Ode to June

Mother Nature's being very kind this summer. (She better not make me regret those words.) We're having incredible weather today, which makes it hard to sit at the computer and write.

The flower garden is flourishing! At least, one of them is. The bees and butterflies just love it. I do, too.
I've picked two gallons of wild blackberries this week. And that doesn't count the ones Baxter and I have eaten -- fresh off the vine. Or bush or whatever -- the sharp, sharp, magnetic briar bush to be more specific. Yes, Baxter loves, loves blackberries. He's even taught his brother how to nibble them ever-so-carefully off the bush.

Goodbye, June!

East Coasting

Home sweet home! I finally have my yard and some writing deadlines mainly under control. I have two articles due for the August issue of the magazine, so I've been swamped with research, interviews and emails. Some things do have to take priority over blogging for free.





My favorite part of the Maine trip, besides the yummy lobster, was our visit to Peaks Island. My house would fit right in there. And the landscaping...oh, the landscaping has given me some ideas for new garden beds. Yes, this would mean more weeding, but less mowing.

Love, love, love the flowers. I need to add more climbing vines! The patio isn't bad, either.
Love this porch. The lavender, not so much.
Ahh, a pergola. I've been dreaming of one of these for a while.

strawberries + sunshine

Here we are, winding up the Maine trip. I intended to blog more, but you know how it goes when you're on vacation!

Lobster. Haddock. Fried shrimp. Lobster rolls (that's plural). Beach time. Peaks Island. Lots of reading. Tons of photos. Apple doughnuts.

Will be posting photos eventually! Any computer time I've had has been spent working on LiveStrong articles.

Tonight's the rehearsal dinner for the wedding. Not mine, hah! Joyce's nephew is getting hitched tomorrow.

maine time

We made it to Maine in three days! long but uneventful drive, which is good. It's gorgeous out here -- in the high 60s or low 70s. Which is actually kinda cold when the wind's blowing.
We've feasted on lobster rolls & crab salad sandwiches, and are about to have more lobster rolls in a little bit.
I'm blogging live (haha) from Popham State park beach. It's cold for this Missourian here, but the sun feels great. I had a tour of the Lewiston ER last night, courtesy of a whopper migraine. My Rx failed and I couldn't take the pain (or vomiting!) Any longer. The hospital drugs were groovy & I slept all night. And until 2 the next day.
I have to work tonight and Saturday morning (LiveStrong deadlines snuck up on me), then it's off to Joyce's niece's high school graduation. I'm told there will be cake! :)

Where the Wild Things Grow

I was gone for 10 days (or was it more?), and came home to flower gardens galore, plus a jungle of weeds, vines and lawn. My garage is almost completely covered with vines. A vine on the side of the house has stretched halfway onto the porch and onto the sliding glass door. Wow. I'm scared to see what this place is going to look like when I get home from the next trip, which is going to be about a week longer!


I'm home for 48 hours or so and making the most of it! Mowed most of the lawn already this morning and am getting ready to tackle some weeds, beat back vines and do some weedwhipping. Plus laundry, repacking, a couple article deadlines, cleaning the house & watching Alice in Wonderland. Whew.


The one thing I am super-excited about is this: My clematis. It is astonishing this year. Finally! After nearly killing it when I first transplanted it, having the trellis fall and nearly pull it out of the ground the next year, THEN having it choked by the "purty but I ain't never planting those again" morning glories last year, I think I've finally succeeded! I think Grandma Becker would be proud.

My flowerbeds are kind of a mess this year. The hollyhocks are a giant FAIL. I need to move them to a new location next year -- if they survive the summer. I'm not really enthusiastic about the wildflower mix I planted earlier in the spring, but I guess a few more weeks will help me make up my mind. Anyways, I'm pleased with the big flowerbed this year -- it's chock-full of purple coneflowers, four-o'clock mix and (hopefully) zinnias:

Never mind the obligatory weeds. I'm not sure how much maintenance I will be able to get in, as I have about 32 hours left in my furlough at home. So I'm outta here. Next blog will be somewhere from the East Coast!