Category: Outdoors

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Weekend mini vacation

The kids and I are planning on going to Devils lake this weekend. Contrary to the name, the lake doesn’t have grass around much of the lake, and it’s probably the only lake I will actually go swimming in. I have an aversion to seaweed and mucky bottoms, so since this lake has (as far as I’ve noticed) a hard packed sandy bottom.

I think my kids are looking forward to this little mini vacation. It’s going to be nice to get away for a little while, go swimming and just kick back. Usually we rent a small speed boat or a pontoon boat for a day, to go out and meander around the lake, then visit a favorite restaurant that is on the point, which we actually have to dock up to.

So far there has been a unanimous vote that we are leaving early on Friday morning, but I’m thinking that the kids won’t be ready until early afternoon. This generally is always the case. I don’t care, I just want to park myself on the beach and enjoy my time relaxing.

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Bamboo fencing and outdoor fountians theme

While looking for various theme ideas for the section of my back yard that I would like to make in to my own personal outdoor space, I came across bamboo fencing. I had never even thought to look at that type of fencing before, and I really like how it looks. I’ve always wanted a sort of tropical look in my gardens, and when I decided to make my own sitting area to meditate, read and just be alone, I wanted to fence it in, but none of the fencing I looked at was what I wanted.

Once I fence in my area, I’ll start putting in plants that look tropical, but can be grown in our area. I also have always wanted a couple of outdoor fountains, because the sound of the water makes for a really relaxing setting. I’d love to have moss as my ground cover also, but that is a project I have to work on and see if I can grow it. I’ve been looking at various fountains and I’d love to have matching ones, that have a flat back so I can put one on two sides of my fenced in area.

I’m really looking forward to this project, now that I’ve found the perfect fencing for it to come together. I know it’s going to take time, and will no doubt cost quite a few dollars to get perfect, but for serenity and relaxation, it will be well worth it.

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Late seed and plant shopping

Today, my mom, daughter and I went late seed shopping. It’s not really late, since our growing season last into fall, but it’s sometimes iffy to plant late like this. Still, mom knew of some stores that had seeds really cheap and if I don’t use them this year, I’ll use them next year. Unless seeds are a few years old, I don’t pay much attention to the expiration dates. I keep them in air tight and water resistant containers, so I’ve never had a problem with them growing.

Tomorrow we’re going to take my mom out for dinner for Father’s Day. She doesn’t want me to spend my money on this and wanted to cook us dinner. That is just the way she is. Today I bought her some great inside plants that she’ll get tomorrow. It was hard to get them into the cart and paid for, then into the trunk of the car without her seeing them, but I had my daughter distract her. Actually, mom has eyes behind her head and doesn’t miss a trick, so she no doubt saw them or had an idea that I got them for her. She’ll act surprised though.

My garden here is starting to look really nice and I’ve been working on my son and my bale garden. It’s fun and interesting to see how well the veggies are going to do planting this way, since we’ve never done it. I’m getting a lot of advice from my friend Lindsay though. It’s been a long day, I’m tried after walking all over today. I’m looking forward to scattering s0me seeds tomorrow though in a spot I dug up along the sidewalk.

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Pool and Spa service

This time of year, everyone either has their pool ready to fill or may need repairs done, and my daughter was telling me that her husband had been looking into True-Blue-Pool-And-Spa.com to do the repair work on their built in swimming pool. When they bought their new home, of course they knew that the pool would need some minor repair to get it ready to be filled for summer fun. He owns his own concrete company and was able to get the walkways around the pool finished, but after realizing that he would not be able to repair the pool and then put in the liner himself, he decided to look into the professionals to do this.

The kids have been really patient for the pool to get finished, an it has to be kind of hard on them seeing the pool every day and not being able to swim in it, but they know it will be great once it’s repaired and since there is a heating system for the pool, they also know that this will extend their swimming season a lot longer. True Blue Pool and Spa has a wide array of services available for the pool owner and I personally would want someone to maintain my pool, as no matter how hard I have tried, I have never been able to keep my water clean for extended periods of time. I think it is less expensive for someone who is a professional to do this, and it would save money in the long run.

Summer is my family’s favorite time of year, so we are all swimmers and love the water. I enjoy the fact that we don’t have to pack up all kinds of swimming gear and things to have a cook out at the lakes, unpack it and then pack it all up again. I have a feeling that my daughter is going to really enjoy her pool once it is repaired and filled. Judging from what my son in law told me, it won’t take too long for this to be done. They will all be swimming in no time!

