Heatwave

I woke up yesterday morning to a refreshing, cool northern breeze coming in my window and I cannot tell you what a welcome that was!  We've been hit by a heat wave for the last little while and yesterday, finally some relief!  Although temperatures were still soaring quite high the humidity finally dipped and then there was the amazing breeze..aaah..that was our saving grace.  We haven't had any rain here for well over a week now and the neighborhood shrubs are starting to wilt and droop.  I'm hoping for a big dramatic thunderstorm sometime soon, I absolutely love summer storms.

A few years ago I planted a wee little hydrangea shrub the size of a soccer ball in the front, right next to my front porch.  It looked sadly small and out of place, there were five blooms on it then, big bobble heads perched on the end of frail stems that snapped and fell limp after the first blustery day of summer.  I would wrap wire around the bent stems and nurse the blooms back to health, cursing the winds that seemed so determined to crush the poor plant at any given chance.  My hope was that one day it might grow to  resembling anything like the impressive lush shrubs some of my neighbors had in their yards and finally this summer, my hydrangea has come into her own.  The shrub is thriving, abundant with pink, lavender and periwinkle blooms.  So many blooms that I can actually trim them back for the kitchen table.  It stands tall and proud, strong enough to withstand the worst storms we've had so far this summer..I am the proud mama of this plant.  :)

Nothing beats fresh cut flowers at kitchen counter!

Work in the Blue Gnome Emporium studio has been a little slow lately, mostly due to the heat wave and unbearable stillness.  Yesterday however, with the northerly breeze blowing through my shop, I managed to finish a gorgeous ring of lace agate, the sterling polished this time to a showy, bright finish.  Another raven ring as well..with a cool, breezy amazonite upon it's hopeful wing.  Available tomorrow in my shop.

 Sterling, Lace Agate

 Rave Ring - Sterling, Amazonite

Hoping you're finding ways to keep cool this week and into the weekend!

xo Blue Gnome