"I've been letting my mind wonder at night. My thoughts should have a curfew." Am Kidd

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Gardening bliss


These past few days have been spent in a gardening frenzy. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, except for yesterday when a few storms decided to come and pay a visit. Since I had been secluded due to the allergies, I must say when I finally took a closer look: it was a jungle out there! 

As many of you know, I live in a town quite close to NYC but I refuse to let that stop me from creating what I hope looks like a "cottage-country garden." Every year in late March I start (indoors, of course) my beloved Morning Glory seeds, and every year I am mesmerized by their incredible beauty.

My feathered friends and I love the sound of trickling water

 I feel joyful to provide them with a drink  and a place to take a bath on those hot sunny days. Things so hard to find in the city!



This little one was in such a rush it did not give me a chance to see that the fountain was not set up straight!

 There's plenty here for everyone...

Speaking of everyone...this rascal and his family of THREE have moved in AGAIN to our roof. They have managed to find and break into the place we had tried to close countless times during the past 15 years. I do believe they pass around the information: "Go to Alina's house! There's a room with a view!"

We now have to wait for these babies to grow and move out so we can start all over again. A project which fills my dear husband with, let's just say..."despair." He truly believes I have something to do with this, but honestly, I don't! I just think they are so adorable and they make me smile...well, they must pick up the vibes (MY vibes) and know it's safe here...


This makeshift water feature sits next to a crumbling retainer wall (a subject of a very long and ongoing legal issue) Luckily, my fairy friend doesn't care.


Owning a purple caravan is not in my immediate future, but I do have a purple garden shed!

Actually, purple seems to surface here...

there...
everywhere...

For the past three years I have been inviting Miss Bateman to come into my garden, but in spite of my watering, mulching, fertilizing, and everything else including begging on bended knees, nothing happened. I had given up. I truly had, when all of the sudden, this weekend, as I was walking around the garden there it was! One single gorgeous bloom! I could hardly believe my eyes, but it was not a mirage, Miss Bateman really WAS here!
I felt like a proud parent shocked to realize her child had been listening! Ahh, the joys of gardening! A single bloom having the power to make my heart sing, to make me want to work harder, disregard an aching back, sore hands, and stiff knees. It's all so worth it!

I hope you did not find this post too long. I just wanted to give you a glimpse of the things that make me happy.  There are so many!  I want to thank you for leaving such lovely comments  on my last post. I'm sorry I have not answered as I usually do, but as you can see, I've been enchanted and held prisoner by the beauty of the garden.

Have a wonderful day,


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24 comments:

  1. Magnificent post...dazzling and magical!!! Gorgeous!!The heart and spirit of your sacred space shines powerfully!!! Wow!! Awesome Alina..this may be my fave post now!! Wonderful!
    PS: I was recently writing a post about sharing your special/garden treasures..this fits perfect! magical!!
    Kiki~

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  2. Your garden looks so lush and full! I still have gravel and rocks and weeds. Not a single plant yet BUT I have puppies! =] (and 95% of a garden wall.) I love all of your colors. I mean, you've noticed by now that I LOVE purple! and, I love your photographs and seeing that your garden is a haven and a shelter. Maybe your husband would be encouraged with the fact that they are only squirrels and not a family of racoons like my mom gets every year.

    Glad that you're feeling better!!!

    Love, Me xo

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  3. Alina, I think this may be my favourite post! I just loved having a little glimpse into your magical world - and we DO have the same fairy fountain! Squirrels, hey? We have possums here and they eat EVERYTHING! Your little garden is magical x

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  4. I am a new follower and must say quite enchanted by your garden. And the squirrels....why yes of course they must know that you are a lover of the fluffy tailed rascals. We had squirrels that lived in our block and concrete BBQ/smoker when I was a kid. I just love their antics.
    Your garden is wonderful, lush, green, colorful (I to am addicted to purple) and very inviting. Living here in the SW, well we are a little dry....yep that's it. We struggle and get some things to grow well but mostly...I enjoy others greenery...like yours.

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  5. You always make me smile with your comments :)
    Your photos are always beautiful

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  6. Beautiful , so lovely, a magical place!!!!
    Thank you for sharing your world with me.
    Dottie

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  7. Kiki, I'm honored that you'd be writing a post about me :0) Thank you! xo

    Katy, don't worry, you will have your "green and lush" and it will be gorgeous and worth the wait. I did tell my husband what you said about squirrels being better than racoons and he had to agree. Thank you for pointing out the positive side of things xo

    Carousel Dreams, possums...I do believe I prefer our rascally squirrels :0) It's great to see you, as always xo

    Hello Linda, and welcome!!! Thank you for visiting, becoming a friend, and leaving such nice comment. Hope you come back soon! xo

    Kelly, glad to make you smile. Thank you! xo

    Dottie, thank you for being here! xo

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  8. Oh Alina, that is such a beautiful post and just what I needed today from my work stress. As I listen to your lovely music and visit your garden I can feel the tension leave me! I understand what it's like to "create" your own paradise when you live in the city/desert and it's such a thrill to see our feathered friends feel safe in our gardens! Love the Heavenly Blue Morning Glories, can you believe I actually had a beautiful vine of them one year? (I'll have to find that photo) but I have never been able to grow them successfully again for some reason? Thank you for sharing your garden... beautiful!

