The Violet Sky

Another rainy morning and with the temp in the low fifties, there was much attraction to staying snuggled in bed a little longer, especially with the cat purring so contentedly against my legs.

Eventually I got myself outside, despite the weather to see what was going on out there. I wish I'd managed a closer shot of the golden sage (center) leaves, as they are pretty cool. Another time perhaps. Is it any wonder I was distracted in my focus by those purple pansies? Their color seemed to glow in the morning's gloom.

The tiny red valerian flowers are opening. I think they're color might be a little more brilliant this year for the full sun exposure it lacked in the old garden.


For some context, here's a long shot of the same plant, with it's new neighbor, the verbena bonariensis in the foreground. Looks like some flower buds coming on that soon.

There's also some daylily leaves curling into the picture from the left. Not sure if they'll be yellow or orange, as they were a pass-along from friends who relandscaped last summer. If you look between the verbena stalks, you can see the flower stalk of the foxglove beginning to appear.

The green shrubby plant in the foreground is santolina.

I need to do some more research on this plant, as I don't know very much about it.

I do know that I love the way it looks and the way its scent lingers on my fingers after I run them over its scrubby, lavendar-like leaves. I know it's an important plant in the life of butterflies and moths. And the yellow ball flowers in summer are fun, too.

Most of the rain today came in the morning, though it remained sort of gray and yucky throughout the day, the temperature dropping down to 51, the lowest I noticed.

It's a a sharp contrast from the 70 plus degrees they're predicting for tomorrow, and the 80s to come on Sunday. Surprisingly, there's no storm expected to usher in that change. Looks like we'll have to wait until Tuesday for our first chance at a thunderstorm.

Just the same, the sky was an unexpected shade of purple as the day faded into night. I think we all agree it's a pretty color, but it was a little unsettling.

Evening's Gardens

This shot of the purple tulip (with few exceptions, they are long-lasting in their beauty) made me think of Gillian's recent photos of that deep maroon tulip from her garden (she turned it into her new header photo--you should check it out here).

Have you noticed how spring's popping up all over the internet? It seems like everyone's blogging from the garden these days...and what could possibly be wrong with that?

Hey, remember when I introduced you to the ajuga a few weeks back and they seemed to tower above the shasta daisy foliage?

You can see (right) the daisies are now taller than the ajuga, though each of those two blue flower spikes have sent out six inch runners in several directions.

Helpful gardener that I am, I covered those runners with a little dirt as I weeded the other day...to help those runners turn into roots. I'd like a whole patch of those blue flower spikes next year!

To the left in that picture, you can see another of the successful peony transplants, with a rose climbing up the fence post. Peeking over from the other side of the fence, there's some tall garden phlox in the background. The white in the foreground is pansies to the left and allyssum to the right. The pale green right in the center down there is a clump of autumn sedum.

The light was perfect for photos in the garden this evening, and I finally got a good shot of the columbine, the buds of which are only just starting to look like the unique flowers they become.

I'm always interested to see what the flowers will look like...there were two or three different varieties going in Eastham, and I'm not sure which ones made the trip...and which might've been new seedlings from cross-pollination. It could be a flower I've never seen before. I mention this because I don't remember them being this purple last year.
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We interrupt this blog post to bring you a lapful of kitty.

Half an hour passes. There is chin-rubbing, bread-making, belly-rubbing, ear scratching and almost deafening purring. Now, with the possibility that something more interesting might be happening somewhere else in the house, he's off again.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog. We regret any inconvenience.
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The evening sun also allowed me to get this terrific shot of the buds of the red valerian (distant relation, I believe, to the white valerian I also know as garden heliotrope...confused yet? Good, I'm not alone.)

Pterydactls, anyone?


While I poked around the garden--I'm happy to say there are still carnation buds yet uneaten by the Giant Bunny--this cowbird swooped down to get a drink and have a bit of a wash.


In the little birdbath in the sideyard, this house sparrow was doing the same.

But it was time to turn my attention to more "local" wildlife, as it was time for the Nightly Walk...and Em was eager to hit the dusty trail.

Her enthusiasm never fails to inspire me--she gets more excited about these walks than she does about Paper Day (her name for Christmas morning).

She is always in control, but even moreso as we pass the gardens in this yard every night.

I'm so enchanted by their arrangement and design; I'm constantly surprised as I recognize one plant or another(there's purple violets in between and underneath the hostas)...and then spot another I've never seen before...and Em just drags me along, so I never get to look for very long.

I made her stop for a few moments on the next corner, where there are a few mayflowers blooming. I've been trying to photograph them all week, but seem to be continually foiled by wind and too-bright sunlight...and of course, the impatient dog.

She's all business on these trips, and has little time to be standing around while I take pictures, so I usually take them on the fly, or not at all.

This evening, I managed this one of the lily of the valley (and buttercups!!) growing under this fence around the last corner as we headed into the home stretch.