The Monthly Bloom

January

The crocuses and camellias bloomed a little bit early this year. I took these photos back in January, though I'm pretty late posting them here, which means I've completed a year's worth of monthly blooms! My first monthly bloom post was last February. I'm a little sad to be wrapping up this series, but I know I'll be revisiting it often here, just not as monthly:) Our yard is so beautiful now, with pink, white, yellow, orange, purple,  and red all a bloom! And a beautiful new wooden fence is now in process in the back yard! I can already tell it's going to make such a difference back there and provide a much improved backdrop to our lovely blooms. I'll keep you posted!

The Monthly Bloom

December

*********Special Edition Addition*********

My last monthly bloom post was back in November! Not much was happening in our yard that month; the trees were vibrant with orange and yellow leaves, and I think the holly and nandina bushes were already brimming with berries, which were beautiful through January. Lots of these bright red berries graced our kitchen table and front door for the holidays, thanks to my mom.

We'll just say our November monthly bloom was 8 pounds, 20 inches long, and a boy! (for those of you who just keep up with me through this blog) And, I apologize it's taken me awhile to get back here. It's rare for me to have two hands free these days, and so much else needs to get done when that does happen. I started The Monthly Bloom series last February. So when the crocuses started blooming this January, I realized I just had a couple more months to make it a whole year of documenting our blooming yard! So, I'm catching up a little bit from the last few months. And, I'm excited about our new subject for a series of monthly photos to share with you here- he's really quite beautiful, and amazing. Lots more photos coming soon, but for now, meet Abe:

Abraham Carroll Eaton

November 24, 2011 at 8:12am

8 pounds, 20 inches

So much Joy!!!

of interest-

I posted some New Year's resolutions last January, and I find this one so entertaining:

3. Decorate for Christmas the Sunday after Thanksgiving (tree and all, no exceptions!)

NO EXCEPTIONS! What about being in the hospital with a brand new baby!? I guess I didn't see that one coming, but you'll be happy to know that we did eventually get out all the decorations to enjoy our first Christmas at home with little Abe :)

nine plus months o bloomin'

Lulu knows something is going on, but she has no idea she's about to meet her new best friend!!

I love our street in the fall. I think we're ready to start the walking/spicy food ritual every evening:)

See what I mean? We're ready when you are, critter or sweet pea!

I certainly won't mind packing up the maternity jeans.

So, if you're wondering what we've been up to... besides renovating two historic homes, filming a show for the DIY network, wrapping up art sales, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, making some meals to freeze, preparing for labor, attempting to wrap up some art projects, prepping prefolds... I think it's called nesting. Seriously, I had no idea how much "nesting" this momma had in her. It's time to take a break from the list-making. It really did get out of control a little bit, sorry Laurence. No more lists, for now:) Nine days until the "official" due date! Really, it's crazy to pick out one day, when it could be 14 days before or after that day, but in case you were wondering.

The Monthly Bloom

October

Occasionally Laurence comes home with little mystery plants in pots from a plant swap or sale.

 Like this "low growing" sunflower:

or this "blue" perennial:

that is taking over!

I'm learning to be weary of plant swaps and anytime someone's trying to get rid of something because they have too much of it. We've tried to transplant this swamp sunflower once already, but more keeps coming back where we originally planted it, thinking it was a low growing flower. 

It's been nice to have lots to cut and bring inside though:

Laurence also decided to throw these whole tomatoes in the freezer back in June. At the time I thought it was a little bit crazy- who wants mushy frozen tomatoes? 

They were perfect for Ina's Roasted Tomato Basil Soup! 

So glad I spotted them at the bottom of the deep freezer while we still had lots of basil in the garden.

A perfect fall meal with some grilled cheese on the side!

Can't wait to see what who blooms in November!!!

The Monthly Bloom

September

pretty persimmons

lots of cherry tomatoes still blooming

last of the peppers

aster taking over the bed

the sweet smell of fall sunshine

lavender blooming again!

Laurence's handy work

I'm getting pretty bad about posting these "monthly blooms" well into the next month, but all of the photos were taken in September. It's really a good way for me to try to keep track of what's happening in our yard throughout the year, so I'm making sure to document a little bit each month, even though we're not actually out working in the yard that much these days. I'm still hoping to get a little bit of planting in this fall, just not sure when yet.

The Monthly Bloom in the Volunteer State

From August:

I'm wishing I had documented my growing belly more so I could post some of those photos on this "monthly bloom." Maybe that can be for next month's installment :) We've had lots going on this summer, mostly working on the house to get ready for our BABY coming in November! Before we got pregnant, Laurence and I had an agreement that we could get chickens as soon as our house was finished, i.e. ready to be a home for a baby. Now we've got another good motivator, baby is coming soon, ready or not, chickens or not. Chickens are still a great incentive, but the house "to-do" list is... OVERWHELMING. And all I want to do is work in the yard. It's a mess, which is why I don't have any photos from it for you this month.

However, at some point we managed to get a few peppers, tomatoes, okra, and basil planted for our summer vegetable crop. It's not much compared to the last few years, but we've been pleasantly surprised by all the "volunteer" tomatoes and squash that we've found spread out among the weeds. Two nice butternut squash "volunteered" as well as lots of little grape tomatoes, which are surprisingly tasty. So, since it's football season and all, and since we celebrate any fireworks we hear during the home games, and since we live in the Volunteer State, in East TN, even though I really say WAR EAGLE, I guess a GO VOLS seems appropriate now.

Hurray for volunteer squash, football season, baby coming, and a three and a half year work-in-progress, well, still a work-in-progress. And, WAR EAGLE!!!

The Monthly Bloom

July

"A garden is never so good as it will be next year." - Thomas Cooper

I like this approach to gardening as my mind is filled with ideas and to-do's for fall in our garden - transplant all the irises, again, transplant the hostas that are getting charred in the July sun, plant more perennials, plant some fruit trees, maybe another crepe myrtle and some dogwoods, redo my containers with cool season flowers, maybe even plant some cool season veggies... it's just too hot to get out and do much right now. 

It is something though to see all of our persistent flowers smiling in the sweltering heat and putting up quite a fight with the obstinate and very sturdy weeds growing next to them. I like their attitude in the midst of difficult circumstances. And you know what, they'll be back and even stronger and heartier next year. I will be too, when the next project comes along. Ah, the lessons learned observing in a garden, and taking on new projects. Hoping to finish one up this week. I know, I keep saying that don't I.

The Monthly Bloom

from June:

I desperately need a somewhat cool free Saturday morning to do some weeding this month, or July's post is going to be very sad. However, here a few from way back in June, before the humidity and weeds took over. Are we in the dog days yet? I actually love them... doesn't get much better than long summer nights!