Waiting For My Ya Ya

Good morning friends,

Well, it's another cool day here and it's raining which is great for my new plantings but doesn't do much to lift my spirits.

I'm ready to get some bulbs ordered for fall planting so that I can have more color in the spring. Some tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, etc for along the flagstone steps, a bunch of different groundcovers for the hill to kill and some things for the cottage cutting garden that will go into the backyard next year.

My dr. appt with the gyn is this afternoon and I hope it's all good news. The incision is about 1/2 healed so I think one more week will do it. I will update all of you as soon as I know what the scoop is. After the dr., it's off to grab a quick dinner and then go to the Buckwheat Zydeco show this evening. I'm so excited but I know I'll want to dance. I'll just have to settle for the slower tunes lol!! I have a review to write of the show and hope to get some good pictures and an autograph but we'll see how it all shakes out.

What are the rest of you up today???

A Day in the Gardens

Hello friends,

After 2 weeks of non-stop rain and then a week of temps near 100, my yards has gotten the best of me so the lawn was mowed, trimmed, and weeds pulled today. Thought you might like to take a gander:

I decided to cut some of the larger sedum and propagate some plants throughout other areas of the yard.

These bushes are coming out in the fall; in the meantime I've been cutting them back as much as possible. A shade garden will go in their place.


I'm trying to get the rest of this area filled in with hostas. They look so nice around the birch tree.
I bought this garden stake at the Benson Days craft fair. Kind of looks like green M & M's doesn't it?


Zinger needed some fresh air so she supervised.

Honeysuckle vine along the back fence.

Part of the lily garden; it has really taken off this year.

Growing Love

Hello friends,

I have not fallen off the face of the earth, I promise. I've merely been busy with finals prep, the house, and the gardens. I wish I could say crochet as well but the hooks will be coming out this weekend!!!!!

I planted and transplanted hostas and ferns, trimmed the bushes in the front a bit and will be more ruthless this weekend when I have more time, moved some irises, cleared an area by the curb and put some of the seed balls and zinnia seeds down there.

Last year the neighborhood kids cut all of the irises the same day they bloomed. This year, I'm planting something that they can cut and take to lol!!! I remember all too well wanting to pick a flower in my grandmother's gardens and her getting bent out of shape. I don't care if they pick one or two of the irises, but leave me a few to enjoy!!! So I'll be moving those closer to the house.

I still have the striped grass to plant and cannas to get into the ground but I'll save the cannas for this weekend since the area they go into requires a bit of amending the soil.

I got an 83% on the chapter final today which makes me pretty proud given how much I've struggled.

My next big crochet project is to try to replicate the center of this casino rug in the form of a wall hanging. I think it could be done by using a round ripple pattern (which I've never done before) and making heart motifs to attach in each corner and then devising a border. I'm going to attempt anyway. If any of you crocheters out there have suggestions for me, I'd love to hear them! In the meantime, I have a baby blanket, scarf, and afghan to finish.

We'll be painting the dining room this weekend, working in the gardens, grilling out, enjoying friends, and just hanging out. I'll post pics here once the painting is done. I want to put borders up but haven't yet found what I want - I'm looking for something that will give a tea room feel, even something with teacups in the design. I thought Mary Engelbreit had a wallpaper line, but all I can find are the wallies and not many of those. I'm open for suggestions if you know any good wallpaper vendors.

That's what I've been up to. What about you??