Nightblooming Cereus mainly

Good afternoon Folks ~ I just got up from a nap about 10 minutes ago and am not quite awake yet. I wore myself out this morning, working for about 3 hours trimming, weeding, raking and clean up. There is still more to do, but progress was made so I’m satisfied with that. I’m working on making the patio area outside my craft space window better looking too, so hope to get more done on that early tomorrow.

When I first went out this morning I noticed that the nightblooming Cereus cactus had bloomed again. I think this is the third blooming this summer. They are about 30’ up into the pine tree, so I can’t get some wonderful close ups, or take in the wonderful scent I’ve heard so much about. The blooms are huge.

Besides the cactus growing up this tree, there are also morning glories and Virginia creeper.

I spied a bloom of ‘Golden Sun’ in my main garden and that made me very happy. This is a rooted cutting I got going last year and planted in the main garden this spring., I think. All the rain has done it and everything else good. These are small blooms with barely a scent. I’ve looked up Golden Sun in searches and never came across it. I bought it through a lady who grew and sold roses up in the middle of the state. She sold them someplace up there and advertised online. She was coming through here on her way south, so would deliver them to me, which was nice. I got a couple more roses from her, but now I don’t even remember what they were, and may not even have them anymore. I just looked in a notebook where I’ve printed out roses and info and found a couple others that I bought from her, Bon Silene and La Marne, both are great.

This is African Foxglove. It is a volunteer growing in the middle circular path of the main garden. I won’t pull it up until it is spent. So far it is doing great guns. I love how transparent the flowers are.

Lastly, my latest heart sachet. I will be posting these individually over in my blog ArtistikUs ElastikUs for sale at $20 a piece. These each take hours, but we all know you can’t get paid for your time. I haven’t figured out shipping yet, Continental US only, and no sales to FL unless you have a tax #.

They are approximately 4”x4”, made on quilt batting, with cotton embroidery floss, cotton perle, bugle, seed beads and other beads. Stuffed with a smaller heart shaped bit of fleece and several scoops of dried lavender. They are stored in a zip log bag to preserve the scent and keep clean. On the back I’ve put my initials, FL except for on the back of the one below, I forgot. When we lived in Spain, we bought some beaded necklaces made in Morocco. There is always a strange bead in the pieces as their belief is that only God is perfect so they make sure their pieces are imperfect. I am not perfect and there are bound to be a bead or two missed, as I did find one missing last night on one of the sachets.

These can be hung in a closet, placed in a drawer, hung in a cupboard, hung on the Christmas tree. Keep for yourself or give as a gift.

They are each created with joy and love. It is exciting to pick up needle and thread and begin work. I have no plan I just let the colors inspire me.

Thanks for visiting.

***

Take your needle, my child,

and work at your pattern;

it will come out a rose by and by.

Life is like that -

one stitch at a time

taken patiently

and the pattern will come out all right

like the embroidery.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

***

Gardening is about

enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil,

getting dirty without feeling guilty,

and generally taking the time

to soak up a little peace and serenity.

Lindley Karstens, noproblemgarden.com