Walking

A summertime stroll is a nice memory. Need to go see the waterfalls in DuPont Forest again soon.

Summertime memories

 

 The Flame Azalea, which reminds me of a Honeysuckle in the bloom's shape.

End of summer

Another raised-bed garden is going to seed/weed.

My tomatoes slowly ripen, and the beans have all become fodder for the Mexican Bean Beetles.  Oh well.  At least I've got the aphids on the tomatoes somewhat under control with my garlic spray...though we shall see about tomatoes.  They are so slow to ripen!

And picking them and placing them on a windowsill doesn't seem to hurry the process.  They just stop growing, I think.

I'm still learning about gardening.

School starts here today...which is very late compared to other years.  Not sure why...

For me it just means driving with avoidance of school buses dropping off or picking up kids on our two lane highways, which means lots of stops.  If I didn't drive a stick-shift that wouldn't be quite as aggravating.  Pushing the clutch in and out for about a hundred times keeps my left leg in some kind of shape I guess!

There are still 2 more days of August.  And even though my open windows at night give me soft breezes of 62 degrees at night, I know there're plenty more summer-like hot days ahead.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Here in the northern hemisphere it's considered the beginning of summer.  Excuse me?  It's the middle of summer folks!  We've had high temperatures for the last month, and even in May as well.

Our summer here in the mountains hasn't been as bad as it has been for the folks in the southwest.  We've only broken one heat record in Asheville, I think just 90 degrees one day last week.

This weekend had been very pleasant, with evening cool-offs and occasional showers.  That's proper summer weather here.

My potted plants receive "fish water" every week at least once.

It will still be this hot for another 3 months easily.  Summer is just beginning in many ways.

Schools let out a week ago, or maybe at the beginning of the month.  There are pools and lakes and streams with squealing children enjoying the splashing fun.

This is the parent sunflower which I grew last year.  I now have 6 of it's offspring in my raised bed garden.

second generation giant sunflower baby

Whatever you do on this longest day to celebrate, think for a few moments of your blessings, and dance at the bonfire of your dreams, even if only in your heart.

Summertime beauty

 I bet you thought I was going to post some flowers.  Or maybe a gorgeous landscape.  Ha!

This lovely young beauty posed for a July 4 celebration, I am guessing, because I can't remember.  She is a cousin of mine, who has recently been in touch again after *** years.  I'm so glad to see her smiling face from this visit back then.  Unfortunately it's the only shot I have, and there were other cousins also there, who I missed getting photos of.

 OK, here is the butterfly bush.  I really haven't seen any butterflies to speak of this year.

I still am waiting for the sunflower to bloom.  It's over 6 feet tall now.

OK, here are the flowers, for another kind of beauty.

Today's quote:

We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.

Dakota proverb

End of summer coming soon

A very young bunny who loves my grass

A medium sized bowl which sold a week ago

This vase is now reduced to get it out into use with flowerrs!

I'm surprised this teapot is still for sale every Saturday morning

So glad this pit fired vase found a home a few weeks ago.

This vase is probably in the TRAC Gallery in Spruce Pine, NC.  I haven't been back to check since the opening.

I'm taking three days away from the studio with lots of other folks this weekend.  I'm back into doing work, and threw 2 pitchers, a candle holding double handled vase-shape (much like the one above), and 5 tumblers with pressed-in designs.  I finished a dozen tree and goddess pendants yesterday, which are waiting to bisque, maybe tonight.

Have a great blue moon tomorrow night!  Howl, dance, sing, enjoy whatever moves you (as long as it's legal).

This post is part of the Mud Colony  what's happening in the studio; click on over to see what others are up to.