Friday, June 23, 2017

The Ditch -- A Different View

Usually when I walk the Ditch, I'm looking for Harry the Heron, Gaby the Goose or the Ducksters. But there is more to it all than that. It's also a flower walk and one that begins closer to home as I pass the rose garden of someone who has a passion for pink.


As I draw closer to the ditch I am transported to a different time and place where the sense memory is that of honeysuckle. This large honeysuckle hedge is so fragrant, so full of blooms, I find myself in a spot quite unlike my own -- at least for a block or so.


The tall birches are first to greet me as I enter the Ditch.


But as I start my first round I see loads of flowers.


Some appear to be wild.


I'm not so sure about the others.


But either way, they are lovely.


Even the grasses are filled with wee blossoms. I loved these yellow ones.


And on this first day of summer, I leave you with a sunset.


When this photo was taken, it was nearly ten o'clock. It wasn't fully dark till sometime after.


Oh, keep those long days coming for another month or so!

35 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

What a wonderful place, I would love to sit there with you and see all those delights. Hugs, Valerie

Joanne Huffman said...

We had such a beautiful spring; I hope summer keeps it up. Your visits to the ditch always yield lovely photos.

La Table De Nana said...

WE're having a bit of a humdrumsummer..muggy..sun spots but lots of traveling clouds....you see beauty everywhere.I love that!

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Beautiful photos! It's actually sunny here this morning!

Marilyn Miller said...

Yes, we love these long light days. How lovely to see flowers at your "ditch". Even the birch trees are happy to be there. And the late evening light is just wonderful.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

What a fabulous and colorful way to celebrate the summer solstice. A great tribute to The Ditch, too. Gotta love those longer days.

Pom Pom said...

What a pretty walk!
I like it when there is so much to see.

Julia @ Vintage with Laces said...

This is such a great place to take a walk and enjoy nature. There is a lot to see, even when Harry or Gaby are not around.
Have a wonderful weekend, Jeanie!
xo Julia

Kitty said...

Wish I could be there to enjoy it all with you. Thanks so much for sharing.

Anne said...

I love your ditch. LOVE it.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Mmmmm, a perfect place to re-energize and connect with nature. I can understand why you like it so much. -Jenn

Red Rose Alley said...

Your pictures are lovely today, Jeanie. I can't believe it was almost 10:00 when that picture was taken. It gets dark around 8 or so here. I really liked the yellow flowers, and that rose is beautiful. I never told you, but the Pink rose is my second favorite. : )

I can see why you walk the Ditch - so many wonderful things to see. Your pictures always stir my heart. : )

~Sheri

Pam said...

Oh thank you....I enjoyed that walk with you. Loving the flowers. Love your ditch.

Bella Rum said...

The ditch is a beautiful place. I'm surprised that it doesn't get dark until 10 pm. That's very late. It get's dark around 9 pm here. Thanks for the photos. Really beautiful.

My name is Erika. said...

Beautiful photos. They are perfect for the start is summer Jeanie. We. Suited some gorgeous gardens yesterday in New Brunswick which I will show you another day when I am home (wAiting out some rain this morning before heading out) but the flowers do make me happy. I am sure they do you also since you posted them. 😀 Hope summer is starting off in a nice way. Hugs erika

The French Hutch said...

Jeanie, what a lovely place for walking. The flowers are all lovely, such an array of mixed colors too. I love the color of the bark on the trees, one of my favorites as the honeysuckle with its sweet fragrance. Your sunsets come later, I would love haveing light so late in the evening. Each season brings such beautiful changes, summer is the sweetest i think...........

thepaintedapron.com said...

So beautiful Jeanie!

Arti said...

Your sunset photos are mesmerizing. The last one looks like a Monet. :)

Sandra Cox said...

What a wondrous walk, critters, flowers, water and a beautiful sunset.
YOU, have a great weekend, Jeanie

Victoria Zigler said...

It sounds like such a beautiful place to walk...

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

So far, every day has had at least one element of magic. But the peonies left too soon, the forget-me-nots are now a memory, but the lake is fresh and smells like the ocean to me, the animals are still in building mode, and there IS room for another perspective. Summer always slows me down, and what I've learned is that I can make magic all year long IF I slow down enough to look for it, or better yet, make it.

Go my friend, and make something magical happen!

shoreacres said...

Those yellow flowers just before the sunset photos are so pretty. I love yellow, and I especially like the shape of those. Like you, I love the fragrance of the honeysuckles, too, but thought you might be interested in this article. Japanese honeysuckle is a terribly damaging invasive, and it's on Michigan's list of plants-to-be-discouraged. It not only out-competes native plants, it even can kill trees -- literally strangling them to death. There are native honeysuckles that smell good and are pretty, too. If you ever want to plant honeysuckle, look for a native. :-)



Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Gorgeous photos! I love the smell of honeysuckles (that is my favorite Mrs. Meyers soap scent!) so I would be pausing by the honeysuckle bush! I love the sunset photos - you always seem to capture gorgeous photos of sunsets! I can tell you are a bit further north than we are because the sun doesn't set quite a late here. I love these long summer days!!!

H.R. Bennett said...

So gorgeous...It reminds me of my home back in North Carolina. Thank you for sharing.

Jennifer Richardson said...


Your "ditch" looks like a sweet slice of heaven these long and warming days...and that rose such a flirt:)
Thank you for taking me along:)
-Jennifer

Mary@mydogsmygardenandmary said...

Thanks for taking me along on your walk - The Ditch. So many beautiful flowers and some I have never seen before.

What a great place to walk.

Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful walk.

Have a terrific week.

Hugs,
Mary

Esme said...

What a lovely walk and the pink rose is just stunning. It is always fun to walk the neighborhood and see what is blooming. Have a great week.

xoxo

Mary K. said...

Stunning photos Jeanie. I know how hard it can be taking good photos of flowers and plants, especially when there is a breeze. There is such a beautiful variety here.

Rita C at Panoply said...

Oh my - gorgeous sunset and almost 10 o'clock! Sometimes when I go to bed before it's dark in summer it feels silly, yet it feels so good. I love the long hours of daylight, but the mornings are my absolute favorite.

The smell of honeysuckle transports me to a time of growing up. It grew wild in the alley behind our home, and we used to suck the flowers. I just love that smell!

Jenny Woolf said...

What a wonderful flower filled post. I am so impressed by the last couple of pictures of sun set over the water. Whenever I try to capture a scene like that, it never comes out well. These are full of atmosphere.

Beautiful flowers. I wonder if they might all be wild. I guess cultivated flowers do grow in the wild, but usually they get smothered. Despite their beauty it seems wild plants can be quite "wild West" too! :)

I think you once told us how large The Ditch was - but I've forgotten.

Thanks for another delightful post, Jeanie.

Pam Richardson said...

Wow, Jeanie I love your visits to the ditch...what gorgeous flowers and the sunset photos are amazing! I love the smell of honeysuckle, that fragrance and fireflies carry me away to childhood!

Carola Bartz said...

I love those long summer days as well even though they are not quite as long here. Your walk with all those beautiful flowers was delightful - what a lovely place to go to and take some deep breaths.

Bonnie said...

Lovely walk and thanks for sharing with us. Great sunset. Love the long days!

Lynne said...

Loved all . . .
Flowers, birches . . . roses, walk, ditch . . .
Like I said, all!

Olka said...

Wow it looks like a botanical garden :) I really like places like this. I can rest there. Sometimes I also visit botanical garden nearby my home. I also love to spend time by walking in the forest :)

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