FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH!

After an extremely hot and dry summer where every growing thing seemed to struggle to survive, we finally got a good overnight soaking rain over Sunday evening and night.

I had to be out early yesterday morning, so I grabbed my camera and shot a few pictures of plants in my yard.  Plants that have been all but dead seemed to have been revived by the cooler temperatures and the rain.  Mother Earth has spring to life, in the plants, the birds and even the insects.

I got some beautiful photo's including the new one of the sunflower on my blog header.

I just had share some more of the beautiful wonders of nature here in my yard.  So here we go...

 I bought 2 packages of ornamental sunflowers this spring.  One was a miniature variety, and the other was these.  I have every colour of sunflowers you can imagine growing in my gardens at the moment... and they are just coming into themselves now.  The real short ones are not quite blooming, and these which are about 3-4 ft high are sort of in the middle of their bloom.  I just love them, and although I want to pick them and take them in the house, I want their seeds for next year even more.  So I am going to be watching these beauties very carefully so I can nab some of the seeds before my feathered friends steal them all from me.  Are they not just plain gorgeous?

My little blue grass - should be called rainbow grass at the moment - but it is starting it's transition from green to blue...  I will try to get another shot when it's all blue.

 

These Delphiniums were completely destroyed in a wind storm in early July, so I cut them back right to the soil.  These plants have grown only as quarter as tall as they should be - but every one of them is covered with new blossoms.  And the colour is brighter and better than it ever was this year!  I love that I managed to catch the water droplets on the flowers before the breeze knocked the drops away.

 


I have no idea where this sweetheart came from, I have no Poppies in my yard - or I didn't have - it appears I do now.  Isn't she going to be a beauty,  with her ruffly little collar of leaves?  Looks like I might get two flowers, if the weather stays nice enough.

My Zinnias have been the only pretty thing in my garden this year.  They have been big, and bright and plentiful.  I have every colour imaginable.  Do you see the little guest?

See it now?  A Daddy Long Leg spider, out for an early morning drink of water off the pretty flower.

My Dogwood has struggled so much this year.  It still is a tiny little shrub, but I have been trying to keep it watered during this hot summer.  I see it has a tiny visitor this morning as well.

I thought the roses were finished, but this morning, I see one rose newly opened to catch the rain.  The foliage is starting it's fall colour turn, but I will be cutting it back long before it all turns over.

I have managed to grow 8 smallish pumpkins this year.  The vines and the leaves have been looking very much done from the heat and dry conditions.  But after the rain... we have a new flower being a wee bit shy, but there all the same.

I have been feeling very frustrated with all of my gardens this year.  Seeing the life and beauty of these plants return after the rain, has revived me as well.  The growing season is all but over, but for a little while, I still might be able to enjoy viewings like this.

Isn't Mother Nature Wonderful!