Since I was headed out to the ‘burbs for dinner with my Dad & Bonnie… I decided to head out early for a pre-dinner hike through the woods. The blue skies had turned to gray, but the flowers were still beautiful… and the egrets didn’t seem to mind!

Yes… my Dad has a girlfriend named Bonnie – for five years now.
And she’s ADORABLE!!! They’re the cutest together!

Milkweed along the lake. The monarch butterflies’ favorite… this time with a beautiful view!!!

Before the rain… enjoying these catalpa flowers on huge trees in my neighborhood. It’s about time for these “orchid-like” blooms to start falling from the trees. And I fear that today’s predicted storms might just take care of that quickly?! Unfortunately… the aftermath is a big mess of deteriorating floral mush on the streets! But hey, they were pretty for awhile, right?!

For our class flowerpot trades last session, I went with a “purple-on-purple” theme!
Stamping & glazing my flowerpots & then finding a very thematically-correct plant
to go along with it! You know I live for a good theme!!!

At the end of last session, my SURFACE DECORATION class celebrated with a little “white-elephant-trading-stealing-game” with handmade flowerpots & plants! So much fun to share their work… finished & functioning… for the most part! Some people didn’t quite get through the kiln in time for the big trade!!!

New in the garden this morning… a “pop” of orange & purple!

I have several of these flowers in my front garden. I’ve always thought they were called “heliotrope”… but just recently learned I was wrong! I now believe it is actually “valerian” and it has such an amazing aroma with these blooms dancing on really tall stems. But when I came home from my bike ride this morning, one of the stems was broken and had fallen over. So I brought it inside, grabbed a tumbler and made this sweet little arrangement… and it STILL smells great!!!

Colorful clematis climbing & blooming in my front garden today! I would love for it to grow larger & produce more flowers… but “someone” may have planted it where it doesn’t get quite enough sun. Darn it!!!