Saturday Slight

 

I've been telling my friends this past week who have beautiful peony bouquets that mine have failed to open. 

Happily, that has changed this morning, and even after a pounding thunder, lightning and rainstorm the first of the bunch to open managed to avoid any damage. 

It's beautiful. Lots more to come too. 

I remember a while back reading in the Spokesman-Review garden column to not give up on the perennials this year, especially the roses, even when they look like they're dead. 

Sure enough, that advice was correct.  

A few weeks ago I lamented to Bill it appeared that the rose bush my sisters had given me as a birthday present about 20 years ago had died. 

It looked downright pathetic, and, while dealing with the disappointment, I thought how difficult the job would be to remove the big bush from the spot it has occupied for the past 17 years. 

Fast forward a few weeks, and, by golly, the bush has sprung back to life and is offering its usual generous display of pinkish red roses. 

I have a couple of other smaller rose bushes that also looked dead.  They're starting to flourish. 

If it stays true to form, the bush will bloom all summer long.  

Sadly, my blue, sweet-smelling Iris, given to me years ago by the Camp family, are in their final stages of beauty.  

These iris smell so good that I have brought a couple into the house and have enjoyed the lovely fragrance while walking past them. 

I learned this week from a master gardener that Iris do not smell the same to everyone.  In some cases, people swear that they smell like pee, while others, like me, rave on about their sweetness. 

 Our earth has freshened up this morning after the storm.  Twas a morning filled with the foggy, foggy dew when Bridie and I went out for the first walk.

The fog and the wetness created some beautiful early morning scenes.  

It was fortunate that last night's storm waited until AFTER graduation.  Rain stopped mid afternoon and resumed with the storm around 9 p.m.

So, happily, a window was provided for the SHS Class of 2023, their families and their friends to enjoy the celebration. 

Congratulations, graduates!

Even with seemingly half the town attending the Commencement at Memorial Field, downtown was thriving last night with packed restaurants and tables in outdoor dining areas fully occupied. 

It's truly the beginning of summer. 

Happy Saturday. 

When I stopped by my friend Becky's house yesterday, there were pigeons--lots of them. 

Becky says they don't roost at her place, but they do come for the spa. 

Becky has some rectangular containers in her front yard, always filled up with water. 

The pigeons come, take their bath and then move closer to the house to shake off the water. 

They were a bit shy when I drove up, so they headed for the rooftops. 

Becky says the birds are quite entertaining during spa time.