I Spent the Weekend Enjoying the Garden

The garden area has improved since my last post. All of the snow and water is gone and the allium I planted last fall is in full bloom.

 Except for the winter burn on all the Alberta Spruces and the  Golden Privet shrubs that appear to be dead, everything else has survived the brutal winter. You can see two of the Privets in the pic above (the tall twigs w/no leaves).  I am giving them another month before I yank them out as I can see a tiny bit of green at the bottom.

 The Alberta Spruces look bad, but I think they will recover. Each day I see more green appearing in the burned areas.

The flowering crab tree was beautiful last week.

Too bad it only stays this color for four days.

This peony is loaded with buds:

I think it likes all the sun it gets now that the every pine tree has been removed from this side of the garden.

J. planted all of his marigolds along the sidewalk to the deck and in the planters on each side. He picked out three different kinds.  He is taking care of them himself and even keeps them dead headed!

I am still waiting for the giant Tropicanna leaves to come out in the urn. It looks pretty sad right now, but it will be overflowing soon with red, purple and orange.

I have a nice little herb pot going strong on the deck:

All in all I am happy with the garden's progress so far this year.  Right now we really, really need some rain. Unfortunately there is none in the forecast for at least three more days. 

Flooded Garden

What a difference a day makes!

On Saturday I  showed you where I planted my new perennial geraniums from Breck's.  On Sunday it rained and rained.  Monday night it snowed.  Today the temps were in the 20's and the garden looks like this:

Every year they send me orders to plant and  I always think it is too early.  But they send instructions that say "plant immediately upon arrival".  So I did.  I hope the new plants don't die from all the water.

Breck's Double Geranium Collection Arrived Today

They look great with very healthy-looking roots.   I went out and immediately planted them.

Just so I can remember where they are, I am posting these pictures:

Southcrombe Double planted here:

Birch Double here:

Summer Skies Double Here:

If I don't take pictures to document where they are, I will forget and dig them up to plant something else!

Early this morning, I finished putting together this quilt block of a pilgrim lady carrying her Thanksgiving turkey to the table.  Now I can begin to make her husband, who's carrying a pumpkin.  It's a fun project!

Spring has Finally Arrived!

It's been in the high 40's - low 50's for a few days and  most of the snow has melted in my main gardens.

Notice all of the Alberta Spruce shrubs have the brown tops...

Thank you all for your kind comments regarding the Alberta Spruces.  I hope they will survive, but, after a bid of internet searching, I am not very optimistic.  I have a yew hedge that is also brown.  That will probably be OK, but from what I have read the Albertas don't come back.

After the snow melted, I noticed that I left my ceramic frog out all winter. Do you see him in the bottom pic? I am surprised he is still intact! It is amazing how snow can protect the plants as well as items that one would expect to crack from the sub zero temps.

I am hoping I can get out in these two gardens this weekend to do some raking.  It all depends on the weather...it may rain...maybe even snow.  I am sure we can expect at least one more snow storm.

I hope you are all enjoying your spring in whatever state you are in!

I Could Just Cry

The winter of 2013/2014 has been so brutal! I planted this Alberta Spruce in 1986. It matured into the exact size I imagined way back then when I wanted it to grow tall enough to cover the electric meter. 

After the brutal temps of this winter, it looks like this:

99% of it is dead.  I have over a dozen of these shrubs and every. single. one. looks. like. this.

I am so sad. I feel like moving into a condo and letting someone else worry about the landscape.

Winter Purchases

I have not been buying many clothes this winter because I have more than I really need. But when has that stopped us?  LOL.  I did buy a few new things that I can show you:

This beaded fedora to wear in the garden:

I have an orange tote that it will go nicely with, should I decide to wear it someplace other than the garden.  I am not really a hat person, so I probably won't wear it in public.

 

these two sweaters:

I have not worn the navy one yet, but I've worn the aqua one three times and really like it.

 

This black/white shell:

 

I wore it last weekend with black jeans and a white jean jacket--loved it!

 

I also bought this bench last month:

I have wanted one of these for years.  I put it in the family room and store shoes in it. There is a door to the garage in the family room.  No more shoes visible by the garage door!

 

I bought this beverage dispenser:

I thought it would be great for large gatherings on the deck this summer.  Only problem is I never have large gatherings!!

 

Finally, I purchased this chef's torch in December:

 

 

I had visions of making a  delicious crème brulee dessert.  So far I have not used it. :) 

 

How often do you buy something and never use it? 

Jewelry Wall Hanger

Last fall I showed you this metal bird cage wall card holder that I had purchased:

I found that cards looked messy, so I used mine in my kitchen to display my old red-handled kitchen utensil collection:

For the past few months, I have been thinking the metal bird cage would be perfect to hold my necklaces, but I liked it in the kitchen. 

So.............. I bought another one and hung it on a wall in my bedroom.

On Sunday I filled it with necklaces. 

 I used to have to paw through a bunch of necklaces in a big plastic container.  Now they are all in view and I just grab the one I want to wear.  Love, love, love this!

In a Spring Mood, Even though it's still Winter Outside

I removed my winter sofa covers from the living room furniture and let the spring/summer flowers bloom!

I hung my denim wreath on the hutch door and put three green purses of pink calla lilies on the coffee table.

I found these purse vases at Big Lots a few weeks ago.

They were marked down to $3 each.  They really need more flowers, but I did not have enough callas.  I think they will be so cute filled with my garden flowers this summer--can't wait to try them with 3 big fat peonies in each vase.

While the inside is looking quite springy, the outside still looks like this:

It will be a long time before I have real flowers to fill those vases!

