Gentle May

Waiting for paint to dry on the rather large braced wood panel above. I'm always impatient to work once I get started but even acrylic takes some time to dry.

So I grabbed my phone and caught some of the May garden to share with you. Making good on my promise to revive this blog. There's always a lot going on in the studio and the yard.

These are the peppers hardening off in the protective cloche John has set up for them. Here they are protected from all shocks of light or temperature.

We have strawberries flowering all across the lawn where they have seeded themselves.

Ferns growing in the shady area under the big fig tree.

Some nice, rich, potting soil.

Purple Columbine. So pretty. Self seeded all over the yard. Pink, white, other colors too.

Lily of the Valley is showing her fragrant face.

My favorite flowers are scented. Daphne, Gardenia, Roses, Lilacs. 

The blueberry bushes were humming with fat bumblebees. They carried giant loads of pollen on their hind legs.

And aren't the white lanterns beautiful?

Leeks in the foreground and favas in the back.

Two varieties of grape. Concord on the left and Valiant on the right.

Very pretty espaliered.

Taters growing between alfalfa bricks. It takes 3 years for the alfalfa to break down and all the time it's doing so it's nourishing the soil.

Glorious fava beans. Oh, we eat good.

Various types of cabbages and brocolli nestled in the alfalfa bricks.

Dianthus (Carnations) in the foreground and onions behind.

Artichokes.

Little peas getting a start up the strings. There's a screen propped up on the right for protection against sunburn and on the left is a rabbit fence. They dont eat the peas but for some reason bite the strings and leave the peas to fall on their faces. Bad rabbits!

These plants give us gigantic, juicy, blackberries. So good for breakfast with sliced mango.

Bluebells.

Waiting their turn to be planted.

Swiss chard volunteer.

I forget the name of this little flower but love it for it's blue-ness.

Leeks and borage.

Lilacs as a gift from our daughter, Stephanie.

The garden is a gift to our spirits; to the birds, bees, wildlife and bellies. 

May your heart be full. 

xo