DOUBLE-DUTY POST...
JOINING
AND
This past week DD and I met my great-niece, sister and mother in a close-by city for lunch...then had an afternoon visit.
We enjoyed our time together...little Katie is getting SO BIG...she's really a handful of energy. You'd never guess she's a congenital heart patient, would you?!!
(CLICK ON EACH PICTURE FOR A MUCH-LARGER VIEW)
Her little personality is anything but LITTLE...it's rather BIG...and she loves to hear herself laugh. Can you tell? She is so alert and is very much watching everything that is going on around her. Quite often she is in her own world of discovery and doesn't really want to pay you much attention while she investigates, pokes, giggles, or dances. (Her next heart surgery is July 7, so please keep her in your prayers as she undergoes this FONTAN heart surgery) 
We went back to Katie's house to spend the afternoon catching up with one another...little bit is usually the center of attention and is NEVER a stranger to the camera. However, she wasn't into having her picture made with us and she didn't care too much for being picked up by her MawMaw either :) 
Earlier in the week I had visited the garden center at Home Depot and picked up several new plants, annuals and perennials as well as some herbs for my back porch.
Earlier in the week I had visited the garden center at Home Depot and picked up several new plants, annuals and perennials as well as some herbs for my back porch.
I decided Friday was the day to get it all moved from the nursery containers into my containers and into my island.
Starting with the containers for the back porch first, I was pleased with the herb garden. Now, if I can remember to keep it 'watered'... maybe I'll have some really fresh herbs to use while cooking...and some mint for my peach tea! 
Next came working on my three-pot trellis. It is small but looks nice in the corner of the deck...the portulaca should do well in the hot, southern sun and later give me lots of pinks and oranges ... I'll take more pictures later as it begins to produce more color.
It was SO HOT while I was digging in the dirt and scooping up the potting soil...I had to stop three different times to go inside for a 'cool down' and 'water break'. It was well over 100* and it didn't take long for me to get 'overdone'.
Next came working on my three-pot trellis. It is small but looks nice in the corner of the deck...the portulaca should do well in the hot, southern sun and later give me lots of pinks and oranges ... I'll take more pictures later as it begins to produce more color.
It was SO HOT while I was digging in the dirt and scooping up the potting soil...I had to stop three different times to go inside for a 'cool down' and 'water break'. It was well over 100* and it didn't take long for me to get 'overdone'.In addition to the back porch, there are two cement urns on our front porch and a cement basket by the garage door...I always struggle with the flowers in them...the cement soaks up the moisture and I have a hard time keeping the plants watered. So, this year I found 'drought-tolerant' plants and 'moisture-secure' potting soil...we'll see how it does. Hoping I have better luck this time...anyway, I should soon have oranges and yellows sprouting from these little osteopermum. 
In the front island, the recent heatwave has caused my colored flowers to draw up and slow down on the producing...so I got some new color. Two new rudebeckias...Black-eyed Susans is their best-known name...I want them to get really big and spread their little seeds all over the front area of the island so come next year I won't have to buy them again. My angel trumpet bush is holding up so far and later in the summer I should have big, yellow trumpets sprouting again!
In the front island, the recent heatwave has caused my colored flowers to draw up and slow down on the producing...so I got some new color. Two new rudebeckias...Black-eyed Susans is their best-known name...I want them to get really big and spread their little seeds all over the front area of the island so come next year I won't have to buy them again. My angel trumpet bush is holding up so far and later in the summer I should have big, yellow trumpets sprouting again!
My side-yard sprouted a new hosta that came up on its own...and she is now blooming with some beautiful, purple pride. I love the color they put out this time of year...I just wish they had a longer lifespan.
What have you got growing in your yard this summer??
