A glimpse of my Plum Cottage Jungle

Good morning everyone ~ thought I'd make a little video showing part of my overgrown jungle gardens. I was surprised to see that 'Tabster' was sitting in the first 'faux bois' chair shown in the video, didn't see him until I watched it. I did pull out some grass from the garden, lots more to do. I'm inspired to get out there 'early' in the mornings after seeing this. 

 Thanks for visiting, and for your kind and encouraging comments that you leave. Morale boosters.

Enjoy your week ~ FlowerLady

 

It's about your mindset

Hello Friends ~ It is another hot and humid day down here in s.e. FL. Not as bad as some of the vloggers that I watch on you tube. Still bad though. I worked outside Wednesday morning from 8:30-10:50, and have NOT done any work outside since then. It was 83 but with humidity real feel was 92. When I stopped I was hanging out laundry on the lines and couldn't even finish, I had to come inside, as it was 90 and felt like it was 100. I had taken a few breaks and drank my electrolyte water, but at the end I was starting to feel a little funny, so I left the rest of the laundry in the basket to get to later. I drink water all throughout the day, have done that for years and years. For any of you that work outside, please stay hydrated. When I went inside, my shirt was completely soaked. I felt better after being in the a.c., drinking more water and having a bit of lunch.

I mowed, trimmed the driveway hedge, and started to hang out the laundry. I have 1/4 of an acre, but thankfully all of that doesn't need mowing. Below is the front portion of grass in front of the driveway gate. It goes over about another 5' to the right where there is an indent.

  This is looking to the north now. I'm about to start mowing. When I get the urge to mow, it's usually good that I do it, because rain will be coming sometime. Not always as predicted or not. (It has rained the past two mornings, giving us some much needed rain.)

I am so thankful for this battery operated lawnmower that was a gift from friends. I mow in half the time and it is so much easier than dragging a heavy 100' extension cord around.

Now I'm  at the north end of the driveway looking south. Behind the picket fence is my clothesline area, with the caravan to the right. My little wash house in the middle of the picture &  hidden under several flowering vines.

 

 

 I took the photo below while on a electrolyte drink break. It's under the pole barn awning. So much cooler under there than out in the sun. I'm looking east.

I love growing flowers. It is work, but there is so much joy in growing them. Just this past week, I saw that gardening work burns 300 calories an hour. Not to mention all of the toxins we sweat out. 

Here are some of the bloomers I have giving me joy at this time. 

Beauty berry, and Miss Blackie. If you look close, you will see all of the 'grass' that has taken over this front garden of mine. It has been sadly neglected with all that has been going on this past year.

Clerodendrum, thomsoniae, red bleeding hearts that grow in s.e. FL.

Here is Double Delight rose.

 

This is an unknown, I also have it in purple and a red one I think.

 

This is a favorite of mine, Sweet Almond. The scent is wonderful!!

 

This is an orchid that grows like a weed here. Vanda Joachim.

 Here are links for the chilling cloths and the electrolyte powder, both are from Amazon.

I will close with an inspiring quote from a young lady's vlog 'Little House on the Mountain'. It came just when I needed some encouragement. 

'Romancing an Ordinary Life'

"It's not about what you have or even the season of life that you are in, 

but it's about your mindset. 

It's about seeing splendor in the ordinary 

and experiencing the wonder in the mundane." 

******

The past two years have been rough. Things are a little better, but 'not back to normal', they will never be back to the way it was. Things are more expensive as prices keep going up and up. There is so much negativity, fear, anger all around us. It can be so easy to get sucked into despair if all we think about are the negatives. Here's a verse from the Bible that I will leave with you today.

Let's count our blessings and look for the splendor, wonder and beauty that is all around us. May our eyes be opened.

Love, hugs and prayers,

FlowerLady

 

Forward progress in spite of heat and humidity

 

Greetings from Plum Cottage ~ Thanks to all who have been in contact, kind words, prayers are much appreciated. I'm still 'turtling' along, working outside in the mornings a 1-2 hours at a time, depending on how bad it is outside. It's been in the low 90's but with the humidity it feels like it's in the low 100's. I bought chilling cloths that you wet, shake and wrap around your neck, shoulders, place on head, and you feel so much cooler. It makes a difference!! I gave three away to friends who work out in the heat and these are a hit.

 

 I also have 'Key Nutrients Electrolyte powder' that you mix with water and I drink that when I work outside. I get the lemonade flavor. Last year I looked up Gatorade then electrolyte powders, Gatorade has water, sugar, salt. The electrolyte powder I got has lots of good ingredients. I mix a scoop in 16 oz. in a mason jar (with lid), of water shake and sip while working outside.

 I'm not affiliated with this company. I figured out the cost of this per serving and it was 38 cents. So, if any of you are seeking some relief while working out in the summer heat, I suggest these two things that are helping me.

On the second of July, my friend Sean came over and we worked on the new arbor. He took out the 4"x8' posts, and put in the 10' posts, had to dig the holes a bit deeper. Then we worked on attaching the decorative wrought iron across the top. Then while making sure it was all level by using another 4x4x8 across the top, we decided to use that 4x4 for finishing it off. We were both happy with that.

Here are pics before and after. The area is still a work in progress. Like I said I'm 'turtling' away.

 "Turtling ~ The practice of moving forward, no matter how slowly, when one is feeling overwhelmed by decisions and tasks. We must keep turtling."

 This picture below was from last year. What a difference. I'm so thankful for the help I've had here from friends. A blessing!!

 

This wrought iron piece was in my stash, part of it is rusted away. But still some decorative live left in it.
 

The high plants along the fencing on the left, are 4 o'clocks.  I did not plant them they are volunteers. These are very hardy plants, except for needing to be cut back so that they don't flop over.

 

 

I had the two pieces of white plastic lattice and used them as a border on either side. I still have some decorative iron pieces to hang on the front of posts.

 

 

  

 

I've got lots of plants in containers that can be planted in this space, all in good time.

 

A Florida sunrise one morning taken out the back door.

 

 

 

I just found out about having vintage art being shown on your TV. Found the channels, there are several. I checked out a couple of different ones, one was flowers and the other cottage gardens. The pictures change after about 10 minutes of showing it. There are even some that have soothing music.

 

Next we have my sweet Miss Tork. She loves sleeping on clean laundry, and at my feet.

Some thoughts:

" Appreciate what time you have left. It doesn't matter how long it is."

 

From: Green Renaissance 'The Beauty of Living'.

 

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A garden is never static. A garden can never be finished. It changes as our lives change. Never feel guilty about garden chores that don't get done. A garden is about pleasure, not guilt."

 

Joan Armory ~ Cottage Living October 2007

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"What is that one thing you can do today? Do that with excellence, do that with an attitude of gratefulness. We have growth opportunities each day."

 

From: Whispering Willow Farm blog

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"Come, Lord Jesus, be thou our guest.

Our morning joy, our evening rest.

And with thy daily bread impart,

Thy love and peace to every heart."

 

A prayer said by Fred Rogers, still prayed at Thanksgiving by family.

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"Be quiet and still, so that you can begin to see the thing God is already weaving.

God strews our paths with little webs of grace that pull us into the prayer of waiting,

into healing and rebirth." 

 

Unknown

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"Gardens are always in a state of becoming. Our lives are also always in a state of becoming. We are born, we live each day we are given and we die. Since we are in this state of becoming, we are always growing and changing."

From: Jack Huber, Southern Living Landscape Book

 

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Thanks for visiting.  Enjoy each day you are blessed with. See the beauty, be thankful. Grow through the hard times. God is with you and will see you through them.

Love, hugs and prayers, 

FlowerLady