Today Inspired: It's time to bloom

Spring is here: It is time to bloom.

Weekender Bouquet: Sweet William

Weekender bouquet: This is an arrangement of Dianthus barbatus "Sweet William" taken from "Howard's Garden" - the garden at the entrance of our kennel building where Charvie now happily reins as top dog. Sweet William convey to me old fashioned innocence and country charm; the Mason jar with wire bail seemed the perfect vessel for them. Their essence is sweet and evocative, much like their botanical cousin the carnation. Do you have a memory of old fashioned Sweet Wiliams?

The Little Things

Today's Reminder: It's the little things in life that truly matter.

Fuschia's in hanging basket by Kaye Bailey.

Hollyhocks & Peonies

I'm still trying to fit in posting to this craft blog, the fun things I get to do outside of my work with the weight loss surgery community. One of my favorite activities is gardening, which seems a bit diabolical given I live at 7,000 feet elevation in Wyoming. Our growing season is brief complicated by high dry winds and sporadic rainfall. In the last 18 years I've found some reliable plants that bloom and grow despite the unfavorable conditions. Two of my favorites are the peony and the hollyhock plants. Take a look at their blossoms this year:

Pink Sorbet Peony
Touched with morning light this is a sorbet peony, now at least 10 years old, blooming in the playground garden. One of my favorite perennial blooms. Image (C) Kaye Bailey 2014.

Frilly Pink Hollyhocks

Rain sprinkled hollyhocks. This is a "volunteer" that planted herself out back by the wood pile and is thriving. Gives validity to that favorite saying, "Bloom Where You are Planted." I might gripe about the Wyoming winters but never about hollyhock season. Image (C) Kaye Bailey 2014.