My Chippy Door!

This is my chippy door - it leads to the cellar at my garden. I don't like that cellar, it is dark, damp and I imagine all kinds of creepy crawlies living down there. However it does have it's use. To store squash, potatoes, pumpkins, onions etc. But I still don't like it. I might if a tornado came along, AND I was down in the garden but mostly I just don't like it - until my good friend Jackie said "Put a wreath on it". Of course decorate it, why hadn't I thought of that? But it worked - it made that creepy ole cellar something of a work or art. Yes, I think I like my cellar now.

The 'garden'

This year I OWN my garden vs renting the ground that we have done previously. So with pen and paper in hand, big dreams, gardening books and sad to say little to no money I couldn't wait to get my 3 1/2 acres set up for gardening. Then the weather set in cold, wet and WET! With most of the soil a very non draining clay I couldn't do what I had planned this year and what I did do was a very late start. With the warm weather and nice moisture it is really starting to grow.

Any garden I have HAS to hollyhocks, these are seeds planted from some taken from my mom's home some 25 years ago. They go with me everywhere. And yard art takent fromt he scrap pile. I did say little to no money so I have to work with what I have on hand.

The cream can actually says Kennedy on it - so I guess it's mine for sure!

Started work on the playhouse. Can you see it in the background? Squash........that's the color I started painting it. Just seems like a pumpkin patch and fall lover would need a nice sounding color like SQUASH!!

Someday it will have real paned windows, a split door and beadboard but for now, one side is painted, has a faux window and a little window box.

My corn wasn't  knee high by the 4th of July, unless you were looking at one of my little grannie's legs but it was knee high by the 14th of July. That counts doesn't it?

PUMPKINS!!

The new fence that Jeff is putting up around the garden.

My birthday present from Twila, in the little kid's flower bed. BEEautiful!

More PUMPKINS! I did get them in a little late but then, I think they should be just perfect around Halloween - hope they make lots of pumpkins for the little kiddos around the town!

That's the end of my garden walk, maybe a little later in the season we will do it again and see what's growing.

Springing

So glad to be back blogging. I have been gone for awhile as I just haven't been able to get pictures to download to the blog,  like talking with your hands, I can't write without a picture. Spring is springing nicely in my neck of the woods, my pepper plants are looking good, much better than in this photo as it was taken two weeks ago. Everything in my little greenhouse was looking pretty darn nice UNTIL 35 mph winds smashed into the sides of the greenhouse. Everything was dumped and I mean DUMPED upside down on the ground. I salvaged a lot of stuff but my seed packets that were taped to the sides, the ones showing what was planted in the pots, were knocked off. Hope I can recognize the plant by  it's leaves :0) I can figure out the veggies, the marigolds, the petunias but the larkspur; lavender and those types of plants I might have trouble with.

So part of my garden got a good plowing and then Jeff ran the spring tooth over it. I just wanted to get my home grown fertilizer (horse poo) tilled into the ground before I till and plant. I need to get photos of the tree belt that we spent all day Sat. getting trimmed up. I can't wait to get my little building moved down, painted and grass planted.

Been a busy month for April and May is on our heels. At Fort Rob we have the History Conference; school visits; Mother's Day Buffet; Free Park Day, Training  and then opening day coming up, should keep me busy. I plan on visiting baby Lu next week. Can't wait to see him as it has been over a month and little guys like him don't stay little very long.

So till next time.........keep on springing Spring!

Dreamin'

I couldn't sleep last night, my mind kept wondering over to my little greenhouse and visions of summer danced in my head. All of my little seedlings are up and despite the cold outside they are all snug in their warm little home growing and changing. I just can't wait for some beautiful weather and the soil to warm enough to get my finger dirty. Here's a little walk in last year's garden.

Emma in the Patch!

My beautiful little Emma Jean got to come to the pumpkin patch this weekend. She is just such a natural beauty and I love, love, love to spend time with her. And she does a great job of posing for grandma.

Grandma has loved this pumpkin that grew in the corn field and I try talking everyone into picking it but no one dose. That's ok....I use it as a prop.

Nope, this it the pumkin that emma picked......a green little pumpkin so smal and so green it was hidden in amongst the weeds and dead leaves. One of the beauties of having so many pumpkins is you can pick big, small, green, orange - just anything you like.

Here she is again getting a photo on the wagon. It was such a beautiful day for pumpkin picking. Emma got to play with some of her cousins and then made some new friends who came to the Patch.

Her dad is helping her look for a pumpkin for her little brother Bateson.

Here she is with her little green pumpkin - it is a really cute pumpkin.

Jaxon and Preston wanted their picture taken with Emma too!

We are so looking forward to next week, we will carve all of our pumpkins and we have a ton. TOn Saturday we will gert our costumes on for the Halloween parade, go trick or treating around the town and also do a family photo shoot. On Sunday our whole family is getting dressed up to go around town to trick or treat. I am like a little kid in a candy shop.

Happy Week To All!

Take Me Out To The ........... Garden!

My little greenhouse is just bursting with color and ready to be planted in the garden but looking at the forecast I think we had better spend a little more time inside.

No, I didn't plant all of these pretty blooming flowers, just a few, the rest I bought and now we are waiting, waiting, waiting, for some warmer weather.

 I like to shop early and get the plants just as they come into the store and then keep them in my little greenhouse. I have just a few things that I planted for myself as I procrastinated about getting seeds, dirt, etc.  However, whenever I am around a greenhouse I stop and shop and then bring them home for some TLC. Some I plant in large pots so they get a good start on the season.


I did plant some true blue Forget-me-nots as recommended by my blogging buddies after this post. Remember it? Not sad...just feeling blue!  I have all these beautiful almost blue flowers blooming but not any really blue, and thanks to many comments I found the true blue flower. Can't wait to see it blooming. They sure are looking good in the greenhouse.

Here they are my little blue buddies........my fingers are just itching to get them into the ground. We will be good and wait for warmer weather. I promise!

Hope everyone is enjoying the spring days! Happy Gardening All!

Day Dreamin'

Now that the weather is starting to warm up my daydreams, thoughts are going to remodeling my old gargage into my Cottage Garden Studio. I have been dreaming about this for many a year and because of my back problems have had to put it on the back burner for some time. But now, a year after back surgery, I am ready to put my back into it,  so to speak, and get to work. I have a file of photos and ideas that I have been collecting for inspiration plus some wonderful finds to decorate with when I am done. My husband calls it junk but I say "One man's junk is one woman's treasures"!! Ok, the saying isn't exactly like that but in my house it pertains to my hubby and myself.

 

I just love the scroll work on the eve's of this little studio I found on the BH&G website. And the bright splash of red really catches my eye. How about that cute little wicker chair sitting by the door along with a braided rug. I could just see myself sitting out there enjoying my garden. I missed a chance to buy a set of white wicker furniture, two chairs, loveseat, and small table for a little of nothing on our local swap shop. Boy was I bummed!

And the architectual windows just make this little structure absolutely one of my favorites. I also like the french doors on the front. I do have have a pair of those hiding in my 'junk' pile to put on the end of my studio. I love the boxwood surrounding the plants with the birdbath as a focal point. And the old picket fence..I have some of that stored too.

Put I also like the doors on this shed. I think cutting them in half would just be adorable. I love pale yellow in the garden, it just blends in so well. Take a look at that bright yellow water pump. I have one of those too, my hubby painted it red but I'm likin' that yellow.

And how about a shovel for a doorknob? Wouldn't that just add to the whimsy?

Oh - I just can't wait to get started!

Happy Spring Days to all my blogging buddies! May your daydreams come true!