Category Archives: yard

Jun25

Front step blooms

Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2011 by Dianne

Front step blooms, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I bought the pretty geranium and wicker plant holder from the little Amish lady yesterday.
Did a little puttering around, not much as I was tired from yesterday. It was fun to put things around the yard, but I only planted a Turkish eggplant (you know I like unusual plants-scroll to bottom to see the orange fruit) and moved a droopy pepper. I took some photos as my flowers looked pretty despite the Chestnut tree catkins all over the place.

I’m getting lots of Lily blooms this year!

Pole from clothesline used for cone planter

And a few bowl gardens-the fairy one is filling in nicely:

And the Succulent one with new green pebbles:

Some bauble in the Viburnum next to the fairy garden:

The little jars (only this one is showing and the pebbles for the bowl garden were both under $2 each at the Christmas Tree Shop. : )
Tomorrow I hope to weed around the fairy garden and plant up a few more things. I’m on my 4th bag of potting soil (the soil from Dollar General for $3 is fine and like the pricier stuff).
Have a nice Sunday!

Jun13

Greek food and veggie patch

Posted on Monday, June 13, 2011 by Dianne

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Greek food, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I just realized I didn’t post our food from the Wilmington, DE food festival. We splurged and got a variety of pastries too. Compared to what we ate at Chili’s tonight, this was diet food! (Chili’s is so salty! Since I have watched what I’ve been eating better-I try, it was hard to eat the chips).
Here’s what this photo is: Mousaka-Eggplant and potato casserole, Spanakopita-spinach pie, Dolmades-stuff grapes leaves, meatballs and Tyropita-cheese filled pie. Sean never ate his half of the raspberry tart and Baklava so I tossed them today. : (
Sean and I went to go to ‘Hidden Acres’ Greenhouse today and right when we got there, the Amish buggy was pulling out of the driveway-it was closed for a holiday! Arrgghh. : ) So we went to the thrift shop and I got a few little things, plus I asked the lady about consigning things-15 items allowed a week-60 mine/40 theirs commission. I’m going to get stuff together including that old art desk of mine. I have tons of stuff and it’s easier than having a yard sale (though I still want to have one!)
Sean and I went to Walmart too-bought a few plants and seeds, also some groceries.
My veggie patch is finally in. We bought a box of stuff-onions, garlic, rhubarb and potatoes for $2 at Lowes. I planted all that except the rhubarb today, they really don’t give you that many bulbs/tubers. I had major weeding to do first. I added zinnias and smaller sunflowers near the fence. Then tonight I planted the zucchini and cucumbers and a few gourds. I planted the potatoes in Sean’s old tire garden and tossed some gourd seeds in that too. I love to plant seeds to see what comes up. Walmart has lovely tomato plants in containers for $10 so we got one of those too. Also poked nasturtiums all around the place.
I want to do some edging in a few areas. Gotta burn off those calories!

Jun12

Sightseeing in Baltimore

Posted on Sunday, June 12, 2011 by Dianne

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Sightseeing in Baltimore 4" x 4" Collage card, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I certainly had to make a collage card honoring Baltimore. My guys are great at grabbing brochures, so it was the assembling part that was the challenging. I had a rip off calendar with ships, so that came in useful.
We had a good rain last night, so the ground was nice and soft. I’m starting garden maintenance. Well…maybe. Sean has had a garden for years and lately he is mostly buying the plants and only putting in a few. It was looking bad, so I went to town and planted 18 impatiens he had bought plus a few marigolds! That took me away from the veggie corral which needs a little attention right now. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow.
The lilies are starting to bloom now along with the Red Hot Pokers. It’s nice to have perennials blooming each month.
Brian came out and planted a few pots of perennials that were hanging around for a few weeks. I have some annuals to finish planting and need to finish with a clean-up project on the back patio.
Busy busy!

Jun3

Photo Hunt-Dirty

Posted on Friday, June 3, 2011 by Dianne

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Faux dirty old waterlily, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

What algae and crud can do to a faux waterlily. Time to either buy a new one or a real plant(which are pricey).

Jun3

Welcome

Posted on Friday, June 3, 2011 by Dianne

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frontdoor, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

Here’s a photo of my front door that I ‘photoshopped’ with a cellphone app called ‘Little Camera’.

May31

My Fitness Pal

Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 by Dianne

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As you know, I acquired Sean’s ‘old’ G1 phone. So 4 days ago, I started to use the above named app which is also online where you can utilize it for free. The phone app is pretty good and it’s really an eye-opener too. For instance, after eating lunch, I had used all my sugar credits-that quickly. You plug your weight and weight loss goal in. You can even scan the food packaging (you have to download a bar code scanner) and it finds the nutritional info 8 out of 10 times. Then, if you are like me, you eat similar foods and you just check them off and they get added to the correct entry. You also say what kind of exercise you do (mine is mostly walking and gardening) and you ‘get’ credit and can have a snack that doesn’t go over your daily calorie intake. I’m really trying to get serious about weight loss since two of my brothers have Diabetes and I am being watched for it. I’m giving the guys whole wheat pasta and other fiber rich foods. My tummy was making lots of noises this morning-lol. I’m going to go out to eat once in a while. Yesterday was a ‘over the limit’ day, so I ate lighter today. I do like the credit for exercising-you just have to be honest!
Here’s a 4″ x 4″ collage I made over a week ago. Art has slowed down a lot, but I plan to get back to it soon. I had to wait so long for gardening, it’s my top priority. The lady was from a card making kit and I decided to do a collage:

I have an ‘Asian’ garden under the Japanese maple tree-why not! I try and paint the little pagodas, but missed the one last year. I have my Sweet William (Dianthus) under it. I believe it’s a biannual, but I add to it every year. My grandmom loved Zinnias and Sweet William as that was her dad and brother’s name. Princess Catherine had some white ones in her wedding bouquet.

