Seventh Street Cottage

The first

2012-01-19T18:13:00.001-05:00

It's early but we don't care.

Vinca major

2012-01-10T11:50:00.001-05:00

Winter has consisted of a handful of nights below freezing. There were crabapples blooming in Statesville on my way back from Asheville. It gave me time to think.

Koda has a new friend.

2012-01-02T16:43:00.001-05:00

Watch "Koda and Peanut." on YouTube

It counts.

2011-12-30T15:59:00.001-05:00

A strawberry in late December.

Winter

2011-12-21T23:15:00.001-05:00

It's 61 degrees at just after 11pm.

Red berries.

2011-12-15T13:23:00.001-05:00

Nandina or Holly?

Toeing the line.

2011-12-07T14:27:00.001-05:00

He dares not cross it. Koda is nearly six months old.

Column

2011-12-02T17:09:00.001-05:00

It was an SOS return. Originally, it would have cost $154.00. The cap and base are $48 as a set. I paid just $13.50. I watched this column for weeks as the markdown process worked its charm. Next week, it would have been trashed. It'll form the support for the front porch I plan to rebuild soon.

Paperwhites

2011-11-30T14:13:00.001-05:00

In November. The camellias are confused too.

Gifts

2011-11-27T16:36:00.001-05:00

He brings me flowers. I give him cuttings.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T17:57:00.001-05:00

Everybody's doing fine.

Fall

2011-11-20T11:03:00.001-05:00

All the leaves are brown. But the sky is blue.

Nice work if you can get it.

2011-11-09T14:19:00.001-05:00

I've been working in a gorgeous neighborhood this week.

A dead vole.

2011-11-07T15:40:00.001-05:00

Apparently they make better chew toys than I would have expected.

Fall.

2011-10-31T11:10:00.001-04:00

I don't know exactly what it is. This year it has thrilled me. I love the "blooms".

I hadn't planned...

2011-10-28T12:01:00.001-04:00

To take cuttings this year. Several friends need Brugmansia and Confederate Rose. 32°F is the forecast for Saturday night.

Sixteen.

2011-10-24T19:05:00.001-04:00

Brugmansia. It's 68° and cooling down fast. I'm going to accidentally take cuttings soon.

Firepit

2011-10-17T10:51:00.001-04:00

I used stone from the yard. I moved the large ones with a wheelbarrow and some leverage. I'll spend the next few days laying the pavers where the chairs are sitting. I want to raise this bed another couple inches and that means moving soil. We'll see what I actually do when the time comes.

What a gorgeous day.

2011-10-16T11:03:00.001-04:00

I took a nice long walk with Koda.

Chilly.

2011-10-16T07:51:00.001-04:00

It would be a good day to work in the yard. I have other plans.

It was an accident.

2011-10-12T15:22:00.001-04:00

In early March, I got a call from my sister in SC asking me what those yellow blooming shrubs all over town might be. She wants some for her yard. She's a solid zone 8a. I told her Forsythia and proceeded to quote a price for a three gallon shrub from Lowe's. She was dissuaded.

Her birthday is Friday. I've rooted nine pots with two cuttings a piece. After work, I'll drive down and deliver the to her. It's what brothers do.

I accidentally grew a few too many Hosta this year from seed. I've planted two seedlings in each of the cells of two recycled 18 pack containers. Next spring, the survivors will find a home on the shady end of the slope in front of my house. Some are large leaf varieties. Others were collected from various plants at the store last fall. I won't know for a while what I got. Patience strikes again.

Rainy day

2011-10-11T12:35:00.001-04:00

It's 61°. Rain has been falling all morning. Seemed like the right thing to do today.

Patience

2011-10-10T11:58:00.001-04:00

It's something I struggle with everyday. Gardening teaches patience. Life rewards those who wait. Sometimes.

Seed grown lantana only took the whole season to finally bloom. I hope it returns next year.

Helianthus

2011-10-06T09:27:00.001-04:00

It's becoming more apparent everyday that fall is here. The temperatures are in the 50s most nights with days in the 60s. The perennial sunflowers are blooming. The sedums have taken on their dark red hues. Pineapple salvia is blooming. The last of the hummingbirds zoom past as I wait for Koda to do his business.

It won't be long now before the backyard is full of orange, red, and yellow foliage. Winter isn't that far away. Time to pull out the heavy comforter and put away the summer blanket for the bed. The tropicals are slowly making their way indoors. I've got a meeting tonight with another client. Pansies are on her mind.

