Friday Favorites: Everythings Coming Up Roses..and Lillies...and Fish? Edition

I must confess; it doesn't feel like summer yet, folks. I suspect that has a lot to do with the boat still being in dry dock and the fact that the Cub is up with the sun every morning for his job; there have been no lazy days spent poolside or eating Popsicles on the porch.

Sigh.

Despite my personal feelings, some obvious signs of the season do exist, however; the massive blooms on my rosebushes being the most obvious.

Bellaroma

Fragrant Plum

Marilyn Monroe

Tropicana

Mister Lincoln

Chrysler Imperial

Elizabeth Taylor

Ink Spot

With the exception of three plants, all of the bushes have produced blooms this season, and, the  holdouts (Hotel California, Bride's Dream, Chicago Peace) are budding even as I type this (I didn't get  good pictures of All American Beauty, Just Joey, or Rock and Roll, when they bloomed).

Not to be outdone by the roses, my tiger lily plants have put on quite a show, possibly the most beautiful one, ever.

And, while we missed the height of the peony season while we were in Hawaii, I did manage to capture a few blooms.

Flowers are always a favorite for me, and, as I've been saying, a sure sign of summer, and, since I didn't plant a vegetable garden this year, I am utilizing the flowerbeds and rose bushes for my gardening therapy.

Oh, and I also planted a small herb container for Hugh to use when he grills. Basil is my absolute favorite herb, with thyme coming in a close second. Both of them are happily growing next to oregano, which, rates third on the Herb Top 10 Favorites play list.

A new garden favorite this year is this iron art piece that Mom bought for me when she was here last week for an appointment with an opthamologist who will be doing surgery on her cataracts in early July.

The headlight on the bike is solar and lights up at night, the spokes on the wheels spin with the breeze, and, the baskets in the back hold enough birdseed to feed the neighborhood.

 I love it.

Speaking of new things, I mentioned a while back that I had purchased a few things at a shop in Hawaii and had had them shipped home. The items were originally intended for use in the Man-Cub's bathroom once he leaves for school, but, I couldn't wait that long to display them, so, they are temporarily gracing the dining room table.

The glass fish is absolutely adorable in person; he's filled with sand that I brought back from Hanauma Bay (it sparkles in the sunlight!) and shells and coral that Hugh and the kids found on the various other beaches that we visited. I picked up the glass floats (displayed in the large jar) because their history so  intrigued me. I'm hoping to collect more floats in various sizes, colors, and vintages when we make return visits to the island.

 And, that about covers this week's favorites. Tune in tomorrow when I tell you all about my latest mammogram.

Because my life is just that interesting!