In spite of summer not quite making more than a passing appearance here so far (we’ve had several cool days in a row), and a lack of rain, we’ve got color breaking out everywhere! This is our third spring in our new home, and it seems like new things are still popping up here and there. I don’t remember these pretty little pink flowers from last year, and I also don’t know what they are.
Pink and purple seems to be the theme right now. I thought our chickens had killed all of our phlox next to the house, since they chose that as a favorite dust bath area last fall, but a few of them did come back!
When we first moved in, my hubby had to cut back the rhododendron bush which was growing right into the house and causing the siding to get mildewed. He cut it back to almost nothing, but it has come back and we even got some blossoms on it this year!
I think some of our readers had expressed that bleeding hearts were one of their favorite flowers, and we have them in a few places around the barn garden:
These pretty irises have shown up in several different places. We had a few last year, but they have definitely spread a lot.
As you can see, the chickens have been able to get some free range time, and they are quite happy when they do.
As long as we can be outside to keep an eye on things, and are making some noise, we let them out.
The good thing with the chickens is that we can easily bribe them back into their run when we need to. Last winter we bought expensive dried worms (we got a good deal on a case of them though), which they love. However, as it turns out, we found out – guess what – bread works just as well! They go nuts for plain old bread. My hubby can get the older bread at work for free, and we even get a good organic bread for them! It even works for the guinea hens sometimes, but they are a bit harder to get in before dusk.
Lastly, one of my girlfriends and I spent a fun few hours painting these flags on old pallets this week.
Have you ever seen them, or are these a NH/New England thing? I’d always see these at people’s houses and wanted one for ours. My friend felt the same, and we decided to make our own. It turns out it’s pretty easy, and we painted a half dozen and hope to even sell some of them. A lot of people have used pallets hanging around their house because they get pellets for their pellet stove delivered on them. My hubby uses them to stack wood on to dry, and I think I’m in trouble for stealing all those to paint! 🙂 It’s OK, we’ll find more, and if we can actually sell any, I’m going to paint more too.
Things are just getting started here, so we’ll have a lot more flowers to share over the summer. I had a couple others I had wanted to share today, but we did finally get some much-needed rain for a couple days, and it left some flowers looking a bit bedraggled! That was a small price to pay to finally get some water to the gardens, especially for the vegetables that are just starting. We spent a full day planting last weekend, and I’ll be adding just a few more things this coming one. I love an excuse to get out in the fresh air and sunshine, and the weather might be finally warming up some (but hopefully not too much!).
Hope you have an enjoyable weekend , with perfect weather too!
Thank you to our friends at Living Laughing Barking in Our Backyard for hosting the Flower Friday blog hop! Please visit other blogs through the links below.
The flowers are so beautiful and what a great time the chicks must have. I’d love to chase them🙊…MOL 😀 Pawkisses for a wonderful day 🙂 <3
Grandpaw made a high kitchen garden for Granny out of pallets. It's real cool 😀
Oh, that sounds really cool! We’d love to see it. Have you ever shared it on your blog?
Such beautiful flowers!! We wuv the pallet and dat are a pawesome idea. Daddy had to take our flag down cause it kept getting all twisted in da wind :/
xoxo,
Matt & Matilda
I’ve untwisted our other flag more than once this year since Memorial Day. It gets old, since it always seems to be windy here! This is a much easier way to display our patriotism. 🙂
Your flowers are gorgeous! I sure do miss my daylilies. I’ll have to plant more bulbs this fall. I love your pallet art. They have them down here but most have the Texas state flag on them. LOL!
I saw those TX flags when I was looking online for ideas!! 🙂
The farm is looking colorful. Looks like a fun project painting the pallets.
It really was fun. It was a nice way to spend some time outdoors in the sunshine and fresh air. 🙂
You got lots of beautiful color. We have those flags at peoples houses too, I should make one but all my pallets go in the chicken pen for them to stand on when the pen is flooded from rain .
Well, that’s a very good use for them as well!!
Everything looks beautiful. I like the flag too.
Thank you!!
All the flowers are so pretty! And what a cool idea for those pallets. I don’t know if it’s a New England thing…but I’m going to do something like this too. ~Island Cat Mom
It turned out to be so much easier than I thought it would be. I’m glad you like the idea!
Such wonderful photos, everything sure is pretty!
Thank you!
Wishing you a weekend of summer goodness (and maybe a nice glass of wine after you’re done working). Cheers!
That’s a given! 🙂
Isn’t this the best time of year?? Your yard is soooo colorful!!
It always turns out to be worth the wait, even though we get very impatient during said wait! 🙂
I haven’t seen the pallets around here; but I haven’t been home long enough to look for them, either. I have so much work to do around the house it’s just too soon to think about much of anything else.
PS. Your flowers are all lovely! And I’m glad you’re still finding new surprises!
Thank you! I hope you are getting settled back into being back home now!! ♥
I love all your flowers, so pretty with all that color. I’ve seen the pallet flags here in the west. I love the idea.
Oh, I’m glad to hear people are enjoying them nationwide! They would be child’s play for you and Al to make, with all your talent. 🙂
We are in the pink and purple blooms around here too. The painted pallets have been appearing around here for a couple years now. Emma has posted a photo of herself by one a few times. We don’t personally have one, but we do have a pallet. Now all we need is a painter!
I’d be happy to come do the painting if I was closer! 🙂