Friday, May 22, 2009

THE SEASON HAS CHANGED.....

We are now well and truly into summer and I’m acutely aware that I have been very lax with blogging recently..... I do apologise to those of you who have stopped by only to find that postings have not been updated....... Life has been busy plus coping with gardening both at home and at the veggie plot...... and my days have expired before I’ve achieved all I have hoped to fulfil.

I’ll make an attempt at catching up by continuing from where I left off in the month of April........


APRIL was a glorious month. This is a view from our village with the backdrop of mountains



Warm sunny days encouraged us outdoors to enjoy the countryside and garden. Bluebells have flowered in profusion this spring, their fragrance and colour delighting the senses.


......golden gorse too.....

Do join me and take a look around my garden and see how it looked in April. The delicate Welsh poppies are always a delight.

Apples trees had masses of blossom, so we anticipate a good crop of apples later in the season


Watching the ferns unfold in their mysterious snake like fashion is always interesting........
.....and then voila! what magnificence.

The beautiful golden hop scrambles wherever it will.....

I usually place my hostas on various tables throughout the garden, this way I avoid a lot of slug damage.

I think you know I'm very fond of architectural plants, particularly palms.......

.....this 'was' my very favourite tree fern. The picture was taken last year.... sadly the harsh winter was just too much for it, despite a good winter jacket......

and now it looks like this......

The cordylines survived....

A pretty church in a nearby village always puts on a seasonal floral arrangement around the porch door. Isn't it charming and inviting too!

Onto the delicious month of MAY.... my very favourite month. The wisteria flowers hung heavy on the boughs this year and presented a most beautiful display right in front of my kitchen window.


In the greenhouse seedlings started earlier and were all growing well.....

I wonder, can anyone identify this mystery plant for me. I bought it last year at a car boot sale, it produces a single flower on a long stem (approx 5 inches), topped with a flower that holds many stamens which hold tiny yellow dots of flowers.

We had a share of rainy days in May too..... but even on wets days the garden looks colourful.

Sadly the peonies suffer in the rain, their flower heads hold the water so, the weight of which bends the stems over badly

Another plant with no name, I bought it quite cheap at a local nursery..... the name tag was missing..... it looked a little sorry for itself at the time, but has since brighten up and has flowered well. Can anyone identify it for me please.

We are now in the month of JUNE..... days are long and warm and this month held a great thrill for me.... that of a visit from a dear blogging friend all the way from Australia.......LinkThis is Frances (Alice) the owner of Growing Delight Blog she was visiting from down under, having first spent several weeks in Europe with family and friends and meeting her darling little granddaughter Evelynne for the first time.

I was overjoyed when I heard that Frances and husband Richard.... a lovely man with such a great sense of humour were including a week in Wales before returning home....... so, on 4 June, Frances & Richard together with cousin Frances and her husband Graham spent the day with us. They had renting a holiday cottage on the Cambrian coast a little further south. It was so good to meet up after corresponding and blogging together for a few years. Frances was the second person to leave a comment for me when I first started blogging way back in December 2005. Every comment left on my blog is appreciated so very much... but you know how precious those first comments are when you first enter into the world of blogging.

Frances & Richard it was indeed a joy to spend a day with you. Who would have dreamed way back in 2005 that we'd been standing together on our front steps in 2009. What a wonderful day!
This time last year John and I had recently returned from a fantastic trip of a lifetime to Georgia USA visiting my dear blogging friend Betty & husband Edward. We have relived, day by day our time out there not only from the diary I kept and the pictures we’d taken but by turning the pages of an amazing book that Betty had compiled and had printed for us. I would like to share those days with you as I once again turn the pages of this exquisite book.... such a wonderful gift..... recording that precious time we had with them in their beautiful home, meeting their dear family and so many of their friends......

If you click on the pictures they will enlarge and you’ll be able to read about our adventure.






























Thank you Betty & Edward we love you.

13 comments:

Willow said...

Thanks for sharing that wonderful book with us. What a great gift and memory!

Your months of garden photos are lovely too. Sorry that I can't help you with the names of the plants.

I'm glad you're back posting!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Hello Marion. I can now say, because I've seen it with my own eyes, that Wales is a beautiful country. Sadly, we were only there for two days with a tour, in Conwy and Caernarvon. I love the green hills and the sheep and eve the rain! Someday I'd like to return and see more (the rest of the time we were in England).

What a blessing for you to live there. Your garden is delightful, and I also noticed you have a cactus on your kitchen counter! That wisteria is gorgeous - what a view our your window.

Sara

Barbara said...

The view from your village of the mountains is heavenly.

How thrilling to have an Australian blogging friend to visit even if only for one day. This blogging business has a life of it's own does it not. Think I have met 6 now.

What a wonderful book that Betty and Edward made for you. So impressive and what a record to keep. Missed you as I kept checking back.
Thanks for comments and yes we are well and busy with life and grandchildren.

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Marion, how sweet of Betty to make this book for you to always remember your trip to our US and the South. it was so good to meet you and John. Funny how we all just got along so well...But it always is that way when I meet someone from the blogging world.
i love your flowers..how beautiful. i wish that I knew what they are..Try looking them up on google...smile..Sandy

Betty said...

Dear Friend Marion,

Your flowers are really putting on a show! Always a joy to see...

I'm so glad you and Frances were able to meet face to face...can't believe its been over a year since you and John were here....

We're happy that you like the book...it was a labor of love...

God bless...Betty

Mountain Mama said...

The picture from your village is simply gorgeous. It must be such a pleasure to be able to look oou over those mountains every day.
I don't know what your mystery plants are either. THe one with yellow flowers somewhat resembles what we call Laburnum or Golden Chain here, but on our trees the blossom clusters hang down. Every part of it is poisonous but it is a beauty.
Wonderful that you were able to meet and spend time with more blog friends, and the book is a beautiful idea, packed with great memories.

Alice said...

Hi Marion

I loved all your photos (except for one lady in a photo with you - couldn't you have deleted her?...lol. Definitely not my best hair-day!) The photos of your garden reminded us again of that lovely - not that we needed reminding as we often talk about it now that we're back home.

What a wonderful gift from Betty and Edward - beautiful photos and lasting memories.

Barbara said...

I am glad that not only me was too busy to post and visit blogs. Life sometimes sets other priorities. But I am glad to see that you're fine and had a wonderful late Spring and now a colourful, lovely summer. Is there absolutely no chance for the palmtree to recover? Were the roots killed by frost? I've seen palmtrees, not far away from our house, which have survived our cold winter without any shelter. The started to "grow" very late.
Have a good time and enjoy summer!
Barbara

Betty said...

Sweet friend Marion,
I did indeed have a wonderful birthday! Of course you and John played a large part in making that possible...again, thank you for all my beautiful things...

The little quiches were filled with cheese and broccoli...delicious...

God's richest blessings to you and John...Betty

Barbara said...

Hope you are OK Marion. Miss you.

Anonymous said...

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Homemaker's Heart said...

Hello Mrs. Marion! I haven't posted here in a very long time. I lost track of blogging in my move from Georgia to Ohio. You have always been so kind in your comments and periodically I am reminded of something you said or something you've shared. Like the new "Wellies" you got. I have been looking for some for a long time, but don't know where to find something cute and not black.

I hope all is well with you. Thank you for sharing such beautiful pictures.

Peace,
Dee
(aka Homemakersheart, now Mrs. Peterson's Place)

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