Winter

Per Garison Keillor; The lovely thing about Christmas is that is compulsory, like a thunder storm, and we all go through it together.  

                                                                                                                                                                          Don't forget to click on the picture to see all larger. 

We will have a warm Christmas this year.  In the 60's and no hope of snow in the future.
Being a former Minnesota kid, I sort of miss the snow. It has been blessedly rainy for a few days, cold enough to wear a coat outside and socks to bed at night. A whole inch by my five gallon bucket reckoning. I always set them out when there is a good chance for rain.
We had finches and cardinals and sparrows and doves on the feeders today.  Had to make a run into town to get more seed.

We are staying home for Christmas. Not even having turkey or ham.  Our favorites are the menu plan..

Slow cooker chuck roast with plenty of broth for gravy and future soup.
Left over broth and gravy make a lovely base for my soup.

Mashed potatoes
salad; fruit or lettuce or slaw
green beans with butter and garlic (my favorite not hubby's)
Probably will do French bread toast with nice sprinkle of meat rub. Like it better than garlic butter.
Oh, yes and green and black olives.
Then tiramisu  and maaaaaybe pumpkin pie.

When all is eaten and kitchen is clean, I will take a stroll in my garden.  We have a plum thicket that died in the third year of the drought.  We had over 70 days of 100+ weather. No rain most of that year.

Some may look at the tangle of dead plum, vines, honeysuckle and wild rose and other varieties, and think "why don't they take that mess out?"
I will tell them they if they ask.

My stroll in the garden will be accompanied by the chatter of birds. Cardinals, sparrows, finches, waxwings, and probably others who use this mess for shelter.  I have heard the wren calling for a mate already.  This is music to my soul.  I have heard the Cardinal calling its mate.  I have learned that the Cardinal will hang around if this sort of environment is available.

Neat, tidy, uninteresting (no matter how pretty) yards are not for me.  I have a good pair of hearing aids now and relish in those quiet whispers and chips I hadn't heard in years.  My heart is full!

I wish the world a peaceful Christmas, and all who "believe".

  One of the nice things about Christmas is that you can make people forget the past with a present. ~ Author Unknown

 I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~ Charles Dickens

No matter how carefully you stored the lights last year, they will be snarled again this Christmas - Robert Kirby

                     

A Winter Guest

Of course the other half of patio holds all the mess!

 I finally got around to cleaning the patio off.  Left over old window project stuff and leaves, leaves and more leaves.
Part of the cleanup involved moving a piece of plywood I had propped up against the dry sink.  Apparently, a squirrel decided the drawer would make a good home.  When I pulled out the drawer,  I pondered as to why I might put a handful of acorns in the drawer.  Then I pulled the drawer all the way out and there was a scattering of shredded paper and even a plastic freezer bag. Tell tale droppings showed up when I started cleaning up the mess.

Obviously, I had not been working on the windows on the patio in some time and the squirrel took advantage.  The patio looks better now with things put away.

I am in the very slow process of caulking the window panes, all 30 of them.  I have not reported on the brief work on the windows because, in the midst of scraping paint and sanding, I got quite ill.  It may have been simply dehydration (80's most of the time and humid) but I felt quite badly for a couple of months. Most people dread winter cold, I dread summer heat and humidity.

This project has been another in my bouts with perseverance.  I have the windows in the garage now and slowly working on the caulking.  The garage is too cold most days and too full all the time for me to work out there, thus I am using the kitchen table.
The old window in the picture has no glass and is in very bad shape.  I am planning to scrape and paint and maybe use a sheet of plexiglass and not try for individual panes of glass.  We will see....................

I will do a blog on the finished product, if that ever happens!

A Tool to Share

Husky all in one screwdriver

This is a tool every house hold and gardener should have.

First, the long shaft holds a screwdriver on either end. For different sizes of screws.  Each end has a flipable head for flat and Phillips.
Second, the screwdriver part  pointing to the handle, has squared off shaft to fit the holes on either end.
Unique?  You bet for me!! The "squared" shaft can be a grip for fingers to twist the screw into a hard to reach place.
I have had an unfinished wooden tray with predrilled holes for screws to attach handles.  The problem is the hole is too close to the "floor" of the tray. The handle on the screwdrivers I have including this  were  too large for turning. This puzzled me for a long, frustrating time.
Hubby pointed out the clever, clever idea of using the driver end without the handle. Worked perfectly!!

