Derby Gardens

The city of Derby hosts a Garden Tour during Derby Days. This is the second year for it. These are all private homes. Take a peek at the gorgeous things we saw today. Yard/gardens reveal so much of the personalities of the home owner. What does your yard/garden tell us about you?

Cute boots by the front door! Fish in the garden

Planted teapots in a row

Sculpture in the Garden!

Banana Plant

Cute plant marker

Derby Days

All small towns have their celebrations of their beginnings. Derby is no different. At the beginning of summer we start our weekend celebration with the Derby Days parade. Every parade has to have fire engines, clowns, horses, kids, floats, cars (old and new), and politicians. This year's parade was a good one - long and full of participants as well as observers. Our little city was voted in Family Circle magazine as one of the ten top places for families - and also was mentioned as a top place to retire. It's a great middle-sized town in which to live!

Memorial Day 2008

All across our nation today people honored those who have served our country in the armed forces. This has been a day for family to remember those close to us who have died. It's a time for family to gather and enjoy one another and remember. Our family did that. God bless America!

Ducks

We have little neighbors we didn't know we had. We were working in the backyard today and were surprised to see a mother duck and 4 ducklings swimming on our top pond. Mom got out of the pond when we approached and the babies went for a joyride down the stream and over the falls to the bottom pond. She rounded them up and swam for a bit but then decided to hide. We don't want ducks on our pond but we can't kick them out right now! CUTE!!

Friends

Our friends, the Stoners from Pennsylvania, have been in town for their grandson's graduation from high school. The Stoners lived here for alot of years and were very good friends. They come back frequently to visit their daughter and family and we benefit as well. Their home is Red Lion, Pennsylvania, now and that makes a great place to visit for us. We met with some other friends at Village Inn for breakfast this morning before they head to Pleasonton, California, for a grandaughter's graduation from high school. Life-long friends are great to have!

Projects

I have a very talented husband - who can DO almost anything I propose to him. He made me two obelisks - by the end of summer we will hopefully have them covered in Black-Eyed Susan Vine and Morning Glories. He also made my glass flower. I did the glass work (I was so lucky to find a great votive for the center on it - looks just like the "real deal") and he did the copper work. We made two of them and gave one away to friend for her birthday.

Iris and Roses

The roses are just now starting to bloom. I love the "Knock Out" roses - they need such little care. The individual flowers are not as pretty as the others though.

This iris is blooming its heart out right now. I've always called it a "water iris". However, it does well in the flower beds and blooms there too. I'd call this a very hardy plant!

Geese on the Lake

On our little lake each Spring we have some new families of Canadian geese. This Spring we have two families with about 6 babies each. The geese are a pest usually but you can't help but love the babies. All babies are cute! Yesterday they seemed to have a "play date". The little ones were all playing together while the parents rested.

Thrift Store and Estate Finds

I found this bird cage at an estate sale this last weekend - no birds to use it here but I thought it made a pretty nice planter for the patio.

This basket was at a local thrift store with old railroad spikes in it. I sent the spikes to the recycler and used the basket for a planter for some succulents.

Happy B-day and Mother's Day!

We celebrated Mother's Day with all our family (daughter and family, son, in-laws, son-in-laws' niece and husband). We had dinner, birthday cake, and then opened our gifts. This is my mother with her friend John and one of her favorite aides at her assisted living facility. We had pie with the residents and their families this afternoon.

We had two celebrations in one today. My favorite grandson (only have one) had his 6th birthday today. He's a pretty precious little boy and we all feel so lucky to have him. Happy Birthday, Phoenix!

Glenda's Birthday

Today the Ladies got together to celebrate Glenda's birthday - not telling which one but she won't see 60 again! We got together at the local pizza establishment.

Glenda asked for plants and that's what she got . Her yard should be prettier now with her new additions.

Pretty Blooms

The yard is the prettiest in late spring and early summer.






Chives

Dwarf Japanese Lilac

Snowball bush

Lily of the Valley

Coreopsis and salvia

Ladies With Books

Our book club met at Erlene's last night to discuss Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. We all agreed that this book about a homeless man and an upscale international art dealer and his wife was a great book! It'a a book of faith, friendship, and compassion. No one denied crying while reading this book! Erlene had great refreshments - sandwiches from the "dumpster" (just kidding - they had a bite out of them though) and chocolate pie. We always try to find an idea from our books for our refreshments. Erlene did great! We're all looking forward to next month's selection - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It's Sharron's choice - she promises a wonderful HIGH TEA.

Spring Gardening

There are numerous ways to use "junque" in your yard. The plants are still adjusting to "life outside" (in the cool). They've been in the greenhouse all winter.

The spirea is blooming. I love draping spirea.

The dianthus is blooming as well. I wish it lasted longer!

One of the cutest planters I've seen! I saw them last year and went to Walmart to purchase them and they were out. This year they are everywhere.