Happy October All!

I celebrate the birth

of my most favorite month of the year

with

an ATC sized white ghost pumpkin card all star dusted

and happily nested in her

desert digs...

a hint of what is to come...very, very soon.

Only three days remain of our seasonal love affair

in the Midwest... 

making today somewhat truly bittersweet...;)

"Bittersweet October.

The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause

 between the opposing miseries of summer

and winter."

~Carol Bishop Hipps,

"October," In a Southern Garden, 1995

"An Ivy Geranium..."

...a perfect bit of a virtual house warming gift

for my dear friend Jan.

Can't wait to see your new place and hear all your stories!

Soon...it must be soon! :)

"The ornaments of your house
will be the guests who frequent it."
~Author Unknown

"Salvation Happened Today..."

...with the unshackling of my purple coneflowers from their
smothering floral imprisonment!

This feat of strength was accomplished by Scott...
powered by his affinity for garden work
and fueled by
some tedious, labor-intensive work

digging up yards upon yards of overgrown and resistant
lily of the valley.
He was indeed a garden warrior!

For the last few years the lilies have assumed

the reigning monarchy

of my Illinois perennial garden

running rampant over almost anything in their way...

including the lawn,

the coneflowers,
the day lilies,
and the black eyed Susan's!

Today they have indeed met their match in Scott!

The drawing above

reappears here as a revival...all refreshed and renewed...

plucked from the sketchbook garden of
my previously posted art.

I thought it was fitting...especially today...

that she, too,

would once again stand with her real life sister...
free...unencumbered...and
all on her own. :)

“Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.”
~Buddha

"Despite Being Neglected..."

...Overgrown...and prone to infestation...

...Nature still found a way for my Illinois garden

to bloom.

We must each must do the same for ours spirits and hearts.

Bloom today...

bloom as brightly and beautifully as you can...

...despite it all!

(Posted for JB and with sent with a great big hug!)

"Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and for the soul."

~Linda Solegato

"Midwest Sunshine..."

Have a bright-eyed beautiful Blooming Tuesday all!

"May all your weeds be wildflowers"

~Anoymous

"An Early View..."

...I have totally forgotton how richly dense

a foggy Illinois morning

could be!

(See other sky views around the world here!)

"It is not the clear-sighted who rule the world.

Great achievements are accomplished in a blessed, warm fog."
~Joseph Conrad

"An Old Fashioned..."

...Midwest garden hideaway...

Blumen Gardens...in lovely Sycamore, Illinois.

Primitive, rustic, quirky, and artistic treasures

fill an old brick warehouse

and an enchanting garden shop to the brim.

Winding stone, brick, and gravel pathways

weave through luscious seasonal plant and flower displays

making the gardens a perfect neighborhood retreat.

Quaint and unique areas of the garden

make ideal spots for a wedding or an evening reception,

plein air painting or yoga classes,

and a rich variety of all sorts other special activities.

Architectural remnants and antique garden artifacts

have been lovingly revamped and recycled and renewed...

and used as display items

making the atmosphere feel nostalgic and even a bit zen like.

Whenever I visit the gardens my heart becomes light

and my spirit seems to float.

Click here

to learn about the gardens or to take your own personal garden journey. :)

"The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses."

~Hanna Rion