Kaseys Korner

Crocus 'river'

From the inside looking out:

 

Amaryllis 'Pink Glory'

Amaryllis 'Apricot Parfait'

A couple more Amaryllis photos and a message.

Amaryllis 'Apricot Parfait'

And now the message:  I've made a decision that I've been thinking about for quite a while ~

I've decided to no longer keep blogging.  

The few people who follow my blog know that the past four years have been filled with heartache and loss.  After each one, my heart was into blogging less and less and my posts more and more sporadic.

Above:  Amaryllis 'Rembrandt Van Rijn'

I won't close my Typepad account immediately but there will be no future posts.  

Amaryllis 'Half & Half'

It never really "took off" anyway & some of the other reasons I started it are no longer pertinent.  Most of my traffic is from Pinterest and people pinning my photos.

Muscari "Azureum'

I can't imagine giving up photography so hopefully I will pop up with an Instagram account (or something) in the future as a forum to share photos.

For those of you who have left me kind messages over the past 8 years, thank you.  I've appreciated them all.  I feel I "know" you although most of us have never met.  Maybe that will be remedied one day...  For now I want to concentrate on a few different avenues and ending the blog will free up a little time and relieve a little pressure (for even tho I haven't been posting often, it's always on my mind that I "should.")  All the Best ~ I will be with you in spirit this gardening season and quietly doing my part to make it a good one.  

 

Amaryllis 'Caprice'

I believe I warned you there were a whole "slew" of Amaryllis bulbs lined up, just waiting for their turn in the spotlight?!!!

Today it's 'Caprice'.

She reminds me of 'Apple Blossom' but a tad richer in color?

The fun in trying new varieties of Amaryllis is to discover new favorites, at least for me!

and although 'Caprice' is beautiful (& heaven knows I love PINK!) it's really hard to trump 'Cherry Nymph' ~ in bud right now!

It's long been a favorite and besides 'Double Dream' & 'Exotic Nymph', no one else has come close.  

Now you know who's next too!!!

Otherwise, I'm finally getting the last of my Christmas decorations down.  

It's the latest I've ever been taking it down but it was still difficult to do.  I really, really loved the tree this year & just didn't want to pack it away!

but now I'm starting to get excited for Spring!!

I have some grape hyacinth bulbs coming up (that I potted for forcing this fall) and of course, a few more Amaryllis in bud so there will continue to be flowers in January & February.  I'm glad the month is drawing to a close tho, it's always the hardest one out of the year for me.  Plus it's also great to see more daylight!  I believe I just may survive another winter!!  ha ha 

 

Amaryllis 'Moon Scene'

the next to bloom in a succession of Amaryllis bulbs.

if these beautiful bulbs don't hold appeal for you (gasp!), you might want to avoid my blog over the next few weeks.

I have quite a few in various stages of growth that will be gracing future posts! 

Yippee.  

Hard to beat an Amaryllis bloom for chasing away the winter blues.  And winter blues I already have.  We've had more snow on a landscape that's been covered in white for over a month now.  It makes me long for green....

'Moon Scene' is funny in that it has two different kinds of stamens on the same bloom stalk ~ two flowers have one kind and the other two have the second kind. 

Maybe I've had other Amaryllis like that before & just haven't paid attention???

I must have been in a "red & white" mood when I placed my first Amaryllis order?!!   'Moon Scene' is the third sort of variation on that theme.  

Hope your weekend is off to a good start?    It's below freezing here:

So I'm staying indoors, taking down Christmas, always bittersweet...

 

Amaryllis 'Ruby Star'

For me, it wouldn't be Christmas without an Amaryllis bulb

or two

or three

or four

or more.....

'Ruby Star' was the 2nd Amaryllis bulb this season to bloom.

It sent up two simultaneous bloom stalks which I tied together with a ribbon:

Two bloom stalks growing at the same time means a beautiful display of flowers but the stalks don't always cooperate in the process.  Tying them together is an easy way to control them plus it keeps the leaves nice & straight (and tidy) between the ribbon too.

Around Christmas, the ribbon also adds to the festive spirit.

Temperatures broke the freezing mark today for the first time since before Christmas so I took 'Ruby Star' outside for a photo shoot!

I'm already sad thinking about taking all the beautiful Christmas decorations down.

The holiday came and went soooo fast.

