My friend Don is having a disco party over the 4th. After a discussion of appropriate clothing, we began surfing, trying to find him a pair of multi-colored, vertically striped pants. After eyeing the price tag on a few pairs, Don asked me if I would make him a pair of pants. I jumped at the chance. I knew the striped twill would be hard to find and with time growing short, I decided to make whatever the heck I wanted to. Inspired by a motif Don had requested on some T-shirts for the party, I asked Eric to flock some panels for me and I incorporated them into this design. I dragged out an ancient Singer I'd picked up at a yard sale and set to work. As it turns out, Don and I wear the same size, so I got to model them. As of right now: they're in the mail and aside from them being jeans, he has no idea of what he is getting. Will he actually wear them? I hope so!
Garden expansion has been in high gear. Early in June, I had a planting frenzy. Determined to get the insane number of plants I had started / traded / purchased into the ground; I ended up digging into the evening. As it got dark, I pushed ahead to get a pair of hostas into the ground and unearthed this glow worm. I have no idea who it is. S/he is in quarantine in a bug zoo with a sod plug, we are hoping to find out what it turns into.
All of the new stuff I have planted is doing well. Most of the last year's residents are back and going gang busters. This Balloon Flower is now three years old. I started it from seed and although they are supposedly large, robust and carefree; this little guy has been anything but. Busting out at nearly nine inches tall this year, it is the largest and most bud-laden it has been to date. I am not aware of there being a dwarf variety, but that is my only explanation.
I don't mess around with too many annuals. These calla lilies are one exception. They were a gift from someone I worked with and being in our house for less than a year, they were one of the few flowers that were blooming at our wedding. Every year I do them in large pots along the walkway to the back porch. They have been absolutely wonderful and I have been able to really enjoy them, as the Japanese beetles have emerged later than usual this year. But, the respite is about to end. I killed the first two I saw just this morning.
A few weeks ago, we visited my friend Roy and picked out a few Tonka dump trucks, graders, bulldozers and a shovel from Roy's vast collection. We were careful not to take anyone who was vintage and more valuable, because they are to be outside and are slated for modification. Eric is in the process of lining the walk to the back porch with solar lights. Being Eric, he is not satisfied with conventional lighting. Earlier this spring, he converted a truck I was already using as a plant holder to have solar powered headlights. Then, in the classic more is better line of thinking; he decided we need a line-up. So, there have been acid baths, paint jobs and wiring jobs. He published an Instructable on the subject. Soon, I will have a lovely line-up of gleaming Caterpillar Yellow lovelies lighting the way when I come home at night...More photos are here.
