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  9. To enter your caravan is like to open a gift any abundance of color, sensibility and happiness of living..A was to begin the day...Happy !!

    ¡Lovely squirrel !

    Thank you :-))

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  10. You have a wonderful gardening touch. You know how to harmonize those vibrant colours.

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  11. Your garden is so beautiful Alina! How I wish I could come for a visit and walk through your garden, ending it with a tall glass of iced tea, sitting amongst the beauty of your garden, chatting and laughing in the sunshine! The colors are so wonderful. And although your little furry friend is naughty for getting into things, they are sure fun to watch!

    Lovely post friend!
    xo Catherine

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  12. oh, what a lovely and flowery haven you have here at your blog :) It's very peaceful and relaxing.

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  13. Dearest Alina,
    You've created a most enchanting and dreamy world in your own backyard. How beautiful!! It's so inviting and reminiscent of an old cottage garden. I love it! Thank you for sharing my dear!
    Hugs,
    Sandra

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  14. dear alina, your garden is a perfect country cottage garden, beautiful, one day hope that our very new garden will look as good. I adore all the purpleness too!

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  15. I've not been much into gardening until last year. I think it's so wonderful to see things that I planted begin to grow and flower. A miracle! I love your water features. xx

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  16. Beautiful garden and beautiful photos. You have certainly created the most magical of places, I love it!!! How cool is your purple shed!!! Also wanted to say thanks for your kind comment you left me about my Dad and for always taking the time to pop by.Karenxxxxxxxx

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  17. Your garden is so beautiful! I have barely worked on mine at all and now it is so hot I can't bare to get out there. I too am hoping for the cottage garden look. :)
    blessings
    ~*~

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  18. Your garden reminds me of a backyard where I stayed while viciting Cape Cod in 2000. The colors are your colors and I'd like to send you the pictures I took. I will add them to the e-mail I'm sending you.
    The morning glories are beautiful - I have wild ones in my landscaping but they all died out in our four month recent drought and only the vises have recovered.
    I love your music, when I return from our cruise in July, I'm going to add music to my Blog. Nothing lovely as your music - I have in mind Scot Joplin's Ragtime.

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  19. Becca, I am so glad you found a bit of peace here in my Caravan :0) Morning Glories are unpredictable for me too. This year they are doing very well, but last year I hardly had any blooms. Thank you for stopping by- xo

    Abril, thank you :0) Un abrazo!! xo

    Thank you Paul.

    Oh Catherine, I would love to have you here too! Thank you for the lovely comments-- xo

    Hello Dezmond, and welcome! Thank you for visiting and becoming a friend. Hope you come back again soon!

    Miss Sandra, thank you :0) I am looking forward to seeing more photos of your blooming garden and of that gorgeous cat of yours! xo

    Ruthie, Andi, Karen,Laura thank you lovely ladies for the heartfelt comments. Hugs!

    Natalie, thank you for the email and photos from Cape Cod (one of my most favorite places ever!) and thank you for the sweet compliments. You must be so excited, the big day is getting closer! Can't wait to see those vacation photos when you return :0) xo

    Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

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  20. If I haven't already told you, I'm leaqving tomorrow on a cruise and won't return until July 2, so I won't be following your postings until I return. But I'll read them all then!! Have a nice month of June.

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  21. Sch beauty! Lovely post and blog.

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  22. Natalie, I hope you have a wonderful time. I shall miss your posts and I'm looking forward the wonderful stories you will tell when you come back. Be safe! xoxo

    Hello Regina, thank you for your visit and lovely comment. Hope to see you again soon!

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  23. What a charming garden! Thanks for all the lovely photos and inspiration.

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  24. Hi Alina..I just HAD to come revisit this post! Your garden is SO MEGA-MAGICAL and i am dreaming of Morning glory's..the snow has finally melted here..and I cannot wait for the garden to grow!Your sacred space inspires me! I hope you share more of your garden this summer! HUgs..and hope you are doing well and wishing you many sparkles and joy always!
    Kiki~

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Albert Schweitzer said "In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit" I thank you all!