A week of mixed blessings regarding the weather, but finally a beautiful day today with the sun shining brightly. It really does make a difference to my mood and has already lifted my spirits. It is wonderful to be able to get out into the garden and not feel cold. I was able to hang the washing out on the line, a real bonus. Nothing beats the smell of line dried washing, particularly when it is bedding and towels. Let me give you a quick tour of the pots at the front of the house. Be prepared once again for a photo heavy post.
Each side of the side entrance door. Painted rocks from the beach and plants in a pair of old wellies.
Now that we have an improvement in the weather it is my intention to sort the pots out and add a few more from the collection of plants we have been growing from seed to give the front of the cottage a lift and some colour. I love some of the cheery plant pots, they make me smile.
In other news, Gerard is a big football fan so is enjoying the football on the TV. He is having a wonderful time with the banter from the grandsons, it is a joy to listen to them. Two of my nieces children have Covid with very mild symptoms but still a worry. The whole family are in quarantine together so it will be interesting to see how many of them get it and indeed how long it takes.
We have been spending time looking at holidays but as yet are unwilling to take the risk with travel. We have decided to take advantage of the Summer and catch up with family and then relook at going away at a later date. There are so many mixed messages from government, it makes it difficult to know what the best thing to do is. Have you made any plans for the Summer?
I will love you and leave you for now, wishing you a beautiful Summer/Winter where ever you are in the world.
See you soon.
Your pots are looking very pretty. It's amazing what a few bursts of colour will do.
ReplyDeleteVery healthy specimens in your pots and "yay" to thinking about travelling again!
ReplyDeleteThe weather certainly has a lot to do with our moods, for sure. Your pots are perfect for added effects around the cottage. I do hope you can catch up with family this summer.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are having improved weather. Your sweet ladybugs are darling by your door. I'm so sorry to hear about members of your extended family having Covid. Praying they will all recover well.
ReplyDeleteLove the plants in the wellies. I have been collecting odd tins to use for plantings in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe ladybugs are so cute.
God bless.
Glad that your nieces didn't suffer with Covid. I haven't traveled far, but have been kayaking several times a week, which I love! Love all the garden photos...
ReplyDeleteAll your plants are looking good and I noticed how well the carnations are doing. We're in a terrible heat wave and many of my perennials are looking very stressed except for my carnations!! They seem to be able to stand the heat.
ReplyDeleteWhat pretty pots. Like you, I feel more energetic and happier when the sun shines. As Granny Marigold said, this heatwave is really affecting our potted plants. The tomatoes seem to love it, though.
ReplyDeleteWe're vacationing fairly close to home this year - no overseas travel yet.
I'm so sorry to hear your nieces are ill with Covid. I'll be praying that they will recover quickly and no one else will get it.
ReplyDeleteYour plants are all looking lovely and I love the sweet little ladybugs by the door. My plants got very stressed the week I was in Spokane since it was very hot. Dennis's Mom was going to water them for me but I think she forgot. I even put them on her back porch for her! Oh well, they're only plants.
We're still planning our trip next month. Would August 9 or 10 work? We're still trying to find where we get our fit to fly documentation. It's all so complicated and worrying.
Blessings,
Betsy
Plants give such joy don't they? I have been having a spend-up to get things established here (perennials) but can now just add things when I see something special. The sun makes all of us feel so much better. Here, another overcast day with rain in the offing.
ReplyDeleteI hope your nieces soon recover from Covid and that the rest of the family don't come down with it.
No holiday plans at all, just don’t know what will happen. As long as we continue to see granddaughter and family, we will be happy. Hope your family isn’t too ill.
ReplyDeleteI hope the youngsters soon get over their covid infection and that the adults stay well too. All your plants look so colourful and the weather must be good for ladybirds as they are looking fantastic.
ReplyDeleteLovely plants and painted rocks all very colourful and cheering. I hope your family members recover quickly. No plans here for travel very far although I would love to see the sea, I don't think there is much chance of that until Autumn at the earliest:)
ReplyDeleteWe have been busy with our gardening tasks too. I'm sorry to hear that the covid infection has got to your family. It's an anxious time as the new variants of the virus circulate. It reminds us that we're not back to normal by any means. I hope the symptoms are mild ones for your family. Take care, stay well yourselves.
ReplyDeleteSunshine and beautiful flowers, perfect to cheer everybody up !
ReplyDeleteSummer plans...probably at home...covid continues to annoy our lives...
Take care !
Hug
Anna
Your flowers are beautiful. We plan to go camping at least once, but just by ourselves (no kids), and one more island trip (again by ourselves). Hopefully we will have good camping weather. I hope all who are sick heal quickly and that you get to go some sort of trip.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see boots used as planters. Your flowers are very pretty. I hope your nieces will recover soon and non of the family will get the virus. Do take care and stay safe.
