Father's Day

Last Sunday was Father's Day and my mother's birthday.  As my parents get older, it gets harder and harder to come up with ideas for gifts.  Judi and I discussed it the day before and decided gift cards and wine were the way to go.  I wanted to give Mom flowers though, something gorgeous and special.  Just about all of my peonies were spent, so I asked Nanhui if I could pick some of hers.  She owes me - she is constantly cutting my dahlias and zinnias.  Anyway, after church I went out into the yard and picked whatever was blooming - small white roses, sage, cranesbill, chamomile, and some strange weed with tiny purple flowers that become green berries.

I was very pleased with this bouquet!  I'm thinking of adding 2 or 3 new varieties to my garden next year.  That's a picture of Amanda, my co-worker.  She moved to a new house and found peonies blooming.  She didn't know what they were, so she brought one to work to show me.  I have never seen that variety before.  I love it!  Peonies make great bouquets.

At my parents - we had a great day.  Pizza and a sugar-free, gluten-free birthday cake - made by Mom.  It was actually pretty good. I brought over the platter of vegetables, because Dad and I were going to do a taste test with 2 different olive oils. 

At home, the well is finally fixed, so the sprinkler system is up and running.  My plants are finally getting the water they need.  The nights have been cool, so things are growing slowly.  I have about 20 different dahlias growing, and a variety of zinnias and cosmos.  That's all I've planted.  I have to rearrange things, and I have to have an oak tree cut down.... the one with the swing, the one that the kids and all the cousins grew up swinging on.  Everybody's too big for the swing now, and I have had enough of the acorns.  Plus, Jamie and I are always so fearful that a future storm will cause the tree to fall on our house.  We've certainly seen our share of storms (October storm anyone?  Tornado 2011?) and we have lost dozens of trees over the years.

I have been setting my alarm clock for 4:50 each morning, just so I have time to exercise and garden before I go to work.  I have been able to catch up with the weeds this way.  It is incredibly peaceful and beautiful at this time of the day.  I love June.  I don't want to miss any of it.