NEVER CEASING

It seems that the perennial bed never stops showing off colors. The pansies I planted in spring are still in full bloom (perhaps due to a cooler summer). The phlox are now blooming along with the surprise lilies that just recently popped out of the ground.

ENJOY!

A portion of our perennial bed. In the center are the surprise lilies; tiger lilies are top right; black eyed susans in the foreground.

The mums have begun to show their colors.

Several varieties/colors of phlox are in full bloom.

Karol is rightly proud of her geranium window box.

At Matthew's encouragement, we bought this cardinal flower.

SUMMER BEAUTY

One of the marvelous joys of summer is butterfly viewing. It can be random or it can be very intentional. I like both!

Today there were several kinds of butterflies around our flowers. One one kind cooperated enough to enable me to get some good pictures. Enjoy them as I have enjoyed taking them.

And another thank you to each of you for your prayers and well wishes as I recovered from my viral meningitis. I believe that now I'm right at 95 or 96%!

Our 12 foot long, three foot zinnias provide an excellent place to take pictures.

After I harvest the onions from the garden (pulled and then one day in the warm sun), I tie them in small bunches and take them to the shed where they hang until right before the freeze. Last year we had "copra" onions until the middle of this April.

KAITLYN'S RIDE

Grand daughter, Kaitlyn Selle, had a good time overnight with Grandpa and Grandma. Over the years, grandchildren have loved to sit on the lawn tractor, first, just to ride, then to steer, and when their legs were long enough to push on the pedal to "make it go." I'm thankful that they are not heavy enough to take the rider off by themselves. That will come soon enough (when, hopefully, I am in need of someone to mow my big lawn).

Kaitlyn sat on the seat in front of me while I took a couple of videos. I thought you might enjoy traveling with us on the paths through our woods. And let me apologize for the negative comments I made during our first trip (I do hope that I'm always not this negative).

THE FIRST TRIP - TO THE SOUTH OF OUR HOUSE

THE SECOND TRIP - TO THE NORTH OF OUR HOUSE


I know that you would love to see a picture of Kaitlyn.

Age 8, going on 16.

FLOWERS GALORE!

This summer, in spite of the lack of rain, we have had an abundance of beautiful flowers, both wild and those in our flower beds. I share them, all the while giving thanks to God for His creation of these beauties of nature.

Daylillies

Asian lilies

Tiger lilies

Perennial bed on the north side of our home

hydrangea bush on the south side of our home (also snowball bush)

One of our three varieties of clematis

We have 10 or so different kinds of Asian lilies

Ornamental thistle

Our sweet smelling ever blooming rose

DELICACIES!

In our spare time every other day, we pick blueberries. This was one picking during the height of the bearing season.

I have several varieties that produce enormous berries.

This perhaps is my favorite of the lilies.

This is an "Alisa Craig" onion, purchased from Jungs as a plant. Almost all of these onions grew to this size. And they are sweet; like a vandalia.

Karol's first shot at making a "Bloomin Onion," although this one is baked and not deep fried. YUM!

While Karol says that this was not her "best looking" loaf of bread, the taste was unbelieveably wonderful.

Dinner this evening; fresh broccoli and ham quiche. Was it great! No crust and so the calories were cut in half - and the taste was still out of this world.

PS:  I continue to recover from viral meningitis. My strength comes back more and more each day. I am so very thankful to our gracious God.

FAMILY REUNION

It all began at the time of our family reunion, brothers and sisters and their families. I began to feel sick; headache, body ache, temperature, and just bad feeling. I made it through the reunion from Wednesday through Sunday, and then decided that it was time to go to urgent care at the hospital in Stevens Point.

I don't want to burden you with the details except that I moved from urgent care back home and then to the hospital at Marshfield where I was diagnosed with viral meningitis. I'm back home recovering little by little day by day. I don't want to overdue it because meningitis is serious. I have to rest until the infection disappears. In my mind I'm thinking another week or two.

Thanks to God for healing and for wife, family and friends along with medical personnel who all participate in the process of returning to health. I am most grateful for the hundreds of prayers. I am blessed!

Let me share a few shots from the reunion. You do have to understand that I was really not "in my right mind" during the whole time.

Sweet cousin, Grace, and her husband, Jack

IT WAS A GREAT REUNION (EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT THE LIFE OF THE PARTY!