Stone Bunny and the gang are out in the crisp, cold air as the sun rises on this, the last day of the year.
It is quite chilly. They love this kind of morning.
Bunny particularly loves the moment when the sun creeps onto her face and begins to warm her.
Stone Puppy loves it too.
Mary looks around at the gang and smiles. “This has been a good year.”
“It sure has.” Pipes up Clay Pig. 
Everyone laughs. They are all so happy for Pig. She finally found a friend who is her size.
Meet Shadow Bunny.
Shadow Bunny came to the garden late in the summer and Boy Howdy! She and Pig hit it off immediately. They LOVE each other’s company.
The day is breaking fresh and clear, here at the very end of the year.
Mary takes a deep, cleansing breath and says, “Let us reminisce. Let us look back at the summer and talk about the wonderful season which was.”
“I would like everyone to choose their Favorite Flower of the Year and tell us about it. Shadow Bunny, how about you go first?”
“O.K.” says Shadow Bunny. She smiles her own funny shadowy smile and says, “As you know, I came late in the summer and by the time I arrived, the wild bloom season was fading. I could just tell that the most of the flowers were wearing down, but not the Zinnias.”
“The Zinnias were here for me when I came.”
“And they kept on blooming until Frost.”
“I choose Zinnia.” says Shadow Bunny.
“Great!” says Mary. “Puppy, how about you? What was your favorite flower of the year?”
“Oh Boy…..” mutters Puppy. “Hmmmmm.” He twists his mouth into a pensive grin, shakes his head a little and says “Virginia Bluebell.”
“Yep.” continues Puppy. “I’m going back to Spring. Maybe I’m just looking forward to next Spring, but I just love when the Valley is full of Bluebells.”
Stone Bunny jumps right in and says “I’m with you, Puppy. I love all the flowers, but I think I love the Spring flowers the most. I’m going to choose Dianthus.”
“Call them Dianthus, call them Sweet William.” says Bunny. “I call them pure, delightful beauty!”
“Excellent!” says Mary. “Just Excellent.”
Mary loves when the gang loosens up and gets onto a real chat.
“How about you, Gnome?”
Gnome has been hanging over by the old stone wall, facing the rest of the gang. Gnome waves his hand and laughs. “Well, as you all know, I experienced a bit of a life-changing moment in Gourdtopia this summer.”
Everyone laughs. Gnome became pretty spiritual about the gourds this summer.
“I choose the beautiful white bloom of the swan neck gourd as my flower.”
“But I must confess that what really penetrated to my soul where those fabulous tentacles.”
Iron Turtle takes his turn. “Yes, Gnome.” he says. “That was special. For me, I must say that I have given this moment a great deal of thought. A great deal, indeed. To single out one flower and call it my favorite is a curious and difficult exercise. I appreciate the fine qualities of them all, but if I must choose, then I choose the standard bearer, Gloriosa Daisy.”
“Gloriosa Daisy” continues Turtle, “Represents the height of Summer and the essence of our garden.”
“I love Gloriosa Daisy because it stands tall, looks great and presents itself with such subtle variations of color.”
“And I love Gloriosa because it appears to strive for excellence from the moment it’s leaves become green in the spring until the moment it finally yields to the merciless frost. Gloriosa is my favorite.”
“Thank you, Turtle.” says Mary. “I think we all would agree that you have chosen a mighty fine flower.”
She looks to Stone Turtle. “Stoney Boy.” says Mary, affectionately. “What do you think. Who really jingled your fancy this summer.”
Stone Turtle does not hesitate. He perks up his head and recites his favorite limerick.
“Bee Balm, the fuzzy red mint.
Wafting her wonderful scent.
She’s a mint we can tell
By her glorious smell
Though her stem gives an obvious hint.”
The gang laughs and cheers. Stone Turtle is not usually prone to such theatrics and they love it. Square stemmed old Bee Balm. Great choice.
Clay Pig takes her opportunity to speak now. “I know who I like. I like the Night Bloomer. The Evening Primrose.”
“Oh, it is so pretty and smells so lovely. And it is really cool the way it blooms at dark.”
I think Shadow Bunny will love it next year. I can’t wait.”
“Fabulous.” says Mary. “Just fabulous. We are winding down. Mr. Brass Frog, what say you?”
Frog looks around at the gang. They have talked so long now the sun is creeping up in the morning sky.
Frog says “Phlox for me. Good old garden Phlox.”
“I like Phlox,” Frog continues “Because it shares with us such delicate hues of pink, purple and white.”
“And I like Phlox because it attracted the curious overgrown Hummingbug to our garden.”
“Here Here!” shouts the gang in unison. “Here Here!” The Humminbug. Who could ever forget that?
