Best/ worse/ ? did you learn today? #105 visit with friends!

Thanks Tubby, needed that...finally warming up outside..Greg/Mel dropped in on their way to town and I got the what for..heavy work..by 8:05 I was at Atlas Block..got 6 stepping stones, need about 4 more to finish my project..get them next weekend..

Put the table together, NO problem..boy they've got the packaging and tools down pat...now I'm removing sod from around the patio, extending gardens on both side so won't have to cut grass in that area...lots of turf, thank goodness for the back slump in the property..

Looks odd with nothing planted but I keep telling myself I've only until next Saturday when the plant sale is on at the church and I'll have mega things to plant...so patience is a virtue they say, let's see how well I do..

I would imagine by early afternoon I'll be done in so I'll focus on making the birdhouse cafe support and do the drapes then all that will remain for me to do this weekend is sit and enjoy tomorrow near the pond...I think I can do it, yes, surely I can....

I'm sure you will Betty.
Tubby that was priceless. Needed the chuckle..
Quiet weekend here for Norm and I. The kids and grands will be here Monday afternoon for burgers with Papa. I have insisted that Tues be quiet so he can rest. The hospital is 65 miles away from here and we need to be there at 6AM Wed. so we are driving up Tues. night and staying at a hotel close to the hospital. Thank heaven for bonus points earned when he was working!!!
At least that way I know he will rest.
Not much yard work done this year. We are depending on perennials to keep us with some color. Just can't seem to get up the ambition to go out in the heat. My breathing just doesn't like it.
Our grandson will be doing the mowing for a while. We don't know what restrictions Norm will have yet.
Have a great rest of the weekend. and be safe.

Sun is shining and it is supposed to be in the seventies all week!!!

That was a good one Tubby..lol!!

Laura and I were out at one of the local garden centers last week.....Gunera (sp) plants...a bog plant with gigantic leaves....they made a whole series of garden items using the leaves. A set of three leaves were stacked for a fountain, a single leaf ground level bird bath.....small leaves made step stones and they flattened two leaves with points overlapping and made the seat for their garden bench.....If there is anything left over next payday we want to try to make some of these items with the Rhubarb leaves!!!

Have to run for now...Sage has a birthday party to attend and we need to make a few stops on the way.

Taters, do they call you tater salad? No I have been called just taters before. Tate is my maiden name, so taters is everyones nickname.
Betty, I ask the lady how fast it would get there, and she told me 7 to 10 business days, so about 2 weeks. Pretty sad they have to go through all the stuff, just to deliver the mail? Hope you get it soon? You don't have to wait for mine to get there. Any black, white and or red will do!
Have a great week-end everyone!

LK

I guess you never watched the Ron White show or his act from the Blue Collar Comedy. This guy, Ron White, is a big drunk and does a lot of jokes about it, so he said when he got locked up over night, they asked him his name and he said, "THEY CALL ME TATER SALAD". Great drunk response. They are so clever. Not! My dog is better a bit today, so it probably is not Parvo.

I have gophers wreaking havock in my yard and consumeing my plants. grrrrrrr! Usually if I use a lot of jalapeno's in a blender, it goes to another plant, It is not working or I need more. I have a lot of ground to cover.

You know I love my motorcycle B, but if I really got hurt, I'd never ride again, probably.

Going to a Memorial BBQ so got a move.

Have a good day.

This is Shelby and the next is Baily, B.

They are 18 days apart.

You'd never guess either is More Mexican or Latina than any other race. lol Grandma is in the gene pool.

LOL, I love Ron White, but just did not make that connection! LOL
Love the babies, so pretty! Enjoy your BBQ!

LK

Dawn, they are adorable..I'm always looking for young children to sketch..just might have to make an attempt to do so..

Trisha, amazed at what you accomplished today as well..I walked over to Bernice's, omg you should have seen the sight of me, I played outside for 11 hrs. today..unless you saw the before and after you'd never know how hard I worked...

Anyway, reason for going to Bernice's was her Rhubbarb Leaves, large but if I wait until next weekend I should get some mega sized stones..

Hope Trisha, you and Laura at least have enough $$$ left to buy 3 or 4 bags of cement..lol

Greg dropped in, he's been working late every evening and weekends for the last 3 weeks in his yard..Melanie says it's spectacular the way he did a patio with slate around the fireplace he built in the back of the yard..opened up the pool yesterday..think Melanie will get the hint that as her 40th if Friday she'll be having a SURPRISE party on Saturday...nah...nothing to give her a hint...he is away all week so said all has to be done by tomorrow..guess who is getting a new bike..no not me..lol..but Melanie is...

