leder legends

  I exaggerate but 4.5 hrs of hard work in the yard seemed like a marathon…it’s my age I think. I dug out the weeds in the bird feeder garden, added some new soil, planted some pansies that finally got a home and transplanted a few others.  It looks so much better especially since I edged it as well. Once I get a section done it is so much easier to maintain! Indian pink (spigelia marylandica) plus two grasses and a nice big lavender! Pansies Geraniums always needed amidst all of the green hostas! These will be bright red! Two hostas were also rescued.  I also noted that my huge Victory hosta was drooping and looking sad.  It is going to be my rain gauge this summer.  It got watered and looked beautiful again this morning! It is a very impressive plant!

  We were invited to Aaron’s for his birthday. It was so nice not to have to do anything. Salads, chips and dip, brats on the grill and birthday cake and ice cream! It was perfect!

  Every church here in Grand Rapids has some sort of garden/ flowerbeds/ pots. Some are pretty spectacular! Yours probably does as well.  My church has some flowerbeds at the entrance of parking lot and two very large pots at the main entry door. There is grass/lawn and beds with large bushes as well that really don’t need much care.  The pots get changed every season- pussy willows in the spring, mums in the fall etc. You get the idea! It’s a nice touch. It’s dedicated volunteer work! At the church where Rose attends there is an extensive church garden! It needs weeding and plantings in the spring and much watered during the summer to keep it looking good until fall. It’s mostly annual petunias, marigolds and alyssum.  Rose is in charge of it all.  She and her daughter have already spent many hours there weeding and preparing the beds for this year's plantings.  Today was the first planting day. Unfortunately, the request for helpers that was published in ...

 It was raining! Lunch at a place with many trucks in the parking lot! Is that an indication of the quality of the food? Is a burger covered with Mack n cheese considered classy, redneck or weird? Mine was topped with lots of bacon and blue cheese plus the normal deluxe toppings of lettuce, tomato and onion with lovely crispy French fries on the side. It was tasty but a bit dry.    Rose had turkey wrap with a queso dip and side of coleslaw that she seemed to really enjoy—- not a bite left.  It was raining! We headed over to Kay-Dee’s garden.  Lots of lovely flats of annuals for a good price.  Rose bought a nice variety for the church garden.  She found a flat of 48 blue salvia which are small but will do the trick.  The “Victorian Blue” has been hard to find in large flats. She also found some jumbo African marigolds that become huge eye candy towards the end of summer.  Waver petunias are also a staple for the church ...

May 1, 2023 , I bought a few twigs that were to become flowering trees. The high bush cranberry was one of them.  It takes about 5 years to bloom, they say! Today I found one blooming. …such a nice surprise. 

  This year, the weeds are strong! The dandelions are huge! The cleavers are so aggressive. How can such a large plant grow from such a tiny root? The hairy bittercress is back in full force! There is another one which I came from the farm where I picked up goat manure last year.  It forms this thick 2” thick thatch as it takes over. One more is the false strawberry-like plant.  I thought it was cute a couple of  years ago but this year it has decided to leap. You know the way plants sleep establishing roots, then creep and then leap.  Cleavers False strawberry Hairy Bittercrest I looked them up and found out that they are all edible in some form or other!  Not for me thanks!

I’m  At this time of year, it’s such a pleasant experience to sit outside and eat lunch.  Uccellos in Caledonia was perfect for this Wednesday’s lunch! The large umbrellas shaded us perfectly.  It was perfect day for pizza and salad!  We shared a large slice of lemon cake which was deliciously sweet and satisfying but could have used a bit more lemon favor!   We  went Cherry Valley Gardens this week where R and her daughter carefully picked out petunias for the church gardens.  Color combinations are important and the right shade of bright pink or other color must match the palette she has chosen for this year’s garden. She  is a perfectionist.    The gardens are always beautiful and bright!  Other colors will be added later! She also found two beautiful shades of “pink” geraniums and a wonderfully bright flat of yellow marigolds.   Meanwhile, I wandered over to the perennial section. I love hostas and the selection here w...

  A few years ago I found a redbud tree, on clearance, of course! Trees are pricey!   It wasn’t the everyday “normal “ redbud that are all around town.  Those are eye-catching and lovely while they bloom but uninteresting for the rest of the summer. They have plain green heart-shaped leaves. My neighbor’s  The one I have is called Carolina Sweetheart redbud.  It looks like all the others at first.  Then it shows its stuff.  It glows in the morning sunlight! The leaves change throughout the season!

Each week, After our Wednesday lunch outings, we have been visiting a different local nursery.  We started at Horrocks and then Ludemas and today Speyer’s It's been fun to see what the nurseries are growing and presenting to the public this year, although it has been a bit disappointing that there has not really been anything new being offered.  As well, the prices are quite a bit higher this year. We might have to wait until later in the summer when prices usually go down. I did not buy anything at Horrocks or Speyers but last week I did get a variety of Dave's dollar deals at Ludemas!' I got 2 six packs of pansies and nine $1 pots. (3 tomatoes, 3 herbs and 3 flowers.)  I need to plant them in pots or find the perfect spot in the flowerbeds. I now know where I will put these - I have a plan but I ran out of steam. Here are a few pots I planted yesterday—- they are pathetic!  I have learned to be patient so we shall see. Marigolds and snaps - actually from Lowe’s cle...

Wednesday lunch gorgeous outside seating for the first time this year. A beautiful day at the golf club watching golfers and listening to the smack of the club hit the golf balls. It was so pleasant sitting in the breeze and listening to the bird songs. The food was wonderful!  Chicken quesadillas with hot crispy French fries!   Thai chicken lettuce wraps! So good!   We were happy to stay and chat for a while. BUT Disappointing 20% added to the bill called a service charge.  Then, of course a tip on top of that.  One involuntary and the other voluntary and yet expected!  It made for an unpleasant aftertaste!  Despite the pleasant setting and the fabulous food, I don't think I would go back. 

Males are so very orange! The Baltimore Orioles are passing through and I had oranges and grape jelly out on time this year! Females are not show-offs like the males! They like the oranges but love the grape jelly! White crowned sparrows stop by too. They go much farther north to breed and they don’t stay long! American goldfinch Lots of cardinals.   These two kept having a stand-off and then flying up trying to attack each other.  Much too quick for me to capture on my phone! I'm waiting for the red breasted grosbeak!