I love them too for their colors. I added some white Impatiens and a few potted plants like Begonias and Zinnias in there too.

The heat here is southeastern Pennsylvania has been miserable the last few days. I am so glad I mulched when it was still in the 80s! A cold front is on it’s way!
Both Brian and I are off to the dentist tomorrow-him for 3 of 6 fillings he needs and me for a chip in a fix-ka-ching!

May30

Baby Nuthatches flew the coop!

Posted on Monday, May 30, 2011 by Dianne

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First of all, Happy Memorial Day to all the veteran’s and those who have served our country so well!

3 Baby NutHatches are inside, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

If you look close enough, you can see the ‘ghostly’ looking image of a baby Nuthatch. Yesterday there were three of them and today they were gone! I would talk to them during their short stay in my little birdhouse. I could tell yesterday they were getting antsy to fly and of course it was getting very crowded. Hope I see them around. : )

May3

Springtime Flowers

Posted on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 by Dianne

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Burgundy Columbine, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

I’ve been really busy for a few days outside since we’ve had nice weather. I wore a tank top and shorts today it was so warm. I’m happy to see the flowers, but wish they weren’t coming up around that creepy ‘Creepy Charlie’ and leaf debris. I have 5 crates of yard decorations and emptied 3 of them! I didn’t show the Asian bed as it’s not too colorful yet, but I have the pagodas all set up there.
These Columbine are in the mainly Iris garden and I have white Irises blooming too:

Brian just planted a new Iris for me tonight-apricot color.
Also have a garden named for my friend Gret who loves nature and squirrels:

And the pond area is up and running and also cleaned out:

There are two new plants here, a pink and purplish Wallflower and a red Salvia (not shown here, but planted near the gazing ball).
So I’m making a dent in the work, but lots to do!
Last but not least, the little strawberry house I found at the flea market set in the gnome garden:

May2

painted gourds

Posted on Monday, May 2, 2011 by Dianne

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Dianne checking out painted gourds, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.

Just curious if you’d add these to your garden decor? I thought they were a bit cosmic and snake looking. Interesting colors!
I got outside and weeded around the pond and out front where I planted burgundy Pansies, pale pink Nicotiana and yellow and purple Johnny Jump Ups (you can see these plants in the wagon photo below). My Bleeding Hearts and a ground cover (what’s it’s name?) look very lush this year. 2 down and about 6 to go plus around the house. I have to kill some faux Snow on the Mountain plant that took over my entire side bed. I use the weed wacker, but you have to get the roots. More work for me!

Apr27

Doing stuff

Posted on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 by Dianne

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I just realized I haven’t blogged since Sunday! Running here and there-to get my hair done in my hometown and visiting mom for a couple of things. Unfortunately I wasn’t feeling that great on Monday between my allergies and eating something for Easter that didn’t agree with me. But I got to see my niece and gave her the little owl box I assembled the day before. She liked it.

Mom and I went out to a late lunch (she is never ready when I get there) and the place she wanted to go to was closing. I ended up eating a grilled chicken sandwich on a toasted hotdog roll at a hamburger joint. How cheap can you get and it was falling apart too!
Yesterday I took some gold jewelry that was given to me to a shop in Delaware that I dealt with before. I only sell stuff that I don’t need or know I won’t wear. I had a lot of bits and pieces. I had a ring sized too. I got enough for a car payment plus some extra. : ) I told the man I wanted the blue topaz out of this big ring as he said he only wanted the gold part. I go back today to get the ring I was having resized and there was no stone in the envelope. I had to ask for it! He was hoping I’d forget and only offered me $20 for about a 4 carat blue topaz. He doesn’t do the greatest resizing job-the ring is rough and not polished that much on the inside.
I asked Sean to get my white car washed last night as it was dirty and he was nice enough to do so. I see that the same dirty spots are still running down the sides-what a rip off. I told Sean that was a waste of money and not to go there again. Also my ”change oil’ reminder is coming on and the dealership was suppose to do that last week.
I did go to Tuesday Morning and got a pretty box for the wedding gift we are giving our cousin along with a few extras. I stopped in the store and bought some charcoal and made really good burgers. I grated onion and pressed it into them and it made all of the difference!
Sean is off tomorrow and wants to take a daytrip, but the weather may be dicey. That figures.
I have been cleaning inside and outside-it’s sure an endless job. I have no clothesline now as a big branch took off a side of a ‘t’ bar on one end. I have hanging pots on them now.

One of my newer collages based on being a visitor at the nation’s capital.