It's really warm here this week! It's probably ten degrees warmer than usual, and with the yard done I've been spending time out here. I love candle holders, and over time, I've found some interesting ones at various second hand shops. I use to put candles in them, but I would forget them outside and they would melt. This one makes a nice vase.
Over here we have a Painted Lady. We like to buy them as caterpillars, and then release them as butterflies. We had five this time, and will have another four soon.
The roses are beginning to bloom.
Here's another candlestick.
Our lettuce is huge, but our tomatoes have not red yet.
Our Angel Face rose is doing really well and has a heavenly scent. I know that I promised photos of the windows we had repaired and puttied the old fashion way, but the inside paint touch up on the wall is stalled and so is rehanging curtains. On a side note, my third finger wound finally closed. The previous day, we all agreed that it still looked bad, but then in the morning, after a good night's rest, it looked amazing. It was not stitch or glue worthy due to the location, and its depth, so the laceration has taken quite a bit of time to heal.
We're having unusually warm weather for this time of year. I'm sure enjoying it though!!! Your garden looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne. The early warm weather for you sounds wonderful.
DeleteWell, I admire the way you uniquely used the candlesticks! Once in full bloom, you garden will certainly be heavenly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lin. Have a wonderful day. xoox
DeleteLoving your garden photos, Su. I'm looking out my window right now, and although there is snow everywhere, there is also a pink sunrise. ;)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your finger is healing well.
Hugs,
Lin
Wow, I guess they were wrong that it was rain! A pink sunrise should make it better. Su xoxo
DeleteHow clever to put the candle holder in the garden!!! It looks beautiful there. The roses are looking great as well and I envy your lettuce. We put ladybugs in our garden every year but maybe we'll try butterflies too.
ReplyDeleteHi, Stacy. We have even raised lady bugs in one of those enclosures, but they were stinky, so now we buy a bag. Butterflies are fun and clean to raise. The children will love it.
DeleteGorgeous photos Su. The Painted Lady is graceful and beautiful. I try to attract butterflies in our garden too. Many years ago when the fear of West Nile virus was high they (state) sprayed to rid the Mositoes but wound up chasing all the Butterflies away. I am happy to say they have returned. Your candle holders in your garden add great interest and a architectural touch.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Vera
Thank you, Vera. That's too bad, but it's good that they finally returned.
DeleteLovely to see a garden so much more advanced than ours are. I'm glad your finger is healing!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pondside. We seem to start warming right after Christmas. 8 or 9 months we have nice weather, and then 3 or 4 are unbearable. We trade winter for summers.
DeleteSu,
ReplyDeleteIt is so great to see your sweet garden coming to life. Beautiful.
Kris
Thank you, Kris. It warms early here. xoxo
DeleteYour garden is so beautiful! Your home should be visited by many beautiful butterflies!
ReplyDeleteYou will have many other beautiful pictures ...
Hugs,
Nanda
Thank you, Nanda. We had a lot of rain here the last week, and everything looks less dusty and more green. It doesn't rain much here, we have about 300 days of sunshine a year.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteWe also like to raise butterflies. It is such a fun project for the boys. :-))
I love your garden. Thank you for the close up shots.
Prayers that you continue to heal.
xx oo
Carla
Thank you, Carla. I agree it is a fun project for boys. We have also raised lady bugs, but they were stinky, so now we buy them. We have also raised praying mantis, but that was a slaughter. The directions said give them so fresh meat and wait ?, I don't remember how long, but we went to bed and they were all dead except for 3 or 4, and there were probably 50. They ate each other. That was a real fun science experiment! xoxo
DeleteOh how I long for warm spring days looking at your pictures. So beautiful. I can't wait until there are butterflies here.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jennifer. I hope spring is in the air for you soon. xoxo
DeleteI want to do the butterfly/caterpiller thing. I keep planting what is recommended to entice butterflies but I have had very little response. Maybe I would have better luck if I tried raising them.
ReplyDeleteHi, Barbara. Just make sure you have one of the host plants for the kind you choose. Painted Ladies have a number of host plants like mallow. We use to raise butterfly's at our last home and we saw their progeny every year.
DeleteWow, it looks like summer in your garden and winter in mine...we are still snow-covered! When I taught, we used to get caterpillars every year, raise them and release them when they turned into butterflies. The kids were always so thrilled to watch the process and frankly so was I. I may have to do that again sometime...how fun! Glad to hear you're on the mend!
ReplyDeleteIt is a lot of fun, and you should. I think my daughter is at that age that I enjoy it more than her now. xoxo
DeleteI haven't even begun to start cleaning up the patio. Where on earth do you buy caterpillars?
