Ruby Tuesday - Geum

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Geum is a sweet little perennial that pops up in my garden every spring, showing off its ruffled red petals and yellow stamens.  Thankfully the chickens leave it in peace allowing it to bloom for several weeks.  It's a nice punctuation to the softer colors that prevail this time of year. I believe this specimen is called "Mrs. Bradshaw". Another showy Geum is "Red Dragon".  Both would be a great addition to a perennial flower bed.

There are more ruby red photos to delight you and inspire you over at Mary's blog Work of the Poet.

© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Greenhouse Nasturtiums

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My greenhouse has translucent - not transparent - walls resulting in photos that can be rather bland.

This morning, instead of being vexed by the low light I decided to embrace it and just let the photo be what it wants to be.

I'm intrigued by this and want to practice it more.

Meantime, the nasturtiums make me smile whenever I pass by them.



© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Specs at Rest

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Most of the time that I spend in my office, whether it's doing paperwork, writing, or editing photos, these reading specs are on my face.

And sometimes they and I need a break.

Most often, when they are not perched on my nose, they sit upon the stacks and stacks of papers that usually adorn my desk.

I love this photo because my desk was clear, which meant I'd gotten a lot of work done.

And it made such a great shadow.

Visit Tracy at Hey Harriet for more shadow photos celebrating Shadow Shot Sunday.

© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Spring in my Garden - Iris Douglasiana

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 Also known as Douglas Iris and Pacific Coast Iris, Iris douglasiana is a wildflower that grows just about everywhere along coastal Humboldt County.

I have both this creamy-white one and the signature purple-blue one (not blooming yet) in my garden. And guess what? I didn't plant them. They just come with the territory.

Discovered by and named after early explorer/botanist David Douglas, this iris is the official flower of the Humboldt Botanical Garden.

© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Mellow Yellow Monday - Yellow Rocket Flowers

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Rocket, also known as arugula, self-seeds and grows quite rampant in my corner of the world. 

I will often pick a blossom and pop it in my mouth savoring the peppery sweetness that floods my tongue as I chew on the tiny morsel.  The leaves give a peppery kick to milder lettuce salads.

We used to have a lot more rocket around our yard but my gray Arab mare likes it: The day after I took this photo, I let her out to graze and in the blink of an eye the rocket was gone.

Mellow Yellow Monday features photos that feature yellow.

Start off your week with yellow. It's mellow.

© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Happy Easter!

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Apple blossoms after a night of rain

Easter morning has dawned gray and wet.  With a difference.

The scent of blooming flowers and unfurling leaves, however fleeting in the dampness, is unmistakable.

The hint of a breeze creates a brief lifting of clouds allowing, if not actual sunshine, a bit of warmth.

And as I sit here in my office typing this, I look out my window and am thrilled with the many shades of green that welcome the day.

Small pleasures.

Rejoice in whatever makes you happy on this Easter Sunday.  Mine is this.

© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Ruby Tuesday - Ruby Red Sparaxis

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The chickens are eating the sparaxis faster than I can take photos of them (the sparaxis, not the chickens).

I really am going to have to do some triage on my poor, innocent flowers that bloom joyously with the ever-so-fleeting sunshine and then get pecked and decimated by the hens.

You'd think I didn't feed them (the hens, not the sparaxis). You should see my feed bill.

Luckily, these lovelies were in a protected spot just waiting for their Ruby Tuesday walk-on.

Mary's got a lot more ruby photos this week. Click on over to take a look.

Sunshine today!

Glorious sunshine!

Warm too.

But not to last.

Rain is forecast for tomorrow.

© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Mellow Yellow Monday - Yellow Tulip

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A surprise yellow tulip has sprung up in my garden. I know I planted it but darned if I remember when.

And I think the chickens or slugs must have made quick work of it in the past because this is the first time I've seen it.

Weird.

Like yellow?  Click on over to Mellow Yellow Monday, a fun and very yellow photo blog.

© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Spring in My Garden - Pregnant Hellebore

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Now this is what I call being really pregnant.

You can see earlier photos of these beguiling nymphettes here, here, and here, when they were young, quite beautiful, and by no means innocent.

I consider this phase exquisite

© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.

Of Daffodils and Goats . . .

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I was up early last Saturday morning taking photos of the dew-laden daffodils that each spring beautify an otherwise ugly black plastic pot on my back deck.

Then we went off to shop the first farmers market of the season - Yay!  (Photos coming.)

When we returned home we were greeted by this:

Courtesy of our neighbor's goat.  A not unfriendly, perfectly nice goat that shouldn't be able to walk into our yard at will, but seems to do so anyway.

Here are a few more photos from early last week:

I really hope that goat got a bellyache.

© Copyright 2006-2011, Raven Ridge Gardens. All rights reserved.