Wednesday, July 02, 2008

An Award-Winning Day


This first snapdragon is now blooming top to bottom. In fact, the lowest blooms have already left the stem to flutter down to the garden floor. And the scent is fun, too--like red Kool-Aid!!


I'm really pleased with my decision to plant all the portulaca in a single raised patch together around the base of my garden sign. Aren't they the merriest bunch of blossoms?

I was a little disappointed that my fantastic sunflower has begun to loose a few of its petals. The three or four at the top of the flower have flown away on the breeze, leaving a bit of a bald spot. I had hoped it would still look kind of perfect when Kelly and Carol arrived today.

As a nice substitute, the first of the rudbeckia flowers quietly opened this morning.


So great to see "the girls" today! We had a fun tour around the garden, before heading off for a Dairy Queen lunch and a rousing round of mini-golf (we had originally thought to do a brewery tour/tasting...but perhaps for the best, we discovered the brewery only offers such things on Tuesdays and Saturdays...ah, well).

The game was fun, the course challenging and we merrily critiqued the minimal landscaping, though we found a few delightful roses to sniff along the way, too.

I had the highest score, so as the winner (ha ha...) I bought the ice cream after!!

What wonderful friends they are, and I thought so even before they brought this pot of dwarf lilies as a "garden warming" gift, since they knew we were a little shy on lilies this season!

I'm especially pleased with the lily variety's name, Tiny Hope, which makes my spirit soar a little. Their red flowers should be opening up some time very soon, and I know they'll be just fantastic.

Of course, the challenge was finding the right home for them in a garden already well-filled with plants. Still, a gardener can always find room for something more when he puts his mind to it, and I decided these guys would look terrific in the lamp post garden, which at the moment is still sort of sparse, with a bunch of late seedlings only just coming into their own.


After returning home, I was inside, away from the late afternoon heat and discovering that my feet were a little sunburned (dang Tevas!), as I surfed a few of my favorite blogs.

To my surprise and delight, The Midnight Garden has been given an art blog award by the funny and talented (and thrifty) Jenn of Of Cabbages and Kings and also The Thrift Shop Romantic.

Clearly she had the gnomes in mind. They join me in thanking her for this honor and will probably try to crowd me away from the microphone to give their oft-practiced acceptance speeches, as the orchestra music swells to urge us off into the wings.

This lovely award was originally created by Arte Y Pico and is dedicated to those who

"nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity. They see dedication, creativity, camaraderie, joy and above all, ART - much art. I wish that this prize is entertaining to all bloggers who share this space and enrich it a little more each day."

Aww, shucks, folks, I'm speechless.

Except, now, I have the privilege of introducing you to a few other bloggers of note, who are equally, if not moreso, deserving of such an award:

* Abe Lincoln of My Bird Blog, who's art is easy to find in the brilliant images he captures of the birds who make his part of the world a little more delight.

* Joe, of Hooky Beach, who sees beauty and interest in every corner of his daily life and also seems to always have just the right words at hand for any occasion.

* Curt, at While Walking Duncan, whose magical eyes find beauty and wonder everywhere they look, not least in the loving eyes and playful demeanor of his beautiful red-headed traveling companion.

Also, while this last may technically not be eligible, being a private blog, I offer a well-deserved shout-out to Cooper at Nico's Niche. Coop's art is made of words, but his true media are his sweet family.

Thanks, again, Jenn, for the honor, and the opportunity.

14 comments:

Wonder Man said...

I like the rudbeckia flowers, I have to say through your blog, I'm learning a lot about flowers.

Greg said...

Hey WM, thanks! I'm glad to hear that. Rudbeckia's also known as black-eyed Susan, but I tend to shy away from anything like violence in the garden! ; )

crpitt said...

I had a thing for snapdragons when I was little, I picked all the flowers off my grandmas plants so I could play with them :)

I had fun, the grandma didn't.

My garden has only one patch of niceness in various planters, but yours looks like its jam packed with niceness.

Anonymous said...

