Month: March 2012

Posted on

Seeds and more seeds

While shopping yesterday, I came across seeds on sale, 10 packets for 1.00. ( I never can figure out why stores just don’t put a sign up that says, Seeds .10 a packet…marketing I guess… ) Now, I thought that something may be “wrong” with the seeds, but I checked the run date and it was for this year.

I had never heard of the brand name, but I figured that I’d try them in a certain plot I have and if I don’t see a growth process in a week or so, I’ll just replant. I only bought ten packets, and asked the “garden guy” how long the sale would be for. He told me that the price that the seeds were marked, in the price that the store will sell them for until they run out of seeds. So…I’ll take a shot with them and if they grow, I’ll go back and see if the store has any seeds left. It’s sort of a chancy decision, but what the heck?

Later today, I’m going on another seed shopping spree. I think I know of a place where I can get some heirloom seeds at a lower price than they usually are around here. Happy shopping to me!

Posted on

An arbor for the garden

Once again I’m on another hunt for a awesome wooden arbors for my gardens, but this time I’m looking at various ones that is going to be sort of a focal point in the back yard, besides my flowers. While looking over my plans that I have been making all winter, and also looking at various arbors, I actually am no closer to deciding exactly the ones that I would like. (Yes, I would like more than one, since my back yard consists of two acres, a small portion of which is our family pet cemetery. To some this may sound rather odd, but we love our pets and they are part of the family.

While browsing, I found all sorts of different styles of garden arbors. Now I’m not sure I want to go with wooden ones. After we had the deck and front porch built with another material that doesn’t have to be treated and there is virtually no upkeep, I’m having second thought about having wood way out in the back yard.

To me, some arbors make up a great deal of a garden’s personality at times. Also it shows the garden owners personality also. So while I’m just looking at various arbors even the vinyl arbors which I don’t care much for, I’m thinking about which kind I’d like to use. It’s time to start shopping for the outside of my house, and the gardens and I have a lot of ideas to put to work.

 

Posted on

Thining out the Iris

Goodness…I never thought that iris would have so many babies and spread like wildfire, in one winter, it seems. But mine did! No, I’ve never dug them up in the fall, like the books and other people say to do. (not everyone does this, but most that I have talked to do.)

I’m going to ask everyone I know if they would like some irises. I have plenty. The colors vary from light blue, dark blue, lavender, a really light purple, a dark purple, yellow and a few (that I am going to keep) that are such a dark shade of purple that they look black.

I’m trying to figure out what to plant in the spaces that I am going to have when I thin out the irises. I’ve been thinking of various flowers of different blooming times. It won’t be until I shop though and something catches my fancy before I know what is actually going to be planted.

Posted on

Seed for the front yard

Deciding to seed all the bare spots in the part of the front yard that isn’t walk ways and flower or herb patches, turned into a science experiment.  I did this last week, and honestly didn’t think the seed would take, as it was some of that high bred, BS kind…that I never use. Leave it to a man who doesn’t garden, to come back with extremely pricy, bionic grass seed, when I asked for simple, cheap, American made, no frills grass seed for shady areas. SMH

I followed the directions on the bionic seed…which took a scientist to understand, and then spread straw lightly on top, which wasn’t in the instructions, after which I watered it until I knew it was saturated. I did notice that grass is coming up. In small clumps. I know I spread it evenly, as I took great pains in doing so.

My theory is…it is because I followed all the high tech directions and didn’t use my own gardening instinct, since the “Do you know how much that cost?” question kept coming to my ears. Okay, the husband only said that once, but still…it ticked me off. I’m going to look at the yard tomorrow in a fresh light, so to speak. If those bare spots are still in the yard, I’m going to go into town and get my tried and true grass seed that only costs 3.89 for a ten lb. bag. (Instead of the last seed that also came with a BIONIC price tag of 10.00 for 3lbs!

Posted on

Wanting a wood stove and mantle

My passion for fire places and beautiful wood burning stoves,  stems from my great grandma, my Nana and my Mom. My kids are the same way in which they love the warmth and ambiance of the fire. Each has been taught to know their wood and how each kind burns. To chop and stack, then take care of the wood they cut and to also know the value of each kind of wood. While I was “Look Shopping” for a mantle, I came cross some really great links one of which is:  fireplace inserts bay area. Even though I wasn’t from that state, I checked them out. That is when the “look shopping ” turned into  looking in earnest for a stove.

Growing up around wood stoves and fireplaces all of my life means of course, I have my favorite styles and I don’t really believe in electric stoves that don’t have logs that burn. Much to fancy for me, but I know a lot of people who really like them a great a lot. A person doesn’t have to deal with chopping, hauling and then stacking wood. I did see some awesome fireplace mantles that I am taking into consideration.

