Pause To Enjoy...

In this very busy time of year when the days are lighter longer and the temperatures are perfect for outdoor chores and fun events I make certain that I pause to enjoy the wonders of nature.
This photo includes a beautiful Japanese Maple (red colors) and some struggling Mock Oranges with double flowering blossoms.

The deer eat both of these to the point of devastation. This year I have blossoms only because these branches grew very tall and the deer don't seem to be able to reach them or the blossoms and greenery would be completely eaten to the bare branches and so not attractive.

So everyday I take a stroll around my property and enjoy each and every wondrous leaf, blossom and furl of a new fern.

May you have a week of enjoyment, creativity and time to pause to enjoy it all...

Cool and Calm...

This is where I like to sit and enjoy the wonderful pond Mr. C built several years ago. It is so relaxing and cool and calm sitting here...well at least now that I have finished trimming for now.

Our pond that Mr. C built after going to "pond college" is probably my favorite and most relaxing part of our home and landscape. We had a lot of frogs and polliwogs this year and now we are having the tiny little baby frogs as a result. I had to take this photo since I had never seen two froggies sitting on the same lily pad side by side. They are so adorable.

Another photo of them with their own beautiful white lily to enjoy. I have gotten hours of enjoyment from watching the dragonflies, frogs, and other assorted pond critters.

This is just one half of our wonderful pond. I have shared photos in the past so not too many this post.

I do hope you are enjoying your summer and the days of living outside with friends and family and fun and games. And of course bbq food, watermelon, ice cream and lemonade.

Pond Reflections...

Sitting here at the pond and reflecting on daily life is pure joy. I love this pond.

Welcome to our pond. Mr. Hubby actually went to "pond college" and built this from our land that was completely overgrown and scruffy. He built it to be a still water pond and all of the plants are special water plants that perform duties which keep the pond natural and ongoing.

He also thought of the many critters who would wander in and possibly get stuck so he built this shallow end beach for them to access a drink and be able to get out. We have numerous critters such as skunks, racoons, dogs, deer, herons, ducks, birds, squirrels and chipmonks who all enjoy this wonderful body of water. I love the lilly pads and flowers and my favorite is to see frogs sitting on the lilly pads. We have beautiful iris flowers however I missed photos this year as they come and go so quickly. It seems a shame to wait an entire year and then only have blossoms for such a few short days.

This year we had lots and lots of little frogs and they serenaded us day and night. Even our remote neighbors enjoyed the sounds. Then we had hundreds of tadpoles. Now the tadpoles are morphing into little tiny frogs and I am amazed at the transformation. I truly enjoy watching them for hours at a time. Unfortunately the tiny frogs seem to be moving on and the pond is missing them sitting on their lilly pads...or more aptly I should say I am missing them.

I think this picture is pretty good taken with my wonderful new camera I got earlier this year. Isn't it wonderful that tadpole and frog-pole both posed for me so well?!

I hope each of you enjoyed seeing a bit of our pond and the wonders of it all. The hard work was more than worth the hours of enjoyment we have now. Of course each year brings new and interesting challenges for keeping the pond healthy and sustainable. That is for Mr. Hubby to deal with. I am merely the one who watches the many colors of dragonflies as they soar over the water and the plants as they re-grow after winter and the birds who take their precious little baths in the edge of the water...

I know I am very fortunate and I am eternally grateful for this wonderment.

Weekend work...

After an entire day of working in the yard this weekend we see very little improvement if you look at the overall areas that need attention. If you look at each small area and see the end result of our back-breaking work then there is a slight air of contentment. We live with such harsh winter environments, critters and especially deer, loads of oak, cedar and pine trees with their unique issues and various other elements that is it a huge job just to keep up with any kind of yard work or plant tending or preening in the landscape. Mr. Hubby and I bought this house with nothing more than construction ground surrounding it and spent the first year putting in the retaining walls and hardscape. We definitely supported the local economy with this massive undertaking. Then the second year we landscaped the entire 360 degrees around the house. When I say we I do mean hubby and I doing all the work with merely a helper now and then. Of course in hindsight we over-landscaped and now are letting areas go back natural as the deer and elements destroy our plants. We have lost more plants through the past few years than most people ever plant in their lifetimes. Flowers are the rarest item in our landscaping due to the voracious deer, chipmonks, moles and whatever else decide to eat or just pull up out of the ground, taste it and then spit it out in shreds. I of course wanted roses and we planted dozens of roses only to find out that those are the preferred caviar to deer. Needless to say we have very few rose plants left and the moment they bud the deer eat them until the plant eventually dies.

All in all I am thankful for the beautiful plants and surrounding beauty I get to enjoy each and everyday. With age and time we replant less and less since we are the groundskeepers and have plenty to take care of now.

I am looking into the bare rock wall at the top of the driveway to see if it has enough sun to plant some wonderful and happy sunflowers. Every year I just want sunflowers but so far have not found an area with enough sun. Hmmm...

I did have lots of daffodils this year and the deer do not eat them!!!

I have saved the pond to show and discuss in the future. It is my favorite item.

I wish everyone a wonderful week ahead and lots of creative time to enjoy your specialties.