Your flowers and photos are an inspiration to me. I went out and about to see what I could see here as it has rained and is cloudy. We are a long way from your paradise but it is so nice outside anyway.

Thanks, Greg, for your kindness and your visits.

Joe Jubinville said...

Snapdragons and summer. Made for each other. The portulaca are lovely - I like the woodland look with the rocks and even a few stray grasses. Their seaweed foliage is always a distinctive touch. We're thrilled and excited by flowers, but foliage is so rewarding in a garden in its own right.

Winner always buys, of course, heh... those girls are not only generous, they're smart.

Congratulations on winning the coveted and wildly decorative Arte y Pico award. (mwa... wmwa) We like you, we really really like you! I know you will find exactly the right place for it... maybe in the Midnight Garden. How about the bird bath? It has a wing-ed feeling. "...nourish and enrich the spirit and creativity." Greg, that's so you. And so Jenn. I just saw her blog. Thank you for the honorable mention, mon vieux. I can't say too much because the orchestra is already starting and I've scarcely said anything!

So anyhue happy 4th on 'the other cape' with hot dogs and buns and all. Tink!

Greg said...

Claire, snaps always carry that temptation, as they make such great little talking head puppets! Gardening Grams don't always agree!

Abe, the cloudy days have their joys as well, as long as you can stay ahead of the bugs!

Joe, you are so wise, to recognize that those little grasses in the garden are intentional...and not something I am forever two steps behind! Heh heh...yah, that's the ticket, I MEAN for them to be growing there.

It is highly "decorative", as such things go, isn't it? I think it needs a bit of a vine to clamber over it and maybe soften it up a little. I hesitate to ponder the outcome if I leave it out where the birds can find it, though!

Working through much of the holiday, but hope to find time for some celebrating here and there! Jealous of your solo camping trip...talk about food for the soul!!

Butch said...

"Midnight Garden has been given an art blog award by the funny and talented (and thrifty) Jenn of Of Cabbages and Kings and also The Thrift Shop Romantic."
=================================
An huge congratulations are in order for you, Greg!!
Your first picture jumped out and kissed my eyes! Now that is red.

I agree with Joe; the fountain might be a perfect place for your new trophy I'm sure the Gnomes with protect it.

Happy 4th of July to you and yours!

Curt Rogers said...

Congratulations on your award! Your hard work and dedication and purity of spirit have earned it.

And thank you for the very kind shout-out. While Walking Duncan has benefited from your presence there, and you've inspired many a post.

Now that you're famous don't forget the little people, Greg... the Smurfs, the Munchkins... Darby O'Gill...

Curt

Greg said...

Butch, isn't that snapdragon the Most?

Curt, your posts have likewise inspired me! Thanks for all of your wonderful words, and your regular visits here!

Look, I'm okay with the Munchkins, Darby O'Gill, Mr. Tumnes...but really, the Smurfs...?!?

Sigh...

Sh@ney said...

In honour:

http://lgbtbloggers.blogspot.com/2008/07/your-lgbt-daily-midnight-garden.html

hugs my friend
xox

Greg said...

Sh@ney, you sweetheart! Thanks for the feature! Love the header--I'll be calling on you when I'm ready for a redesign!

Anonymous said...

Greg, Yesterday was a treat. My only regret was that we didn't have the foresight to buy you a ticket to go see Melissa with us because you could have really used all the positive and healing energy in the tent last night. I'm not exagerating when I say I think that concert will change my life.
It was such a blessing to share the garden with you and get the personal tour. Your passion for the garden and what you grow is one most can only hope to ever experience.
We both wish the distance were shorter so that our visits could be more frequent. Thank you for a lovely afternoon. Hugs, Kel

Jess said...

Congrats on the award! It's well deserved!

Unknown said...

Yay! See, your fans all responded and were in the audience waiting for that acceptance speech. :) I was OBVIOUSLY thinking of yard gnomes when passing on that award. I mean, it's obvious that gorgeous flowers may soothe the soul, but gnomes keep you happy whereever you roam. :)