Pisgah Inn

2011-10-01T16:12:00.001-04:00

Off the side of the parkway somewhere near Asheville, my friend Tom took me to the restaurant of this seasonal hotel. The rooms all overlook this view. The restaurant where we ate did too. The solidago is stunning. In person, small dots of light purple from the natvie asters are scattered about. The leaves will not be at their peak for about another two weeks, but the Flora is fantastic.

It was 46 degrees here when I finally got out of bed. The wind chill has put a damper on the Blue Ridge Pride festivities in downtown Asheville. Looking forward to a most interesting afternoon.

Delicious

2011-09-28T23:20:00.001-04:00

If you've never had one...you should. A customer brought me two. I plan to wintersow the seeds as soon as the flesh has been devoured. So good.

Confederate Rose

2011-09-27T10:40:00.001-04:00

Wintersown in 2009, this plant is huge and about to bloom. A coworker asked if I had one. What Southern garden doesn't?

The last figs.

2011-09-25T12:49:00.001-04:00

About a dozen remain. I've been eating a handful almost daily for a few months. Next year I hope the Black Mission and Texas Everbearing produce.

Fall

2011-09-24T13:03:00.001-04:00

And it's coming quickly.

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To dine.

2011-09-22T13:11:00.001-04:00

Clearance deals are the best. A little help from a friend makes it all better. I need to cook a nice dinner for her soon. Thanks Carla.

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Rain

2011-09-22T01:05:00.001-04:00

It refreshes not just the soil, but the soul.

Good Sunday.

2011-09-18T17:14:00.001-04:00

I got a lot accomplished. I'm feeling better. At 3:45am we will see how this all holds up. Work at 5am.

Big Changes

2011-09-17T18:18:00.001-04:00

Moved or removed a few plants over the past two weeks. Only the cannas remain. I'm being ruthless.

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Boiled Peanuts.

2011-09-17T12:13:00.001-04:00

Fall crashed into us on Friday. The high of 59 occurred just after midnight. It's drizzly and damp this morning. The house is clean. The parents have come and gone. Summer is officially over with the passing of the boat.

Like some redneck voyage to Valhalla, my dad came with the van (customized, of course) and took the boat back. I will get it again in the spring when their sights turn towards the massive vegetable garden they plant each year. 12 bags of frozen tomatoes were all she claimed to have put away. I'm on number 16 now. <3

My tiller was returned and will be put to use shortly as I want to move more plants this weekend. I need larger beds to accommodate the migration.

I accidentally took sedum cuttings Thursday. They are in bloom now reminding me why I need more.

I've got cabbage seedlings and clearance Hosta that need homes. Koda hates rain. I'll leave him inside.

It's 55°. I'm gonna have some hot peanuts before I do anything else.

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Like a squirrel.

2011-09-14T16:33:00.001-04:00

I've started preparing for winter. Cooler temperatures are in the forecast. I long for a hammock and a firepit. These are important to my plans. The tea olives are blooming. I must hurry.

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Water sprinklers...

2011-09-13T12:17:00.001-04:00

make great hummingbird watching.

Great night for sitting.

2011-09-12T23:36:00.001-04:00

Got another day off tomorrow. Got plans to do nothing. Gonna do it well.

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Hard Candy Christmas

2011-09-11T18:13:00.001-04:00

I put Christmas on the shelves today. It's really discouraging. I've had to listen to that witch and ghost reaper for more than a month. The same song. The same remarks. The same joke from a walker who is probably a little off her rocker.

The witch is motion activated. Her hoot sets the reaper into motion. Together it sounds more like catcalling than horror. The woman wearing too much makeup in all the wrong places, says to me as she grabs my arm, "I haven't had that much attention since my husband passed away." And she walks on.

It was a beautiful day to be inside. It's cooled off a bit with some clouds. The mosquitoes are out in force. I'll take Koda for a walk after dark.

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Serenity Now.

2011-09-10T23:14:00.001-04:00

It's 66 degrees. I'm having a cold glass of the house wine of the South in a chair made of cheap Chinese plastic. The firepit is a $1.00 citronella bucket candle clearanced just in time. There's a moon that's almost full illuminating the back yard. The pup is off chewing something. By the sound of things the neighbors are restless tonight. I'm heading to bed. Eventually.

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Big changes are coming.

2011-08-28T11:47:00.002-04:00

There was a period in my life when I had more plans than time. I was on my game both in the house and the yard. I worked on projects because I wanted to, not because there was an arbitrary deadline chosen by someone who spent all their working hours thinking of ways to interfere with my life.

Eventually working eight hours a day outside took precedent over the things I wanted to accomplish from day to day. I fell into a rut. I came very close to mowing down the perennial bed by the driveway one afternoon in early summer. I didn't want to be reminded of what I left at work when I arrived home. If it weren't for sheer exhaustion and the very real possibility of a heat stroke, I probably would have done it. I got lazy.