 

 

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Chaining rain with rain chains

Never having heard of rain chains except for in something I had read while leafing through a garden magazine a while ago, I decided I’d research them and find out what they were and what they were used for. This was a few years ago, and now I love the ones I have and I indeed want to get more of them, and also more accessories that go with them.

A rain chain is a unique way of catching rain water and sort of recycling it. That is the best way I can describe them. There are really pretty designs and add a great deal of flair and also an old world sort of decoration in the gardens and on porches, decks and sitting areas. Anywhere actually, one would like to catch rain water.

These items chain rain and then the water goes down into a basin or even into a plant to save the water or to water a plant that needs it. I have quite a few now, and so many people have commented on them, that every now and then I will buy a nice rain chain and basin to give as a gift to someone who has come over and was genuinely interested in them. They do make great and also handy gifts. I love to shop for them.

 

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An outing for fur kid and I

Deciding to take my dog and buddy Jasper for a walk in the forest and around the farm today. It really was a great experience. I found loads of great asparagus and picked some early berries.

In the forest we walked and explored. Jasper loved flushing out all kinds of little critters, and had a good time just barking at them a couple of times. He’d never ever run them down or harming them. Just a flush out and a couple barks is enough for him.

I packed a light lunch that we shared. My fur kid enjoys the same odd sandwiches I eat and also raw veggies and fruit, so he and I both ate, then I had to feed the hogs and steer. Jasper wasn’t into that and decided to look at all the new kittens we have in the barn. It was a really peaceful and calm day. I love nature. The weather was perfect and I indeed had the best companion ever with me.

 

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Outdoor patio heaters are awesome

When my sister got married, she and her husband wanted to have the wedding outside, with tents set up for the guests and food, but they also wanted to get outdoor patio heaters, which to me are awesome to have. My sister wanted to buy them so they could sit out on the patio in evenings that got a bit chilly. She figured also that since our family are always celebrating one event or another, we actually all wanted to go in together to get these heaters, since we no doubt would be borrowing them if needed for a big get together.

I have liked these patio heaters because though I don’t know too much about them, I do know that when we built our deck/patio, I wanted to get a small heater right away. We did a lot of shopping, and comparing prices. We changed our minds at least twenty times also. Not to mention the fact that I would like one kind and my husband wanted another. Personally, just to be fair, I don’t care really what make it is, as long as I am warmed by the machine, it isn’t too pricy and it lasts.

I’m thinking that by buying a couple of the outdoor patio heaters, we’re going to be happy with them, especially after night time swimming. Even in the summer, for the most part the evenings and into the night time, it gets a bit chilly now and then.

 

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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.

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Seed catalog jackpot

Today when the mail man came, I went out to get the mail and thought I had hit the seed catalog jackpot! It really was a surprise. At first I thought my box was just filled with junk and the kid’s magazines, or my husbands junk mail. In actuality, among a few bills and some college info for the kids, there were eight new seed catalogs!

I’m sure the neighbors are used to me jumping up and down in the middle of the road either in total happiness and glee, or in ticked off anger if I get junk mail or a bill that I already paid and am battling about. But all day I’ve been in such a down and sad type mood, that I guess I really did the happy dance pretty well, because my neighbor came out and asked if I had won Publishers Clearing House or something similar. LOL!

Nope, simple seed catalogs were enough for me today, along with a mega hug from my daughter, to make the day much better. I have some work to do tonight, but ya’ll can bet that after I do what I have to do, I’ll be pouring through the catalogs and making lists, dog earring pages, circling prices and drooling over various flowers, herbs, plants, and garden plans!

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Irises are showing green

My Irises are poking their head out of the earth I noticed today. Must say, in this zone they are a bit early, but then with the weather the way it is, nothing is surprising me at all. I love my Irises. I have a full “fence” of them and always have extra’s to share with friends and family. Sometimes I can even barter with them. I love to barter. It’s good for both parties involved.

When I saw the  Irises, naturally I had to check out all of the gardens for signs of new greenery. I see that my Valerian is starting to pop it’s heads out a wee bit, and even my chives are showing theirs, if one looks close enough. I couldn’t cut my sage down last fall, so as soon as it gets a bit warmer outside, I’ll cut it way back and get all the dead branches and leaves off of it. The sage grows really fast for me, so I’m not too worried if I cut it down a great deal.

I’m still keeping an eye our for the dandiflowers…okay, dandelions as everyone else calls them. Two years ago, on Jan. 29th, in the middle of a snow storm my youngest son brought me in a dandiflower, after he shook the snow off of it. I couldn’t believe it. How strange is that. I of course pressed it in one of my heavy herbal books, and marked the page with a note that it was from my son for my birthday. What an awesome birthday present in January!