Category Archives: flowers

Ferns and fluffy blossoms

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I am fascinated with ferns. I enjoy watching them do this:

Ferns opening

I have transplanted a bunch of them in all different parts of my yard, even some cinnamon(?) ones in my fairy/gnome garden. I should try to get a nice variety as they are so neat to look at.

Last night Bri was fascinated by the chorus of ‘humming’ coming from the two apple trees we have (and never get fruit from as they aren’t cared for properly and overgrown) that the bees were doing. They are loaded with blossoms-so pretty. The yard smells so good!

Apple blossoms
My tooth doesn’t hurt, but my gum in that area tastes metallic and my tooth is really smooth and slanted. I can’t believe I have to wait until the end of May for the crown. I know Dr. B was a bit upset because he couldn’t save it. I just am crossing fingers I don’t have to have a root canal. What he did yesterday hurt more than the two I’ve had already. He pressed this metal ring into my buggered up gum. I have a high tolerance for pain, but he said the only alternative was a needle in the roof of my mouth. Don’t ya love dental talk?

Back to gardening-got some annuals in the ground-Victoria Blue Salvia (one of my favorites) in my front garden that is under the evergreen (added a few apricot colored ones too) and also a dozen snapdragons in a variety of colors along the path in front of the house. I also potted up royal purple petunias and some white, light blue and blue lobelia. I had Cosmo the kitty out with me on his harness and he managed to tangle himself up good in my hedge. He was getting panicky, but I got him out.

Still a lot to do, but we’ve been blessed with gorgeous weather. I’ve had two larger ticks on me which I found crawling up my leg. You know ticks scare me as I have Lyme Disease from the little teenie deer tick. Better get out the DEET.

And to the writers of Grey’s Anatomy-women aren’t dried up because they like to do needlework-geez-that wasn’t even funny!

Down a country road…or two

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I ventured out to the bank and post office and decided to go to my favorite nursery and do some more flower shopping. I went straight on a road that I thought would lead me to the correct road down in Delaware. Boy was I wrong! I couldn’t believe I was in like 3-5 miles of my house as I couldn’t get my bearing and saw nothing familiar. When I finally found a road that said ‘Old Kennett Pike’ I turned and then the sign said ‘to PA’. Geez, that was a 30 minute ride I won’t forget! I did go to the nursery down the regular back roads I know. I was happy I went as I bought a profusion of color in the form of petunias, dianthus, snapdragons, impatiens and a few more. So I’m all ready to start planting. The place didn’t have my red mulch, so I have to go back for that.

By the way, when I got home I looked at Google maps and some of the roads I saw I actually could get to the nursery-I think I went the wrong way on Old Kennett Pike. I do appreciate where I live even more-the landscape is gorgeous.

Finally, some snapshots:

Transplanted bleeding heart
I transplanted a bleeding heart plant that was hidden between bushes last year. What a treat to see the plant (separated into three new ones) blooming so lovely.

My 1st iris of the year
My first dear iris of the year called ‘Stitch Witch’ (don’t say ‘so appropriate’-lol). I can’t wait to see all the different colors blend together.

Solar power

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I did a little shopping in Big Lots earlier and you guessed it, I bought two new solar power lights for around the pond. They aren’t the ‘yellow glow’ kind, they are the blue LED ones which look neat. I also got a ball that floats in the pond as the one I have now doesn’t work anymore-it lights up at night too. I saw the manager and since I looked spiffy (I’ll explain why later) I told him that Sean was going to be free in a few weeks to work. He said to tell my boy to give him a call. I looked nice in my flowing peasant skirt and orange top that I found in a bag next to the closet. The weather has been so warm, I had nothing summery that is where I can get my hands on it. Mom got me the top last year and it even has beads and buttons that hang down in the front-I looked like a modified belly dancer!

We’re trying to decide where to stay for my friend Karin’s wedding in June. It looks like midtown Manhattan! I’ve never been to NYC, so I am excited and scared. It’s not going to be cheap, but the place where we will probably stay is within walking distance of so many places, especially the cruise ship where the wedding will be held. We were thinking of staying in New Jersey and getting a cab-but that’s about a 14 mile trip and would cost the same as staying right in the city. I have to book the place soon or we’ll get in a jam.

Update!!! We are staying here! It has parking garage near by and it’s about 1/2 mile or so from the ship. I was looking at the map and Allentown, PA, where I’ve been before is parallel to this area (like an hour away or so like us to Philly).

I must do some more yard work one of these days. I can’t do it in all this warmth and in clothes I don’t want to sweat to pieces in.

Squirrel and hyacinths

Spring captured!

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My new gazing ball with the pond behind it
My new gazing ball
On this warm day, I spent some time clearing out dead branches in this evergreen so I could hang my bird feeder up again
Bird feeder in evergreen
A red tulip about to open…it’s suppose to be a giant one, maybe so…
Red tulip about to open

And finally…my viburnum bush is opening up it’s heavenly scented blossoms
Viburnum bursting open

Flower shopping!

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The weather is warm and sunny! What a delightful change. Time to get outside.

