This years favorite flowering plants

I was recently laid off work so in between looking for new business opportunities I have had some time to work on my garden. While weeding the flower bed I have been really enjoying looking at the beautiful flowers that I planted this year. About four weeks ago I planted the State Fair Zinnia. These goreous plants grow to 4-5 feet high and the blooms are spectacular. I orginally purchased a six pack but did not get them in to the ground fast enough and lost three plants. The three that I planted were a little scrappy looking when I planted them but they rebounded once in the ground. I cant believe the show of blooms that they have provided in such a short time. I will definetly plant more of these next year.

I also planted the Eden Climbing Rose earlier this year and it immediately seetled into the flower bed and started blooming right away. This is definetly my favorite rose in the garden.

I came across the Irish Eyed Susan that is the sister to the Black Eyed Susan. The green center and the light yellow pedals are outstanding. I hope that it will come back again next year. If not I guess I will just have to go and buy somemore.... a must have in the garden!

My Black Eyed Susan just keeps blooming and blooming....

I was very excited this spring when my Echinecia "Purple Cone Flower" came back. I have planted some previously but they did not return so I was excited when this one came back.

I also planted some Shasta Daisies last year that came back but stayed really small....they probably needed some fertlizer??

I need a Break....

Good News!... My son turned 21 today. I cant believe it were has the time gone? He came back home from summer school at Cambridge University and immediately got a job at a law firm. My daughter will be going back to school in a couple of weeks. She was very fortunate to have recieved three job offers when she returns. I will miss them when they go back to school!
Check out the photos that Cindy at romantichome.blogspot.com posted of Monterey.... they are so beautiful. It makes me want to run away to the beach right now!.....hmmm... I think I will wait til the weekend. I hope Ya'll have a great weekend too!

Movie Review - Julie & Julia

I loved, loved, loved how Meryl Streep played Julia Childs and I could definetly relate to the character Julie who wrote the blog. Amy Adams did a great acting job but the movie portrayed her charater Julie as whiney and self absorbed. Julie cried or complained through the whole movie. I suppose that her personality was to be off set by Julia Childs cheery funny personality but instead it put a real damper on the movie. Nora Ephron has directed and procuded some of my all time favorite movies and I am disappointed to say that she got this one only half right. The Julia Childs charater was outstanding but Julie the blogger charater was a big downer. I would give the movie two stars out of five.

Julie & Julia Blog/Movie

I cant wait, tonight is the premier of the movie Julie & Julia. The previews look great. I will be going with my sister to see it tonight. In the previews her friend tells her that her blog is going to be made into a movie.... later it shows her talking to her husband and she says "I have things to say I can write a blog".... I think we can all relate to that? By the way there are a lot of Promotional giveaways. Trip to Paris from Cinemark and more... check it out.

Susie Bell Photographer

I just came across these photos by Susie Bell and just fell in love with them. Aren't they great?

Summer School at Cambridge University

My son is finishing his last week of summer school at Cambridge University in England. He said it has been the greatest experience of his life. Unfortunately he came down with the flu and has been quarantined to his room. Apparently several of the students are sick and had to be quarantined for a few days as well....yuk! He said it probably didn't help being pushed into the river while punting but it was all in good fun. He sounds good on the phone now and seems to be recoverying well. I cant wait until he is home.

Sisters at the Quilt Show at Sisters Oregon

8th Annual Trip to the Sisters Oregon Quilt Show. This year they had 1300 Quilts on display in the quaint little town in Sisters Oregon.


Down town Sisters Oregon the night before the Quilt Show.


We stayed in a home at the amazing Black Butte Ranch Resort.
This place has breath taking views. I should have taken more photos to share but I dont think they would begin to show how beautiful this place is.

The day after arriving at the Ranch we took a Garden tour of several homes in Sisters.
The first one was at the St Marks Catholic Church. The church looks very ordinary from the front and you would never believe what treasures they had on the inside. They had a local Sculpter Artist, Skip Armstrong, carve Saints in each post used inside and outside of the church.



Tail gate party while enjoying the featured quilting artist in the park.

Saturday was the quilt show. The town hung 1300 Quilts this year.... Wow!!

Here are photos of the two quilts that I liked the most. I usually dont like modern fabric for quilting but I liked how it was used in these two quilts.

They had two cars with Quilt car covers!

Of course we spent our free time in the evenings quilting!!

The last night Tracy cooked a delicious dinner, which we enjoyed outside under the trees.