A little tour of my world

I thought today it might be fun to do a little tour around our place.

First stop is the Soap Studio.

I also have my torch in there for lampworking.

This is where I spend most of my time. It always looks so pretty in the summer with all the plants in front blooming away. The Monarda has taken over for now, but there's a huge conglomeration that blooms there in turn throughout the spring and summer.

It's such a great space. climate controlled and fitted out inside especially for making soap.


Next is the new hen house.

It's where the chickens roost for the night and also where the goats hang out.

I thought it was so cute when it was delivered and Bob actually made the little garden out front and planted flowers there and in the window boxes.

I wouldn't be surprised to walk out one morning and see that he had put up lace curtains!

This is the latest momma and her chicks.

She's the big momma around here with 16 of them. You can't see them all in the picture (because she carefully lead them out of range everytime I was set to take the picture), but I think I caught 14 of them in the picture if you look closely.

She's in special quarters for now to keep everyone out from underfoot of the goats and clear of the pecking order.

When the day is over and I wander into the house, this the scene that awaits me.

We put a permanent addition on the back of our house last year and it is really nice.

The pergola and the brick patio were here before and the workmen did a great job of working around them.

I love the lushness of the giant hostas and ferns under the kitchen window to the right and the way the light filters through the wisteria and the trumpet vine growing over the walk. This is always a cool spot in the yard even on the hottest days.

This is the trumpet vine. It is lush and bright and will forever make me think of summer.

I'm surprised I didn't get a picture of a hummingbird in there since they are often feeding at the flowers.

The seed pods for these will be all over the place this fall and there are lots of little plants coming up here and there in the ground cover near the house.

It's something of a chore to try to keep all those little plants from taking hold.