CATCHING UP On SHARE a GARDEN SUNDAY

Time has flown by and we have been very busy at our house with projects and with family events. From when I last posted, we have had our granddaughter, Kristen's, First Communion, followed by our grandson, Dex's, birthday, then our granddaughter, Dominique's, H.S. Graduation. And that was only in May. June isn't over yet and we've already celebrated our Nephew, Ernesto, and Kristy's, wedding, our granddaughter, Devan's, 21st birthday, our son, Rick's, birthday, granddaughter, Olivia's, birthday, and also my sister, Joyce's, birthday, who was a twin, but our beloved brother, Joe, has passed but is always remembered.

I've been trying to follow your blogs, to see what you've all been up to, but I've been so busy, that most of the time I didn't let you know I was lurking about. Today I visited Robyn's blog and saw her post of her beautiful Tiger Lily, that pushed me into taking some pictures of my own to share.

My first photo is of our Lilies that have filled our 'run off' pond in the front of our yard, along the driveway. Last month the pond was surrounded by Irises, both yellow and purple. All of the flowers that grow there were transplanted from other areas around our house. They have all multiplied from a few to what you see now.

Much of our 'down time' is spent watching the birds that come to our yard. Most are constant visitors like this male Grosbeak. The female is more timid and I couldn't get a picture of her.

This Cardinal is orange in color, he has been coming to our feeder for about five years now. We also have red colored ones, but I thought you'd like to see this one. Our granddaughter Olivia took this picture with her Mother's new camera. She did a great job.

Of course I always love watching my beloved Sergei in our yard. If you've read my other posts, you know he hates his picture taken and as soon as he sees me with the camera he runs and lays down at my feet so I can't take his picture. He's eleven years old and I haven't gotten a good picture of him yet.

Of course we always love to see the deer in our yard. We even get a flock of turkeys, although we haven't been able to get a picture of them. We don't think that they are wild turkeys, rather ones that got away from the person that raised them. They seem to be living in the woods behind our house because my DH hears them in the same spot every morning when he takes the Chocolate Lab, Shane, for his early morning walk.

A few new things on our pack porch are the new cushions for the old, newly painted, rattan sofa. Sergei lays on it more than we do. :)

All the flower pots of the porch are filled with Red Impatiens, they've always been a favorite of mine.

I rescued an old birdcage from the storage room, put a parrot in it and hung it on a bare spot on the wall. Well it was black and went with the rest of the decorations and the bird was even the right color.

As we sit on the porch, one of my favorite things is my bench at the back end of the pool. Although my husband stained it a little darker this year, than I would have liked. Maybe the sun will bleach it.

One of my projects this year was painting birdhouses. Some needed four coats and it ended up being time consuming. But I'm happy that they got done.

I was very late getting my annuals in the pots along the pool, but they are coming along ok. There were two Mourning Doves in front of the pots when I started to take this picture, but they hid before I took it.

The swing, under the trees, is a nice cool place to sit for a break on a hot summer day.

Another birdhouse and a future project.....a new fence.

Our newly painted pool house.

Another project in the works around the feeder.

Our arbor has had many things growing up it over the years. First grapes, what the birds didn't eat, the squirrels knocked down before they were ready, so they were taken down. Then we had a beautiful Silver Lace Vine that died this past year. Now we have a Climbing Hydrangea, we're keeping our fingers crossed that it will do well, so far, so good. No matter what, sitting under the arbor is a great place to be.

This year I have Pentas (Star Clusters) planted in the pots under the arbor. The Hummingbirds love to feed on them and come often throughout the day.

These ferns were the ones I had hanging on our porch last year. They didn't hold up well when we tried to keep them on our enclosed porch, over the winter, so I hung them from the arbor and they are doing very well now, and look great hanging there.

Between our back porch and the arbor is what we now call our Frog Pond. The frog in this picture has been here for years now. He even lets up get close to it, but the smaller ones jump in the water as soon as we get near.

Even the dog kennel is getting a face lift. My DH power washed it and is replacing the roof. I'll have to take a picture of the Chocolate Lab, Shane, when he can go in there again.

So between doing sewing on my new sewing machine, and catching up on outside projects I've also been spending a lot of time searching eBay for some cream soup bowls that's I've been looking for. I found some and received them last week, so next I'll have to post a table setting on Susan's Tablescape Thursday to show them off. Hope you are all doing well and are enjoying life.

Please join Artie and his friends at COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES .. He Is Hosting..

SHARE A GARDEN SUNDAY at http://niagaranovice.blogspot.com/