Mother's Day and I am working.

My sister and I had portraits made for mom this year. She received them early this morning before I called. She loved them. My sister bought the pictures, I framed them. We had to be a little sneaky to get them done.

In the garden, the first Stella D'Oro has bloomed.



Red Hot Pokers by the street are growing straight and tall this year. I started this from seed two years ago. It was just tiny little grass like seedlings for a few months. I expected blooms last year, but none arrived. The one in part shade is growing crooked again. I might have to move it this fall.



Self sown petunias are blooming. The colors range from light pink to this nice magenta.



More magenta in the rose campion. I have clumps scattered through the perennial bed. Seeds will be tossed as they ripen in the crape myrtle bed.



Various larkspur plants are in bloom.



An unknown hybrid tea rose. It's not fragrant, but the color is nice. It fades to a pinkish orange as it ages.



It's cool and 66 degrees at 2:37pm. The power went out last night due to a tree crashing into a transformer a couple streets over. Still no rain. Maybe next week. I'll spot water after work again this evening. The newly planted seedlings have to be nursed a bit to survive what is quickly turning into a drought. Only 1" of rain has fallen in the past 4 weeks.

Yellow

My garden has a lot of yellow. I need more red and orange next year.

Sunny Knockout is reblooming after being sheared back a few months ago prior to a move.



Stella D'Oro is also blooming.



The Maples in the wild are very yellow this year.



After work yesterday, I used the leaf blower/vac to shred all the leaves along my side of the street, in the driveway, and the front yard. They became mulch for the Neighbor's corner.



It's 55 degrees and threatening rain. Weather.com says we have a 75% chance all day and night. I hope it comes. We've been teased too much with cloudy, damp weather and very little rainfall for months. I'd like to see it rain 24 hours nonstop.

This afternoon, after work, I'll stay inside and clean the house. I've got bits of leaves, straw, and dirt all over the place. I've been thinking about returning to the kitchen, but I've just about decided to wait until it's too cold this winter to work outside. I've got paint to scrape, walls to repaint, a little more beadboard to finish, and countertops to install. I still managed to pickle and can 5 pints of green beans (purchased) and 2 pints of cucumbers using a recipe I found online. In three weeks, I'll find out if it's any good.

STELLA!!!!!!!

Stella D'oro from Carrie is blooming. She gave me 6 large clumps. I divided them into 14. This is the second one to bloom.



Buddleia is finally blooming. This is the mother plant. Pruned branches in February were shoved into the soil to a depth of about 8". Two of those are beginning to show color.



More sunflowers have opened. Esther's Mix.



Elephant ears perked up after watering.



Malva zebrina. I love this plant. Hardly any rust unlike my hollyhocks, and much showier flowers.



Okra. Yes, I did plant it next to the street. Why?



Some unknown thing is blooming white.



Rudbeckia hirta.



with Shasta Daisy.



30% chance of late afternoon/evening thunderstorms in the forecast. I hope they're right. Going to see Jackie's yard this morning. She wants advice on what to plant and where. Working the late shift. I hope it rains. 78 degrees and partly cloudy at 8:20am. 78% humidity.