They dropped in to borrow my wet saw to cut some slate, was telling Greg I had a good cry last night..he and Jeff are always telling me that while we are at my burial, there will be a big green garbage box set in the yard to all can be dumped...well as I was driving into town I looked over at Helen's (my friend that died about a month ago) what did I see, yep big green garbage box and about 5 people working throwing things in it..just hit me of what was to come around here..Greg laughed, said not to worry, he'd keep all the tools..brats, that's what I raised..

I'm so sore and tired, guess 18 wheelbarrels of sod I dug up and had to dispose of might have had something to do with it... then laying 6 patio stones, 13 more to come next weekend so I can do a checkerboard design and do gardens right up to it..

So far I've taken the sod out of this garden, all fresh, even planted a few transplants until I get all my plants next weekend so that people won't walk on it and disturb the flower seed just planted..

Spoke to the man next door and asked him if he and his boys could pull the fencing that fell on my side but is his over to his side so I can plant trees..not sure what century that will be done...most likely he knows that I'll get fed up and do it myself....

Now that I've set these 6 in, I'll run 2 rows in checkerboard style to the left of the ones I've already set in..

This area is quite green, starting to see lillies coming out of the ground...can't wait

Trying to decide what kind of tall plant or shrub to put next to my door..

Bernice's hubby Cliff was kind enough to come and mount the birdhouse cafe for me..I found a thick grapevine root and nailed it to the 4x4 and now I have to find a vine do the 4x4's aren't the only thing you see + he made brackets so now they have to be painted..almost think yard duty is a make work project..

Bernice and Cliff are just too kind..when I was visiting Cliff asked if I'd like a coffee..I said no, then Bernice told me I have to start enjoying my days and not just work...so off Cliff went and made us coffee while I took a break in her pretty garden, so many birdies singing us a song...passing by one of her many (15 or so) lilac trees I stopped to smell, but nope, she made me come back, smell again, take a floweret, hold it in my hand and keep smelling the lilac...then she and CLiff came up with a plan...I am to call some friends (can't this week because of Mel's birthday) on a Monday or Tuesday, plan a dinner and luncheon in the garden for the weekend, then plan the menu and with having company coming I'll have to do something other than work..is that a plan or what...lol

Trying to make me stop working but what do they do..yep, give me an entire basket of calla lillies to plant including planting instructions...

I've lilacs of my own to smell, tomorrow I'll cut a bouquet..one side of the arbor is light mauve, the other side is deep purple...

Quite an accomplishment for the day Betty.....it looks wonderful!

Sage was delivered to her party. Had to go by Church and check on refreshments for tonight. Got some weeding done and some seeds in...Picked up a bag of sand and an 80 pound bag of cement...didn't think I would ever get it out of the car......will see what tomorrow brings....

Trisha how come you don't purchase pre-mixed bags, just add water...or was it for another project?


Best of my day...
Was upstairs, got a call from my girlfriend in Florida, she's coming home in August for 2 weeks, she lost her husband same time as I lost Roger, then she re-married and Bert died about 2 years ago, she called to tell me she met a beau..Doctor who lives in London, Ontario..going to spend 2 weeks with him late August..she want to have a get together with friends so told her she could use my house/yard...nice hearing her so chearful...

Worse of my day..

Ann dropped in just as I was soaking in the tub, when they went to Princess Marguerite (major cancer hospital) they were told that prognosis was 50/50 NOT what the other doctor had said..told me all about their appt. my heart just went out to her..

Then she was telling me about Ray..he lost his father 2 1/2 yrs. ago, his mother last year, his best friend in Feb. and now his brother who is also his neighbor here in Victoria Harbour was diagnosed with cancer - tongue...they rushed him into the hospital Thursday and now they want to insert feeding tubes..not good..feel badly for him as well...

What did I learn today..

I can still work like a 20 year old...funny, Cliff said I would have made some farmer a wonderful wife, up before dawn and work/work/work till dusk.....now if he could find me the farmer all would be well...

Off to bed..I've accomplished much and I'm exhausted...might take a pain killer, will help me sleep..

Thank you for keeping me company today, always love spending time with friends....

Good Lord willing we'll talk tomorrow!

Prayers for Ann and Ray....

The sand is to make a mound to place the leaf on to shape it before putting the cement over it.....then I will recycle it into another project.....

Hmmmm....shall we start looking for a Farmer for Betty?????

This was on another thread I follow and thought I would pass it on....


Frog Wisdom:

Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs... who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants... The race began... Honestly: No one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as: "Oh, WAY too difficult!!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." or: "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!" The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one... Except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher.. The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up...

But ONE continued higher and higher and higher... This one wouldn't give up! At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top! THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it? A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal? It turned out... That the winner was DEAF!!!!

The wisdom of this story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic...because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart! Always think of the power words have. Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions! Therefore: ALWAYS be... POSITIVE! And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams!

