Summer Garden

Summer is here. We've had good, sometimes too good, rain most evenings and everything is green.

 Kitchen counter flowers

 Cone Flowers

 Hibiscus

 Hydrangea

 Lily

 Bee Balm

Needless to say the weeds are also doing very well!
Visit Today's Flowers #353 to visit other gardens.

Peony Passion

The peony patch with Mom's plants ....

The  garden is in full bloom, just in time for a party.

 Cured salmon (salt, brown sugar, dill, vodka)

 My sister's deviled eggs.

Mixed berries with Honey Custard (4 egg yolks, 1/4 C each honey, white wine-sauvignon blanc, 1T white balsamic vinegar, 1C heavy cream, whipped from Southern Living) and meringues made with the leftover egg whites. An easy make ahead treat.

 Peony arrangements in the house....

 The season is short so we are enjoying peonies every minute, everywhere.

Woodsman, Woodsman...

Spare that tree. The double cherry at the driveway was glorious in the spring.

But it had issues. 

Those were favorite snacking spots for the woodpeckers. But nope. These signs appeared on the street this week by both trees at the head of the drive. Technically the trees are on city land.

I was not home when the deed was done...thank goodness, I'd have cried. The city only took this one on the right down.

All that's left.

The good bit of news was the City Arborist came by and inspected the magnificent magnolia.

He said is the largest in Alexandria and dates from the 1860's. I'm guessing it was planted 1865ish to replace the clear cut done to the land when Camp California occupied the whole area down to Cameron Run and the Federal railroad center. Our neighbor up the hill has the largest beech tree in the city.

 I'll miss the blossoms.