CREEPING THYME: A NOBLE EXPERIMENT

As our beloved iris finish their blooming, the creeping thyme begins its incredible show. Pictures just cannot do it justice.

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way. Say nothing and listen as heaven whispers, "Do you like it? I did it just for you." -- Max Lucado

HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATHS

Last year we dug up more lawn, which we are getting very good at by the way, and put in yet another brick path leading from the backyard out to the pavers with the creeping thyme that also used to be lawn. For those of you who don't know, we have to haul every drop of water we use since our well dried up several years ago. As a gardener that could be devastating, but I've looked at it as a challenge. It's amazing what will grow with no or very little water. So we've experimented with different plants, collect rain water from our roofs, and bricked over a lot of our yard a little at a time!

We're trusting the Lord that someday we will again have water, however He chooses to provide, but in the mean time we trust that "He will direct our paths".

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5 & 6

AS SPRING GIVES WAY TO SUMMER...FINALLY!

It's always sad as the last of the iris bloom out. But even as we cut and pile all the dead iris stalks on our compost pile, (huge by the way!) summer's roses, scabosia, sweet smelling dianthus, and day lilies begin their show. Even so when life brings sadness, look for God's blessings, because they are there!

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

Psalm 94:19

OUR 36TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

June 13, 1975

That was 36 years ago! We celebrated our anniversary by going to some flower gardens...of course!

We started with Adelman's Peony Gardens, where we had a picnic lunch before making the viewing rounds.

We fell in love with Mrs. FDR and just had to bring one of her home with us...

...and a "Leslie Peck"!

"Coral Charm" is one we got a couple of years ago, and is still one of our favorites. We are trying to add a few more peonies to our display beds each year. They are such a good backdrop for the iris, and there are so many beautiful ones to choose from!

They now have a display garden that gets more beautiful each year. So if you don't have the time or energy to traipse through the fields, you'll really enjoy the walk through the well laid out display garden.

SCHREINER'S IRIS GARDENS

We finished up our day with our annual trip to Schreiner's. It just wouldn't be iris time without visiting their beautiful display gardens. It started raining just as we were about done, but to Oregonians, a little rain is nothing! The flowers were gorgeous as usual and the cloudy weather was perfect for taking pictures. It was sad to see that the bad economy must be affecting them, because there were a lot of big weeds everywhere! I know that this wet weather we've been having makes the weeds grow, but this was really bad. And I so badly wanted to get in there and dead head for them. I did for the ones I took close up pictures of.

This is one for our wish list. It's called "First Stitch". Sadly we didn't order any this year and we've been faithful yearly customers since 1993!

The cool wet weather really made the Lupines and Columbine do well!

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it!"

Psalm 24:1

IRIS ARE STILL GOING...AND GOING...

Yes, this cool weather is good for something? The iris are still blooming? So if you want to come visit, you still have some time. It's hard to believe that Jessi and Andrew are having 90+ degrees in Virginia, while we struggle to get to the upper 60's!

"Bewilderbeast" happens to be one of Josiah's picks. We've been babying it for years and it is finally blooming...one stalk worth! But it's "bewildered" beauty is well worth the wait.

The last of the new beds out back are finally maturing and looking good this year. Yes, it is the last new bed. I guess I'm finally coming to grips with my physical limitations.

"Trillion" and Poppa John" are two of my favorites because of their horned beards.

All the Snow in Summer is pretty with the iris, but can be too much of a good thing. I have a lot of thinning out to do to keep the iris rhizomes open to the sun.

VIEWING THE IRIS - A PLEASURE FOR ALL

We look forward to seeing which of our favorite iris will be blooming for the first time this year as we go around dead heading each day. Moses even gets in on the daily regimen. Our problem is we have too many favorites! It's a good thing we have a whole acre.

And...we love to have visitors come enjoy them with us too!

This is Carissa's favorite, Florentine Silk.

Josiah is in the background behind Kaiser's Heritage and Chief Waukesha helping out with some trimming and pruning on his day off. Jeremiah mowed the back forty with the riding lawn mower, while I mowed the front lawn. Carissa helped with some edging and bark dust, and of course she goes around with me each day to help dead head. Dennis pitches in when he gets home from work. Many hands make light work!

THE WORKS OF HIS HANDS

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made...

Romans 1:20

GOD WATERS ABUNDANTLY!

You water the field's furrows abundantly, You settle the ridges of it; You make the soil soft with showers, blessing the sprouting of its vegetation. Psalms. 65:10

This morning Carissa and I raked the rain softened soil that Dennis had tilled a couple of weeks ago now. We got the stakes out marking the rows in preparation for the guys to put down the weeper hoses. We're hoping to get the corn and beans planted tomorrow now that it is finally going to be warm enough. We're going on faith that God is going to provide the water, either by healing our well, or providing the extra money it will cost to haul it due to the higher gas prices. With so much of our nations corn going for fuel instead of food, we feel it is worth the investment to grow our own, which is so rewarding in many ways, not to mention it tastes better! We save all winter to buy the water to grow the food in summer that we eat all winter. Makes sense to me!