Flowers for the Bees

Hello!  Today I'd love to share with you about some of the flowers in my yard.  Every year I say that I won't plant so many, and then I can't resist all the colour and the smells.   

This first flower is a special one.  A beekeeper in my neighbourhood gave me some seeds to plant some flowers for the bees.  My Malva isn't flowering just yet, but the phacelia has just started to open it's blossoms this week.  

It smells just amazing and the bees have now discovered them and are enjoying them.  

They are so delicate and lacy, and the blossoms open as the spiral unfurles. Like a special flowering fern. 

Then there are the wild roses that the Lord has provided, and the scent of them drifts around the yard on the gentle breezes. 

The wild fireweed is flowering in our yard now, and they are all a hum with the sound of bees...mostly the big bumble bees. 

There are roses that line a good portion of the walking trail we have around our yard.  

Our fireweed forest as we call it, is just getting started.  They grow so prolifically in the yard that we actually have to prune them back. Well, after all; they are a weed.  

I bought this lobelia on a whim and I'm so glad.  The bees are ever coming to check out the flowers here.  

I moved up some flowers to the one deck we have, and the bees love it here.  I hope that the bee balm flowers this year to, and joins in nursing the local bees.  

I have lots more flowers that I could post...the colours capture my heart in the summer, and I'm so ever grateful to the Lord for blessing me with them!  

Do you have special flowers for the bees?  I love bees in the garden, like a special part of it's eco system.  Benefiting the growing vegetables, and causing hours of splendid entertainment to the kids as they fly from flower to flower.  

I hope you are enjoying your summer! Thanks for dropping by!

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Do You Love Bugs?

Hello!  Do you love bugs?  I must say that I'm not a huge fan of bugs, but there are some that I do really like.  It is absolutely incredible all the different varieties and species of bugs that God has created!  I'm always discovering new varieties just in the environment I am in.

Bees are one of my favourite bugs...not wasps or hornets, but bumble bees and honey bees, and little tiny pollinating bees.  I find them fascinating to watch as they fly from flower to flower. 

Here a sweet little bee has discovered the daisies that have just begun to bloom in my perennial flower bed. 

Below is one of my "not' favourite bugs.  It's a June Bug, and I just detest them.  They like to fly into my hair and they always get their legs tangled up.  They also bite...I'm not a fan of biting bugs. 

But for this day it looked so interesting on the daisy.

Next I am happy to share with you some pictures that my daughter took of some sweet bugs.  

She has just the best micro mode on her camera!

We have had an abundance of aphids in our yard, and are happy that there are some native lady bugs and some that we released into the yard to deal with them.  

I must say that Lady Bugs are one of my all time favourite bugs.  I just love to watch them crawl around and fly about the yard.  

Also knowing that they are helping to fight the battle with the aphids that have been attacking both trees and gardens this year.  

My son found this interesting worm today that came out of one of the spruce trees.  He carried it around watching it creep on his hand before releasing it back on the tree.  

My son also discovered this absolutely amazing moth!  We have them on our spruce trees and today he was able to gently capture one without damaging it's wings.  

He is so furry and I love his antenna. 

Do you love bugs?  

If so what are your favourites?  and not so favourites?

I hope you have a wonderful day and perhaps find some time to watch the bugs.

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Bring Some Loveliness In

Do bring some loveliness in from your garden!  

It is wonderful to be able to cut flowers and bring them inside to enjoy. 

I have not spent as much time outside in my gardens this year as I usually do because it has been raining so very much.  So bringing in a bit of loveliness is much appreciated by the whole family. 

Right now the wild roses are also blooming and it's such a delight to see them and smell them!!! 

I love that the Lord has given me wild roses where we live.  They are so very beautiful and I very much enjoy them!  I often will place a few in this rose bowl to enjoy. 

The rose bowl was my grandmothers and I cherish it!  It has a beautiful etched design on it as well.  

Sometimes my daughters and I make rose water, or for a change just rose tea.  It smells so nice and when you put a touch of witch hazel in with it, it lasts much longer. 

