Sunflowers and Is it crazy to garden in the rain?

Sunflowers and poetry
Originally uploaded by jo-h

I want to confess since they say tis good for the soul. Yesterday we had unexpected steady rain here, and I simply needed/wanted to get out and cut back ivy that was growing into our flower beds.
So I put on my rainproof hooded Goretex jacket and trimmed ivy in the rain. It was in our back yard, so no one could see me which is probably for the best.
I don't have a photo of me gardening in the rain so found this pretty photo on Flickr to share.
Have any of you put on rain gear and gardened in the rain? I like to think it is not crazy but just passionate dedication. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

More Canterbury Bells from my garden

I wanted to show you that this Canterbury Bells plant is giving prodigious numbers of belled flowers, from a tiny and hopeful beginning in a four inch pot. It amazingly survived a harsh attack, just before the flowers opened, as the stem was half way broken through. It looked like someone or something heavy stomped it, a raccoon? Anyway it survived the harsh attack and is flourishing.
Also I picked a bouquet for our kitchen table and took a photo of it also. Enjoy.
A few of you, my blog friends, say your climate won't allow Canterbury Bells, and I share that frustration when I see your own photos of your gardens with peonies and lilacs and forsythia, garden friends from my childhood in Wisconsin. I haven't grown those here in California, so must get by with enjoying your blog photos and with dreaming.

Beauty of Canterbury Bells

A year ago I planted a small "Deep Blue" Canterbury Bells in a four inch pot, and gave it minimal attention. It has developed in to a huge and stunning plant with perhaps 200 large bell flowers.
I promise to take more photos today to show you more clearly in a future post how bountiful and stunning this plant is.
It is kind of wild how the Canterbury Bells clash with the orange nasturtiums, wild yet pleasing.
I would call the flowers purple rather than blue. The plant is from Annie's Annuals and Perennials and I put some in a bouquet for our Father's Day BBQ at our house. I love the rich colors and any flowers with the bell shape.

My Book Review of "Billy Graham in Quotes"

"Billy Graham in Quotes" by Franklin Graham

This wonderful book provides quotes by Billy Graham on about 150 topics. It is admirably organized A to Z by subject, so if you need some guidance from the great preacher, Billy Graham, you will easily find helpful quotes here. Are you concerned about anger, sin, work, heaven, angels, grief, forgiveness, marriage, loneliness, etc.? Each of these topics is covered with many quotes by Graham.

Graham’s words are balm to my soul. An example in “Billy Graham on the World” is “Our chaotic, confused world has no greater need than to hear the Gospel truth.”

In the section “Billy Graham on Resurrection” is the quote “Never forget that the resurrection of Christ is in many ways the central event of all history.”

I collect quotes and admire Billy Graham and highly recommend this book for every Christian or seeker needing advice from this great and Godly man.

The new program at booksneeze.com sent me this book to review, and check out their website if you are interested in reviewing books for them on your own blog.

Pink Roses and Our Lady

I wish I knew the name of this rose but I don't, so to me it is my Mary rose, since it shelters a statue of Mary in my garden. I bought this rose about 20 years ago at a rare and heirloom plants sale at a university, and I lost track of this pretty rose's name. It does well in part shade, thank goodness, as the gigantic tree behind it grows ever taller and casts more shade.
I earned some money from writing a gardening article about 15 years ago, and treated myself to the cement statue of Mary, and put her in the shelter of the roses, since roses are considered a Mary flower and there are many links to Mary and roses over the centuries.

Each year as it blooms this rose bush looks like a full bouquet to me. Do you have roses like this?
Or a favorite rose in your garden?

Writing for Chicken Soup for the Soul

Writing
Originally uploaded by The Welsh Poppy
Hi Y'all, I was inspired by having lunch on Monday, Memorial Day, with my writers' lunch group. I am delighted to say I chose Crab Benedict with real crab for my lunch, and it was yummy and the first time I had that.
The writers at the luncheon inspired me and so today I submitted a story to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books. It is easy to do.
Just visit chickensoup.com, read their writers' guidelines, select a topic, and write a story.
As of today they are looking for stories for books about Christmas, Home Sweet Home, Family Caregiver, Food and Love, Here Comes the Bride and Married Life.
Guess which one I picked?
Home Sweet Home, about how my husband built us our first home, all by himself. Bless his heart.
What topic will you pick? I think Food and Love sounds intriguing.
Let me know if you decide to submit a story, and we can cheer each other on.