HST Audition on Design Wall and Blooms in a Drought

A few months back I just needed to sew something quickly and productively. Just sew, not necessarily finish anything, as is my pattern. Charm packs made into HST's seemed to fit the bill. I need something for my office about this size so I pulled these out of unfinished projects storage. I have coordinating fabric in one of the blues. There are just so many ways to do HST. I love to search Flicker and see what folks have done with theirs. We are in a 100 year drought. The state has been declared a disaster. I think farmers would agree. I feel for those folks. I can't imagine linking my paycheck to the weather.

Succulents are about the only healthy thing around here. This basket hangs on the pergola. After many attempts with blooming annuals, I finally got smart and put in something drought tolerant.

Lowes had bowls of Pink Siam Ginger. They were $22. I'm supposed to be on a budget so that was just too much. Also, buying plants during a drought is not highly intelligent. We are struggling to keep what we have. So, I passed them up, regreted it, went back to buy them, they were gone, drove to other Lowes, nothing, and was very sad. Then I walked in this weekend and they had $22 Pink Siam Gingers! What a bargain. I love them. They make me happy when I look out the window and see them in their pinkness below the tree.

A little mallow showed up yesterday after a little rain. I forgot its name. It was a nice surprise this morning.

The mandevilla is still blooming. The leaves at the bottom look burned but it is still producing.

Duranta is loving the sun. It is so pretty with its dainty flowers.

Abelia is a new find for me. I have a couple of varieties. This one is an evergreen with a nice splash of color.

Yellow cestrum is just a blooming monster. I trim it back every few weeks.

They say it may rain tomorrow. Fingers are crossed.

Nature's Oddities

The Dutchman's Pipe bloom is the strangest thing. The picture doesn't show the wimpy vine that supports this bloom. I think it's a bloom. Seems more like an appendage.

But look how amazing. Both funky and beautiful.

Happy Spring!

Spring is here. We had a hard winter. A freeze they say we will only have every 20 years or so. Everything died. We grieved, but now it's time to renew.

Geraniums in my new hanging basket. I waited for them to go on sale. Only 1 was left by the time I could affort it. Wish I had 2 of these baskets.

The climbing rose on the garage. I love to come home to this.

And it wouldn't be complete without a hibiscus.

Happy Spring to Everyone!