The Mega Pawsitive Fundraiser

[raysmyheart]

It seems we have been alternating rainy days and sunny days. Today was rain, good for the grass seed I put down in some bare spots. Tomorrow, back to sunny!

Every year at this time, this beautiful shrub will flower in my yard. My sister and I gave this plant to my parents for an anniversary gift about 35 years ago, I still remember when we went to the nursery to choose it. I have forgotten the name, but it will flower with tiny white flowers every year, putting on quite a show.

foxxycat and 1CatOverTheLine , I do love The Queen of Hearts color combination! Very striking, for sure!

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Every year at this time, this beautiful shrub will flower in my yard. My sister and I gave this plant to my parents for an anniversary gift about 35 years ago, I still remember when we went to the nursery to choose it. I have forgotten the name, but it will flower with tiny white flowers every year, putting on quite a show.

R raysmyheart - That's a real beauty! Hard to tell, but I'd guess some variety of Spirea - maybe 'Snowmound?" @segelkatt or foxxycat - one you of must recognise it.
.

 

[Norachan]

What surprised me was that they have differently-coloured eyes, based on the eyeshine. Their eyes can be brown, orange, yellow or green.

Either that or a Hell Mouth has opened up somewhere on your property. You go careful when you're out there!

I think Zoe is upset she didn’t get the mouse

Oh yes, her poor little face! That's the look of a kitty who wants you to know it was "No fair".

It's raining her today as well, which is great because the pollen has been insane this week. You can see clouds of it blowing around in the sky and the cats keep coming in all yellow and dusty. Hopefully this little shower is going to dampen it all down.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Either that or a Hell Mouth has opened up somewhere on your property.

Norachan - Sadly, this thread requires posters to adhere to a fifteen word minimum, other than that:

 

[foxxycat]

Good morning all my cat lovers! Got a good rain yesterday finally! If it rained 2 times a week that would be great!
This mornings photos:

Not sure what this is

Baby bee balm or ?

A cluster of false sunflowers

Hollyhocks

Not sure the name of these yellow leaved items

Hosta plant. A huge one.

A baby lupine. Not sure it will flower this year...I often get babies but then they just give off leaves.

I just love the foliage of them.

Another hosta just for you 1CatOverTheLine

BEACH ROSES that I have been trying to grow forever. The drought the past two years did it in pretty good. This year it finally got bigger. It was a tiny clipping off my moms beach roses who are originally from Plymouth mass.

Ive got so many plant photos!

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

View attachment 233024
Not sure what this is!

foxxycat - A hose. That's a hose.



I think you're right about the Beebalm. Here, it's the Lilacs which are currently balming the bees.

Foxxxycat - have you noticed that the Lilacs aren't losing their colour saturation this year? My old French usually begins getting paler as she starts to bloom out, but this year the colour seems to go on and on. A product of the abundant rain, and much less direct sunlight, perhaps, or just a difference in the cytoplasmic and vacuolar pH affecting the anthocyanin?

Anyone: if you keep track of the soil pH around your Lilacs, does acidity / alkalinity affect the colour's endurance over time?
.

 

[raysmyheart]

foxxycat , I will keep my fingers crossed for your beach roses! I am in love with beach roses and will seek them out all the time at the New Hampshire or Maine seashores, just to smell their perfume! Oh, I love them and they are so pretty! Good luck!

1CatOverTheLine , that is a marvelous bee photo against the beautiful colors and petals. I love how the bee appears - just floating above the blooms. I can almost smell the lilacs!

Today is just wonderful for weather here in central Massachusetts, 75F and not a cloud in the sky. Between the cars going up and down the street there is really beautiful music playing, courtesy of the many varieties of birds making their homes in the surrounding woods.

Speedy and I had a red squirrel visit this morning. I love the red squirrels! Thanks for the wonderful posts all!

 

[AbbysMom]

Not sure what this is

That looks like Achillea aka Yarrow. My yard and many gardens are still a bit unkempt. I definitely need to get out there and get going. It's a gorgeous day out, but I've got a few appointments today so no time in the yard for me. A nice day is always a pawsitive though.

ETA - I think the yellow flowers may be a type of Euphorbia.

 

[foxxycat]

That flower is either pink or white-it's a weed that I transplanted there last year-it normally grows in front of the lilacs.

1CatOverTheLine my soil is VERY acidic-and I never amend it. I just plant things that like acidicness. I have dozens of pine trees drop their needles all over the yard so it's a loosing battle. Which is why I don't bother with vegetables other than tomato bush Cherry tomatoes for Mr. Jon. I tried peppers one year but it's just not hot enough at my location. Broccoli goes to seed too fast and same with lettuce. This years sleet storm at end of Aprilish really set back everything.

