Keep those wasps away...

This absolutely works!

It's a paper bag hung in an area where you don't want the little buggers!  It is filled with plastic grocery bags,  the top  is stapled together and a piece of twine is added for a hanger.  Here's how it works:

The wasps see it and think it's another nest and avoid the area.  So simple!

And a great solution.  I've been using these for 4 years now and have not had one single little nest anywhere on the deck roof.  Amazing!  So simple--so good!  

If you are bothered with wasps,  try this!  It really works!

'Til next time,  Love ya,  Jean

Meet Jamie...

I have reverted to my childhood!

I saw this doll on the internet 

and I just had to have her!

Her name is Jamie!

She is part of a collection called

"Maru and Friends".

I love her and I think she is so beautiful.

She is 20" tall and the perfect size

 to make and design clothes for.

I will probably have to make my own 

patterns for the clothes.  

I have not found many patterns 

for clothes that will fit her.

Actually,  that's part of the fun for me!

I love doing this.

So,  let me show you more of her.

Jamie is well balanced
and stands on her own.

I love her beautiful jacket
and the cute T shirt underneath.

These boots are to die for!

I love her beautiful hair!

She will be warm this winter!

I love her eyes,  she even has eyelashes!
And if you look closely,
she even has some faint little freckles.
So precious!
I am in love!
She brightens my day
just by looking at her.

Let the fun begin!
I will keep you updated
on the progress of her wardrobe.
Do any of you out there
have some dolls that you play with,
or is it just me?

'Til next time,  Love ya,  Jean

Water Lilies...

Had 3 Water Lilies open on Monday.
 Raining yesterday and today,
 so they are probably closed up now.
This one is growing on the bottom of the pond,
  not in a pan,
so it gets lots of nutrients from the soil in there.
They are so pretty!

I love my little pond!

'Til next time,
Love ya,   Jean

Glimpses of the garden...

Short on time today...  Here's what's bloomin' in my garden...   

Love the American Lady Butterfly,  I chased her all over the yard, trying to get a picture.  She finally decided to drink from the Liatris.

'Til next time,  Love ya,  Jean

Mushrooms, of sorts...

These are growing on the roots of a maple tree that we had to take out.  The tree was leaning over my neighbor's house and I was afraid that it would fall on it.  These fungi are very large and look different from each other.  There are more different kinds scattered around.  I think they are pretty and very interesting.

I will leave them where they are.  

I am interested to see just how big they will get.

I found this little guy on a geranium plant yesterday.
So happy to see him/her!

There is always something happening in my garden.
Every day is a new day!

'Til next time,
Love ya,  Jean

Allium...

Still beautiful even when "in seed"...

I am hoping that I can save these seeds,
plant them, and that they will grow into bulbs.
Everyone says it will take a long time... I can wait!
 I'm going to give it a try!
I love the beauty of them!

P.S.  I don't have a picture of them in bloom.  I'll have to wait 'til next Spring to show them off!  Lol

'Til next time,  Love ya,  Jean

More beauty...

My garden attracts a lot of bees...

This is a good thing, 'cause without them,

 we would have no food...

The bees pollinate the flowers 

to grow our crops,  

a good reason not to use pesticides 

or herbicides in the garden.

I am trying a more natural approach 

to insect and weed control.

(Click on the pictures to enlarge.)

My jungle on the left side
of the Hastings St. side garden...

The only lily I have left this year.
 The bunnies ate all the others.
 Note the tall cage that I put
around it to save it!  

A double Coreopsis.  See the little bee on it.
So cute!

A little red,  white,  and blue touch here.

I kept some Milkweed for the butterfly larvae.
They are for the Monarch butterflies.

A daylily...I don't know the name of it!
It sure is pretty and very large!

My Privet that I've trained into a tree.
The bees love it when it blooms,
 they are all over it!
It smells so sweet.

Close up of a bee on the flower of the privet.

So this is a small tour of my garden today,
it changes daily.

Stay tuned for more to come!

'Til next time,  Love ya,  Jean