Day #29 Beautiful Landscapes

WOW! Some people just have a knack for placing vegetation in the right place...and it all end up looking beautiful! My mom is like this....and it also helps that she has a green thumb. These pictures show the evidence of hard work, diligence and careful planning by expert gardeners. And the result is stunning.

The same is true with our growth as a Christian. It takes hard work, diligence and careful planning to fight off the flesh and grow in the Lord...but the result is stunning. It's beautiful.  So do the work. Follow the master gardeners guidebook and stay rooted in it. You will see results in no time!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I've bought my gloves, my first seeds, a few containers, soil...and all I'm waiting on is February 1st to get here. My first spring gardening catalog came from Gardener's Supply about two weeks before Christmas. Then my onion seed catalog came the first week in January. And now Neil Sperry's facebook posts are starting to entertain thoughts of spring planting...and it's making me super happy.

Last summer we had to cut down 13 pine trees from our yard. I was sad beyond compare because they were one of the reasons we had bought the house. But the drought of 2010 had damaged them so bad that they were a danger and we had to get them removed. Anyway, now that I've recovered from our loss, I've been eyeing the perfect spot in the yard where a garden would get enough sunlight now. I'm pretty excited.

To add to the excitement are all the ideas you can find on Pinterest and blogs. Here are a few of my favorite ideas for container gardening:

Source: raftertales.com via MiSsa on Pinterest

Source: tatertotsandjello.com via Naomi on Pinterest

Source: tokosenyum.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

So, in just a few days, I'll be planting. The feel of the dirt between my fingers, the promise of seed bearing fruit in a few months and the anticipatory waiting period...I love it all...well everything but the Texas heat!

Are you planting this spring? Do you container garden, dig in the dirt, buy plants rather than seed? I'd love to hear what works for you!

Follow Up- 13 Trees

After one day of tree chopping here's the first picture of how things are shaping up....I will be glad when it's done and we can put an in ground pool in get some order to the back yard! They will be back on Thursday to finish up. 

13 Pines

When we bought our house, one of the things we loved most was the somewhat wooded lot. We had 18 pines in our backyard that provided shade in the summer, pine needles for mulch in my flowerbeds and an overall cozy feeling to our backyard.  Well, after the horrible drought of 2011, 13 of these tall pines died. Talk about sad....

So, tomorrow the tree service will start cutting them down. It's going to take a few days but by the end of the week, my backyard is sure to look nearly bare. It will definitely take some getting used to.

Dead things are dry and brittle and ugly. I've watched these trees die. It's been a slow, gradual death on the outside..but the roots have been dead for a while. In fact, before I ever knew the trees were dead...they were.

Living things are so much more appealing. They're fresh and green and provide beauty for us to enjoy.

Isn't that how we, as Christians should be. We are ALIVE. We aren't dead...except to sin and the bondage of it. We are alive in Christ. Shouldn't we be vibrant and beautiful and life-breathing? The Living Water is available to nourish our hearts and souls - to take a dead, brittle life and make a strong and powerful life.

I choose life....the beautiful life that Christ offers...abundant, full, rich and free. Thank you Jesus!

After the Drought

Over the last few summers we have experienced a historical drought. In my little 1/2 acre of the world that means we lost 13 great pines...each over 150 feet tall, 10 boxwood shrubs and many perennials. It has been a sad thing to witness.

So today...I started in the front yard...planning, replanting, cultivating. Bruce and I had both worked last week to get the beds cleaned out and the last of the dead stuff pulled or cut out. Today began the new planting season. 

This guy was my little helper all day!

Red and yellow is our color scheme

This is Tucker's climbing tree. He picked the flowers to go under it!

Still need to mulch...maybe Friday?

An old birthbath turned flower container

I spray painted this bench from barn red to this grassy green color.
I hope to enjoy some time out here before it get's too hot!

Quiet Hour

Because life is busy and loud and crazy I take a quiet hour. 

