Horsenettles

 

A line of Carolina Horsenettles has grown in the sliver of dirt between a brick wall and the sidewalk. Considered a noxious weed, we see more of it each year as the climate warms and it extends its territory northward. I love the old folk names that plants like this have collected. Sometimes known as the Devil's Tomato or Apple of Sodom, it’s a member of the nightshade family. Every part of this plant will make humans and animals sick. Imagine wandering through a field in bare feet and stepping on one of these thorny-stemmed plants. It also earned the name Tread-Softly. It’s a scourge in tidy gardens but here, for a short while, it is a thing of beauty. Just don’t touch--or eat.

Peppers At the Farmers Market

 Now that we are past the longest day of the year, the asparagus and early lettuce have given way to more substantial produce. These sweet peppers all sported hues from the warm side of the color wheel. Some showed lovely mottling as they transition from green to yellow or orange. Shoppers rooted through the shiny pile, searching for perfect peppers for their recipes. Tasty or not, each one was an objet d’art.

Bird Topiary and Forget-Me-Nots

 A dear friend has been on the trip of a lifetime. It included a visit to Hidcote, the century-old garden in the Cotswolds. I have wandered along those same flower-filled paths. A favorite memory is of walking down the steps guarded by two friendly looking bird topiaries. Bright blue forget-me-nots edged the steps and spilled over the circular path. They are a flower full of symbolism, and a necessity in most English gardens. It was the first time I saw them in such profusion. Now I understand why people love this cheerful little flower so much.

June Roses

 Roses traditionally represent the month of June. While long-stemmed beauties from the florist shop are expensive and considered exotic, the truth is that roses are a rather hardy flower. If left to their own devices, they will clamber over decrepit chain link fences, creep along above roadside ditches and bloom on the edges of neglected properties. While red is not my favorite color for a rose, I will always welcome their open faces and bright yellow stamens, wherever they appear.

A Perfect Spring Garden

 A garden is a fleeting thing. Plants may flower only once or go to seed after repeated blooms. Hungry deer or insects may chew up a flower in its prime. Startled animals might tromp through the garden. I feel lucky to have seen this garden in a state of perfection. The larkspur and cornflowers stood tall, a symphony of cool colors. Here and there a poppy nodded its hot, fluttering head. Happy bees hovered. One day later, heavy rains had knocked petals from the poppies. The larkspur were sodden and tangled, tipped over at odd angles. Yes, a garden is a fleeting thing.

Clematis and Hydrangea

 There are so many colors in the world and yet sometimes deciding which ones to use can seem like an impossible decision. This is when I like to go outside and really pay attention to what nature has to say about color relationships. This particular hydrangea has is valued for its showy chartreuse leaves, I am never thrilled by the soon-to-open pink blooms. Too wimpy to hold their own against those bright leaves. But the magenta streaks of the neighboring clematis are bolder. Together, they hint at a zingy combination that has me searching through my fabrics, planning a design.

Weller Pottery

 Ohio has been known for it’s ceramics since the 1800s. Potteries sprang up from Cincinnati to Zanesville. The ceramic wares known as  "Art Pottery" range from rare museum-worthy Rookwood vases to mundane molded pieces that turn up at yard sales. I was taken by this collection of Weller bowls and vases from the 1930s. Most are a pattern called Cornish. The elegant shapes, leafy designs and cheerful colors are so appealing. Pick one up (carefully!) and run your fingers along the surface to experience the soft vellum finish, a hallmark of art pottery from its heyday.