Gathering Around The Table

8/3/09

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.

8/2/09

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.

8/1/09

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.