Meanwhile, in front garden....

Its Spring there too.

AZALEA AND MORE

Poppies

SPRING IN THE GARDEN

Even small gardens can be filled with color.  Its my oasis.   I have only watered twice since last fall.  We have had abundant rainfall this winter, and even this week.  But the days are warmer and we have a few sunny days.  So look what happened to the seeds I spread at the end of the season last fall.  When I was doing clean up, I would gather and sow my favorites.  They are wonderful.   I finally have a great display of California poppies, just at thevtime when tourists are going en masse to Southern California wildflower areas to see hillsides covered in the orange blooms.   But first lets peek in my back garden.

Art around us

This composition of a faded rose from my garden in old bowl came about quite natually. I had tossed the spent rose into the bowl when I went to wash out the vase I used to display it.    Then forgot about it until this morning.   It looked so beautiful and sweet, I could not resist taking a quick pic.   

The floral watercolor is a morning sketch done a few days ago.

Pop over to my garden for a sneak peek

 I posted a garden theme post to my old blog.   If you'd like to peek at my garden in Springtime - just go here.
http://janenesartsngardens.blogspot.com/2015/03/springtime-pleasures.html

Mid March

The other day I heard one of my good friends fell and broke her arm.     I asked the mixed media group to help  make a string of pennants/prayer flags for her to cheer her up, as this will be very hard on her.      Here is the one I made - she loves all things cowgirl, and bling.    

 The sun was so hot yesterday that my poor deck plants suffered, so I moved them around - putting the geraniums where they can get a little reprieve from the sun.     Here they get sun most of the day, but are not backed up against the house where the heat is reflected.   A lot of the little spring things suffered as well, so I cut them back.    I'm getting one or two strawberries every day and  love having them close at hand.    Temperature hit 80 degrees yesterday - in mid March this is very strange.  It will shorten up our Spring season.  It will me in the mid 70s all next week according to the latest news.  And no rain forecast. The drought is going to be serious business this year.       I'm glad I have the succulents, as we will have to watch our watering carefully.

The white lilacs are all in bloom again.   I've been waiting and watching.      I had to water behind the studio last evening as it gets little attention there.  I did not notice the french lilac blooming over my head, but this morning when I was surveying the landscape, I noticed the lilac behind the studio is blooming away.    I'm glad I didn't miss it.    I usually cut some for my DIL.     

I worked out in the studio for a few hours yesterday, mostly putting things away and looking for a mixed media project for the group on Thursday.   I had a couple ideas, but not settled on one yet.     

Now, to get outside for some gardening.      Art will have to wait.

Is it art, or is it a garden?

Why not both?      You decide.    

 My spring garden is full of glorious volunteers.  I let them have their way - it's like a wonderful gift.     these are the yellow oxalys and the cobalt blue borage.   

 Here and there are some of the geraniums just starting to bloom.

 This is the little fountain that I repaired the other day.   It's burbling away right now.    

 A pink geranium right outside my door.   Next photo is johnny jumps ups ready to plant.

 One of my favorite geraiums.  Always a bright spot of color.

 A little bulb was accidentally planted in this little miniature garden.   It towers over everything. 

 Here's my dessert for tonite.      Yum.     

 Here is a mother plant for succulents.     She really put out little ones this winter.     I've already moved a lot of them to other pots. 

 I had this plant stand planted with geraniums and herbs last fall, but with another dry year and water restrictions, I planted succulents there now.    They don't look very French - but they'll live.

 Here is a quirky, funky little miniature garden.    A fly, a toad, a grandmother, a shark - are all living peacefully there.

 Nearby a little yellow bird watches.

 A corner in pathway overrun with yellow oxalys.    


I promised some pics.  Here they are.  I hope you like visiting my artsy garden.

Can Spring be far ahead?

Temperatures in high 60s today with sunshine.   Perfect for grooming the dogs and working in garden.  But first - I had to take apart the small fountain on my deck which had stopped working at the end of last season.     I emptied it, brought it in for a scrub - it fits in the sink - and ran clean water through the hoses.   This part works, now for the pump.    I poured water through it and it was not blocked, the solar panel worked when I put the pump in a bucket of water, so it had to be the connecting link between it and the fountain tubing/hose.    It managed to seat properly and alll is good.    I love the sound of the water on the deck and since it is solar powered it needs no electricity and can be left on all the time.   Of course it only pumps when there is direct sunlight on the little panel - but it sits where it gets sun most of the day - and with only a little turn now and then we can capture all the daylight.   

I felt so good about that one, I went down and cleaned out the bigger fountain, a few leaves were in it and some water and bleach.     It's all fresh and clean now, and the little glass floats are once again bobbing about on clean water.     

I planned to plant the strawberries today, but during the afternoon two of them picked up a lot of color, so I figure another sunny day tomorrow and they'll be ready to pick.   Then I'll plant them for the next ones to ripen in their own strawberry pot.       It's really odd I have had this strawberry pot for over a decade, maybe two - and I have never  planted strawberries in it.    I've had succulents in it the last few years.        But, I'm going to give it a chance and am excited to get it done soon.      I used to grow my strawberries in an old wine barrel - but two seasons ago, they got really covered in aphids and mold.   So, I never replanted them there, but succulents grow well there and a citronella geranium.    

