It's a muggy day already at the farmette. It's been more like August than May for the past few days with temperatures in the mid-20s. Yesterday, after a full morning of planting, Mother Nature co-operated by sending more than a half-inch of rain. Bonus.
The world is getting crazier and crazier. Russia continues its bombardment of the Ukraine. An 18-year-old white supremacist went full Rambo in a supermarket where mostly black people shop in Buffalo, New York. Ten dead and three injured. The hate is palpable. Don't know when - or if - all this will end.
Back at the farmette, though, things are pretty quiet. I put in my tomatoes and peppers a week early. I'm hoping that wasn't a mistake. Last year, we had to replant after a nasty frost.
New and returning flowers are the theme for today. They really are truly spectacular, if I do say so. (Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back there, Lois).
Anyway. Here are some of my beauties.
Rob took this stunner of a picture yesterday, in between mowing the lawn, trimming, cleaning cat litters and topping up the salt in the softener.
Our one more mature crabapple is in full bloom and the two younger ones are just starting to shine.
I have clumps of red tulips all over the farmette beds. Funny, I don't remember putting in that many. But I tend to panic just before frost time.
Generally, I run around trying to recall where they were in spring time and where I can fill in. Then, I just put big clumps wherever. I know it's not very scientific, but that's how I roll. Luckily, they usually work out pretty well.
On the wild side, we have a small gathering of trilliums on the western hedge close to Hagar, our big old stump of a maple tree.
We're always happy to see the province's official flower burst into bloom in the springtime.
I bought a sad old single Solomon's Seal at a horticultural fair here at the former Durham town hall a few years ago. It has turned out to be a bargain bonanza, because look at how it has multiplied now!
They are situated under the cluster of five black walnut trees that make me marvel (gorgeous canopy in summer) and despair (raking up an endless supply of black nuts that stain everything in the fall).
This year, because we don't have enough to do (ahem), we decided to put in a cutting flower garden. Several years ago, we got a huge dump of fill that we used in pots and in various parts of the yard. Finally, this year, gramma's grave, as it's affectionately known, was whittled down to something approaching level. It's right in front of the garage.
Rob took off the winter tarp and raked it flat, then I took over. I put in a row of razzmatazz sunflowers and a row of gladiolus. Then I took a trip to Mount Forest Greenhouses and picked up dahlias (orange) lupines (other end of the dahlias), zinnias (yellow) and columbines.
Yesterday, I added a row of snapdragons that I picked up from the Durham Foodland and I'll put in another row of glads in a week or so - for succession, and because I still have glad bulbs waiting to be planted.
Finally, I found these cute little guys at Davis Hill Nursery just outside Walkerton. They're called pony tails and they're from Mexico. I just liked the look of them. And I can't resist giving them a wee brush every time I walk by.
So grateful I have this peaceful little part of the globe to roll around in the dirt, plant some lovely flowers, and enjoy them throughout the season. Until next week.
Gratuitous cat photo courtesy of Hobbes, who has taken a liking to our patio chairs.
