Whew!
Not only is this a long post, but, I'm very tired and my arthritis is Flaring something horrible right now, however, the seeds are sown and Dahlia tubers are planted! Happy Dance! (Y'all can do it for me since I'm in no shape to be shaking my groove thing right now).
Since the container re-arranging both out front & in the yard was finished in the last week or so (Hubby helped with all of the heavy lifting & moving without my having to ask!), pretty much everything is done, aside from a few odds & ends, so now I can wait and watch things bloom. (Along with watering & fertilizing as needed, of course).
Really, it's a bit strange to be... done.
Huh.
Anyhoo, here's my gardening 'down-low' (prepare yourselves!)~
Annuals & perennials:
I made my own perennial & annual seed mix for the Dogwood raised bed using 3 different Wildflower seed packets & 1 perennial mix packet plus: Purple Coneflower, Blue Columbine, Johnny Jump Ups Viola's, Cleome, Black & Brown Eyed Susans, Zinnia's (Candy Cane Mix, Envy, Enchantress Rose & Lilliput), Petunia's (mixed colors), Mexican Sunflower and Vinca (Little Choice Mix). I may have thrown in some Bachelor's Buttons too. (Right now, I don't remember, lol!)
Veggies:
Organic Kellogg's Beefsteak Tomato's, Rutgers Tomato's, Dark Green Zucchini/Squash, Chives, Bloomsdale Longstanding Spinach*, Mixed Colors Swiss Chard*, Tomatillo's* (green tomato's), Heirloom Large Red Cherry Tomato's*, Heirloom Crimson Cushion Beefsteak Tomato's*, Mesclun* salad mix and Petite Orange Marigold's, which are a natural pest repellent for veggies, especially tomato's!
*(Have extra seeds to sow every two weeks until Summer to stagger & extend harvests!)
For the arbor:
Climbing Plant Mix (Morning Glories, Cardinal Climbers, Thunbergia Black Eyed Susans, Nasturtiums and Sweet Pea's), Crimson Rambler Morning Glories and Heavenly Blue Morning Glories.
For some height:
Teddy Bear Sunflowers, Indian Spring Mixed Colors Holly Hocks, Summer Carnival Mixed Colors Hollyhocks and Crackerjack Mixed Colors Marigolds.
Lastly:
True Lavender in one of the porch pots and in a pot underneath the bedroom window.
Yes, I go a wee bit seed crazy every year (LOL!) but it really saves me So Much money! (Especially when every place I bought seeds this year has had them On Sale). And this year I've done even more perennial seeds than usual which will save me all the more in the years to come (as do all of the perennials I've had for so may years already). Total cost of all of these seeds this year? $40. $10 less than last year!
Everything else is coming back nicely and my Bleeding Heart is in Full Bloom now! (Pink, so pretty, an all time fave!) Other established perennials I have: Roses (2 pink, 1 orange/pink/yellow), Hosta, Iris, Butterfly Bushes (purple, white and deep pink), Autumn Joy Sedum, Dianthus (red), Black & Brown Eyed Susans, Lemon Balm, Grape Hyacinths, a Forythia, Early Sunrise Coreopsis, East Friesland Salvia, Purple Ice Plant, Raspberries (red) and Flowering Dogwood. (I've had the Autumn Joy Sedum, Raspberries and Purple Ice Plant for 8 years and the Dianthus for 6!)
Somehow after dinner I was able to bake chocolate cupcakes (using mix from Cherrybrook Kitchen) with fresh made sweetened whipped cream. (Just mix a cup of heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a bowl with a mixer on medium low for 5 minutes (or until it gets a bit frothy) and put in the fridge for 20 minutes to thicken a bit. It's no where near as thick as icing but it's Heavenly and tastes much better!) When in need of comfort food, one finds a way I suppose.
Just got a text from my bff who moved to WA today. They've landed safely in Seattle. I was able to stop by to say goodbye to her last night. Oddly enough, I didn't cry. (Well, until I got home that is!) But I'm glad I didn't since I know how tired and stressed she's been with getting ready for the move. She didn't need me blubbering all over her! I still can't believe she's gone.
Another long time best friend texted me earlier that she's 12 weeks pregnant. I'm so happy for her and her husband. They've been through such heart break in that area of their lives. (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her!)
I feel like I'm standing still, being left behind.
I'm off to bed now though I really need a soak in a tub of hot, soapy water. (I just don't have the energy for it!) Hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great week!
