I miss Ohio.
Sometimes.
We traveled yesterday back to Ohio for a big family get together. SM's brothers granddaughter graduated high school.
How weird is THAT to say?
Geez...Where have the years gone? Now SM is the baby of his family. Ron is SM's oldest brother who is actually my Mom's age but still...We're talking a granddaughter!
Who's 18 years old.
Already!
Anyway, SM and I made the 8 hour trip yesterday and as we're driving along we're commenting on this building or that cornfield that has that sweet, dark, black soil and SM says to me "Ready to move back?"
"Nope." I say with a shake of my head.
When I think of Ohio I think of gray skies and Winters that don't loosen their grip until May and I'm glad I live in the South. I'm glad for the long summer season and the blue skies.
We get to Ronnie's house and after hugs of Hello, the wine is poured, snacks are set out and everyone sits down again to gab. But my legs and joints are still stiff from the long drive so I wander out to their backyard to look around.
Barefoot.
A cool, moss covered brick patio greets my toes as I wander around the sitting area. A 15 yo hydrangea greets me with big blossoms pink, blue and purple. Roses cradle the patio.
I step out onto soft, soft green grass of the yard. Southern grass is broad and prickly. This stuff is like angels hair. My toes curl in delight. There are no weeds in this stuff! How can that be?
I wander along the borders. Peonies are done but the lilies are blooming. Rhubarb is ready. The black raspberries are still green. Ron's asparagus is tall and flopped over, exhausted.
Huge, huge trees tower over their backyard creating a wonderful shady spot. The leaves rustle with a slight breeze and as I look up I see a brilliant blue sky. I've often heard Ron moan about not having enough sunlight for a big veggie garden but I marvel at the beauty of this shade garden so different from my own heat soaked, hard baked, clay backyard.
I go back into the house and announce to everyone "Sometimes I miss Ohio."
SM asks "Ready to move back?" with a smile.
I pause.
"Nope." I reply with a grin of my own.
It may be hot. It may be humid. It may have Summer days that leave me gasping for air, but Carolina is my home now.
Sorry Ohio. You'll always have a place in my heart and I'll miss you.
Sometimes.
Email me at
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
The Ten Second Rule
I know.
You just read the title of this post and think I'm going to talk about how long that cookie you just dropped on the floor is safe to eat.
Well, if you're into cookies, go for it. I'm not into cookies but I absolutely DO pick up that M&M I just dropped. (Hey, it's got that hard candy coating. Dirt just slides off!)
Actually "The Ten Second Rule" is something that SM and I have done our entire marriage and I thought I'd mention it because I read a really good article on Huff Post 50 about 11 Lessons From More Than Three Decades Of Marriage.
Check it out. I can relate to most of them. SM and I never had kids so those don't apply.
This got me to thinking about things that SM and I do to keep ourselves from murdering each other on a daily basis and one of our biggest rules is that we always kiss each other goodbye or goodnight. ALWAYS.
So much so that once we do kiss each other goodbye, if it takes longer that 10 seconds to get out the door than we find each other again with a quick "Ten seconds" comments and a smile and smooch again.
Back when we were first married, SM told me I kissed him too much. That only made me kiss him more. (Evil Tami) Waaa Haa Ha! I broke him. Yep. I can do that to a man.
SM says his personal tip to a long healthy marriage is, and I quote, "To run away." (Evil SM)
He never gets far and for some reason always comes back so it can't be THAT bad being married to me day in and day out.
What tips do you have? Do you agree with their suggestions?
You just read the title of this post and think I'm going to talk about how long that cookie you just dropped on the floor is safe to eat.
Well, if you're into cookies, go for it. I'm not into cookies but I absolutely DO pick up that M&M I just dropped. (Hey, it's got that hard candy coating. Dirt just slides off!)
Actually "The Ten Second Rule" is something that SM and I have done our entire marriage and I thought I'd mention it because I read a really good article on Huff Post 50 about 11 Lessons From More Than Three Decades Of Marriage.
Check it out. I can relate to most of them. SM and I never had kids so those don't apply.
This got me to thinking about things that SM and I do to keep ourselves from murdering each other on a daily basis and one of our biggest rules is that we always kiss each other goodbye or goodnight. ALWAYS.
So much so that once we do kiss each other goodbye, if it takes longer that 10 seconds to get out the door than we find each other again with a quick "Ten seconds" comments and a smile and smooch again.
