Sunday Stroll-July 6, 2008

I am really enjoying the weekly Sunday Stroll that gets me out and about, looking around my yard. Today was one of those bright, windy, hot and hazy days that we get so often this time of year. Though it's beautiful now, I think we are in for some rain later, so I thought I'd better get my pictures before the storms roll in.

In the front yard I found this sweet little nest on the ground beneath the tulip poplar. No signs of nestlings or broken shells, so I'm not sure it's been any one's home yet, thank goodness. If anyone thinks they know what sort of bird made this, please let me know. I'm sure today's breezes brought it down.

Again, the wind and sun were playing havoc with my limited photographic skills, but I do have more of my favorite day lillies blooming, with one random orange fellow mixing into the yellow. The "Autumn Joy" sedum is starting to bud nicely, too.

Now, I'm going to cheat, and take you directly across the street to the wonderful garden we can see from all our front windows. This lot has been a garden for about thirty-five years. It's on it's third owner, but all have had fabulous vegetable plots, and have very kindly planted flowers in the row by the street, so it always looks beautiful. Besides the veggies, there are berry canes and a couple of miniature fruit trees.

However, the highlight of this garden is the fact that this owner is a competitive pumpkin grower. His main purpose in purchasing the lot was to find a good sunny location for his hobby. These pumpkins are pampered with foliar fertilizer, water, and the flowers are hand pollinated to work toward the biggest pumpkins possible. From year to year he saves the seed. And, as the pumpkins begin to form he watches over them daily, lifts them onto palettes to protect them from moisture and insects, powders them with anti fungal agents, and even will use scaffolding to support the pumpkins, since they will collapse on themselves and split from their terrific growth rate. I will post pictures as the season goes on so you can see what a process it is. Last year, he took one to the competition that was in the 900lb range! It didn't win, but did compete well. This is just one of the ones he raised last year. The biggest was worthy of Cinderella!

To see what other strollers are finding today, visit Aisling's blog.