Quote – II Corinthians 5:17
Author: Timelesslady
Married with children and grandchildren. Reader, writer, painter - maybe a bit of an artist. Gardener... Led by the Spirit.
Pathways & Perspective Part 5 – The Path of Time
In this photograph, my grandson is five or six years old. He is my first grandchild. Becoming a grandmother is a dream that did not disappoint. It was, is, and I hope will always be, even more precious than I had hoped the relationship would be when I first heard the news of his impending birth.
He just turned eighteen and graduated from high school in the same month. The colors for his school match the color of the shirt he wore all those years ago as he marveled over the pea-sized tomatoes I grew in my garden.
A mystery: rain recently washed up a small sand toy he and his brothers played with in the backyard sandbox. Once, I might have packed it up or even thrown it away, but now it is a treasure. Cleaned up, it will be placed in my keepsake drawer, a reminder of how fast time goes and a delightful prompter of lovely memories. God bless you all on these pathways we walk as we travel through life.
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Pathway & Project Part 4 – Atlantic Ocean & Delaware Bay
I might be slightly stretching the challenge subject of passages/paths to consider walking alongside the ocean and bay a pathway, yet my way has a water border and dry sand on the other side. I walk on the wet, hardened area swept over by the waves. On further reflection, I think of walking along the ocean, a definite path.
The first photograph is one of my favorite places, Fortescue, New Jersey, along the creek that flows into the Delaware Bay. This area is a popular spot to fish. Again, I found the photograph quickly because it is set aside as a scene I would like to paint.
Another favorite area is Strathmere, New Jersey. We walk to the point across from Corson’s Inlet State Park. The beach has large cordoned-off areas for the shore birds that raise their young in the sandy stretches beyond the reach of the waves.
Whatever beach I visit, I collect an assortment of ocean treasures. I keep them in baskets and jars, paint them, craft with them, and have them in my living room as decor. Today, I created a decorative basket with a few. I especially like the piece of seaglass on the front. I found the glass with the small oyster shell firmly attached. I imagine that oyster had quite a whirlwind life while it was alive, tossed around in the waves with its piece of glass host. The small shell included on this piece is a cat’s paw collected on Sanibel Island.
On the subject of Sanibel, I’m including a clip of one of my favorite YouTube Channels: SWF Beach Life. This clip includes Sanibel Island. I love her channel; it is so relaxing and fun to live through her as she gathers beachy treasures. On a scale of 1 – 10, I give this YouTube channel a definite 10. If you feel stressed, or are just interested in seashells, check out this channel.
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Passages & Pathways Part 3 – The Paths of Home/Glen Lake
Glen Lake Park: This park has benches all along the lake and is maintained by the students of Kindle School. The lake recently has been fitted with fountains and lights. Glen Lake is stocked for fishing. It also is rather shallow and often freezes over, providing a nice place for winter outdoor ice skating. ~Our Town
Glen Lake, a small pond near our home, is a favorite destination for a quick walk. Early morning is my favorite time to circle the paths along its perimeter. A clue to its size is how easy it would be to throw a pebble across its breadth.
Although morning is my favorite time to visit, sunset can be beautiful, too. I love this photograph of my husband walking a pathway of sunlight shining through the trees surrounding Glen Lake. Way back in time, we took photographs of our wedding party beside this lake when we got married.
So often, we want to find beauty in our travels, but for most of us, there are colors and incredible scenes of sunlit splendor right outside our back door. It could be a body of water, such as this small pond near my house, or something as starkly beautiful as a dandelion growing in a crack in the sidewalk.
Wherever your pathways and passages take you today, I wish for you to find beauty that will touch your soul.
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Passages & Pathways Part 2- A Week of Paths/BI and Longwood…Again
It’s day two of the Pathways and Passages challenge, and I’m still walking the paths of Block Island and Longwood Gardens in my imagination. We often stayed in a Block Island Bed and Breakfast called the Sea Breeze Inn. It’s been well over a decade since we spent a week on the island, but we still remember one of the biggest draws of the place, its beautiful location, and the innkeeper, Gabby.
In the photograph, Gabby is standing on the path that leads to the room we always booked for our week’s stay. I wish we had kept in touch and could still withdraw to the wondrous room with its high ceilings and comfortable furniture. Every morning, Gabby brought us a basket filled to the brim with a pot of coffee, muffins, Danish pastries, fruit, and many delicacies to start the day. I often wonder where life has taken her, if she still lives on the island, or if she has moved to the mainland.