That butterfly bush that's in the area by side road still very loose but it's got fresh leaves starting-not sure how it will handle the weight of the stems once they get going. That is a younger one I planted 5 or so years ago and it doesn't get that big. probably 4 feet at the most..the ones that get huge were because I planted 3 babies in a foot area and they just grew tight and strong=the stems on those are 2 inches thick at the base=so takes a chainsaw to break them apart lol.

Yes I noticed the lilacs are doing better this year. Last year we had the drought and I hope we don't have a repeat of the past 2 summers because many of my plants paid the price. Let's keep the rain coming! That's a positive!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

My kids and I are enjoying watching Mama and Papa Bluebird come and go from the house we attached to the tree. I have a 3 tier Shepard hook under the tree and they keep going between perching on that and peeking inside the house. I need to find the charge for my camera. My cell just doesn't zoom in enough for a clear picture.

 

[foxxycat]

Heres my project tomorrow night. There is some columbine growing up against the rock if you zoom in.

I had to screenshot and then it would upload. Sorry its so small but original photo was too large.


My vines need to be ripped out compost added then plant my tidal wave petunias.

Heres that butterfly bush that is loose but growing. This one is by the road garden.

I love these red tinged leaves.
I let it grow wherever it wants.

I will take more pictures tonight.

Last night I stopped at 3 dif nurseries and got these cool petunia flowers. They look like this:
Petunia, Night Sky - Petunias at Burpee.com

There was one left so I snagged it. I got 2 more pots of queen of hearts. I will have plenty of flowers but ebay has an auction for a flat of plugs that ends in 3 days-if I had someone close who wants some I would buy them. I did that one summer-was like $40 for 100 plants-which at $5 a pot for these cool petunias-I made a boatload selling them to coworkers for $2 a plant but I bought potting mix and containers. I would do it again if we have cool weather. It's shipped via fedex=check out ebay live plug plants if you want something that local nurseries don't carry and divide with neighbors/friends! In fact too bad mothers day is gone by because that would have been a heck of a mothers day gift!

200 PORTULACA HAPPY TRAILS MIX Live Plants Plugs Garden Home Planters 447 | eBay
These would do good in cool shady spots-I love these flowers!!

 

[raysmyheart]

AbbysMom , I suspected you might be sharing a gorgeous weather day with me today, being from Massachusetts and all.

This evening, Speedy and I had a walk in the yard and we stopped to admire the blooms -

 

[Norachan]

Some lovely garden pics, everyone!



I've had a bit of time to work on my garden today. I have this flower bed outside one of the downstairs windows. The tree stumps are for the cats to get in and out. I've tried planting all sorts of things there, but they always die. I decided to turn it into a rock garden.

Before.

After.
I've been painting rocks for a while now so I had plenty to put here. The plants are fake. Even I can't kill plastic plants, right?

Why buy garden ornaments when you can paint rocks?

Some other additions to the garden. I salvaged these out of a skip. I couldn't let them be thrown away.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Last night I stopped at 3 dif nurseries and got these cool petunia flowers. They look like this:
Petunia, Night Sky - Petunias at Burpee.com

There was one left so I snagged it. I got 2 more pots of queen of hearts. I will have plenty of flowers but ebay has an auction for a flat of plugs that ends in 3 days-if I had someone close who wants some I would buy them. I did that one summer-was like $40 for 100 plants-which at $5 a pot for these cool petunias-I made a boatload selling them to coworkers for $2 a plant but I bought potting mix and containers. I would do it again if we have cool weather. It's shipped via fedex=check out ebay live plug plants if you want something that local nurseries don't carry and divide with neighbors/friends! In fact too bad mothers day is gone by because that would have been a heck of a mothers day gift!

200 PORTULACA HAPPY TRAILS MIX Live Plants Plugs Garden Home Planters 447 | eBay
These would do good in cool shady spots-I love these flowers!!

foxxycat - Night Sky is just smashing! I have a couple of annual beds at the outside of foundation plantings, and these will be the next choice!

For anyone who dislikes clicking links, here's Petunia 'Night Sky:'

Why buy garden ornaments when you can paint rocks?
View attachment 233240 View attachment 233241
Some other additions to the garden. I salvaged these out of a skip. I couldn't let them be thrown away.
View attachment 233242

Norachan - Just fabulous - I laughed out loud at these. In one of those snooty garden catalogues, these would be described as, "kitschy, whimsical, and no two alike," and they'd be a hundred bucks a pop.

