Robert Pattinson and Westie Dog, West Highland Terrier Painting

Here is the elusive Robert Pattinson that I painted with his favorite dog and our favorite dog, westies. We have that one thing in common. He has excellent taste; no?

This was painted all in one setting, alla prima, and the enjoyable part is that every brushstroke must have a purpose. It is done in a very fast paced style because then it is coming from the heart and not the mind so much...the art. This is why I like painting with oils....they are so versatile and they have an energy flowing from them which is from the large, loaded brushstrokes connected and slightly overlapped. Photos are cropped sections of a larger painting.

I would love to see Patty in a press conference with Robert. Two stars together.

Thanks for stopping by and visit again soon. Westies rule.

Hot Plant Combinations for Containers

One fun thing about planters is that you can experiment every year with new color combinations and different plant combinations in hots or cool groups. This one above you can see the focus is really on foliage. It will look drop-dead-gorgeous til the first frost...that is if it is watered regularly. If squirrels plant nut trees in them...pull the tree seedlings out promptly. Since this is a large pot dogs will not likely try to hide toys in it.

On the bottom right is a begonia with it's wild colors. For all those who are interested in begonias go to http://begonias.org/Resources/slideLibrary.htm Begonias have many different leaf shapes and colors. If I had room I would be a collector of begonias.

Leafy and speckled Coladiums are on the bottom left which,with the creamy green and sprinkle of red, adds a bit of coolness to the overall effect. These come in a range of reds and whites, greens and mixtures.

A red-brown phorium plant with it's strapping sword shaped leaves add height and a nice contrast in leaf shapes and adds texture. Phoriums are also known by their common name of New Zealand Flax. To see many different varieties visit http://nzplantpics.com/sfeature_gallery.htm I am only familiar with a few so it was a good site for me.

On the far top right is the very popular annual calibrachoa Million Bells. Prolific bloomers and loaded with flowers these are great for planters and hanging baskets.

Antiques on Country Porches

This charming country porch draws you right up to it. The antique white cupboard I would like myself. A grouping of urns and greens, topiary form and an old weathered birdhouse are delightful. There is a swing on one end and a flag hanging on the other.

Porches are for sipping sweetened iced tea and visiting. In the late afternoons here in the east people do sit on their porches in little towns and watch passerbys and visit. They also enjoy this spring weather before it turns to the dog days of heat and humidity. (We don't want to say it too loud for fear it will hit sooner than expected.) For now we are still giddy from the "lovely" days (as the English say) and full of hope for our budding and blooming gardens and crops. There isn't a better place to daydream than on a summer porch... if you have time.

Yellow Climbing Roses

Climbing roses are a bit more romantic than shrub roses, I believe. They grow so tall and then arch over fences or other shrubs if left untied. The buds and roses nod down lazily above you without any cares except to intoxicate you with perfume.

To me these yellow roses seem to say, "It's beautiful out," even if it's cloudy and overcast...Which it was when I photographed them. I'm finding I like yellow flowers more and more because they are always sunny. This spring has been a wet, cloudy one. Maybe that's why they are popular in cloudy England, too.

Cute Touring Westie Dogs

Since we couldn't take our westie boy with us we were always on the lookout for westies. We saw three westies in just a few hours of touring the old part of williamsburg, Va. These two westie girls, above, are beautiful.

Back in another state, but in the historical part of Annapolis Maryland, we saw this very inquisitive westie girl puppy. There were a number of dogs gathered and this westie puppy was the smallest and the most fearless of all the dogs! Doesn't that sound like a westie or west highland terrier for you? Yes.

Raised Garden Beds - Vegetables & Herbs

The potagers in Williamsburg, Virginia are way ahead of us up north. We just had a frost, mind you, on May 18th. These large cabbage plants are very healthy.

The great thing about raised beds is that you always improve your soil and by raising it you will have better drainage. Some people add all compost and have an instant garden of eden after they plant. There is an lovely ornamental beauty about these gardens, too.

This herbal garden is only raised up one brick. It has nice geometric lines and is appealing to look at from the house or from the sidewalk. One lady passed by and said to me, "I want a garden like this so bad it hurts." She was a total stranger but I knew the feeling she was having and also why gardening is so rewarding.

There isn't any lawn to mow in this Williamsburg front yard. How nice.

Blue Pink Larkspur in Colonial Gardens

We visited historical, colonial Williamsburg and the larkspur stole the show. Okay the boxwood was a close second. Every which way you looked was a beautiful sight especially against all the whitewashed fences.




The farmers market was in full swing and these bouquets were being sold one after another. They come from a certified organic farm. Her biggest seller was her larkspur bouquets.

One little, hidden, backyard garden had this white love-in-a-mist, poppies, and yarrow at the larkspur's feet.

