Dear Reader:

Yesterday morning I woke up to more surprises in the garden than ever before…all I could think of was the old expression “Great Day in the Morning!”

It, literally, was a great start to the morning…a great way to begin the day. In the title photo is a beautiful bloom from one of several different strands of grasses I planted last year. I have no idea what the name of the bloom is…but I wanted more height along the garden path and decided that grasses would help in that department. I didn’t even know they would bloom until yesterday morning and there it sat in all its glory!  “Glory be!”

So let me use some different colloquial expressions of awe and joy as I take you through the garden to see the different beauties that I saw.

 The “Swamp Maple” I got from Hollow Tree Nursery (several years ago) is growing this year (for the first time) by leaps and bounds. It is located behind the garage and easy to forget about when it comes time to water….still, left only to mother nature, it is thriving and absolutely beautiful with its orange and red-tipped leaves.

“Hoo-Wee!”

The first bloom from the Mexican Petunias (maybe it was my Mexican cuisine Sunday night that brought it on) was pretty in purple as I glanced at the potting shed and noticed the bloom from afar…soon it will be covered in purple petunias! “Sweet Petunia!”

The red scarlet color grabbed my attention first thing yesterday morning…the scarlet bottlebrush’s first bloom. Hummingbirds and bees really like this unique-looking bush.

“Bingo!”

These two pretty succulents came from Flowertown Nursery and are perfect for decks…can take the heat and don’t need much water. “Sumptious Succulents!”

I made another basket from the gazania….gave one basket to Mandy and another one for the garden… I am just loving these primary colored flowers…getting ready to add some to my low planters by the fence this week. “Good Golly!”

I love this new addition to the garden…it is Scaevola…basically called Fairy Pink…and you know how I love my fairies!  “For Goodness Sake!”

The lights and shadows fell so pretty outside and inside this morning…Lachlan’s Japanese Maple is growing faster already this year than ever before….and the shadows in my happy room started the day off in wonder and awe.

So until tomorrow….“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*Today truly is my favorite day because my longest, dearest friend and “sister,”Brooke, is having a birthday…an extraordinary benchmark birthday which the rest of the Ya’s will follow throughout this year. Brooke has always been the ‘leader of the band’ and will pioneer us all into another golden decade of life, love, and fun together. Have a fantastic day our Ya friend of past, present, and future! We all are as close as our own shadows to each other….never forget that! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKE! WE LOVE YOU!