On Friday I did a lot of debris clean up from my yucca bed, the pond area and my woodland garden in the front yard (under the evergreen tree). All with a green plastic rake. I felt like I worked twice as hard doing everything. Saturday there was a ‘Community Jamboree’ at the township park and I decided to check it out since the magic words ‘yard sale’ were included in the description in the newsletter. (By the way, I think many of my pals know I love trivia stuff and the newsletter also mentioned that the road I live on has only been paved since 1930! I can’t see this it as a dirt road with all the dips and curves it has.) So the jamboree was a big nothing-mostly people trying to sell their kids old clothes. I did chat with a few nice people, bought a raffle ticket from the KHS girls and headed down to one of my favorite greenhouses. Unfortunately, the greenhouse is under new management and I didn’t care for the new owner. I had a 10% off coupon and could use it if I spent over $25. I decided to grab one more of their outrageously priced plants (though it is hard to find) and he told me I was ‘defeating my purpose’, I guess from spending more to get the discount. To show him up, I picked up a garden pack, so that was actually going to be free. I also asked him if he planned to get snapdragons in (they were very understocked) and he said ‘I was told not to order them’. I just couldn’t believe that. I told him I love them. I won’ t be shopping there again. I decided to see if our local Ace Hardware had flowers and they did-snapdragons too! The flower packs I bought are a bit on the small side, but I’ll nurture them with Miracle Gro. The Ace place had the expandable rack I’ve been looking for! I was so happy I didn’t have to go all the way to Lowes or order it online.
I stopped off at Wawas for hoagies and headed home. After lunch, I got the pond up and running after bending too many times to bail water.

We went to church, Ruby Tuesday (for their salad bar) and Kmart to take back some slacks that were too big. I bought some 75% off florals and Easter things and also a gazing ball. It’s artisan glass with mostly blue swirls. You know you’ll be seeing a photo of it.

Sunday we are going to the 2nd day of a book sale in my hometown (probably very picked over) which is also hosting a sale along the main street.

Maybe soon…

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…this pond will be running and the grass will be green and freshly cut. It is suppose to look like this.  (without the weeds!) You can see a branch (one of so many that have come down this year) and what’s left of my broken gazing ball on the orangey rock there. Last year at this time we had lots of days of nice weather. I have another water container with waterlilies and they were coming up nicely last year to greet the warm sunshine. This year I see no signs of the tiny leaves and I fear they are gone. I know I lost some mums near my front door. I blame it on the rock salt that was generously put down and probably pushed right into my plants.

Neglected pond
In the meantime, I can have colorful flowers on the table to look at and take photos of too. This yellow carnation was purchased almost a week ago and still looks pretty good. Yellow carnation

$1.98

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is how much these gorgeous roses cost….

Gorgeous and cheap

Another view
It was so nice outside today-71 and sunny. I got out the rake (the plastic one that doesn’t retract or expand-blah) and worked on a few of the gardens. Bri cleaned up the piles after dinner. I also grocery shopped and ran across the flowers above.
We had a nice dinner of fried boneless chicken breasts with an eggy kinda dijon sauce (followed a recipe) ,asparagus, stuffing and stir fried spinach-not bad!

Something for me?

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I love yellow flowers and Bri saw these in the Home Depot on Friday and brought them home. I appreciate his thoughtfulness, but I need a a rake too and there he was in the Home Depot. I have these in the kitchen and I had an ant on me Friday night-wonder where that came from? ; )
Bri took this photo. I have taken lots more and he’s the one who was buying all the camera magazines like he was dying to get into photography again. He’s always on the computer googling stuff it seems.
Anyway, I’ll plant these bulbs out front probably. Maybe they’ll come up again. Our anniversary is coming up-23 yrs!!!

(BTW, I have a collection of mostly Mary’s Moo Moos that  have something to do with food on my windowsill there. Good eye there, Zoey! One is holding a pie, one has a lemonade stand, etc.) From Brian
BTW, stopped the medicine after 4 days-I couldn’t function and we had the concert last night. I feel better though, just achy in spots. Still deciding what I’m going to do about myself-same problems for years and years and they just tell you to live with it.

This is nice news-my brother Ken really did a thorough clean up job at my mom’s for the past few days! He and a couple of pals were cutting down a tree, trimming branches, getting rid of debris-looks a whole lot better.

Venturing out

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I drove for the first time since I’ve been taking my medicine. I felt ok, not 100%, but I had to mail off 6 packages for my spring exchange. I then wanted to get some Easter cards for family. I didn’t get them all, but the creative side of my noggin is telling me to make some instead of spending $2-4 dollars on one alone. I got one for my mom that needs embellishing. I didn’t take my medicine until I got home. I don’t think it’s really helping as I don’t think I have an infection, I think it’s a lady thing. I may be hitting the road to the gyn next week.

I had the cat out today and even though we had the bagger on the mower, leaves need to be raked out of my flowerbeds. My metal expanding rake broke, so I need to go to the store near mom’s and get another. The daffodils are almost all blooming.

White daffodils almost opened

I’ve been doing stitching and making art cards to keep my mind occupied. I really want to take a nap all the time.

Sean is going to bring home pizza for dinner. It’s still Lent and I’m not in the mood for tuna or eggs. Afterwards, there is that biannual book sale in the big barn down the road that I’d love to go to as I resold a few things I bought in October for a big profit.

Have a great weekend!