Hello friends <3
I thought you might like to join us in our daily morning adventures.
We begin by flipping the lights on in the kitchen and grabbing a basket to gather garden findings.
We are sort of drowning in a couple of types of courgettes right now, aka zucchini.
But they're super delicious and versatile, so I suppose that's a good problem to have.
Entering the summer garden early in the morning imparts a kind of magic that one can not even describe.
I suppose it has a sort of fairy tale quality.
I am always utterly amazed that nature creates such vast beauty.
My amazement is renewed every single day, and it never fades.
Our monsoon season has been so wonderful this year.
The rain has blown up the garden and has it looking so very healthy.
In fact, as we step outside this morning there is an ethereal mist and the softest droplets.
I had to stop and gasp for a second, it was almost like there was a cloud floating through the garden.
There could not have been a more perfect mood to welcome all the little baby pumpkins.
Then the sun slightly peeked out from behind a cloud and illuminated the water droplets enough to make it look like it was sparkling with fairy dust.
Matty takes his post in one corner of the garden and looks out the fence into the desert, protecting us of course.
Meanwhile Teddy is into everything.
He sniffs, rolls, hunts for sticks, pulls apart planters.
Then shows up with his innocent face, with a little explosion of everything he got into behind him.
He's so much fun, I love my boys sooo much.
I feel like I have known Teddy for years, he has really blown my mind with his beautiful personality and cuddly demeanor.
He has such a strong character and presence, I never expected he would be like this.
I am pleasantly surprised.
And so, we all do our thing in the garden.
The bees are hard at work, and I am utterly thankful to them.
I bought matching arbors a few years ago and painted them in sea glass chalk paint.
There is a rolling hill in my garden, so one arbor is down the path a bit from the other.
Teddy's favorite spot is on the other side of this arbor below, to the left, on a patch of verbena that self-seeded there.
I should also mention that all of the zinnias in my garden self-seeded from last year's blooms.
I didn't plant any zinnia seeds, pretty magical of them to show up like this.
I did however plant a few sunflower seeds.
I love seeing them towering around the garden, happy and sunshiny.
Yesterday I spotted some twin fairy tale pumpkins on the vine.
I can't wait to see if they make it.
I also had a conjoined zinnia this year.
I guess it's the year of the garden twins.
I love collecting bits and bobs from the garden and bringing them inside.
I tuck them everywhere, and dry a lot of herbs, which I tie up and hang.
The kitchen has such a beautiful fresh smell when the herbs are drying.
Makes my heart sing.
I've been pretty good about pruning zinnias, because the more you prune, the more you get.
Today is a good day to bring in a huuuuuge zinnia arrangement.
The bees are making me so happy, tucked deep into the pumpkins.
You know that when the bees are hanging out in there, your pumpkins will likely take.
All the pollen loving bugs help pollinate of course, even the ants.
But there's nothing quite like what the bees can accomplish.
The paths are becoming so full, but Teddy just pushes his way through.
He really LOVES the garden.
He sniffs every single flower and takes a huge interest in every aspect.
Especially the watering one, haha!
There he is hiding in his favorite bed of verbena, just like Miles did.
Miles is actually buried in his favorite verbena patch at the country house.
It's amazing how I took a tiny cutting from the river 21 years ago, and now the verbena has spread itself across the gardens of both houses.
Little purple flowers everywhere.
Here's the only photo I could get of Matty this morning, as he loathes cameras.
On guard per usual.
He will be 13 years old on September 1.
I can hardly believe it; time has just flown by so quickly.
Once you hit your late 30's, it seems like time just fast forwards itself.
I really don't mind getting older.
I've just accepted it and go with it.
I don't even really do anything to my face except put on moisturizers twice a day.
This sunflower needs to have a lion face painted in the center.
I see the story of life happen with every passing season in the garden.
From seed, to bud, to bloom, to seed again.
Life is happening at different speeds for everyone.
Flowers and insects included.
I do all my garden chores and then go swimming almost every single day.
The water is between 85-90'F on its own this time of year.
Teddy loves the water, but he will not go into the big pool.
I carried him in once, but now he is too heavy and far too strong.
So, I let him do as he pleases.
He is happy in his little pool that he outgrew lightning fast, and that is a-okay.
Here I stood this morning, marveling at what the rain has done.
No water hose could ever do what rain can.
I still can't believe all these zinnias turned up on their own.
The yellow-bellied finches do a number on them, but when there are so many, there's enough for everyone to enjoy.
Doesn't Teddy look like he's made out of cotton?
He practically glows.
When the rain became a little more than a drizzle, we went back inside to sort through our garden findings.
But not before enjoying the giant sunflower in the mist.
I really have such a love for anything garden and kitchen related.
I was having a discussion with my sister the other day, and she was talking about traits we have from our ancestors.
I definitely was born with a love for gardens, and my grandmothers had wonderful gardens themselves.
My paternal grandmother had endless strawberries and pears, apple and quince dangled from trees.
And their mothers and grandmothers before them had gardens as well.
I suppose you can say it is my life's calling, to grow things.
It's deep within me, just something I do.
I find my peace, my solace, my joy in the place where things grow.
Where clouds pass by, and birds sing.
I hope I don't bore you with all my garden chatter, but it's the hugest part of my life.
The dogs and I go between the country house and our second house daily.
I just did a ton of pruning at the country house yeasterday.
Teddy stays with Mister Lovee often, they really are meant for each other.
They are so alike and love to play and wrestle.
I love waking up in my bed at the country house, or just sitting in the cottage out in the garden for hours, pondering, drawing, reading.
I promise to take you with me on more of those adventures.
Weekend before last we went on a road trip and had a really lovely birthday weekend for my mom.
On the way there were such horrible storm with zero visibility, that we had to pull over 3 times.
Luckily, we made it safe and had an incredible weekend.
It was really scary in the rainstorm, but the green the rain has created reminds me so very much of my childhood.
People are always amazed that Arizona can be so green, but Arizona has vastly different landscapes throughout, from forests to deserts, to everything in between.
Where I grew up, right on the Mexican border, it was super green all the time.
I grew up with huge trees, swimming in the river, having picnics every single weekend.
It was a wonderful childhood, and there was zero technology.
No phones, no videoing everything.
We just lived, filled our souls with joy until bursting.
I am so glad I grew up during that time.
Anywho, I digress, and I must get busy with my chores.
Thank you for joining me for a morning stroll.
I am so glad you are here.
I appreciate you so much.
Make sure to take time to go outside and gulp the fresh air.
Watch the clouds float by.
Stretch your arms out and smile.
It's nice to know you are out there somewhere out there.
As Fievil sang...
Somewhere out there, beneath the same big sky <3
Thank you for being so kindred and understanding in my last post.
Lots of love, see you in a day or two.
Love, Vanessa
