My Sister's Garden

My sister's garden is full of wonderful little vignettes all for the eye to see. So you can imagine the wonderful time I had walking the grounds, shooting my camera.

Last year, they resided the house with a seamless siding that transformed her house to a lovely little cottage right out of your favorite storybook.

This arrangement of hosta, ivy, coleus, impatiences and fresh basil outside her side door is so inviting. Who wouldn't you want to plop down on her comfy sofa and sit for a spell? Note the slate sign nestled behind the enormous hosta. I purchased that for my sister one year at The Cotton Pickin Fair in Gay, Georgia.

Walking to the back yard... no, this isn't the fence that my honey fixed...it's on the other side of the house...I loved this shot. My sister's backyard is virtually a wildlife retreat. Just a few nights before we arrived, a mother fox and 5 of her babies were spotted right back here.

Here's a silly and embarrassing story. Her family was sitting in the family room and heard screaming. Children screaming loudly. It was dark and my baby sister's first impression was to call the police. When Park Ridge's finest arrived on the scene, they politely said "Ma'am, that is the sound of a mother fox calling her baby fox to come back home." See that little house in the middle of the photo. Every animal known to man has given birth beneath the studio.

I love black eyed susans. I love the blue, green and brown eyed susans, too. Yes, that was corny. Sorry.

Black eyed susans attract butterflies. My friend, Debra, photographs the most gorgeous butterflies on her nature walks and in her backyard. I should have shot the butterflies but I didn't want to embarrass myself. Although, mark my words. There will be a time when I enlarge my equipment inventory. When that time comes, if I can take photos half as stunning as Debra's, I will smile softly.

There's something stunning about hydrangeas. You really never know what color they are going to be until they bloom. It's all about pH levels and either adding aluminum or subtracting aluminum from the soil. It's too much for my pretty little head to think about. I'd rather be surprized by Mother Nature.

Tomorrow...there will be more.