Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Flowers & a funky, fun project

 

Happy Wednesday Folks ~ Here we are to the middle of another week. January is almost gone and February will be here shortly.

Some of you are really having really nasty winter weather.  I almost feel guilty for writing a post about flowers and fun in mild weather down here in FL. Almost, but not quite. You all have lovely springs and not so bad and short summers.  We have short springs, long, hot and humid summers, with threats of hurricanes, but our winters are rather nice, especially if we get some ‘chilly/cold’ weather, which we’ve had some of lately.  We are having gray skies today, had a little rain already and more is expected throughout the day and tomorrow too. We need it so I’m not complaining.

Monday I got the hair-brained idea to make an arbor using some plastic covered wire shelving we found.  We used some and still have some left over.  I thought to myself, why not? I am recycling and making something I want but don’t want to spend $ on.

I didn’t have to cut anything, just wired, propped and there it is.  I still need to do some tweaking, looking for some pipe in our stash to pound into the ground for extra support. For now, this works.  Once things start growing up and over it I will be really pleased. I then moved potted plants back to this area to surround it and divide it from the parking area, and I love the look.  It helps to soothe my heart.  The caravan is an unfinished project that we were working on, and one of these days I’ll do my best to finish the inside. Paint and paneling and hook up the lights.  I’m planning to use this to store material, yarn, etc. I can sit out there with my lap top and can have tea, do some needlework projects if I feel like it.  There’s a tiny a.c. that we bought and installed and I have an electric one burner for making tea. There’s even a little fridge that will work on propane or electric. Oh yeah, see the little section of picket fencing by the caravan?  I found 5 pickets left over from our fencing project and found some other wood we had, and nailed pickets to that and wa-la! I need to wash it down with TSP or vinegar, then paint it to match the other fencing on the other side.  I think I’ve still got some of that paint left.

I’ve got to clear junk supplies/materials from in front of the work shop to make it all look nicer.  All in good time. One thing Mark told me before he left this planet for his heavenly home, was that the workshop was now mine.  Now that I’m over the truly bad part of grieving, I am thinking about how to make it so I can use it in there for some of my projects.  I still will leave a lot in there as it is tools and supplies that I’m using or can use.  The workshop was a dream come true for him and I love it too.  It is always a treat to go in there.

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This cast aluminum hanger is one of a pair, from my friends Nanci and John.  The are salt water blasted from being at a place on the beach.  They are neat!  I think I am going to paint them the orange trim color, to make them stand out.  I just hung two old hanging pots from them, this is an unknown plant that I got last year, and in the other one is a periwinkle of some sort I think, that hangs and spreads.  I may get something else, but I don’t know what.  Cheap!

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Below is the clerodendrum ~ Shooting Star, it is on either side of the bird bath by the heart patio. No scent that I can detect.

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Tibouchina blooms

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Blanket flower

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African Bush Daisy

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Callisia fragans ~ This is wonderful and fills the air with it’s sweet perfume. There are some in front of the big fish too.

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Cape honeysuckle and bee.  The bees love this.

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Kalanchoe

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Queen Crepe Myrtle looking like fall as it loses it’s leaves.

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Mom-of-millions.  This plant can be very invasive, but I love it because of the blooms.

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Miss Tork has it made this is one of her favorite places to sleep.  The basket was delivered to us filled with edible goodies for our 25th anniversary from Mark’s family, hence the silvery ribbon. Let’s see, how many years ago is that? This Sept. would make it 20 years. Wow!

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A mocking bird, our state bird, taking sips from the bird bath.  I saw a sweet little finch at the bath yesterday, while washing dishes and when I went to get the camera this time, and came back it was gone.

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Red knockout rose.

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This is one of my unknown roses.

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These photos below were take a little while after the other one and it had rained, plus the flower had opened up more.  These are ‘huge’ blooms that smell so wonderful!!

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It is dreary out. I’m glad I had some outdoor time the past two days.  Since Mark left this planet, I’ve stayed indoors way too much.  When he was here, he always knew where to find me, out in the gardens.  He wouldn’t want me shutting myself up inside. I’ve made it through the first year without my Love, and with God’s continued peace, love and strength, I’ll make it through the rest of my life, until it’s my time to depart.  Then what a reunion we will have.

There is much beauty to see and enjoy in each new day. 

There are lessons to be learned and to grow from too.

Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Yard sale finds, gift, beaded heart

 

Good morning Folks ~ Here it is Sunday once again. Time is zipping right along. Our weather down here in south east FL is not as chilly as it was. It’s still pretty cold, to me, right his minute as it is 55 and feels like if is 53.  But, the high today is supposed to be 76, that will be lovely. 

I can’t believe it’s been a week since I ‘restored’ the clothesline.  Every time I see it a big smile breaks out on my face. I love the ‘heart patio’ too, which I worked on the following day. Thank you all for your kind comments. They mean a lot to me.

I stopped at a couple of yard sales on my way to work this past week and found some goodies.

The bits of old lace 10 cents each, the wonderfully scented candle 20 cents, and the four teal colored valances one dollar. I plan to use the fabric of the valances in crafting. The old crocheted bits I want to use for heart projects. Well, I’ll keep the rose edging for myself. I don’t want to cut that up.

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This Sterlite 3 drawer unit with wheels, $5.  It smells new, like it was never used.

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A friend of mine gave me two doilies that are very pretty.  The round one is done in very fine thread, and I can only imagine the hours that went into this as I crochet myself.

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This piece is folded in half, it is very soft.

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My work in progress. The piece is getting heavier with each bead sewn on.

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I got the idea to put the round doily over a lampshade in my creative space.

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View out the window barely, as I see that my windows need washing. Smile

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The above photo prompted me to go outside to see what is happening out side.

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I  heard the first bird song of the morning earlier, sung by a Cardinal.

It reminded me of a verse found in Luke 12:24

Consider the ravens:
for they neither sow nor reap;
which neither have storehouse nor barn;
and God feedeth them:
how much more are ye better than the fowls?

***

Have a lovely Sunday and a great week,

FlowerLady

Monday, January 20, 2014

Laundry hung out and latest project

Good afternoon Friends ~ I did a load of laundry this morning and got it hung out to dry. Yippee!  I just brought it in and it smells so good.  It was very breezy here today, lots of sunshine and a big blue sky.  Although now there are clouds gathering.

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Once I had the laundry hung out, I dug up a pot that the plant had grown out of and into the ground.  It is a Lance pod Tree, grown from seed.  I hope it makes the transition.  I planted it just northwest of the caravan for some afternoon shade. It’s also called the Lilac Tree, purple flowers with a lovely scent.  I’ve never seen one of these up close to know how it smells, I’ve just seen photos online.

A week or so ago, I had planted another small tree, to the west of the caravan, also grown from seed.  A Jerusalem Thorn, wispy with yellow flowers.  These two small trees will make a nice color combo once they bloom.  I want a flowering jungle for shade and beauty.

Right after Mark left this planet for his heavenly home, I thought of making a little heart patio just west of the caravan, using pieces of green serpentine marble that is in my ‘stash’ of stuff. This morning I just fell into it after planting the Lilac Tree.

I used Mark’s hand print and Blub’s paw print in the center.  They were done in cement many, many years ago.  Had to be taken up when we built the workshop, that’s why it is broken. ‘Blub’ was our Blue Tick hound.  Now they are together, along with our little ‘Pup’, and three felines, ‘Ditty’, ‘Dort’ and ‘Willie’.

Anyway, back to the heart.  I used the shovel to make the heart outline, then started bringing pieces of marble over that looked like they would work. I then outlined the heart with broken pieces of old kiln bricks we had.  I’m pleased with the way it turned out. Came in, ate lunch and took a nap. I’m already feeling the effects of moving the marble and the birdbath base and basin.  I’ll survive though. I need to buy larger pots for the two Shooting Star clerodendrum shrubs on either side of the birdbath. The Jerusalem Thorn is planted in the center of the heart.

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I climbed up on a ladder to take this photo.

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This is looking east towards the caravan, the clothesline is behind the caravan.

Workshop is to the right in this photo.

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It’s almost 4 p.m. and 74 degrees F. Tomorrow rain is expected, and Wednesday it is to be cold again with only a high of 61 predicted. Yesterday and today were beautiful and I was glad to have been able to work out in both of them.

Well, that’s it for now. Getting outside and moving around is good for mind, body, heart and soul.  I’ve been sitting indoors way too much this past year.  It’s time to work on outside projects before the summer heat and humidity get here. I am thankful for so much, and am learning through the tough times.

Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

***

"There is a calmness to a life lived in Gratitude, a quiet joy."

Ralph H. Blum