Back when we were first married, SM told me I kissed him too much. That only made me kiss him more. (Evil Tami) Waaa Haa Ha! I broke him. Yep. I can do that to a man.
SM says his personal tip to a long healthy marriage is, and I quote, "To run away." (Evil SM)
He never gets far and for some reason always comes back so it can't be THAT bad being married to me day in and day out.
What tips do you have? Do you agree with their suggestions?
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
OK...I've Had Enough
Rain, rain and more rain. A washout weekend.
Monday morning SM and I watched as another strong cell moved through bringing another few inches.
It stopped raining for a few hours then around 3pm the front moved through. I was at the kitchen table reading a book when suddenly Ginny was by my side shaking like a leaf.
Whoosh went the awning and the windows started to bang. I looked up and saw that the rain was coming in from the south blowing horizontally. Never seen that happen before.
I figured sitting in front of a wall of glass wasn't the smartest thing to be doing so I took a cue from Ginny and started walking into the living room.
Then the noise picked up a bit more. I hollared for Casey and we all went and sat down in the hallway as the storm intensified.
SM and Scooter kept watch at the door. What can I say? Men!
After a few minutes the worst seemed to be over so the girls and I emerged from the hallway and looked out the windows with SM.
Our birch took a hit. Luckily it didn't hit the house or the cars in the driveway.
I told SM to get on the phone and call to get some estimates for removal. We're not sure yet if we'll take the whole tree out (Tami) or just take down the one limb (SM).
After it stopped raining I buzzed the neighborhood to look for damage.
Nearly all the damage is on our street with those Bradford Pear trees that split so easily.
A cluster of neighbors were out gabbing speculating on whether this was a micro burst or a straight line wind. Turns out we were under a tornado warning.
Huh. How bout that. It didn't seem THAT bad to me but it was the first time I ever felt the need to get to the hallway. One lady said she went into her closet.
Hmmm...This might be a good reason to clean out one of my closets!
Monday morning SM and I watched as another strong cell moved through bringing another few inches.
It stopped raining for a few hours then around 3pm the front moved through. I was at the kitchen table reading a book when suddenly Ginny was by my side shaking like a leaf.
Whoosh went the awning and the windows started to bang. I looked up and saw that the rain was coming in from the south blowing horizontally. Never seen that happen before.
I figured sitting in front of a wall of glass wasn't the smartest thing to be doing so I took a cue from Ginny and started walking into the living room.
Then the noise picked up a bit more. I hollared for Casey and we all went and sat down in the hallway as the storm intensified.
SM and Scooter kept watch at the door. What can I say? Men!
After a few minutes the worst seemed to be over so the girls and I emerged from the hallway and looked out the windows with SM.
Our birch took a hit. Luckily it didn't hit the house or the cars in the driveway.
I told SM to get on the phone and call to get some estimates for removal. We're not sure yet if we'll take the whole tree out (Tami) or just take down the one limb (SM).
After it stopped raining I buzzed the neighborhood to look for damage.
Nearly all the damage is on our street with those Bradford Pear trees that split so easily.
A cluster of neighbors were out gabbing speculating on whether this was a micro burst or a straight line wind. Turns out we were under a tornado warning.
Huh. How bout that. It didn't seem THAT bad to me but it was the first time I ever felt the need to get to the hallway. One lady said she went into her closet.
Hmmm...This might be a good reason to clean out one of my closets!
Monday, June 10, 2013
On Second Thought, Maybe Not The Best Idea
My old electric stove is shot. The oven door doesn't close properly which means that there's no way to know what temperature I'm actually baking things at.
Not such a big deal during summer as I don't like to turn the oven on much anyway, but I told SM months ago that we needed to plan for a new oven by this Fall.
"How about a gas stove instead of electric?" SM queried.
"Won't that be expensive to buy a stove AND run the line?" I reply.
"Let me check into it." Which SM did and we decided that budget-wise it was doable and a smart investment besides. SM says the water heater needs replacing soon too and he'd like to upgrade to a gas water heater while we're at it.
Fast forward a few months.
I'm making brewed Ice Tea the other day and I'm using a pot holder to lift the lid and drain off the tea bags. While I'm moving the pot off the burner, I must've laid the pot holder on the counter in such a way that the little loopy thingy-ma-bob attached to the pot holder laid directly on the burner coils.
Poof.
I have a small mini fire going and as I whack it out SM (who was observing all this) says to me...
