text and images britt-arnhild
I was out watering a few plants last night when a pine cone fell down just before my feet. "The squirrel is busy up there" I thought, but when looking up in one of the huge pines, I saw two spotted birds, busy eating seeds. I ran in for my camera, took a photo, then ran in again to get Terje "Come Terje, there are two unknown birds here. I wonder what kinds they are"
Later I posted the photo on facebook with a question - what kind of bird is this. And then it didn´t took long till my father called.
"Fuglen din er en nøttekråke" (your bird is a Spotted Nutcracker)
I have never seen them in The Blue Garden before. They must have come to say "Welcome back to Norway. We are many great birds here as well, just as in California"
(One day I most make a special bird post from California. Please remind me!)
Sister in law Rita, daughter Ingrid and neighbour Inger have taken perfectly good care of The Blue Garden while we were away. And I must not forgeth Marius. He has mowned the lawn, with Terje´s old-fashioned handmower.......Marius, Terje has finally decided to buy a more modern mower :-)
Most of my peonies had their highlight period while we were away, but still there are a few blooming. Like this pink one, from a plant given me by a neighbour last summer.
Tagetes, these beautiful orange velvet flowers, which started their lives in the greenhouse, are flourishing, and can now be found everywhere in The Blue Garden.
I always collect seeds from old plants for next year´s ones.
This year I had to buy new seeds though.
The ones I had gathered last summer, among them seeds from some very beautiful filled tagetes at Flor & Fjære, would not sprout. I had kept them in a cabinet out on the veranda outside the kitchen, believing that a cold winter would be good for them. Apparently it was not.
A little weeding every afternoon. A little deadheading. A little chatting time with my plants.
My goal has never been to have a perfect garden.
In my garden weeds and scrappiness (is this a real word or did I just make it up? you understand its meaning, don´t you?) are welcomed companions.....as long as I am the boss that is :-)
My garden is for living.
Where I can walk the paths in conversation with The Creator. Where I can watch creation flourishing. Where I can get exercise. Where serenity is the most beautiful flowers.
Where the rainbow is.
The garden season is short in Norway.
And intense.
I make sure to live, to savour every possible garden moment.
