Accidental Landscaping

Tonight I thought I’d just post pictures and video of my landscaping triumph….

A log, a stump, ferns and hostas (this is the scraggliest section)

A trough of red impatience provides contrast…

The big ostrich ferns were already there

The large rock ringed by small rocks marks the grave of a beloved pet (but I can’t remember which one – there’s been two birds, a hamster, a gerbil and some fish)

And now for the promised video…

Tomorrow’s plans include a massage (which will probably be painful), garden work in the front yard (oh my aching back) and maybe, just maybe, I’ll get started on that dang curtain.

4 Comments

by Jennie C. on May 30, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in gardening

Posted by Jennie C. on May 30, 2012

https://letterstomygrandparents.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/accidental-landscaping/

Birthday Boy, Gardening & The Avengers

It’s late – so a super quick post.

I went to Leah’s to hang out for the day with her and Isaac. I took him a cupcake for an after-breakfast snack.

Leah had to run a quick errand at the mall, so Isaac and I went to check out a little bobcat sweeper parked near a worker. The worker told us Isaac could sit in it, so he did just that!.

We took Isaac to Wal-Mart and he picked out his birthday present. He was pretty cute looking at all the cool stuff. But once he found what he really wanted, a police station for his Matchbox cars, he didn’t change his mind.

Then we popped into my house for some hotdogs … which Leah and I thoroughly enjoyed … and Isaac ignored because his new police station was more exciting.

Then we headed out to go geocaching and once we reached our destination, I realized I’d forgotten the GPS. Grrrrr. So we walked around the little lake and watched some water skiers, which was fun, too. Isaac rode his bike all the way around. I was more upset about the forgotten GPS than he was.

Oh yeah … and then a stop for ice cream!

After I got home, I headed back into the backyard for some more gardening. Thank you Mr. T for all your help! It looks so nice. I should finish up tomorrow and then I’ll do a little video.

And then a friend and I went to see The Avengers! My Grandma R. would love it, what with the super heroes and aliens and all (NOT)! You know you’re in for a fun ride, with quotes like this:

Call every lab you know, tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I’ll rough out a tracking algorithm based on cluster recognition.

And there you have it folks, May 29th in a nutshell.

P.S. I didn’t get to the curtain last night, but I DID finish my zombie book. Maybe I’ll get to the curtain tomorrow…

Digging holes

Well, I should be good and sore tomorrow.

I didn’t actually get to those holes that I was going to dig last night. But today I managed to convince my husband that the task would probably kill me and if he wanted me around a few more years, could he please please please dig the holes? I’m moving the hostas and ferns from the front yard into the back yard, along the fence. They used to live under the walnut tree, but now that it’s gone, they’re in full sun and a bit upset about that.

Anyhow, I only managed to divide (into three) and transfer one big hosta. I already gave Mom a big hosta (which we also divided into three). And I weeded a bunch along the back fence, too. Gardening is seriously back-breaking work. And when I see how much needs done, I get overwhelmed and a tad bit discouraged. But I’ll just keep at it for a bit each day – not putting too much pressure on myself (or my aching back).

“Big Red ” (the super scary evil wheel barrow)

Maddie does NOT like our big red wheelbarrow. A couple of days ago she barked at it frantically, practically giving herself a heart attack. Today she just woofed at it menacingly a few times. Hopefully she and Big Red can come to some sort of truce.

Besides weeding and tidying, the plan includes getting rid of the island flower bed in the front yard. I’ll take some of what’s in there and transfer it; I just can’t keep up with it all. The weeding alone will probably take me a couple of months.

And I also picked rhubarb. Which I just remembered is still out on the lawn (and the rain is now coming down sideways – ugh). I think I’ll make jam out of it.

And I tended to my sick girl who came home from school with a stomach bug. Rice crackers, bananas and egg-drop soup seem to be staying down.

And I cleaned out a bunch of moldy food containers that the sick girl had stockpiled at school. Gag. Normally she’d have to clean them herself, but I decided to be nice … what with her being pukey and all. Double gag.

And I read a bit. I’m reading a Stephen King novel, Cell. I don’t typically like horror … at all … unless there are zombies or aliens. I’m having a bit of an obsession with zombies lately. If you haven’t noticed … zombies are a bit of a cultural craze right now in literature and media. I’m only comfortable with the kind of zombies that result from some catastrophic event that can be explained scientifically. I don’t do any type of horror that has a spiritual or super-natural aspect to it. A girl’s gotta draw the line somewhere.

And Mr. T and I went shopping at Costco and behaved ourselves quite well (unlike my Grandmother R. would have!)

And we’ll be eating leftover chili for the 4th night in a row … so I don’t have to worry about dinner. Phew.

Transplanted hostas and ferns (photographed from the shelter of my back window)

Plans for the rest of the day: Eat leftover chili (for the 4th day in a row), sew for a bit on my pantry curtain, read more about zombies.

1 Comment

by Jennie C. on May 28, 2012 • Permalink

Posted in family, gardening

Tagged ferns, hostas, rhubarb, wheel barrows

Posted by Jennie C. on May 28, 2012

https://letterstomygrandparents.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/digging-holes/

Isaac’s Birthday Party

I can’t believe little Ikey has turned 5 (well, he turns 5 on Tuesday), but today was his birthday party. Ikey was very adamant that he wanted an Angry Birds birthday cake (Angry Birds is a game he plays on the iPhone). A friend of Leah’s was going to make the decorations for the cake, but forgot :(

Luckily, I’d already planned to make a bunch of mini cupcakes in the theme’s colours. So, I quickly created some little flags on the computer and the Angry Bird’s cake was saved! And the (gluten-free) mini cupcakes were SO YUMMY. One of the guests at the party told me he’d trade me wine for cupcakes any time (he’s a liquor sales rep).

Angry Birds Mini Cupcakes

Of course, I was 45 minutes late to the party. I kinda dawdled my way through the morning and then panicked when I realized I was running out of time.

First, I rolled out of bed, grabbed the clothes I wore to church the night before, slapped a ball cap on my head and headed for Starbucks. I was so excited to find out that a gift card I received had $25 on it. I had a nice chat with the Starbucks barista. I told him I’d only just got out of bed 12 minutes before.

Then I went to the grocery store and bought way more stuff than I’d planned (as usual). Grocery shopping with a venti latte in hand is tricky. I spent a bunch of time looking at crochet magazines, but managed to talk myself out of buying one. I got home at 11:15 – the party was starting at 13:00 – and I still had to make the cupcakes! Terry helped with sprinkles and fetching things and making the birthday card, etc.

Isaac opening his presents (with his cousin looking on)

Ikey’s party was a casual affair – lawn chairs in Leah’s driveway, with kids running and riding all over the place. Ikey wiped out on his bike and somehow did a handstand before landing on his side (in the grass). We all cheered like he did it on purpose and he gave the cutest little grin.

We just gave him some cash and I’m going to take him shopping for a present on Tuesday. Click here for a little video of Isaac opening presents.