It's Gardening Season! {Video Tour of My Backyard}

I'm so happy that Spring 2015 is finally here.  Our Winter in Missouri wasn't all that difficult but it felt so dark and gloomy to me.  That probably had more to do with things going on in my personal life than with the weather.  Sunny days have arrived again and thank goodness for that.  I've been working in my gardens and especially in what I call my Cottage Garden in my backyard.  15 years ago our home had no landscaping except for a huge ugly hedge in the front of the house.  Hard to believe that in 40+ years not one of the homeowners of our house did any landscaping.  Well, that changed when we moved in.  I have dug loads of dirt and planted hundreds of flowers, shrubs and vegetables over the years. 

In the backyard I had a really nice flower garden, but last year decided to change it up and add vegetables to the beds.  We had a great harvest of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and zucchini so I decided to plant even more this year.  I've just gotten started and have more to plant in the next few weeks but here is a little video tour of what's happening in the garden now.

Have a great weekend!

Jackie

Each Day Is A New Beginning...

Some people hate wild honeysuckle.  I love it.  This is one of the photos I took yesterday and added the quote.  Enjoy your Saturday!

Jackie

Spring Is Here...

Glad to see that Spring is finally making it's way to our part of the country.  To celebrate, here are a few spring/summer photos I've taken in the last year.

Hope you are enjoying some warm weather wherever you are.

Until Next Time,


Jackie

Daylily Series: Something Wonderful...

--jackie

*Daylily is from my backyard garden and Photo 3 in my Daylily quote series.

Daylily Series: All We Have Is All We Need...

--jackie

*Daylily is from my backyard garden and Photo 1 in my Daylily quote series.

Coffee On The Patio...

Most mornings, time permitting, I sit on my back patio with coffee, journal, bible and sometimes my camera.  After the passing of my Mother-in-Law yesterday and the anxiety about the upcoming funeral, I decided I needed to focus on something else...at least for awhile.  I turned my focus to what I could see through the camera lens from my chair on the patio.  My hour or so outside this morning was healing. 

Sometimes you need to see some beauty through all the sadness.

--jackie

Peace and Quiet...

Can you have too many Hydrangea Bushes?  I don't think so.   Seven...that's how many I counted today in my yard and I'm thinking about another one.  All but one of them are in my backyard...where I spend most of the time when I'm outside. 

Peaceful...and Quiet...That's what they say to me...and Old Fashioned like what you might see at your Grandma's house.

The pink one in the above photo is under my office window at the back of the house, but it looks to me like it belongs in front of a shabby old farmhouse with white peeling paint.  My farmhouse porch would be surrounded by hydrangeas and I would be sitting on my porch swing with a warm breeze blowing.  I'd be looking out at my garden and see hollyhocks, pole beans and heirloom tomatoes. Now, that's a sweet daydream.

 

You know, I've been nursing these beauties for approximately seven years now.  They have had just a few blooms in those years.  This year...they are covered.  I feel like all my nurturing has paid off.  Or it's some quirk of nature...which is what happens so often in my garden.  

See that bowl of water in the photo above?  It's my DIY bird bath.  An old stump with an overturned clay pot placed on it and the dish of water on top...with a pretty rock in it.  I catch someone taking a bath in it almost every time I go out back.  It's surrounded by Lemon Balm, Hostas and Daylillies with my Blue Hydrangea in the foreground.   It's one of my favorite spots in the garden.  Lately...this is where I spend my early mornings before everyone else is awake.  Drinking coffee with vanilla caramel creamer, contemplating my day, praying and enjoying the peace and quiet of summer mornings.

 

Time for a refill on my coffee...I hope you find some peace...and quiet...today as well.  Have a great Sunday.


--jackie

Thoughts On Fall...

Every season has it's beauty.  Fall may be the most spectacular of the four seasons, in my opinion.  I sort of like the melancholy feeling this time of year and it's appropriate for me right now.  I'm enjoying the fading blooms, falling leaves and the way the earth is preparing itself for the coming winter. My flower gardens are withering away, getting ready for the months of frigid cold that are ahead.  I like the idea of starting over with each season and this one is no different. I'm looking forward to the upcoming holidays and staying inside spending time doing things that I don't have time to do in the warmer months.  As I walked around my yard yesterday, I tried to notice the beauty in all of the fading and wilting happening around me.  When I looked closely at each plant, area of my yard or portion of the sky ..instead of the whole fading and withering scene...I could really see it...The beauty in the browns and yellows and reds. 

I hope you, too, can see it wherever you are.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

For everything there is a season,
      a time for every activity under heaven.

Jackie

 

Oh, September...

I love September,

especially when we're in it.