During the school year I don't know how I would make it if I didn't take a quiet hour. Usually this happens between 2-3pm, after lunch is eaten and a load of laundry started and kids are settled. I set the timer on the stove and announce...."it's quiet hour." By now the kids know what this means....no TV or electronics or any kind and no bothering mom unless someone is bleeding. Usually they grab a book to read, the play dough, the Lego's, a game or something else that makes little to no noise and they play together ....quietly.

I've decided that even though I'm not working this summer that we will still observe quiet hour at some point every day. This will help keep me on speaking terms with my children....because as much as I love them.... I need silence for 60 minutes a day....silence that involves not worrying that they are tearing the house down or catching something one fire. I need to recharge my battery, clear my mind, blog, read a book or shut my eyes....or heaven forbid....talk to a friend on the phone or go to the bathroom uninterrupted!!!  

Today there wasn't even a whine when I said it was time for quiet hour 

could it be because of this????

Yes...they were busy doing hard things this morning with me out in the yard. Thanks Kids!

Beauty in the Garden

What not to do in the garden....

It's probably a good idea to follow the directions on weed killer spray....I'm talking about following them all the way to the end.

Several weeks ago I sprayed an area in my garden for weeds, thinking at the time that the space wouldn't be used. But then, because I can't pass up a sale on plants, I ended up planting in that area 6 days later. Thing is...the side of the bottle says....wait 7-10 days before planting in the treated area.

There's a reason for this. Evidently they've tested this. You know...they are the experts.

The reason: it's still killing stuff. If you plant something too soon....it's gonna die....cause the treatment is still treating!

I know you probably can't imagine how I could have missed this...but alas.....2 dead tomato plants later I have learned that following directions doesn't end in school. Luckily because of the great sale on plants I have 34 more tomato plants doing just fine!

Spring Garden

Roses

Snapdragons

           

Something I didn't plant

Sunflower Seedlings and Spring Mix

  Rose Bush

Onions

Corn

Potatoes

Tomatoes

Peas

Watermelon

   Spinach

Main Street

Today is the opening day of Main Street Farmer's Market in my town. I love this place! Step back to street vending and slow browsing. Even if you don't buy a thing, it's worth the short stroll through Main Street to see the fresh veggies, vivid colors and nice farmers.

Connect with them on facebook under Main Street Farmer's Market or go to their informative website for more information: http://sulphurspringsfarmersmarket.com/

Wordless Wednesday

OK....1 Word....SPRING!

New Life...

New life bloomed overnight in my backyard.

A Good Day Consists

.....of getting kids up early
....of digging in the dirt
....of planting
       snapdragons and gladiolas and inpatients and Shasta daisies and sunflowers
....of sitting outside for lunch
....of hoeing rows
       for onions, potatoes, spinach, carrots, peas and broccoli
....of weeding
      clover and wild onions
....of cleaning outdoor furniture
....of picking up sticks and pine cones and straggling pecans
....of a cold, tall glass of tea to quench my thirst
....of dark soil
....of hubby helping
....of a boy with a watergun
.....of a girl afraid her hands are gonna get dirty so she wears her winter gloves
....of cleaning ponds and filters and pumps
....of kittens playing
....of cackling  laughter
....of a little sweat
....of some dirt under my nails
....of a good shower
....and my sweet family of helpers

....yes, that makes for a pretty good day at my house.

Farmer Gina

On Saturday, with a dripping nose and a cough that sounded like a barking dog, I ventured out into my yard to start clearing the spot where I am itching to plant my garden vegetables. The weather was a little overcast but the temperatures were just right.

So out by pond #2 I started clearing the old brush and weeds. Before you know it, I had unveiled beautiful, rich, black soil. I love black dirt. It's a bit different from the Georgia clay that I grew up around! It took a couple of hours, some sweat, one coughing fit, a water break and a big rake to tackle the project, but once it was done.....so nice! I have lots of little piles of straw, weeds, dead plants and small limbs all around my yard...but that one area is looking so good. So ready. It's calling my name. One more week. I can't wait!

For cool weather planting I am planting from seed:

Broccoli
Spinach
Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
Peas

I'm also planting:

Shasta Daisies

Gladiolus

It's going to be beautiful!

I'm ready for some of this...

How 'bout you?