Everyone has had a turn now except for Mary. It is Mary’s style to go last, giving everyone else a chance to choose their flower. They all look to Mary, eyebrows raised.
Mary gives one little nod of her head, appearing calm and deep, as always.
“No question.” she says. “Poppy.”
“Poppy is my favorite flower of the year.”
The End.
With that, my blogger friends, Jim’s Garden is going to be silent for a while. The original goal of capturing the garden as it stands frozen, thaws, grows, blooms and fades through a calendar year has been met. Such a fine year it was. Thank you so much for reading! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Now, other goals must be addressed while the garden stands frozen yet again. Happy New Year. I’ll be back.
In Jim's Garden 
Such beautiful beautiful flowers! I love your garden friends, they are so darling. And the hummingbug!! That was crazy!! I’ve really enjoyed following you and your wonderful garden buddies. Happy New Year!!
Thank you. I thank you and my little garden buddies thank you. These are such fun stories to write, yet even more fun when someone appreciates them. It has been a great year and I hope we both have a great one next year as well. Happy New Year to you and Mountain Man! 🙂
Jim, your garden year in review through the eyes of Frog,Stone Bunny, Stone Dog, Gnome, Clay Pig and Shadow Bunny, My. Brass Frog, Hummingbug and especially Mary is a real treat. They have taken us on a journey and it is probably time to rest. As for those of us who don’t have snow it is still a treat to see it — if not such a treat to live in it. Do consider sharing some Winter Wonderland photos won’t you?
Happy New Year, may you be safe and warm.
Hi Joanne. Thank you. I has been a real treat sharing my stories this year. As for snow…. well, ummm… not much of that here this year. The National Weather Service predicted a mild winter for us and so far they are proving correct. However, I refer you to my posts from last January and February when we enjoyed the most wonderful winter wonderland kind of weather. I hope I did it justice with my posts from then and I encourage you to check them out. So much more interesting than this year, when it is all brown and mud. But the birds, squirrels and deer remain hungry, present and fun to watch. And maybe spring will show that the mild winter was kinder to the perennials than the frozen craziness of last winter. Have a great winter in the sunny San Diego area. 🙂
Seeing so many beautiful flowers makes me anxious for spring — already. Thank you for sharing them and Happy New Year! ~ Tilly
Happy New Year to you too, Tilly. Spring seems like it is on the other side of the mountain right now, but soon the bloodroot and bluebells will be gracing the valley again. Until then, keep your spirits up and enjoy your Michigan winter. Thank you so much for sharing your world and gardens this year. I especially enjoyed reading about your efforts, failures and ultimate success with beets. That was awesome. Great job! 🙂
Beautiful jim. I look forward to yoyr return and that of your stunning garden! Happy New Year to you and Firefox 🙂
Thanks Julie. Firefox thanks you too. 🙂 It is interesting to me that you use the word “stunning” to describe our gardens, as Frog Pond Farm and its amazing environs seem to me to be the very essence of “stunning.” You live in such a beautiful place and you appear to be one helluva hard working, gracious custodian of it. Great Work! I hope your olive trees fare well. And your chooks. And you and Andrew. 🙂 Happy New Year! 🙂
They’re all beautiful Jim. Have a nice rest and a Happy New Year!
Thank you. It was a fun year. Thank you so much for letting me share. I will have a nice rest and I hope to have a happy new year. Here’s to hoping you have a happy one too. Cheers. 🙂
So beautiful. Happy New Year and may your garden bloom and make all your wishes come true in 2015. Thank you for the beauty you have added to my life.
Thank you for that lovely comment. You are welcome. Sharing beauty… I guess that was the goal here. So glad you appreciate it. I wish you a Happy New Year as well and hope you stay warm in Chicago this winter. Cheers. 🙂
Will be looking forward to seeing more of your gorgeous flowers when the garden is in bloom again.
We wish you a Very Happy New Year and we hope that 2015 will be filled with love, happiness, good health, all you need to live comfortably and lots of hugs. Maggie and family
Thank you Maggie. Love, happiness and good health. The three critical ingredients to well being! And comfortable living with lots of hugs, what more could a fellow ask? 🙂 I hope you enjoy them all as well. Happy New Year. Be well. 🙂
Happy New Year to you and all in your garden !
Thanks Alice. Happy New Year to you. And about that chickadee-like, Parus major, it sounds like a cute bird. Fun to watch flitting in and out, I expect. I hope your winter is kind to it. And to you too. 🙂
Very lovely!
Happy New Year! Have a wonderful growing season.
