~ ♥ Simply Me .... Kimberly Marie ♥ ~: flowers

Showing posts with label flowers. Show all posts

September 27, 2018 ~ Life Keeps Moving

Before I knew it, summer passed in a blink!

Flowers have bloomed and faded away,

Warm breezes have come and gone,

Sunsets that were once late in the evening

are now on our doorstep not long after dinner!

Summer was a mixture of

unusually hot days

and lots of sunshine,

bird watching, butterfly gazing

and catching the scent of my sweet

Butterfly Bush through the open windows.

Summer was unhurried mornings

relaxing on the back deck,

feeling the sun's rays wrap their

beautifully warm arms around me.

It was sightings of tiny newborn fawns,

the long awaited return of my hummingbirds

and nest building in my birdhouses.

It was rainbows on my kitchen walls

as sunshine glistened through my prism,

It was vases of flower bouquets

from roadside stands, fresh berries

and hot fudge sundaes

while driving through the country,

winding down after long, busy days.

Then, slowly but surely, the changes came.

Those little changes like the color of the sky,

the way the leaves look on the trees

and the lack of katydids singing in the night.

Sultry evenings dwindled, cooler mornings

greeted us as we stepped out the door.

And now, here we are, welcoming

the season of Autumn, before I'm

really ready to let summer go....

Yet, here I am, digging out my Autumn

displays ~ colorful leaf garlands,

scarecrows, candles for the mantle

and a wreath for the front door....

And I hope, my dear friends, that this post

finds you all happy and healthy,

moving along productively in life,

much the same as I!

~ ♥ ~

P.S. If you have an iPad, iPhone or smartphone like me, you've no doubt realized how much easier it is to jump on the internet and do what once was only done from our computers at home! I recently found an app that's quite simple to use and allows the upload of information quickly and with ease. These days, that's a really intriguing idea to me, because I hardly ever sit down at the computer much anymore! And I'd rather do a short but sweet post, than to have no post at all, which, sadly, has been the case here.

I've tried repeatedly to use the Blogger app on my device, in an attempt to post quick updates here and there, but for some reason there's always a glitch and it ends up booting me off the post I'm trying to post! :/

So I'd like to invite you to join me over at my new page (don't worry I'll still post here from time to time), where I hope to keep in touch with you all much more regularly. And the nice thing is, it's computer friendly, too. Please stop in and say hello!☺

https://padlet.com/kimmarie69/between_friends

Upside Down Geraniums ~ January 21, 2017

Do I have you wondering, what's up with that?!

Many years ago I was told that you can uproot a Geranium plant, bring it indoors, hang it just as I have, and then replant it the next growing season.

If I had never seen this done, I would be as skeptical as you may be right now. Though I must admit, despite having known about this method of "saving and reviving Geraniums" for as long as I have, I've never once done it before!

So why this year? Well, this summer I happened upon 2 large, beautiful plants of the most vivid pink Geraniums I've ever seen. As it always is, when Autumn comes and my annual flowering plants are still flowering, I so dislike digging them up and throwing them out. It was especially so with these absolutely lovely Geraniums!

At that time, it came flooding back to my memory about what I'd been told. Then, ironically, within that same week I had a conversation with my neighbor who actually has done this before! She did warn me that they will most likely look as dead as a door nail, but not to get dismayed. Simply plant them into new soil in a pot indoors, in a sunny location. Trim back the branches somewhat, and water them carefully as needed. She said little by little, green sprouts will start to appear, then they can be transferred outdoors and my lovely Geraniums will soon be budding beautifully once again!

As you can see from the picture, my plants actually still have some green on them and color to the flowers that have yet to wither and decay completely. This is after having been uprooted and hung upside down nearly 3 months! They make my heart happy and hopeful each time I go into the basement and see them. It's quite miraculous that they could even revive after such a harsh, water-less existence.

Like these Geraniums, we, too, may have lain dormant a time or two in our lives, but that doesn't mean we cannot be revived to our "former glory". I imagine that if these Geraniums could actually think, they know just how beautiful they were, and how beautiful they can once again be, for all that they need is within them. While they may be in a state of dormancy, they know it's only temporary, thus they continue to see themselves for who they really are ~ a gorgeously amazing, lovely shade of pink Geranium......

~ ♥ ~

Colorful, Quaint and Loaded With Flowers ~ May 16, 2016

Lately I keep coming across images of this adorable town in France called Colmar.

It's nothing short of pure happiness for me!

Who wouldn't, or shall I say couldn't, have positive vibes and an uplifted spirit living here?

My eyes drink in the beautiful colors, the cheery flowers and fairy tale quaintness of this lovely town!

Just thought I'd share some of what makes me happy with you today.....

~ ♥ ~

source

Here's a bit of fun information on colors and the moods/emotions they are associated with.

I'm a color loving person! How about you?

My Yard Is Buzzing With Activity ~ May 1, 2016

I've been here, there and everywhere.....but STILL waiting for Spring to officially settle in and bring us its beautiful, mild days and sunny skies!

The birds must know in their inner beings that, despite the poor weather displays, Spring is here nonetheless and it's time to get busy!