ReplyDeleteLove the flower photos. I hope your nieces get better quickly and the rest of the family stays healthy. My husband and I are taking our first big step by planning to go to a restaurant to celebrate our anniversary next week. We are hoping to have a small vacation in August, but are not sure whether to fly somewhere or drive.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your plants. A few of mine look they are dead due to the hot weather we had Sat-Monday. I went outside in afternoon to water some plants especially our new tree as it was wilting. I watered them again that evening and most of them are good. Some are not! Sad! Hopefully your family members will be feeling better soon and family is gonna make it thru all the quarantine. Praying for family and glad Gerard is enjoying football. We are going to the St. Paul Rodeo on Friday. It will be warm but eventually cool down as it's evening time event. Take care!
ReplyDeleteyour pots are looking great, I'm trying to build mine up now we don't have a hound that liked to kill them. We have given up thinking of holidays other than short breaks in our south west corner of England..
ReplyDeleteIt's true a little sunshine lifts my mood too ! And I really need it ! I used to paint pebbles and transformed them into cats ! They had quite a success as letter weight. I don't want to travel either I am waiting that the city organises bus tours to interesting places, that's alway very interesting and funny and I am back in the evening.
ReplyDeleteI am with you on all these tales the Gov. says . Don't really trust them
ReplyDeleteGood that the weather has improved and thanks for the tour of your plants, Lorraine. The plants in the wellies and the ladybug painted stones would be a welcome sight at any door. Hope that your family members recover quickly. Holding off on travel plans is what most of us seem to be doing.
ReplyDeleteThose ladybug rocks ROCK! So cute! Well I can tell you are in a cool climate just by your blooms. How I love the pinks you have growing! Well, all of your flowers and the containers are so creative. We have no plans for summer as I am working still. Just surviving! I know what you mean about confusing information about COVID. Is it over, is the variant really bad, what to do? Hard to determine!
ReplyDeleteWe're definitely having a mixed bag with the weather this summer, though not so much rain here to report. I do hope all the family members get over their bout of covid quickly and that they're all fighting fit again soon, it's such a worry.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see all of your photographs.
ReplyDeleteI do like the painted rocks.
Sorry to read about your family members having Covid, hope they are fit and well very soon.
Happy July Wishes.
All the best Jan
I think you are smart to wait to plan a trip. With the Delta variant out there things are unpredictable. I hope you are enjoying another sunny day.
ReplyDeleteLove those painted ladybugs! How cute!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite things is going to bed in linens dried on the clothesline. They smell so wonderful! Pretty flowers and you have a nice variety. Love your plants in the boots!
ReplyDeleteWonderful pots of flowers and sunshine...with the sun shining too I call that a lovely day. I do like those wellies used as flower pots and the ladybirds are wonderful.Nothing better than hanging clothes out in the garden on a sunny day. Unfortunately the Delta variant is spreading here mostly thanks to large groups of selfish inconsiderate young people on their summer holidays en mass totally ignoring restrictions. They returned home bringing it with them and to top it all they complain that they have been put in quarantine! Tch! I am so looking forward to a Covid free world! Take care Amanda x
ReplyDeleteI couldnt agree more, line dryed washing is the best! Your pots are looking so pretty :)
ReplyDeleteLaundry dried in the fresh air in the sun and wind ... at the edge of the forest ... the best there is :-) in terms of clothing, bedding, towels e.c.
ReplyDeleteYes, how right to be.
It's midsummer for us now ... wonderful ... we are still dreaming of vacation this year ... for example Scotland ... but it will probably be a vacation here with us.
Many greetings to you.
Your pots are so cheerful and I absolutely agree with you about line-dried washing, especially the bedding. I've just caught up with your June posts, it must have been so lovely to see your daughter and grandsons at last. Our summer plans involve catching up with family, it's been such a long time and that's all we really want to do. x
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely to see how your plants are growing and such fun to realize that even though we are on opposite sides of the pond we currently have similar varieties growing... pink Dianthus, and Geraniums (mine are red). So glad some of your restrictions are less, that you are enjoying time with family and able to go to exercise class and plan future travel! It was wonderful to attend church yesterday and not wear masks unless we wanted to and I enjoyed a gathering of friends with my youngest son and youngest daughter at a home on the bank of the Clackamas River in beautiful warm weather! Love and prayers for blessings for you and yours 💞🙏
ReplyDeleteLove the planted boots and I adore those sweet painted rocks! May have to find a few good rocks to paint!! Praying for your nieces children who have covid...Thanks so much for all your visits!I had a busy weekend which I just posted about...Thanks for visiting!! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Deb
we are not vacationing this year unless it's a day trip. I don't want to shell out money only to cancel and lose money. You keep the prettiest garden/house!!
ReplyDeleteGood to catch up on your news..and your garden. Call again soon. Jo x
ReplyDeleteSunshine lifts my spirits too. A few weeks back we had some glorious hot weather so I bought a gazebo, since then we've have rain, rain and more rain with a few sunny days intbetween!
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying the flowers too, I keep moving things around of it appears they are being hidden by something bigger. It is a shame you can't get over to have your holiday but at least you know you are safe. Take care. xx
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