klaus in the house

 It's PEONY season!

At once romantic, exuberant, dainty, bold, and shy...peonies are a study in contradiction.

The scent is intoxicating and they are so gorgeous, but their shabby chic blooms only last for a couple of weeks.  Sigh!

It's strange.  All of my perennials are tall...

...but my annuals, even the ones that have been in the ground for 6+ weeks, are so short.

It's definitely discouraging.  I have to remind myself that last year, I was so discouraged by the cutting garden at this same time period that I stopped going to it...for weeks.  I didn't even photograph it until AUGUST, and even then, the plants weren't at their full height.  The garden explodes here in August and September.  

 At least I've got things blooming there.  Ranuculus and anemones are still going strong...

The mystery snap dragons, sweet william, and Virginia stock...

And new faces, at last!  These biennial canterbury bells are starting to bloom...

...and...at long last...a few sweet peas.

They are so short, just like nearly everything else in the garden.  Three inch tall zinnias are budding up!  I'm pinching, pinching, pinching and hoping for the best...and making a lot of really short bouquets.

Meanwhile, we've ventured out for a few walks.  Borga approves!

We love making new friends.  :)

It's amazing to see the 17-year cicadas.  They tunnel out of the ground, leaving a peppering of holes...

After molting, their shells are left clinging.

They're quiet on cool mornings, but the hum begins as the temperature increases.  It's actually pretty pleasant.  We hear turkeys gobbling out in the woods every single day now...they're having quite a feast!

At home, Klaus is a voracious eater, a generous lover, and a champion sleeper.

In the many hours in between eating, snuggling, and sleeping, he is an absolute whirlwind of energy.  He rips through his toys, surfs the household carpets, and sails through the air as he leaps from forbidden perch to forbidden perch.  Tabitha is extremely unhappy with his roughhousing, and we're trying hard to keep him entertained and to wear him down between naps.  This is no grown cat, but an OVERGROWN kitten!  

Hopefully he'll settle down sooner rather than later.

Have a great week!