Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Butterflies, Summer Flowers and an Old Quilt

We have had a special visitor to our garden lately.  Kristi has taken some wonderful photos of this pretty baby.. and identified it as an Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly.  He or she was enjoying the pretty Sweet Williams yesterday.


And then moved on to the Rose Campion.  I love the blue spots on the tail.  


I did a walkabout the farmyard yesterday and admired the sun shining through the Lilies that Kristi planted.


I enjoy seeing the baby tomatoes growing.



And I peek down into the Zucchini plant to see a tiny miniature zuke at the base of the flower.   



And this pretty flower?  It's NOT a good thing.  It's a Deadly Nightshade.  And I found that it had completely enshrouded my golden bamboo and it was down for the count!  Kristi is working on pulling this icky plant out today.


I am happy that my Day Lily is finally blooming.. now that Dayle has stopped mowing it.  :-)


I took this shot from up by the garden shed looking back at the deck and back door.  Someone needs to blow the pine needles off the roof.. but I also don't want Dayle up there.  So.. I think I will look at them as picturesque.  :-)


The flowers baskets are thriving.



My 4th of July rose continues to bloom and I continue to find them a feast for the eyes.. they do indeed look like fireworks exploding in the sky, don't they?


There are many flowers on each shoot.


Love my Lantana.



My Brachyscome - "Surdaisy Strawberry Pink" is happy.  See the pot on the right?  I made that when I had a pottery studio in the barn at our first house in Corbett.  I threw it on my potter's wheel - a Lockerbie kick wheel - and I glazed it and decorated it with Cattails and finished it off in my own kiln.  :-)  I did so love making my own hand-thrown pottery.


I planted a different variety of Moss Rose this year, but although the foliage is pretty, I don't think it has as many flowers as the other variety.  We'll see if that improves over the summer.


Kristi accidentally cut this Clematis when pruning and brought it in to me to put in a vase.  Pretty, huh?


Have I shown you one of my family treasures?  It's a quilt made by a friend of mine in Louisiana named "Granny Nell".  I was babysitting 4 children whose mother had run away and left them with their father who worked with my husband flying helicopters.  I made friends with the old woman who lived with her son and his family across the street, Granny Nell.  She was an accomplished quilter.  She was a wise and wonderful woman.  I would tell her how much I missed Oregon.. and my family and one day she said this to me.  "Teresa, you need to bloom where you are planted."  Such wise words!  I found that I was going to have my first baby while we were friends and I asked her if she'd make a quilt for my baby - after she was born and we knew she was a girl, soon I had this quilt for her.  I treasure it.  Are you blooming where you're planted? :-) 


The pattern is called "Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam".  See the little Scotty dog?


What's fun about this pattern is how you can use scraps of old fabric.. here she has two balloons.



Sam is chasing a butterfly.



And flying a kite.


Sue watering her flowers.  Each tiny stitch is done by hand by Granny Nell.  She's watering Hollyhocks.. and Hayden just opened the back door and told me our Hollyhock buds have begun opening.. and told me the color.  I promise to show you a photo in my next post.


While in New Orleans my daughter, sisters and I visited a shop that sold wonderful French tablecloths.  I fell in love, but did not buy one as quite frankly I did not have the room in my luggage.  So, a few days back I found them on Amazon.. and you know what I did, don't you? "Click".  Isn't this pretty?  Is it daring to put a fuchsia pink and lime colored tablecloth on one's table?



Time to pack my swim bag and head to the pool.  I hope you have a fun day ahead or if you're on the other side of the globe.. had one.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

19 comments:

  1. Teresa - Your flower photos are just gorgeous!! That quilt is beyond beautiful and so special. Have a good time at the pool!

