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i am a creative person. mother to a daughter who is an active young woman and a constant blessing in my life. i hope that you enjoy your visit here and that you will return often.

Monday, August 3, 2009

in amongst the rocks by the pond i have planted elfin thyme. it is doing very well there and i'm always fascinated by how such a tiny flower can draw so many pollinators~!!~ this macro shot of them shows how they look just like teensie tiny orchid flowers and highlights their furry green leaves. clicking on the photo should enlarge it so that you can really get a good look at them.what i can't show you is the fry (baby goldfish) that were discovered in the pond this past weekend. so far there have been only a small handful of them spotted as they are quite good at hiding. there are a number of other bigger fish in the pond so chances are pretty good that most of them will not survive. i had baby's born last year and can only count approximately 14 of those as survivors into this summer. when they were born there were 9 large fish to wait around and pick them off as they got the chance. i think that there are probably hundreds of them born at a time so the odds really aren't in their favor. in addition to the 14 survivors from last summer's brood i have 4 of the larger original fish so this year's baby's are going to have an even tougher time . . .
it's very interesting to watch the the pond and it's various life cycles. there are dragon and damsel flys that frequent the pond and i have seen there strange life cycle within it as time goes on . . . as well as many other pond bugs/critters. one of my favorite things about summer is observing all of this pond life happen.

my rudebeckia also grows near the pond in front of a tall urn full of red petunias. this year the rudebeckia have grown so dense and tall that i can't even see the urn. the red petunias however peek out just above and provide an extra splash of color.
i can't remember what these are called but i do like them. i have many shades of pink, purple and white growing all together. they were actually planted several years ago from seed and have continued up year after year. they stand about a foot tall and this is a photo of just the flower, which grows as a ball of tiny florets.
the next sunday postcard art challenge is "nursery rhymes". i found an old book from my childhood that i still have and leafed through it in an attempt to get inspired. on the inside cover there is a handwritten inscription by my great grandparents. it is dated 1966 and there is a price of $1.95 up in one corner. i was two years old in 1966 and i can remember enjoying this book a lot throughout my childhood. despite that, it is still in remarkeably great shape.
there are many charming illustrations throughout this book but i chose the humpty dumpty and the cat and the fiddle to show here. it is a reminder of my childhood and one of my favorite childhood pasttimes; reading.

unfortunately, i'm still not feeling like building a postcard . . .

get ready Jay as a package will be coming your way soon. i didn't feel like writing a letter or a note to go with the enclosed goodies but had no problem sitting still with the prisma pencils and coloring in this fun rubber stamped image on the outside of the envelope . . . go figure~!~

14 comments:

  1. Hi LibbyQ!
    I love Humpty Dumpty and I remember spending a lot of time thinking about him when I was a weird little kid! Do you think rudebeckia may have just happened into my garden? I don't remember planting it. I'll take a picture of it and post it soon so you can tell me. The truck of dirt was a funky mix and I think my seeds suffered. I am planning on composting and enriching it with moist bags of food next year instead of this garden mix add in. Your pond sounds fascinating! I hope you are feeling well.

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  2. Libby, your photos are stunning. They brightened my winter's day here in south-western Australia. I also enjoyed the pages from books of your childhood. I have small grandchildren now and I find that a lot of their books are over-illustrated, having far too much detail. Yours are beautifully simple with clean lines and great colour. Oh for the good old days! I have really enjoyed my trip to your blog.

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  3. Hi Pom Pom~!~ i suppose that rudebeckia could be a volunteer in your garden . . . i think it's one of those plants that only flowers every other year . . . so possibly it was seeded in the year before last?

    good morning Ozstuff and thank you for the visit. i am happy that you enjoyed yourself and hope you will come again.
    i popped in on your incredible blog and what a delightful and inspiring venture that was~!!~ your artwork is stunning~!!~

    :)
    libbyQ

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  4. Hi Libby, those nursery rhyme images are so familiar, long ago memories from childhood. Love the flower photos as always. Wild thyme thrives here, low growing, clinging to rocks and on Atlantic facing moorland. BFN. Lesley

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  5. Hi Libby,
    I can see now how you got the illustration connection, because you have been looking at children's books. The inspiration for the doll quilt was a book that belonged to my father and was published in 1926. The 20's illustrations are amazing and clean. This poem, The Banyan Tree was one of those in that book. My Grandmother used to read it to me. I really like to look at those things and translate them to fabric. Such fun ; ) You are only a year older than me if you were 2 in 1966. lol

    The purple flowers are amazing.. so pretty You said they are thyme? a clumping variety? Nice!!

    Mary

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  6. good morning Lesley and Mary~!~ thanks for the visits and comments~!!~
    the thyme is a clumping variety Mary, i believe it is called elfin thyme.
    sounds like those old story books and nursery rhymes are inspiring to many of us~!!~

    :)
    libbyQ

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  7. Hello Libby
    Your flower photos cheered me
    Have a lovely weekend :o)
    Carolyn
    xxxx

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  8. LibbyQ, Thanks for visiting my blog again. I've tried emailing you thanks for your lovely comments, but only just realized you are set to "no reply." "No problem" though, since it sends me back to your beautiful cyber space. I'm glad you are interested in following the progress on my recycled clothing quilt. As usual, it is slow going, but I'm enjoying the process.

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  9. Hi, Libby! I love your vintage nursery rhyme book! What a beautiful treasure! Thanks so much for your lovely comment and for your blog visit! Hugs & Smiles, Terri

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  10. thanks Terri~!~ unfortunately i have yet to finish my nursery rhyme postcard despite being prompted by such a wonderful book~!~

    :)
    libbyQ

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  11. Hi Libby Just saying hello and hoping that you are ok. I've just posted a new picture on my blog of a butterfly in my garden.
    Take care of yourself
    carol

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  12. hi carol~!~ and thank you for leaving a comment~!~ i checked out your fabulous butterfly photo and it's just amazing in it's beautiful detail and colors~!!~

    other than being a bit short on time and energy i'm okay. just a bit bogged down while i try to catch up~!~ thanks for asking.

    :)
    libbyQ

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  13. Hi LibbyQ
    Where are you? I hope everything is okay.

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  14. hi Pom Pom~!~

    i'm here but have been busy with visiting (out of town) friends and late summer gardening.

    as much as i enjoy all of it, it tends to put me a bit behind for a while. i hope to be at normal speed within a week or two . . .

    thank you for your concern and your visit to my blog~!~

    :)
    libbyQ

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