The ends of the shaft are 3/16 and  9/32 (fits most of the things I have)

I have seen on line they have upgraded this little jewel. It is still less than 10 dollars.
Husky brand has several more versions of this tool at various prices.

I highly recommend this tool

Fall and bobcat and flowers

 “Plants want to grow; they are on your side as long as you are reasonably sensible.”
― Anne Wareham


                                                  

Don't forget to click on picture to view larger

We are having the usual, unusual fall.  A few weeks ago it was chilly in the mornings and pleasant 70's in the afternoon.  Now, we are back to 60's at night and 80's during the day.  Poor plants get so confused.
Another week has passed and we are back to chilly mornings and temps in the 70's.
Not to worry, it will probably be 95° next week.
We sure could use some rain.
This past September was the driest September on record for our area.

As a catch up on events the past month or so I am making a list.
Rabbit invasion/decline:  There is a big bobcat in the neighborhood.
Quail visit: Still no sign of mama or babies. Hope the bobcat is not the reason.
Critter catch and release trap: Skunks, raccoon, 2 opossum, house cat so far.  Nothing taking bait lately.  Maybe they have left?  We still smell signs of skunks.  There are an awful lot of skunks in the area. A neighbor has racing pigeons and stated over 6 skunks caught and who knows what else.

 I took some lovely pictures here and there.

 

 

 

“Mandy tidied the weeds and pulled out some of the summer flowers. It saddened her to do so. She was parting with beloved friends.”
― Julie Andrews Edwards, Mandy

Hyacinth Bean Vine 

WESTON GARDENS "PICK ME UP"

September was a "miserable" month for me.  The heat is so depressing.  I fight it and still give in to "woe is me, why do I even try?"

That is when I took my pitiful self to proof that all is not lost.  I love to visit Weston Gardens in Fort Worth at various times of the year.  Even winter can be a revival of the spirit. Garden life does go on, and on, and on.  One just has to go on, and on as well.

I wandered through the peaceful demonstration gardens after visiting the plant sales area.

Even though things in the sales area are a little weather worn, it is still a hopeful sign to see what they have to offer.
Self pity closes the mind to buying new plantings when everything in my garden is dying or planning to.

And then, I spotted a beautiful proof that all is not lost.  This photo is of the Hyacinth Bean Vine. Yes!!

My bean vines have suffered mightily, what with bad potting soil, heat, drought, mistaken attempts to plant where they didn't have a chance.  This picture does not do the vine justice.  The blossoms are a beautiful purple and will turn into dark maroon bean pods later. What a glorious thing to behold!

I have to remember that my Turk's Cap is a healthy plant in spite of drought.

Don't forget to click on photo for larger view

I love this bench!!

Broken pot reclaimedl!

Mine never look this good this time of year!

I have glued a few pots in my time.
Happy to see that my fix can be a statement all on its own.








“By bringing a soulful consciousness to gardening sacred space can be created outdoors.”
― S. Kelley Harrell, Nature's Gifts Anthology

“Regardless of geographical region or culture gardening is perhaps the most common and shared experience of Nature.”
― S. Kelley Harrell, Nature's Gifts Anthology

“As I leave the garden
I take with me a renewed view,
And a quiet soul.”
― Jessica Coupe, Life Abundant a 30 day devotional for Latter-day Saint Women

 

  

“I am intrigued by writers who garden and gardeners who write. The pen and the trowel are not interchangeable, but seem often linked.”
― Marta McDowell

Beauty Berry

I had forgotten how tough this plant is!

 

 

 

I think it is time to set out some more Caladiums.
I have plenty of shade now.

In the end, don't let summer doldrums get you down.  You can visit an arboretum, public garden, a nursery, a park a,neighbor, anyplace with plants and shade and maybe sitting spots can restore your soul.

Oh, yes and they do sell tea of all kinds.  They also have a beautiful assortment of things related to tea.

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A bit of green in my favorite pot