    Judy

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  2. Stunning photos Teresa. The tablecloth is just gorgeous!!! Your pot is super - why do you no longer do pottery - excuse my nosiness. Enjoy your swim - Hugs Anne x

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  3. Gorgeous tablecloth Teresa, beautiful Indian colours. I love the sweet William and the butterfly is fantastic. The clematis is quite magnificent, how lovely to have a bloom like that in the house. The quilt is quite a treasure isn't it. I do so love handmade things. Enjoy the rest of the week Teresa. CJ xx

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  4. Oh i just love the leaves of your moss roses ! I have to find them next year. GORGEOUS flowers.
    The sunbonnet sue is such a classic. SOMEONE I read, now who? made on last year. I have to recall so you can go to her blog...let me thinK.....

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  5. Dear Teresa, Your flowers are so beuitful. There must be something marvelously organic in your Oregon soil, because flowers and plants just thrive on your farm. I am working on getting my garden soil in better condition, but it is going to take a few years. This farm has rocky, dry and neglected soil, but I'm big on composting and never let a good table scrap go unused, LOL.
    Your new table cloth is lovely; the colors are happy and uplifting, so beautiful:)
    Your quilt is truly a treasure. Did you use it with all of your children?
    Have a happy week.
    Your blogging sister,
    Connie :)

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  6. I have always believed in blooming where one is planted. I came to New Mexico from New York without ever having visited before. I got off the plane and now I lived here. It was scary but I made it work because I knew it was the right choice for my husband's career and for our family's life. I love it here and I wouldn't change my decision for anything. Home is wherever my husband and children are. The quilt is absolutely beautiful and it sounds like Granny Nell was a very wise woman and a good influence.

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  7. Beauiful flowers! I really like the pots. I bet the quilt means so much to you! It is beautiful! Seems like Sun Bonnet Sue has been around forever! Oldie but goodie.

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  8. Thanks for sharing more of the beauty around you, through the excellent photos you and Kristi took, Teresa. Granny Nell created a treasure for you both in the quilt and the advice. Blooming where I am planted is surely how I have survived and thrived in the 15 moves I have made as an adult thus far. I am amazed when I think of the lovely and interesting surroundings and people I have enjoyed. Yesterday the gentleman who provided a ride for me to the car dealership told me that he met his wife of 57 years when they were both 15 in high school together here in Gresham. He said that he had worked at the dealership all his career, but they do enjoy traveling from time to time. I think they bloom where they are planted, too :) xx

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  9. My mind boggles at the amount of hand stitching that went into that lovely quilt.....very special.

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  10. A beautiful feast for the eyes in your stunning garden. Yours tomatoes are looking wonderful already, mine have only just flowered so will be awhile. The quilt is stunning, made with love and holds so many wonderful memories, she was a wise woman. 'You need to bloom where you are planted' is such a great phrase. Have a good day.

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  11. Such a beautiful yard and gardens you have Teresa. I always enjoy looking at it through the eyes of your camera. That quilt is so beautiful. The stitches are amazing and I'm sure it was stitched with love. Bloom where you're planted. I need to do that instead of fretting over family being too far away.
    Blessings my friend,
    Betsy

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  12. Thank you for sharing so much beauty in your post today!

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  13. Gorgeous flower pics, as usual, Teresa! That quilt is absolutely adorable...what a treasure to have!! Love your new tablecloth. It's gorgeous!!

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  14. It is a very pretty tablecloth, not quite as pretty as your beautiful flowers though! They really are stunning, especially the roses. I am glad that you are blooming where you are planted, that is a very good saying and thing to remember isn't it. xx

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  15. How pretty your garden is looking Teresa.I love your pot, you are such an all rounder..so much talent and creativity in you. The sweet quilt is a treasure...I am sure your daughter will love to have it one day. Enjoy your swim x

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  16. HI Teresa! Your garden is looking abby. The quilt is very special and I love the tablecloth, ~ just my colours!

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  17. What a gorgeous tablecloth! Love the bright colors!

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  18. That quilt is wonderful--love the different scenes of childhood! The pot you created is also quite lovely! I love butterflies. This AM one flew near me and I followed its dance all the way to a nearby road. LOVE nature:)
    Blessings, Aimee

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  19. I love the story about the quilt, I am not blooming right now I have another cold and just want to sit around and do nothing, which is exactly what I plan on doing today.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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