Outdoor Spaces

Sit a Spell

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A formal sitting area in the garden.

I adore.

Love the two french daybeds in black and white linens.

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this one oozes green and has a more natural feel

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Nothing wrong with this one either.

I'd gladly have this in my backyard.

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How about a desk?

And I have a newly found love of house lamps outside.

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Blue trellis walls, I never would have thought, but it makes for a very tranquil space.

I have so many things I'm working on here but can't seem to get any of them photo ready.

I will...but today I just needed some pretty outdoor rooms to dream of.

I have a friend that is having a very very hard time right now.

She is in the hospital and is very seriously ill. 

She is facing surgery today or the next.

I did not know she was ill till a few days ago.

She has been sick for two months and did not want me to know.

She is the kindest person you could ever meet.

She always does nice things for everyone.

She tries so much to help everybody else that she has neglected herself.

I only realized a week or so ago that I hadn't been hearing from her like normal.

I called several times with no call back.

Unusual.

Finally, I called and said..."Now I'm starting to worry...call me."

When she did...it was with news of her ongoing illness that I had no idea about.

Say a prayer for my friend, Shannon Marcrum.

She needs as many as she can get.

The next six months or more are going to be very rough for her...life changing.

Things will never be the same....but I hope they can be good again.

Life is so fragile....we are so lucky just to get up and walk each day.

My friend Shannon is such a precious person....

I wish she knew this about herself; everyone else does.

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Wishing

and Missing

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I'm wishing I had a space like this outside.

I need outdoor furniture and I need it cheap.

I've been watching Craigslist and the other night 

found a complete iron set - sofa, chairs and table for $50!

All it needed were some great cushions.

I was so excited...alas it was sold when I contacted them.

I'll keep trying.

But isn't that space ultra beautiful above?

I'm currently working on a little update to the kitchen.

You know me...if it involves an update it involves something inexpensive 

and done in a way not usually done.

I think it's going to turn out nice and I'll share as soon as I finish.

My kitchen has transformed in small baby steps.

Maybe someday it will be all I want it to be.

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Outdoor Rooms

March brings in the Green

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That's a mirror used outside. I love that look. I wonder how safe it is?

I do have a very shady backyard so it might work for me.

I think if it's in a sunny spot it can start a fire.

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I can't help but think about outdoor spaces as the weather starts to change.

One month and I'll be able to start buying plants for outside again.

I can't wait. 

I never can afford to buy a lot of plants at once though...so it takes me a couple of months 

to get things looking nice.

A little here and a little there.

I think it must be nice to live in a warm climate where you don't have to start all over again 

each spring. 

I tried....I really did try my best to over winter a few plants this year.

I had huge ferns all over my back deck and I've tried bringing them in before

and leaves started falling everywhere and I couldn't take it.

But I vowed this year would be different. 

So before we had a hard freeze I brought in two super large queen ferns and a hibiscus.

A quick search on the internet told me that hibiscus is poisonous to dogs.

So I put it in one side of the kitchen sink where it would get plenty of light and be up away

from the dogs.

I lived for two months with a plant in my sink.

(not fun)

The ferns were easily four to five feet across, size wise. 

Harvey was very excited about them at first...he thought he was living in a jungle.

But then one day last month...I was watering the ferns and once again water went everywhere...

all over the floor. This because the plants were root bound and needed to be repotted.

But I didn't want to have four huge ferns in the house and was hoping to make it to 

spring before repotting. I wanted to do it outside.

So I had large plates and bowls under these ferns and water was still going all over the floor.

In frustration one night...after watering...

I said,

"That's it! It's either me or them. They have to go!" and I tossed them out onto the deck.

Harvey looked very worried and a little frightened...I think he thought he was next.

It was a warmish night - 40's. So they were fine for the night and the next day I put them in the garage.

The hibiscus went there too.

I'm sure they are dead. I've heard that plants will last if put in the garage but it has been 

very cold since then.

I haven't looked at them in like a month. I should have watered them but haven't...

maybe I will tomorrow.

So...I really have learned from this something I already knew...

I cannot handle big plants in the house. 

Maybe if the house didn't already have four live animals in it...

I could. 

Taking care of dogs is all I can manage. 

Besides dogs tell you when they need water and food and plants don't till it's too late.

I'm bad with fish too. 

You don't even want to know.

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Backyard Deck

The Last of Summer

I know Summer is over but no one has told my backyard deck. 

I just love sweet potato vines. I planted just three little plants in each corner planter - two of coleus and one of sweet potato and look at how it's grown over the summer!

Usually, I plant sweet potato vines in the front flower beds too 

but didn't this year because I knew I was going to get a new roof and didn't want them trampled. 

But these survived just fine...so perhaps I should have.

 A new follower of my blog, Janet of The Gardners Cottage read my last post where I was

 contemplating what to do about the landscaping at the front of the house. 

She directed me over to 

Tara Dillard's blog.

Vanishing Threshold: Garden Life Home

I'm so glad she did. It's full of wonderful garden and landscaping ideas. 

I will definitely be reading through all of it. I'm hoping it will help me get my front landscape together.

I realize my back deck is kind of wild and out of hand. 

I'm not saying it's perfection in anyway shape or form. 

If I had some patio furniture...this plant life would have to get under control 

but since I don't have any furniture because I haven't been able to afford any...

I think it's fine to let it get all wild and jungle-y.

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