Thanks. Happy New Year to you. Good luck with your gardens and deer, which is to say, good luck keeping the deer out of your gardens. They are a hungry lot, those deer. 🙂
Quel beau et agréable post ! Plein de couleur et d’humour. Si comme tes personnages, je devais choisir une fleur, je rejoindrais l’avis de “lapin ombre”(c’est d’ailleurs mon préféré) mais j’ai aussi un faible pour les oeillets du poète 😉 Très belle année 2015 et encore de belles et douces étendues de fleurs dans ton jardin 😉
Merci beaucoup, Christiane. Tu choisis bien, aller avec Lapin Ombre. Les zinnias contribuent à la vie plus belle et colorée au jardin. De plus, ils fleurissent bien quand les autres fleurs se fanent. J’espère que je cultiverai toujours les zinnias! Aussi, J’espère que tu cultiveras toujours les roses et que tu feras toujours des belles bouqets. 🙂 Merci pour le partage et merci de m’écrire en français. Bonne année. 🙂
So beautiful dear Jim! Thank you, Happy New Year, love, nia
Thank you Nia. You are most welcome. It has been my pleasure to share. Best wishes this year. I have great hopes for 2015. 🙂
I enjoyed this post very much! Have a great break, Jim. Looking forward to whatever comes next!
Thank you Celia. I hope you have another adventurous year in Tokyo. Thank you so much for sharing your world last year – it is amazing and oh so different from mine. 🙂 Thanks again. Happy New Year. 🙂
Jim. what a nice tribute to the summer! Beautiful photos that always awaken inspiration in me. I see all these as beautiful pastels and watercolors (once I find time to paint them). It’s been such a pleasure visiting your blog this past year! Thank You! Have a wonderful New Year! Can’t wait to see first spring pictures! Peace and Love.
Thank you so much, Sibella. I can tell by your paintings that you are regularly inspired and I’m thrilled to help provide some of that inspiration. Thanks for the excellent series of paintings on the faces of the world. Great work there! And thanks for checking in on my garden this year, it was fun to share and I oh so appreciate your participation. Meanwhile, I expect you have been hit by the same hard freeze we are experiencing now. Spring seems remote at this point, but will come along in due time. Cheers. 🙂
Happy New Year, to Jim and the whole gang! I enjoyed peeking in your garden this year!
And a happy new year to you, too. Thanks for peeking in my garden this year. It was truly my pleasure to share. 🙂
What an enjoyable post, I loved every picture! The garden bunnies are fun but my vote is for the frosted zinnias and dancing bluebells – just delightful!
Thanks. Yes, the frosted zinnias were something, glinting as the sun sparkled on them. They lasted about an hour one chilly fall morning. And the bluebells are among my favorite flowers. We are blessed with a whole valley of them here. Meanwhile, I have ordered two hives worth of bees from a nearby bee farm. They should be available this spring, at which point I will jump into the wonderful world of bees, of which you write so lovingly and eloquently. Thanks for that. I will need all the help I can find, but I’m really looking forward to it. I’m pretty sure I will provide them with an interesting variety of food in our wild gardens. Have a wonderful winter. 🙂
Hey Jim I just caught up on the final post of the year. Of course I had to towel off my keyboard after the torrent of tears from the touching elegance of your flowers and the wisdom of the garden inhabitants. It was indeed a good year for those age-old creatures of sturdy stone and metal to witness the fleeting beauty of fragile stalks and petals parading by once again in the warm sunshine. May it be so forever.
Awww, Matt. I hope you didn’t ruin your keyboard. 🙂 May it be so forever, indeed. You are an astute reader, my brother, picking up on the juxtaposition of the timeless critters of metal and stone with the transient, fleeting beauty of the fragile flowers. Good show, old chap! You call out the essence of my story. Thanks. 🙂
What a beautiful story and photos! I love the frost-covered zinnia. Never seen one looking like that before. I love the way you captured the delicate paper-like quality of the poppies. They remind me of my favorite flower, ranunculus. I hope you and all the garden friends enjoy the winter 🙂
Thanks. I was lucky this year. The first hard frost came on a saturday night and I was able to be in the garden as the sun rose on sunday morning, catching the first rays of light as they shone on the frosty zinnas. It was quite beautiful and I hope I captured some of that in the pictures. By afternoon the zinnias were brown and wilted. Have a great day. 🙂
Thank you for your beautiful flowers and stories. I particularly like the photo of the frosty zinnia. Good eyes to find it & take such a great photo. And my choice are the poppies, they are really so fragile yet hardy, and look great in nature, but not tame-able.
This post is such a joy to read and share with a few of my friends too. Your prose is delightful, your photographs memorable. Thank you!
Thanks again, Kim. I appreciate your support and Stone Bunny does too. It is nice to hear that someone likes the prose. It is fun to think about and write. If a few folks like it, I should keep it up. Thanks for the encouragement. Have a wonderful day. 🙂