Wordless Wednesday...

What's blooming around the pond...

...haha! Gotcha! For those that know I live in New Jersey, were you scratching your head?! Life around the pond is non existent...at least above the surface. The only flowers I'm growing now are the indoor variety. Paperwhites, amaryllis and poinsettias. They keep us gardeners from going stir crazy, right?

A cozy picture of Lacey, looking out at the pond. See that bear in the distance?

Here he is close up. Our pond protector! A carving we won from a raffle at the New Hampshire Craftsman's Fair back in August.

Pond? What pond? Our 11x16 pond is completely ice and snow covered. Well, except for the bubbler creating oxygen for the kois. Keep your fingers crossed for me that the family of 8 are all accounted for come April. And notice the little footprints leading to the water? They're not mine!

These dried ornamental grasses are pretty waving in the wind...


A sunflower...

...that's winter hardy!

A splash of red and pink glass...

Chasing a sunset a few days ago, I had to hit the brakes hard as 3 deer darted right in my path and as I looked up the hill, I saw a fourth. She was probably saying "hurry up, the view up here is amazing!". A heart racing moment, but, knowing me, I just went for the camera.



We all know how time crawls when we're staring at the clock, but, I can't help it...I'm starting my countdown for Spring! Just don't hit the snooze button!

It's been a while...

Even though we are preparing to 'fall back' on the clock, time has a way of springing forward so fast this time of year! I've not yet outgrown the habit of thinking I have plenty of days left to put the garden to bed. Anybody else think this way...?

At least the pond has been netted. But, as you can see, my daily visitors still mosey on by. I caught this guy nosing his way under the net, and man, was he perturbed! Coming within 10 feet and he's still boldly staring me down...the nerve!
Our Koi family of 8 are still present. Though Neo, our blue boy, was camera shy here. They have to start fending for themselves, as major diet restriction starts now. Don't worry, it's actually a good thing...

Mums are what's popping up now. I'm sure I've mentioned that these 'daisy mums' are my favorite!

Love this perennial hibiscus!

Hey, good eye if you spy Bandit! That li'l stinker always manages to sneak into my pics! :)



Scenes from around town...




Beautiful sunrise captured earlier this week



Above tulips and daffodils finally ordered...YAY! As you know, those FALL catalogs start arriving in July, but, if you wait 'til the last mailing in October, the sales are tremendous! A lesson I've learned the hard way...lol. So, I'll have a window of one month to get 400 bulbs planted. Hmmm...somehow, I have a feeling I'll be digging on that 30th day! Better late than never, I guess...

Happy October, ALL! Hopefully, I'll post some ghouls and goblins next.

Pond Life

There are days when I have the free time to spend putzing in the garden. Be it to weed, deadhead, or provide the much needed watering, I find lately I've not had the desire to do so. Instead, I spend the hours just snapping away ~ hundreds of photos that no one will ever see. It's Good Lovin' garden therapy at it's best! Do you have days like that...it's wonderful, isn't it?!

The new pond and it's inhabitants are thriving! Our school of 8 kois are still accounted for and getting big! Frogs, dragonflies, even the daily morning visits from the 4-legged creatures I'm always complaining about...all bring the pond to life and it's been so enjoyable. Maintenance have been minimal 'though full sun exposure evaporates the water level more quickly than I would like, but, that's easily fixed. Of course I won't tell you about the time I left the hose running for 8 straight hours....OOPS!

I'm soo in love with these water lotuses. In bloom now for two weeks, they are just the most beautiful flowers! Pale, almost translucent pink petals with a deep pink edging~they take my breath away...

Sturdy stems reaching almost 3ft., the blooms are about 6" when fully opened.

So wishing you could reach through and smell how sweetly scented they are!

Look at these cute little Forget-Me-Nots blooming at the waters' edge. Oh, but please don't look at the dead brown moss behind it...lol!


Critters~


Up close...


...and personal. Maybe a little too personal.


Although the late varieties of daylilies are in bloom, the majority of these beauties have just plain tuckered out. The record breaking hot temps have quickened and shortened bloom season a good two weeks.



Ok, so don't be upset, but, as much as I'd looked forward to the heat of summer, I am now anxious for the coolness of fall. Hmmm...maybe a gentle slap is what I need to snap me out of it...right, Rene? ;)
Enjoy the last day of July!

I Love My New....

...Pond! As is my constant (bad) habit, I am forever starting new garden projects only to never have them completed as timely and as grand as I'd originally planned. This project, however, has surpassed even my wildest dreams of a water feature, and it was completed in record time!

As some of you know, I've been wishing for a water feature for the past few years. This Spring, I was adamant that this was going to be THE year! With the best location sited, shrubs cleared, sod removed, I started digging by hand the few hours here and there, but, was getting nowhere fast! With the impending heat and sore wrists setting in, I was just about to give up! But Hubba Hubba came through, and as a birthday surprise, called in the professionals!

So here's our project, gettin' done in less than a week!
First, the survey~

Then setting up~

And breaking ground!

Digging to China is easy when you have one of these babies! Actually, the pond, at it's deepest, is only 34"

Imagine working with 5 tons of stones!


Hey! How come it's the girls doing all the manual digging?

Here comes the heavy duty liner~

Break time's over barked my tough little supervisor!

I learned there's an art to placing the exact stone in the right spot

Nancy saying "I need a stone yay big"...

So with my water plants in...


and the newly released family pets...

Here's the big TA-DA!
At the very top is a 6x6 bog pond and 3 little falls that streams into the main 11x16 pond

I'm halfway there with landscaping around the pond

Lucky Bandit has a new playground ;)


So thank you, Hubba Hubba, for a birthday gift that's sure to last and last...

Am I on to the next project? Not just yet...I'll be smiling and enjoying this one for a bit!
Happy First Day of Summer, friends!