This well-dressed lady piqued my fancy one October day while visiting Longwood Gardens. I didn’t know her, and perhaps it is not polite to take a photo of someone just because you admire their outfit, but I loved her hat with its sassy bow, the red coat, and the posh bag she carried. Her long skirt was the perfect complement to the coat. So cute! In hindsight, I wish I had told her how beautiful her outfit appeared as she walked the pathways in the gardens. The photograph was taken in 2009. One of these days, I will attempt to create a watercolor of her. Fifteen years later, there is a lot of time between my first inspiration and getting around to it.
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Passages and Pathways – A Week of Paths/A Few Favorites – Part 1
I enjoy taking part in challenges. I thank Dale Cooper for today’s Cosmic Challenge/Passages and Pathways.
Today I’m including literal paths I have walked and enjoyed.
A pathway near the Bell Tower in Longwood Gardens; I have visited more times than I can count and always come away refreshed by the sights, especially in the winter when the conservatory is filled with flowers.
A perfect tree for climbing on the way to Clayhead Beach on Block Island, Rhode Island. I hope the tree is still standing. I have begun a watercolor painting of the tree, including a figure on the long, low branches with a book in her hand.
Block Island again, the same pathway; carrying beach chairs and paraphernalia to the beach at Clayhead is quite a hike, but it is well worth the effort.
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Phlutters & Phloral – IAVOM/Queen Anne’s Lace
In my part of Southern New Jersey, the temperature is in the 90s. AccuWeather says the real-feel temperature is around 104°. The hot weather is helping the caterpillars thrive. I have an abundance of them in the Butterfly House and each is born with a ravenous appetite.
Inside the houses, I have Rue, a host plant, and a few sprigs of parsley. The dill in the garden is still only in the small sprout stage since I planted it late. The fennel is suffering a bit in the heat, and since that is where most of the eggs for the Black Swallowtail Butterflies are laid, I don’t want to use it all. My goal is to concoct the perfect caterpillar feast for strong butterflies.
Queen Anne’s Lace, a host plant, is in bloom now, and the tall umbrella spires grow in hedgerows near my home. I took a walk with my cutting sheers in the hottest part of the day in hopes of collecting the wildflowers.
Unfortunately, the Queen Anne’s lace was not where I expected it to be. The sprigs I had seen a week or two earlier had bloomed and gone, and my walk became longer than I had planned. I did find more growing along the edge of the woods and cut several stems. By the time I got home, they were significantly wilted, and I wondered if I could use them as I had planned for the IAVOM challenge and afterward as food for the caterpillars. The Queen Anne’s Lace stems drew up water and eventually recovered. I used a Coca-Cola bottle as a vase.
Butterfly tip: The Queen Anne’s Lace, though the blossoms become frail, has stems that stay firm even after drying out. They are perfect for a caterpillar to use to form its chrysalis.
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Patriotic – Fourth of July/2024
Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him, who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust, in the best way, all our present difficulty.
~Abraham Lincoln
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Phlutters & Photo Challenges – Cosmic Photo Challenge/Contrasts
Yes, you are correct if you think this blog becomes inundated with butterflies at this time of year.
Today’s photographs are part of the Cosmic Photo Challenge, Contrast. The markings on the butterfly are an excellent example of contrasting colors. The butterfly contrasts nicely with the garden plants he rests upon as he finishes drying off his wings.
Another good contrast is the natural support of the butterfly chrysalis on the left compared to the one on the right. I save so many caterpillars; they sometimes bump finished chrysalises right off their mooring of spun web. I found the chrysalis in the papoose-like sling of string lying on the floor of the butterfly house. I am hoping it will develop properly and emerge perfectly.
- When I use string to repair a chrysalis resting place, I separate garden twine into single pieces. This is as close as I can come to mimicking the web they spin. It doesn’t harm the developing butterfly. I’ve had two emerge and fly off into the wide world after being put back into place with garden string.
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Phlutters – First Butterfly 2024
The first Black Swallowtail butterfly was ‘born’ today. The high heat, present even in the morning, sped up the drying process, and the butterfly was ready to fly within two and a half hours. I took the butterfly enclosure outside, and the new butterfly easily flew into the world and quickly disappeared. Success!
I like the way the photo shows the web they spin to anchor themselves in place. Due to the number of caterpillars I was able to save, I’ve had a few mishaps. I’ll post some of the solutions later in the week.
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Phloral Arrangement – IAVOM/Coral and Cream
I’m attempting to have flowers on my kitchen table every day, especially in the summer months when my garden is bursting at the seams with colorful blossoms. This plan will fulfill two goals, and I will also create a vase for In A Vase on Monday. (IAVOM) This challenge is hosted by the Ramblings in the Garden Blog.
