Perfect Days of June

"And what is so rare as a day in June?

Then, if ever, come perfect days."

~James Russell Lowell

Gotcha!

Finally!  I have at last captured this fleeting beauty on camera.

No, it is not an elusive butterfly...nor is it a rare bird...

It is just a humble flower whose bloom I seemed to keep missing.

In Celebration of Spring

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth;

the time of the singing of birds is come,

and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

The fig tree putteth forth her green figs,

and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell.

~Song of Solomon 2:11-13a (KJV) 

The Marvelous Month of March

It rained all night.  And this morning, we are still enjoying the downpour.  Oh, how I love a rainy day!  I had breakfast on the front porch this morning, watching the rain fall and the hummingbirds flit back and forth to sip from bottlebrush blooms.  It was a bit on the chilly side, but I knew I was going to love this day anyway.  The rain is much needed here at PITV, especially since we have just put in several new plants. 

February is Bustin' Out All Over!

Spring is bustin' out all over here at PITV!  Oh, yeah!  With a whole month of 70- and 80-degree days behind us, I think it's safe to say winter is officially over.  This has been the best February here in my neck of the woods since 2008.  : ) 

Spring Cleaning; No More Hibiscus Hoarding

No doubt about it, the gorgeous weather is here to stay.  No excuses anymore for this mess of a garden.  I've let things go all winter, since I can't bear the chill in my bones.  No, it isn't just about being wimpy.  I have serious cold-sensitivity issues that cause my bones to ache and my skin to burn when the temperature falls below 70°F.  TMPI, huh?  So anyway, this Saturday is spring cleaning day here in the PITV garden, and BIG changes are taking place!  Bless my husband's heart!  He has been out there chopping and digging and weeding for hours already this Saturday morning.  And he has made decisions for me that I have been waffling over for two years! 

Meander on a Misty Morn

Were I called on to define, very briefly,

the term art, I should call it

"the reproduction of what the senses perceive

 in nature through the veil of the mist."

~Edgar Allan Poe

Joys of June

To walk in the garden daily in the month of June, to see new blooms, to be greeted by a bevy of creatures...it is all unspeakable joy.

My Favorites...April 2010

Once again, I'm joining in to post my favorites of the month.  This meme is hosted by Simply Susan! on the 25th of each month.  (I'm afraid I'm a day late.)  Pop over there if you'd like to join in as well.  So here they are.  My favorites...this month:

Tabebuia! 

MGB April: Bouquet of Rampant Blooms

A couple months ago, I didn't even know what a meme was.  Now I find myself joining them left and right.  (For those who don't know, a meme is just a copycat post.)  The newest meme I've discovered is the Monthly Garden Bouquet, hosted by Noelle of Ramblings from a Desert Garden.  Now, before you panic, don't worry, for this meme is not for showing off fancy bouquets like you find at the florist or the grocery store cooler.  These are freshly picked bouquets straight from the garden.   

What's Going on in the Garden?

Join me on a walkthrough in my garden today, where springy thoughts abound!

I love birds.  I love cardinals.  Aren't they just the quintessential songbird?  They delight us year-round with their delightful chirps, and the garden just wouldn't be the same without them.  But, tell me, what would you do if a cardinal pair decided to build a nest in your entry portico?