We don't grow corn in the garden anymore (raccoons) but we do buy it at the Farmer's Market.  I found out how to cook corn on the cob that is so easy and so good and will never go back to any other corn prep, (except maybe creamed corn as a treat).  Maybe some of you know this little trick already, but it was new to me!

Working hard for 3 days has paid off.  The garden is beautiful.  On to the windows today so I can look out and see all this beauty without any blemish!

First off, step outside the kitchen door where I have two brick planters filled with herbs, flanked by strawberry pots filled with flowers.

 A few steps to the right and see the veggie garden.
 My husband is in charge of the tomatoes this year.  They are big and healthy.
 We all love dill, it volunteers all over the garden.
 Lots and lots of sweetpeas.  I remember these fondly from my childhood.
 Another view with greenhouse in the very back.  Do you see it behind the green bean teepees?
My husband put in a great water system years ago.  There is a central station where I can water the garden in two sections, but each bed has an on/off control.
Walk through the veggie garden to the greenhouse.  My husband and son built this from a Charley's Greenhouse kit!
A sharp left and you're at the perennial garden.  It's mostly hydrangeas, dahlias, shasta daisies, some roses and peonies.  Also the big wisterias.
 I line the path with annuals.  It changes every year, and this year I did a big mix of petunias and begonias with zinnias and marigolds behind.  I clearly got carried away.
 This is a pretty spot under the lath house.
Last two nights I have had my feet up and knitting and have TWO fo's to share.  soon!

byw, the weather today is gorgeous.  Bright blue skies and 72 degrees.  Bliss, perfect window washing weather ;)

I'm back after having a wonderful trip to Spain and France.  We got home last Wed. night and had to hit the floor running with busy days and evenings and no time to wallow in jet lag unfortunately.  I am now hard onto the garden as it needs lots of tlc after 3 weeks of kindly inattention, watering from my son and from the rain has got everything to grow, oh boy, especially the weeds.  I am on a mission to beautify because I am having (another) wedding here this weekend, this time for a very close girlfriend, her second marriage, and it will be small.  Even still, I get nuts about having things just so.

I do have a few pictures of our vacation that I think came out pretty and blog worthy, please enjoy!  All I had was my iPhone!

We loved the jambon in Barcelona.  Our food was so good!
My first taste of Antoni Gaudi, what a fascinating talent!  We couldn't get enough of him after touring this once private home in Barcelona.
We loved Biarritz so much, the city was covered in hydrangeas.  It is a big city I guess, but seemed so small and very easy to walk.  This is the old fisherman village part of the town that has been turned into restaurants.
That little speck is me.  The cathedral in Albi is the largest brick building in the world.  We were so thrilled to visit.  Toulouse Lautrec was born in Albi, his beautiful museum is right next door.  I had to pinch myself to think I was actually there.

This is taken at around 10:00 PM in Collioure, France.  The light was incredible.
I love taking pictures of doors, this is another shot from Collioure.  Beautiful pastel shades dominate this little village.  I am redecorating the living room this year and these sherbet colors keep popping up.
The view from our hotel room in Collioure.  It's difficult to find a spot that is not picture worthy!  It takes just minutes to walk to the castle, town and church from this picture.  We were here for 5 days with 50 friends for a birthday party.  What a magical time!
Below, my husband trying to make sense of the Dali Theater Museum building in Figueres, Spain.  This was a fabulous museum but too crowded on the day we went.  Still, it was my husband's favorite museum of the three (four if you count the chocolate museum) we visited on the trip.
I finished the Shaelyn Shawl on the trip, pictures soon!

Hope your summer has been GREAT so far!