Pictures of the Week: Red White, and Blue

June 30-July 6, 2025

It’s been a warm, quiet week and we’ve been enjoying the garden, neighbors, and meals under the umbrella. Two grandkids are in summer camp, one went fishing with his dad and uncle, and the high school sophomore is chilling with friends. Spent time with the family on the Fourth, walked through the neighborhood to see the fireworks. Remembering 37 Revolutionary War Patriots eight generations ago who fought for freedom. We The People.

This is kind of how July 4th felt this year. But there were spirited local fireworks in neighborhoods throughout Portland.

But the yard was full of Fourth of July spirit, for sure, although the crocosmia is a little late in blooming this year. And red white, and blue everywhere! Observe…

Seeds, and more bees than I’ve ever seen in the garden, should result in an amazing garden next year.

David Austin Oregonian rose keeps on blooming, and smells delightful.

The hydrangeas and Shasta daisies are really having a moment…

… and I caught this sunset from Gabriel Park. I was at the grocery store and saw this developing and raced over to grab some shots, something I’ve been doing for decades. When I drove to school I used to leave extra time to travel Terwilliger and catch sunrises there, too. Inspiring, hopeful, delightful…

While I was busy shooting, this person has the right idea—lay on your back and let the sunset envelope you in color. Next time I’m doing that!

Have always loved the geometry of the European wildflower Love-in-a-mist—and the seed pods are cool, too. Like a salt shaker, it’s easy to sprinkle them in new places.

There are bees of every kind everywhere, but a new critter showed up this week, a grasshopper.

This is where the bees hang out, and I’m loving the cottage garden vibe this year. When friend Dwight Berning helped me put in the rock wall and landscaping, it was well-manicured, but eventually things died, I discovered, because of the clay soil—which does manage to keep the house in place at the bottom of the north side of a hill right above Fanno Creek, near the headwaters.

I have three different hydrangeas and each has a slightly different flower. You can see all three in this photo. The newest variety in the foreground looks like those little fireworks that surround the big fireworks over the river…

…kind of like this.

Then the rescue rose I dug out of a friend’s house before she moved to Hawaii finally made an appearance, and it’s always stunning. I recovered from all the thorns, and it recovered even though it had the deepest roots I’ve ever seen on a rose.

The crocosmia finally came up in Spades. Those are its leaves right behind it, which gives the garden space a geometric look. I’m realizing there are several varieties that have that look, and I like that!

The lavendar is in! It couldn’t quite compete with the grass this year, so new plan for next year! I expected it would grow bigger over the last six years, but that clay soil….

The amazing David Austin Oregonian rose with its color and scent is spellbinding.

Layers of color and lots of bees.

Okay, here is an in-focus shot of all three hydrangeas. They have been in the ground for 18 years now, and their roots are deep enough the survive the heat. They wilt during the heat, but revive themselves at night. Apparently they even grow through the clay soil!

I don’t know why, but people around the world for the last 500 years have been obsessed with breeding black flowers. Who are these people?! Anyway, the closest the rose breeders have come is this Black Magic rose. The color is dark when the blossom begins, and it has a unique velvet texture when you touch it, and then it blows out and looks like a dried flower arrangement. It’s hard not to see mouths and lips when you are looking at them. It’s creepy, and black. Hahahaha!

This made me chuckle.

That’s it for this week. Was hoping to get more action shots but these lazy days of summer in the Pacific Northwest don’t last forever. Got to enjoy them while they last.

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