State of the Garden

Yesterday morning at breakfast, Kenyon asked me if we could go outside and take pictures together.  

How do you say no to this face?

I have an old camera that is 10+ years old I recently found during a purge-all-my-old-storage-tubs session.  Kenyon pulled it out of the 'items to toss' pile and asked if he could keep it.  He wanted to take pictures just like Mama.  I couldn't tell him no. 

I did; however, tell him NO, he could not crawl through the barbed wire fence and go load pipe in 97 degree heat with the men and this was the look he gave me.  He felt absolutely dejected.  What a horrible mother I am.

Since we were outside with our cameras, I decided to capture some of our beautiful flowers.  For once, the wind wasn't blowing 30+ miles an hour so these pictures weren't a complete blur like normal. 

In focus, you'll notice the delicate, purple blooms of my hostas.  Growing up I was not a fan of hostas but now I can't get enough of them.  

In the foreground.....

This is goosegrass, or gooseneck, or gooseneck grass.  Some such nonsense.  Long story short, I hate this stuff.  It should have a place of prominence on a noxious weed list.  I can pull 90% of this plant out of my flower beds MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR and it still comes back with a vengeance each and every time.  If ever a nuclear holocaust were to occur I think the only things to survive would be cockroaches and this goosegrass.  And bindweed.  

If you feel you have a black thumb I suggest you give this plant a try.  Or, if you have someone in your life you can't stand but you need to be passive-agressive about it; this plant is for you.  Suggestions include:

• IRS auditor
• Neighbors from hell
• The perfect woman in your book club
• Someone that just told you their kids are not vaccinated.  (No, don't do that.  Those kids are already exposed to enough bad things in their lives.  Literally.) 

Give them a little start, sit back and watch their flower beds get overrun with the plant.  When they come back to you and tell you what a terrible time they are having with this plant that is just going wild you can give them the ultimate backhanded compliment.

"Bless your heart, you must just have the magic touch!"  

Yes, yes I did plant yarrow in my rock borders.  Yes, yes my husband does spray to eradicate this particular weed in pastures.  Yes, yes he does hate that I have this.  It is one of the few plants that can hold up to our winds and brings a little color and height that I need out here.

More of our hostas, goosegrass and wheatgrass. 

I'm salivating just staring at this picture.  

Our zucchini plant is thriving.  If you hear a knock at your door and open it to find a pile of zucchini on your porch with no one around, it was probably me trying to unload some of it.

Dianthus.  Another plant that I did not appreciate enough growing up but I am quite fond of now.  It makes tiny, pink blooms as well.  I suggest everyone needing a hardy option give it a try.

And here are some of our ornamental grasses and one dianthus.  Yes, we plant grasses for fun.  They, like yarrow, are some of the only hardy things that can survive our scorching full sun and gusty winds on a consistent basis. 

And if you've hung with me this long, entertaining me by pretending to admire my flowers, you deserve some pictures of cute kiddos.  Well, my cute kiddos. 

Kenyon: Mom, I want to hug my brother.
Me: TOOHARDTOOHARDTOOHARD!