 Speaking of geraniums, they are blooming.  Every day there is a new cluster.   Salmon colors, red ones, pink ones - just beautiful.      I will take the camera out tomorrow and take some pics.  The borage is blooming like crazy too.   I pulled out most of the seedlings, but the big one next to the path is just lovely.      I also potted more succulents for the plant stand that holds half a dozen or more pots.     That way I don't need to water it as much as the geraniums were there last summer.      

I want to keep the geraniums closer at hand to control the caterpillars that eat all the blossoms after the first flush of blooms every year.      Hopefully I can keep on top of the because they certainly don't require much other care, and it's the least i can do when I enjoy them so much.      They sat outside all winter on the sunny side of the house - no problem.    I don't think we really had more than a couple days of frosty weather all winter. 

Farter afield, the vineyards have a yellow carpet of mustard right now.   Trees are starting to bloom.  First the white flowering pears in the parking lots, and now the pink  blossoms on ornamental trees.    Soon the orchards will be blooming and the spring breezes will be blowing.       I love this season.      Despite a cold that is hanging on - or may it's allergies now - I can hardly keep myself inside.     LOL   

Those pink oxalys line the pathways with their lovely pink flowers.  Also the more aggressive but shorter lived yellow oxalys is blooming away.    Pics tomorrow, I promise.         

Getting in the mood....

a few sunny warm days and I was off to the nursery to check out the seedlings and plantables.     Here they are on my deck, waiting for another warm day.    It was foggy again today, but they looked cheery anyway.

Whizzing by

Time?    Where does it go?      the 30 day art challenge is on again and this time I'm not painting.  Too many other things to do.     Here are some of them.

these are my son Matt's awesome jet ski pants.   I hemmed them to fit better.    Quite unusal materials and such a sporty look.   

 Friday evening was Art Hop in Lodi.    We started at the gallery, bringing food and drinks.    Then we just looked at the art and visited with people.    

 Our featured artist was Leland Choy.   Frances sat down next to him and he started a portrait of her on the spot.      Leland is the husband of our friend Vivian, who was also there helping out.  It was really a fun time. 

 after we left the gallery we went to the library where the Pen Women were doing poetry readings of their work, and they were also showing their art.   Our friends Elizabeth, Caroline, Charlene and Pepe were there so we had more visiting.      Then we went to another art venue in a little shop where they were featuring the work of Patti Wallace.    You can't put ladies in a room with hats without us trying them on.   LOL    

This is yesterday's journal page spread.    Stencils, acrylics, collage and rubber stamps.    

 Thisi s one I did a few days back.   

 And the blue eyed conductor.   could it be my cowboy is disguise?   

 Here is on of the pages I did today using an image from a fashion magazine a friend brought me.     I decided it would be more fun if the model was a bird too.   

 This skeleton stenciled page is on the opposite page.   Just for fun.

At our mixed media group this week, we made victorian or grunge tags.    

This next one was my favorite  project of the week.     My stenciled windows.   My very best friend gave me some old windows that were sitting around her garden.
I stenciled them in reverse from  the back side, then sprayed the backs with paint for the green one, and mirror glass spray on the other.        the next day she picked up the mirrored one for her house.     The green on is on my fence in the back yard in a little are I've been reworking.    it's my favorite corner of the garden now.

As you can see I  may not be painting every day, but it's all art whether sewing a hem or painting a window.   

Visit with Tuff

A bunch of friends descended on Rosemary's new residence for her first get together there.      We had such a good time.    Here is a pic of a beautiful rose in her backyard.

 This is her new backyard with the landscaping finished.      Very low maintenance but with a lot of interesting textures, colors, and shapes.    It is charming.     

And here is the little king of the premises.     Although Rosemary's husband might dispute that statement.   LOL
This is Tuff, a soft, silly, independent little guy who was groomed for the day.      Looking good little fella.    Sorry I didn't bring the girls with me this time.    

Let's poke around in my little artsy garden

It's kind of grey and muggy today.     But, I thought I'd  see what's blooming.   

 One of my artsy friends gave me an iris last year which I planted in a planter by the back fence.     Here it is blooming for the first time.  I'm sure each year it will get better and better.    

This is a red amaryllis that's about done blooming. 




















This little iris is one that blooms all summer.   I started a whole bunch of these from seeds so we have them in the front yard, in a pot, and wherever there's room for another , I just dig up a seedling and move it in.      I love these as they are so cheery and remind me of the one we had alongside our house when I grew up.  This is what I would take to the teachers in the morning.  

There is something so special about purple leaves mixed in with the other garden greenery, and the while blooms are delicate and sweet.    Some form of oxallis.

 Nasturtiums volunteered again this year mixixng it up with the Mexican sage.  

 Here is more of the Mexican sage with the pink oxallis.

 Honestly, there is a meter here.    They read things electronically now so no one had to paw through the foliage.

 This little sweet corner is waiting for warmer days to add the water to the bowl.    

 These glorious red geraniums are from cuttings taken last year from a sicko plant.  These offsprings are off to a good start.    

 The top of an old bookcase holds some of my outdoor treasures.    

and of course, who else is in the garden?     Girls are heading back upstairs for a treat.      

Thanks for stopping by.