You Did WHAT With My Bowling Ball?

My mom had given me the neatest gardening book with TONS of neat crafts for outside. There are so many things in the book that I want to make but I decided that the ladybug HAD to be the first thing on my list.

After begging some friends for their old bowling balls I went to work. Mom was visiting at the time so she went with me to get the rest of the supplies and we got the primer and base coat down before she had to leave (it was a busy weekend so we didn't get to do much...see "At Last, They Do" for more info on what we did that weekend). Later I painted on the black accents and to protect it just a little I thought I would spray some sealer on it. Well, I didn't look at which sealer I grabbed and ended up sparying my ladybug with a coat of matte finish sealer (FYI...IF you seal it, I recommend the gloss to match the silicon caulk - see upcoming comment) Then I added the antennae. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to remove the rubber inserts in the finger holes so the called-for black silicon caulk didn't hold. After pulling out the inserts and re-caulking the antennae to the bug I was stuck with a high-gloss spot where each of the antennae went into the "body" and then a matte finish on the rest of the bug. URG...

Okay, so my ladybug isn't perfect... that just means that it is a perfect reflection of its owner/crafter...me! I still love it though and am looking forward to making more for my friends and so this one won't be lonely. Additionally, there is a bumble bee that I'm going to do as well.

Watch out bowling balls of the world... Your destiny may be to become a bug!

My Baby's Green Thumb

My DD had picked out a small purple petunia plant a few months ago while at a nursery. I went ahead and got it for her and had her help me to plant it in a pot. While I would have preferred it to be in my garden, I figured having in a pot near the back door would best enable her to care for and admire it. Well, care for it she has and admire it she does!

By Golly, It Bloomed!

Earlier this spring, as soon as the leaves peaked through the ground, I went and dug up a slew of iris bulbs that we inherited when we bought our home. As though being in full shade wasn't enough, they were also in high dog traffic areas of the yard. As I'd never gotten any blooms from them in their original locations, I decided to move the bulbs despite it not being the best time to do so.

After having spoken with my mom and a local Master Gardener, I understood that the transplanted irises would probably not do spit this year but was told, repeatedly, to not give up on them because in a few years they would be SO very happy with their new full sun location...hopefully. Patience, by the way is NOT one of my best virtues, especially when it comes to gardening.

Well, by golly, I got a bloom THIS YEAR! It is a lovely light purple and I'm so excited I can barely stand it. Okay, so that may be the only bloom I get because the rest of the iris look a little puny but I got a bloom! Of course, as I only noticed it this am as I was leaving for work..

Speaking of irises, my water iris that Naomi gave me went nuts recently. First one, then two, then something like ten blooms at one time adorned the plant. Last night I deadheaded the plant and have two full blooms and about 5 about to pop open. Gorgeous deep purple blooms... WOW! Seeing that gorgeous display of color has made all the work we did on the pond worth it.

I LOVE playing in the dirt!

The Addition of Tiki-Man

Just because I didn't post anything in April doesn't mean I was being lazy. In fact, quite the opposite was true.

We were very busy working in the pond garden and I must say that I'm extremely pleased at how well it is all coming together.

To watch over the fruits of our labors and to serve as a plant stand, I introduce to you - Tiki-Man! I was fortunate to receive Tiki-Man from someone who was tossing him out (code word: FREE) and every time I see him I smile. I especially like his "hair-do" which my DH notes makes him resemble the Chiquita Banana chick. HA! Of course, the time between when I took this photo of Tiki-Man and my entering this post, I've changed the pot on his "head". Same plants but a raffia rope type basket pot that looks much more "natural"?

I'm hoping to get some pix of the pond posted sometime this century. Keep watch!

Garden Hoes March Work Day

Recently we had our March work day and I was the fortunate one to receive the fruit of our labors. After a short breakfast and going over the "action plan", we set to work breaking ground for a new flower bed. The site selection was actually easier than I thought. We have three crepe myrtles that are a bear to mow around, plus there was the big rock that was a bit tricky to get over. Now we have a lovely new bed that incorporates the rock as an "architectural feature" (ha ha) and will make mowing that corner of the property a little easier and, IMHO, just looks "pretty".

Unfortunately, my "from seed" plants weren't ready to go in yet so we were only able to put in a few plants on this day. Included in the bed at this time is a Nierembergia (Cupflower), Malvaviscus arboreus (Turk's Cap), Salvia Mystic Spires Blue (supposedly a dwarf version of Salvia Indigo Spires), and a couple Amaryllis bulbs (thanks Naomi!). Also going into this bed, hopefully soon, will be Zinnia "Envy", Cerinthe (Purple Bells) and Monarda (Bee Balm). Probably a few other things will find their way there but that is the idea thus far.

In addition to the primary flower bed, we tilled up another area for turning into a bed. The area between the veggie garden and the drive-way was a full-sun area but pretty neglected looking. We laid edging for this area and got the primary till done. This past weekend, I tilled in some organic compost to raise the acidity level of this extremely basic patch of soil. All the iris bulbs I'd dug up from scraggly areas/beds that I was reinventing went into the new bed. A nice layer of mulch on top and she's done...well, almost. I still need to put down a few steps and then finish mulching the other end, but I'm quite pleased with it. Even if the poor plants don't do anything this year, I believe they will be quite happy in their new home and I'm hoping that next year... kaPOW! In the meantime, I've got a few potted plants in the bed as well. My Bulbine frutescens (Orange African Bulbine) has begun to flower in one of the pots. I still need to thin out the second pot. My Hilo Beauty Elephant Ear bulbs I was given have yet to start sprouting...

The last little bit of tilling I did for that day was over near the pond garden. Going to put a few things in the little crook of the fence and needed to soften up the ground. Have yet to decide what will go here, but...

Garden Hoes February Work Day

Last Saturday was the year's first "Garden Hoes" workday. We met out at Naomi's to help prep her new HUGE veggie garden. Unfortunately, we didn't get as much gardening work done as we probably should have but definitely had more fun than we probably should have.

After a little work outdoors and a yummy lunch break, a few of us sat down and got crafty painting terra cotta pots for the Boys & Girls Club of Georgetown to use as give-aways at the Home & Garden Show on March 1st. We had TOO much fun doing this. A couple of the pots I decorated that I loved the most included my "Scooby-Doo", "Zannadoo" and "Eyeballs" pots. Naomi and Beth's pots were more of the beautiful variety where a few of mine were, well, a little "out there". It was a great time for a good cause!



Sadly, we are going to be saying goodbye to one our little group. She claims she hates our "cold Texas weather" and yearns for the warmer, tropical climate of Florida. In reality, we are trying to come to terms that she just doesn't love us... well, she does a little as she brought all her plants to our work day, since she couldn't move them. We love her for sharing her plants with us and I'm already working to give them all new homes in my yard. You will be missed though, Beth!