It was a beautiful, sunny and warm day which was perfect for a bike ride! Here’s me in the ‘cutting garden’ afterwards. The dahlias are all looking so pretty!
Hi there! Well, today I’d like to confess that I went for a very enjoyable bike ride. It doesn’t happen every time I go out, but lots of times I can feel the benefit of exercising, specifically a very happy feeling due to a rush of dopamine!
Dopamine is a chemical released in the brain that makes you feel good.
Today when I returned home, I was completely overwhelmed with ‘happy feelings’ for my garden. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and everything just looked wonderful (remember, I was on a bit of a natural ‘high’!). Despite the dopamine, though, I know how much joy my garden brings me, and I’m just glad to be able to acknowledge those feelings of gratitude. There is *always* something that needs to be done in the garden – usually weeding! But there is also always something to be grateful for. It’s so nice to be able to take it all in and enjoy what I have right in front of me.
I hope that you are able to enjoy happy feelings in what you do, too!
Hi there! Ever notice that there is a change in the air in August? Maybe it’s a change in temperature, or maybe it’s just natural excitement as talk begins about the kids going back to school or college. I’m in no hurry to rush summer along, but I can feel that things are changing. My flowers seem to be happy, though! The dahlias are blooming, the hydrangea are filling out, the butterflies are visiting and the sunflowers continue to bloom.
1 & 2 – Hydrangea ‘Vanille Fraise’ Paniculata ‘Renhy’ and Agapanthus Blue Umbrella. The Vanille Fraise hydrangea’s flowers have never been as big as this year. And they are so full! The Agapanthus has been moved around the garden a couple of times, never blooming before this year. I’m not 100% sure it is completely happy where it is, though, as I think it would prefer a bit more sun. I’ll be on the lookout for a new location!
3, 4 & 5 – From top right: Pink Olivia Rose Austin roses, Red Admiral butterfly on Buddleia Buzz ‘Dark Pink’ Butterfly Bush, California poppy (orange) with yellow Potentilla shrub, Peacock butterfly on Buddleia Buzz butterfly bush.
The first thing I noticed about the roses, after seeing the pretty flowers and buds, were the leaves, which are a beautiful green. This is quite noticeable in my yard at this time of year as it is not uncommon for the rose shrubs to be covered in black spot! What a treat to see this shrub looking so well.
I had the pleasure of weeding near the butterfly bush this week. It is now quite fragrant, and attracts so many butterflies to its sweet flowers. One day it was only covered in Peacock butterflies, but the next time there were three varieties (the third being small Tortoiseshell). What a treat!
6 – Flower arrangement with sunflowers, dahlias and Japanese anemone. Dahlias: ‘Hartenaas’, ‘Great Silence’, ‘Creme de Cassis’, ‘Wizard of Oz’. This week I’ve made a pink themed flower arrangement. I like the challenge of finding enough flowers in the garden to make an arrangement!
Thanks so much for visiting. I’m hoping I’ll have more dahlias blooming next week to try another arrangement! 🙂
Mom in the Garden 