Flowers, Colors, Beauty

This is what summer is about, for me anyway....flowers, colors, beauty,  Many times last winter I found myself going back through the images from last summer just to replenish my soul with the colors and beauty of summertime.  Back in the 80's my sweetie and I took a trip to England and I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the gardens there, from the simplest front yard garden to the massive beauties found around the estates and castles.  I was determined to create my own little patch of beauty when I returned home.  My first garden was no more than about 20x20 feet at the side of our home.  And since that time I have added front yard gardens, back yard gardens, mailbox gardens, driveway gardens.   All began as sun gardens only to be gradually converted to shade gardens as the trees began to grow blocking the sun.   I have a few sun flowers, but they are gradually being overtaken with shade.  Remembering back when we first moved into our home some 35 years ago, like all new subdivisions there were absolutely no trees in sight.  As we planted our trees, no more than sticks at the time, I never would have imagined the shade that those small trees would later provide.   And since there is so much shade, I find myself going to garden centers with camera in hand, taking pictures of the bounty of colors that I cannot grow in my shade gardens.  Eventho I cannot grow many of the flowers that grace gardens filled with sun, my trees provide shade and coolness during our hot summer days.  So trading sunny gardens for the coolness that the trees bring is a good thing (as Martha would say).  

Yesterday,during our weekly girlfriend gathering at Barnes & Noble, we watched the dark clouds begin to roll in.  We all decided perhaps it was time to leave and reach home before the heavens opened and the rain began.  I made it home right before the rains came and took this image of the gathering clouds.  Pretty scary huh??  Nothing dangerous happened, just lots and lots of rain.

Which made for nice raindrop pictures after it subsided....

And finally, my contribution to Theresa's meme (TexWisGirl - Run A Round Ranch) Good Fences. Nothing better than a good old adorned, rusty fence.

"What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade." ~Gertrude Jekyll

Until next time.....