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I buy them from Insect Lore. If you google the product you might even be able to get it from amazon, because amazon sells the enclosure. The caterpillars stay in the jar until they are all hanging from the inside on the top of the jar in a shape of chrysalis. Next, you remove the sticky paper that they attached to and pin the paper to the inside of the enclosure. It takes about two weeks here, because it is warm.
DeleteVery pretty-and I didn't know you could buy caterpillars. I have bought ladybugs often though
ReplyDeleteThank you. I buy ladybugs too, though once I raised them. They were too stinky to raise, so now I buy them. xoxo
DeleteSo very, very pretty. We still have snow here- I am so jealous. I never knew you could buy caterpillars either. lol xo Diana
ReplyDeleteIt's ridiculously warm for this time of year. We should be in the 70s, but we have been in the low to mid 80s. xoox
DeleteI'm happy to see you garden and flowers, but it kills me you already have flowers...we only have melting snow, which is a good thing, but no flowers, not for a while. You are so lucky to have those sweet garden blessing so early!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cathy. Stay warm. Living here we give up winter, but we get an awful summer.
DeleteBeautiful butterfly, Su! No, you surely cannot leave candles outside, OR in the garage for storage, oops... Glad your hand is finally healing! Enjoy a beautiful weekend ahead! Blessings, Cindy
ReplyDeleteI've left them out, what a mess. Oh, I've done that too! If I need to store them now, I put them in the refrigerator. Have a wonderful weekend, Cindy.
Deletewas für wundervolle Fotos und der wunderschöne Schmetterling, toll so schaut der Frühling aus.
ReplyDeleteLiebe Grüße von Tatjana
Thank you, Tajana. Have a wonderful weekend. xoox
DeleteThank you, Tajana. Have a wonderful weekend. xoox
ReplyDeleteI did't know that you can buy caterpillars somewhere, it's very interesting and exciting to grow a butterfly.
ReplyDeleteDomestic cleaning Chelsea
Such beautiful changes going on in your backyard! I love what you did to the patio, just gorgeous with the french doors. Just in time to enjoy the lovely gifts that nature provides! The painted lady is amazing! Wish we had them here.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Patti
Thank you, Patti. We are really happy with the way the pergola turned out, because it looks like it belongs. Have a wonderful weekend.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteYou have roses blooming? Oh, how wonderful, I am incredibly envious!
I love the photo of the Painted Lady butterfly, and was wondering if they are the same as Monarch butterflies, but according to Google, they are not. I will have to take a closer look this summer if we are lucky enough to have the monarchs back in our garden. Unfortunately fewer and fewer every year.
Your garden is helping me through this long cold winter, thank you for your lovely photos.
I am glad to hear that your hand is on the mend but I still cringe every time I think of it. That must have really really hurt. Take care, looking forward to more garden photos.
Judith Peacock
Thank you, Judith, for your lovely visit. Yes, the roses are already blooming. If you want to attract Monarchs plant the host plant milkweed. There is a list online that tells which milkweeds to plant in your area of the country. Painted ladies are more versatile, so more common; they like mallows, but they like some other plants as well. Butterflies prefer to lay eggs on the host plant.
DeleteThanks so much, I have read that they like milkweed, and every year I plan to plant some, but haven't as yet. This year I will, the poor butterflies have a hard time finding food now with all their natural habitat being built on. Thanks again, hope to see more photos of your lovely garden.
DeleteHope your hand continues to mend.
So much fun to see
ReplyDeleteThank you, so much. Have a wonderful weekend, and stay warm.
DeleteYour roses are beautiful. I'd love to add white ones to my garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Magali. I have a few white ones. I've had to experiment with which ones do best in our climate.
DeleteLovely to see the garden looking so well and enjoying the sun. I saw that exact orange and black butterfly this morning, what a beauty.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Thank you, Amalia. It is a Painted Lady they have a wide range, because they like more than one host plant.
DeleteIt's hard to imagine flowers in bloom and vegetables from the garden ready to eat at this time of year! Your photos of your flowers and butterfly are lovely. Enjoy your little garden paradise!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vickie. I hope spring is around the corner for you. xoxo
DeleteYour garden photos are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteKisses
Alessandra
Thank you, Alessandra. Have a wonderful week. xoxo
DeleteSuch prettiness! Love the white rose!
ReplyDeletePoppy
Thank you, Poppy.
DeleteEverything garden is always so inspiring! Love your use of candle holders! So creative! xoxo Jen
ReplyDeleteYour garden is blooming! Love the use of the candlesticks. Glad to hear your finger is healing. You poor thing, it was a bad injury. That is fascinating about the butterflies, I have never heard that done before, I'd love to know more.
ReplyDelete