See the Beauty in the Ordinary

June Ushers in a Splendid Summertime

A contrast in daylilies with the tall single orange towering over the Stella De Oro with cheerful Shasta daisies in the foreground.

A Kansas Country Garden

May 2015

I am pleased that these lilies have multiplied over the years.

There is both a sameness and a newness as summer begins in our country garden. Many plants have been in our garden for years breeding familiarity but never contempt. Perhaps that is because their visit is short and never quite the same. Each year is unique. Even in the best years, there are plants that fail to thrive. Even in the worst years, there are pockets of loveliness.

My Garden by Thomas E. Brown

Written sometime in the 1800's, this poem transcends the passing of time and feels quite at home in my 2015 garden. I found the poem years ago, loved it, and copied it by hand into a little journal where I keep quotes that I like. Simple, yet profound, it always makes me smile. I share it with you today along with recent photos from the garden and hope that you like it too.

There's a certain luxury to having strawberries. So pretty! So delicate! So wonderfully delicious! This is what the rich and famous should dine on (and they probably do) and yet here I am, neither rich nor famous, with lots and lots of strawberries.

A country garden is not a silent garden. Very early, as dawn breaks, the birds begin a symphony. Who knew there were so many? From the sounds of it, they are all happy to be alive. From the chicken pen we can hear contented clucking. The evening closes with an intense chorus of frogs. Recent rains have restored their pond and they are delighted. They're telling everyone in a volume so loud, you can still hear them inside with the windows closed. But until recently there was a sound that was missing.