Beautiful Banquet Table

Most of you know that I work in a hotel.  Tonight we are doing a big charity event. They auction off a decorated table that is served by some local "celebrities"--the mayor and other prominent business people. I have been at work most of the day today helping to get the room set for this event. They have a decorator do the special table. This decorator did not supply them with napkins, so I ran home and pulled some from own personal collection. This is the table they will auction off tonight, set with my own napkins:

The table is also set with wine glasses that have hand-painted animals (the event is for our local Humane Society).

So cute!

Wouldn't you love to have a prime rib dinner served at this table?

What a Winter!

This is what Michigan looks like right now:

The Great Lakes have not been this frozen over in years!  I live on the Lake Huron side and often travel up toward Lake Superior. Both are about 90%+  frozen over this year.

 

Cold weather like we have been having calls for hot comfort food, like these turkey pot pies I made a few weeks ago:

 

I used purchased pie crusts for the bottom, pre-cooked the bottom crust until almost done, added my filling, made my own top crust,  then froze them. 

 

We recently enjoyed one for dinner with some of my own frozen chives decorating the top:

 

YUM! We can't wait to have it again! It's the perfect comfort food for our winter weather (one day was -20 actual temperature---brrrrrrrrrrrr).

 

A few weeks ago, I purchased this lovely necklace from my sister from another mother, Patti,  at Osage Bluff, MO. 

I was born not far from where Patti lives in Missouri.  We have jokingly called  ourselves "sisters" because we both love quilting and have many other things in common.  Patti recently retired and began making these lovely paper-pieced quilt charms.  I put mine on a chain and it's the perfect necklace for all the black/red outfits I wear to work.  Patti has a gazillion different charm patterns and colors, so if you like this necklace, head over to her blog to see what she still has left. She keeps replenishing her stock, so keep checking her blog. 

 

I have been super busy at work the past few months (hence, the lack of posts).  DH and I recently had to attend a Chamber of Commerce dinner (work-related... otherwise I would never have put in a 6:30 am to 9:30 pm work day!)  I like my job, but that's ridiculous!

We are the couple on your right side.  As is usually the case, I enjoyed the event once I got there (For the prior 24-hrs., I complained like crazy to J. about having to go). 

 

 In the end, I had a good time socializing with the people at our table.  There were over 500 people there and our table was the last one called to go to the buffet--talk about bad luck!

 

Spring is only a few weeks away!  I just ordered some of these double everblooming hardy geraniums from Brecks:

 

They are Birch Double, Summer Skies, and Southcombe Double. Do any of you grow any of these?  If you have any tips for me,  I would love for you to leave a comment!

 

I hope you all enjoy the last few days of winter!

 

Book Page Bouquets

A few weeks ago, I decided to make a book-page wreath.  You may have seen them in blogland...they have been all the rage for a few years.

I found an old yellowing book on furniture refinishing that I will never use again, so I tore out the pages and taped them into cones, like this:

I stuck the cones in these two large vases until I had time to make the wreath:

That was about a month ago.  So far I have not been inspired to make the wreath, so I just put the vases full of paper "flowers" back up on the entertainment center in my family room. 

I decided that I kind of like the vases full of paper "flowers"!

Someday I may still make a wreath, but for now I am content with these winter bouquets.

Crafty Saturday at Home

I spent yesterday creating things...including a big mess. :) 

Since J does all the cooking during the week, I try to take over that task on the weekends that I am home.  I make extra for the freezer, so he always has something he can heat up quickly if he does not feel like cooking. 

I made something new last night-- Buffalo Wing Chicken Meatballs.  They were stuffed with a piece of Feta cheese.

I used 2 lbs. of ground chicken breast mixed with an egg, diced red pepper, diced red onion, 4 cloves of garlic, and whatever spices you like--I used poultry seasoning, basil, salt and pepper.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes (depends on how big you make them). Don't over cook or they will be too dry.
While baking melt 1/2 cup butter and about 1/2 cup of Frank's Hot Sauce.  Lightly toss the chicken meatballs in this sauce just prior to serving.

I also added some spring colors to a denim wreath I made last fall:

and I turned these little paper pieces into that heart quilt block:

All in all I had a most enjoyable frigid winter Saturday staying home in my p.j.'s the wholel day!  I am planning to do pretty much the same thing today!

Frigid Temperatures Fun

I got home from work yesterday and it was 8 degrees with a wind chill of -13 degrees.  I decided it was time to try a bubble-blowing experiment that I have been seeing on the net. 

You heat up your bubble solution to boiling and then go outside and blow bubbles. Blowing bubbles in below zero temps!! How cool is that?  The bubbles are supposed to freeze as they drift through the air.  You catch them before they hit the ground and shatter and they are gorgeous works of  frozen art.

So  I heated my soapy bubble solution in the microwave and went outside in my bathrobe and winter boots (the moment I get home from work I put my warm cozy bathrobe on).   On my first bubble-blowing attempt, I had Crocs on, but the snow entered all the holes and I had wet feet--not a good thing in below zero temps--so the boots went on for this second attempt.

I caught a bubble (not as easy to do as you might think!):

It looked just like it would on a balmy July afternoon.  Nothing froze!  I was so disappointed!

I decided to try another experiment.  I boiled two cups of water in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup.  I took it outside and tossed it in the air:

It is supposed to turn to snow and, I think, it did!   Finally success!  DH was standing behind me taking the pics and did not quite capture the "snow" as it moved too quickly across the left side.

Have any of you tried either of these?  I had a blast...most fun I have had outside since my garden frosted over!