I still love Wednesdays, and I am still grateful for the garden worker bees, however I must say, after closer examination, my privet has been massacred. This is truly a very bad trimming job.

In most situations men need gentle guidance from a strong woman, and this was no exception. I take full responsibility for leaving men in my garden with a chain saw, and no definitive directions. What is it about men and power tools I ask, testosterone takes over leaving design no where to be seen.
My poor garden is exposed and naked. My potting area which I was in love with, is now an awkward space with no nestling from the Rose of Sharon or the privet. And my chandelier which hung so beautifully from the bough of the privet is now ridiculously hanging on a branch all by itself.
The garden "peeps" have backs of steel, and arms of great strength, but the eyes of an artist, not so much. As with any bad haircut, the consolation is "it will grow"........So to what was a lovely secluded space, not but a moment ago........Grow, please grow.

While I am on a growing stream of consciousness, I need to comment that there are no voices of small children, or any sized children in my neighborhood. There are a plethora of children who live on the street, but where are they? If I am out early watering, no sounds of laughter or chatter from small people. If I am out mid-day, no sounds of children, and again in the early evening, no sounds.
When I was a child we were always outside, riding our bikes, playing games enjoying the summer. When my children were young all the kids in the neighborhood were outside playing, riding their bikes, playing games, filling the air with laughter, and occasionally a random cry from falling down.
Has the world changed so drastically in the last 25 years that children have forgotten how to play outside, or has society short changed them, and forgotten to teach them how to enjoy the outdoors. Have we become so tech savvy that we no longer can enjoy a simplistic day of bike riding, or hide and seek?
If the current youth do not learn the importance of nature, what is to happen to the planet as we know it.
Children must learn to respect nature, and know that it is a privilege to be allowed to go outside and enjoy a summer's day. Children need to get off the sofa, stop watching the TV, and turn off the computer.
Tomorrow is the first day of Summer, and it is a short, delicious gift we are given to enjoy, and in order to enjoy the season, you have to come outside and smell the roses.
LIFE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO BE WONDERFUL.........
SO PUT ON YOUR PEARLS GIRLS, AND ENJOY THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

Wednesday has become my favorite day of the week, as the garden "peeps" show up even before I have had my first cup of coffee. Today it was the melodious whirring of the chain saw cleaning up the privet and, and restructuring it as a hedge
which it once was a very long time ago.

I know that my garden will be tweaked, and clipped and spruced up the way I love it, and the joyous part is that I won't have pain today and I don't have to do it today......no weeding, or pulling unwanted saplings today, maybe tomorrow or the next day, but not today.
I have had a minimal amount of help, if any, over these last 30 plus years.
But may I say that having people who do the heavy lifting and exhausting bending is fantastic, and I am a blessed gardener today.

A FASCINATION WITH THE FASCINATOR..............
I went to a bridal shower, high tea, over the weekend, and it was suggested that the guests wear hats. I really didn't give it much thought, because there was no way I was going to wear a hat. I don't own a hat, and the reason I don't own a hat is that I don't look good in a hat.
The day before the shower I was speaking with a friend who said she was wearing a fascinator. A fascinator, well a fascinator is an accessory I can do. The wheels started turning, and I remembered that I happened to have many "cupcake" headbands........doesn't everyone. Actually I had purchased these headbands with large cupcakes on them for all my friends, and myself, who are celebrating a "medicare" birthday this year.
On with the fascinator........I used tulle, mini rosebuds from my garden and lavender. I made one for myself and one for my friend Denise. It is so wonderful having a friend who doesn't question wearing a cupcake fascinator, but embraces the thought. I think we looked fabulous, and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed having it on my head. Europeans have such a sense of style, and gracious way of dressing.
The fascinator was originally designed in the 1700's, and in the last five years has taken center stage with the Royals and Hollywood wearing it to red carpet and sporting events.
PEARLS ARE PRECIOUS, BUT FRIENDSHIPS ARE PRICELESS, SO PUT ON YOUR PEARLS GIRLS......... AND HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK