Father and Flowers

Hello dear bloggers, it certainly has been awhile...I sure hope you are enjoying your Father's Day celebrations.  It is not a great day for me, Dad is gone now as most of you know...since 2008.  He is gone  forever as I knew him....But his spirit lives on through me; his love of flowers and nature has passed to most of his children with me having a bit more than my siblings.  His thumb was much greener than mine but hopefully with time, my efforts will improve.

Spring was rainy, the month of May was a grey misty blur as each day wore on, the sun decided to shine elsewhere leaving our area saturated, flooded and sloppy wet.  The ponies could not be turned out, our  entrance area flooded, the pond developed a sink hole draining lot of the water and it was dangerous to mow the wet muddy hills.  The green grass was very happy as it almost looked like a jungle on our farm.  I must not complain though, we have been fortunate to still have our home unlike so many who suffered from those evil tornadoes.  Bless those poor souls who had to endure such misery.

Thankfully as May moved on, the rains ceased their daily torment and June allowed us to get out in our gardens.  The huge Man Garden has just been plowed and planted.  The good husband and his brother planted their usual corn, cucumbers, green beans and tomatoes but decided to cut back so I planted some pumpkins and blueberry bushes.

 

My nostalgia for both my grandmothers has come forth with a fever as I planted some hollyhocks that were six foot tall!  They are biennials so I won't see them next year and hopefully my little hollyhocks from last year will come back.  I have added some more phlox as it seems to love the back garden and grew many babies this year.  I have also added evening of primrose and delphiniums in a new little shaded bed, though the larkspur despises me and refused to enjoy the special soil and shade I provided for it, so forget that species.  It is too hot here and they prefer a different area.  My foxgloves love the front yard and hated the back yard as the brick radiated too much heat.  I remember Dad saying he used to trap bees in the blooms by squeezing the ends.  Poor bees, thankfully he released the bloom and allowed the poor things to escape.  Silly Dad, he was a demon when he was a kid! :)

Speaking of demons, as I was photographing my blue hydrangeas, Cricket, the mean lean killing machine, lived up to his reputation much to my chagrine!  He was enjoying following his 'Grammie' around while I snapped the pics but when I approached the new little flower bed, he disappeared.  I didn't think much of it until I heard the loud clicking of a Flicker.  That darned cat was up  in the hawthorn bushes and raided the nest capturing a helpless new born bird baby.  I heard its little screams of pain as my head was in the branches trying to find Cricket who was way up top!  My screams pierced the quiet morning as I attempted to get the bird from his huge fangs but he ran away into a wooded area full of poision ivy.  I ventured in only to see him gobble the entire baby within seconds.  By the way, poison ivy attacked me with a vengeance a few weeks ago, so badly that I had to go in and get a shot.  My lower arm swelled days afterwards so I thought I had better get some professional help.  The shot eliminated the swelling but not the itching.

The deer have all delivered except Peanut who if you remember had her little Autumn in September.  I am shocked that Brownie already gave birth.  I knew they all would be early this year as they went into heat in the beginning of October and the boys were crazy in rutt.  So far, they have not introduced me to their babies yet.  Bossy does hide her baby in the brush while she eats corn.   I can hear his thin little calls.  There for awhile I did not see Bossy or Brownie which worried me but just a few days ago they graced me with their beautiful presense and now come back more frequently.  Shy Girl has trusted me and hidden her baby close to the barn.

There is still so much more to do on the farm to catch up from months of wet weather.  I look forward to July when all of my flowers will be in full bloom and the pumpkins begin to grow.  Happy Father's Day to you dear Dad.  I miss you tremendously but somehow feel comforted when I am tending to all of the flowers.  And to you bloggy buddies, thanks for your patience and keeping Farm Tails on your favorites list.  I truly appreciate that and have popped in from time to time to read your posts.  Have a happy day!