Name that Flower

I'm writing this post to ask for help. I first experienced this flower in Giverney at Monet's garden. All of the gardeners were examining it to try to figure out what it was. Then, about a year after I moved in to my house, my neighbor had an unmarked package of wildflowers and scattered them beside my house. Lo and behold, it was the Giverney flower.

The flower is a self-seeding annual that flowers now until the frost. It grow to 3 to 4 feet tall. The flowers are orange speckled, trumpet shaped with a curve at the end and only about 1/2 inch long. Hummingbirds are really attracted to it.

I really love it and would love to know what Monet and I have growing in our gardens. Perhaps you know?

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Flowers; or The Return of Spring

There is color, bloom, and fragrance in the air everywhere. My gardens and those in Marysville are abloom, more pastels and the occasional shocking pink show up every day.

And as soon as they bloom, they form carpets of petals on the ground. One rainstorm and the magnolia is bare, the cherry blossoms create a path for winter weary feet. Daffodils droop and iris bleed, but they will be replaced by the flowers of summer - roses and lavender, hollyhocks and cosmos.

Though never really gone, the robins and chipmunks hop along doing their spring business. Nests are built and worms are eaten. The animals return to their business as they join us in awakening from their winter slumber.

Welcome spring.

Bloom

The flowers are starting to bloom in Ohio. My father-in-law's daffodils are showing their sunny faces and I have pictures of my first hellebores to share with you. My mom has a magic touch with house plants; her Christmas cactus blooms sporadically all year long and show off the most gorgeous tiered flowers (the jade plant is here's, too). She's the only person I've ever met that could keep African violets and orchids alive outside of a greenhouse and get them to bloom over and over again. She doesn't have to wait for spring to see flowers blooming.

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They Make Me Happy:The Garden Dreaming Edition

The promise of:

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Tiny sprouts turning into fragrant flowers

Fresh tomatoes - that don't taste like cardboard At All

That old rose myrrh smell wafting into the windows

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Trips to the garden center, dreaming about fantastic Victory Gardens

Peonies heads to large that they fall over onto themselves

Vases full of daisies

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Hens and chicks, my grandmother's favorite

Seeing my grandfather's irises grow tall and proud in my garden

Muscles sore from digging and tilling

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Walks on trails smelling of honeysuckle

The heavenly experience of brushing up against catmint and lavender

Butterflies, hummingbirds, ladybugs, and caterpillars

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They Make Me Happy

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When Will says "backaroni and cheese, please"

The constellations in the winter sky. Orion is my favorite.

Seeing fields full of Canadian geese resting during their migration

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Warmer days that follow chilly nights

Grape hyacinth buds peeking through the frosty ground

Cuddling in bed with my men, Tim and William

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A coat of fresh paint on an previously dingy wall

Feeling the sun on my face after the frigid weather of winter

Knowing that the cherry blossoms will pop in just a few weeks

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Sheep extra fluffy with their winter coat

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula hand cream - extra soothing for dry, knitty, winter hands

Waking up to find that I'm being held

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Wierd Day

Intensive Outpatient Therapy is weird. You have to bear your deepest stuff to complete strangers who are having psychiatric issues as well. But what I will say is it makes you feel better because you know you aren't the only crazed person out there.

But I don't really want to talk about that. It was such a beautiful day here in Marysville. The sun made your skin feel warm like it does during those first days of summer, when you've been dying to wear short sleeves and sandals. And the hospital has an incredible rose garden in front of it and I HAD to take some pictures (which I wish I could have just done all afternoon since our next session illustrated just how jacked up my coping skills are). Wish we could have had class outside!

Okay. So I'm a Basketcase

My IOP evaluation was today and if you call crying for an hour while I talked about why I needed to be there it went well. I can't go into a lot of detail because it involves a lot of family issues, but the long and short of it is that I am incredibly overwhelmed, feel under appreciated, and constantly stressed out. Also, they believe my depression is cyclical as every time I've been in an IOP or hospital it's been in Septermber. It's not the greatest spending your birthday ina psychiatric hospital.