"You know, having a gas stove means that you'll have to deal with an open flame all the time."
I look at him with the pot holder still smoking in my hand.
I can see in his eyes the memory of me walking away from a pot of rice to gab with a neighbor next door. I returned home to a smoky house, a ruined pot and the stench of 3 inches of burnt rice fused to said pan.
Not too long ago, I decided to steam some broccoli and cauliflower for dinner. The strangest smell started coming from the pot. Upon inspection I discovered that I hadn't put any water in it. Um, steam means water, Tami.
(What can I say? I'm easily distracted and age is NOT improving that condition.)
"Maybe a gas stove isn't the best suggestion." I offer up. "Given my track record and all..." I say with my eyebrows raised.
"Maybe not." SM walks away with a smile and shake of his head.
Not such a big deal during summer as I don't like to turn the oven on much anyway, but I told SM months ago that we needed to plan for a new oven by this Fall.
"How about a gas stove instead of electric?" SM queried.
"Won't that be expensive to buy a stove AND run the line?" I reply.
"Let me check into it." Which SM did and we decided that budget-wise it was doable and a smart investment besides. SM says the water heater needs replacing soon too and he'd like to upgrade to a gas water heater while we're at it.
Fast forward a few months.
I'm making brewed Ice Tea the other day and I'm using a pot holder to lift the lid and drain off the tea bags. While I'm moving the pot off the burner, I must've laid the pot holder on the counter in such a way that the little loopy thingy-ma-bob attached to the pot holder laid directly on the burner coils.
Poof.
I have a small mini fire going and as I whack it out SM (who was observing all this) says to me...
"You know, having a gas stove means that you'll have to deal with an open flame all the time."
I look at him with the pot holder still smoking in my hand.
I can see in his eyes the memory of me walking away from a pot of rice to gab with a neighbor next door. I returned home to a smoky house, a ruined pot and the stench of 3 inches of burnt rice fused to said pan.
Not too long ago, I decided to steam some broccoli and cauliflower for dinner. The strangest smell started coming from the pot. Upon inspection I discovered that I hadn't put any water in it. Um, steam means water, Tami.
(What can I say? I'm easily distracted and age is NOT improving that condition.)
"Maybe a gas stove isn't the best suggestion." I offer up. "Given my track record and all..." I say with my eyebrows raised.
"Maybe not." SM walks away with a smile and shake of his head.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
A Snow Shovel In The South
It seems lately that when I'm making decisions about our home and yard, I think "What can I do to make this simple, manageable or easy."
One of the things we've enjoyed about home ownership is working in the yard. But we've talked to plenty of folks who (as they've gotten older) have decided to "downsize" to a condo simply because they're tired of all the work and money that it takes to keep it up a yard.
SM and I have considered this. When will we say "It's too much"?
Who knows.
Maybe never.
Since I enjoy puttering around the yard, I can't see where I'll ever be inclined to say "Goodbye" completely.
But that doesn't mean I want to waste my time with mowing the yard several times a week. One of our goals has been to reduce the grass "footprint" in our yard. So far we've been concentrating on the back yard.
The mulch place still had their buy 2 get 1 free deal last weekend, so we've been slowly whittling away on a much neglected section of the yard.
The back forty. Otherwise known as the back fence line.
The only one who uses that area is the dogs. Little to no grass, plenty of weeds. SM hates mowing back there.
A few years ago we expanded the natural area we'd already mulched and planted the apple trees back there. That left about a 6 foot strip of grass that still need to be mowed.
So that's what we've been doing. Laying landscape fabric and then loads of pine bark mulch.
Did you know that the easiest way to move pine bark mulch is with a snow shovel?
Yep. When we moved here all our winter gear came with us and while I still haven't needed to use my 30 below insulated boots, we HAVE used our snow shovel consistently every year. Winter, Summer...Doesn't matter.
Last weekend I finished mulching around the shed area while SM burned the now dried remains of the hollies and boxwoods. The rootballs are all hanging out behind the shed for the Summer to dry out competely before we bonfire them sometime this Fall.
So now we have less grass to mow and less shrubbery to trim. A move in the right direction for sure.
Whatever will we do with all our spare time???
One of the things we've enjoyed about home ownership is working in the yard. But we've talked to plenty of folks who (as they've gotten older) have decided to "downsize" to a condo simply because they're tired of all the work and money that it takes to keep it up a yard.
