Moving A Mountain

That's what I've been doing this past week.  

Moving a mountain of mulch.  

Hubby helped a bit, but I did most of it.  No complaints, though.  I don't mind a bit doing hard work outside.  I consider it a "workout".  

We've kind of neglected our landscape beds lately.  We never even got around to mulching last year, so this year it was a must.  

That pile started out as 5 yards of mulch.  As of today, it's been totally spread in all the necessary areas

I also got my perennial bed cleaned up and mulched too.  It looks soooo much better.  

I mentioned in a post a while back that I was "dissolving" my herb garden.  So, I've decided to devote the back section of the perennial garden to herbs.  I'm using the old bottom of my bird bath to hold a pot of mint, hoping as it grows it will trail down creating a kind of sculpture in the garden.  Better that way then to plant it in the ground.  Gardeners know you really don't ever want to plant mint in a garden if you don't want to take over everything.  Cause it will!

I've also decided to add some pavers to the pea gravel area of the perennial bed.  

I have the hardest time keeping the weeds down in the gravel.  

I'm hoping adding the pavers will help. . . that and keeping plenty of weed killer on hand!  And I think it looks a whole lot better too.

It's a little early around these parts for annuals, but I couldn't resist buying a few packs of flowers.  They're for my window boxes on the front of house, but I've been so busy with the beds, I didn't get them planted.  Still wanting to enjoy them, I plopped a couple of the packs in a basket and put on one of the tables on my deck.  I love petunias.

I just love how all the plants and gardens look this time of year.  All the new, fresh green.  Everything looks so healthy and ready to show off their blooms.  

Later in the season, that rustic piece of fencing behind the garage will be filled with morning glory vines.  They self-seed every year.

The flower bed around our little pond is starting to pop.  Still working on getting the water clear.  As the weather warms, and there's more sunlight, the algae grows causing the green color.  I've been treating the water, and it should clear up soon.  I miss seeing my fishies in there!

Very soon the peonies will start blooming.  They are my most favorite flower.  I love their shape, their smell.  I just wish they bloomed longer into the season.

Some hostas I dug up and divided last spring, but didn't get a chance to replant came back in their pots this year.  Yay!!!  I should probably get around to replanting this year.  But for now, they look good on the chippy bench on the deck.

 The shots below are the view from the bay window in our family room that I took this morning.  Today's going to be a chilly, rainy, windy day.  A nor'easter is blowing through, and we're expecting lots of rain the next couple days.  I'm actually looking forward to a few rain days.  I can use the time to get some things done indoors that have been on hold with all the outside work being done.

The winds are blowing the blossoms off the kwanzan cherry tree making it look like pink snow on the ground.

Hope you all have a peaceful Sunday.  

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SURVIVOR SUNFLOWERS

As you all probably know, here on the east coast, Mother Nature presented us with a pretty eventful week last week.  

Last Tuesday we had our first relatively strong earthquake in like a hundred years.  We didn't have any damage like areas near the epicenter, but it was a little weird feeling the earth literally ripple beneath your feet.  It was a gorgeous that day, and me and Son No. 3, Owen, were hanging out at the pool.  The pool water was sloshing back in forth, and the umbrellas were swaying.  It was pretty crazy.  

Then along came Irene.  Boy, talk about panicking!  Watching and listening to reports on her progress throughout the week created a bit of concern for those of us here on the east coast.  We actually live about 60 miles from the closest beach, but as you all know by now, the threat of Irene coming so far inland had many worried. 

By the end of last week, I figured I better get a little better prepared.  I made sure I had lots of bags of ice in the both freezers (we have two frigs ~ one in the kitchen, and one in the garage).  I also bagged up ice from the ice maker for clean ice, and filled empty milk jugs and juice bottles with water and put them in freezer.  We weren't so worried about flooding where we are, and not too many large mature trees to worry about with the high winds.  Our main concern was power outages.  The power company even had automated calls go out the Friday before (the storm was set to hit here late Saturday night), alerting their customers to be ready for possible long-term power outages.

I ended up at Costco that Friday, not necessarily to stock up on water like every other person in the state.  Good thing, I guess, cause they ran out.  Or so it seemed.  On my way to the registers, they were just hauling in another pallet.  It was like a free-for-all people grabbing cases.  Anyway . . . it was a regular Costco day for me, and I was dreading going knowing it would be mob scene.  And that it was.   Funny though,  I was in and out quicker that day then I ever have.  Crazy, huh?!  

