We haven't really had many BIG snows here in WV yet this year. Seems like we get a couple of inches, it warms up and melts, then we get a couple more, and on it goes.

This past week, I took a picture of a rainbow one day, then worked in the garden the next, and the following morning I shoveled snow. I was out in the garden again yesterday planting some flower seeds that need the cold treatment. I even have some plants greening up already with this sometimes mild weather.

I was so excited about having the ends of the rainbow - with their pots of gold border our front property line. It is the first time I've ever seen both ends of a rainbow at once. One end is usually on the other side of a mountain.


I couldn't get the ends of the rainbow in the camera frame together

Oooooh MK, I have only seen one touch down once in my life. It was in a green meadow in England. How wonderful is that to see BOTH ends in one scene! Surely, it must be a magical omen!

Sure hope it means some good luck, Maggie.

While I'm waiting and dreaming of flowers a bloomin' I've made a web page of my summer blooms.

Come take a Winter Stroll Through My Summer Blooms

There's a seed exchange page too If you see anything you like, let me know. Maggie, I have some cleome set aside for you. I put some in the ground yesterday, is it too late for you.

What beautiful pixes! Mamakane, I love your morning fog. What a dreamlike state it creates for me. Wish you lived closer so I could stalk your garden too! :o)

but then you would see all the weeds that I cut out of the pictures - but then maybe you would stop and pull a few

"a few" is the correct answer.

waaaa I haven't been able to open it :-(
Maybe the server is taking a nap
Will try again tomorrow xoxoxo

No MK, it not too late for cleome they will sprout in March here xoxox.
I loved seeing your country cottage garden MK! You had a lovely summer - it was worth waiting to see. Your rock bed is always my favorite in your pics.
You have some gorgeous bloomers. We shall be etalking about those seeds

On your mystery plants, I have the one on the bottom of page - it is known as 'Bouncing Bet' and 'Soap Wort', as crushed bits of leaves, roots, stems and all, will make a sort of lather that the pioneers used as a soap. It is Saponaria officinalis

The top one reminded me of Joe Pye Weed Eupatorium fistulaosum syn purpureum but its bloom is not as flat Joe Pye and as far I can see, it has serrated leaves where Joe doesn't. Sorry, I'm no help on that one.

Great rainbow pics, MK. Loved the link to your summer garden. Quite inspiring. Thanx for the reminder of cleome planting time. I think I have some seeds around here somewhere!

Today, I am thinking of planting a few things in the veggie garden. We finally got 2 raised beds built, so I am ready to go on that.

Robert is supposed to clip chicken wings today to keep the little pests from flying over the fence and scratching up my veggie and flower gardens. For anyone who doesn't know, wing clipping is a painless procedure involving only cutting the feathers. That said, there are a couple of those hens that may end up in the freezer if they get into my garden one more time!!

That's it Maggie! - Saponaria officinalis
AKA Soapwort or Bouncing Bet.

We'll have to try some Bouncing Bet soap when the grandkids come visit. New farm adventures at Nana's and Grandaddy's

Carolyn, the chickens aren't in those neat tractors? Maybe you only use those for the younger chicks? What are you putting in the garden - tell us and get our taste buds watering.

Well, MK, I had to re-think the planting thing today. I checked my moon phase gardening calendar, and today and tomorrow are weeding and cultivating days, not planting. I have about 300 pkgs of radishes and only 1/2 pack of peas. Better run to the store tomorrow so I'll be ready to plant the peas on Friday, which IS a planting day.

The chickens free range, supposedly in the pasture, during the day. They only go into the tractors at night. When we have chicks, which we don't at present, they live in the tractors until they are large enough to be let loose.

I love the Bouncing Bet. It has a pretty flower, is a pretty good ground cover, and since it is a native plant (we won't call it the "W" word), it pretty much takes care of itself.

I've tried the moon planting Caro, but would get so frustrated when my sched wouldn't jive with the orb's!

Must admit the Bouncing Bet runs too rampant in border soil for me. I stuffed some in a niche in the wall and would love to keep it there, but it keeps coming out the top and trying to take over the entire bed. Wish it would stay put!

Soap making with the grankids sounds great MK. Can I come too? ;-)

Yes, it is difficult to play by someone else's rules, even if that someone else is the moon. I really do try to stick with the program though. I've seen radishes planted at the "proper" time pop up in 48 hours. In retrospect, I'm sure the reason some plants died was because I trimmed them during the wrong cycle.

So far, I love Bouncing Bet. She has been fairly well-behaved, but then again that bed has an over-abundance of Disobedient Plant anyway, so what's another unruly girl?

Caro sent me this terriff link
for a personal moon gardening calendar
I know it sure works for folks who can pull it off.
Isn't it just always the case, that self-discipline is the key to success!