"I went to a Garden Party....."

Can't you just sing along with Ricky Nelson's 1972 ditty? With the cooler weather that moved in, I was motivated to get out in my gardens and clean them up.

They looked so good, I washed and moved the pile of plant pots to my pot shed.

That looked so good, I moved the potting bench I bought last summer and got as far as the maple tree, to the side of the greenhouse and set it up.

That looked so good, found a place to stash all the other odds and ends that had been cluttering up the back yard all spring and summer and could finally mow and trim the entire area.

That looked so good, I got out the power washer and blew off the house gutters, the patio in back, the cottonwood tree 'cotton' off the outside of the gazebo and the sidewalks in front.

This all looked so good, I headed in the house, vacuumed, dusted and cleaned the kitchen and bathrooms.

That all looked so good, I decided to have a garden party!

I made 2 batches of caramel rolls, with pecans or without and two batches of stuffed croissants.

 

I made gluten free strawberry/rhubarb meringue clouds, YUMMY!

 

 

To drink was ice water with cucumber slices, coffee, both hot and iced with a variety of creamers, strawberry lemonade and the most VILE iced tea ever made, I'm SO SORRY for anyone I subjected it to!! Really, I'm SO SORRY!! Hope the stuffed croissants made up for it.

 

 

I emailed the garden club, called some neighbors and ex-co workers, since it was sudden, please don't feel left out if I didn't call you, I just didn't think of it, I did just turn 62 - YIKES!! I set the food up in the gazebo to keep out snoopy cats and chickens, Bruce was great help, he had music going on all sides of the house and was the consummate host while I was chatting with guests. 

 

Just because the chickens and cats are ousted from the gazebo, does not mean they are absent from the festivities. I had to move a couple of chairs out to make room for the food and they were promptly commandeered by cats.

 

or chickens, be careful where you sit...."Sorry, kitty!"

 

My lily trees are SPECTACULAR!!! Brecks.com, you too can have these wonderful, fragrant flowers in your garden!

 

 

 

Even the pond got in on the show with this water lily blooming.

 

My bottle tree....just keeping it real, if you know what I mean.

 

 

Mollie, sporting her neckerchief with her best friend, Lizard.

 

It was a GREAT morning, good friends, good food and when they all left I collapsed in the gazebo and slept till 5:30, did I mention I just turned 62??