A Welcome Visitor

My daughter took these pictures this afternoon through the porch window pane. She was as excited as I was to see the golden finches. I saw a flock of them yesterday morning but frightened them off when I opened the door not aware that they had discovered my one sunflower plant. Too late to take a picture yesterday but my daughter got them today. The impatiens in the sidewalk planter have also drawn a hummingbird. I was plesantly surprised to see the bird leaving yesterday morning also. Now that I know they're feeding from the plants I'll be more careful when I come outside. Got to keep my camera with me. I didn't think one sunflower would draw the finches. It'll be nice to sit on the porch and watch for them. His expression says that I think he saw my daughter but it didn't seem to scare him away.

And to think I was going to cut it down. After he left I looked at the head. He's neatly eating row after row of seeds. It's amazing they know when the seeds are ready after the petals fall off.

It's Hot!

The temperature in my living room and on the porch when I woke up this morning was astonishing. Although I haven't listened to the news yet to hear the weather, I know it has to be in the high 90's with a feel like temperature over 100 degrees. Not a lot of humidity just extreme heat. The type of heat that keeps people on my street from sitting on their porches and no one walking outside. My neighbors always sit out but today everyone is inside trying to stay cool. I also will stay inside today. 

The plan was to grill and plant some nursery purchases from yesterday but it's too hot. I'll follow the recommendation not to plant in extreme heat. I actually bought 3 small mums for my porch planter as the gerbera daisies have declined in the heat of July. They were beautiful in their prime. It was also too hot on the porch to be planting anything. I did go out and give the sidewalk planters some water as they were suffering and the impatiens voicing their complaints. 

So, it's work on some projects inside. Wash inside windows in the living room and hang curtains already before fall while I have time to do it without the rush; hang a new wreath over the mantel; and arrange some potpourri and my terrarium container. The plants inside the terrarium died. Eventually do some straightening up around the house and read some books for some work related courses I'm taking this summer. Hope your're keeping cool in the heat.

Time to put away the spring homemade wreath I made in the winter longing for spring. I'm going to miss the color in the living room.

I saw these last year and didn't want to pay for one. They didn't have the exact one I wanted but this one is still pretty. All dried flowers so it shouldn't be in a sunny area.

I'll add a ribbon later. My memorial to my mother and father on the mantel. That's my dad's hat. He loved his hats especially his baseball ones with the Phillies logo. It some how comforts me to come into the living room every day and see the pictures and my father's hat that he wore. My mother has been gone for a little over a year and I haven't wanted to take down the pictures.

Mums already in stores. I wanted some color on my porch. Since it got really hot the geraniums haven't bloomed and everything else out there is green.

Coreopsis

Ivy

Veronica

Container for potpourri.

The orange slices and flowers are my favorite.

Curtains for my bedroom. The ones I have up have been up for a while and I could use a change. Will look pretty with some white sheets and pretty throw pillows and a rug. I like to change my bedroom each year for my birthday and to celebrate the arrival of fall and winter.

Curtains for the living room. I'll add a white panel under them on another rod as they're not lined and I like that look. I'll be early this year and it'll be nice to already have done some fall cleaning and decorating before it arrives.

To Everything There Is A Season

July and August are a difficult time for plants. Many perennials have bloomed already. Annuals are giving it their all. I'm thinking of what  to do to improve the flower bed out front for next season. It could use some changes. I haven't started my summer painting and projects I normally do outside and inside. Time to start. I'm behind on things and don't feel motivated to do much. For the second time in 13 months I've had a major life change. The passing of my father. My father was a good man and father. I am honored that he was my father and the Lord allowed me to help take care of him and advocate for him when it was most important. He certainly took care of me. I love and will miss him dearly. He was also my greatest supporter. We layed him to rest in July. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

My sunflower looks sad compared to the ones at the community garden. The head without leaves was beautiful although her petals fell off one by one by itself or with help.

I tore the leaf of the caldium planting it but it'll survive and they're others in the planter.

It's growing nicely.

One sidewalk planter.

Those violas are still alive in July, amazing. When fall comes I'll try to plant more violas than pansies since I recently found that they do better in heat and possibly cold. I'll see this winter if they can make it till spring.

I love the salmon coleus. Something has been eating it or it was damaged by kids playing.

Vinca is a pretty plant, perennial and hard to kill. It trails beautifully and I've never seen it get any disease or insects.

Second sidewalk planter. Would like to do something different with them next spring but don't know what.

Black eyed Susan finally bloomed. It has powdery mildew though. Many plants get it in Philly because of the heat, moisture, and humidity. It doesn't kill the plant but it doesn't look pretty.

I almost missed the blooms they're hidden behind other plants.

Pots moved from the step. I think I'll put them in the yard in the fall for tulips and maybe get something smaller and different for the steps next season.

I'm getting a few more dahlias. They're pretty.

Helenium is a pretty plant but mine has powdery mildew for the second summer.

A Walk In The Neighborhood

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather to get some exercise and see what others have growing this summer. Come walk with me to the neighborhood community garden. We saw it in spring, lets see what it looks like now.

My neighbor's tree. Think it's a crepe myrtle.

One of my favorite parts of walking is looking at houses as I go along and seeing what people do with their gardens, and seeing houses decorated for holiday.s

Two houses under renovation. Probably by the same buyer and I bet they'll be turned into apartments.

That was today's route.

Knock out roses. I know they were developed to be more disease resistant but I don't like the type of flower it produces. I like full rose buds.

The neighbor's hell strip on my walk. The owner stopped to talk to me and make sure I wasn't taking pictures for a philly penalty for planting on the sidewalk. I told her no that I live down the street and I take pictures of flowers while I walk in the neighborhood for my blog. I admired one of her plants and she offered to give me some and take me inside the community garden since she is a member. I thanked her and may take her up on both offers on another day. I normally take pictures around the boarders of the garden and would never trespass without permission.

Neighborhood Community Garden

Mondara

Garden Phlox

Sedum

Pretty Hosta

Nothing outshines sunflowers.

Fig

Blackberry Bush

My cone flowers have never looked like this.

The Boys club added flowers this year.

Used to sale antique and used furniture. Apartments over night. You can have yours starting at $700's. Wonder what they look like inside?

Part of Grumblethorpe.

Always admiring the flowers.

Black Eyed Susan

Wisteria

My next stop.

Time to walk home.

We'll walk again in the fall and see what the flowers are doing.