A White Basket Of Flowers

Today we were about to throw out an old basket. I didn't have any specific use for it and it was dirty (no, I didn't want to spend time cleaning it). But then I thought "Oooh...this would make a lovely planter!"

And by late afternoon it was all done. 

Here's the basket, waiting to be worked on.

 I lined it at the bottom with plastic and punched holes in it for drainage

so it won't rot quite as quickly. Then I added a shallow layer of dirt.

On this same afternoon I bought some torenias, 2 each of 3 colors.

I placed them in the basket...

 ...then put in more dirt...

 

 ...spreading it evenly around them.

 Voila! Project done.

 Now for a formal photo session of my new babies...

 Dark purple/blue (is it indigo?)

 White

 Fuchsia

 

 Bird's eye view.

 

Now where should I put it? For now, it will sit beside our

new loveseat which my DH bought for me today, an early

Valentine's Day gift. Perfect!

  

 

                      
                            "He hath made everything beautiful in His time..." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Pretty Pansies

 

 

PANSY
Round, joker faces that dance with the moon,
Lilting and tilting a flower song tune.
Warm summer sunbeams captured for all,
By round little flowers, so sweet and so small.
Bright pansy colors, a study in light,
Reflecting the moonbeams that dance in the night.
                                           -unknown author
_______________________________________
So it's that time of year again when pansies thrive. Cold wind, frost and snow doesn't seem to faze them in the least. In fact, it seems I hear them saying "Bring on the cold weather! We love it!"

So I bought these indigo-colored big pansies (seen above), placed them in the two pots at the end of the front steps and now rest assured that they will still be blooming throughout the next several cold months (although I won't be staying around to see that). Then a few days ago a daughter bought an assortment of plants...



...and told me I could plant some of the pansies. These are smaller but, oh, so stinkin' CUTE! Some of them have little ruffly edges. How gorgeous is that?! These smaller ones are sometimes called violas but they are both from the same family (or genus for you botanists).
So I picked out four plants and placed them in the basket that hangs on the front porch (remember my petunias from this post?)...



Out with the old, in with the new.

 

Frost in the background. I told ya'!

 

Besides these "red" ones, there are also blue and yellow ones in this crop.

I'm all about close-ups.

 


Did someone say close-ups? Look at that precious fuzziness. Look at those colors!

 

Even the underside is lovely with the sun shining through as she faces the sun.

No matter which color, size or angle you look at, these pansies are a thing of beauty. When the cold winds blow, they shine and are strong. I would like my life to be like that. That "no matter what", people will see beauty and light and strength. Because of Him.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:17)

Queen Anne and Her Maidens

Summer officially left us two weeks ago but that doesn't deter me from posting about some summer flowers. I mean, how can I let all my lovely photos go to waste?!

Summer flowers have a beauty that is uniquely theirs, so fresh, light, delicate and, well...summery! And WILD summer flowers are even moreso, in my opinion.

One of the large fields of Queen Anne's Lace.

In July we were at a camp in Virginia. I was impressed with field after field of Queen Anne's Lace. That's right, not just a plant here and there or a small patch but large fields of it! It was amazing, I'd never seen so many at once and I was totally captivated by the utterly delicate loveliness of their white laciness (Wow, did that just come from my fingers??). I was further captivated by the many maidens which surrounded her, seemingly tending to her every whim, bowing and curtsying in the wind. I felt like I was in a storybook flowerland...

*Sigh*. Happily, I have myriads of photos to remember the experience. Please enjoy some of them with me!



Queen Anne herself!

 

One of my favorites. This butterfly has good taste, don't you think? I do believe she was using the Queen for her
helicopter pad!

 

Not a daisy but maybe a cousin. It's a larger version of one that's called "Forever Summer".

 

Black-Eyed Susan. Uh-oh, I see some little purple flowers which I failed to take a picture of...

 

This summer I learned the name of this lovely blue flower: Chicory.
 The roots can be baked, ground and used as a coffee substitute!

 

Wild Sweet Pea. That grasshopper has good taste, too!

 

Looks like Pink Clover but I think it may be something else.

 

Don't know the name of this cute little weed either but I think it resembles an orchid! It might be the wild version of
Lady's Slipper. Yes, that'll work until I hear otherwise from someone more knowledgeable of botany than I am.

 

Another unknown by me but, oh, so lovely. Apparently Miss Ant thinks so, too!

 

The color combination of Queen Anne and her maidens was beyond beautiful,
 I just couldn't get my fill of taking pictures. Does it look like it might be a piece of heaven there? It was.
The place, scenery, colors, weather...head-shakingly perfect.

His creation always turns my heart and mind towards Him. Thank You, Lord, for the loud message of Your
wonderful works of creation!

"As for man, his days are as grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourish."
(Psalm 103:15)

"The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry?
 All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field."
(Isaiah 40:6)

Flowers In My Neighborhood (May)

Let's see how many new varieties showed up around here in May! I'm know there were many more than just these, but here are the ones I had opportunity to photograph...

Roses from my Mother's Day gift. Perfect.

I had to include these lovely sunlit Pansies seen in front of a church.

Mexican Heather (cuphea hyssopifolia). Reminds me of a little bonsai.
is and the next one are my most recent plants which I bought.

Ornamental Pepper (Black Pearl)

Daylilies

I had to include some blackberry blossoms which were profusely seen in this area throughout the month of May.
 I hope it means that we'll be seeing some blackberry pie in the near future!

These cuties from the neighbor were given to our granddaughter and made such a lovely little bouquet.

Petunias. My lovely petunias in their hanging basket, it brings me joy every day!

Gardenia. Can you smell it?

Miniature Rose

Hollyhocks

These look like they might be a cousin to Queen Anne's Lace, don't they?! Sorry, I don't know their name.

Marigold

Torenia, sometimes called the Wishbone Flower.

Hydrangea

Impatiens-just before I planted them.

What beauties will I see and photograph in the month of June?? 

Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men. (Psalm 66:5)
                                                                            (NASB)