Stone Bunny and her friends had a great weekend. They spent the holiday weekend engaged in a tremendous conversation about colors. Specifically …
RED 
WHITE 
and BLUE 
It all got started on Friday, the Fourth of July. Stone Bunny doesn’t pay much attention to human affairs but she knows enough to aware of Independence Day. Oh yes! She has heard all about freedom and self-government. She can’t imagine being a stone garden critter in a country where the people didn’t get to choose how they live their own lives. And she could hardly miss the big holiday, what with all the firecrackers and bottle rockets going off in the neighborhoods around the garden.
Stone Bunny thought it would be fun if the gang found some examples of the colors of the American flag growing together in the gardens.
She called out to her friends, “I’ll give a big stoney kiss to anyone who can find a really good vision of red, white and blue, all growing together today.”
Being an offer no one could refuse, they all dove in to the challenge head first. It proved to be difficult. You see, there is a bunch of red in the garden right now.
Iron Turtle, Brass Frog and Clay Pig were hanging out below a big patch of bee balm.
Mary has been enjoying some pretty red dahlias in her pot.
Gnome has been hanging around with some Poppies.
A few of them are boasting a nice shade of red.
Stone Puppy is a particular fan of zinnias, which conveniently bloomed just in time for the holiday.
“Hey look!” called out Puppy.
“Some of these zinnias are really, really red.”
And Clay Pig caught the cannas just coming on, boasting their own brilliant shade of red.
Red was easy.
White was pretty easy too.
Stone Bunny has always loved shasta daisies.
Bunny was very pleased that so many shastas were blooming right now.
Stone Turtle pointed out the white zinnia.
Iron Turtle pointed out that the gypsophila was blooming nicely now in one of the wild gardens.
“A bit subtle.” He noted, “But a nice touch of white nonetheless.”
Brass Frog was pretty darn pleased with himself when he observed the nice combo of white yarrow growing with the red bee balm down in the stump garden.
Red and white were easy. But blue…. blue was tricky. It turns out that there is just not much true blue blooming in the gardens right now.
Every one could see the cornflower.
Stone Bunny herself found a little bloom of the wild geranium. Kind of blue, kind of purple.
And Mary noted that the spiderwort presents a nice shade of lavenderish blue.
So, looking closely, the gang could find some blue, but it didn’t exactly jump out and bite them. And it really wasn’t blooming in a position to create a glorious patriotic vision of red, white and blue. Well, okay, the cornflower and poppies were trying, but it was hardly Old Glory.
The garden critters started to get frustrated. They had set themselves up for a challenge and they were not succeeding. That made them sad. Well now, Mary will never allow a sense of doom and gloom to ruin a holiday weekend (or any other weekend) so she blurred her eyes, looked to the east and conjured a vision.
“I know it’s a bit of a stretch,” said Mary. “But look here. I am looking at spiderwort and bee balm with a backdrop of white.”
“ I know.” Mary conceded. “The white is the big van, which is a vehicle, not a flower. But it is white and I am seeing red, white and blue.”
That cheered the gang. It gave Bunny an idea.
“Hey!” she said with an excited squeak. “We can do this. Let’s get Firefox Lady to make a bouquet. She’s really good at that. Don’t ask the Referee, he’s terrible at it. But Firefox can do it.”
So that is just what they did. They got their lady friend to make a patriot bouquet.
They loved it!
The critters were all feeling great now. Gnome was humming the Stars and Stripes Forever. Puppy was feeling the love and Bunny gave Mary a big, stoney kiss.
Happy Birthday America!
In Jim's Garden 
Wow. Great post, Jim. Your garden is such a beauty – no wonder Stone Bunny likes it there so much!
And the bouquet — my goodness. It’s so beautiful.
Lovely photos. Lovely story.
But you need to plant More Blue Stuff in your beautiful garden.
Ah, thanks Cynthia. You are kind and generous – always! Firefox Lady has observe the popularity of her bouquet through the comments and I appreciate very much your noting it. As for colors, I think we are in pretty good shape for Canada day, but must step up our game for the Fourth of July. That’s good. We must always step up our game. Cheers. 🙂
Maybe my garden is American and yours is Canadian.
Go get thee some blues!
Gorgeous – such beautiful flowers. Hope you all had a great day.
Thanks Jardin. We did have a great day. We have been lucky with weather this summer here in the midwestern part of the USA. Much luckier, I hear, than in Europe. I hope you are faring well in Ireland. 🙂
Thank you Jim, just arrived back in Dublin today – a bit of rain & mist … what we call a “soft day”! But sunshine due…
Excellent post! Such a cute story with all the little garden friends lol and of course gorgeous photos!!
Stone Bunny strives to entertain and she can’t help but do it with a gleeful smile. 🙂 We’re all glad you like it. Have a wonderful day, Melissa.
: )
You have a good day too!
Beautiful! I smiled as I scrolled and read through each photo. Finally laughed out loud as I read the finale and imagined hearing Stars and Stripes and feeling the love. 🙂
My most sincere thanks for that remarkable compliment. Laughing out loud, feeling the love and hearing the Stars and Stripes Forever. What can I say? Thanks – thrilled you like it! You motivate me to keep writing, posting and sharing. 🙂
Hi Jim! A beautiful story with gorgeous flower photos… Your bouquet is sooo beautiful… Congratulations for such a marvellous post 🙂
Hi Bethula! Thank you. Through your blog I have come to know you as a person of most genuine sincerity and kindness and I’m just sure you mean everything you say. And I love compliments. So thank you for that one. 🙂 Firefox Lady thanks you for appreciating the bouquet. 🙂
Hi Jim! Indeed I mean what I say, always…I thank you both for this exceptional post : a feast for my eyes 🙂
I am running out of compliments here. Beautiful flowers! When I look at them, it’s as I am taking a walk through your garden and the patriot bouquet in a mason jar is just gorgeous! 🙂
Help! Don’t run out of compliments! Dig deep. You can do it. 🙂 Thanks, as always, for that compliment. I’m glad you get the feeling of walking through the garden, as that is part of what I am trying to share. And yes! The patriotic bouquet was pretty special. Cheers. Have a great day and keep sharing your awesome art. 🙂
What a beautiful, delightful, happy garden! And, what a treat to open this post in the early morning. Thank you, Jim!
You are welcome, Amy. Early morning – a fine time appreciate my happy garden. Thanks for appreciating it and thanks for letting me know that you do. 🙂
Wonderful.
Stone Bunny just happens to agree with that succinct analysis. Thanks! 🙂
Beautiful
Thank you. Stone Bunny assumes you are talking about her as well as the flowers. 🙂 We all wish you a wonderful day. 🙂
I love the free form of your arrangement!
Great! I thank you and my lady thanks you. Free form rather fits with our general style of gardening, as I’m sure you may observe through my pictures. 🙂
I hope you have kids in that garden-they’d love it.
I do. They are teenagers now, so they must process Pop’s goofiness in their own way. Good thing they love me! Little Amelia comes around occasionally, though, and she is quite taken with Stone Puppy, I noticed. 🙂
Je confirme la maturité et la maturation de l’artiste. Bravo ! Bravo aussi pour la composition florale 🙂
Merci, Merci, Merci! Vous êtes mon ami. 🙂 Si vous pensez que c’est l’art, c’est l’art.