When I gazed out the window this morning, the coral petals of two roses grabbed my attention. They would perfectly match the lilies blooming in another garden bed. I added white Snapdragons and some cream-colored Echinacea to the bouquet.
The vase looked so pretty in the guest room I almost felt guilty moving it to the kitchen.
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Product – Miracle-Gro Composter/Tumbler
I purchased a composter/tumbler from Miracle-Gro this Spring. It was totally unassembled, so it took my husband about 90 minutes to put it together. A few connective inserts bruised his thumb as they were challenging to push into the frame. Yet, when the composter/tumbler was ready to use, it was all easy from that moment on.
I placed it in the back of the yard. The composter is not an eyesore, but it is only pretty if you are a gardener and recognize what you are looking at. I immediately added a bit of used potting soil, undiseased yard/garden clippings, and kitchen scraps. Every day I made sure to tumble the bins. When the first bin was full, I marked six weeks on the calendar, and today was the day I scooped out my first harvest of compost.
After removing the few sticks and roots that had not decomposed, I admired the dark, beautifully textured soil the composter created. I added it to the tops of my potted tomatoes. I am pleased with this wonderful garden product and recommend it. I purchased mine through Amazon.
- The only drawback to this product is that it is time-consuming and frustrating to connect some of the pieces.
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Phlutters – A Tragic Tale/Butterflies Part I
I had a rude awakening to one of the perils butterflies and caterpillars face. In mid-spring, expecting the butterfly chrysalis to hatch at some point, I brought the butterfly houses out to the porch and hung them from the ceiling. One day, checking them, I saw a delicate wasp of some sort had gotten inside the house and was trapped. Being a bit of a bleeding heart, I shooed the wasp out and felt I had done my good deed for the day. Wrong.
Two more wasps, surprisingly to me, also found a way into the house. I let these out also. Afterwards, I looked at the seven chrysalis on the sides. What! There was some type of hole in the sides of a few. I knew some parasite had attacked them.
When another wasp suddenly appeared in the house, I knew that it would not appeal to my softheartedness; I squashed it.
Trogus Pennator Wasps eat the swallowtail caterpillars from the inside out and emerge from the chrysalis. I can attest to the truth of this remark. Three overwintered chrysalis have opened in the past week or two, and beautiful Black Swallowtails have taken wing after the long wait. I have seen them fluttering over the fennel plants, and sure enough, I found several of the tiny eggs on inspection.
This weekend, small caterpillars appeared. I have twelve safely in one of two, new butterfly houses. I have also kept the older one from last year. Now that I have seen one of the parasitical threats they face firsthand, I will redouble my efforts and save as many as I can manage.
I will be keeping a 2024 Butterfly Diary. The link is here: Butterfly Diary 2024. It can also be found at the top of the blog page in the bar beneath the title. I will try to create a sidebar link too. Thanks so much for following the butterflies with me.
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Phlutters – Friday Skywatch/Yellow Swallowtail
A yellow swallowtail visited my Catmint yesterday.
The beautiful butterfly floated above the flowers, giving me time to capture a photo of its yellow wings against the bluest skies and fluffiest clouds.
The butterfly had newly emerged from its chrysalis. Its vibrant colors and details are a dazzling display of our Creator’s love. Unafraid, it allowed me to capture its beauty as it visited the blossoms, sipping the nectar from each small floret. At that moment, I was truly blessed.
This post is part of Skywatch Friday and Whatsoever is Lovely. Thank you to the hosts for the opportunity to take part in the challenges.
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People – Thank You to Those Who Have Served
In the USA, today, the last Monday in May, we set aside the day to honor our fallen veterans and others who provide outstanding service to others. In that vein of thought, I am using my Mr. Lincoln rose against blue and white to thank those who have given their all and also the men and women who have served.
Mr. Lincoln roses seem appropriate for this week’s In A Vase On Monday challenge. Thank you to Rambling In the Garden for Hosting this weekly challenge. I enjoy taking part in it.
Mr Lincoln’s roses are classic red roses with an outstanding fragrance.
God bless all who have served their countries with humility, honor, and strength.
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Photo Challenges – Cosmic Photo Challenges – Waterways
I’m starting Six on Saturday, with a view from my bike on the Glassboro-Williamstown Bike Trail.
The trail has several swampy areas. They are lovely and fairylike, with their carpet of duckweed. This photograph is my entry in the Cosmic Challenge—Waterways. Wild Roses border the swamp and trail.
Cinnamon Ferns grow lushly in the woods, and some are beginning to send up their center spike.
Wild asters are delicate in appearance but durable wildflowers.
Beautiful Mountain Laurel in full bloom.
