Hollyhocks, Hollyhocks And More Hollyhocks

I've always loved the 'English country garden' look. Hollyhocks play a feature roll in this vision. Frequent rains have made these stately plants look especially glorious this year. I've noticed that other bloggers are reporting a banner flowering year as well. So if you got 'em, flaunt 'em, I say.

 

Hollyhocks are my show-stoppers but I'm also having a good year for sweet pea flowers. I love having fresh bouquets of them each day.

I like to add a touch of abandon to my arrangements with Crown vetch vines.

Wish you could sample the scent of these sweet peas. Sweet indeed!

Better Than Bacon

It seems like months and years can go by with pretty much clear sailing. Than all of a sudden, malfunctions and breakdowns occur in a cluster. Last week I had five of them.

1. A front tire on my riding mower refused to hold air.

2. My eleven year old printer quit working.

3. My eleven year old garden tiller refused to start.

4. My cell phone couldn't find a signal at home.

5. My nine year old iPad suddenly locked me out and refuses my password.

It bugs me that increasingly we live in a throw-away society. Due to obsolescence, electronics seem to have an ever shortening life expectancy. In my last job, working on magazine production, our equipment was budgeted for replacement every four years. Software was upgraded annually. I have to admit that I did love it when new computers and software arrived.

Anyway, I've pretty much sorted out my current rash of glitches.

1. Had a local repair shop put a tube in the faulty tire.

2. Bought a new printer.

3. Decided to take a year (at least) off weeding those long rows in the vegetable garden and switch to more gardening in containers.

4. The cell phone signal came back to it's usual reliable strength.

5. In view of the fact that my faithful old iMac (I do these posts on it) is thirteen years old and not compatible with many newer applications, I ordered a MacBook Air. This will be my very first laptop and I'm looking forward to exploring it's charms. I may still revive my old iPad but it really is too outdated now to download most of the newer applications.

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Now about the title of this post. I've found something I like better -- much better in fact, than bacon. It fries up in three minutes and tastes absolutely delicious and without the downsides of pig grease! Big recommend. 

I don't know why mine didn't fry up wavy like the picture on the package.

Rather high in sodium but the taste is absolutely worth it!

 

Disappointingly, none of my twenty-five nesting boxes are housing bluebirds this year. Two are vacant, twenty-three have tree swallows and one has a house wren. I do enjoy my present tenants but last year's blue birds were a special treat.

A Tree Swallow flies out from Number 16.

Another Tree Swallow peers out from Number 17.

Perched on my clothesline, a Barn Swallow burbles a message to it's mate.

The alarm calls of this Gray Catbird sound much like a distressed young kitten.

Honey bees wait their turn as a Baltimore Oriole helps himself to jelly.

A mother robin gives her youngster a lesson in concealment.

A Boat-Tailed Grackle appears to be disappointed at the low water level.

The yellow iris are currently center stage. Blue ones are waiting in the wings.

Cranesbill geraniums may look dainty but are quite hardy plants.

These perky clematis vines appreciated our recent rains.