When looking for wood stoves for sale, I have to figure out how much I want to utilize it into a room. I’m looking forward to some remodeling, decorating and making a homey cozy room.

 

Posted on

Seeds and stones

I always carry a small leather pouch that I put seeds or small stones, feathers and anything else that may strike my fancy that I come across on my walks through fields, lanes and in the forest.

Needless to say, I have collected quite a few items that I NEEDED to bring home. I find this relaxing, and sometimes I get a surprise by the stone being semi precious, or a seed grows some sort of very unique flower or plant.

I have a special place in my house of the gifts Nature has given me. It makes one remember just how small we really are in this Universe.

Posted on

Wind, shingles and neighbors

Wishing the next door neighbors would fix the shingles on their roof is a slight understatement. I stopped wishing and now I’m wanting them to fix the darn things. Or at least put a nail or two down.

Every time we get winds here, the shingles start flying. I think there is a word used instead of shingles, if one wants to get on someones bad list…but that is a different story. I’m just getting really tired of raking tiny bits and pieces up and then having to pick up the big pieces. Sometimes they are whole shingles just blowing off. They always seem to pelt my daughters truck and I’ll be darned if she is going to move it from our own driveway.

I’ve spoken numerous times about the shingles and even about them hitting V’s truck, but it falls on basically deaf ears. I always get the answer, “Yeah, we’ll do that in the Spring.”  Ummm…Stan? Spring is here and we’ve had fantastic weather for a week until this evening, to fix the shingles.

If having money was a problem, I would feel differently and not rant on about this. But I’m sure they can afford a home improvement task like this, and it wouldn’t hurt their pockets. “Stan” tends to brag up what they have, and keeps up with the Jone’s is what he does. But, can’t he see we have a new roof? Okay, so that might not work if he has a new lawn tractor in mind. The one he has is a year old not.

Posted on

From bed skirt to satin pillowcases

It’s ironic that I no more was talking about satin bedding to use in the RV, I got online and found beloved Satin Pillowcases. I love then if I’m going to be unable to wash and style my hair for a day or so. Satin doesn’t muss one’s hair up, and I read somewhere that it’s actually good to make hair shinier and well behaved. I just like them because my hair is super long and yet it’s layered a lot, and sometimes I wake up looking like Medusa. Satin in my book is great for the hair. My Nana and Aunt, not to mention my mother, taught me how to use satin pillowcases when I wanted my hair to “behave.”

While shopping or at least looking for new bedding in my RV, I also decide to get the family another set, since the link I found, has everything they would want, and the prices are really good on the pocketbook. I even found the right colors of Bed Skirts, that everyone would approve of and like. Then I turned myself in to decorator and started concentrating on the RV, and what I wanted to do with it.

I looked at the Mattress Covers, and found exactly what I would need for the individual sleeping spaces. I don’t sleep on satin sheets in the RV or at home. I use the satin pillow trick,  usually when I go away in the RV to do family stuff. But I’m here to say that all of the items I have found now, in just one place, shopping right here at home, plus being able to write, makes me happy. And the satin lovers in my family, are going to be happy campers also, now.

 

Posted on

New bedding decor for RV

Am thinking about doing some home improvement in the RV. I use it as an escape to write, listen to my kind of music and just enjoy the fact that I own nice, comfortable and inviting things around me and to be honest, everyone knows that I need a break from it all now and then, and all I have to do is tell the family I’m going on a road cruise. They know that I’ll be in the RV but not going anywhere.

I am in the the RV right now, and sitting here, I notice the family has more respect for this and keep it nice too. Unlike how they act in the house, unfortunately. Since I bought this myself, my husband respects that it’s my escape. When we go on family trips or what ever, it is “ours.”  When it pulls into this drive way, my RV has turned back into my peace of mind and spirit.

I sleep in the master bedroom, and I have thought out what I want to do, and I’m sticking with the satin bedding in all of the sleeping places. In the summer the family insist that the satin bedding keeps them cool. I don’t sleep on satin sheets, but I do know my thread count in bedding. 😉 I’m going to have my own choice of sheets and stuff. Along with getting more homey stuff for the living room space. I’m looking for sites. I guess thinking turned into wanting to shop, which will turn into a new look for the RV and cooler family.

Posted on

Finally Spring

It’s going to be a good day when I wake up. At 12:00 am it turned Spring. It seems like even though we had a mild winter, that Spring was teasing us when it got unseasonably nearly really, warm.

Today I did inventory of my yard. What I knew what would come up, and where. What I needed to move and transplant them in their new homes. It was good to get out and not be cold, as it was 82 degrees outside today.

Now comes Spring cleaning and making new spaces. Time for lots of home improvements and self improvements also. At least in my case.