SM and I have considered this. When will we say "It's too much"?
Who knows.
Maybe never.
Since I enjoy puttering around the yard, I can't see where I'll ever be inclined to say "Goodbye" completely.
But that doesn't mean I want to waste my time with mowing the yard several times a week. One of our goals has been to reduce the grass "footprint" in our yard. So far we've been concentrating on the back yard.
The mulch place still had their buy 2 get 1 free deal last weekend, so we've been slowly whittling away on a much neglected section of the yard.
The back forty. Otherwise known as the back fence line.
The only one who uses that area is the dogs. Little to no grass, plenty of weeds. SM hates mowing back there.
A few years ago we expanded the natural area we'd already mulched and planted the apple trees back there. That left about a 6 foot strip of grass that still need to be mowed.
So that's what we've been doing. Laying landscape fabric and then loads of pine bark mulch.
Did you know that the easiest way to move pine bark mulch is with a snow shovel?
Yep. When we moved here all our winter gear came with us and while I still haven't needed to use my 30 below insulated boots, we HAVE used our snow shovel consistently every year. Winter, Summer...Doesn't matter.
Last weekend I finished mulching around the shed area while SM burned the now dried remains of the hollies and boxwoods. The rootballs are all hanging out behind the shed for the Summer to dry out competely before we bonfire them sometime this Fall.
So now we have less grass to mow and less shrubbery to trim. A move in the right direction for sure.
Whatever will we do with all our spare time???
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Preventative Actions
More rain.
After a deluge 2 weeks ago, then a week of drying out, we're now back into a cycle of rain with a tropical system sweeping up offering more rain for the next few days. 2-3 inches forecast here.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not bitching.
Yet.
As long as we get a few days to dry out in between that would be fine by me.
I've seen ya'lls blogs with pictures of transplants struggling in ponding water. And I'm sure that plenty of you would love to have all this rain after last years drought.
I squished my out to the garden this morning to give things a look see. No ponding in the garden but plenty of ponding in the low spots of the yard.
Casey scared up a rabbit and the chase was on with Casey plowing through the yard sending up water like a jet ski. Whoosh. I swear she came in for her rub down with a smile on her face.
I noticed that the winter squash I planted a few days ago are coming up. The slugs happened to notice it too so I went to the shed and grabbed the DE and sprinkled a generous amount on the hills. Little bastards. How dare they munch on my tender vittles?
I commented a few posts ago on how well the tomatoes are looking this year. Green and healthly and they're just now starting to put out blooms. It was time to fertilize so I sprinkled a (new to me) slow release tomato fertilizer from Gardener's Supply across the bed. I also tossed some Epsom salts in for good measure.
Shockingly, I don't see any evidence of SVB's or squash bugs.
Yet.
I wonder if the colder winter zapped them. Wouldn't THAT be lovely?
After a deluge 2 weeks ago, then a week of drying out, we're now back into a cycle of rain with a tropical system sweeping up offering more rain for the next few days. 2-3 inches forecast here.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not bitching.
Yet.
As long as we get a few days to dry out in between that would be fine by me.
I've seen ya'lls blogs with pictures of transplants struggling in ponding water. And I'm sure that plenty of you would love to have all this rain after last years drought.
I squished my out to the garden this morning to give things a look see. No ponding in the garden but plenty of ponding in the low spots of the yard.
Casey scared up a rabbit and the chase was on with Casey plowing through the yard sending up water like a jet ski. Whoosh. I swear she came in for her rub down with a smile on her face.
I noticed that the winter squash I planted a few days ago are coming up. The slugs happened to notice it too so I went to the shed and grabbed the DE and sprinkled a generous amount on the hills. Little bastards. How dare they munch on my tender vittles?
I commented a few posts ago on how well the tomatoes are looking this year. Green and healthly and they're just now starting to put out blooms. It was time to fertilize so I sprinkled a (new to me) slow release tomato fertilizer from Gardener's Supply across the bed. I also tossed some Epsom salts in for good measure.
Shockingly, I don't see any evidence of SVB's or squash bugs.
Yet.
I wonder if the colder winter zapped them. Wouldn't THAT be lovely?
Monday, June 3, 2013
Heavy Rains And Deep Thoughts
Boy, did it pour last night! We've had an estimated 1.18 with a possible 1-2 more inches forecasted for today. Nothing showing on the radar yet this morning so it must all be pop-up storms coming on later.