-Willie Stargell

As I write this...it is 41 degrees this morning.  I have the oven on and the door open to warm up my kitchen...I'm drinking my coffee with vanilla caramel creamer.  I love cool, fall mornings.  Something about this time of year makes me want to bake some of this and while it's in the oven set to work on some deep cleaning in this house.  In the garden, I'm enjoying watching the blooms fade and some of the leaves start to fall.  We have a new friend who has moved in under our driveway...a groundhog...a large one.  Maybe he, too, is enjoying fall and looking to spruce up his home before the cold sets in.   I'm guessing he is all huddled up in his new home this morning though, since there is a chill in the air.  I suspect we don't really want a groundhog living under our driveway since kids are playing in that area all the time.  Hmmmm...if it weren't for the possible dangers...I kind of like the thought of a groundhog living under the driveway.

I hope it's feeling Septemberish wherever you are today. 

Jackie

When I Am An Old Woman I Shall Wear A Flower On My Hat...

When I am an Old Woman I shall wear a flower on my hat.

I'll lunch with the ladies and have a lovely chat,

about peonies, daisies and others such as that.

I'll drink Pepsi from a glass bottle with a straw,

and not worry about enjoying a delicious bear claw.

When I'm an Old Woman with a flower on my hat,

I'll spend my days in a dress and garden boots,

sauntering through my garden and admiring the new shoots.

I shan't care about the latest style in women's wear,

because I'd also be happy wearing a flower in my hair.

I'll whisper sweet words to my little struggling lilac shrub,

the one that seems to appear a little smug. 

I'll say, "You know you want to...Be Proud,

and I'm sure you'll gain an admiring crowd".

When I'm an Old Woman, the one with the flower on my hat,

I'll spend my evenings having a chat,

with my sweet little neighbor who is almost 95,

she's the one I've lived next door to for the last 25 (years that is).

She and I,

We'll trade seeds and also laugh about all those pesky weeds.

When I'm an Old Woman with a flower on my hat,

I hope to snuggle with a grand baby on my lap,

I'll tell her about peonies, daisies and others such as that.

I'll tell that same grand baby that a garden is no good unless it is shared,

and also that kindnesses aren't meant to be spared.

I'll whisper to her that blessings and love,

can be sprinkled on others like rain from up above.

When I'm an Old Woman with a flower on my hat,

I'll ponder that my children were like my garden.

I planted, I watered and sometimes pulled weeds, 

then I stood back and watched what they were to turn out to be.

The most important thing that I hope to know,

is that I took the time to enjoy watching them grow.

Jackie

And...It's a New Day...

Today, I woke up with a new feeling of hope.  Things will be beautiful again.  My garden helps me, as it always does, to see the promises of the future.

Isaiah 41:10 (New Living Translation)

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
      Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
   I will strengthen you and help you.
      I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

A Peony bud...promising to bloom soon...

A struggling Azalea in my front yard that decided this was the year it was going to overflow with beautiful blooms...

Ladybug friends on the Lemon Balm...

Lilacs just about to bloom...

My neighbors Dogwood Tree that graces us with it's beauty every single year...I have a perfect view of it from my deck...

Blessings,

Jackie

Patience In The Garden...

"A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust."

-Gertrude Jekyll

*Photos - The first zucchini and tomato of our summer 2010 garden appeared this week.

Until Next Time...

Jackie

Backyard Tales...

Most mornings I wake up an hour or two before anyone else in my house crawls out of their warm and comfy beds. It is my quiet time. I usually spend this time outside on my deck or on the patio beneath my deck. My preference is the patio because it’s more secluded and I’m closer to my gardens where I can gaze at their beauty. However, what usually happens is that I spot a weed and then I lose all track of time and start a weed pulling fest that ends with me covered in dirt and running to the shower to make it to work on time. What I’ve discovered this year, more than any other, is that my quiet time is not quiet and I’m not alone out there in my backyard. So...the Backyard Tales begin today...

A few days ago, early in the morning, I was sitting outside on the patio in my comfy, but cheap, plastic resin chair. It’s a cute chair. I had pulled another chair around to prop my feet on. I was getting ready to dig into my bible study, my coffee was steaming and the yard was quiet for that time of the morning. I had started to read but something caught my eye and when I looked down I was greeted by a dinner plate sized turtle who had come from the Hostas to say hello. I guess I looked friendly enough because he walked up to me, stopped near the chair and then we chatted for awhile. When he had had enough of my rambling he turned around and went back into the Hosta forest. It was an unusual experience for my backyard and my new friend hasn’t been seen since that day. He seemed like a nice enough turtle but he did have a little tail so his friendliness could have all been a ruse to get me to pet him so he could snap my finger off. It’s just as well...he hasn’t made an appearance again...he may have moved on to another yard...or... has he? Let’s just say I’m a little more cautious during my weed pulling expeditions now than I have been in the past.

**Top Photo - the front facing view from the plastic resin chair. No backyard photo is complete without a duck floatie in the middle of the yard

**Bottom Photo - The hosta forest where the turtle may or may not live.

Until Next Time...

