Goodbye to May, a month of changeable weather from polar vortex cold to lots of rain to stifling heat and humidity.
Hello to June – what will you bring?
May was the month of growth in the garden, and it almost changed daily. We also had a fair bit of rain in May which helped the plants (and weeds) grow rapidly. The problem with rainy days and heat is it brings out all the mosquitos and black flies and at times it was unbearable to be outside.
The blooms are popping up all the time, from solomon seal, to ajuga, to sand cherry, to bleeding heart, to mid sized iris, to poppies. The trilliums came as white blooms and left as pink blooms. They had been transplanted last Fall so I was pleased to see they had survived.
I have given rock gardens a whole new meaning. Over the winter and during the quaran’tea’n time I’ve been painting lots of rocks. Most of them get hidden when we go out and about. But during this stay at home time that hasn’t been happening. So I decided to put them all out into my garden instead of all over my dabbling room floor (the place where I dabble in all sorts of craftiness)
Leading from the front of the house to the garden is a path, rather like a small alley now as the lilacs have grown so big all this path. This path has another rock garden, of all the little painted rock houses I’ve done over the years. This past winter I had them all inside for repairs and renovations.
Be sure to have a look at my rock projects and see all the other types of rocks I’ve painted.
The tea thyme tree was set up in the honeysuckle shrub for another year. Right now the honeysuckle is laden with blooms.
The veggies were planted. Several types of tomato plants, climbing beans, scarlet runner beans and Egyptian Walking onions were planted, along with nasturtiums, sweet peas and 4 o’clocks. I can already see some of the seeds poking through the ground. The promise of good things to eat soon.
It is important to have a regular routine of activities. At first during this time I started my Sew a Little Happiness project. Another of my quaran’tea’n projects was to learn/practice a new tangle each day. These are all done in a little book and easy to flip through for reference. Now gardening time is here I have a set time outside everyday, depending on the weather or the bugs! So it is walk/exercise, garden time, sew/tangle time, more garden time, read, knit/crochet while watching a bit of television. What is your daily routine like?
I’ve also made some larger pictures of the different tangles I’ve been learning. One is all different houses, to represent the stay at home scenario we have all been experiencing for the past several weeks (since mid March). I’ve been calling them zendoodles, probably not the correct term, but one that I like.
Crafty’s interpretation of zentangle
- zen = calm or serene
- doodle = random patterns and swirls
- tangle = patterns of lines within a space
- zendoodle = calm drawing of patterns and swirls
- zentangle = calm drawing of repeating patterns
More of my doodles, zentangles, zendoodles
May is a goodbye and hello month for birds. The winter birds say goodbye and we say hello to the wrens, orioles, grosbeaks and hummingbirds.
The rhubarb got picked and stewed. Most gets frozen for use over the winter in homemade applesauce or over ice cream. But some gets made into apple/rhubarb crumble.
Rhubarb recipes:
I actually like the stewed rhubarb a bit watery, as I drain it off and save the liquid for a refreshing drink. I did see a recipe that used watery stewed rhubarb, pineapple juice and ginger ale. You could mix in whatever you have at hand to make your own concoction.
Although annoying and pesky the red squirrels and chipmunks are fun to watch and photograph.
May has been a busy month both inside and outside. I hope you enjoyed my peek Through the Garden Gate. I’m sure June will be the same.
I’m sharing with
Kim
It’s a delight to see your gardens and your projects, all your creative works. I used to wonder what I’d do if I were at home, not having to commute back and forth to work daily (I’m lucky to be able to work remotely now). The answer is: nothing! Not one darned thing. No motivation at all. LOL. Anyway, I hope June brings a haircut. And the opening of dental clinics for non-urgent things like cleanings!
Crafty Gardener
I hope June brings the opening of hair dressers too Kim, mine is getting really long and shaggy and bushy. Hope the working from home with Derry as your assistant is working out. Keep smiling and enjoying your daily walks.
Jeannie
Oh, Kim! A haircut and dental cleaning were the very first things I did after our lockdown was lifted! (Lower middle, Tennessee, USA, small town). I couldn’t even recognize my dental hygienist nor understand her mumblings because she was so wrapped up in personal protective equipment. It is all worth it. I have a friend who caught the virus and it has been horrible.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry.blogspot.com
Myrtle
As always, I have enjoyed your post and yes we start the month of June tomorrow, if only it would feel like it, not here, we are back into March temperatures for a few days then warm up again.
I sure wish I had some of your creativity, but since I do not I thoroughly enjoy your posts. Have a good last day of May.
Crafty Gardener
Hi Myrt, hoping June is a nice month, certainly warmer than the last couple of days of May.
Jennifer Jilks
I forgot about the rhubarb! I must go look…
Crafty Gardener
Mine is over producing, too bad you aren’t closer or I’d be giving you some.
Linda
Your garden is lovely, I love the rocks so pretty and you have so much wildlife to observe, the weather here has been so dry we need rain to get things moving my plants seem to be taking so long to grow. I have never tried zendoodles they look very intricate. I’m spending most of my days in the garden while the weather is warm because knowing our climate it won’t last, lots of crochet, knitting and thanks to your inspiration embroidery too. Have a great week. xx
Crafty Gardener
Thanks Linda, The weather is changeable here too, have to enjoy it on the days it is nice. I just started a new crochet project, a work along from our local yarn store, and it is going nicely. I will be a shawl, pointy at one end and getting wider as work progresses. I’ll share it soon, if not here, on Instagram. Hope you are having an outside day today.
Margy
Your tangles look like a lot of fun. You are handling this extended time at home much better than I am. I have painting supplies laid out since early May and haven’t touched them yet. Love all your new painted rocks placed in the garden. – Margy
Margie
Your tea thyme tree is my favourite part of your garden!
I’m working from home full-time. I don’t have much of a green thumb, but I’ve done some weeding.
I have a rhubarb ginger black tea from a local tea company. I’m looking forward to trying it out!
Veronica Lee
Your lovely garden and creative projects are such a joy to see!
Happy Wednesday!
betty - NZ
You sure had a lot going on during the month. I love your rock village, it’s a clever way to decorate! Your flowers are gorgeous and I enjoy seeing your other projects, too.
Thanks for being a part of ‘My Corner of the World’ this week!
A spirit of simplicity
What a beautiful garden. We’ve been busy in our garden as well.
Diana Studer
The hairs, sigh. I have carved a second slice off mine.
Your tangles look a good way to enjoy passing time.
Sarah
Thank you for joining in ‘ Through the Garden Gate’, your garden looks lovely. I wish we had some of the rain you have been having! Your painted rocks and tea thyme is such fun! I was inspired by your zendoodles, I need to create more doodle patterns! Sarah x
craftygreenpoet
Lovely photos, your garden is beautiful! Your painted rocks are wonderful and your doodles too!
Jeannie
I LOVE your rock garden and how you have painted them. I have one also but mine is not as fancy…perhaps I should follow your lead (now that I’m inspired) and paint one also.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
Rambling woods
It was a snow to hot here…. How interesting those designs are..
margi
You are very artistic! Your ideas are wonderful. Like your garden.
Sallie (FullTime-Life)
Oh Linda, I am not crafty at all … I mean AT ALL … but I am sooo tempted by your tangles or zen doodles or whatever you call them, they are wonderful and I love the idea. I’ve bookmarked this post and will be coming back to watch the video and read more about it as soon as I get caught up with blog visits. …… and of course your garden plants, flowers “rock gardens” and your birds are wonderful. And it’s really neat that you have a dabbling room!