Just Because

Just because it's Monday. Just because life is still moving forward, and just because I can. I am posting about something other than Italy. I came home from work this afternoon to water my plants and thought I would take more pictures because I haven't done enough of that lately. The sun was setting and the flowers are really starting to bloom. It was beautiful. Mostly because I can finally see results from the sweaty sunburning work I did last year to plant things in rocky soil. So without further ado please enjoy the following pictures

This is my butterfly bush and I love it. Really I love this and will plant it at every single house I ever live in.

It grows tall and in any soil and lines the back of our fence. I am currently down one because the dogs thought it would make an excellent chew toy.

And best of all, it smells like pure honey. I am not lying when I say it smells like you just opened a jar of fresh honey and stuck your nose in it.

See even the bee agrees with me. I cut these like crazy and put them in the house just for the smell. The bush will grow and bud even more when you cut it so it is a win win...and I like those situations. Speaking of bees...

This is my bee balm. I planted it last year and finally saw it bloom this year. I bought it in one of those Bonnie Plants containers for about $3 it was small then and looked like it might mound a little and sprout flower. Well what should I discover but...

when they started to emerge this spring they grew and grew and grew until they reached my shoulders...it was almost like Jack and the Beanstalk...but without the bean....and Jack.....and these all came from one plant.

I'd say that is a pretty good deal for $3 and I bought 5 of them. On second thought, I hope this doesn't turn out to be like Kudzu {If you don't live in the South you won't understand} The bees love this one too. That is a bee being a little camera shy on the middle one.

Ok well that's all I got. I forgot to take a picture of the echinacea but maybe I can cover that some other time. I am off to pick up my house and work on another Italy post...I know I keep saying it and one day I will.