Monday, June 13, 2011

Hidden Cameras

Have trowel, will garden.  Despite the Polar Bear MD's advice, we went back to doing what we always do. 

Gardening.

This past weekend's weather was glorious, we had an inch of rain on Friday night followed by a cool and glorious Saturday and Sunday.  I love weather in the upper 60's and low 70's.  Just right for digging in the garden.

Joel was gone for several days on a fishing trip and Dave was here and there most of the weekend, so we kind of lost track of time and didn't quit working until it was too dark to see.  Time flies in the garden, doesn't it?  You go out to work and before you know it, hours have sped by.  We were pruning pine trees and weeded the Quarry on Saturday.  Our plan was to work until 7:30 and then get ready to go to a graduation party for David's girlfriend, Kayla, but since the days are so long, I didn't look at the time until it was 8:30 and still had to try to look presentable, well, at least take a shower, so we were late to her party.  Bless her heart, she understood!  She knows we are nuts.

On Sunday we had church and another graduation party at noon for Jessie, which was alot of fun, too.  Good food, great company and we didn't get home until 4:30PM.  We quickly shed our 'glad rags' (that's what my mother always called her Sunday clothes) and crawled back into our garden rags and back to work in the Formal Garden, still removing plants and transplanting so we can get that wall done down there.  I still say tearing an old garden out is harder work than starting with a new bed.  I just hate to pitch flowers to the compost pile.  I made a few phone calls and have another source for adopting them out, though, which is good. 

Joel came home very late in the afternoon and since I was covered in pine pitch, I asked him if he'd take pictures of the garden for me.  I always love to have guest photographers because everyone sees the same vista in a different way.

This morning I sat down to see what he photographed.  I was in for a shock.

Oh, my.

Ok, so the spelling isn't perfect, but what a goofball!
I told him to take pictures of the GARDEN, not the gardeners.
There's Carl & I, digging out iris.
Spying on the Old Folks and turning us into a Nature Documentary.

Yes, Joel, you've got that right.  I was wondering why he took this picture yesterday, he really startled me sitting in the shrubbery.  Now I know. Just wait 'til he gets home from work tonight.

Thankfully, he moved on to taking some much prettier subject matter:


Screech is always photogenic.
There's that mimulus again...I don't get the nickname 'Monkey Flower'
Doesn't look much like a monkey to me.
 
I wish dianthus lasted longer....love their fragrance.





I'm running out of time this morning, have lots to do.  My thanks to Joel for his photography last night, yes, even the sneaky ones.  I'm not fond of my picture being taken, but those are the memories worth keeping, aren't they?  Gardens aren't perfect all the time, just like life.  I have some pictures of the Elusive Lucille (my mom) that she would just love to destroy, but they are precious to me.  I wish I had more pictures of her working and doing every day stuff.  We don't live most of our lives in our Glad Rags, do we?
Joel took this picture of me with his phone one day in May....no I wasn't napping (or passed out) I was taking a picture of the daffodils. Hmmmm......not my best side.

But of such things, memories are made.
Thank you, Joel for being my guest photographer, and for your enormous help in making this garden happen.

And you've got some 'splainin to do when you get home!

 

22 comments:

Alison said...

LOL! I see your son has your sense of humor! Sometimes my husband takes unexpected pictures of me and I get upset. You are so good-natured to not only be amused by it, but to turn it into a feature on your blog.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

What a fun post with great photos of the head gardeners. The photography is wonderful. Flowers just gorgeous. Glad you are having nice weather to work in.

FlowerLady

Mäntylän Mummi said...

Your garden is so beauty ♥
I'm speechless... I go round...
Greetings from Finland :)

Lona said...

Joel takes the best pictures and it seems he can get those flowers and gardeners at any angle. LOL! The yellow irises are so lovely Karen. I hope that 'Polar Bear' does not see the one with you laying down on the job. LOL!!!

Diana LaMarre said...

What a wonderful family you have, Karen!

I love that mimulus--although I don't see a monkey either.

I just took a pic of my one and only yellow iris to post later tonight.

I am with you -- high 60's - mid 70's -- perfect gardening weather!

africanaussie said...

Such a lovely selection of photos of your garden - I cant decide which area I like best - the angel is pretty, but then I also love the wide expanses of plants alongside the rock walls. That monkey face is a beautiful flower. Isn't it funny what strange positions we can get into while trying to capture that perfect shot?

El Gaucho said...

Very entertaining indeed, some very good garden pictures and some truly candid photographic insights. I know that my Dad will rue the day that he first lent me the camera while on vacation and asked me snap a few pictures of the family happenings.

Dandelion and Daisy said...

Cute pictures of the gardeners! Garden is looking lovely, as usual!

Unknown said...

What a great family, I know you enjoy every minute of them.

Randy Emmitt said...

Karen,

You in knee pads, priceless!! All kidding aside I just loved the water drop in the leaf. Your gardens look so wonderful, to think not long ago it was mostly snow.

Bonnie K said...

Joel has a great sense of humor! I'm so happy for you. A day in the garden is so precious. The flower photos are excellent. I really like the drop of water on a leaf. Thanks for sharing it was a fun post.

Anonymous said...

Karen, your garden is so pretty, I love the rock work you guys have done. Your son did a great job sleuthing around for photos, and you came up with a good post, so don't be too hard on him.

Junebug said...

What a great post! I love Joel's pictures and how cute his commentary was. Your garden is coming alive with blooms, so pretty. Yes, the knee pads show just how much hard work you do. I really enjoy my visit because you always put a smile on my face. Hugs!!!

Rosemary said...

Joel did a great job. I too lose time in the garden, polar bear MD has no idea what a joy gardening is or how hard.

Darla said...

You can't get on to him Karen...he has your sense of humor running all through his veins! I adore this post...and his photography is quite good I might add.

Lisa Sall - Sall's Country Life said...

So glad to see you threw out that awful doctor's advice and kept doing what you love to do. I can't tell you how upset I was reading your last post! I could not even respond to such ineptness and believe me I tried! Seeing you in your gardens is like watching da Vinci painting! Today I chuckled at your son's sense of humor and breathed a sigh of relief as I see you getting some cardio exercise in moving those iris! Happy Gardening Friend and glad the weather is staying at those perfect weeding temps (here too)!!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Karen, your property already looks so lush and filled in. I can't wait to see all of the flowers you planted.

Eileen

Karen said...

Thank you everyone, and don't worry about Joel, he's not in trouble!

Nellie from Beyond My Garden said...

I've just found you tonight. Your garden is lovely but you must never sleep. I didn't see any weeds!
nellie

Toni - Signature Gardens said...

Lovely shots of the garden...and gardeners :-)

Say, I am planning a visit to Wisconsin in early August. Would it be okay if I came by for a garden tour (along with a few family members)? Please email me at signaturegardens@verizon.net to let me know. Thanks Karen.

Wally said...

I'm glad you've had some lovely weather, some happy celebrations and some productive times in the garden. I can identify with the losing track of time and being late. Great photos in this post, including the Attenborough-esque ones of the gardeners in their natural habitat.

Pam's English Garden said...

Dear Karen, I love Joel's sense of humor. I like your idea of having a guest photographer, but I would be a bit nervous myself, as I probably wouldn't be able to publish some of the pictures. P. x