Monica Knits

I planted 5 Rose of Sharon bushes over five years ago, but this is the first year they have bloomed in a year of firsts. My Stella Dora day lilies are blooming for the second time this year, as well as my red roses.

There is a bumper crop of apples, green peppers and tomatoes and the trees I planted over the years have grown like weeds. After many years of measuring tree growth in height by the inch, the larches, pines and spruces have grown by feet. The young maples, walnuts, beechnuts and junipers that aren't surrounded by fences are being pruned on by the deer, a couple of whom like to bed down each night in our apple orchard, located on the sheltered side of our house. Read more...

This week the Purple Smoke Bushes in my garden have put on a spectacular show in the morning sunlight.

Click on the thumbnail to view a larger image.

As soon as I looked up at the sky this morning, I was reminded of a line from Alfred Noyes' poem, "The Highwayman," "The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas." The entire sky at sunrise was filled with layer upon layer of cresting waves, and when I looked closer, the moon was skimming along the surface.

There was a brief respite from the rain yesterday, when the sun came out for a couple of hours. The dandelions popped open and as you see the grass has grown tremendously--though it is still too wet to mow. Shaq and I enjoyed the sun for a few minutes. In this image you can see him catching a scent; his version of savoring a fine wine or perfume.