§ § §​

Just a beautiful day here today, and with a couple of equally fine days predicted before rain returns on Sunday, affording the chance to cut the lawn slowly rather than in The Big Spring Rush. Maybe by the time we're wet again, the old place will look a trifle more snooty refined.
.

 

[Brian007]

Not sure whether today's events were pawsitive or merely diverting, but my interest was piqued so that's surely pawsitive, for me, at the very least.

The BBC have been filming the 2nd series of their gritty phycological drama, Clique, at the school across from my bedroom window all day. Now, in the morning, I wasn't so sure about having the Beeb crawling all over the part of the building directly in front of me, as it felt like they were practically in my room, and it was too claustrophobic. So, scaredy cat that I am, I hid behind drawn curtains in the dark.

Then, all went silent at lunchtime, so I peeked out to see that all was quiet on the western front (I say that as the building does indeed face west, as well as being a gratuitous throw away film reference). So, I took my chance to draw my curtains [like a normal person], remove my rainbow making window stickers, which were impeding photography, and clean my grotty window! I finished just in time as grips, gaffers, lackies, loafers, and standabouts started to seep back out onto the scene, smoking fags and drinking mugs of tea [ah, the good ole BBC].

The filming then took place to the side of the building, and not practically in my room, so I took some photos that I'd like to share, for pawsitivity. A gloriously blue-skied day, showing off the lush new leaves and shiny bright white van hires, too.

The overall deserted scene at lunchtime, poised, ready for action.


Close up of the blue camera, peering into a classroom.


Ooh, they're on the move and the orange camera has joined force.


They both hone in on one section of window, high drama must be happening inside.


Now, they started to swing round and were creepily reminiscent of mechanical triffids.


Eek, blue camera is pointing directly at me! Time to withdraw, me thinks.




I put on my best spiderman t-shirt and trousers, just in case I'm inadvertently captured in the background, frantically sorting pretty paper mountains and crafting crates (moved on from boxes as had an equipment explosion ).



And this is truly pawsitive, my groovy new cat hair, crumb, and glitter resistant rug arrived today. It's in hide the drips and droppings colours. It clashes somewhat with my current bedding but that might mean an excuse to buy another better blending duvet set.



Cool or what!

I've been sitting in the middle, as that seems the place to be.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Norachan That is so beautiful and original! I have a stump in my garden too, and you've inspired me to think about doing something beautiful with it like you have. Thank you!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Last night I stopped at 3 dif nurseries and got these cool petunia flowers. They look like this:
Petunia, Night Sky - Petunias at Burpee.com

If I had spotted those before filling my planter I'd have done them in nothing but these! WOW!

This is an old picture from a few Springs ago I think. When they fill out I just love love love how this planter turns out. Can you just imagine a waterfall of those Night Sky Petunias?!

image.jpeg

• MoochNNoodles
• May 15, 2016

I asked DH to build me a narrower version of this planter for the backyard. I want to put my potted plants on that instead of on the steps. I've got so many they have started to get in the way.

DS had a visit with his pediatrician today. I've been concerned he is under weight; but the doctor said he is healthy. Just very slender. So I'm reassured. That doesn't help me keep his pants up but at least I know it's ok. I'm starting to think he's going to be built like my Dad; who had trouble keeping weight on until he was in his 40s. He didn't give me those genes directly. Thanks Dad!

 

[Lari]

Had a nice field trip to the zoo today, even though a lot of animals were hiding. It's so close to the end of the school year and I'm really looking forward to relaxing.

Right now I'm catching up on the Survivor finale and Lelia's napping on the cat tree. Good times.

 

[tarasgirl06]

If I had spotted those before filling my planter I'd have done them in nothing but these! WOW!

This is an old picture from a few Springs ago I think. When they fill out I just love love love how this planter turns out. Can you just imagine a waterfall of those Night Sky Petunias?!

image.jpeg

• MoochNNoodles
• May 15, 2016

I asked DH to build me a narrower version of this planter for the backyard. I want to put my potted plants on that instead of on the steps. I've got so many they have started to get in the way.

DS had a visit with his pediatrician today. I've been concerned he is under weight; but the doctor said he is healthy. Just very slender. So I'm reassured. That doesn't help me keep his pants up but at least I know it's ok. I'm starting to think he's going to be built like my Dad; who had trouble keeping weight on until he was in his 40s. He didn't give me those genes directly. Thanks Dad!

I am like that too. I have NO hips and my jeans don't need to be unzipped to come off. Belts. Belts are a good thing.

 

[ileen]

I can't complain because I spent the first 35 or so years of my life being able to eat whatever I wanted and never gaining significant weight. But even when I was 18 years old & 95 pounds, I still didn't have a thigh gap. Belts were never a concern for me.