Not only is this a long post, but, I'm very tired and my arthritis is Flaring something horrible right now, however, the seeds are sown and Dahlia tubers are planted! Happy Dance! (Y'all can do it for me since I'm in no shape to be shaking my groove thing right now).
Since the container re-arranging both out front & in the yard was finished in the last week or so (Hubby helped with all of the heavy lifting & moving without my having to ask!), pretty much everything is done, aside from a few odds & ends, so now I can wait and watch things bloom. (Along with watering & fertilizing as needed, of course).
Really, it's a bit strange to be... done.
Huh.
Anyhoo, here's my gardening 'down-low' (prepare yourselves!)~
Annuals & perennials:
I made my own perennial & annual seed mix for the Dogwood raised bed using 3 different Wildflower seed packets & 1 perennial mix packet plus: Purple Coneflower, Blue Columbine, Johnny Jump Ups Viola's, Cleome, Black & Brown Eyed Susans, Zinnia's (Candy Cane Mix, Envy, Enchantress Rose & Lilliput), Petunia's (mixed colors), Mexican Sunflower and Vinca (Little Choice Mix). I may have thrown in some Bachelor's Buttons too. (Right now, I don't remember, lol!)
Veggies:
Organic Kellogg's Beefsteak Tomato's, Rutgers Tomato's, Dark Green Zucchini/Squash, Chives, Bloomsdale Longstanding Spinach*, Mixed Colors Swiss Chard*, Tomatillo's* (green tomato's), Heirloom Large Red Cherry Tomato's*, Heirloom Crimson Cushion Beefsteak Tomato's*, Mesclun* salad mix and Petite Orange Marigold's, which are a natural pest repellent for veggies, especially tomato's!
*(Have extra seeds to sow every two weeks until Summer to stagger & extend harvests!)
For the arbor:
Climbing Plant Mix (Morning Glories, Cardinal Climbers, Thunbergia Black Eyed Susans, Nasturtiums and Sweet Pea's), Crimson Rambler Morning Glories and Heavenly Blue Morning Glories.
For some height:
Teddy Bear Sunflowers, Indian Spring Mixed Colors Holly Hocks, Summer Carnival Mixed Colors Hollyhocks and Crackerjack Mixed Colors Marigolds.
Lastly:
True Lavender in one of the porch pots and in a pot underneath the bedroom window.
Yes, I go a wee bit seed crazy every year (LOL!) but it really saves me So Much money! (Especially when every place I bought seeds this year has had them On Sale). And this year I've done even more perennial seeds than usual which will save me all the more in the years to come (as do all of the perennials I've had for so may years already). Total cost of all of these seeds this year? $40. $10 less than last year!
Everything else is coming back nicely and my Bleeding Heart is in Full Bloom now! (Pink, so pretty, an all time fave!) Other established perennials I have: Roses (2 pink, 1 orange/pink/yellow), Hosta, Iris, Butterfly Bushes (purple, white and deep pink), Autumn Joy Sedum, Dianthus (red), Black & Brown Eyed Susans, Lemon Balm, Grape Hyacinths, a Forythia, Early Sunrise Coreopsis, East Friesland Salvia, Purple Ice Plant, Raspberries (red) and Flowering Dogwood. (I've had the Autumn Joy Sedum, Raspberries and Purple Ice Plant for 8 years and the Dianthus for 6!)
Somehow after dinner I was able to bake chocolate cupcakes (using mix from Cherrybrook Kitchen) with fresh made sweetened whipped cream. (Just mix a cup of heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and a 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a bowl with a mixer on medium low for 5 minutes (or until it gets a bit frothy) and put in the fridge for 20 minutes to thicken a bit. It's no where near as thick as icing but it's Heavenly and tastes much better!) When in need of comfort food, one finds a way I suppose.
Just got a text from my bff who moved to WA today. They've landed safely in Seattle. I was able to stop by to say goodbye to her last night. Oddly enough, I didn't cry. (Well, until I got home that is!) But I'm glad I didn't since I know how tired and stressed she's been with getting ready for the move. She didn't need me blubbering all over her! I still can't believe she's gone.
Another long time best friend texted me earlier that she's 12 weeks pregnant. I'm so happy for her and her husband. They've been through such heart break in that area of their lives. (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her!)
I feel like I'm standing still, being left behind.
I'm off to bed now though I really need a soak in a tub of hot, soapy water. (I just don't have the energy for it!) Hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great week!
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