Upside Ann

 These are a month old.  I took them prior to embarking on our westward journey but did not get them posted.  The tiger lilies have invaded the fence row.  They are spreading recklessly throughout the side flower bed but last year they jumped the fence - and a bit of lawn - to run free.  I suspect I "seeded" this area by discarding the chopped off stems over the fence during autumn garden clean-up.  I am amused.  (Note: This spring there were about a dozen plants over there but my cousin and I dug up a selection for him to take home to SC... where they are, no doubt, planning to take over the southern United States.)  I like them OK - but not as much as the field lilies- which, ironically, have much better manners.  And, for the record, I am TIRED of my Stella del Oro daylilies.  Yawn.  I'm sure I read they are supposed to be repeat bloomers.  My girls have not read the same manual.

  Crab apple blossoms.  Spring on Harrison 3.   (Actually, I'm almost a week late here.  This crab apple has finished blooming. The one below is some sort form honeysuckle bush that I remember my grandparents planting in our yard.  It is now gnarly and split but every spring blesses us with these sweet smelling blossoms.

Without a doubt, my mother is rolling in her grave looking at the way her yard is walking stepwise away from stability, from civilization, from uniform greenness.  What can I say? I don't like pesticides and my heart gladdens at the sight of dandelions - whether in cheerful yellow bloom or wistfull, wishfull, ephemera.  Today- Spring on Harrison - looks at the chaos I've wrought.  Smile.

 As Alexa keeps warning me that frost or freezing temperatures may be coming, I have harvested lilac blossums.  I am fairly certain this is Miss Kim.  I know it was planted by Renee and Sam on the south side of the house.  Unlike the old fashioned lilacs around the deck, it gets lots of sun.  Unfortunately, it is very much NOT protected from wintery turns in spring and often we have no flowers.  This year it is full.  If you stop by before that expected freeze, I will share.

When I moved from Columbus to Fayetteville, I transplanted a few starts of the beautiful peonies that grew in my garden.  Red. White.  Pink.  Beside the deck one of the plants thrived for a short time.  Zelda, as her want, would meditate under the heavy blossums.  Maybe the shade grew too deep, but the peony died.  The bonus violets, however, have thrived.  They are all over the yard here now.  They fill my heart in the spring.  (Free starts for everyone!)

  and hoping to do better this year. Despite constant battles (which I invariably lost) with rabbits last year, I did manage from 3 closely guarded sweet potato plants to harvest this mighty load.  Two potatoes.  The largest measuring NEARLY 2 inches. Are you not jealous? My ginger crop might have been better.  I just haven't turned my pot over to pull out the tubers.  Until I do so, I can imagine very great things. Bah.  Rabbits.  I planted $7 worth of violas last night.  Anyone care to wager how long before the plants are all eaten level to the ground - their tiny blossums safely tucked into some lagomorphs tummy.

 Flowers blooming in the school garden.