After Seeing My FB Album

After a friend from the club saw my posts about the plants being eaten in my FB Gardening Album, she told me that she thought my gardens were beautiful and can she come and see them.

Sadly, my only answer to her was "Thank you, so much!! Unfortunately NO! It's all been eaten!!!"

Below is all that's left, growing.

Really re-thinking the hard work in the gardens, next year.

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SERIOUSLY?!!?

That was my favorite hydrangea tree.

They had better issue a lot of DEER HUNTING licenses, this year. Or else, my daughter can get the job done with a bow and arrow, she's quite good!

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SO FrUsTraaaaaaaaaaTed!!!!!!

I have to sadly say, this may be the last tomato that is grown in my garden, this summer.

Just the day before yesterday, there were a ton of different staged tomatoes, all over the plant. When I went out to enjoy weeding the early hours, this morning, I couldn't believe my eyes! One tomato left and the entire plant CHEWED to pieces! Branches split, the poor stem broken and bent over and every possible little bloom and fruit - GONE. I had it so well supported and growing so nicely. The plant was doing so well and fairly tall. (Now, I can't stop thinking about the tall beautiful plant I grew and was photographed next to, last year!!!! That baby produced so many Ugly Tomatoes, I was giving them away!!!!)

To top it off, my hardy hibiscus bushes were just starting to throw out their missile shaped buds, which were lopped ComPleTeLy off. And more of my hollyhocks were a tasty meal, too.

I work hard on the plants long before spring has officially starts, by popping seeds into seed-starter soil pods and growing them in the best room in the house, early in the year. Once the season really kicks in, I work hard and sweat in those gardens; planting my seedlings, weeding and turning soil around the plants, watering and insect spraying - in general, keeping the plants in the best shape that I can. It's just one of the things I enjoy doing... but to see this happen to weeks and weeks and WEEKS of hard labor, it is really discouraging.

Sorry I was so glum this time. Thank you for visiting!

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Girls Are Home!

Camp's over and my daughters are home! House full of happy sounds, again.

I haven't seen much bloom action from my tropical hibiscus plants, this year. This plant is the only one that's been flowering, and bloom color is so beautiful!

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Ugly Tom

First Ugly Tomato from the garden, this year!!!! Everything seems to be underproducing and late, this year. But, gardening is still my "Go-To" place for the quiet happy place!!!

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Rickety Old House

I'd love to know the history behind this old house.

It's right on the main drag on River Road, Bedford. Everything else is so modern and commercial (banks, food stores, restaurants, office buildings, etc.), with this smack-dab in the middle. No "For Sale" nor "No Trespassing" signs, and someone must be paying the taxes.

I can almost see the former family on the front porch, watching the occasional car drive by on the rural road, River Road once was - many moons ago.

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Oh Artie T.

It's not right what happened to you and your beloved Market Basket.

The strike and the picket lines have caused store shelves to be empty and now the lots are empty, too. I am afraid that's the end of my favorite food store! Truck deliveries cannot get through, employees are being arrested and corporate is antagonizing the situation. Even the lawmakers are suggesting the employees and customers boycott the store.

Artie T. Demoulas took great care and concern for the Market Basket employees. But when his cousin Artie S. Demoulas fired him, the employees all took action and are standing by Artie T, all the way.

Such a great store for all the kids to work, even my daughter had plans on applying there, when she is old enough!!!

First the Stop & Shop chain pulled all their stores from New Hampshire, now Market Basket is teetering. The only remaining choices for food stores are either not all that great or very expensive.

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New Look !!!

Mama got a new look!!! No more bi-focals for this old lady.

I got CONTACTS to see distance and the every day things, better. As a bonus, the reading is ever so slightly improved, too!

Not the easiest to put in. Seems the contacts like the tip of my fingers more than my eyes. Takes a little while for me to finally win the fight, BUT I DO!!!

Now I am really ready to battle on the tennis courts, at Districts, in a couple weeks. I will be able to see the close line calls better and my opponent's face, across the court!

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More Garden Flowers!

I love this time of year.

Unfortunately, this is yet another year where there hasn't been much as far as blooming on the hydrangea plants.

This is a beautiful crimson hollyhock that's just started to bloom. Love this red color.

These guys are all tiny hollyhocks I started for next year! Over 50 in total. Hoping more than 1/2 will survive the transplanting, winter, and unpredictable weather next spring!

