Proud Mary's Weekly Winners

Weekly Winners is a showcase of favorite photos taken the previous week. Visit Sarcastic Mom for many more wonderful shots!
My sister Mary is older than I am (there are four brothers in between us), and I have only one memory of growing up with her. Sadly, it involves a teenager's reaction to her little sister's trying out her tube of lipstick when she wasn't home one night. It's safe to say there's a reason I don't remember anything else (ONLY KIDDING, Mary!!) I'm happy to say I now have my own lipstick, and Mary and I have had had many, many wonderful experiences together. (Here's Mary with Mom a few years ago.)Mary is a very talented woman. She can cook, write songs, sing, play guitar, plan fantastic and entertaining parties that everyone remembers long afterwards, cook a homemade pizza like nobody's business, train dogs to do amazing tricks, and find the best bargains on antiques. She is thoughtful, hard-working, forgiving (believe it or not, haha), well-organized, sensitive, super-creative, and intelligent. When God handed out "lazy," Mary must have been in the bathroom, because she has never taken a lazy breath in her life.

One of Mary's talents that really blows me away is her artistry in the flower-gardening department. Take a look at these pics and see if you don't agree; she has a gift (for flower gardening, as well as photography!) Note: Mary took these pics last week, as well as earlier in the past year.
Purple Clematis on the arch...Every plant in Mary's garden has been placed there with a purpose; to please the eye, no matter what time of year or stage of bloom. There is always something in full bloom, just as something else begins to bud.Poppies with Black Jack Sedum, Bee Balm...Purple Cone Flowers, Lime Light Hydrangea, Red Night Lily...Yellow Asiatic Lilly...
Tiger Lillies...Did you notice the hummingbird in that last one? Mary said that hummingbirds love flowers that have tubes leading to their nectar.Lamb's Ear...Yellow Fox Tail Lillies...Bee Balm...Mary, I am in awe of your many talents. I can only hope there is a trickle-down effect.

For more gorgeous flowers, try Lotus's Weekly Winners (but good luck; these will be tough to beat!)