Perfect Summer Garden

The residents of this home have transformed their yard into a space that is a delight to bees, birds and neighbors walking by. Native plants mingle with old-fashioned favorites. Right now, the coneflowers and black eyed susans peek over the fence, enticing me to stop and enjoy the mix of colors and textures. This is a garden that really does make a house seem like a home.

Resting In the Grass

On a muggy afternoon, sometimes you just have to find a shady spot and take a break. I was struck by the contrast between old and young, active and passive. This was not the most peaceful spot; lots of laughing and yelling from the kids, but those are the sounds of summer.

NotreDame and Tourists

Monday is Bastille Day. While the Bastille is gone, Paris abounds with structures that were there before that infamous jail was ever built. Notre Dame may be the second most famous place in Paris after the Eiffel Tower. It sits on its little island, removed from much of the hustle and bustle of central Paris. My first impression was of it being much smaller than I'd expected, comfortingly human-scaled. I am always looking for an angle or view that can make the familiar seem new in some way. On this particular morning, backlit tourists and a sun flare positioned right over one of the rose windows helped me see with fresh eyes a sight that some think of only as a Paris cliche.

Daylilies and Purple Fence

By midsummer, orange daylilies are everywhere. They nod their heads from the back tiers of gardens and stand in groups along dusty roadsides. Orange daylilies are like a basic blue dress shirt; useful but not very imaginative on its own. Paint your fence the color of a ripe eggplant and suddenly those daylilies seem like a brilliant gardening decision. The purple makes the oranges more orange. Both colors benefit from the presence of the other. Now the daylilies are the stars, not the extras in the background.