Berry picking is always one of the highlights of our summer, along with the jam and pie making that follows. We have been blessed with a bounty of yummy fruits from the backyards of friends this season. These Queen Ann cherries were especially wonderful. We snacked on these right out of the bowl. No way to improve upon perfection. They are just as delicious as they are beautiful. Don't you love the summer blush of colors?
When last I wrote, we were enjoying some quiet garden time from the pages of old magazine clippings I'd saved in my inspiration notebooks. Here's another (above) to set your mind dreaming. Real life, in my own yard has not been quite as serene with all the house projects going on right now. Including some stump-grinding today, along with a major neighborhood clean-up process that began Monday morning (that is still underway), involving heavy machinery for some massive tree trimming, chipping and brush clearing. Most of which, is taking place directly across the street from my house. The transformation is amazing though and very much appreciated. It not only looks a thousand times better, but it is no longer the fire hazard it once posed. We are thankful for the excellent efforts of the work crews and the grant from the Oregon Department of Forestry for the additional funding needed for such a large project. It's all good!
I was just out there with my camera, taking a few photos of all the changes, and the roses caught my eye--as they so often do. Time for an update about them too I reckon. We had to cage them (from the deer) this year due to all the rain this spring. Every time I sprayed the magic concoction to discourage the nibblers, the heavy rain kept washing it off. It happens. Nothing is fool-proof. Sometimes you just have to go to Plan B. Thus the fencing. If you missed any of my previous posts about the battles with deer in the flower beds, and my natural recipe for success, type 'magic concoction' in the search box (above in left side-bar) to read them. The post with the link to the PDF recipe is here.
On the subject of roses, here's another notebook page from the past. Isn't this beautiful? In my imagination, this brick bridge traverses over a small pond. I'd have to fence in my entire yard to do anything like this. And I am seriously giving it more thought now too. The fencing part. I'm still pouting over the fact that the deer ate the new flower tops off my delicate bridal hydrangea this year. Which they never touched before. It's a puzzle. And a frustrating one sometimes. I keep inching closer and closer to the tall fence solution. Photos like this only strengthen that idea and feed my imagination with possibilities. . .
Yes, I can see more fences (with lots of cute little paths and gates like this) in my future. This coastal garden is lovely. The seashells make an effective border. Another "Use What You Have" object lesson for us.
Unrelated news: The New Embroidery with Vintage Patterns flickr group contest is wrapping up and three winners from three categories have been selected. Woot! I was a judge for the Summer Theme category and I must say, it was not easy choosing one! Everyone did such an incredible job with their stitcheries. The other two categories were Modified Vintage Pattern, and One Pattern, Many Stitchers. All amazing!
Check out the winning entries here. All the efforts behind the scenes for putting the contest together go to bookwormbethie, who did a great job I might add. It's never easy coordinating all the little details required to cover all the bases. But it's not over yet! One GRAND PRIZE winner still needs to be selected. So make sure to scroll down the winner's page to find the link to the Online Survey to VOTE for your favorite entry. The Grand Prize winner will be selected by popular vote and announced July 30th, along with 8 door prize winners!! Good luck everyone!