I'm thrilled with seeing many juveniles returning to the feeders with their parents. I've seen several lovebirds pairing up, and even feeding one another. Two days ago, I saw a Northern Flicker follow his love into one of our apple trees and show her a beautiful display of his tail all feathered out and he did a kind of little dance for her! ~ ☺ ~

The Robins are busy building nests. I hear my House Wrens, but have yet to see where they may be nesting as of yet. So far, no one has taken up residence in the previous Wren nesting site in my lighthouse birdhouse hung from the branches of my peach tree.

The Pileated Woodpecker has even made some bold appearances, flying right onto my suet cake to have itself a little treat!

I hope that all is well in your world. Has Spring arrived like normal where you are? Only a few of my flowers have actually bloomed. How about yours? My lilacs are finally starting to show promise of some flower clusters this week.....

I'm really looking forward to sitting outdoors more, and enjoying the beauty around us more fully.

Wishing you all an enjoyable and inspiring day!

~ ♥ ~

It's Getting That Time Again

Every Spring I browse the aisles of tables full of flowers at our local box and landscaping stores, looking for the perfect pairings of flowers and colors that interest me. It varies from year to year, and also depends on availability, but one thing is always for sure. I like color, and lots of it! I tend to lean toward the pairing of reds, purples and yellows, but some years, I just don't see enough of what I like, and that gives me the opportunity to get a bit more creative.

I also enjoy choosing flowers that have a long lifespan, such as Marigolds which last clear from Spring until Fall. I generally like the bright yellow ones best.

Geraniums are a favorite of mine for longevity as well, but they can be a bit pricey. Two years ago I was able to buy a slew of them on clearance, because they'd been damaged a bit by lack of enough water. I saw that they could be pruned and most likely brought back, so I grabbed a bunch of them and had great success in nursing them back to hearty, flowery health.

One year, my local Wal-mart actually had an abundance of inexpensive and colorful Celosia. I'd never planted them before, but was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful flowers they grew into, and how little maintenance they required overall!

Then there are my Begonia's, which I've planted for the last 3 years without fail in memory of my grandmother. And my Morning Glories, Heavenly Blue, which are the most common and most popular variety that people like my father think of when they remember Morning Glories from years ago. He says that nearly every front porch had a strings full of them. This year I think I will put up white lattice on my little front porch between the posts to grow them on for a prettier look.

~ ♥ ~

I love knowing that here in the Northeast we've rounded the bend and are over the longest part, and hopefully the worst, of what winter can bring. Now it's on to happier thoughts of bright flowers, sweet scents, and trying my hand at new ideas Dean and I have been talking about doing!

Beauty In The Conservatory

Browsing through some digital photos, I came upon those from a past visit to the conservatory. I remember vividly the day we had gone - it was quite chilly in spite of the fact that Spring blossoms were on many of the trees. But once we stepped inside the doors of the conservatory, the warm, earthy scent with a hint of the fragrance of flowers hit me.

My heart skipped a beat, and a certain happiness welled up inside of me. Ah, yes! I could have happily pulled up a comfortable chair and found a lovely spot to sit for hours, never tiring of the beauty that surrounded us. And while I know I've shared some of these photos here with you before, I thought the beauty of that day was worth sharing again ~ Especially since Mr. Groundhog saw his shadow, so we're in for at least another 6 weeks of winter!

Hurry, Spring, Hurry!

Pictures Of This n' That

I enjoy taking pictures of all different sorts of subjects whether it be my family, my animal children, family life and events, food, flowers, birds, or nature. Photography is just a hobby I really like! So, on that note, here's a few pictures for a view into my world.....

My hydrangeas were beautiful this year. I planted this bush a couple of years ago, but it's only begun to look really good this blooming season.

Becca, my daughter, seems to be obsessed with fish! This Betta is her newest addition. He's a dark blue, and is very pretty when his fins flow as he swims.

Um, Checkers, animal child...how can Mommy I help you?

Ziva, you precious little scaredy cat! She is a perfect example of how that saying came into being!

One of the many splendid clouds in the sky on a day not too long ago.

These flowers were given to me by a friend who told me to let them dry, remove the leaves, then use the flowers in arrangements around the house.

As much as she is a scaredy cat, Ziva's also a very curious cat! She always knows when something new is in the house.

My morning glories growing up the front porch post. I just LOVE to see them bloom and fill in so beautifully as they are now!

How beautiful is that?! This color is both mine and Becca's favorite. I started planting morning glories when my father told me the story of how popular they were when he was a boy.

One day I spotted this dragon fly resting on my dusty miller. I was so thrilled that I ran to get my camera, and he stayed posed perfectly for me!

Much to my surprise, the dragon fly was back again the very next day. Just look at those intricately made wings!

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:

Ecclesiastes 3:11

Flower Tree Ring

Flowers around the base of a tree always seem to dress it up so nicely!

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A Vintage Table With Flowers

The glass vase of flowers finishes the look of this vintage kitchen perfectly.

I could really enjoy a kitchen space like this!

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Tame "Wild" Rabbit

One of the many "wild" rabbits in our neighborhood, who just aren't afraid of people! They also can be quite naughty and eat our flowers as though they're a delicacy, which can be very frustrating. I was literally about a foot and a half away from this one!