I’m determined not to fall into the swirling vortex of fear and anxiety that is so easy to fall into when faced with the dilemmas of caring for an elderly parent and paying for life’s little niceties (like health insurance) when you aren’t earning any income.
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Well, I’m determined not to write about it at least.
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Instead, I went searching for a little Independence Day spirit in the garden.
The ‘4th of July’ tomatoes didn’t quite live up to their name, though the Topsy-Turvy planter is a thumbs-up (errr thumbs-down?)…
But maybe the Oakleaf Hydrangea looks a little like skyrockets?
Or the astilbes have that fireworks flair?
How about the bee balm’s red glare?
Petunias bursting in air?
Wherever the 4th of July finds you this weekend — or wherever you find the spirit of independence — here’s wishing you an (old) gloryous holiday.
May the sun in his course visit no land more free,
more happy, more lovely, than this our own country!
~ Daniel Webster
Writing by Ear 
Facie said,
Monday, July 6, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Your flowers are so lovely. They really are fitting for the song!
I think next year we are going to try that upside down tomato thing. We have a few blossoms, but nothing else. At least our peas are finally coming up.
WritingbyEar said,
Monday, July 6, 2009 at 1:39 pm
It was funny how this post came together — I didn’t really have anything to post about, so resorted to snapping a few pix of what was blooming in the garden. As I looked at them, I noticed how they seemed 4th of July-ish and voila…. I highly recommend the Topsy Turvy, or I read online how to do the same thing by adapting a 5-gallon bucket. I plan to do more of them next year — love the results. (My peppers are pathetic in their pot — full of holes from something eating the leaves. I’ll try those upside down next year too.)
RL said,
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 7:20 am
I suspect that some of those flower strains like the Petunias have been cultivated to mimic fireworks, sort of playing up the summer garden theme. It would be interesting to delve into the botanical history of some of these. They are gorgeous.
By the way, my Lobelia is growing well, although not because I necessarily knew what I was doing! For what it is worth, it is planted as trim in fairly deep pots with other flowers, in partial shade, and watered daily.–Probably though, how the baby plants were treated at Lowe’s/Home Depot has more to do with their long term health than anything.
WritingbyEar said,
Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 8:56 am
Thanks for the lobelia tip, RL — I think more shade must be key. The couple I have that are thriving are in concrete pots (also as trim) in a shadier spot. I’m such a sucker for the blue shade that I keep trying every year (those red petunias were once encircled with it — it was so pretty while it lasted).