2026 - Here We Go!

 2026 - Here We Go!!!

The past few years I have completed a yearly BINGO card of goals. I love a list!

I won't lie ... a blank BINGO card is pretty intimidating!

But, pretty exciting too!

The possibilities are endless!

2026 ... Here We Go!!!

Gardening Goals

 Garden Goals

For several years I have been wanting to build my backyard into a gardening haven of vegetables, herbs, and fruits ...

and year after year I fail miserably.

In the coming year, I have decided that I am going to focus on a small doable area. My inspiration comes for this book.

I've been complying the types of vegetables, herbs, and fruits I would like to grow. Along with some garden elements I would like to implement. Then this coming spring it is my thought to establish one garden element at a time. 

Once that garden element is fully established, I will add another ... and so on

Maybe 2026 will be my backyard gardening year!

Front Flower Bed - Mulch and BLING

Front Flower Bed

Mulch and BLING

Thanks to a friend for hooking me up with an app to calculate how much mulch I would need ...

I was off to my local Home Depot to get the required 16 bags of mulch required for the task.

**This post is not an advertisement or a sponsored post**

8:00 a.m. and already hotter than blue blazes!

But I was able to get the mulch spread in no time.

I went with black mulch ... who knew mulch came in so many colors?

I am very happy with the results. Hopefully my hosta plants and hydrangeas will continue to thrive.

A very sweet friend gifted me the cutest solar lite watering can BLING for my front flower bed.

I can now say ... after 3 years ... my front flower bed is now complete.

I love it!!!

Front Flower Bed

 Front Flower Bed

Sweat Equity

As you know my youngest came here Mother's Day weekend and worked his magic. I have been trying to get my front flower bed planted for 3 years now. I even hired someone to do it for me and it still never happened. So, you can imagine how grateful I am that my son came to help me.

Fast forward to June ...

Just in the few weeks since my son cleared and planted my front flower bed the weeds were trying to take over. 

So the weekend before the heatwave began I spent a bit of time laying landscape fabric. It was still a bit warm out but I was very happy with the results.

Yard Man Extraordinaire

 Yard Man Extraordinaire

Yesterday was a wonderful day for a great many reasons but one of those reasons was all of the extraordinary work my youngest son did for me in my yard.

Not only has it been wonderful being with and getting to spend time with my son who drove in from afar to be with me for Mother's Day, he brought his nifty tool bag and know how with him. He worked so hard yesterday and knocked out so many of the yard projects on my ever growing list of yard projects.

I have been trying to get my front flower bed planted for over three years. This flower bed is hard as concrete clay soil. Impossible to dig through with a shovel.

A rented garden tiller from Home Depot proved extremely helpful in preparing the soil for planting.

Endless Summer Hydrangeas

From the beginning I wanted to plant hydrangeas but then thought I should plant mountain laurel or azaleas on the advise of others.

At the end of the day, I'm thrilled that I got the hydrangeas that I really really really wanted.  

The hostia plants from my aunt's yard in Ohio were replanted for better spacing.

My son's nifty bag of tools

I didn't get a before picture ... but you couldn't see my shed for the over growth of saplings and underbrush.

A dead tree from my neighbor's yard fell into my yard months ago. Thinking ... incorrectly ... that my neighbor would take care of the issue, the dead tree laid in my yard for months. My son was able to get the tree cut up and moved to the curb to be picked up by the city.

My son planted the hydrangeas, hung the hose minder, detangled and connected the hose. I am amazed with all of the work he was able to complete in one day.

I'm so blessed and happy with all of his hard work.

What a gift.

Searching For Spring

 Searching for Spring

As winter continues, I look to my kitchen window garden for signs of spring, growth, and renewal.

This plant was recently given to me from a friend a play mahjongg with.

I rooted this little guy. I have no idea what kind of plant it is. At my office there is a plant that no one has been taking care of. It had several limbs that were drooping over the side. I trimmed all of those limbs and kept one root and plant.

