Greetings! ...from Kimberly Shaw

Spring Fever

As April showers bring new flowers, new ideas have begun sprouting in my mind. My desk is layered in sheets of tracing paper from sketching designs, doodling notes of concepts I want to develop, with other almost completed projects under the pile. 

I need to get organized, but with my garden just outside, the corn, beans, and melon seeds also stacked on my desk are anxious to be planted in their beds as soon as I clear some weeds.

The Nasturtiums have reseeded from last year while Black Eyed Susan, Echinacea, and Forget Me Not seeds were planted yesterday. I'm already anxious to see them sprout. 

The fragrance from the Grapefruit blossoms are also calling me outdoors. A few showers are expected today which will help me stay focused on the projects on my desk. But, as soon as the sun peaks, I'll be in the garden.

Happy first day of April!!!

White as Snow

Even though it's Winter here in Southern California, the closest thing to snow is the last rose left blooming in my garden.  

Plumeria Tea

I know this summer I have digressed from blogging about tea or art.  Thanks for graciously  humoring me while I got sidetracked by old cars, canning tomatoes and figs, pizza, new kitties, and more pictures of old cars.  I tried really hard not to post my daughter's newest purchase, a '65 Ford Falcon.  But I've been swung back to my love of tea and teacups when Georgia picked these very fragrant blooms from the Plumeria in the front yard and set a teacup full of them on each of our desks.

Aren't these pretty? I only wish I could cause their sweet fragrance to sweep past you as a gentle breeze blows by. The smell is glorious!

But please promise me you won't make tea from Plumeria blossoms. According to the poisonous plant sites, Plumeria can cause a rash and if your dog or cat eats it, they may have digestive trouble and your vet bill will go up.

Hoping your Summer is a pleasant one!!!

Abundant Harvest

I have never had such a large harvest of tomatoes. Come to think of it I've never had a harvest this good of anything. This is about half of the tomatoes so far. Some we already picked for salsa and more are on the vines. I can't remember what kind they are, plus with their vines all intertwined and covering up their labels I'm not sure I'd be able to tell them apart. I can tell you they are sweet & juicy. We'll be making more salsa with the ones cut up in the bowls, Margarita pizzas, tomato sauce and just eat the sweeties as they are.  Hope the neighbors need tomatoes, too, because they'll be getting a knock on their doors today.  Seeing God's abundant blessings reminds me of this verse:

The LORD your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. Deut. 30:9

Garden Critters

This fuzzy Caterpillar was found on my Artichoke plant and this baby Black Widow crawled up for a visit.  Yes, this little white spider is a Black Widow.  I just learned that the newly hatched Black Widows are white with small dark spots, which change to stripes as it molts, before turning black.

When small,  the Black Widow is less venomous, but the adult female is the most venomous spider in North America, 15 times more toxic than Prairie Rattle Snake venom.  The Black Widow is generally shy, but she becomes aggressive when harassed or her nest is disturbed. 

I'll leave you with a prettier picture of small blossoms on my newly blooming Lady Banks Rose vine, which is what lured me into the garden in the first place.

Beeing Thankful

This little bee paused for a moment just before going into the center of this rose, as if it was giving "Thanks" to its Creator.

Once inside, it buzzed and wiggled in the pollen, like a small child who had the  multicolored balls at Chuck E. Cheese all to himself.   Oh, to be able to say, "I work all day in the center of lovely fragrant blossoms." She was a joy to watch, and I gave "Thanks" to our Creator that she came for a visit to my garden.

Spring Blossoms

   

  

A few of my favorite flowers to groe are pink Lilies, Lilac vines, tall Hollyhocks, Camellias, invasive Primrose, and Zinnias.

What are your favorite garden flowers?

Pink Tree Blossoms

Now that I'm working at home, I set up my work space where I can watch the fruit  trees in my yard blossom. Flowering trees are one of my very favorite things.

Apples, Apricots,

and Pomegranates.

It's amazing to me how a tree that looks dead all winter comes alive in spring bringing the hope of delicious fruit.

"Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so." Genisis 1:11

Passion Flower

What a treat!!!  My generous neighbor shared this exotic bloom with me which was overflowing into her yard from her neighbor on the other side.

The Passiflora or 'Passionflower' acquired its name from descriptions of its flower parts given by 17th Century Spanish priests in South America.  Referring to Christ's suffering, the parts represent the various elements of the Crucifixion. The five petals and five sepals represent the ten faithful disciples, less Judas the betrayer & Peter who denied Him.  The corona filaments are the crown of thorns.  The five stamen with anthers match the five sacred wounds & the three stigma the nails.  The elaborate flowers last only one day, symbolizing the one day Jesus was on the cross.