Around the Clubhouse: May 30, 2016

1. Daisies spotted on a walk
2. Tea at breakfast in vintage 'Butterfly Gold' Pyrex cup
3. Corner of a local abandoned movie theater sign
4. Local ice cream sign
5. Recently thrifted sandals
6. Purple hydrangea
7. Purple and blue hydrangea

The hydrangias in our yard are back after two years and I'm so excited. Hydrangeas may be my favorite flower, depending on what day you ask me. They're at least in my top five. When we first moved into our place there were three beautiful electric-blue hydrangea plants in bloom. The next year they blossomed purple. The pH level in the soil changes the color of the flowers, which is a clear indication that hydrangeas are magic. The purple was beautiful, but I wanted to see if I could turn them blue again by placing orange peels and old coffee grounds at the base of the plants.

I didn't have the chance to see if this worked because they didn't bloom for the next TWO YEARS. It was all my fault, too. I didn't know that these old-fashioned hydrangeas only flower on old wood. When I pruned down the bare plants in the winter I was unknowingly destroying any chance of beautiful hydrangeas in the summer. It took me two years to figure this out. :-/

After leaving the plants alone all year, the flowers are finally coming back - they look mostly purple with hints of electric blue. Many buds were nipped in the late frost, but the buds closest to the house were kept warm and are now blossoming. So beautiful! Sorry hydrangeas, for offending you for so long, and thank you for coming back. :-)

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