Loved it Trisha - thanks

Oh Trisha that was beautiful..now that' s a moral to live by...

Trisha, when I did my birdbath leaf, I used a large bowl to capture the depth I wanted then put sand around the outside..gave good support ..as for the farmer...I'll pass!!! lol

It's a sunshine day here..last of my weekend project - hemming curtains for the living room window and I'm almost done, with watering every yesterday, my floors need cleaning as the dog/cats were in and out, amazing how much mess these critters can make! Once it warms up it's outside I go and just might sit for a spell...

What do you all have planned..hope sunshine and rest is one of them...

Betty, once again you make me tired, just reading what you have done! Love how you are placing your stepping stones. That will make a beautiful walk way for sure!
We are just taking it easy this week-end. Still drizzling a bit here, so everything is still wet, but nice and green too.

LK

Good morning Betty! Wow you are one busy bee. How are you feeling?

I have been outside working for two days. Don't feel like I accomplished much, but it is starting to shape up. This going through more totes, and cleaning is getting so boring! LOL And this is a preliminary one. I will have to do a major sort and toss this summer. I just don't have time now, but items I need to find.

I put together four window boxes yesterday for the front porch, and today will work on the hanging baskets. Still getting the memory garden together....looks so dull with nothing blooming or much growth. But I think in a few weeks, it will pop nicely. I am going to put some wildflowers along the back of it today also.

It is so sad the story of the green garbage bin....that is what I am doing now. It is heart wrenching. Some peoples treasures....and others treat them as trash. I think that is what is so hard, I know how much some of this meant to Mom, and hate throwing it away...it is totally useless to others. What I can, I will donate elsewhere.

Love the garden pictures, everyone has been so busy....and the flowers and yards are looking so very nice! Such hard work.

DH sanded down the dining room table about 10 days ago...and has been staining and refinishing it. It is so pretty, but has a few problems with a grain issue. It is going to work fine though.

Just had a cup of coffee, so going to get moving. Was up late with the kids last night. Enjoy your day everyone.

Debbie

Trisha, might be the time to get some indoor projects done until you can go outside and 'play'

Debbie, thanks, guess I wasn't thinking how hard it is on some (not all) to go through ones home and throw things out..we should all be given a weeks notice prior to leaving this earth so we can get rid of the junk ourselves..right? bad idea!

I'm sure all will look pretty, it's not till the blooming starts that you get overwhelmed at what you had a hand in creating...

Just finished sewing the last of the curtain hems, I've had breakfast and now it's outside I go..still a bit chilly to sit so might have to put in an hour or so of work...

Did take a roast out, will make desert and make a breat..at least I can sit outside and enjoy my din/din...

lol Betty, that is hysterical...Boys, that's what you get with them...Dr. Phil's son's said they always made fun of their mom's Fabrege (I don't know how to spell it and my spell check is giving me a bar when I right click it, that is a bar of nothing), so anyway, when she did not put them out one year and did not buy an easter basket, they both whined and cried and said, it wasn't the same with out it and something to tease her about. Sentimental stuff for them to cherish, one day, even if it is in a special box, until the women find the stuff and make it a household decore, which they will love, in a fun way.

Oh what an honor for you to think of drawing the little Chia Pet baby and her pretty cousin. Even just the inspiration to draw babies is flattering.

Baily is beautiful and gets compliments everywhere they go,though not as photogenic and Shelby is so different with her big ol head of hair, she is just so cute and full of personality and very photogenic. She was not a cute newborn but she makes my heart leap to see her. both do...

I will see them after church today and hide from my job since we felt and heard the Shuttle did land here, around 08:30. lol

I am glad you get the Tater Salad thing, Tater. I also like that Jeff Dunham with the Jalapeno on a Stick dummy and Ahkmed the Terrorist.

Earned my keep again today..I've put 18 hrs. in the garden this weekend of hard labor, starting to show..figure 3 more weekends and they'll all be done..satisfying even though the bones are achy...

Even forgot to put on the roast..time just flew by so a late supper it will be, can smell it as I type..no homemade bread though..oh well..as for the desert, watching what I eat so won't be missed..maybe just a little..

Dawn, always looking for something to sketch, not sure it will be perfect, but hopefully you'll recognize who it is..lol..my boys tease that they don't but know they do...let's hope I my color printer does the photo justice...if not, you'll have to mail me a photo to work from..

Got the edging done on the left side of the pond...looks neat and tidy..

left side now done as well as the front of the pond...shouldn't have to do anything except a bit of weeding from time to time..

yet another edged

9 more gardens to go and spring tidy up is done..still have all my seeds to plant and some bulbs..did plant 16 glads and 12 calla lily's today...

With the turf I took out I started to fill in the very back of the yard where the forest is...making a nice finish edging rather than brush..

