Summer Bouquet #1: Sunflowers

to Silver Valley Girl:
Nothing says summer like Silver Valley Girl's favorite flower!

Sedum 'Autumn Joy' : Another Hot Weather Survivor

Autumn Joy Stonecrop is a plant in the sedum family. Once established these plants tolerate hot weather, little water, and little care. Our sedum patch is my new all-time favorite garden this month. I am amazed at how these plants have grown this year. I can't wait until the blooms open in the fall. With their pale pink and pale apricot colors, they dress up any garden. After they bloom in late fall the blossoms turn a coppery color. Just gorgeous. We had these in different places around the gardens, but decided to put them all together. I guess they thrive off each other. Of course, they were named stonecrop because some sedum will just come up out of rocks. Can't beat these hot weather lovers when everything else is a bit wilted this week.

Smoke on the Water

The fire that is burning northwest of us in Kelowna, B.C. has filled the skies in our area with smoke and ash.
The sun rose over the mountain like a bright orange ball , reminding us of the dangers of this hot, dry weather.A cooler breeze makes it a bit more bearable in the early morning on Lake Roosevelt.

Campsis radicans

Campsis radicans is the lovely Latin name for the Trumpet vine. This vigorous, woody vine loves the hot weather that has descended upon the Pacific Northwest. The hummingbirds are drawn to these flowers, as was my husband with his camera. He did an excellent job capturing these photo images.

In doing more research on this vine Wikepedia was quoted as saying "The vigor of the trumpet vine should not be underestimated. In warm weather, it puts out huge numbers of tendrils that grab onto every available surface, and eventually expand into heavy woody stems several centimeters in diameter. It grows well on arbors, fences, telephone poles, and trees, although it may dismember them in the process. Ruthless pruning is recommended." Fortunately nothing has been dismembered yet by the Trumpet vine in our yard! We are not going to prune ruthlessly yet. We are just going to enjoy these vines with the vivid orange blooms.

Surrounded by Beauty at Patti's Kitchen

I love eating at Patti's Kitchen in Moscow, Idaho. Not only is the Mexican food delicious, but the surrounding are full of beauty. I love studying how other gardeners create container gardens. I know next year I will be using sweet potato vine. She has highlighted one container with chartreuse green and added purple sweet potato vine to another.The water feature provides a break from the heat as the cool water spills over the top of the urn.These containers again show how bright combinations of colors can work well for containers.

Drivng Toward Home By Water

the Columbia Princess crossing Lake Roosevelt

"A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and
expressive feature.It is earth's eye;
looking into which the beholder measures
the depth of his own nature. "
~Henry David Thoreau

I have been away and missed the water that surrounds the place I call home . Even with the unbearable heat and a tired body and mind from travel, I got goosebumps as a got a whiff of dry pine, golden grass, and vast water.
I love crossing the bridge at Fort Spokane and gazing at The Spokane River as it drains into Lake Roosevelt.
Seeing the line of tourists at the ferry reminded me I was close to home.
Lake Roosevelt... as I crossed the ferry I was reminded of it's depth of beauty.

The ferry driver blew the horn to let us know we had once again arrived on our side....the side that gets me closer to home.