Then I spent a good portion of the afternoon Friday bringing all the outdoor furniture, pots and planters.  Basically anything that could become a projectile in the high wind. What a job!   

The deck, before, with all the furniture and plants:

And after completely cleared off:

Let me tell you, THAT was a workout!

Having all my pots and planters grouped in one area really made me realize just how many flowers I have. 

They all looked so pretty smooshed together on tables in the garage. 

Saturday morning I started cooking - meatballs and sauce, Sante Fe chicken salad, potato salad.  I chopped and minced veges for pico de gallo and bruschetta.  I figured if we were going to loose power, I had lots of ice for coolers to store cold food, and the grill for cooking up all the stuff in the freezers.  

Son No 2., Colin, and his GF Shannon, stayed over.  We weathered the storm watching movies and munching.  And just in case we lost power, we had board games ready and I put together a basket of candles, a lighter and flashlights.

Well, for us the storm brought lots of rain and some pretty gusty winds.  We fared well by comparison from a lot of reports after the storm.  The worst thing for us was my garden was mowed down by the winds.  I have yet to get out there and clean up and start yanking stuff out, but I did find some sunflowers blooming.  Little survivors they are.  

The day before the storm:

The day after:

I couldn't resist cutting a little bouquet of those last surviving sunflowers, and putting them in salt glaze crock.  I placed them on the table of my new bistro set on the deck.

Isn't it adorable??!!!  

AWalmart deal.  I couldn't resist it the other day when I was there.  On clearance for $198 from $329.  

The back pillows didn't come with the set.  They're ones I bought earlier in the season when I was trying to match the other deck set.  The back pillows for the bistro set were too big and puffy and the same color as the seat cushions.  Kinda boring.

These pillows look so much better, are more comfy when sitting in the chairs.  And see how nicely they coordinate with the pillows from the other lounge set?  

Every time I walk by the door, I have to pause and look at my cute new furniture out there.  The weather's been just fabulous here since Sunday night, which has allowed me to keep all the cushions and pillows out everyday.  Before we know it, though, "deck weather" will be over and everything will be put away.  But I'm going to savor enjoying my outdoor room as long as possible.

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A Found Use for a Mis-Purchase

Coming off a pretty busy week last week.  And I survived!

Mainly just work and running errands and exercising and house cleaning and gardening and golfing kept me busy all week last week.  

That's all.  

Nothing fun or exciting.  Just a lot of the same-old-same-old.

Oh, all that and planning and having Son No. 2's 20th birthday celebration. What?!  No photos, you ask?   I know, I'm a bad mom.  I went to grab my camera to snap some pics of the festivities Sunday, and it was void of batteries.  I'm pretty sure those batteries went to fill an X-Box controller or a mouse for gaming on the computer.  I knew we didn't have new batteries in the house, and honestly, I didn't feel like running around looking for a b.o.d. (battery operated device) from which to steal batteries.  I was having too much fun at the party!

left to right
B'day boy Colin 20, his girlfriend Shannon 20, and Son No. 1 John 22 (in 1 week)
Yes, the boys are very tall ~ 6'4"
and Shannon is very small ~ 4'11"

Most of the guests were Son's close friends, and a few close family members.  Per his request, the main course was steamed crabs.  You see, we live in crab country, and picking crabs is fun party cuisine . . . outdoor party cuisine, that is, as they're just a bit messy!  He also requested a few more of his faves ~ pulled pork sandwiches topped with cole slaw, mac and cheese and fresh sweet corn from the farm around the corner.  And for us adults, some ice cold beers.  One of legal drinking age can't possibly pick and eat spicy seasoned crabs without an ice cold beer!

I'm really kicking myself very hard now that I wasn't prepared with my camera.  It was, after all, his 20th birthday.  I'm hoping one of his friends may have taken a few pics with a smart phone and put them on FB.  I'll have to inquire about that.

Now, on to subject of this post.  Some of you might remember a few weeks ago I bought this fabric 

to make new pillows for my deck furniture based on the purchase of a new outdoor rug.  Well, that fabric didn't quite work out, and I bought ready-made pillows that were perfect.

