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Saturday, June 6, 2015

Whew, that's a lot of work!

                         Once upon a time there was a yard


Where the fish swam


 And the flowers flourished


Then that blasted thing called aging hit.
Go figure it doesn't just hit people.

Things started to wear out, parts started to fail.
Wood started to rot!
(can't wait to that rot part to hit me soon)
LOL!!

It was time for it all to go.
:-(


Bye bye pond
All that's left is the pampas grass that sat beside you.

Bye bye gardens and your lovely bushes.


While I have no idea what this bush was...
it produced incredible flowers.

I dug it up once when we put in the pond. It was too close to it.
Having no green thumb, I was sure it would kill it.
Not so...It thrived in it's new location.


So we are going to try it again.
I dug it up and potted it until the new garden is ready to plant.

It split into 2 and seems to be doing just fine in it's new pots.
There is hope yet.


I've been digging up and potting everything I can get out of the garden.


I figure I'm not out anything if they don't make it.


All the hand digging out fences and concrete from the posts
is about killing me.
Oh, how I feel my age now.
But once I got the bid from the landscaper back, I almost had a heart attack!
I can do a lot of this myself, and surely will be doing so.


Years ago when we chopped down a tree
my boys hollowed out part of the stump.
It was just the right size for a pot, but nothing ever really survived in it. 
It just got too hot and dry.


After visiting the garden store last week, I found a much better solution.
Get rid of the pot, add in one of those coconut husk liners,
and fill directly with dirt.
Then add one of those nifty water bottle holders with a clay tip,
that goes into the dirt. A perfect automatic watering system.
I just love my tree stump.

A friend gave me a tip, that by adding a disposable diaper 
to the bottom of your hanging baskets, before you fill them with dirt.
 It helps hold and regulate the moisture.
It's worth giving it a try.

Looking forward...



I know it's no beauty, but it is my new car!
A 1955 Ford Fairlane.
She's much prettier now, than when her roof was crushed in.


Don't laugh, it's true!
;-)

You see my new vision is a new bigger and better pond. 
One that my beautiful car is going to sit along...
with a waterfall coming out the car window.
Her hood and trunk full of flowers!
With all the rain here lately, it's almost sitting in a pond now!
LOL!!


In it's day, this playhouse sat high in the sky, but gravity and aging required us to take it down.


My new vision is...
to have it sit along side the pond with a wrap around deck on it.
Oh and did I mention it's going to be turned into a faux outhouse???
:-)


With my twin toilet planters on it!
LOL!!

My mind is such a dangerous place these days!
We will have to see just what the landscaper has cooked up for the car/pond.
I know he was pretty excited to take on the project.
Nothing like anything he has ever done before.

As for the rest of the work...
I'm heading back outside to start digging out more fencing.
Thanks goodness for tractors.
At least I won't be shoveling all new new dirt and rock!

And that's why I haven't been stitching much lately.
I sure hope to see my sewing room soon.
My ole body needs a rest!

Lesson learned...
Keep off of Pinterest!
It's just too dangerous!
:-)








16 comments:

  1. Good luck! What a vision. LOL. I was good up until the outhouse with toilet planters. Then I almost snarfed my tea out my nose. I can almost see it now. LOL. Lots of work ahead of you....Be sure to keep posting updates as you move along.

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  2. Oh and google it. You can dig up and save Iris bulbs for replanting.

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  3. Good luck Joan! You sure have done a lot of work already. At my last house, I received many plants from friends and am hoping to be able to get our new yard looking good. Looking forward to seeing your new pond!

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  4. Oh girl, you crack me up! Can't wait to follow your progress reports. Seems that today most quilters are gardeners as well. Too much creative juice in one spot maybe. LOL

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  5. Wow...a lot of work, but it will be just fabulous once completed. Great tip about the stump...thanks for the inspiration, now I know how to get my flowers to survive there. yay!

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  6. Your mystery flower is an Hibiscus. I wan't sure, but I did an image search and found one the same as your fairly quickly.

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  7. Yes, it is an hibiscus, perennial. Hard to find but stunningly gorgeous blooms. I have one the same color, in full bloom right now!

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  8. I guess you don't need me telling you what the flower is as you already have the answer. I look forward to seeing your new backyard when you are finished. It is always a lot of work but always worthwhile in the end. Good luck.

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  9. Morning Joan, You always give me chuckle, I'm anxious to see the finished project. An out house appearance is a cute idea, maybe use for a potting shed? I'm working on my yard now that I'm retired. A little every day. Don't you over do.
    Have fun and be safe.
    Blessings
    Tonia

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  10. Gosh you have a lot of imagination. I'm fascinated with this new plan, can't wait to see the pictures as you go along. Be Careful of your back and hands while out there. You need those parts so you can sew. I tend toward practical.

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  11. I love your vision and I can't wait to see your gorgeous garden when everything is done! The along-the-way pictures are so much fun, so I hope you keep us updated on the progress!!

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  12. Good grief!! None of this is quilting! What is going on????
    I love what you are doing but feel all of your aches and pains as you do all the digging. This is the time you want to own an excavator. Can't wait to see the flowers growing in the car. That will be stunning.
    Look after those tired muscles!!

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  13. Ditto all that precedes and that hibiscus will be quite happy at the edge of the new pond. They grow in the marshes and along the edges of ponds here on the south shore of Lake Erie.

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  14. OMGosh.....I can't wait to see the end results. It is going to be a fun (and tiring) project.

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  15. Well said! Our minds ARE dangerous places and Pinterest IS an influence.....oftentimes for the GOOD! Well, you're doing great. That said, we're sending you some sewing......just for an excuse to rest, if you need one. Here's a hug....OH! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you! You're way ahead of us. We're just getting the raspberries planted, new ones. They're just babies. Beginning, again, the war against deer, raccoons, skunks, bunnies and blight. It's SUMMER! Oh, ouch. That hurt....

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  16. My backyard is in dire need of a makeover but I just haven't hit on a plan yet. So having the plan is half the battle won! Can't wait to see more.

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Thanks for stopping by today. Your comments really do make me day!
;-)