Friday, April 30, 2010

HAPPY MAY DAY!



Don't you love the idea of some unknown person sending you a gift. Nothing brings a smile to my face quicker than a present. Seriously. Why do we stop doing all those fun things when we become grown ups? Isn't that when we need an unexpected bright spot in our lives the most.


Now I have to admit that I am the only one in my house that still makes May baskets. I don't even receive them but once in a blue moon. Once I opened the door to find the cutest vintage apron tied to my front door and my girlfriend's car quickly driving away. So mischievous!


For me today is filled with memories of friendship, flowers, sweets and giggles. I can't think of a better way to spend a day (even at my age). I hope you enjoy yours. Let me know if you receive any 'special deliveries'. Admiring your treasure while sharing the story was always 1/2 the fun!

















Friday, April 23, 2010

IT'S RAINING, IT'S POURING. . .

And this old girl has been snoring! There is just something about that deep sleep you fall into at the end of a physically challenging day (in this case week). My hubby and I have been working so hard (tilling, racking, weeding) that when I woke up and saw the rain coming down I was THRILLED! My "lazy" day has allowed me to get so many things done inside the house. Since I'm not completely sure just one day off is enough for my tired body to recoup I'm shamelessly hoping for rain again tomorrow. The weather man says my wish just might come true.



I did find time this week (between my digging, snoring and pulling) to start my gardening journal. A few weeks back I purchased this lovely old and slightly tattered binder from JB Knacker in Gilbert, Iowa. A friend of mine from Ames makes them by cleverly repurposing and altering vintage finds. They are each so unique and special I was hoping I'd find just the right thing to use mine for . . . . and what do you know- another wish granted!







Just a side note: JB Knacker is one of my favorite little shops in central Iowa. If you find charm in the well worn and shabby this place is so worth the drive up with a few girlfriends. I always come home with a treasure or two. I have a few other favs I will be sharing with you over the next few weeks. Spring time is always JUNKIN' TIME.










Thursday, April 15, 2010

WHAT DOES MARTHA REALLY KNOW?

Apparently more than I was willing to give her credit for, that's for sure. I always saw Martha Stewart as a Saturday Night Live skit. Nothing to actually take seriously - just someone to poke fun at now and again. Yes, secretly I always wished my closets looked like hers but I wasn't about to schedule it on my calendar every other month to make sure it got done.

Now here's the rub: Maybe we aren't supposed to become Martha Stewart, (lets face it one is probably enough) but occasionally learn a thing or two from her instead. This concept would sure make us feel less inept. I know I would view my rumpled linen closet in a different light.

I do know that if I had followed her lead, as well as the advice of EVERY single gardening book, I would have started a journal/calendar last year. What seemed so unnecessary to me a year ago now sounds something like this in my head "what kind of idiot doesn't have a gardening journal"? Madness I say.

Fear not - the beauty of a garden - as well as a lesson my father has told me about many times is: you learn more from your failures than you will every learn from your victories.

So on that note I am starting my journal - complete with a calendar page! May my inner Martha shine!

Monday, April 5, 2010

HOW MY GARDEN ALL BEGAN

Last year I started a project that I had been tossing around for years. The tossing was due mostly to courage (or lack of) and a fear of failing. My history with "new ideas" is not that promising. I tend to be overly exuberant at first - which I think of as the honeymoon faze - and then as the hard work sets in I find that the thrill is over and I get that 7 year itch (sometimes within days of returning from the honeymoon).


My husband is a good, kind and patient man and he has seen me through some real doozies. Like the time he went out of town and I decided to take down 1/2 the kitchen cabinets (I watch too much HGTV) or the summer I recruited our then 11 year old to help me renovate our 90 year old basement. Each and every time my man comes (visually I like to think of him galloping in on a white horse) to grabs my hand and rescue me from my seemingly endless mess.


Each and every "mess" is totally self inflicted - So, when I wanted to turn our unusable clay tennis court into a garden I didn't think I had enough life lines left to ask him to come on board. But as I have already mentioned he is a really great man and with out even reminding me of past ventures that went awry we began digging our garden last spring.


This blog is about all the lessons I have learned, failures I sure didn't expect, and the amazing amounts of joy my garden as allowed me to experience.



My garden in April: From my bedroom window







Saturday, April 3, 2010

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!



It is spring finally here in Iowa. I know this not just because it is the beginning of April but by the singing of the birds and the small buds forming on the trees. I have waited - not so patiently I must confess for the heavy layers of snow to melt away so I can get a glimpse of my garden that I started last year. This being the first winter for my plantings I must admit to being more than a little concerned for their safety - the snow fall was brutal this year and made worse by the layers of ice that seemed to proceed every significant pounding of snow.





I am so happy to report that my boxwood are beautiful and my losses (4 bushes) are minimum. I will happily take those few causalities since I am fairly certain they are more from the drainage issues of last summer than the brutality of the winter storms. But my successes don't stop there: my strawberries plants are alive and without uncovering them from their protective blanket of straw prematurely I think they look amazing! I am so impressed by their ability to weather the harshness of the winter. They seem so fragile out there, where everything else is brown and bleak they are showing vibrant shades of green.

Year two is going to be exciting!!!