Hi JANE!!!! I've missed you too...I must give you a call soon. You wrote a post? Which one? I must read it. You're so sweet!!
I can understand waiting to plant considering where you live. When will you start planting do you think?

Anne...your place sounds heavenly and to have a big meadow...sounds so nice. We have aphids on our River Birch trees...they are very annoying. Larry normally sprays for them but we put out baby Praying Mantises and we are hoping they'll take care of the problem.
We have red mites on some mums in our window box and Larry grabbed two mantises and put them on the flower. One is having quite a time having its fill of these little creatures. We don't know where the 2nd one went...hiding in other plants perhaps. It's fun watching these tiny insects.

Good luck with your Lupine..have no idea what that is..do you have a photo?

Lupins grow in Newfoundland in many colours and spread like wildfire. They are beautiful and the bees just love them.

Don't have flowers, to speak of... only wild ones.
Our blackberries were unbelievable this year, though.

Here's a pic of the sun coming up through our oak tree:

Gims, I love big oak trees. They have so much history. That is a beautiful picture!

Gims, I can't thank you enough for sharing this picture. It belongs on a greeting card to help sooth someone's troubled soul. I know it made me feel closer to God just looking at it. I wish I were there sitting on a bench, just being. How lucky you are!

With your view of that spectacular tree Gims, you don't need flowers. I just stared and stared at it. It sort of mesmerizes a person... Thanks for sharing.

Edelweiss, never saw Lupins before but wow are they ever beautiful, and so many of them too. Hard to think of them as wild flowers... I would love a huge vase of them on my dining room table.

Since you like the Oak tree girls look up this old lady...there is a picture on the site.
..........................................................

Birnam Oak
Murthly Estates
The Birnam Oak © Edward Parker

As the sole survivor of the wood that played a significant part in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the Birnam Oak (Quercus petrae) simply reeks of history.

“I will not be afraid of death and bane till Birnam Forest come to Dunisnane.”
Macbeth, Act V, Scene III

The tree is believed to be part of the wood from which Malcolm's soldiers cut branches to disguise their attack on Macbeth at Dunsinane Hill, 15 miles to the south east. Today the gnarled and ancient oak certainly looks medieval – its lower branches rest wearily on crutches and the first 3 metres/ 10 ft of its trunk are hollow.

Visit the tree at any time of year.
.............
Mountain ash

The tree is the very reason we bought this piece of property. I marvel at it constantly. But, it is at its best when the sun is coming up and the dew is on the fresh mowed grass. I'm glad to hear others love oak trees, too. It is my all time favorite, so much so I though I might be reincarnated from a Southern Belle... we've visited some of the plantations in Louisiana and Mississippi, the ones with oak liked entries. Each time, I daydreamed about living on one, sitting and reading under one or each of the trees. God outdid himself when he created them.
Funny, an acquaintance of ours loves the tall southern pines, and hates the outstretched cover of oaks. And an X-coworker said she couldn't stand oaks, because they looked evil, like witches fingers. Didn't stop me from loving them, though.
Thanks to all... I do think myself fortunate and, believe it or not, am constantly in fear of lightening striking it or some awful beetle getting into it... but, I will enjoy it as I can... just like I'd enjoy having all of your beautiful flowers and shrubs... they are ALL beautiful, simply beautiful.

I checked out Birnam Oak, MA. Awesome! Ours is evergreen, a Live Oak, so we never see it without leaves; we have a pin oak (deciduous) out the back door, just as pretty, but not as old. Doesn't it seem as if a few fairies and tree nymphs should be playing around the Birnam Oak, even living in it?

Gims, your picture made me write this poem.

Oh beautiful sunlight, caught in an Oak tree,
You make me feel mellow safe and so happy.

Between the leaves and branches you shine,
For a moment I think; You’re mine just mine.

A breeze rustles leaves and branches so gently,
Like an angel’s smile, your golden rays wink down at me.

There must be something about the Mighty Oak.
In Kensington Gardens in London there is a wonderful interesting old oak.
The Elfin Oak.
I imagine city dwellers taking their children to see this.
Many famous people (Spike Milligan Paul McCartney amongst them ) contributed to the upkeep when it was fading fast.
I also like thr Peter Pan statue there..at heart I am a child full of wonder when something nagical crops up.
Many of the pictures of the Elfin Oak are copyright so do search it as it comes up in several sites.
Mountain ash