I decorated everything that wasn't moving this year.  I think worse than usual.

I also baked and baked and baked.

Above and below: Buckeyes

Maybe they're a bad example because you don't actually "bake" them but they still take a little time to make.  I guess it's worth it tho because they disappear FAST!

Above:  Gift wrapping ~ I added an alphabet ornament (to some packages) in the initial of the recipient.  I figured it served two purposes, a keepsake & easy way to tell whose gift was whose.

Sweet little Ivory loved the wrapping part of the holiday!!! Whenever she heard the rustle of paper, she was there!

Alphabet ornaments are fun to decorate with too:

I bought some to spell my daughter's name & the Noel ones pictured.  

Whoever came up with that idea was genius!

This year, it felt like we were one of the only parts of the country to experience a white Christmas??  There was so much talk of records being broken for warmest Christmases on record.  Not here!

I've always thought snow on the 25th was overrated ~ but right on cue, it snowed 3 more inches on Christmas night!

If you like that sort of thing, it was perfect.

Now I'm ready for some "down" time, it's been a busy season, culminating with a New Years Eve party that I made Champagne Jello shots for!!!

How fun are these??  Pretty easy too and very tasty/refreshing.

2016 started off with a bang so I hope the momentum will last.  

On a sad note, I wondered if all the "busyness" was an effort to keep thoughts of my brother at bay?  I would be driving somewhere or doing something and just burst into tears.  One night, looking at Christmas lights (which we had done together just two short years ago) I felt tears rolling down my face and I hadn't realized I was crying.  He was never far from my mind even tho I had many, many happy moments.  

Anyway, now comes the big task (as I know many of you have too) of taking everything down & packing it away.  After that, a resting period before spring.  I welcome that although I'm already tired of snow ~ what's new??!!  

Happy New Year!!!

 

 

Amaryllis 'Ambiance'

Blooming just in time for Christmas and the colors couldn't be more perfect for the season.

Love the pairing of red & white against the antique blue vase.

I usually don't cut my Amaryllis flowers but 'Ambiance' put up three bloom scapes so I didn't mind cutting the first one to put in the vase.  

Besides the Amaryllis, I also have blooms from a new pink Christmas cactus.

Given to me by one of my sweet neighbors as a thank you for decorating her mantel.  

VERY nice of her, especially when I was happy to help.  That sort of thing is fun for me and not a chore at all

 

I hope I can keep it alive.  I'm good with outdoor plants but not so much with houseplants.

This past week I kept really busy baking for both my book club and cul-de-sac parties.

I made the above Hazelnut expresso cookies for my book club. They were devoured!  I highly recommend them if you're looking for a new cookie to try over the holidays.

For my cul-de-sac party, I was put in charge of desserts.  I enjoy making those so I chose both a no-bake white Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

and Lime Gin Coconut macaroons.  

At least one of my neighbors is on a gluten-free diet so I left out the cookie crust base from the recipe ~ it was still totally divine.

The Peppermint sticks came from Cracker Barrel ~ I thought they'd be a festive (edible) decoration but they actually turned out to be the perfect utensil for eating them!  Dipping the peppermint sticks into the cheesecake gave us a little extra zip of peppermint flavor.  Because of that, they'd be great for any party, you wouldn't have to provide extra serving pieces.  They're also very easy to make & everyone enjoyed them.

I guess I hit both desserts out of the "ballpark" because they were both gone by the end of the night including all of the Lime and Gin Coconut Macaroons (see link above for recipe.)

Another easy dessert to make and if you are a fan of coconut, an absolutely amazing treat!

I couldn't ask for better timing on the Paperwhites either.  

They are just beginning to open ~ they'll be gorgeous at the end of the week for Christmas!

and finally, our little "baby" Ivory has a new favorite spot to sleep ~ on top of the bookcase next to the tree!

Isn't she sweet illuminated by tree light???

Now I'm signing off to try and catch my breath before the next round of parties.  I still have all my wrapping to do plus some cards and a little shopping left so it's going to be a busy final few days.  I hope you all are more ahead than me??!!!  If I don't get back to the blog, Merry Christmas to you ~ I hope it's a peaceful, happy holiday.  










 

Dahlia 'Apple Blossom'

a last look.

