A GARDEN ILLUSION...

 

To put it bluntly and mildly...
It..Is..Too..Damn..Hot! 
and the sight of red is making me see red,
 and all the color needs to be put away 

along with the holiday it stood for!   
I walk from the sitting room to the kitchen 

with blinders on.
  Even the sight of the red walls in the dining room,
 which I normally love, 
is a bit too much these days.

The only much needed reprieve 

from it all is in the evening 

when we go out onto the front porch, 

and while we watch and rock by the light of the moon, 

the old school phlox, 

with their lacy white blooms and soft scent,

 send us into a different frame of mind. 

 It is then that a light bulb moment

 occurs over our heads

 and we start a plan 

to "fool the eye and the mind" 

by bringing the garden inside the Cottage.

We start with the sitting room. 

 We spend the majority of our waking hours in this room,

 so it seems the logical place to begin this experiment.  Beginning with the green wreath. 

 I am not the biggest fan 

of the color green for inside decor

 but in the garden it is key 

and this wreath reminds me of a cool spot

 beside a creek bank where ferns thrive

 and the sunlight is dappled. 

 A printed canvas with garden related subjects,

 a few springs of ivy, a little tin cottage

 and an architectural element

 bring the idea onto the mantel shelf.

I've gathered together some blue pillows for the sofa

 and a green faux boxwood sphere

 rests on an urn, on the wagon, along side a candle 

that hints of sweet and summery scents.

Here, on the game table, 

sits a tall branch from a bush in the garden. 

 Of course, the thought of adding

 a few faux stems came to mind

 but that would defeat the simplicity we are going for. 

 All nothing significant, for sure,

 just the basic start to any garden.

  All of the beauty and color that would come next 

will be left out, for now,

 in this fantasy garden. 

I have had this print for a very long time. 

 It has always reminded me of 

my sister and myself, down at our grandparent's ranch.

  Everything about it is reminiscent 

of a place that we played at 

or a strawberry patch we picked at

 or the chickens we fed and gathered eggs from. 

 I would like to think 

that I looked that special 

in my sun hat and summer dress but, in reality,

 I think overalls were the dress of the day.

  I remember my sister, though, 

looking just like the little girl in the painting.  

That was what our summers were like. 

 We were always outside,

 the sun was shining and we played bare foot

 in the creek and the dirt. 

We turned brown as berries, as Grandma used to say, 

 and never complained 

that we were too hot! 

 Truly, those were the good old days 

and where would we be now

 without all the memories?

Thank you for coming inside to the garden 

and hope you are finding your own ways 

of keeping cool this summer. 

 This "fool the eye and the mind" plan of mine

 is a good thought,

 but I can assure you that

 all the faux in the world

 will not change reality!

...Judy...

Right now,

 this looks like the "good old days".

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

WE HAD US A PARTY...

 

Welcome, July........

The rockets red glare - 

and bombs bursting in air -

 are as close as the nearest view of lavender in the garden.

  Just before the 4th of July 

there was an editorial in our home-town newspaper stating: 

 "So much fun happening in the form of 

a public breakfast, craft vendors, street fair and a parade,"

 all entertaining on our

 little town's main street, 

which is about three blocks long. 

 "Fun and festivities all day long.

  We are free to mingle,

 give hugs and congregate." 

 Oh, happy day!  

No masks required - if you are vaccinated!

In the same issue,

 just below the fold, 

in a corner reserved for

 Covid-19 daily details,

 it states new cases rise by 13. 

 No thank you, very much!!  

While the garden is coming into its 

 wild and wooley stage 

we decided our best choice

 to celebrate the day 

would be to throw

 a spectacular garden party.

 

Those in attendance were:

...flights of fancy...

...on gossamer wings...

...sun bathers...

...porch sitters...

...the birds...

...and the bees...

 

...sharing sweet gifts from

 the Cottage garden.

With the exception of the 3 B's 

(birds, bees and butterflies)

and one lone dragonfly

 who joined Bitty Morsel and Miss Gertie,

 pulling a wagon load of joy to America, 

the rest of the party goers came inside

 and took notice of 

a bit more Cottage decorating.

A great time was had by all

 and we totally knew 

who had been vaccinated...

with or without a mask!

And as the sun set,

I hope all of our fellow Americans 

enjoyed a Happy and Safe 4th 

whichever way

 you chose to celebrate. 

 I would also like to thank

 Linda (here) 

for including my last week's post

 as one of her features

 in her Love Your Creativity link party.