I just repotted my jade plant. This little plant has flourished beyond belief.

For whatever reason, this jade plant love the kitchen window.

Kitchen Window Shelf

 Kitchen Window Shelf

I was able to take some time off from Christmas through to the New Year. I'm glad I was able to really relax and unplug. I needed the break.

While relaxing at home I spent a lot of time in my sewing room, I read two books, got a few chores on my list completed, and just puttered around. It was beyond lovely.

While puttering I spent some time cleaning my kitchen window shelf and pampering my plants. While at my son's house for Thanksgiving my daughter-in-law gifted me two more plants for my kitchen window shelf.

All of the plants pictured above were gifted to me. I've had the violet for more than a few years and it needed some new dirt and a bit of a trim. I hope it will survive my "pampering".

This window shelf and the plants on it make everyday a bit brighter for me and brings me lots of joy and happiness.

Putting the Garden to Bed

 Putting the Garden to Bed

A late afternoon storm with wind knocked down the sunflowers that were still growing, so I figured it was a good time to clean up my little raised bed garden.

My sister sent me the seeds for these beautiful sunflowers.

The sunflowers did really well and the rosemary bush continues to flourish.

As much as I would like to be as good a gardener as my brother, that's just not the case. I enjoy playing in the dirt but I think I will stick to a few herbs and pretty flowers. 

Summer Time

 Summer Time

Sweet sweet summer time.

I live in an area of the US where we experience all four seasons. We get it all here, really hot and humid too very cold and dry and I love every bit of it.

My sister lives further south and she loves every thing about her little hamlet. My sister has always reminded me to ... "Bloom where you are planted" ... I think she is on to something there. I hope that wherever you are that you are taking the time to look around and soak it all in.

In the spring I planted some sunflower seeds given to me by my sister. I've taken a few photos of those flowers in my backyard.

Enjoy

Playing in the Dirt

 Playing in the Dirt

After work yesterday I re-potted a few plants. As it happens I am taking care of some plants for a friend while she is out of town. All of them looked a bit puny and dehydrated.

Both of these pants are outdoor plants and the dry and hot weather we have had lately has really taken a toll on them.

Even though I have been watering them, they are still really puny.

So I decided to re-pot them. As you can see in the photo above the soil was porous and rock hard. The water just ran right through the pot.

After work I stopped by the local home improvement store and purchased a few flower pots and some potting soil. I purchased enough of both to re-pot a few of my house plants that needed some attention and new soil, as well.

Pictured above are the outdoor plants I am caring for, for my friend while she is out of town.

In the background you can see the small pots that the plants were in when they arrived at my home. I'm hopeful that the new soil and larger pots will perk them up.

Pictured above are my indoor plants that needed some TLC.

The plant in the forefront has been in my kitchen window for years. The leaves were beginning to yellow and it just looked a bit sickly. The plant in the back is from a cutting of a plant where I work. I have my fingers crossed that it will root, survive and flourish.

These are the new hosta plants that my sister brought back from my aunt's garden in Ohio.

Even with the dry weather and heat they seem to be doing well. 

One of the plants has even bloomed.

I enjoyed the evening barefooted and playing in the dirt.

What a great way to enjoy the cicadas song and brighten my spirits. 

Salsa Garden 2024

 Salsa Garden 2024

In November of last year my good friend, Alvin, gave me a raised bed garden knowing that I really would like to be a gardener.

In May my brother got me several bags of dirt to fill up my garden and shortly there after I planted a salsa garden.

Tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, rosemary, basil, and sunflowers.

At this point I realize that I am not much of a gardener. I don't think I have the patience for it. But we will see ...

AFTER - Privacy Fence Rescue

 AFTER

Privacy Fence Rescue

It is completely repaired, pressure washed, and ready for paint in a few days once it dries out a bit. I'm so happy with the results.

It is straight, sturdy, and pressure washed!

Thank you BRO for saving the day ... yet again!

#wearefamily