Barefoot Lily Lady

Assisted Living: What to Expect

May this little missive of mine encourage someone navigating a similar road in life.

Engaging in conversations with the family members is one of my favorite things to do as I work on preparing desserts in the kitchen of BeeHive Assisted Living and Memory Care. Since both my mom and my brother have lived there, my heart knows what they are experiencing as they partner with Beehive to care for someone that they love. It has now been five years since my sweet momma left behind the shackles of her earthly body and mind and quietly moved into her heavenly home.

I’m sharing the post that follows in honor of my mom–a little reminisce of things mom and I experienced in the early days of her stay at BeeHive. When I wrote the post that follows back in 2019, mom was living in BeeHive’s first building. In the months that followed, she would sit at her bedroom window watching as the second neighboring building was constructed. God has blessed and a third building is now nearing completion. My prayer for BeeHive is that many more families will experience the care that my loved ones and I received. May this little missive of mine encourage someone navigating a similar road in life.

A Week of Flowers 2024: Day 2

I’m joining Cathy at Words and Herbs for her annual ‘A Week of Flowers‘ meme, taking place this year November 30 – December 6. Though I’m a day late in joining her this year, I appreciate the opportunity to bring a bit of colorful beauty to our chilly December days. It’s December 1st–the sun was out today making it feel a bit warmer than the 19°F registering on my thermometer. Let’s travel back a few months and look at a few garden photos from Spring of 2024.

Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’ put on a very brief show this spring. A late frost turned her beautiful yellow, tulip-shaped cups brown before they had a chance to fully open. However, I caught a glimpse of what beauty this tree will hold in future springs. ‘Elizabeth’ put on a few inches of growth in her first year in our garden, but is still much smaller than her anticipated mature height of greater than 20 feet.

I have forgotten the names of most of my daffodils, but truly love each one of them. The little white one on the left has a lovely waft of fragrance that truly ought to be bottled. The lovely daffodil on the right is a charmer with peachy ruffled cups.

This lovely tulip stood all by herself for quite a few days before she was joined by a few neighboring tulips. I smiled each time I spied her stalwartly standing her ground in my flowerbed.

If I had to pick a favorite type of tulip, it would most definitely be the Angelique tulips. This magnificent red one looks like a peony. She extends the tulip season by opening a little later in spring and her tight double petals can hold their own when brisk winds fly through on nippy days. When fall arrives, I can’t resist planting a few more Angelique tulip bulbs in anticipation of the next year’s daffodil and tulip performance.

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.”
― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

A Message from an Alzheimer’s Caregiver

I am pleased to share this relatable post written by Mary K. Doyle. She understands all too well the ups and downs of the Alzheimer’s caregiver.

The Alzheimer’s Caregiver

Henry the Hired Hand

My yard is less than a half acre, but heavily planted with flowerbeds. It keeps me busy in July with digging, dead heading, and dividing. The time has come in my life as a gardener where I have to admit that I need help with the gardening tasks.

Thankfully, Henry (grandson #2), loves his grandma and enjoys helping me in my garden. He also enjoys earning a little pocket money.

Today’s task was digging out the orange ditch lilies which are usurping more than their fair share of flowerbed real estate. I really appreciate his joyful help.

Henry is the world’s best at carefully deadheading spent daylily blossoms.

He also had a little fun with soapsud mustaches as he washed my car.

I’m so thankful for this young man.

June Chair Garden Update

On May 12th, I shared this photo and wrote, “I can’t wait to see how this year’s chair garden fills out.”

I added, “I’m already enamored with its beauty. I’ll keep you posted.”

Well, here’s the June update!

The chair back provides a lovely support for Clematis ‘Sunset’

Isn’t she lovely?

For the Love of Purple

Come with me for a little tour of lovely purple-y blossoms in my flower garden.

One of my mom’s irises now blooming beautifully in my garden.

Earlier this Spring, Allium looked sweet popping up Willy-nilly in my sunny flowerbeds

Iris ‘Honky-Tonk Blues’ is a reliable re-bloomer.

An iris I have dubbed ‘Beth’s Favorite’ in honor of my daughter Beth.

Violas, or ‘Johnny Jump-Up’s’ have been re-seeding themselves for years

A timeless beauty—Clematis ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ is bursting with pinkish-lavender flowers. Love it!

Another view of gorgeous Clematis ’Comtesse de Bouchard’

I call these gals my ‘Carolinda’ irises — shared from the gardens of my two sweet aunts, Carolyn and Linda

I have a love-hate relationship with Spiderwort. It stays because it’s beautiful…and because it refuses to leave.

Love the lavender fluff in the center of this white spiderwort!

No post featuring the color purple (my mom’s favorite color) would be complete without a photo of one of her blue flowerpots brimming with purple and white supertunias.

On second thought—I think I will end this purple flower show with a photo of my sweet, purple -lovin’ momma.

Peony Love

Rewind: A Father’s Day Memory

In loving memory of my amazing dad, Jerry Robert Boyles (1931-2008).

June 16, 2018

A summer thunderstorm knocked off the petals of most of the lovely peony blooms last night. Thankfully, a few tightly closed buds hold promise of beauty yet to unfurl in this summer’s peony finale. As the peonies fade in their glory and prepare for curtain call and their final bow, the daylilies in their own splendidly colorful petaled costumes stand in the wings ready to take center stage and continue the summer’s floral show.

Alzheimer’s: Remembering My Momma

I would be honored if you would take a moment to read this in remembrance of this grace-filled and incredibly special woman, Charlotte Louise Peet Boyles.

On a beautiful Sunday morning four years ago today, my sweet Momma quietly took her last breath on this side of Glory. All at once, the cares of this world and the frailties of body and mind disappeared as she met her dear Lord and Savior.

Succulent Love

Every now and again I spot an old chair forlornly sitting at the curb. Someone didn’t want it, so they left it there in the hopes that someone else would want it.

This is one of those chairs that came home with me.

I made a succulent garden in this roadside treasure chair last summer too. It was so lovely.

I can’t wait to see how this year’s chair garden fills out. I’m already enamored with its beauty. I’ll keep you posted.

Tulip Love

I took a quick tiptoe through the tulips this morning to capture the beauty of a few of our tulips. It was just a quick tiptoe, as the dewy grass is cold—even for this avowed barefoot gardener.

Our newest addition to the garden is a yellow magnolia, which has been slowly opening her tulip-shaped blossoms. I think our cold and windy conditions of late has caused some browning on the beautiful petals. But she’s still giving us a beautiful little show in her first year in our garden.