Cottage Life - Random Beauty



Last night's sunset.





Hollyhocks in the backyard beginning to bloom. 
(I'm so glad I convinced Dennis to transplant these
when he cleared the landscape for his new studio/gallery.)



Petunias in the front yard




Western Tiger Swallowtail visiting my color bowl.



Yachats, Oregon
(Maybe our most favorite place to visit and 
where  I'd like to be right now 
because it's reaaally hot here.)



Hope you're finding random and not-so-random
beauty where you are.


27 comments

  1. I love the beauty of your flowers. I'm glad Dennis transplanted the Hollyhocks! The Waldport area, just north of Yachats, is a favorite place of ours. We were there last Sunday and had a fantastic day.
    ~Adrienne~

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  2. Enjoyed the flower pretties . . .
    Especially the HollyHock . . .
    Hope you find some cool breezes somewhere today!

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  3. Hollyhocks! I've had not luck with them here but only fond memories of them from my childhood in Kansas. Much random beauty here--and greatly appreciated. ♥

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  4. Nancy, I loved your photos. I had those same hollyhocks in town. I love them. The ones I grew here, only lasted a couple seasons. Yours look great . I can't plant petunias in the ground any more, the rabbits eat them. Your flowers look good and that butterfly is a special addition.:):) We have had some hot days also. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  5. I noticed my neighbor's hollyhocks were blooming. I've always marveled to see hollyhocks blooming at abandoned farmsteads. They are hardy as the pioneers who planted them on their homesteads.

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  6. Nancy you flowers are doing so well . . . you have created a lovely cottage garden. I loved the post a few weeks ago when we saw the whole garden. Gardens filled with flowers and shrubs are what makes a beautiful place to me. Even the finest of homes looks dull and unwelcoming without a garden. My hollyhocks were amazing last year, then the winter took them out. I do have two coming up out by the compost pile, so maybe next spring I'll try transplanting them. Surely we won't have another winter like last year's, for a very long time.

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  7. Now that's a beach!! Amazing...

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  8. Beach photos always make me 'feel' cooler on a hot day.
    Lovely flowers!

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  9. Oh, how beautiful! I loved seeing the photos. It is so beautiful where we are, too. Rainy today, but making the river rise and even more peaceful to look at. God is good!

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  10. Nice sunset. I like sunsets better than sunrises. Your flowers are very pretty especially the petunias. Petunias are one pf my favorite flowers. Have a great weekend my friend, Debbie

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  11. Loved that you shared your random pretties with us. It is amazing at this time of year to look around and find a smile in so many things. Happy Friday. Have a wonderful weekend.
    Kris

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  12. Oh that ocean.....Nancy! Your hollyhocks are superb! Isn't it a great summer? I have been having so much fun just being FREE. Every day I feel like a little kid again, playing. I went to the lake yesterday with a friend for some photography fun, and we saw two giant turtles emerge from the lake. Small things like that make me feel YOUNG!!!!!!!

    Have a wonderful day!

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  13. What a gorgeous sunset, pretty flowers, a beautiful butterfly, and wonderful ocean view.

    Hot and 'humid' down here. Happy Summer Nancy ~ FlowerLady

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  14. Lovely photos! I love hollyhocks but they can't take the heat here. Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. That's interesting. I've seen them growing in Taos, New Mexico and it gets pretty hot there. We're experiencing temps in the high 90's here, so we'll see how it affects these hollyhocks. Hope they make it.

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  15. My favorite beach quote is, " I go to the sea to breath ".

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  16. Back from my travels, Nancy, and (almost) immediately back to blogging. Funny the things you miss when you are away. I would miss that beach as well, gorgeous, and VERY hot here right now.
    Amalia
    xo

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  17. So beautiful! All of it!

    Your hollyhocks look so healthy. Mine always used to get rust and get eaten by bugs. They're such beautiful flowers, though. Maybe I'll try growing them again someday.

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  18. Wow, what a sunset! July is a very colorful month here too and that color is mostly green right now. We have had so much rain that the foliage and grass is lush and very green!

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  19. Alright, what is your trick with hollyhocks? ;-) I have only had one good year with them.
    Wow, that they transplanted to well.
    I do think they are beautiful.
    Carla

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  20. Random beauty is always worth noticing!

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  21. I'm so behind in my commenting! But wanted to tell you how pretty that sky was! We have those here too once in awhile.. I love the wide open skies! Your flowers are so gorgeous. I'm jealous! I got a late start this year but have a few pretties... except for the earwigs that are chomping up all the leaves! I have two hollyhocks I got from our garden nursery last year, but they aren't doing to well.. the bugs are eating the leaves really bad. As Carla asked.. what IS the secret to hollyhocks?!! do you water them very often or not at all? Maybe I'm over watering them. Marilyn

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  22. This post is truly inspiring. I like your post and everything you share with us is current and very informative, I want to bookmark the page so I can return here from you that you have done a fantastic job.
    Roshani

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  23. That's a very beautiful sunset! I love watching the sky.

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