Looking back though on the week that was, I'm grateful that it was a splendid week with blue skies, mild temperatures and dry weather. I got to work outside everyday and got a lot accomplished. It's funny that I'm actually glad that today is a rainy day.
Why?
Well, for one thing an enforced day inside makes me pay attention to the simple tasks that need doing on a weekly basis like cleaning bathrooms, stripping the bedding and getting all that washed, cooking food for the week...You know...Life.
When I get into project mode I go into it whole hog. Every molecule of my being is in deep concentration about "The Project" and by the end of the day I'm so wiped out that it's a shrug when SM asks "what's for dinner?"
It's been a PBJ and salad kind of week for him, poor guy. (I think I'll make a meatloaf today to help make up for the lack of quality sustenance.)
The other thing I noticed is that I can't think creatively when I'm busy doing projects. Maybe it just me, but I think my blog posts are more of the "this is what I did today" type of post rather than the deeper, creative, more thoughtful posts that I enjoy writing.
Is it that way with you? Maybe I'm just a slow typer (or a slow thinker) but I can't whip this stuff out that fast.
So think kindly of me while I'm scrubbing the toilet today. I just might be working on my next blog post...
@;)
Looking back though on the week that was, I'm grateful that it was a splendid week with blue skies, mild temperatures and dry weather. I got to work outside everyday and got a lot accomplished. It's funny that I'm actually glad that today is a rainy day.
Why?
Well, for one thing an enforced day inside makes me pay attention to the simple tasks that need doing on a weekly basis like cleaning bathrooms, stripping the bedding and getting all that washed, cooking food for the week...You know...Life.
When I get into project mode I go into it whole hog. Every molecule of my being is in deep concentration about "The Project" and by the end of the day I'm so wiped out that it's a shrug when SM asks "what's for dinner?"
It's been a PBJ and salad kind of week for him, poor guy. (I think I'll make a meatloaf today to help make up for the lack of quality sustenance.)
The other thing I noticed is that I can't think creatively when I'm busy doing projects. Maybe it just me, but I think my blog posts are more of the "this is what I did today" type of post rather than the deeper, creative, more thoughtful posts that I enjoy writing.
Is it that way with you? Maybe I'm just a slow typer (or a slow thinker) but I can't whip this stuff out that fast.
So think kindly of me while I'm scrubbing the toilet today. I just might be working on my next blog post...
@;)
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Garden Walk
The garden is really starting to ramp it up now. Temps are ranging from upper 60's to mid 80's. We've had a dry week so far but we're expecting rain here Sunday and Monday. Overall, I'd say we're about a week or two behind usual production. I'm usually eating beans, squash and cukes by now.
So what's happening out in the garden?
I can't tell you how many hours I spent clearing out rotten berries from the beds from the 3 inches of rain we had 2 weeks ago. What a mess! While in there, I also cut back some of the leaves to improve circulation. I will definitely be thinning these beds out this fall.
The strawberries and I have settled into a manageable every other day picking routine. About a gallon each time I pick. Perfect for fresh eating.
The lettuce is still hanging in there but I'm expecting it to bolt at any moment. Keeping my fingers crossed that the shade cloth might help extend the season.
It has certainly helped the sweet bell peppers who seem to be bouncing back from the sun scald I gave them a few weeks ago.
The sugar peas are done and pulled. I planted another batch of Japanese Cukes in their place. The same cukes I direct sowed in mid April are finally starting to gain some size and putting out a blossom or two.
The yellow string beans are blooming and so is the yellow summer squash.
I went ahead and planted another batch of beans along with the winter squashes. Since SVB's are so bad here I planted only Waltham Butternut and Dutch Crookneck (new for me) based on other bloggers recommendations. I'm keeping my finger crossed. I LOVE winter squash!
No pumpkins at all this year (why bother.) Can you hear SM crying? The man does love his punkins but too bad Baby! Go buy them.
The onions are starting to size up.
The tomatoes are starting to put out blooms. SM was trying to pull them this way and that to tie them to his fence support system but they're still a little too short. Give them another week and they'll be tall enough. They're looking good. Strong, healthy and green. This might be a banner year for tomatoes!
Oh! I pulled up the carrots I'd planted back in February. It's a nice haul and they're sweeter than what I thought they'd be.
