My Obsession

Okay, I tried to take a better photo of my adorable little zinnias.  They are the "Cut and Come Again" variety.  I love them for their beautiful shades of color.  I like to cut them when they haven't fully opened.  So you can still see the little, petals still partially formed.

I have a favorite style of vase that I try to find at thrift stores and yard sales because they are perfect for these small flowers.  But, sometimes when I am stripping the leaves, I yank the heads off or there isn't enough stem for this vase.  So, I found some smaller "vases".  I have a pressed glass toothpick holder for these really short zinnias.  It would make me sad to throw a flower away because it is length disadvantaged.

 

Then, I found some old, cut crystal glasses at the thrift store for 29 cents.  I paid a dollar for the cut, champagne glasses.  Yes, all these glasses are all different.  I am sure 60 years ago or so, they were part of a set now reduced to a single.  But, alone they make the most beautiful, mini vases for these mini flowers.  Wouldn't these be the most adorable individual arrangements at a dinner party?  You don't need many flowers to make the arrangement and it just takes a few small fronds of fern to back it.

 

This is a shot glass from San Diego with wild animals on it and the word Africa.  So, I put these hot orange and yellow zinnias in it.

 

I don't really like orange flowers.  But, I think I can live with these.

I like big zinnias, too!

Yummy goodness!

Here are some of the beautiful eggs from my chickenettes!  They are still young girls, so their eggs are small.  Sometimes they forget to put a shell on their eggs.  I don't let that stop me from eating them, though, I usually cook those ones up right away.  Right now, one of the hens is laying speckled eggs.  I think eventually they will be solid and darker.

 

Here they are doing their thing.  Eating.  They eat grow mix.  I switched them to lay mash but they went off their feed.  It was hot and the gal down at the feed store said that corn made them hot.  So, I guess it was too hot for them so I had to go and buy some grow mix but not the medicated feed they eat when they are little.  Then, I had to buy some oyster shell to add to the grow mix.  The chickenettes are spoiled.  They like tomatoes, cantaloupe rinds and seeds, watermelon, tree branches from my fruit trees and certain weeds.  I have to say, I look for weeds to pull in the garden to give them a treat.  They also have lots of activities they can do in their chicken coop.  The large terra cotta saucer is their "pool".  They like to wade through it when it is hot plus, I think they don't like dirty feet, so they will walk through the water to get the dirt off them.  They can also hop up on various objects and sit on their bench and stare out at the yard.  They can also be obstacles when they are racing around the coop trying to chase down a bug!  They are sweet, sweet girls and I like to give them a treat when I find eggs in the henhouse.  I think they know what they are supposed to do, don't you?

 

Zinnias!

I can't seem to do photographic justice to these zinnias from my garden.  But, they bring me such joy happiness and a sense of fulfillment and serenity to look upon such perfection.

The Bluebirds of Happiness

That is what I think everytime I look at these bird soaps!  Handwashing has risen to a new level of pleasure.  The shape is pleasing and as it gets used it loses its detail but is still pleasing to me.  This was also experimenting with colors and I like how they turned out.  What can I say, I'm into the simple pleasures!

Garden tour 2011 part 2

This is the producing part of the garden.  I differ from a lot of gardeners whose main purpose is growing food.  I love flowers!  So this is my raised bed of zinnias.  There are more zinnias in tubs and other flowers tucked in here and there.  They serve a purpose other than just for my pleasure and they bring a variety of bees and other pollinating bugs into the garden.  And, they are probably biggest cash value crop since I won't have to buy flowers at the store.

This is looking back at the zinnias.  My tomato plants are huge!  Because I put the garden in so late, I just picked my first tomatoes today, a purple Russian.  They were so delicious.  It may have been the best tasting tomato I've ever eaten in my life.

Here is a baby heirloom squash nestled in with the chocolate cosmos and oregano.  This variety is a vining type and and just migrated everywhere.

Here is what the zucchino rampicante looks like mature.  To tell the truth, I have been so busy trying to eat the zucchini and yellow crook neck squash, I haven't tried these yet.  I am saving them for winter squash.  They are supposed to taste like artichoke and are used in ravioli and gnocchi.

My sister weighs all of her garden's bounty.  I wish I had done it so I could say how many pounds of squash I have grown, so far.  But, I have started to count all of the eggs my little chickenettes have laid.  It is quite a sense of satisfaction having a squash omelet for breakfast all produced from my little town backyard.  In the heat of summer, my thoughts are already turning to what I will be planting for this winter.

Garden tour 2011

Welcome to my garden!

Have a seat and I will take you on a little tour.

You can have a seat here.

Or here.  I had the seating spray painted.

Some lovely succulents.

And, a few more in an old metal basket.

My favorite succulent.  I love the shades of pink and gray.