Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Stitching and Walking in June

Design - "Bee Skep"
Chart - "Garden Beasties"
Designer - The Prairie Schooler
Fabric - 25 count white Dublin linen
Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads
Started - 6 June 2014
Completed - 8 June 2014

I really like this design. It is a bit unusual I think with the bee, flower, and hive.

I cannot help but wonder where all our bees are.  I've not seen more than a bit or two at work in the Salvias and they should be covered with bees.  Let's take a walk and see what's in bloom that the bees might be attracted to.

The Thimbleberries are still in bloom...

...though the older blossoms have started to form berries.

Ah June!  That means the Columbia Lily (Lilium columbianum) a wild Tiger Lily is in bloom.

I do like the wild Oxalis. I didn't see any 'four leaves' on this shamrock relative. 

I am very disappointed in our display of Seep-Spring Monkeyflower or Common Western Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus). We have the perfect seep / drainage area for them to grow and two years ago it was a sea of yellow

I think I'll stroll back in a week or so and see if the display has improved.

Most of the lupin are done now, but there was still one pretty plant .

And here are the Osoberries.  This is why I think the Cedar Waxwing hung around for a week or so. I've been finding small pits 'left' on the edge of the birdbaths. 

The Ninebark is pretty - red before it opens, creamy white after it does. 

The perfect bloom on a Blue Dick. 

We still have some scattered mallows in bloom too.

The Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii) has just come into bloom. Looking at the Latin name of the plant, it becomes clear that Meriweather Lewis 'discovered' and named it.  It was first sighted by the expedition on May 6, 1806 along the Clearwater River in Idaho. Indians used the straight stems to make arrows.  It is Idaho's State Flower.

I've found a couple of nice specimens of our native Columbine (that the deer haven't yet found and eaten!)

Some of the shrubs look pretty even as the blossoms fade.  

I'll end our walk today admiring the very last of the Elegant Cat's Ears. So lots of things for the bees...where are they?!?!?

You can join up on a Garden Walk below as one year ago today Mom and I visited the amazing Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

11 comments:

linda said...

Very pretty wild flowers. I enjoy learning about what is native in your area, thank you.

Giovanna said...

Well done on the pretty finish. And thanks for sharing the lovely bloom pictures. It's sad (and worrying) that there are so few bees.

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Love the bee! You just can't go wrong with a little PS comfort stitching.

Carol said...

The absence of bees is becoming a real problem here, too, Beth... You certainly have so many gorgeous flowers to attract them out in Oregon--I love the Cat's Ear.

That is such a cute PS finish :)

Ann at Beadlework. said...

PS designs are always fun to work on. My grandfather used to go on about the importance of bees - we're hearing about it a lot over here at the moment.

Melody said...

Pretty flowers from your walk! I like the bee skep finish. I did that one several years ago.

Barb said...

So many beautiful flowers. I never knew there was a wild Mock Orange. I have one for the smell alone. Your bee skeep stitch is delightful!

Margaret said...

Love your finish! Love the flowers too, of course. :D

Pam in IL said...

Lovely stitching and walk! I just heard the other day that our harsh winter wiped out most of our bee population here, although I have seen a few.

Melanie said...

Very cute finish!!

Our two hives survived the winter - barely. One of them was queenless and failing quickly when he got into it for the first time in late spring. (Freezing temps lasted until MAY this year!!) The other was still fairly strong though so he did.........something....to attract those bees into the second hive and I'm happy to report they have now requeened the failing hive on their own and have started building it's numbers up again. Very good luck because it was too late for use to buy a box of bees to do it ourselves at that point. (You get them in early spring or not at all around here, because they have to be shipped from down south and it's too hot after that to do it.) Fingers crossed they survive the summer now! August?September seems to be the make/break it month for us as far as colony collapse goes. :(

Von said...

Lovely little bee keep design. :)
I think there are fewer bees in my garden this spring, although the lavender plants are well covered with them. I finally saw a butterfly pass through on Sunday.