I'm not a fan of summer harvested carrots. They tend to get bitter in our hot climate but SM and I eat SO MANY carrots that it seemed silly not try. Funny how all this cool weather helped in that department. I hope to replant in July for a Winter harvest.
We might get a handful of blueberries. Might.
And I attacked the apple trees this week and thinned them out. Boy, was that hard trimming off perfectly good apples but I'd rather do that than have itty bitty ones.
And last but not least, Sally is drooping.
Either her boobs have dropped and the poor girl needs underwire fast or she's developing the menopausal spare tire that afflicts so many of us.
Sorry, Sister...It happens to the best of us!
So what's happening out in the garden?
I can't tell you how many hours I spent clearing out rotten berries from the beds from the 3 inches of rain we had 2 weeks ago. What a mess! While in there, I also cut back some of the leaves to improve circulation. I will definitely be thinning these beds out this fall.
The strawberries and I have settled into a manageable every other day picking routine. About a gallon each time I pick. Perfect for fresh eating.
The lettuce is still hanging in there but I'm expecting it to bolt at any moment. Keeping my fingers crossed that the shade cloth might help extend the season.
It has certainly helped the sweet bell peppers who seem to be bouncing back from the sun scald I gave them a few weeks ago.
The sugar peas are done and pulled. I planted another batch of Japanese Cukes in their place. The same cukes I direct sowed in mid April are finally starting to gain some size and putting out a blossom or two.
The yellow string beans are blooming and so is the yellow summer squash.
I went ahead and planted another batch of beans along with the winter squashes. Since SVB's are so bad here I planted only Waltham Butternut and Dutch Crookneck (new for me) based on other bloggers recommendations. I'm keeping my finger crossed. I LOVE winter squash!
No pumpkins at all this year (why bother.) Can you hear SM crying? The man does love his punkins but too bad Baby! Go buy them.
The onions are starting to size up.
The tomatoes are starting to put out blooms. SM was trying to pull them this way and that to tie them to his fence support system but they're still a little too short. Give them another week and they'll be tall enough. They're looking good. Strong, healthy and green. This might be a banner year for tomatoes!
Oh! I pulled up the carrots I'd planted back in February. It's a nice haul and they're sweeter than what I thought they'd be.
I'm not a fan of summer harvested carrots. They tend to get bitter in our hot climate but SM and I eat SO MANY carrots that it seemed silly not try. Funny how all this cool weather helped in that department. I hope to replant in July for a Winter harvest.
We might get a handful of blueberries. Might.
And I attacked the apple trees this week and thinned them out. Boy, was that hard trimming off perfectly good apples but I'd rather do that than have itty bitty ones.
And last but not least, Sally is drooping.
Either her boobs have dropped and the poor girl needs underwire fast or she's developing the menopausal spare tire that afflicts so many of us.
Sorry, Sister...It happens to the best of us!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Softness and Color
Operating on the theory that curb appeal is important to the overall "look" of your home, SM and I both agreed that adding softness and color was our goal when buying the new plants for the front yard beds.
We buzzed around on Memorial Day shopping for perennials that would satisfy those criteria along with our desire for low maintenance. The days of trimming all those hollies and boxwoods are over!
The next day I borrowed our neighbors power washer to try and clean up the moldy brick steps and dirty sidewalk area.
WOW! What a difference! While I was working on that, SM yoinked the remaining 4 boxwoods out. After all that hard work SM and I were done for the day.
I went ahead and tackled arranging and planting the perennials the next day as SM had to go to work. That took a lot longer than I'd expected with all the left over roots making digging very difficult. One thing we hated was how close to the house those huge bushes were planted. It made it very difficult to do things like paint or wash windows. I made sure to leave about a 4 -5 foot gap between the house and the new plants so SM and I could do maintenance work.
I had also run up and gotten a yard of good garden compost to help amend the soil so these babies would get off to a good start. (I used the remainder of the compost in the garden for the winter squash hills.)
So here's the before...
And the after.
Thunder and Lightning Knautia. Never heard of it but SM spotted these while I was on the hunt for variegated hosta which was sold out. This has the same green and white colors like the hosta plus a purplish flower. Can't wait to see how these fill out.
Yellow (Erin Lea) daylilies along with mini-purple (Little Grapette) daylilies.
Fireworks Fountain Grass.
Blazing Sunset Chilean Avens.
And Coreopsis for a nice yellow POP.
Total cost for all the plants was only $150 dollars. Not bad at all. And with time I'm sure we'll add a few more plants here and there depending on how these all fill in.
