Maggie voted today!!

 Ben was determined to take Maggie to vote today!!!  I think he probably wanted company more than anything, but "yay for Maggie"!!!!  She is officially an adult......

Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary to us (2 years later)

Sam and I went to Michigan for our 25th wedding anniversary.  Yes, it was 2 years late and no, it wasn't Barbados, but we finally got away somewhere after COVID.  It was a nice quiet few days away together.  Ben stayed at our house to keep an eye on Maggie and they did perfectly well without us.  We stayed in 2 separate B&B places, both very nice.  Sam took his bike and went riding a couple of times.  I went running and got absolutely soaked-I have never been that wet in my life!!!!!

On our anniversary, we found a great little place to eat.  The silverware was wrapped in these spider napkins, so of course we had to send a picture back to Ben (our resident arachnophobe)

The restaurant was famous for martinis-mine was chocolate of course!!!!!

It was a tapas bar, and we got some of the best beef tenderloin we have ever had

We stayed outside of South Haven for the first 3 days, in a place with a small vineyard.  It was very nice and peaceful and we almost had the place to ourselves most of the time

We stayed in South Haven for the next 3 days, our room looked out over the harbour

We did a lot of beach wandering, sunset watching and general lounging around!!!!

August visit to MBG

We haven't seen the fountain running in a while

The water lilies were lovely 

Beds were looking very lush this year

The sign says the flowers smell like maple syrup-yes, they do!!!!

Flowering baskets in the Kemper center are always looking great

Patio living

Our porch plants have done well this summer.  This geranium has been great, the color is so intense

I bought this Tibouchina earlier this summer and liked it so much, I bought another one when they went on sale!!!!!  I'm hoping I can nurse them through the winter

We finally bought some new patio furniture!!!  If only it was cool enough to sit outside.....

This sunflower was a volunteer.  Either the birds or squirrels must have redistributed it from the bird feeder!!!!

I have had this crown of thorns for quite a few years, but this is the first time I have put it outside and the first time it has flowered

Trip to MBG

Ben was in Madrid, so Arline and I went to MBG without him.  We went primarily to see the lilies in the Japanese garden pond.  They were definitely worth seeing

Garden in May

The garden always looks its best in the Spring-plenty of rain and (hopefully) more moderate temperatures.  I bought these violets to put in the bird bath, but can hopefully find my usual water hyacinths to add later

This hellebore that I got for free has been so good this year.  It's a pity that the one I paid for has never really done anything at all!!!

I found this Tibouchina at Garden Heights.  We had one 2 or 3 years ago and it flowered all summer.  I'm going to try to see if I can get this one to overwinter if possible

My lilac is slowly growing and you could smell it all over the garden this year

My shade garden is starting to do really well.  It's going to be a constant struggle because it's on a slope and subject to the water pouring under the fence from our neighbours.  Then there's the mulberry tree that is hanging over from the neglected garden behind us-I'm pulling up hundreds of seedlings every time I go back there

I got this from work, trying to get it to spread in the rain garden if possible

My clematis is doing really well, it's the first one I have managed to keep alive

My copper iris are lovely.

Spiderwort are one of my favourites, they do well every year

Good times in the herb garden

I keep buying more of these Missouri primrose, I'm a big fan!!!

A lot can happen in a week

We had a lot going on after Maggie's graduation.  She went camping with Jan and Julie for a few days and came back with Covid.  I had a premonition that graduation would be a superspreader event!!!!  She was very sick for a couple of days, but not too bad after that.  I think the 5 day quarantine was very hard on her though.  Because  Maggie had Covid, I worked from home and so I missed SLU graduation, including the 4 students who graduated from the MD/PhD program.

Ben went back to Madrid for Summer school.  He left today and will be gone for a month.