"By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
" I would like to live in the same soil as my ancestors, and walk under their trees, and do what they did, and think their thoughts. " - Elizabeth Lawrence. After 4 decades in Sweet Home Chicago I moved to North Carolina where my first Irish ancestor landed in the early 1700's. I'm an artist, garden designer and grandma blogging about my life in this " Southern part of Heaven " as Chapel HIll is called.
"By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
"The brilliant poppy flaunts her head
Amidst the ripening grain,
"The Summer looks out from her brazen tower,
Through the flashing bars of July."
- Francis Thompson, A Corymbus for Autumn
Record-setting heat in June with little to no rain. Prayers for rain this July, which is usually the rainest month here in central North Carolina, were finally answered . We had so much rain that many areas were flooded, but the thirsty garden was glad to have it.
The many coneflowers and Black-eyed Susans sprung forth with their cheerful colors.
This will be an expensive month when the bills come in for irrigation and air conditioning !
On a more positive note, for the second year in a row I've noticed fewer Japanese beetles. Unfortunately there's a new pest in the Sweet Garden -rabbits from the neighbors yard. I've taught my mini-schoodle the word squirrel and now I need to introduce rabbit to his vocabulary of pests to chase.
June is the month of roses, often called, the " queen of flowers . " I planted roses in memory of my dear departed mother who loved them. Above is the famous 'Knockout ' that was sensational when it made its debut some years ago, due to its continuous bloom and these do, indeed live up to their reputation.
Saw this new purple colored candytuft ( they are usually white only ) and of course I had to have it. It seems to love my boulder garden and has spread it's beauty quite rapidly.
June is usually a lovely month, weather-wise, but we broke a number of records for hottest temperatures on record. Many 100 degree days ! In addition, rain was very scarce. I've spent a great deal of time just watering and I know I'll probably get the largest water bill ever !
Needed a little punch of color in a corner and added this redhot poker plant. I've seen it in a lot of gardens but its the first time I'm planting it in mine.
Praying for rain as this very hot dry June ends.
May Day
A delicate fabric of bird song
Floats in the air,
The smell of wet wild earth
Is everywhere.
Red small leaves of the maple
Are clenched like a hand,
Like girls at their first communion
The pear trees stand.
Oh I must pass nothing by
Without loving it much,
The raindrop try with my lips,
The grass with my touch;
For how can I be sure
I shall see again
The world on the first of May
Shining after the rain?
-Sara Teasdale
How did it happen that this first day of May finds me celebrating my 80th year of living on God's green earth?! I thank God for allowing me to continue tending my little piece of Eden in good health, surrounded by my family and friends. My older sister Wilma ( below, center) came down from Chicago to join the celebration. My younger sister Linda ( right ) moved from Chicago to Chapel Hill several years ago.
May is a very eventful month with my birthday, two of my children's as well and Mother's day. It's also a great month to begin the gardening year in earnest.