Take a deep breath

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way."   Walter Hagen

Winter and early spring are dominated by rain, snow and cloudy days.  In Southern California we get our share of sunny warm days too but I'm posting  today because this is not one of them 

When I walk around my garden these days there is not much to look at.  I't a dormant time of year for garden plants but every once in a while I am surprised by my garden's gift.  I take a quick breath of surprise and then meet the surprise with my nose and take a deep breath.  Won't you join me?  

Pink hyacinth - deep and heady - smells a little like a lilac.

French lavender - clean and relaxing - we all love this one...especially at night before bed

pink jasmine - growing right outside my bedroom window - ahhhhhh

citrus blossoms - a California miracle !  The all begin this month.  If you don't live in a citrus area  go to your local garden nursery and see if they have greenhouse section.  This is my Meyer Lemon tree just 6 feet away from the jasmine.  It is lovely to walk down the pathway that divides them in the evening

Julie Andrews rose.  Who wouldn't put her nose into this beauty?  

Sweet peas .  Can you smell them from where you are?  My grandmother carried these as her wedding bouquet.  I make it a point to lay some on her gravesite around her anniversary(which also happens to be her birthday) each year.

So take a walk outside.  Search for natures perfume and take a deep breath

 

Sunflowers salute!

Glorious Sunflower:

May 22 Sunflower

These sweet peas have been blooming since before the first day of spring and they are still going strong.  I just came in from picking these plus giving some to my neighbor and I'm going back out with another empty vase.  I wish you could smell them....divine

morning pick

Morning glories and sweet peas, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Saturday morning harvest!

harvest, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

Oh Boy! Now this is what makes all the work worth it!
I started June 1st working in my garden like a crazy person...up at 6am working the soil until it got hot (usually by 8am) and then again as soon as the shade hit the back yard until dark. Despite the damaging hail storm 2 weeks ago the garden survived.
Sophie and the chickens were of little help but they did keep me company. Now 2 months later I have plenty of veggies to keep me in antioxidant heaven and lovely flowers to make me smile.
This is just my first week's harvest.
tomatoes (only one so far..a Japanese version..I have 14 tomato bushes)
French green beans
these are the two crops that would satisfy me ......2 essential ingredients to a great Nicoise salad!
Swiss chard...rainbow brights
sweet peas....fabulous fragrance
zinnias
beets
summer squash, 4 kinds (Cocozelle, rond de Nice, cube of butter and Tigress)
arulgula
kale

garlic and onions, planted last fall
Anybody hungry?

sweet pea & poppy sprouts

IMG_0189, originally uploaded by cabanagirl.

...and even the sweet peas are on their way to bloom

Carlsbad Flower Fields

Today Ella and her Kindergarten class went south to Carlsbad where they have absolutely beautiful flower fields.  The ranunculus are grown primarily for their tubers but when in full bloom the 50 acres of color is breathtaking.  We all took a ride in a tractor drawn wagon and got lost in a sweet pea maze.  After the kids got back on the bus I sat in the "artist's garden" with my sketchbook.  It was a fabulous day.  Thank you for inviting me, Ella!