What do do with this new fabric?  I had an epiphany! In preparation for Son's party, I decided to use that fabric to make new slipcovers for the old, ratty, faded chair cushions for the outdoor dining set down in the yard by the pond.  

Also, I was able to carry on the same color scheme ~ green, red and tan ~ that I've been using up on the deck.  Although the green's not quite the same, it works down there without clashing with what's up on the deck.

I actually didn't have enough of the new print fabric for fronts and backs of the cushions, so the backs of the cushions are painter's drop cloth leftover from a previous project.  

And I think I really like that better than if I'd had enough to do both sides.  

Nothing fancy.  

Just quick and easy slipcovers to give new life to cushions that might have otherwise been trashed.

I just love when I actually have a good idea like that!  When starting a new project, I always like trying to use or revamp what I have on hand.  Like recycling!

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A Few Fun, New Accessories for the Deck

You know when you find something for your home . . . or deck or porch . . . and you're just super-psyched that you found something so perfect? 

This past weekend, we picked up a couple new items for the deck of which I'm so excited about!  

It doesn't take much to get me excited.  But you all know what I mean.  When you find something that's just so right that you're almost giddy about it. 

I was at Walmart and spied this outdoor rug.  I knew immediately I had to have it, but wasn't sure if I should really spend the money on it.  A whole 50 bucks.  That could buy quite a few items at the grocery store!  

We had an outdoor rug on the deck a few years ago, and it lasted about that long before it started to mildew and fade.  I hadn't replaced it yet not being able to find a pattern or price I liked. 

But when I saw this one, I knew it was going to work.  Just by happenstance, I've started in with this bright  chartreuse shade of green out there.  I love the contrast of that green and the red umbrellas.  Well, I say happenstance, but it really started when a good friend gifted me on my birthday with that serving tray and a  matching ice bucket.  After all, that is my favorite shade of green.

I didn't purchase the rug when I saw it.  I thought I should run it by Hubby first.  Don't you know that sweetie picked up that rug and a few other goodies the next day when he was out shopping.  

What a doll!

The day I saw the rug at Walmart, I had also stopped into Lowe's and grabbed a couple small outdoor lanterns they had on sale.  Originally they came in black in silver.   The only color left in the smaller ones was silver. No worries.  Spray paint can fix that.  

Again, when I came home with them and shared my plans to paint them ~ originally I was going to paint them black ~ Hubby thought they were so nice and not to mention a good price. The day he was out running errands and picked up the rug, he ran into Lowe's and grabbed two more of the bigger ones, annnddd a spray can of that luscious green paint.

The larger one holds a pillar candle.

The smaller holds a tealight candle.

The glass easily came out for a quick makeover.  Oh, how I love spray paint!

Okay, so now I have this great color scheme going.  What's next?  New pillows, of course!  Yesterday I stopped in at my most favorite fabric store, The Interior Alternative.  I blogged about it here.

Being in that store/warehouse makes my head spin.  So many choices.  And best of all, if the prices weren't fantastic enough there, through the month of July all cut fabric is 40% off.  

Well, I thought I found something that would work.  The green's not exactly the shade I was hoping for, but I thought it would be okay.  I hauled the huge bolt up to the cutting table.  As my yardage was being cut, I spied in the decorator pillow bin the most perfect pillows for the deck.  It was too late to halt the cutting.  Another great discovery was that all decorator pillows were BOGO.  WooHoo!!! Two for the price of one.  Sold!

Isn't that print fabulous??!!!

I thought maybe I could combine the newly cut fabric with the newly purchased pillows, using the new pillows on the side chairs and making square pillows for the loveseat, maybe backing them in that red fabric.  But I'm not sure that fabric's really going to work.  

I don't think I like the new fabric with the pillow fabric.  

And I don't think I like it with the rug.  The patterns are too similar, making it look like I tried to match the patterns, but didn't quite succeed.  Know what I mean?  What do you all think?

So, I'm thinking I may be stopping by TIA on my way home from work today to see if there might be some of that fabric on the bolt to make more pillows.  Guess the new cut fabric will have to go into the "for future projects" pile.   A girl can never have too much extra fabric, right?!

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