At the beginning of May, I pruned the geranium of its leggy twigs and set them to grow roots. Now, just four weeks later, the jar is full of roots, so it is time to put them in pots.
One plant went into this pot that had the mother plant. There is a lot of space and I’d like it to fill in a bit.
The other one got a pot of its own. I could have used a bigger pot and planted it deeper, but this will do for now. I can always transplant it later.
The bargain rack verbena is very happy, spreading and blooming.
Even some of the trailing fronds have beautiful dark purple blooms.
The begonia is starting to show delicate white flowers with bright yellow stamens.
It is coming back full and green after its pruning.
There have been more visitors this past week. This little blue tailed skink came up to the top of the brick planter while I was watering. I think it was thirsty, so I pointed the hose at a depression on the wall and filled that with water. He saw that and went around to lap up a bit.
My Sweet Babboo put the bird feeder back up, although I thought it might be too soon. A nuthatch came quickly, hanging upside down to grab a bite as they like to do.
A male cardinal shares the seed with a pair of goldfinches.
A pair of house finches came by too. The male on the right has a blush of rose color on his head and chest. The female on the left is all browns and spots.
But then, what I thought might happen did. The bear was back looking for birdseed again.
I shooed it away by yelling at it and waving my arms, and it went back into the woods. My Sweet Babboo took the feeder down again, and now we will need to wait at least 3 weeks before putting it back up again. It takes that long for the bear to conclude that there will not be any more food here. Don’t worry, I wasn’t that close, my camera has a nice long lens.
Back to enjoying the flowers on the veranda, the four hanging baskets of petunias are blooming well. I hope I’ll see a hummingbird soon.
The lobelia is happy too.
The other bargain plant, the New Guinea impatiens, continues to thrive.
One afternoon when the sun came out for a brief time after a rain shower, My Sweet Babboo looked out the kitchen window and said “look at that, there’s a rainbow on the driveway.” I quickly grabbed the camera and went out to the veranda to try to capture a photo of it. This is the best of the bunch. It goes all the way to the ground! But alas, no pot of gold. The spot where it ended is where the lady slippers bloom, a place I say is where the fairies touch the ground. I only had one bloom this year, and I didn’t get a photo of it. Maybe next time there will be more.
I’ll have more sewing time this coming week with only two meetings to attend. Unfortunately, they are on the same day at the same time! But I have to go to the car club board meeting, so I’ll be a bit late to the guild area picnic. I hope I don’t miss show and tell!!
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Last day to take advantage of Fat Quarter Shop’s May specials – 20% off the Basic of the Month Speckled Metallic by Ruby Star Society, 30% Off the Notions of the Month Oh…Sew! Organized Stash ‘n Stores, and book of the month Spelling Bee Book. Take 30% off featured Patterns of the Month from Lella Boutique. Then, check out Today’s Flash Sale and see the Precuts of the Week!!
Check out Sulky.com for their Sew On The Go Sale! – 30% off Handwork Threads & Kits, Petites Solids & Blendables, Filaine Singles, Assortments & Kits! Plus 25% Off Sulky Stick ‘n Stitch Transfers & Stick ‘n Stitch Transfers + Thread!
From My Carolina Home 
More flowers where that rainbow ended is better than a pot of gold
How in the world did that rainbow happen? I’ve never seen anything like that! Your verbena (and all the flowers) are beautiful. I’ve got to look up skink. I’ve never heard of those before. Happy Sunday!
that bear just wants that bird seed so much! we have the lizards like this too and a couple more varieties they are interesting to watch.
The flowers are beautiful!
The picture of the red cardinal and gold finches is extraordinary. You can see each bird very well.
Based on the rainbow picture, I guess your domain is the treasure at the end of the rainbow!
Jo Anne
Your flowers are beautiful, as usual! All the animals are cute! Thanks for sharing! Enjoy your meetings, hope you get there in time for show and tell!
Beautiful flowers Carole, but that rainbow shot is amazing!!
I so enjoy reading your posts and seeing your pictures of your pretty flowers and the lovely western NC landscape and wildlife. How nice of you to give the skink a drink of water.
Everything is looking green and beautiful at your place, Carole! We’ve had some white-breasted nuthatches hanging around in our yard this week – I’m wondering if they’ve got a nest here in one of our trees. I’d be fascinated watching the bear, but you definitely don’t want to to attract him too much!
I always love seeing your Garden plants & creatures. We’re behind you a bit & the unusual cold/hot Spring weather plus the rains the past week has slowed our garden a bit. I will say our iris have been the biggest, brightest & fullest they’ve been in years.
I love browsing the bargain plant area too. It’s so satisfying to bring the bedraggled plants back to life. Nice job on the geraniums — I didn’t know you could root them. I’m guessing the new shoots will eventually bloom? Good to know!
Carole, thank you for sharing so many beautiful pictures. The rainbow filtering through the trees reminds me of your quilt with the sun rays filtering through. Your flowers are inspiring me to get mine planted/potted up before they outgrow their tiny containers. My peonies are the star of my flower beds and a bouquet of them is on my counter.
Flowers, birds, roots, and even a bear. Your photos are always so beautiful!
You have such a nice voice on zoom. Love the accent. I think I notice because I really don’t care for the sound of my voice.
Have a lovely week!
I hope you are able to get your feeders back up!
Any tips on rooting geranium starts? I haven’t had much luck.
Hi Deanna,
When you cut the stems, split the bottom and dip them in rooting powder, then place in water. See my post Spring in the Garden for details and photos.
I loved visiting your garden, Carole. I have verbena and lobelia like yours, mixed in containers. I have thought about begonias, as the University down the street has them, and they thrive all summer long, just beautifully! Love seeing all the birds, too (the bear, not so much). I had to take my front door wreath down three times for a robin trying to nest (she had completely built the nests, but no eggs). A friend told me his wife put a faux nest on hers and it solved the problem. Brilliant! And it worked. I had a faux nest with three eggs – peace, hope, love – that was a Christmas decoration, and now it’s an integral part of my wreath! Too bad there isn’t something similar to do with bears. Gorgeous rainbow on your drive!
Lovely pictures as usual. I haven’t seen any bears yet. I did see a video my brother got of a doe with a tiny fawn; he lives next door to me. I love seeing most wildlife. It’s one reason this is my favorite time of the year. Hope everyone has a great week.
Another lovely post Carole. You are lucky with your ‘bargain bin’ plants. When I get them they are usually way past being rescued. The bear looks well after the Winter, even though he’s a bit of a greedy pest. I think he’s lovely. The skink is so pretty. I have skinks sunbathing outside, in the garden, on the deck, but they are just nondescript grey.
Wind and rain has been our lot for the last couple days but I think we might get a nice day tomorrow before the it all returns again. Sewing days!!
Mary :))
Your plants are growing well and looking great.
The blue in the tail of that skink is gorgeous.
Shame about the bird feeder.