Friday, June 16, 2006

Garden Glimpses : mid-June

Here are some more glimpses into my garden (I love the little Bartlett pears growing upside down):





Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Garden Painting Day 11 : Globe Thistle "Buds"

Closeup of garden painting showing globe thistle in bud stageI was happy to find another night to paint, and have started on the globe thistle flowerheads. At this point, they are in the bud stage (photo left). The next step will be to paint in the tiny star-shaped flowers which are so irresistible to the bees. PS. Double-click the painting for a larger image.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Blog Topical Index

This is my attempt at a topical index to my Blog. If I were more inclined to programming, I would figure out a way to automate this index, but a manual one will need to suffice for now.

Enjoy!

Garden Painting Series

Garden Painting Progress - Finally!
Garden Painting Day 20 & 21 : Lupines
Garden Painting Day 18 & 19 : Cat
Garden Painting Day 17 : Daylilies
Garden Painting Day 16 : Patriot Hosta
Garden Painting Day 15 : Outline of Cat and Hosta
Garden Painting Day 14 : Coneflower Petals and Globe Thistle Blooms
Garden Painting Day 13 : Coneflower Stems
Garden Painting Day 12 : Monarda
Garden Painting Day 11 : Globe Thistle "Buds"
Garden Painting Day 10 : Globe Thistle & Monarda Stems
Garden Painting Day 9 : Hydrangea Bush
Garden Painting Day 7 & 8 : Bird Bath and Tree Peony Foliage
Garden Painting Day 6 : Spanish Lavender
Garden Painting Day 5 : Pansy Leaves & Kids Projects
Garden Painting Day 4 : Real Canvas and Acrylics
Garden Painting Day 3 : Trial Canvas, New Brushes
Garden Painting Day 2 : Finished Paper Layout
Garden Painting Day 1 : Paper layout

Gardening Advice & Information

Fruits of My Labours and Then Some! (espalier fruit trees)
Tips for New Gardeners
Parsley as a Garden Ornamental
Adding "Bones" to your Garden
Flowering Shrubs to Hide an Ugly Fence
Weed Management : Ground Fillers
Weed Management : Maintaining a Positive Attitude
Mint : Lovely, useful and invasive!

Interesting Links, Snippets and Musings

Fairy House - Part 3
Fairy House - Part 2
Fairy House - Part 1
First Snow Creation of the Season

First Snow in Vancouver
Daylight Savings Time Confusion
A Small Cloud in a Blue Sky
When Gardening Turns Dangerous
Embarrassed Sunflower and Veggie Faces

Stargazer Puzzle - Improved!
Stargazer Puzzle
What Turns a Sunflower's Head?
Floral Wreath Workshop
Cool Bug Discovery : Ten-lined June Beetle
Chafer Beetle Dance - Too Close for Comfort
Red-backed Jumping Spider Discovery
Planting Tomatoes and Cukes
Spring Trimming of Espalier Trees
Favourite Posts

My Brave Shieldmaiden
Final Caterpillar Transformation : Grey Moth
More Fun in the Snow : Snow Bear and Snow Angel
Caterpillar Transformation
Fun in the Snow : Snow Mouse
Garden Photo Website : Maureen & Glen's Gardening on the Prairies
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly : Brown Caterpillar
Dragon Fruit
Pumpkin Carving
Plant Recycling
Mystery Apple
She Knows How to Grow Them
Peculiar Person Picks Purple Peacock Pole Beans by Pale Phony Moonlight
New Favourites : "Purple Peacock" Pole Bean
Arborsculpture - The Extreme Trees of Richard Reames
Driftwood Horse Sculptures
First Hummingbird of the Season
Bald Eagle Live Web Cam
Plant Salvage Mission
Horsetails in Heaven?
Snow and Stamps in March
Moving the Espalier Apple and Asian Pear Trees
My New Rainier Cherry - At Home at Least
Sunny, Sweaty and Sad Day
"Purple Peacock" Pole Bean
Past Favourites : Osteospermum
A mid-January Jump Start on the Weeds

Garden Photos

Golden Ears Park Pics
Hummingbird Pics

Stargazer Puzzle - Improved!
Stargazer Puzzle
Garden Glimpses : Early August 2007
Garden Glimpses : Mid July 2007
Garden Glimpses : Late June 2007
Garden Glimpses : Mid June 2007
Garden Glimpses : Late May 2007
Garden Glimpses : Mid-May 2007
Garden Glimpses : Late April 2007
Garden Glimpses : Mid April
Garden Glimpses : Early April 2007
Mushroom Photos
Garden Glimpses : Late September
Garden Glimpses : Early August
Garden Glimpses : mid-July
Garden Glimpses : Early July
Garden Glimpses : mid-June
Garden Glimpses : Early June (Part 2)
Garden Glimpses : Early June
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
More Snow in March

Computer Imagery

3D Dinosaur Scene
Pink Green Forest Fairies
Weird cakes and weird creatures
5 Beautiful Fairies
Fun with 3D Textures - Not Pretty!
Dragonfly Fairy
What are Toadstools Anyhow?

Trio of Forest Fairies
Well Dressed Fairies
Fairies and Toadstools
More Fairies in My Garden
Yet More 3D Fairy Images
More 3D Fairy Images
Fairy 3D Images
Weird and Wonderful Photoshop Dream Homes

Recipes

Recipe : Candied Kumquats
Recipe : Candied Orange Peel
Recipe : Mint Butter Cookies
Recipe : Tarragon Butter Cookies
Parsley Recipe : Parsley-Walnut Pesto
Recipe : Truffle Mice

Garden Painting Day 10 : Globe Thistle & Monarda Stems

I spent a few more hours on my garden painting last night. I've been feeling very inspired to paint lately, but most nights I am too tired, or end up watching a depressing movie with my husband, such as "The House of Sand and Fog" tonight.

Anyhow, I have managed to add in the foliage for a patch of Globe thistle (Echinops bannaticus or Echinops ritro) - see photo right. I've added only dark purple balls where the flowers will be. I think they will be fun to paint in, and also very time-consuming.

garden painting with globe thistle foliage and monarda stems addedI also painted in the stems and part of the red flowers of Monarda didyma (Bee balm). I will add in the leaves and finish the flowers another night. The globe thistle flowers may take a couple of nights.

I am feeling good that I've covered a good portion of the canvas now, so I can feel the progress. But I also realize that I am painting much larger than I had planned originally, so fitting in about a third of the flowers I had hoped. So maybe I'll have to paint two more paintings after this one... :-)

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Garden Glimpses : Early June (Part 2)

For some reason, I was not able to post all my photos. Perhaps there is a file upload limit per post. Anyhow, here are a few more glimpses into my garden, including a self portrait against a stand of yellow loosestrife (click any photo for a slightly larger image).
white herbaceous peony self portrait in yellow loosestrife
silene uniflora in rock crevice


sedum spathulifolium with yellow flowers in rock crevice

Garden Glimpses : Early June

I've collected some highlights of my garden this evening, small glimpses into the many wonders I enjoy when I make time to stroll through it.
physocarpus opulifolius (diablo ninebark) in flower
lavendula stoechas with bee
lavendula stoechas (Spanish lavender)
espalier apple in early June
espalier apple in early June
dragonfly resting on fence in evening
campanula flower
orange calendula flower
astrantia major (Masterwort) flower