That's the nice thing about gardening. Watching how everything comes together over time @:)
We buzzed around on Memorial Day shopping for perennials that would satisfy those criteria along with our desire for low maintenance. The days of trimming all those hollies and boxwoods are over!
The next day I borrowed our neighbors power washer to try and clean up the moldy brick steps and dirty sidewalk area.
WOW! What a difference! While I was working on that, SM yoinked the remaining 4 boxwoods out. After all that hard work SM and I were done for the day.
I went ahead and tackled arranging and planting the perennials the next day as SM had to go to work. That took a lot longer than I'd expected with all the left over roots making digging very difficult. One thing we hated was how close to the house those huge bushes were planted. It made it very difficult to do things like paint or wash windows. I made sure to leave about a 4 -5 foot gap between the house and the new plants so SM and I could do maintenance work.
I had also run up and gotten a yard of good garden compost to help amend the soil so these babies would get off to a good start. (I used the remainder of the compost in the garden for the winter squash hills.)
So here's the before...
And the after.
I know it's really hard to see much as these plants are so small so here is a rundown of all that we bought along with stock photos to get an idea of how everything should look.
Lororopetalum for an evergreen. Or everpurple as it is.
Thunder and Lightning Knautia. Never heard of it but SM spotted these while I was on the hunt for variegated hosta which was sold out. This has the same green and white colors like the hosta plus a purplish flower. Can't wait to see how these fill out.
Yellow (Erin Lea) daylilies along with mini-purple (Little Grapette) daylilies.
Fireworks Fountain Grass.
Blazing Sunset Chilean Avens.
And Coreopsis for a nice yellow POP.
Total cost for all the plants was only $150 dollars. Not bad at all. And with time I'm sure we'll add a few more plants here and there depending on how these all fill in.
That's the nice thing about gardening. Watching how everything comes together over time @:)
Friday, May 31, 2013
Back In The Saddle...Again.
Psst. Hey, you.
Yeah, YOU!
Just like Jack, I'm back.
So what was I doing?
Working. Here at the house.
It's always hard to see a paid holiday come around and not tack on a few extra days onto it.
So that's what I did. I took the rest of the week off and busted my @$$ around the house. Time off = hard work. At least when it's Spring and there's SO MUCH that needs doing.
I tried to entice SM with a few days of vay-kay at the beach but he's a bit pre-occupied with work and health issues. Nothing to worry about. Just getting older and another medication needs to be added to his list. (He's been somewhat of a cranky-pants lately about that.)
That's OK. We ALL go through it from time to time, don't we?
Anyhoo...I took the upcoming lack of internet this week to heart. Blogging takes time doesn't it? And trust me, there's no way I had time for much let alone playing on the computer.
In fact, I haven't been on the computer at all even though SM had us up and running with an internet connection the same day.
I had SO MUCH on my to do list that it wasn't until today that I actually called it quits early. I jumped into the shower at noon to scrub the garden filth off me, then I grabbed a book and sat on my freshly cleaned back porch and enjoyed the rest of the day.
So what did I do this week?
Let me think.
Maybe I'll write a post about it.
After I come off of my wine buzz, that is...@;)
Yeah, YOU!
Just like Jack, I'm back.
So what was I doing?
Working. Here at the house.
It's always hard to see a paid holiday come around and not tack on a few extra days onto it.
So that's what I did. I took the rest of the week off and busted my @$$ around the house. Time off = hard work. At least when it's Spring and there's SO MUCH that needs doing.
I tried to entice SM with a few days of vay-kay at the beach but he's a bit pre-occupied with work and health issues. Nothing to worry about. Just getting older and another medication needs to be added to his list. (He's been somewhat of a cranky-pants lately about that.)
That's OK. We ALL go through it from time to time, don't we?
Anyhoo...I took the upcoming lack of internet this week to heart. Blogging takes time doesn't it? And trust me, there's no way I had time for much let alone playing on the computer.
In fact, I haven't been on the computer at all even though SM had us up and running with an internet connection the same day.
I had SO MUCH on my to do list that it wasn't until today that I actually called it quits early. I jumped into the shower at noon to scrub the garden filth off me, then I grabbed a book and sat on my freshly cleaned back porch and enjoyed the rest of the day.
So what did I do this week?
Let me think.
Maybe I'll write a post about it.
After I come off of my wine buzz, that is...@;)
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