Hardy Hibiscus

Today's Flowers

This garden of tropical looking hibiscus is about 20 miles east of Fort Collins. To see the blossoms better, you may click and enlarge the photos.
Spread your hand out and you'll be able to tell the size of the flowers.
It was bright and sunny during the afternoon, but was told they look better in the morning. Like most of us, I'm sure. ;D

They like this warm wall of brick.

Whispering white- "Look at me!"

This is their second year in this spot.

Thanks to the team for letting me join in!

Hope you enjoyed your visit this week.

Lovin' the Heat

Not me! Some of my flowers though,

~ Moss rose ~

Another color:

I'll have lots of seeds from the plants.

These have been the best looking petunias this summer. They haven't stopped blooming even though we've have over 44 days above 90-100 degrees. Not a record, but it sure seems like one.
This is a dark variety of the sweet potato vine family. It has lavender bell shaped flowers!
And after taking the picture, I realized the individual leaves are my favorite shape. I must always look at the whole mass of dark leaves instead of each small heart.
Reminds me of a song we sing in church--"Open my Eyes". It also makes me think of our relationship with our God. ♥ to ♥

Trick or Quake

What happened here? Tremors from the southern Colorado quake OR...
has someone been playing with my pictures? I really think I would have tried to fix them if I had noticed them last night before bed. They looked askew before school this morning and made me wonder if the wind whistled down the hall last night (it really did blow hard for about three minutes) or the tremors traveled farther north than anyone knows.

Whatever...at least I stayed awake long enough to wonder and post. This heat makes me weary as I get up early to water for two hours before I leave for school. Water...more precious than gold.

HOME - Exterior

The newlyweds have been here for almost a month. I went for a visit and was able to take a current picture of their HOME.

Before:

During:

Present:

The front entrance is now where a living room window was before the remodel.
The posts are solid wood and were stained to match the front door. The mailbox is so cute and perfect for that spot! Ali's parents did such a great job. I'm sure it was frustrating at times, but everyone seems so happy to be HOME.

More boxes have been unpacked and put away and a few things are now up on the walls which makes it more like HOME.

On the Road Again

Isn't this the most exciting post for the first week of school?
New smooth pavement for the seven mile drive to school. But wait...my road is closed?!
One morning I counted eight trucks lined up with asphalt ready to dump on the road and be rolled down.
On Wednesday I decided the buses would have to get down the road to pick up the kids, so they'd allow me to drive on the road, too. I had to get to school to take care of those kids, right? So instead of taking the LONG way around, I pulled right onto my road and headed west and actually only had to wait a few minutes for the flagger to let me past the stop sign. I am so thankful I don't have that job in our 95-100 degree days this past week.

So the first week was only three days. Took a few kindergartners and first graders to their classrooms. No tears the first day, but one little guy must have been tired this morning and did NOT want to come in and start his day with us. Checked on him later and he was fine! So starts another year. On the road again.

Imagine

Sing in the silent sky,
Glad soaring bird;
Sing out thy notes on high
To sunbeam straying by
Or passing cloud;
Heedless if thou art heard
Sing thy full song aloud.

From "A Summer Wish" by
Christina Georgina Rossetti

Today there were three birds playing in the sky-two pelicans and a hawk. The thermals and gentle breeze let them circle and play. No picture could capture their grace and what I thought would be pure joy. Imagine. It will be there. Only in your mind.

David Phlox

I am linking this post to Today's Flowers. There are many beautiful sites to visit! Click on the link or the picture and take a trip around the world.

After a day inside for teachers, coming home to these heavenly phlox was refreshing. I love to double click on the pictures to see them LARGER than life.
First day back for staff-August 10!!!
The air is so sweet in the front of the house that it should be bottled and sold as perfume.
It's odd that I can remember their name, but have forgotten the name of the pink variety. Add pink is my favorite color.

Besides being the first day back to school, I should now have faster internet. And wouldn't you know I wanted to try it out right away and blogger was not letting anyone log on - they were fixing something. So I still had to wait! I'm praying for patience...NOW! ;D...♥♫

Moving In

Ali's house has occupants! Her family bought the house almost across the street at the end of last October. The outside walls remained the same, but most everything else changed.

Kitchen back door before:

New French doors and a walk in pantry.

STEEP stairs with not even space for a person's foot to stand on each step.

Half wall and a small closet removed. Notice the handrail angle-almost like a ladder!

Much safer now!

Living room now has a cathedral ceiling.

Window removed for a new front entrance.

Wide door to accommodate Ali's wheelchair

Walls between bathroom and bedrooms were removed.

Ali's desk area and a glimpse at her dressing room and shower.

The picture below shows the former bedroom that became the shower and the narrow hall with a linen closet, the kitchen closet, and a peek into the kitchen.

Looking into the living room through a charming archway.

Kitchen before the cabinets were painted and distressed.

New counter tops and the curved shelves taken out at the end of the cooking island so there's more space for Ali to maneuver around in the kitchen.

I'm so happy to see that there is still a curved arch way into the living room!

At the bottom of the stairway there is a small hall going to Sarah and Alex's bedroom or to the bathroom. If you go through these double doors, you are in another room that doubles as a bedroom/office area. The bed is just to the left in the picture.

The short wall makes it seem more like a bedroom.

Both bedrooms now have the egress windows required by code.

Sarah and Alex's master bedroom before:

With the new window and other one removed as it was under the new front door.

Shelves on both sides of a large walk in closet.

Double vanity before the mirror arrived. Tub and shower are to the right.

Everything smells new because it is!! Lots of work to do and a few things to move from my house that haven't fit in the car. I'm just happy they have a home to live in! We are thankful for all the work that has been done to this house to make it as nice for Sarah and Alex as it is for Ali.