Flowers

On July 1st, my one volunteer dahlia and the first of my daylilies bloomed. This morning, I noticed a second variety of daylily sporting flowers, despite the ravages of the "meadow rats." Deer aren't supposed to like daylilies....
Today we went to Lowe's to try and find parts to fix our electric gate opener and our great room ceiling fan. While Rick looked for those (in vain), I scouted out the discount plant racks. I scored a "Goldmound Spirea" to plant on the west side of my daphne odora to give it a bit of afternoon shade, and a begonia and two impatiens to put in the empty pot on my deck. Much better:

And who is this beautiful little flower? That would be Hannah, my friend Pam's youngest adopted daughter. She just came from Fiji two weeks ago, although she has lived with Pam and/or her husband since birth. I was delighted by her instant acceptance of me, thanks to Pam showing her my photos and telling her all about "Auntie Michelle." Hannah is such a petite little person - her birth mother was only 4'10" - but full of energy and attitude. I ended up giving her the "raspberry sorbet" Baby Surprise Jacket as a belated birthday present (she was born two years ago in May) because it turned out pretty big (I hope to have a photo of her modeling it soon). I'm already busily working on another, smaller BSJ for the baby girl our pastoral family is expecting next month.

That's it for now at . . .