS are taking over!

And I am so proud to announce, I have bees! They are loving the cone flowers. But it is so hard to get one to pose.

I'll admit you have to look really close to see this bee. He was as yellow as the sunflower!

Part of it was pollen on him, but he was definitely a yellow bee.

My sunflowers are doing very well. This is the week I have to record the number and type of bees seen on one in an allotted amount of time.

I finally pulled my pansies out of this container and managed to get it planted with some of the on sale annuals Rose and I found a couple of weeks ago. The caladium is from some bulbs I planted many weeks ago. They are finally starting to show up.

Many of my day lilies are in bloom now-some of them planted this spring. Unfortunately, I can't find the names! Oh well, there still pretty.

This is a trumpet lily I planted several years back. I thought for a while it was 'Star Gazer', but now I'm not so sure.

I have 2 plants-do they multiply like the Asiatic ones? If so, they are being very slow doing it.

Another unknown new one. The area where I have most of them planted will look much better when they all grow and begin to fill in.

This is one I planted last year-it only had a couple of blooms. This year, it has more than doubled in size and has had several scapes with lots of buds. I think next spring, I will divide it and move part to the day lily bed.

These flowers must be 8" across and just amaze me.

A ' Double Delight' the beetles missed!

I know this was a short post(for me anyway), but my time is still not my own. I am in the process of helping my Dad sell his place, negotiating with buyers and lawyers, finding a place for him to live, and trying to pack for the move the first weekend in August. I am working an extra day this week plus I have a 4 hr. training class I have to attend. My house looks like a tornado hit it and I am way behind on laundry. Cheryl laughed when I told her it was a zoo around here. But maybe zoo isn't the right word. Insane asylum describes it much better!

Hope you all have a great gardening week!

Muse Day-July, 2008

This is my first attempt at 'Muse Day' so if I don't get it right, I apologise. Muse Day comes to us through Carolyn Gail at Sweet Home and Garden in Chicago.

"Answer July-
Where is the Bee-
Where is the Blush-
Where is the Hay-


Ah, said July-
Where is the Seed-
Where is the Bud-
Where is the My-
Answer Thee-Me"

Emily Dickinson, Answer July



"Mosquito is out,
it's the end of the day;
she's humming and hunting
her evening away.
Who knows why such hunger
arrives on such wings
at sundown? I guess
it's the nature of things."

N.M. Boedecker Midsummer Night Itch

Both photos are from Wikipedia.



I thought both these quotes very appropriate for July. We have all been concerned for the bee population. I can report, however, that the mosquito population is doing exceedingly well here in Illinois!

Happy Muse Day.



*if I am not heard from for a while, it is because I have a very injured lap top. The hinge is broken on one side and I am having trouble getting it to come on and stay on. May have to take it to the computer Doctor!