Views from the Porch

Flowers planted in 2012 for my wildflower garden have grown. Some have not flourished, and a few have succumbed to over-watering and too much sun and summer heat.  The picture above shows most of the original plantings, plus a few others. Bluebells, where are you? Was the soil not to your liking?  I have been putting used coffee grounds around the wildflowers every morning to increase acidity uptake.

Iris are blooming

Penstemon are almost ready to bloom

Jupiter's Beard *transplanted two summers ago from slips*

Phlox that will go into earth at the end of the season

A new painting started (oils) from this reference photo:

And from the kitchen:

Rhubarb for this recipe (a yum, thanks, Marianne)

Mrs. Tittlemouse, do you recognize your pretty crochet?

Julie is coming over today from the manor.  We have had quite a few days, and maybe that is why I have neglected blogging for a while.  Last week, she had an optometry appointment that was a bust.  Her wheelchair would not go through the door of the examination room because of its width, 36 inches.  The optometrist was a bit embarrassed since his offices were supposedly "wheelchair accessible".  But she did finally get a referral to an ophthalmologist, which she needed to begin with, but the manor Powers That Be would not listen to me.  It might take another few months to get that scheduled, however.

Then there was the issue of dealing with Julie's headaches that lasted a few days...nothing more to report than worry resulting in a natural resolution to her headaches.  And then another visit scheduled to the surgeon who first helped out with the diversional colitis resection, which has still not been resolved.  That appointment will happen at the end of the week.  Perhaps infection is still evident?

I leave you with this verse that struck me from Sunday's homily, referring to Romans 5:1-5:

...affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts...

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