Garden Days!

 

 

Hello everyone!

I hope you are having a glorious Spring! We have had a wet month with high waters.  Everything is green and lush thanks to all the rain. Irises are blooming and the peonies are starting to open. It is an exciting time in the garden!

 

 

This bouquet of hosta, iris, and lamb's ear was picked for my oldest daughter. She had her second piano recital and played beautifully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to the wet weather, we are finding many mushrooms in our woods. 

 

 

 

 

 

"Happy are those who see beauty in modest spots where others see nothing. Everything is beautiful, the whole secret lies in knowing how to interpret it."

 --Camille Pissarro

 

Wishing you beautiful end of May days in your gardens!

 

Thanks for visiting,

Erin

Garden Tour

 

 

Hello Everyone! I hope you are enjoying your May days! Mine are flying by too quickly!

 

The garden is sure coming into bloom here! I thought I would take you on a quick tour... 

 

 

My daughters planted these morning glories in February and they are doing well. We planted them in front of a clematis with the intention of morning glory blooms after the clematis blooms in the spring. Last year, we planted morning glories in the vegetable garden and admired their blooms through October.

 

 

This garden has gone through a lot of changes as it is a challenging area. Or, really, it is a favorite shady spot for the dog and stands a lot of abuse, thus making it a difficult spot for the gardener to keep tidy! The bench makes it more welcoming. Wolfgang (our dog) should be pleased; he loves to sleep behind the yew shrub.

 

columbines and hostas...

 

 

 

Emmylou keeps everything well watered!! She is a big help and loves her job!

 

 

I am debating planting around the pond. Perhaps some yellow and purple siberian irises? We stocked the pond this spring with large mouth bass, bluegill, catfish, minnows, and sunfish. The fish love the grasses around the pond, which makes me think they would also love irises and waterlilies.

 

 

Galearis Spectabilis, native WV orchid

 

This side of our home is an old schoolhouse. Two rooms are original with wormy chestnut walls. My husband gave the exterior a fresh coat of paint last summer.  Homeschool is still in session here!

 

I found a very late daffy!

 

The Vibernums are such beautiful, easy-care shrubs. They are also easy to propogate by layering mulch over a lower branch until it roots, then snipping it from the mother plant and replanting it somewhere else. A great way to make free plants! Hydrangeas also are easy to propogate this way.

 

The rhododendrons are starting to open! The native WV rhododendrons (our state flower) blooms in early summer. They grow well here in the river bottom.

 

Euphorbia and hostas...

 

 

Thomas loves having big sisters and they adore him!

 

 

Between my mother and aunt, I am beginning to have quite the collection of brown dishes! Most of them say McCoy USA... I had fun arranging them on this shelf and taking a picture.

 

Wishing a Happy Mother's Day weekend to all those that do a bit of nurturing in their days!!

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Thanks for visiting,

Erin

Wolfpen Run Wood Duck

 

Hello!

I hope you are loving these May days as much as I am! Green grass, bird song, wild flowers, morel mushrooms, and little pansy bouquets from the garden are making for some sweet, early May days!

And many more happenings to put a spring in my step!

 

 

 

 

This is a native West Virginia orchid, Galearis spectabilis. Such a delicate beauty!

 

 

Native Foam Flowers...

 

Lamium...

 

Allium...

 

And a Wolfpen Run Wood Duck...

 

 

 Just as I was stepping out on our deck this evening, I looked down to our stream (Wolfpen Run) to see the most beautiful thing, a male Wood Duck! Oh, he is a beauty with those red eyes and stunning markings! We have seen female Wood ducks on our pond, however, this is our first male sighting. He was quick to fly off as I had startled him. 

 

 

Morning and Cupcake enjoy the security of the chicken coop, occasionally they brave up and venture to the water.  I think they should make friends with the Wood Ducky! Or, perhaps these three...

 

 

I spotted these beautiful eggs and nest along the creek bottom. All the birds are busy, busy building nests wherever you look!

 

 

Wolfpen Run, a natural haven for ducks wild and domesticated! I hope to see Mr. Wood Duck again soon!

 

Wishing you a wonderful week!

 

Thanks for visiting,

 

Erin

 

 

Also, the orange newt in my last post is a Red Eft Newt.