June is Done! Garden, Nature Journal, Randomness

 My goodness, how June has rushed by, July is on its way. Today is cool, grey, blustery---not a pretty summer day but we must take joy in the break from the heat wave of the past week.

We couldn't even go out on the deck! I scorched my feet  one morning, watering the deck pots barefooted. That was crazy! Scary. Mo was confined to the cold airconditioned house mostly, though his dogwalker very kindly has begun ''sunset walks'' on extreme days. So kind and we did love the idea of Mo getting out to visit the cool grass and sniff all the peemail he was missing.

Here is my sewing box, all washed and dusted, waxed and buffed; relined. Filled with sewing treasures from family and friends. Ready for deck days ahead. I hope to do my sewing hour even if Baby Mo must stay indoors. [oh he will be so puzzled and mad at me though.]

btw here is a link to Instagram's Pug LouLou's 11th birthday party. Hard to live up to, lol. LouLou is Eleven too!  So adorable, I am such a fan. [also on FB if you don't get IG.]

The deck garden is coming on nicely. I water twice a day, even if it rains.

Wildflower seeds sprouting in the now harvested radish patch.

And look! The coreopsis just wouldn't be defeated. It has sprouted on the big pot's far margins and will soon be in bloom. I am so happy to see it!

Huge gemination of the cosmos seeds from? I transplanted some, I hope they take.

First flower! A marigold:

And zinnia buds too. Maybe have flowers for the fourth of July.

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I had my high stress appointment with the eye surgeon this week. Good news--no change, no surgery--but nothing can be done (not even just glasses Rx tweak) to reconcile double vision. The appointment was actually too close to my IV treatment which causes depression and blurred vision, but each was mandated by the doctors' schedule. I couldn't see well enough after the eye doctor to do nice work on my memory scroll, but after a few days I pushed on and finished all my sketches in my nature journal. This finishes the first book, January to July 1. "Quavery" at best, but done matters to me more than perfection.

Pansy redo. I hinged the second sketch so we can see both.

The many faces of the black cherry over the years.

radish sprout

Yellow iris

Spiderwort or snakewort- weed but such a glorious blue

Crabgrass

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Stamps found tucked in a long expired passport. Couldn't resist adding them to the pages here.

I walked out early one hot morning looking for nature stuff to draw. Nothing! A few weeds. I did like this one, I think it is a milkweed.

July may be lots of seashells and pebbles.

Darling Ladybug on my zinnies! Rounding out last days of June 2025.

Have a wonderful weekend. I'll probably be back Wednesday, before 4th of July gets going. See you then.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

a rare dawn pic-summer solstice

Summer is Here!

 

Welcome, summer. 

Today is the summer solstice and hot sunny weather has arrived. It's as if Mother Nature flicks a switch, from cold grey drizzle that could as easily be March as June.

I had a stressful [for me] week, ---IV procedure in the unfriendly chaotic clinic, Mo's ongoing unwellness [he can no longer go away for a sleepover while I recuperate]; the dryer duct cleaners, my once a month house cleaner. I did stupid little chores, like put in screens, clean and start the ACs, wash and air comforter and extra covers, air Mo's beds, remove ancient shower curtain rings, unused and dusty for 15 years. Oh the always dreaded clothes switcheroo, sweaters to shorts etc.

Nothing fun, but I did work on prepping my ''meditation scroll''. I think I will call it a memory scroll, I am not so fancy that I meditate while sewing. Being cursed with anxiety now, I just do a lot of worrying.

I'd like this to be the summer I cover this dreadful pine worktop. Even brown paper would be better.

Choosing threads:

I was frugal, will use what I have, though I was so in love with hand dyed threads from 1894 Cottonwood House 

Auditioning spools still.

It was fun and relaxing, playing with the tiny postage stamp bits. Fun enough that I gathered brights and pretties to set aside for the Lizzy's Garden spool.

Tomorrow will be our first deck time sit and sew for  Summer of 25. Especially if my friend comes and puts up my umbrella for shade.

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Another chore was clearing the veggies and  planting these seeds in the last big pot.

And setting out my oh so adorable dandelion ''clock'' [seed heads] solar lights.

Note the tall weedy thing nearby. Wouldn't it be cool if that was the Chinese lanterns I planted, but I think the leaves are wrong.

Bonsai trees are started. These two do not need colding off. The conifers are in the freezer til August. I hope the blue jacaranda grows but no further sprouting yet.

This is the Flame Tree

Apparently it grows fast and is a popular beginners' bonsai tree,.

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Mo has gone a week now without a pain incident [managed by a strict regimen of meds, not curable], though he is sometimes stressed and panting. Oddly he no longer sleeps in his beds  but on the bare wooden floors. I don't understand why. Here he is with Lambie, his adoption day prezzie. At first he was afraid of it but now is making friends.

And here he is not at all subtly telling me AC season has arrived, mom, get it going.[71*F and windy, no AC]. Pets communicate so well, without words--just body language and eye contact.

Have a great weekend.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

last night a storm blew through briefly. It's interesting to watch the sheets of rain far away out to sea. [(on the right)  The horizon is ten miles.

And here's  rainbow shared by my friend out his deck door.