Living in the city of Nashville, I do not have a large space for a garden but I still want to have some fresh vegetables available to me. I have planted a couple of tomato plants in pots and some pepper plants in a couple of planter boxes just to have some produce available to me. My tomato plants are blooming and are growing rapidly. Just being able to grow a little garden is a great way to enjoy life and spend some time in the yard that I would not get to do with-out my little garden.
Time to pull up the flowers
Today I have to go outside and pull up all the flowers and vines that I planted and then put down some winter mulch so the soil will be easy to turn next spring. I’m not looking forward to doing this, since it makes me sort of sad. We’ve had some beautiful weather this October, but I have a feeling that the winter is going to be bitter cold.
I have leaves in the yard that have blown in from other people’s yards. Makes for not only my maple’s leaves to rake, but every one else’s in the neighborhood too!
I miss the kids being small and playing in the leaves while I rake. Even the grand kids are too old to do this they think, so it’s just me and the dogs to tumble and play! At least the with the dogs out playing with me, it makes it so I don’t look like a crazy adult playing in leaves by myself!
Early Fall
Waking up this morning, I literally was shivering and had to turn on the furnace to get the chill out of the air. Looking out the back yard, I could see what I thought was frost on the grass. Of course, I didn’t go outside to check it out, but this 53 degree weather is a far cry from the 110 degree weather of two days ago. I’m not looking forward to the weather changing cold.
With the fall, come my favorite holiday, Halloween! The stores aren’t wasting any time getting the Halloween displays out either. They started that last month. There is even a Halloween store that opened up in town before the kids were back in school.
Time to start my projects! I should have started on costumes a long time ago, instead of figuring I had more than enough time. I’m mainly sticking to making masks and a costume or two for those who have already commissioned me. So much to do and so little time.
Cherry Tomatoes and No Sun
I’m sad readers. I have planted cherry tomatoes again and they just aren’t getting the sun that they need to turn red. There are plenty of little green tomatoes on the cherry tomato vines, and the other tomatoes I planted was a type of cherry, but more like a husky one. To me…they would just be an in between cherry tomato and beef steak! LOL!
I suppose I could use what doesn’t turn red on the cherry t’s vine as mini fried green tomatoes. I’ve not ever looked it up or heard of anyone making these bite size snacks, which I actually am in love with. But I’m going to try it. Maybe “husky” fried green tomatoes are in order not also!
Summer seems to have hit us for about a week of real summer days. I loved it. But now…judging from my plants…not just the tomatoes, the prices of the produce will double in the cost this year, like beef has in the last two. Just my take on it folks!
AC problems
Go figure, this week has been the hottest and most humid weeks we’ve had so far this summer and the air conditioning unit went on the fritz. Normally in my younger days, I could handle the heat and wasn’t bothered with it at all, but now…not so much.
To say everyone is rather miserable, despite of fans in the windows and the floor and ceiling fans it feels like they are just moving the hot air around. The heating and air conditioning guy is booked solid and can’t get out here until this coming Monday. Umm, a bit late I would say, considering the heat index will no doubt drop by then. At least we are all hoping so.
In the mean time, I’m drinking plenty of iced tea and water, and my son and I are putting ice cubes in the dogs water. Everyone is kind of irritable including myself. I just keep thinking about when we didn’t have an AC and how we coped with it. People have dealt with this issue a long time ago, and didn’t have an air conditioner so, if we must we must.
Tree branch clean up
For the last week we’ve had super hot and humid weather with lots of storms coming in. With those storms came a very loud and rather scary thunder symphony and a light show like you wouldn’t believe. The lightning was even going side ways across the sky. It also did a lot of damage to the big maple tree I have in the back yard, bordering the field line.
After a HUGH booming roll of thunder I looked outside in time to see my tree get struck by lightning. It was fascinating yet frightening to see. One of the main branches was struck and down it came. After the storm we went outside and looked at the damage, and it wasn’t quite enough for the tree to have to be cut to the ground, but it does look a bit worse for wear and has a bald spot right in the middle.
There is a lot of clean up to do, with not only chopping up and drying out the big branch so it can be burned, but also other limbs from the various trees and shrubs, that had wind damage and fell. Looks like we’re going to have a bon fire when these storms are over with.
Summer or Fall
When I should be doing things in the gardens and also sprucing up the rest of the yards and patio, for the last four days, I’ve been stuck in the house because of the cold, damp and rain. It’s kind of a bummer.
Of course there are lots of things to do inside. I’m trying to find carpet that I like for the living room, the exact paint color I want also. I just haven’t gotten up the Ommph to do any of this, because it’s so dismal outside. I did however have the furnace cleaned out, since I had to actually turn on the furnace because it reached the low of 52 inside, and that is way too cold for me.
Hopefully we will have a proper summer, but if this weather right now is any indication of what we are actually in for, I’m not going to be a happy camper. I should go back to Florida with my daughter when she has to leave next week.
More changes and improvement
Being somewhat satisfied that the inside improvements are coming along on the house until fall, I’ve moved onto my projects for the outside. I have lots of ideas, but don’t want something that can’t be finished in a short amount of time. I’ve considered a walk way in the back yard to the pool instead of walking through the yard. It’s a pain in the you know when the grass has just been cut and even though it’s raked we still get bits of grass in the pool. Yes, despite of a foot bath bucket to dip feet in before going into the pool. (This still isn’t the best way to go).
I saw a really awesome walkway while browsing the inter net yesterday. It was on a timeline, and I thought it was really beautiful. A lot of planning and work, but still unique and a work of art in it’s self. I also collect rocks and stones. I have even when I was young. This project I would have had to start as soon as it got warm enough outside though. And since I just found this photo, I may have to wait for this one. But I do want a walk way so perhaps after we get a plain one down, I’ll at least have a base of sorts.
An Organic Lawn Care Service
As the years go by, I can’t count the amount of money I’ve put in to my gardens and lawn. I’m having problems with the back yard and the grass that is growing back there. A friend of mine told me about TruNatural Organic Lawn Care Service that she had used and I wanted to get the info about it. While checking out the site, I must admit that I was and still am totally impressed!
I was worried if I hired a lawn care service that there would be chemicals and treatments that could harm the family and our pets, but with an organic lawn care service, this particular one anyway, the products are certified by the EPA, which gives me the peace of mind I need. Various lawns need different kinds of care and TruNatural offers it all!
Professionals actually are doctors for your lawn and unlike doctors today, these professionals make house calls! I think that statement kind of says it all, considering I know my lawn isn’t up to par and needs help. It just doesn’t look as green and lush and it’s supposed to be. There are literal plans that meet my lawns certain needs and since I don’t know what exactly it needs, I’ve decided it’s well worth the time asking lots of questions and also worth the money that I’ll actually be saving with an honest service instead of one that just does the minimum for my lawn but charges a fortune. It indeed is worth checking this service out!
Months are flying by
It seems like it was December just yesterday and I was shopping for Christmas gifts. Now we are about to welcome in June and my goodness the months seem to be flying by. My youngest daughter will be coming home for her birthday on the 26th and will stay for a month before she has to leave and go back to Florida and work. I’m glad she was able to take the time off and it will be so great seeing her and hugging her, hanging out and just having her around again.
As I welcome in June, I’ve noticed that all the flower seeds and other plants I put in the ground after Mother’s Day are coming up nicely and the annuals I have are in full bloom! Yes, its starting to look like a garden again!
I have a lot of home improvement projects going on also. From flag stone for the patio, to new flooring in the living room and bathroom. Also the job of finishing the living room paint job and buying new curtains and adding some decor that matches the whole thing. It’s been a busy few months but worth it!