Ever Evolving! :)

 This year the lavender in this flower bed had become too woody and overpowering.

 There was only one option I saw and that was to dig in and re-do the bed! :) Like other gardeners, I love this type of creative activity! :)

 They'd grown so large that I was amazed to find only 3 plants had filled the space! We love lavender and I'd already bought 5 new young plants to put back in the space! :)

 The old plants hung so far beyond the edge of the bed that I knew I'd want to enlarge the bed to give room for the new lavender to grow! :)

 The existing plants are happy to have some breathing room again! :)

 I planted a row of peonies down the middle, that needed to be removed from the back yard. They flattened themselves to the ground, and began smothering the new plants I planted in the bed, so I ended up cutting off the stalks. If they make it, great, and if they don't, I can plant other plants in the space next year! :)

 So this is what the bed looks like now! :)

 I planted 3 white flowering tobacco plants in between the peony stalks to fill the bed this year! :)

 I also took great delight in re-adding a succulent area where it has full sun! :)

 Now I have even more succulents than I had planted before! :)

 Many bloom, and I hope they do well! :)

 Speaking of blooms, ... here are a couple that we can see again now that the old lavender is gone! :)

 Here are some new blooms I've added to the extended space! :)

 I did add all 5 of the lavender I purchased for this bed, and plan to prune them to help them stay within the allotted space and hopefully keep them from getting so woody! :)

 It's a pleasure to look at this bed now that it's extended and tidy again! :)

... Every gardener knows that a flower bed is ever evolving! :)

They Will Call Your Yard Home! :)

 Even though I've been adding plants, shrubs, and trees to our property for years, I like to add a flower pot to our deck that is just for our hummers! :) This year I chose three main plants! This Mexican Heather - (Caribbean Sunset), offers narrow tubes that is sure to please nectar seeking tongues! :)

 Flowering Maples are a favorite of hummers, and come in their favorite colors of yellow ...

 and red! :)

 Don't these petals look like a school of little guppies swimming downward? :)

 There's a saying that "If you make it, they will come." :)

 ...

 ...

 ... It's true! :)

 After that meal, it's time to rest in the shade tree! :)

 They've found these blossoms, too, that are currently on the deck until I get them planted! :)

 I love this time of year when the hummers are here! :)

 All one need do is offer what they love, ...

 their favorite seasonal plants; foliage; & feeders; ...

and they will call your yard "home"! :)

Happy Gardening Everyone! :)

 We've had a string of Summer days with temps' in the 80's & 90's! That's a bit too hot for me,

 but it's been perfect for getting the garden seeds to spring into action! :)

 Some squash mounds are doing great ...

 while we have just one lone pumpkin seed that came up. Since I planted 3 pumpkin varieties we won't know which type it is until it produces. :)

 The corn is sparsely germinated this year. I've made a mental note to plant the corn closer together next year and watch and learn from this year's experience! :)

 The tomato plants are doing well! I already see a Big Beef forming! :)

 At least 2 of the plants are up to my hip now! Look close and you'll see Mick (to my right) showing where the tomatoes come up to him! :)

 I love growing tomatoes in the mesh green house! :)

 A few Sungold Tomatoes are forming, too! :)

 Mick's leading us to the onions! :)

 He's showing how tall they are now! :)

 Since he flattened one of them, I picked it and will add it to today's meal! :)

The potatoes are doing well, too! :)
Tomorrow the heat is supposed to drop into the upper 60's & 70's for awhile! It's going to make working in the yard and garden a lot more enjoyable! :)
Happy Gardening Everyone! :)

Busy Bees! :)

 Sometimes, when I'm out taking photos of our flowers, I chance upon our little Mason bees hard at work! :) It's fun to watch them cover their little bodies in pollen and ...

 burrow into the folds of the soft petals! :)

 I recently added two new bee houses for them, as the others were full. This one has two tubes filled already. :)

This one has five filled! All it takes is one filled tube to have Mason Bees for the following year! I'm happy to see the numbers growing! These two new houses should be enough for them this year, and next Spring I will put up more houses for them! :)
I'm joyfully planting more plants in our flower beds, making sure there is something in bloom all season! :)
One day I hope to have as many Mason Bees working our property as we had working the nursery I used to work at! There's something very satisfying about busy little bees! :)

Changing Gears! :)

 At the start of the year I set a goal to get back on track with my weight, fitness, and over-all good health! :) I've been counting calories and have successfully lost the first 24 lbs. and have 14 pounds to go until I reach my goal weight! :)
 Since I don't have that much weight to lose, my calorie count (weight x 7= calories) has now fallen below the 1200 calorie mark. This played on my mind the first time I counted calories to lose weight, and I ended up sabotaging my own success over it by giving up counting all-together. This time I've learned from that mistake and won't make it again!
 Instead of over-reacting, I'm changing gears! :) From here on out I will keep my calorie count at a healthy 1200! I will now increase my exercise to make up the difference, by burning the calories I'm not depriving myself through food alone! :)

Example: (my current weight) 164 lbs. x 7 = 1148 calories. Yet 1200 calories is needed for a healthy woman's body.
If I'm thinking correctly, 1200 - 1148 = 52 calories I need to burn off through exercise to continue losing weight.
Since I have tons of yard and garden work, and our trusty Nordic Track, this should not be difficult to do! :)

 I expect this process to be slower, but healthier. Good health is the true goal, after all, is it not? :)Sometimes all it takes is a shift in thinking and activity! Here's to changing gears and to good health! :)