A belated celebration

These pictures were taken during Ryan's special time a few weeks ago. I was especially happy and surprised because I happened to catch some of these pictures at just the perfect time. I couldn't have planned it any better!

My gardens endured an especially hot and dry summer, but I think most everything was salvaged. And I even got a few surprises.

The angel garden on the morning of Ryan's birthday. This ended up being a hodge-podge of a garden, but it's done very well. On the left I have blue morning glories and white moonflowers climbing the trellis. Along the back I have dusty millers, there's tons of white alysum throughout, white dianthus, a purple balloon flower, hens 'n' chicks (just to the left of the statue) and various types of creeping plants. The tree behind the cherub statue (center) is a Kouza White Dogwood, which blooms in late spring. Most of the colors in this garden are white and blue, except for a few stubborn red and pink begonias from three years ago. After they re-established themselves so well, I didn't have the heart to move them.





My angel face rose - which hadn't bloomed in nearly two months due to the extreme heat - had three blooms that opened on his birthday. They smelled so wonderful that I was tempted to snip off one bloom and bring it inside, but I just couldn't bear to do it. They were perfect just the way they were.





A close-up of a morning glory with a little visitor.





Ryan's tree has been doing well, but I was so happy to see a new baby branch (the redder area) emerge during his special week.





A beautiful orchid and an arrangement of roses that friends sent.








This is Tumbleweed, an eastern screech owl. He was injured (possibly hit by a car), but rescued and rehabilitated at the Carolina Raptor Center. A good friend and her Bug "adopted" Tumbleweed in Ryan's name. He's a tiny little bird, but it's obvious by looking at him that he's a fighter - just as Ryan was.





Here's the one normal thing I did for Ryan on his birthday. I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I think a set of tiny hands might have had a pretty good time diving into that frosted goodness.