A rainbow of hollyhocks

Around the garden path......

It's just like being in a box of smarties up in this corner of the rose garden.

It's a rainbow of hollyhocks. 

From the richest of reds to the palest of pinks and lemons ( turns out there are lemons there Viv! )

I think I may have contributed to the mass invasion of earwigs this year.

Last year when cutting off diseased and ugly bits I would just leave them lying on the ground  thinking that I'd get around to picking up the scraps later, but of course I never did. Apparently they take a fancy to this sort of mulchy matter and make it their home for the next twelve months until the time is right to go on the attack again( with increased numbers).

Lesson learned.

Bill's cherries are under attack!

Only one of seven but it has forced him to take action.

Try getting in there birds......!!!!!

Our first lilium bloom.....Eyeliner. 

In the Farmshop this week.

All flowers inside today. It's hot and blowing a gale out there. 

Pippi Rose and Sunday Rose 

Gorgeous sunset photo in our backyard( thanks Max)

Herbs in their new containers on the kitchen bench.

The one with the yellow flowers is from the curry plant.

Desperate for a bit of play/ sewing time.

I'll just leave it lying around to look at for now!

It's from a collection by Riley Blake called La Vie Boheme.

Our boys.....

.......bless their little cotton socks.

Wilting

The roses are not happy.

They don't like anything over 25 degrees and we've had several days over 30 this week.

I've been trying to pick as many as I can in the mornings before the sun bleaches and burns them. Then I put them in our bath. That seems to be the coolest room. 

 And the wind dries them off even more.

It's the David Austin( English) ones that are suffering. 

Their first big flush has almost ended.

My flower preparation table is in the middle of Bill's shed ( mmm, not ideal but we're happy to cohabit for the time being!)

These little boys and their Mum have welcomed Baxter into their family.

Baxter is a Spoodle and a darling.

We had lengthy discussions re names for the puppy before they went to pick him up in Melbourne. Ned was allowed to make the ultimate decision and he wanted to wait until he saw him for the first time before deciding.

Leesa tells us that Baxter is the last to be allocated a place in their animal kingdom( we shall see about that).

( the boys are growing their hair long.....just in case you were wondering!)

Our Pippi Rose foaled last week. She has a beautiful little filly called Sunday Rose. This photo was taken at her new home.

And two more of our horses went to foster homes this week.

Emeliana and Kelly Gal. 

That's precisely what the rescue group is about.

Around the garden path....

Loving the red, purple and grey.

Adorable little man.

Love a book catalogue..... Especially when it's for children.

Treats for me...

From my favourite Provincial outlet shop.

Mum had cataract surgery yesterday. Both eyes have had the surgery now. 

Her surgeon has told her to throw her glasses away.

We all think she'll keep wearing them without the lenses!!

She's been wearing glasses for 75 years.

Hope the fleurs in your gardens have remained strong and resisted the earwigs this week.

The simple things..

A new biro..

Harvesting garlic and beetroot from the vegie patch..

Making pretty things..

Potting up tomato seedlings..

Catching these..

after feasting on these ( grrrrr.....)

Seeing straight edges..

Receiving photos of these little boys...

.

A walk around the garden path..

And a visit from these two..

Have a great weekend everyone!

Forgetting and remembering

I love this quote.

I write in my journal every day.

To be perfectly honest, I sometimes find myself struggling to remember what happened the day before!

The gazebo went up on Melbourne Cup Day.

We needed some taller bodies to help. Thanks Jamesy and Colleen.

Do you two notice anything different since you left? Sam?

We thought about where to put it this year. Last year we just plonked it where it was unpacked!

It looked as though the heavens were about to open up last week.

But nothing eventuated. Seriously.

We did however receive 22 mms over a few days. 

The garden rejoiced.

Dad's memorial headstone has been completed.

We received a photo from the stonemason.

The sunny reflections have blocked out the bottom line which reads...

          Forever in our hearts

We are all thrilled with the result.

Our little Pilbara boys

Pa would have a cheeky smile on his face seeing Flynn with his very own home grown tomatoes. It's a mystery how they remained on the plant until turning red! Well done little man!

And I adore this one.

So much love.....

On sale in the flower shop this week.

Roses by the bucket load.

(I just need to flick the earwigs out first!)

I  wouldn't normally have chosen these petunias for the front door pots but they looked a bit Christmassy.

 I might get some more to put around the Farmshop for Christmas ($2.27 ?????? Per pot at Bunnings).

Along with this gorgeous bunting that Leesa gave me ($5 at Kmart ).

Can't believe I'm even talking about Christmas but it seems like all the shops are.

Around the garden path today.....

So glad I didn't chop down all the hollyhocks in an earwig rage. Instead, I removed as much of the lower damaged foliage as seemed reasonable. They really are a colourful vertical presence.

Still plenty of damaged foliage but I can live with that now that the flowers are in bloom.

We are looking forward to some more rain this week.

Hope you all get some too.