The best photo of the day and the best scent was the honeysuckle. A bumbling bee was drinking the nectar as we passed by.
The beautiful honeysuckle and the bumblebee are my choices for Xingfu Mama’s Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge. I just noticed while looking closer that I also photographed two small ants on the honeysuckle leaves, unbeknownst to me at the time.
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Quote – Seek Him
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Problem-Solving & Pests – That’s Ugly
I’m laughing as I read through this, remembering all I have posted on how to chase away garden pests without harming them: water balloons, rubber snakes, jingle bells, etc. Here’s a new idea…yes, you can laugh, I never win 100% with the rodents or the bugs.
In the 1960s, our family’s favorite visitor was my Mom’s cousin, Norma. Norma lived in California, which alone made her quite the novelty since we lived on the other side of the USA in New Jersey. She always visited, armed with plenty of stories to entertain us. On one visit, she brought a hysterical book called ‘That’s Ugly.‘ The witty prose and the illustrations captivated us.
I say all that to introduce my latest pest and squirrel/chipmunk deterrent. Now, don’t get me wrong–I adore my squirrels. I walk around with peanuts to toss out to the friendliest backyard inhabitants. I don’t want to harm anything by using non-organic means to deter them.
Quite by accident, I discovered a perfect deterrent while filtering powdered garlic through a coffee filter. The resulting garlic water, combined with a drop of dish detergent, 1 tsp of baking soda, and a touch of oil, makes the underside of my rose leaves inhospitable to the sawflies laying their eggs on said leaves. After spraying the roses, I noticed that the garlic powder had dried to the coffee filter as if glued and still retained its potent smell.
I was thrilled. I now have made up several of these stinky filters. I put them in pots of newly planted sprouts; I hang them on hooks and skewers near flowers I don’t want nibbled. It is working. The adorable squirrels still get peanuts, but don’t bury them in my garden pots now. The problem is, the sight of them would be a perfect addition to the book ‘That’s Ugly!’ Honestly, it looks like my garden pots have been toilet-papered on Mischief Night. I hope I can remove the filters in a week or two, and the plants will be left alone.
*One note, the garlic actually becomes glue. If I don’t remove the filters from the pan while still damp, they dry and stick to whatever surface I have laid the on.
Long post short: Give it a try. It seems to organically keep the sawflies and digging rodents at bay.
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Phloral Arrangement – IAVOM – Hybrid
Monday morning, I’m enjoying the brilliant sunshine after a rainy Mother’s Day. My family was so sweet and showered me with flowers. All the raindrops were forgotten amid such love. The vase I’ve created is a hybrid, filled with flowers blooming in the garden and also with the small broken stems of the larger bouquets I received.
For today’s IAVOM, I used as a focal point a beautiful Iris that blossomed for Mother’s Day. I also included False Indigo stems from my garden, an excellent perennial for flower arranging. Can you spy the puffy chive blossoms near the Iris? The kangaroo paws, mini-carnations, tulip, and lily were broken stems from the Mother’s Day bouquets.
In memory of my mother, I placed a bunch of yellow tulips in the living room. In her last months on this earth, her house was filled with vases of silken yellow tulips. When I look at them, I remember her and the cheerfulness of the flowers she chose to place in her home. A Willow Tree figurine, titled Tenderly, seemed perfect to include.
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Planting – The Joke is on Me!
We have a beautiful and very large Photinia planted beside our back porch. I am in love with this bush, although it has grown so large that it might be considered a tree.
I sit beside the bush on the opposite side of the porch screen and admire the foliage, gazing also at the gorgeous white blooms adorning it. Unfortunately, relaxing on the porch has been marred for several days by my search for the dead animal filling the air around me with the scent of rotting flesh.
Today, I suddenly remembered reading that Photinia blooms have an unpleasant smell. No! Could it be? I went outside and took a whiff of a lower blooming flower cluster, and oh my…instantly knew I had found what I had thought was a ‘dead’ animal. To say the flowers smell bad is an understatement. Thankfully, we are not having company in the next few weeks, and the flowers will drop off…but not soon enough.
Seeing them on the tree is glorious; however, the joke is on me. This Spring, we needed to fill in a spot close to the original, and since we like our Photinia so much, we purchased another one. Next year, the smell will be doubled. Still, the tree is beautiful, and I even use the evergreen branches for floral arrangements. Live and learn…and next time, do better research about the characteristics of the trees before I buy. Seriously, folks, the terrible smell fills the whole yard. I giggle a bit when I imagine the neighbors searching their yards for the dead animal.
The Photinia growing in the garden is my post for Cee’s FOTD – Garden Scene.
The brilliant blooms against the sky are part of Skywatch.