I hope you have a beautiful day!  

Sharing with the Art of Homemaking Mondays. 

A Tea Garden

Hello! Do you have a tea garden?  

Over the years I have started to build up a tea garden each year.  I love fresh tea, and saving my own plants for tea.  They taste so nice and fresh compared to the teas that you can get at the regular grocery store.  

This year I bought a Moroccan Mint plant. 

Also another Lemon Balm plant since the ones that I planted in the spring didn't take very well. 

Each year I plant lots of chamomile.  I save and dry the flowers as well as enjoy them fresh.  

They also make for a beautiful addition to the yard and attract lots of bees and butterflies. 

Here is my Bee Balm that I'm trying for the first time this year.  I've never had it, and am anxious for it to grow big enough to justify taking some of the leaves.  Our summer has been very cold and it's just not growing very fast. 

Here are more containers of chamomile flowers that I have growing outside of our greenhouse.  Sometimes the plants look horrible and gangly, but they still produce an abundance of delicate flowers. 

I love the close up look of them, with the little dots of pollen coming from the centre. 

I also have a pot of chocolate mint and lemon balm that I've been growing in my house since last fall that had been gifted to me.  

It's nice to have a fresh splash of flavour that is out of the ordinary.  I like to add just a single mint leaf to a cup of earl grey tea.  

If you do have a tea garden, what do you grow in yours? and if you don't what would you grow if you did?  

I hope you have a wonderful day, and thank you so much for dropping by! 

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Along the River Bank

Hello!  Would you like to come with me along the river bank and see what we can see?

It was a beautiful Yukon day and I went up the river bank with a couple of my children.  

The water was clear and cold...but still inviting. 

I love these moments that the Lord Jesus causes me to pause and breathe.  To just be thankful for all that He has created!

The moss so lush and green and the horsetail was growing well.

The cool of the moss under bare toes is so incredible!

These lovely flowers from all of my best searches are pink wintergreen.  

There are little bunches of these Potentilla shrubs all along the river bank and they are just starting to flower. 

There are little tiny beaches along the river side that just beg to be walked on.  

The river was so peaceful and I sat down for a long time while the kids played in the water.  I did wade for a bit, but my legs still felt like they were in a refrigerator for a long time afterwards. 

I also did a lot of cloud watching...there were changing quickly as they skittered across the sky.

We had our trusty doggie with us and she even got tossed in for a swim against her will.  

There are a couple little rivers that come from a neighbouring pond and my son found a spot to sit at the end of one where it entered into the river.  The water was warmer there.  

My daughter found this piece of drift wood and we all agreed that it looks like a Canada Goose flying.  

We have a family of Geese that are raising their family along our river and they are wonderful to watch!

The goslings are getting so big, and it's nice to see them learning new things with their parents.

Thank you for coming along the river with me.  I hope you have a wonderful day!

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Time for Tea

Hello!  When do you like to take your tea?  

For me, I never have tea at the same time each day.  Some days I have it for breakfast, or in the morning while waiting for something in the kitchen (like bread rising as was the case today).  Sometimes I have tea in the mid-afternoon or late at night before bed.

Whenever one has tea, it is alway a treat and a comfort. 

I splurged and bought this delightful little tea infuser.  It has this sweet little tea cup to keep the chain from falling into the pot. 

Today I chose to have wild berry zinger tea for a change. I love the lovely colour it has.

I was given this wonderful serving tray and it definitely makes carrying things around easier. 

Today I didn't have to carry it far, just into the living room.  

I love how the light and pattern from the curtain is rejected in the tea.

So nice to sit and rest my feet, even though I had to gently push some lego trucks out of the way. :)  

I love these signs of life that my children leave here and there about our home.  Yes, they do get cleaned up by the end of the day.

With having tea it is always a delight when someone joins you.  Today one of my sons, and one of my daughters stopped their activities for a bit of tea with Mom.  

My son chose this lovely tea cup set and I missed taking a picture of my daughters mug.  

Thanks for dropping by!  Praying  you have a sweet day, and perhaps a spot of tea. 

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