More Proof...

...that SEX sells. I titled this photo 'Flowers Are Sexy' on my Flickr account and it got 15 views, which is a lot for me, in less than a day! It is a huge pumpkin blossom. Did you know that the blossoms on the long stems are male and the ones on short stems are female? This is the best site ever for information on growing pumpkins!

The Livin' Is Easy

It was a perfect day for dog walking and friends talking, and that is what I did. Emik, my friend Beth's husky, sure liked his shower and he was very popular with the kids on the beach.

July 23rd 2010, Alki

July 23rd 2010, Alki
Originally uploaded by mtnester.

Now THIS is the summer weather we have all been waiting for! Yesterday was a perfect day for a walk along Alki and today looks to be a carbon copy. But it will be a whole lot more crowded as it is a Saturday and the Art Walk is happening.

Hydrangeas Are Blooming

I know I take the same garden pictures every year and sometimes I think I should leave well enough alone and be happy with my pictures of last year's flowers. But the hydrangeas with their huge floppy heads that look like they should be on some 1950's Easter bonnet, just beg to be photoed. They are the perfect shade garden flower. They look cool, mature, and dignified; unlike the big blooms of spring, the rhododendrons, those rowdy show offs of vibrant color in April and May.


This climbing hydrangea smells wonderful when warmed by a bit of afternoon sun.



The Lady in Red has long red stems that flop to the ground in a tangle with the weight of its blooms. She is under the apple tree and this is really quite a sorry bed. I must rethink that area and get the 'lady' some more suitable companion plants.




Lime foliage always shows off blues and purples to perfection.

A Tidy Shed

Every summer 'Clean out the shed' is on my list of chores. This time I think it took 2 years before I tackled it. The day started out gray and cold. The sun did not appear till about 2:00. That was a relief. Cleaning the shed is like working in an attic; no fun on a hot day. So now you see the plastic pots are stacked and stored;

Implements are hung, sort of by highest or similar use.


And best of all, a shelf and the potting table are free of clutter. The shelf and table will hold plants that need to wintered over and seedlings that need an inside start in early spring. At least that is my plan.


I should have taken a 'before' photo. It was a mess! The other half that houses the mower, the the blower, the power saw and wheel barrow...that is Chris' responsibility. It's time to put my feet up!

The Elusive Summer

It is here one day and gone the next. Summer is not taking hold here like it usually does. None of those days on end of blue skies and 72 degree weather. I walked to the end of Seola beach Drive to see the fireworks on the 4th wearing my garden boots and a raincoat that fell to my knees AND I had a sweatshirt on underneath the raincoat. Then we had three days of glorious hot, HOT weather with windows open, shades down, and fans whirring: Anna Rae even decided it was easier to sleep in the basement one night, rather than toss and turn in her breeze less bedroom. Then back to clouds a drizzle or two in the morning and today it is noon and "Tadah!" the sun is out, so off we go, on a hike to Rattlesnake Ridge.

It was an easy hike and as always, well populated with people of every age and fitness level; from a baby in a front pack that looked to be no more than a month old, to aging men puffing along, their beer bellies shiny with sweat. At the ridge there were about 15 to 20 people. I always try not to watch the people. I get all nervous when I see someone getting close to the edge. Last year someone DID fall to their death from the ledgee (fortunately I was not there to see it). The hikers I was most impressed with were two little boys no more than 3 years old. Their parents were not carrying them and there they were; about a quarter mile left to get to the top. They were not moving fast but they did not seem daunted. Once we returned to the bottom of the trail Anna Rae took a swim. It was too cold for me!