 Thank you, Linda,

 I am honored to be included. 

...Judy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

Keep In Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles

ROAD TRIP..THEN AND NOW...

 

Do you recognize this roadway? 

 Does it look familiar?  

If not, no worries, 

I hardly recognize it myself,

 it has been so long it seems.

It is a thin ribbon of a highway 

with curvy corners but a very good face lift since it was last traveled. 

 Sometimes both sides look the same,

 a green and healthy environment, 

but sometimes there are places that look like they could go up in flames it is so dry.

Seen in the distance 

is something that you never want to see.  

Haven't heard of any fires in the area 

so don't know what it means 

but living in California, 

you can never take for granted this particular sign.

There are many destinations at the end of this winding road,

 but one of the sweetest is where we are heading to today.  

It has been awhile since we have been able to wander these parts 

and with each trip there comes memories of many roads traveled before...

...and what old winding road doesn't have

 a neglected lavender field...

...or a Boot Hill?

When the kids were small, 

we traveled many a road very similar to this one

 and, while each one was a mission of excitement at the beginning, 

there were,  invariably,  the many questions asked each time:  

"Are we there yet, how long before we get there, 

will we have to stop at an antique shop along the way?"

Little voices asking so many questions.  

Today was no different.  

We started out with two soft, cuddly beds in the back seat,

 looking forward to a comfortable drive

 without the heat of little bodies on top of us.

  But now, in our Golden Years,

 we have to put  up with

 a different kind of whining, literally!!

To keep the peace,

 we pull over and take two hot, tired little bodies 

up into the front seat with us...

the whining stops immediately.

Imagine that!

"Oh, Mama, 

I know your butt is numb and your knees are stiff, 

but I am so contented and feel so loved".

What are you gonna do?

And, at the end of the journey,

 along this road, 

the rewards are so sweet!!

...Judy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

THE SUMMER OF CONTENTMENT...

 

Well, my friends, 

summer is here, 

and I feel like a cat on a hot tin roof!  

I'd better be careful using that explanation 

because I really don't remember

 what the movie was about, 

but the title sounds perfect for the way I am feeling.

  I'd much rather be

 that bird, sitting on that turtle, in that pond.

Things have been heating up around here.  

We have been in 

the high 90's and 100 degrees all last week, 

and the 4th of July is

 breathing down our necks.

I did a very small bit of decorating for Memorial Day

 so the red, white and blue has been hanging around 

waiting for the big day. 

 We actually have awhile until the holiday 

so there will probably be a bit more done

 but I don't think there is going to be much 

celebrating around here this year

 which is fine by me.

  The thought of going out 

is a bit much in this weather. 

 If I can muster up some porch sitting

 that is all the party that I need.

Speaking of porch sitting, 

the front porch is the perfect place to be

 in the early morning. 

 It is still cool enough to enjoy that first cup of coffee 

and to get those old rocking chairs a-moving

 doesn't take much effort.  

The scent in the air 

from dew on the grass

 is greatly appreciated...

...in the late afternoons, however, 

with the dappled sunlight coming through the shade trees, 

the screened porch is a welcoming place.  

We can still hear the neighborhood kids playing, 

and the dogs barking in the distance, 

but secluded there, as we are, 

behind the green of the ivy

 and the tangled secretness of the garden...

...we feel like this 

is almost as perfect as

 being that old bird, 

sitting on that old turtle, in that old pond.

We are hopeful that the pandemic is slowing down, 

although there are still some variants out there that need careful consideration, 

and a good double dose of vaccination.

 Things are starting to open up again,

I have come to the conclusion that staying home is 

not such a bad thing. 

 I look forward to a nice drive in the country, 

or a trip to Home Goods

 and, of course, seeing our kids and friends 

whenever we can, 

but I guess it is like the old saying,

 "You don't miss what you have until you don't have it", 

but now that we can have it again, 

I find that the contentment of home

 is still a pretty good feeling to have.

"I know a little cottage

Where everything's just right;

The windows bloom with tulips -

At dusk there's candlelight.

The knotted oak beside it

Is webbed with ivy leaves

And honeysuckle tangles

in clusters round the eaves...

...the friendly gate swings open

Against a low stone wall

Where quaint old fashioned blossoms

Design a Paisley shawl;

And up the winding pathway

The stones with moss are grown -

I love that little cottage

Because it is my own!

Virginia Wauchope Bass

Happy Summer Days everyone 

and hope all you dads out there

 had a wonderful Father's Day and

Happy Juneteenth!

...Judy...

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda