bearded iris | Mom in the Garden

Hello there! You are very welcome to my blog. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve managed to take some ‘blue sky’ pictures. When you live in Ireland, you learn to really appreciate those blue sky days! I think that it is true, that a blue sky really does lift your spirits. You can see below that I have also thrown in some ‘gray sky’ pictures, so you can see for yourself the difference a blue sky makes.

Most mornings I start my day with a walk – after the chickens are fed and their house is cleaned! I love walking, especially first thing in the morning. It really wakes me up, and gets me going. Walking in the country provides beautiful scenery (and also a lot of mud on my shoes). I then take a walk around the garden (this helps to clean my shoes!) – making mental notes of what needs to be done. But I also get to enjoy seeing and listening to the birds in the garden. I don’t spend a lot of time doing this, because I have to ‘get to work’, but just enough time to appreciate all that nature has to offer us in our little ‘neck of the woods’. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see I usually post a view of my garden and my chickens on my morning stories. 🙂

As for the garden, I did a very late transplanting of some bearded Iris. Iris Benton Storrington have done amazingly well in my yard, and this is the second time that I have divided and transplanted them. The first time was two years ago in September (as it should be done then) and they did great. We’ll see how they do this time as I’ve not only transplanted them late, I have added them under the birch trees in a newly formed bed. It’ll just be a case of wait and see.

The garden is definitely shifting to its winter mode. The leaves are slowly falling off of the trees, and most of the plants are nearly finished blooming. I surprised myself with being able to make an arrangement of flowers from the garden this weekend, though! That is probably my favorite activity to do – creating arrangements with flowers from the garden. This is why I am always adding new and interesting plants.

The last of our apples were picked this week. I’m not sure how we will get through all of those apples, but we’re going to try! My daughter made (a few times this fall, actually) some delicious apple turnovers, which were such a treat. I’m always on the lookout for apple recipes that call for LOTS of apples! Do you have any?

I’m so thankful that I’ve been able to get out into the garden to get our fall jobs done. Even just ‘being’ in the garden is lovely, especially with all of the birds that have come to visit us now. I love seeing our birch trees standing so majestically as the sun shines on them first thing in the morning. And I love seeing my chickens seemingly so happy. Haha! This makes me think of the song ‘My favorite things’ by Julie Andrews!

I hope you are keeping well, and having lots of blue sky days! Please stay safe and healthy.

In Peace,
Dana

Heaven Scent Magnolia last leaf — The very last leaf on our Heaven Scent Magnolia tree

Last cooking apple — The very last apple on our ‘cooking apple’ tree

Cherry Tree last of the leaves — Our Cherry tree with a blue sky!

Cherry tree gray sky — Same Cherry tree, but with a gray sky!

birch trees with bearded iris — This was a big job of digging up two sites of bearded iris, dividing them and then transplanting them. My husband was a HUGE help and did most of the work!

Iris Benton Storrington single flower — Iris Benton Storrington

But look at that bearded iris! Isn’t it beautiful? I can’t wait to see them in the summer!

Viburnum opulus Roseum November — Some very pretty coloring on our Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’!

Mushrooms in the yard November — There’s always some interesting mushrooms in the yard. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing!

Flowers from the Garden in hand November 14 — A handful of flowers from the garden! Shasta Daisy, bergenia leaves, pink and red hesperanthus (or schizostylis / kaffir lily), Erysimum ‘Super Bowl’ Mauve, Achillea filipendulina ‘Cloth of Gold’, Fountain Grass Pennisetum Advena Rubrum, Pittosporum Tom Thumb, and one snapdragon.

Flowers from the garden November 14 in hand

Flowers from the Garden November 14 — And here’s what I created!

Mr Fokker aubrieta frosty morn November — This was taken on a frost morning. The Mr Fokker anemone are still blooming, and the Aubrieta have started blooming again. Glad to know that they weren’t killed off with the very dry spring which we had.

Emer’s apple turnovers were super delicious, especially hot out of the oven. We are so thankful that our kids enjoy cooking and baking!

David Austin Roses dark pink NOVEMBER — There are still some blooms on our roses, although the wind has been working extra hard to knock them off…

sunny foggy morning birch trees — I took this picture on what had been a foggy morning.

mystic sky November garden — I like this photo for the fall feel and the mystic looking sky

4 chickens November — ‘The Girls’ also known as Iris, Sweet Pea, Daisy and Rose.

Thanks for stopping by! Take care!

Blue sky play house with back hills — The latest fall view of our playhouse and the surrounding fields (and one of my favorite pictures).

A slightly tilted photo of one of the glass houses at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin

Contentment. Do you ever think about whether or not you are content? It is something I’ve thought about a lot over the years. These thoughts on contentment all first started while I was in the throes of really struggling with my strong-willed toddler. I attended a parenting course in the hopes of finding a magic solution to the challenges I was facing.

one of my favourite flowers… peony

Turns out the main discussion in this course was actually about contentment. When the teacher started talking about contentment I had too many “yes, I’m content, BUT…” thoughts in my head and more importantly, in my heart.

Gladiolus

I wasn’t “there” yet; that place where you find peace no matter what the circumstances are. It would take me quite a few more years to be able to feel contentment.

National Botanic Gardens

My life has been so full and I just feel so fortunate, even through the many ups and downs.

Iris

Recently I was lucky enough to steal away for an hour to the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin. (http://www.botanicgardens.ie) It was a perfect afternoon for a relaxed stroll through the gardens.

water lily

The weather was amazing; warm but not hot, sunny but not too sunny to bleach out photographs!

statue in the gardens

I love this statue.

Their faces sure look content to me!

unusual daisy-looking flower

It was just me and my camera, and we had a ball together!

inside a glass house

I was following two elderly ladies on part of my walk. Not in a stalking kind of way, but simply because I entered the garden behind them. I loved their conversation about the different flowers and where they source their own flowers, and the new varieties! O.K., maybe I was eavesdropping a little bit! 🙂

interesting color combination with this bearded iris

I was enjoying my time of peace in such a gorgeous garden. That is when a wave of complete contentment came over me. I even sent my husband a text about it!

These remind me of pretty birds flying together...

These iris remind me of pretty birds flying together…

I was doing exactly what I wanted to be doing.

Lamb's ear: these colours remind me of winter.

Lamb’s ear: these colours and textures remind me of winter.

I know I’ve said it before, but I have the most amazing people in my life. I actually had a motto for a while: “People First”. I think at the time I was struggling with some issues, and the clarity came when I started saying “people first” to myself. So simple, but so important.

National Botanic Gardens

I’m happy with the decisions I’ve made over the years, especially with regards to being a stay-at-home mom, working from home, and finally working outside of the home. I’ve done it all, and I have enjoyed it all. I’m not saying it was a piece of cake, but it was all worth it.