Gardening, anyone?

Thanks, guys.

January is so bleah. I am dreaming about spring. In the meantime, here is an old picture from my childhood farm in central Ontario. This picture reminds me of the spring flowers and the old split rail fences.

Thistle

Split-bean- in Pennsylvania where I once lived and had a big garden, the most common fences were split rail. They made wonderful stages for flowers of all kinds. Spring bulbs naturalized freely, as did old fashioned day lilies and Queen Anne's Lace. And lots and lots of peonies. They last upwards of 40 years and seem to require no care whatsoever.

I used to drive home from work on an old country road and there was a farm that put out metal cans of peonies. Big handfuls for $5 a bunch. I would buy arm loads full and fill the house with wonderful smell, as beautiful as, but hardier than roses.

Here in Oregon, we have naturalized blue lupines, native azaleas and naturalized foxglove. It's like a parade in the spring. No split rail fences though.

Split- your magic photos keep drawing memories and stories out of me! Thanks!

Nice! I love watching them in the slightest of breezes.

I lived in a town here in a river valley. The freezing fog was spectacular but I never got a photo that could do it justice. Imagine this all over every tree in town...

Yes, Splitbean, incredible picture of frozen branches!.

The photo of spring flowers is just singing to me; they're the perfect accompaniment to the split rail fence. Because of my location in Ohio, the area is often referred to as both "The Ohio Valley" and the "Tri-State Area" because we're minutes from the West Virginia and Pennsylvania borders. I've always said there is nothing like spring in the Ohio Valley. Oh, when the magnolias are in full bloom and don't get ruined by a hard frost, they are a heavenly sight. And so many more visual delights. Yes, spring, my favorite season.

For a long time, I never paid much attention to ornamental grasses, but the pass two years, I've grown to absolutely love them and how much interest they add to a landscape. Jazzy, yours looks spectacular covered with snow. My yard is too small and already crammed with perennials, trees and shrubs, so since there's no room for the ornamental grass I try to simply enjoy the beauty in others' yards.

Jackie. Peony. Wow. Now that ranks up there as one of my all time favorites in a sea of flowers where it's really hard to chose which ones you like the best. I have several in my yard, but especially love a whole long driveway or yard lined with them in bloom. Magnificent sight AND smell.

Sometimes, I look up pictures of symmetrical flower gardens online and refer to it as my flower porn. Ha, ha, sort of what I consider the photos ya'll post here!

Divine- there is a group on Facebook called "Earth Porn" that has the most incredible photos from around the world. Places I have not been to, some that I have.

I like the idea of a "Garden or Flower Porn" group!

Teka is such a pretty girl!

What a gorgeous cat

Split-bean: I adore your little birdies! Now that my other cataract was fixed today, I can actually see my plentiful bird population so clearly!

Lovely kitty too. Mine is very pretty, but a cold blooded killer. I don't mind when she targets the rodents, but I hate her going after the birds. She's very patient. Here she is, in position:

Split-bean - I call it Snow Flowers! Lovely.

Jackiebird- good to hear your cateract got done.

Your calico girl is a beauty. What is her name?

Wren- thanks for the suggestion of the colored ruffle. I'm going to do that.

She was "procured" from Craigslist from a family who let their cat have two litters. They said she had never been outside, so I think she is self- taught. She does seem to head towards the screen door (and has succeeded in entering and spitting things out at my feet) every time she gets something, so I think it's mostly fun and gufits fir me, haha.. Yack. I have no evidence that she has eaten anything, but I can't be sure.

Her name is Tutti, as in Tutti Fruity, aka Her Royal Bloodthirstiness. Tutti is also to represent the Italian word for "everyone" and from musical scores, which when encountered, it indicates the whole orchestra to play. I wanted to commemorate during chemo how everyone in my world, IRL and also priceless new friends here on bco, came together in unison, to carry me through. It took everybody.

She has quite beautiful facial markings too. It kind of looks like she has eyeliner on. Amazingly, the dog tolerates her,mand I occasionally find them curled up together when they think I'm not looking.