Jackie

June Chit Chat

After a cool and stormy morning the sun is shining again and it's warming up. Summer has almost officially begun in our world. The kids are out of school this week, the pools are mostly open and we've grilled several times already. We've replaced our jeans and jackets for capri's, shorts and sandals and the kids have been spending more time outside than inside.

Besides work, gardening and kids activities I have been spending my free time reading and watching movies. I have watched more movies in the last few weeks than I have in the last year. I have discovered on Netflix that I can play movies on my computer. I've been watching movies while I cook, do laundry and even at work one day when I was putting together a rather boring mailing...shhh...don't tell anyone. The most recent movie I watched was The Answer Man. It was cute and just what I needed...an enjoyable and easy to watch movie.



I've also been reading fun novels. What I'm reading right now is The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews. I'm always drawn to southern fiction and fiction based around home renovation. Go figure...that's what I enjoy the most too...doing stuff around my house. So, this book fits the bill.


I've been writing...just not on this blog much...not much to report...just that I'm doing it and enjoying writing for myself again.

Oh and the gardening is going really well. I have a little helper this year. Kyler, my 4-year old, follows me around as I'm doing all my little garden chores and wants to help with everything. He has planted a lot of seeds and plants, pulled weeds and even helped me with a major flower bed renovation this past weekend. He is quite the little guy and I'm thrilled that he wants to spend time with me in the garden.

And Kobe is almost finished with 3rd grade. For the first time since he started kindergarten I am happy the end of the year is here. We all are!! He is loving spending time with all his neighborhood friends and I love watching them form their clubs, make plans and all the projects they come up with.

My plan for this summer is to worry less about the unfinished projects and spend more time relaxing and having fun. I look forward to catching up with all of you to find out what your summer plans are.

Until Next Time...
Jackie

Random Randomness...

The sun is finally shining here. It seems like it's been weeks since we've seen the sun. Over the weekend, Pat was complaining about his dreary mood and was blaming it on the dreary weather. I reminded him that we choose to be happy and we shouldn't let the weather play any part in it. I admit this is really easy for me to say in the middle of May when I know that the dreariness won't last long. Being able to look out the window and see green grass and flowers instead of ice and snow definitely helps. If I can say this in February then I have really accomplished something.

I've been doing lots of gardening. I'm still harvesting lettuce every other day. Thank you, Patti, for the delicious salad and dressing recipe. See below for the recipe! My peas, zucchini, peppers and eggplant are all doing really well. I now have a second raised garden bed (10x4) and it will be filled with different tomato plants and possibly carrots very soon. I have also ventured into the land of Topsy-Turvy. Have you seen these planters? I have two of them now and Pat and I are experimenting. They look cute hanging by the raised beds and it will be fun to see if they produce anything.

There are only a couple more weeks left of school for the boys. Kobe is so ready to get out. This hasn't been the best year for him. His teacher is....a... challenge. We're hoping for a better 4th grade year.

I've been questioning my working again. It's so hard. Kyler has been stuck to me like glue for the last few weeks and especially this last weekend. Every day he says he wants me to pick him up from school (it's in the middle of the day and Pat picks him up) and he wants to be with me all the time and doesn't want me to go to work. He is missing his Mommy a lot lately. And I'm missing being with him! The guilt moves in when I think that I was home with Kobe when he was this age until he went to kindergarten. Kyler has missed all that time with me that Kobe had and now he only has one year left before he starts kindergarten. But, I have good health insurance...Pat is self employed and we need health insurance! (note sarcasm here)
Blah! That's all I'm going to say on that topic for now.

The sun is shining and it's 70 degrees. Guess I'd better get out in it!

Here is the recipe...

Fresh Lettuce and Spinach Salad

head lettuce, or leaf lettuce

fresh spinach

1 green pepper cut into rings

diced tomatoes

1 sweet rings cut into rings

1 stalk celery diced

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

Dressing

1 c. cider vinegar

1 c. oil

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 t. dry italian salad dressing mix

salt

pepper

garlic

Mix and pour over.

Springtime in the garden...

...is, quite possibly, the loveliest time of the year!

small...dotted friend on the lemon balm...

longtime garden decor...painted brown, blue and now red...

Lilacs starting to bloom and filling the air with their sweet scent...

A clubhouse with a perfectly natural opening. Club meetings held here everyday after school...

North-looking view of my newest flower garden...

Salad for dinner?

A potted herb garden. Thyme. Chives. Rosemary. Oregano.
And...if you look in the background here you can almost see raised bed #2 that hubby built me for Mother's Day!

Chives in my new Cutting Garden. Cosmos, Zinnias and Snapdragons Coming Soon...I hope...


Blooming Lilacs produce beautiful arrangements for my dining room table...bathroom counter...living room table...etc...

Jackie