Sharing poppy seeds

A walk on the trail with Rich & Shadow Dog

Sunday was the first day of summer.  Sometimes the simple things in life are the ones you cherish most.  It brings tears of joy to my eyes to watch this video because I love Rich and Shadow so much.  I'm so glad we are taking this wonderful journey together. Rich, Shadow dog, and I had a nice little walk on the trail.  Take a look:

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First Poppy blooms in Oak View

I love small towns.  It is so nice to share little garden successes. I have been anxiously waiting for these poppies to bloom in the mailbox garden.  Rich created this little garden around the mailbox just for me.  I was starving for my poppies.  My eyes lighted up when I saw the poppy seedlings at the Ojai Farmers Market.  They are nestled against a series of large rocks.  Rocks from our many travels.  We were off in the truck this morning.  I sat down in the passenger seat and looked up to see the poppies had pushed open the pod.  I was so excited that I yelled to Rich "The poppies bloomed!"  Of course he didn't quite hear me and he was wondering why I was running to the mailbox.

The leaves look like delicate, intricate crepe paper.  If you peer inside the bloom you can see a series of stamens lined up in an orderly row.  I made two sketches of the poppies standing out in the street in front of the mailbox.  Chuck, the mailman came by and I had to quickly move out of the way.  Chuck admired my poppies and then snapped a picture of them for his wife.  Mr. Bonner teased me just last week that someone may just come over and pick my poppies.  I looked at him in disbelief!  I could not imagine that anyone would pick my poppies but me!  They give me such joy.  I am glad my poppies and I are reunited in Oak View.  I cannot wait to grow more.

Birds in the morning

There is a large cosmos plant in the rock bed.  It is twisted trying to reach sideways for a glimpse of sun.  I was contemplating pulling it out to plant a small group of cool season annuals.  But,  I had a change of heart. I stopped for a moment to sit on the patio and gaze at all the birds and the lovely crispness of the morning. Then suddenly I was amazed to see three little birds swinging on the cosmos' stems to eat the flower's seeds. They seemed to be having the best time swinging, eating, and singing.  So, no, I won't pull this cosmos now. I just feel lucky to have witnessed such a charming scene in my very own backyard.

Miss. Shadow and the Pea

Shadow says, "May I have a pea, please?"

Miss Shadow is a kitchen garden dog.  She loves snap peas and asparagus.  Shadow will sit close to the pea vine and hum; ordering me to find her some peas.  Sometimes, I'll see later that she has pulled down a pea vine and helped herself.   Her sister, Miss Lady Dog enjoys snap peas, asparagus, and radishes.  I have watched Lady bring in a radish to the house and eat it in her bed, leaving only the top green leaves.   

Lady and Shadow waiting for asparagus.

Mother Nature is a great teacher

Mr. P installed a unique scalloped trellis against the side block wall in the garden. I've dreamed of vines, tomatoes, squash, or peas growing up this fence line. There was even that thought of planting a succession of blueberry bushes.

Vine growing up Sunflower Stalk

None of those dreams actually manifested themselves in that corner of the garden. Instead, what occurred was far more interesting. I planted a row of sunflowers along the trellis. Then later I planted a row of black eyed Susan vine seeds. The sunflowers grew large and towering. From the kitchen window, I could see little birds hanging happily up-side down trying to eat the sunflower seeds.

Late last year the sunflowers became dried tree stalks as I neglected to remove them from the garden. By the end of the season, I was weary of the garden and let Mother Nature do her magic. I thought I would never see those little black-eyed flowers creep up the chain of the trellis and around the sunflower stalks. Then the nasturtium seeds from all the previous years started to follow the lead of the black eyed vine. And there you have it. The fence line created my Mother Nature with help from Mrs. P by the Sea! (and Mr. P too)

Volunteer Nasturtium and Black Eyed Susan Vine

Kitchen Bed and Utility Bed with the wall by Mother Nature in the background.

VC Fair '12 Results for Floriculture

Zinnia Zowie Yelow Flame in the garden

This colorful and unusual zinna won "Best of Division" at the Ventura County Fair.  I entered it in the annuals, Zinnas, variegated category. (Div. 344, Class 18, planted from seed).  I was so amazed to win the lovely plaque especially when I was rushing and cutting the annuals in my garden at the last moment, early in the morning.

Here are some of the other flowers I entered in Floriculture for the 2012 Ventura County Fair. There are more pictures of my fair entries on flickr.

• Scabiosa Pin Cushion Flower (344,18) Annual, Framed Flower. (First place)
• Chantilly Snapdragon (344,17) Annual, annual any other. (Second Place)
• Polar Bear Zinna (344,12) Annual, Zinnia any other (Honorable Mention)
• Marigold (344,7) Annual, Marigold, any other (Second Place)
• Retro Red Marigold (344,7), Annual, Marigold, any other (Third Place)
• Mexican Tulip Poppy (345,27), Perennials, framed flower (Honorable Mention)