The birds nesting in the bird birdhouse right outside our Garden Room window totally delight and fascinate me. When I sit at my computer table inside, my eyes naturally look up and out the windows of our Garden Room, right into their nesting place. These little birds are in and out and fluttering about all day long.... inspiring a poem or two and many pleasant thoughts.I can't gaze out into our backyard gardens very well from where I work on my computer, although the Garden Room's wallpaper is full of flowers which make a nice backdrop.
The Garden GateWhen looking for ideas- inspiration- and strength- I like to arrange (and rearrange) little eye catchers to entertain and entice as I try to write; pretty things- nice things where my eyes can pause as I think and dream... Heavens there is too much horror in the world, too much ugliness, crime, cruelty, corruption and temptation, so in my own home and yard I like reminders of the good and the gracious... positive symbols.... inspiring symbols.
The gardens (and the bird feeders and bird baths) are the central view from our kitchen windows and the window view I actually see most as I am often in our kitchen cooking something or washing dishes or doing bills or sitting with a friend at our kitchen table or whatever. Much of our garden is designed to attract birds and butterflies and yes even bees who help pollinate everything.
We have the terrace right outside kitchen window where we can sit to enjoy the day and the gardens outside. I also like to wander all around to see what might be tucked where.
Blue eyed dog by the Bachelor Buttons
Our first homegrown fully ripe red tomato of the year just picked !Summer is in full swing, and now that the Larkspur (which was quite profuse) has finished blooming we have big bare spots on the upper hillside garden that needed something. Yesterday we went to the garden center and bought some flowers to plant up there. We wanted perennials in hopes they will pop up again next year, and we wanted a late summer bloom.
It was far too hot yesterday to plant them so we planted them this morning. I really should say HE planted them this morning as my husband, Jaffar, did most all the hard work with me mainly stalking him with my little pocket camera. I have some lovely shots of the sweat dripping off his nose... which I won't post : )
My husband was careful to replant the daffodil bulbs unearthed by his digging so they will be back next spring.Hopefully the new plants we brought will help bring bloom to that upper garden, with the slope and the clay soil and hot summer sun we need drought resistant things up there, no matter how much mulch we put in. My husband has lidded compost bins where he makes a rich mulch with leaves. It doesn't take long for its contents to go from green leaves to brown earth...
My husband likes to hover and play with his brew of new earth, sinking his hands in to feel its warmth and carefully stirring it. However it always scares me to open the lid and reach in there to bring him some mulch. I never know what I might find in there. Today it is was a stalk from an old pumpkin or squash that looked like a monster's foot. It really startled me!
As the morning wore on I hid in the shade of the dogwood tree while my husband worked in the hot sun. I'd venture out as a helpmate to take him things he needed- like the hose, or mulch, but I wither and grow weak and dizzy and useless in full sun, whereas he stays strong and able. When we finished planting we cooled down with some tall glasses of iced lemonade spiced with mint leaves from our herb garden. Wish we could grow lemons here too.. and oranges...
I noticed this week that the new 2009 Colors of Palestine Calender is now available... 
2009 Yom El-Ard
One of my favorite artists this year is the prolific and talented Fayeq Oweis:
Fayeq Oweis, Ph.D
الدكتور فائق عويس
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الدكتور فائق عويس
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Fayeq Oweis is an Arab American artist, educator, and a community activist. Read more .....
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| Implementation Front Entrance | Front Entrance Rendering with Design | Front Entrance Design |
Arab American National Museum
The Arab American National Museum is the first museum in the world devoted to Arab American history and culture. The Museum brings to light the shared experiences of immigrants and ethnic groups, paying tribute to the diversity of our nation.
for more information about the Museum, visit the museum's web site at www.arabamericanmuseum.orgI like how he has many different projects, and much of what he does is all about reaching out in public ways, to help educate and inspire others...
Actual Design of the Arab Cultural Mural 54 feet by 30 feet at the Islamic Society of San Francisco - Market & 7th Street>Designed by: Fayeq Oweis, Khalil BenDib, Said Nuseibeh
- Growing Gardens for Palestine
- Planning a garden is one step towards planting it ...
- "Come, I'll tell you about Palestine"
- Honoring Arabic & Arabic Calligraphy
- Poem in Your Pocket Day is April 17th
- Poetry continued-
- Lavender ...
- Mosaics
- Bulbs & Birdhouses
- Carrots
- Getting distracted by snow geese
- Embroidered keepsakes
- Going Green for St. Patrick's Day
- Seeds of hope and connection
- A good priority
- Poppies & Palestine: 60 years of forced exile-Time for Return
- The Garden Center
- Mid East Market
- In all Connection (Key shaped poem by Anne Selden Annab)
- Perennials
That rock up on the upper hillside is my husband, a talented gardener, hard at work.
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