Hollyhocks are bi-annuals which means that they grow leaves first year and bloom on their second year. After that, they die off. I have seen hollyhocks listed as perennials but in real life, I have never seen a flowering hollyhock come back for a third year. They do self sow, which can be nice in a wildflower type of setting. But, in my gardens, such seedlings are pulled along with other starter weeds.

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More Hollyhocks!

Such an old English Garden style plant.

This pink hollyhock has grown to a little more than 5 feet tall!

This hollyhock is called King of the Black, but you can see it's really a dark maroon. The early blooms are closer to black. In real life they both appear to be darker than in this picture. Very sexy!

This black hollyhock species is supposed to reach a near 6 feet! Unfortunately, mine feel prey to some deer. I sure hope those deer suffered a TERRIBLE tummy ache. Someone should tell them that I am growing garden flowers, NOT deer food!

I have more hollyhocks planted around the various gardens but some of their buds are just starting to show blooms.

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Incredibly Beautiful

What a rainbow!

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YMCA Camp, Again!

My daughters have been going to this camp, for three years. It's been a camp the Peases have been going to for a couple generations or so...

The camp is in Winthrop, ME, which is about 3 hours away. Had no traffic so the trip was nice.

Had to stop and take a good picture of the above sign. It is always fun to see it as we head up to the New Hampshire border, (look at it closely...).

Pheeu, another good sign! :D

FINALLY there!!! This is the path to all the action! On the immediate right and out of sight, is the Infirmary. Last year, there was the nicest nurse...
Also to the the right, you can see the Mess Hall Cabin. It's a bit bigger than it looks. Directly across the path from the Mess Hall, on the left, are more cabins like the Mess Hall which are for various activities (like CRAFTS! Yippee!)

In the below picture you can see the view as we walked past all those cabins.
At this point, boys cabins are to the right and girls go left!

Just barely finished putting the stuff in the girls' cabins and their first activity was just underway. Already part of the group!

These kids; counselors and campers, come from all over the world and really bring a diverse culture to the experience. One night, the counselors will put on fun skits which highlight their various backgrounds. When it rains, the creative fun REALLY BEGINS!!! The last night's HUGE activity's been different every year. This year's should be just as fun.

I can't wait to hear all the great stories and experiences, in two weeks! Until then, I am going to miss them terribly.

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Finally Finished Another!

TaDa!

Really like the way these turned out! Took forever to complete because July's been an awfully busy month (which is always a good thing :D ).

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Visit From Seth Meyers

Raised in Bedford NH, in the town right next door, Seth Meyers returned home recently and what a fun time it was for the local area! I have heard first hand the WHOLE family is as fun in real life as Seth is on TV!

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July 4th!

Was terrific in Amherst!

Of all the towns having a parade on the 4th of July, Governor Jeanne Shaheen, Senator Kelly Ayotte, and election hopeful for senator Scott Brown were just a few that risked the rain to come and march in our parade! (Should I also mention that our only TV news crew came, too? Where else for a good political pic?). We usually have more politicians from the national level but I think the rain threat kept others away.

Rained for just a couple minutes and then stopped just long enough for the end of the parade and for the short walk home. Then the skies opened up for the rest of the day and night!

July 3rd is usually our town's fireworks' night but because of the bad weather, the show was postponed to Saturday night (an also very fun but COLD night - first time I can remember being cold for fireworks!)

Our parade has been an annual event for 45 years. Only in 1978 and 1992 was the parade greatly effected by weather. Otherwise, it's been a dry and hot day in Amherst!

PS
The rain mentioned was a weather pattern unrelated to the hurricane that hit during the holiday weekend but said hurricane pushed and effected our weather so much and made it exciting and so dramatic; something we don't usually see this time of year.
A very memorable 4th.

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First Hollyhock Bloom!

Have a ton planted all over, but this is the first!

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Moose Population in New Hampshire

Sadly it has dwindled. In 1998-2008, it was at it's highest (wish I new the numbers). Now, there are only about 4000. There is now a study going on to find out why the number of moose are going down,

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Paramore Concert at the Gilford Pavilion

Took my older daughter to the Paramore concert, last night.

What a wonderful performer. She really worked hard and danced her little heart out.

At one point, she stopped to read all the signs, held up by the audience and one of them caught her eye. It was a marriage proposal and she brought the couple up on the stage for the official proposal act!

Great pit tickets and a wonderful night

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