Planting Season

Hello everyone! Another week has gone by, on our headlong rush to Summer! A whole year has passed so so quickly. That said, this has been a mostly quiet time for me at the beach---the lull before the busy-ness of summer. This week I've been sewing the binding on P2, so it may be ready for summer use. Sunflowers, the antique rescue quilt, is also in work for binding and since it's smaller it should go faster. As Mo and I sit out and sew, I've been watching the [choppy, cold] ocean, hoping to see a whale. The whalies on P2 remind me to be watchful. Whales have been sighted recently; I haven't seen a whale in quite a few years, always a thrill.

We had a few brilliantly sunny days. Brisk winds and chilly but I decided to get my deck pots planted.
I plan to have more pots this summer to block Mo from certain areas where he gets into trouble, places he can see or hear folks going by. He has made strides in not barking, but why tempt him?

My grocery store sells small bags of potting soil. I think they're 10 pounds. I buy a couple each week. The smaller size is more manageable for me than one large hugely heavy bag. I also fill the bottoms of the very large pots with empty plastic containers, like detergent or bleach bottles, rinsed well, caps on. Shipping peanuts are a better filler but the plastic bottles are free and, well, here. The reason to do this is twofold: it reduces the amount of soil used and, 2- it makes the pots not be quite so heavy.

This is an Elephant Ear bulb! Slightly obscene but the big tropical fronds are so rewarding!

My friends gave them to me as a gift from the big winter flower show, along with these beautiful cannas.

The Elephant Ear from last summer wintered well under my sink in a Baggie. It has lots of little offshoots that may grow into full bulbs over the coming years. I planted it with the rest of the cannas and these big blue pompom things. Not sure the pompoms are what I am thinking of, the name is unfamiliar.

This is my  year round pot. My lavender has regrown nicely. Two summers ago it was just a single sad little sprig from the farmers market. It has done well! The lilies were planted last summer but did not grow. They look very hopeful this year though. If they're what I m thinking, they should be a clear deep red, rare for lilies.

I sprinkled the CL freebie marigold seeds in that pot too, and some of the wildflower mix. A blogging friend, I think Tammy, did the wildflower seeds in pots and she had fun seeing what actually grew. I'll sneak the rest of the packet of seeds down to the marshy dunes approach where every year I try to get something to grow wild. [But never does.] This mix is native wildflowers similar to the wildflowers at the saltmarsh so if they did take hold they'd be acceptable. And they are food for bees.

I'll add sunflower seeds this week in my pots and when I get the rest of the soil in, I'll do two more pots with these pretty dahlias.

It will be suspenseful! We'll have to see what grows and what disappoints.
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I'm pacing myself but I'm taking over most of Mo's walks these days. Sadly that means no beach walks for now, but Mo is so happy and of course the dogwalker is a big expense. Here is the view from the beach bench the other day. Looks ominous!

And most days at lunchtime , we walk to the koi pond.

They're very big and rowdy now. Beautiful in a creepy fishy way?

Don't believe a word of the weather channel stories about a spring heat wave in the Northeast.

By evening walk time I still must wear warm pants, multiple tee shirts, a cashmere turtleneck sweater, and a windproof fleece jacket. Plus a Lycra head band/ earwarmer. Brrr. Cold wind still howling in from the chilly ocean.

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Today Mo had a visit from the groomer van. He looks appalled, doesn't he, as I told him we were off to meet her.

He actually loves the groomer and he smells like tropical punch now.

He was so sweet, the groomer gave him TWO crappy chicken jerky sticks.  Prob he'll puke later,lol.
Sad to report though that even a professional bathing/ brushing/ blow out did not conquer the wild poufs of spring shedding fur.

Here's my cute Mothers Day gift, from my daughter.

Have a lovely weekend!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

PS Big envelope of quilt blocks came, from a friend! I ll show them to you next week.

Even few Baskets! love..