Look at these gardening boots. The gardeners there have so many layers of authentic period clothing on...tights, baggy pants, boots, jackets over long sleeve shirts...that it is a bit cumbersome in the 80F. weather. You know how gardeners are they will dress in about anything to get to garden like this gentleman above in Williamsburg. You cannot keep gardeners from gardening. A fact.

Behold the Floribunda Rose - Hot Cocoa

There is such a lure to roses. It's like they have this urgent banner over them, "Come here at once." And, of course, we don't have any resistance and immediately walk over to them. This "Hot Cocoa" is one such rose. It's a keeper. The color is a red-brown, and every stalk has a huge bouquet on it thanks to it's floribunda heritage. It's quite hardy... another huge bonus.

Hot Cocoa has an old rose fragrance and it's foliage is green and glossy. Yes, it's attributes are amazing. They reach a height of 3- 6 feet all laden with rich color and fragrance.

Gardening Frog Purse

How do you know if you are a true gardener? It could be the accessories. Is this not the cutest little girl's frog purse? For the bigger girls it is just big enough for a driver's license, credit card and it could hold 15 seed packets! Have frogs will garden. Have toads in your garden?...Ahhh, that means you are a true princess.

Grandma had a complete hip replacement on one side this week. The nurses had her up and walking the day after surgery. It's a medical wonder at the recovery speed. Now she won't have to sit down to plant flowers and to garden. It also means she will be walking around mine and be able to see all of the weeds.

Sunny Faces in Garden Borders

We've had quite a few rainy, gray, overcast, thunderstorming days here, but that doesn't stop perennial borders from having the sunny look. Say it with a splash of lemon, lime or gray. The lime green "Angelina sedum" makes it look like the sun is shining brightly. (It is super easy to root any cuttings from all sedums.) All lime green and gold leaf foliage does this trick. Grays even look bright on overcast days like the lamb's ears, stachys byzantina, zones 4-7 here with the sedum. My head is spinning with color and foliage combinations most days rain or shine.

Liberty Hosta

This Liberty Hosta makes the perfect centerpiece on our table. It's large fleshy leaves are artsy. This hosta will get large to a height of around 30-inches. It is a "sport" from the Sagae Hosta. The lime green edges will turn creamy in summer on the Liberty hosta leaves. It thrives in shady zones 3-6 in the USA.

We have slowly become hosta collectors. Hostas are drama plants. First and foremost is they have gorgeous foliage with a lush tropical look. They are hardy and almost indestructible. Some have been accidentally mowed down by the lawnmower at our place and have come right back even more beautiful than before. (The mower said he didn't see them. "Were you looking was my question?") They come up early in spring. Right now all of ours are leafed out and looking gorgeous outside and will stay that way until the first frost. Go hostas!

Tropical Colors in Shrubs/Plants

The mandarin lights, orange azalea is in full bloom now and against the burgundy lacy, red maple it is an attention grabber. Our globemaster alliums have not yet bloomed but I just planted them so they are slower the first year to bloom. They add a deep burgundy purple that is the perfect combination. Depending on your soil acidity they can either be more blue or more burgundy...the alliums that is.

Sunny Faces

Even rain cannot dim these sunny faces. The dahlias I had put here in the shade until I could plant them and they are still here lighting up this fencepost due to the rain. The roots have probably ventured out of the bottom of the pots into the mulch since they look very happy in this mostly shaded area. (They will get planted). I like these because of the burgundy foliage and the yellow flowers.

New Sweet Face Outside

This little cutie is a new arrival on a neighboring farm and we get this view every time we go to the fence. The mare kept saying "humph humph humph" to her baby. "Do not go too close."

Not the Swine Flu Virus

It's a relief to know our cold and flu symptoms are not the swine flu bug. A simple test is done by swabbing the inside of your nose and the test results take 3 minutes. (Similar to a throat culture but in the nasal cavity.) With 5 school closings in Maryland due to one or more students in those schools having the virus all doctors are now required to test patients with any flu symptoms for the swine flu virus. There was a new 6th Maryland school today that has one student with the virus. The state government said the virus is not as bad as they first thought and all schools are reopening in Maryland.

Our weather has been hot then cold and rain, rain, and more rain. Everyone seems to be getting some sort of cold.

Sir Salty with his short summer haircut would be cold if he didn't continually run when he's outside. There is this lady who has made a successful business by labeling you with just two words. I could do that myself starting with labeling our westie doggy boy, "Perpetual motion."

Outdoor gardening will have to wait. Weeds are not waiting. Today the paper said: The good news is the drought is over. The bad news is it's too wet to plant.

A Gardeners Garden

If you have good design in the layout and structure you can arrange plants almost any way and they look great. These urns get a rotation of plants throughout the growing season.

Notice when you look at this photo that you see the tulips first then you move onto the red trellis in the background. Red is usually always the color your eyes go to first. Who doesn't want to garden? Everyone pick up your shovel and plant, plant, plant.