In praise of tomatoes

I love working with my tomato plants.  I could sit out there with them for hours, poking, pinching, trimming, weeding, and just breathing in that unique tomato-plant smell.

 I love the little stem hairs, and how they catch the light.

I love the crazy, shooting-star-like blossoms.

 

And then oh, the wait....

Summertime: pools and plantlife

Here it is, the time of year we gardeners live for and dream of.  All times of year are beautiful in their own ways, and my favorite season will probably always be Fall, but there's a grandness to the beauty of summer that cannot be denied.

 Exhibit A: Roses.

 Exhibit B: Buddleia and Crocosmia

 Mary keeping watch.

 Fun with shadows.

 Exhibit C: tree lilies.

 Exhibit D: orange beets.

 The buddleia, aka "Butterfly Bush", lives up to its name.

This is one of the views from my kitchen sink.

Solomon's first birthday

On June 1, Solomon celebrated the first anniversary of his birth.  Drumroll, please.

Happy birthday to my sweet baby boy!  

 ...and yes, it appears I have pulled off another blue eyed child.

The Oregon Garden

In late June, Brian had a big Knights of Columbus meeting to attend, and many of the Knights' wives met up for a group visit to the nearby Oregon Garden.  (My thanks to my parents, who watched the older three kids while I took along the baby, er, I mean, toddler.)  I had just acquired a new camera, to boot.  I'm not sure these photos represent my highest artistic endeavors, due in part to inclement weather and a grabby baby, but I hope the beauty of the gardens comes through anyway.

 Bring out the big guns, or rather, the big gunnera.

 Artichokes or sunchokes, not sure which.

 I think this was a false sea holly...?  I loved it.  I want some.

 Koi, water lilies.

 They did nice work with their reflecting pools.

 Nothing exotic here, I just liked the image.

 They trained a weeping evergreen across a big metal pole, like a kind of living curtain.

A 400 year old oak tree.  When 400 years old you reach, look this good you will not.

Incoming!

It's summer now, and that means plants, and activities, and photos.  Lots and lots of photos.  I think I'm about to reinvent the term "photobomb".  Don't say you weren't warned. 

 Sunlit peony

 The gorgeous stuffed cheetah Eve purchased with her birthday money.

 "Nasty urchins", as we used to nickname them. 

 The cheetah is beloved by all.

Fresh laundry is beloved by this little guy.