Blackened now by frost,

its season truly over,

The tubers tucked safely away to return next season

During the last nice days, I would catch bumblebees overnighting in their centers, 

Waiting for the first rays of morning sun to warm them before departing.

A touch of sadness, looking back, that we've said goodbye to all that was so very alive & beautiful.

But now is the time to do the chores that will ensure they return, better than ever.

Those chores include, after a couple light frosts, storing the rose standards in the garage to ride out the winter months.

No chances or risks are taken on losing them.  Prized as they are....

Above:  Frost on the Chrysanthemum 'Rhumbas.'

A few hardy annuals survived the first freezes.  

I always try to take note of which ones, so as to add them back into the garden next year.  

Salvia farinacea 'Victorian Blue' one of those.

Most everything tender has been cleaned out & the garden has changed dramatically in the past week.

Containers of all types emptied and cleaned.

The antique iron urn looks so BARE without it's abundantly sprawling contents.

There is lightness in my heart tho as I review & post these last few photos;  for although I want to tweak & change a few things, I look and see that I've finally gotten the "English" garden I once envisioned & worked so hard to create.

That realization is the perfect way to end the season & enough to keep me going thru the cold winter months ahead...

 

Dahlias & Roses

It never fails, the end of gardening season produces some of the most beautiful Dahlia & Rose blooms of the year.

I don't know why that happens ~ maybe they respond to the cooler weather with a sigh of relief?

Above:  Dahlia 'Apple Blossom'

Or maybe they're spurred on sensing the imminent end to the season?

Dahlia 'John F. Bloomquist'

Whatever the reason, it is nothing short of spectacular, the "grand finale" of gardening, if you will.

Above:  Dahlia 'Tropical' bud

So exquisite it almost breaks your heart knowing what's to come.

Below:  Dahlia 'Peaches 'N Cream'

 

 

David Austin Rose 'Crown Princess Margareta:'

 

 

along with 'Abraham Darby' 

'Lady Emma Hamilton:'

and 'Winchester Cathedral'

Also, one last cluster of pink shrub roses.

There's more to share, I just haven't gotten all my photos uploaded yet although I do have a few pumpkin "scenes" for you.

Above:  Antique Colander filled with mini pumpkins

Pie Pumpkins in the Vintage Iron Planter:

Finally, for the first time, I took the insert out of my green reproduction planter & filled it with pumpkins.

Not sure why it just occurred to me??  

The open "lattice" sides are the perfect foil for showing off the pumpkins.

Today it feels like Fall.  Overcast and cool.  

But by the weekend we're supposed to be back up in the mid 80's!  

p.s.  My Monarchs are STILL in their chrysalis ~ I keep thinking any day now, they'll emerge.  I've been seeing other Monarchs flitting about the garden tho.  Yesterday there were two spiraling upward together over the Buddleia 'Honeycomb' ~ they looked almost "joyous" or maybe that's how they made me feel watching them?   Don't worry, I'll continue keeping tabs on them & post when anything happens.  :)

 

 

Dahlia 'Big Brother'

Several days ago, I finally got a chance to sit on my back patio, first thing in the morning, with my coffee, and take in the garden ~ starting the day the way I wish I could start every single one.

It shouldn't be that difficult but somehow it just is!

You probably noticed, I didn't just SIT while I was out there (I don't know why that's so impossible??)  

I did a little pruning & deadheading too.

Mostly on the 'Lady Emma Hamilton' rose standards.

I do everything I can to keep them looking fabulous.

Wouldn't you??

A few days prior, I had noticed buds on the "Surprise Lilies" (Lycoris squamigera.)

True to their name, they always just seem to pop up out of nowhere & suddenly be there & in bloom ~ just as they were this morning.

One thing I can't seem to catch in bloom, no matter how early I get up:

Moonflowers...

I think I need to try late evening instead.  I find them in bud:

but next thing I know, the bloom is wilting.  

It will be my new personal challenge to find a perfectly open flower....

Dahlia 'Big Brother' is spectacular any time of day.

But that brilliant color is the perfect "wake up" for even the most non-morning person.

(Unknown name) Fuchsia standard recently began blooming;  the flowers especially charming dangling in the first rays of sun.

Before going in, a quick peek by the front step:

Gladiolus 'Coral Seas'

How happy am I to have planted these??!!

Already I "need" another morning to begin this way....  I better make it happen soon because August is zipping right along and we all know what follows.