Just incase I don't make it back after my supper/bath think I'll do my posting...

Best of today..during the night I was thinking that when Aline dropped in with her SIL yesterday and Aline was telling her all I had accomplished since moving into this 'dump' I went on to describe what I had moved into, the projects I had undertaken and OMG I DID NOT mention without help from friends such as Aline and Tom that I'd never have the comfy home I now have...so, called Aline's this morning asked to speak to her SIL, apologized and went on to say all the things both Aline and Tom had done to help me...earthly angels...I thought to myself at breakfast, I should have done it yesterday, but I sure am pleased I took the time to call this morning...

Worse of the day...how can anything go wrong working in gardens by oneself, seeing what you are giving back to the land..how nice it is to sit, and yes Cathy came over for 1 1/2 and I did sit..lol..so no worse...

What did I learn today...ahhh, have a mock orange and Bernice dropped in, showed me how insects attack the leaves and drink the milk I'm not sure out of the worm or the leaf but it's folded together and full of yukkies...so passed on this info to Kathy and we checked all the shrubs and got rid of the yuk...good to know..didn't before, forget what kind of parisite this is but wouldn't want it to attack all the shurbs...counted tree like shrubs today and so far they total 46..so I did learn where my $$$$ go..lol...

I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry it took me so long to post, came on earlier to do it and the power went off, was off for about 3 hours, came back on about 15 minutes ago. Got bored when the power was out and went and bought a new printer! LOL Cheaper than sending the one I have to Dell for repairs.

Betty your yard is looking good!

The cruise was awesome and I am sunburned big time, but it was well worth it. Should have stayed on the ship :) Was driving out of New Orleans and got a speeding ticket, 75 in a 60, thought the speed limit was 65 (here in AR it would have been) and too busy looking a freeway signs to make sure of my directions to check my own speed. Oh well, traffic school here we come! Got home and my 2 year old Whirlpool Duet front loader washing machine won't drain, so we went to the laundromat this morning and I will call a repair man Tuesday morning. Someone must have been jealous of my vacation and got even LOL!

I'm making albums on Picasa right now so when I'm done I'll post a link to the vacation pictures.

Hope everyone is doing well and staying dry, rain seems to follow me everywhere, think it's mistaken the South for Seattle! LOL

Sounds like you have done well Betty!

Welcome home crissy, sounds like you had a good time!

Best.....Beautiful sunshine here this week... had a great bike ride.....got the back bed weeded and some of my seeds planted!! And we won our baseball game!!
Worst.....sister in law is NOT staying with MIL the whole time after her knee surgery as she promised....she says we need to have a big family meeting to see who is staying on the weekends..
Learned......I can no longer lift 80 pound bags of cement by myself:(

Busy Betty..You've done a nice job..Looking good

Welcome home Speedy Crissy

Trisha hardest thing there is, is to realize we can't do what we used to do..UHG

Shirley & I worked in the garden's...I planted salsify last year..We didn't try eating any..This year it has a very pretty flower...Shirley has gone out twice with camera in hand only to find it closed..LOL..

I did get a pic of this unusual flower

Crissy I am so translucent white, my h calls us Opaque. lol
Get some aloe Vera w/ Lidocaine and then put it in the fridge and apply it often. When you sleep, get an old sheet or sheet srips and wrap yourself up in the strips or sheet with globs of aloe when you sleep, it is the best way not to die of a bad burn and at least sleep in my opinion. I bet you have the chills.

I will have to send one Betty. I saw them today.

Betty that yard and pond. OMG. love it. Do you have B&B folk coming this year?

B here is some progress but I have a desert lot of 5/8 of an acre, clay soil and hard pan, which is like cement. It is called Caleche, and it is the worst soil type, high in salt, calcium and minerals. Here is some pix of my lasagna garden and it is early in the one planter you asked about but, this is it so far. I take more later when my cl. petunias go nuts and swallow it all up.

Front walk up to house.

Planter. Plants from seed mostly so it will take a few months.

My favorite peach hollyhocks.

Someone from DG sent me seeds to this Mystic Merlin Malva and it self sows and I love it. I love all Malva's. Here is another variety, besides the MMM and hollyhocks.

I love these. My yard is swarming with gophers and I am freaking out. Hope I don't lose my big established plants, so far I have had a few hollyhocks go timber and some little seedlings smothered in a dirt mound. grr

The prettiest flower in my garden. Baily.

Last one until things start to bloom more. I have another whole side that is not going to be ready for another year or two...

It is far from started but still has some almost dead roses that I moved last year and they are doing well so maybe they will be the show over there, with just some raised beds, that are not done and some Vica major, Algerian Ivy, that I need to put plugs in and it is still in the planning stages as I need to figure in the little sapling trees, over shading the roses if in ground one day.