My meds aren't right so they are going to find me a psychiatrist and therapist who can manage my depression better than my family doctor (who freaks out a little bit every time I tell him I need a refill on my anti-anxiety medication - never asked for it too soon, have been on the same dose for 3 years, and yet it's addictive, so most non-psych docs freak a little when writing for it.) My last psychiatrist refused to treat anxiety, so I'm not going back to her.

So I was sent home, was told to take my anti-anxiety meds, and to come back tomorrow at 9 am. Then I'll have to sit in a little circle and tell everyone why I'm there. Which is so complicated I don't even know where to start. These people are good people, though. They helped me so much a few years ago and I'm happy to let them help me now. So that's my basketcase day.

And I took this picture. For you astrology people out there, goldenrod is my ruling flower, whatever that means. I just think it's cuz it blooms at the same time that Virgos have their birthdays, but it's probably much more complicated than that.

They Make Me Happy

I know I promised this yesterday, but Roadrunner decided to stop working, so I am now sitting in Starbucks while my good guy Will plays with cars and eats a chocolate mini donut (which is about all I've been able to get down him today). Also, my husband took my camera and left it at his friend's house, so some of the great pictures that I had to share with you are not in my possession right now. Nevertheless, They Make Me Happy:

:: Brown-eyed Susans
:: Those perfect blue jeans - worn in, maybe a little thread worn, and make your butt look fantastic!
:: Old gnarled jade plants (have you ever seen one in full bloom?)



:: Will running full speed toward me for a hug
:: Seeing bloggy friends in "Artful Blogging"
:: Getting "that look" from the one you love - and your knees turning to Jell-o
:: Hummingbirds flitting about the Solomon's Seal



:: Unspoiled views that you just happen upon
:: Goldendoodles. I really want one.
:: Cranking up your favorite song on the car radio and singing really LOUD.


You can buy Emma's "muriel" here

:: The crochet of Emma Lamb
:: Woolly worms
:: The magic of tiaras



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Unless otherwise noted, all photos property of Erin Wallace

August Break: Queen Anne's Seeds

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Will be working on making notecards and some cute crocheted pillows available later today. Stay tuned!

August Break: Butterfly, Pottersville Bridge

August Break: End of Season, Hollyhock Leaves

A few days ago, you got to see my hollyhock leaves at the beginning of the season. Now you get to see what they look like at the end. Weathered by time, rust, and insects they become lacy and ethereal shadows of what they once were.

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Emily Joyce asked me in one of my comments if my August Break photos would be up for sale. After I use rollip.com, the photos are low res, so they wouldn't be appropriate for 8x10s, but I am looking into making note cards available and will be offering individual and combinations of note cards available soon in my store, Howard Knits.

August Break: Hollyhock Leaves

A photo from earlier this summer; just getting around to sharing it now.

August Break: Lily Bud

Resurrection lily bud

And the stately lilies stand Fair in the silvery light, Like saintly vestals, pale in prayer; Their pure breath sanctifies the air, As its fragrance fills the night.
Julia C.R. Dorr

August Break: Iris

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My daughter had a bunion removed yesterday (she's doing great) and my husband has a broken rib (he's doing pretty well, too). I don't think I'll have any problems posting, but if I do, just know I'm busy!

On another note, do you remember when I alluded to the fact that I would soon be able to call myself a professional writer? Well, now I can! I can actually tell people that I have a JOB (!!!) and I'm a writer! I'm one of the newest bloggers to join the Today's Mama community, where I blog specifically for the Columbus, OH region (but anyone can read my posts, no matter where you live!). I'll be blogging about Parenting with Depression (I think I want to call my blog "Parenting Through Depression" unless I can think of a snazzier title). You can read my first post here if you want to follow my blog, there is a link for the RSS feed on my profile. Then check out more of Today's Mama, as there are some really great blogs there!

Photos: Dublin Cemetary

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Dublin Cemetary (in Ohio) is a historical cemetary with headstones dating back to when the area was founded in the early 1800's. In the oldest parts of the cemetary headstones are made of limestone and are organized by lettered markers in the ground. The cemetary is also full of flowers and blooming trees. It is a beautiful, peaceful place.


A Depth of Field photo for You Capture

Picture Picture

Some new photos for your enjoyment.











I am currently testing photography paper to decide what my images look the best on. Once I figure it all out, I will put images up for sale in my shop (so excited about this!). I'll keep you posted!