Spring Visits to Our Little Acre

One of the best things about blogging and social media is the friendship that is borne of a mutual interest. Through Twitter, Facebook and our blogs, I've gotten to know several people that have become friends that Romie and I have welcomed into our home. We're honored that they've made the effort to come here and spend some time with us.

Earlier this spring, those fun Seed Keeper Company gals, Kerrie and Carol, embarked on a trip they called SeedKeeperPalooza, beginning in their hometown of Chicago. They traveled eastward, stopping at garden centers and nurseries throughout northern Indiana, northwestern Ohio and southern Michigan, introducing their Seed Keeper Kit to these businesses with the hopes of them carrying it for sale in their stores. From what I hear, the trip was a success!

I'm happy to hear that some of the businesses they visited are now selling the Seed Keeper Kits, because it's not only a great idea for keeping your seeds organized, I love the story of their business. Two friends and neighbors, with a love of gardening, put their heads together to create an all-inclusive seed keeping kit. Their enthusiasm for gardening, for life, and for their product is infectious and, well, I simply love these women and what they're doing. They've donated numerous kits to school gardens all over the United States.

Carol, Kerrie, and me

Anyway...they spent a night at Our Little Acre (sometimes known as Baumle's Bed & Breakfast and Botanical Gardens) and we enjoyed having them. After a late night of chit-chat, we went to Van Wert to visit my mom, who is also a friend of Kerrie and Carol. Mom prepared breakfast for us all, then took us on a tour of the Children's Garden in Smiley Park. After the tour, they were on their way to visit more garden centers. We hope they'll make a return visit one day!

This past weekend, Romie and I were again honored with gardening guests, Chris and Mindy Tidrick, from Champaign, IL. Chris is the author of the gardening blog, From the Soil, and is the one who issued The Great Bulb Challenge last fall. We both planted over 1000 spring bulbs and we both were winners when they erupted in an explosion of color this spring.

This weekend was also Chris and Mindy's 18th wedding anniversary (Happy Anniversary!) and the Peony Festival in nearby Van Wert. As soon as they arrived at Our Little Acre, we took off for town to go on a garden tour, an event always held during the festival.

Adam and Eve table

Beautiful koi pond and waterfall

We saw many beautiful peonies, including this coral-colored one
in the Penton garden.

I'm always envious of those that can grow Lobelia successfully.

A headboard in a garden "bed." Of course!

Peony 'Prairie Afire' in the Smiley Park Children's Garden

Following that garden tour, we visited the Children's Garden, then went to my mom's, where she had a refreshing frozen fruit dessert for us, much needed, as the day topped out at 95° with a hot wind. We walked around Mom's gardens, which will be in a garden tour later this summer, then headed uptown for the Peony Festival parade.

Smiley Park Children's Garden

 

We watched the parade on the shady side of the street.

Queen Jubilee XXXVI Mari Young and her court

A Chinese dinner followed, then back to Our Little Acre for some relaxation and conversation. The next morning, Chris spent some time in the gardens, photographing in the morning light. After breakfast, we took a walk down the road to a little lane leading back to a nearby creek, where we discovered some native wildflowers in bloom.

Moth Mullein
(Verbascum blattaria)

Canada Anemone
(Anemone canadensis)

Blue-eyed Grass - endangered in the state of Ohio
(Sisyrinchium angustifolium)

The amazing thing is, Romie and I have taken this walk dozens of times over the last 34 years and we've never seen these particular wildflowers before. It was another hot and humid day, so after our walk, we jumped into the pool to cool off, and then had a lunch of grilled pork chops. Chris and Mindy had a long trip home, so they left shortly after, though we hated to see them go.

Once again, thank you, Kerrie and Carol, Mindy and Chris, for taking the time and making the effort to come and visit us. We loved every minute of it and hope you'll all return someday!

_____________
In compliance with the FTC regulations, I need to tell you that The SeedKeeper Company provided me with their product free of charge at a much earlier date. I have blogged about their product in the past, with no requirement or compensation to do so. I truly love their product, I use it, and I recommend it.