Eight weeks ago that all came to a screeching halt when our store manager announced his decision to relocate seven of the twelve department managers in the store. When the final announcement was made, I have to say I was honestly excited to hear that I would be one of the ones being shifted to another part of the store. No longer in OSLG, there would be no ethical issue arising from the plans I had discussed with Todd on the front steps more than a year earlier.

For the past six weeks, I've spent my days inside where its 74 degrees year round selling lawnmowers, patio furniture, and garden trinkets made in China and Mexico. I've learned to slow down and I'm actually enjoying the change of pace.

I took over the Seasonal and Outdoor Power Equipment departments as the Garden Center became quieter each day from lack of foot traffic. Our mature clientel do not function well when the heat index reaches 105F for what seemed like weeks at a time. The younger folks spend the summer trying to toss each other from their waverunners on the two lakes nearby.

Ive stepped out of the proverbial frying pan and into a whole mess of firepits and kerosene heaters. We're in the middle of our fall resets. This morning, my manager, who used to work at the other end of the store in lumber, had plans to install the 16 beams and 32 pieces of decking for the Christmas lights already arriving a few boxes at a time every other day. I will find out Monday if he accomplished his self-prescribed task.

I've been working in retail for over three years now since the economy was wrecked by people whose sole existence is based on greed. Every week I print a schedule decided on by a person I've never met. I imagine he or she works in a cubicle a long way from any operating windows or doors. This person does not know that I function best when I follow the cyclical rhythms designed by Mother Nature.

In summer, I wake as soon as the sky is light. I go to bed not long after the Datura are fully open. During the cold dark winter, I prefer to sleep as much as possible. That's just a dream when you have to be at work at 5am on Tuesday, leave at 2pm, and return the following day for a 3 to 11pm shift. The body doesn't get used to a schedule like that.

For at least a year and a half, I've been dreaming of the day when I once again control my own schedule. I've logged hundreds of miles across the rough concrete in the Garden Center hauling and lifting tons of soil, mulch, and living materials. It will become a reality sooner rather than later. At first it will supplement my meager wages with plans to transition to a career as my business grows.

At the end of July, I installed a small pond complete with stone and some plants purchased or dug from my own yard for Carla's neighbor. She's got friends that have inquired about my time and availability. I spent a lot of hot and cold days making a name for myself in this town. I sowed and planted. I read blogs and participated in online communities. I got sweaty and passed that information along to customers for less money than I made in a textile mill between high school and college in the early 90s. It's almost time for me to claim what is rightfully mine. I've worked hard to learn what I now know.

To all those that have helped me over the four years that I have spent here transforming not just a yard and house, but myself as well, I can never thank you all enough for the knowledge I've acquired. Little snippets of plants and pounds of seed were shared and passed on to others with the same information given to me. I honestly cannot thank you enough fully aware that in doing so, I threaten the existence of the plants that were shared. There comes a time when knowledge must be separated from superstition. That time is fast approaching.

I look forward to the next several years working to build yet another business from scratch. I wish you could all follow along but I've got to do this one alone. Good health, best wishes, and may all your dreams be realized whether in the garden or not.

Sincerely,

Tom Gainey, gardener

A good day.

2011-08-16T17:16:00.003-04:00

I had plans to hit the lake today, but with the temperatures being so nice Carla and I decided to spend the day working in our yards. I piddled mostly. I planted out all the things that had been accumulating over the past weeks. For instance, this Jane Magnolia. Some call it a tulip tree. It's the 12' variety.

Since I had to move a variegated holly like Osmanthus, I planted and moved a few other things as well. The ground is still moist from all the rain we've had. The cooler temperatures will help. I planted the rescued Texas Everbearing Fig. It was just a stick with a tiny leaf when I got it.

I installed lighting taken from the front of the house along the back side. I walk Koda out here and night.

It's nice to see he thinks he's helping by digging too.

He hauls sticks out of the wild.

Pays no attention at all to the fragrance of the hostas.

Won't let you take a picture of him for nothing.

And can be so freaking adorable at the same time.

Before heading in for the day, I took some cuttings of things that have a good chance of rooting in water. A friend has a birthday coming up and I think he would get a kick out of it.

It's only 84 degrees. Back down into the 60s tonight. The tomatoes are blooming again.

What is it?

2011-08-15T10:17:00.001-04:00

I should know what this plant is. I put it in this spot. Now I can't remember for the life of me what it is. Anyone have a clue?

Today I am cleaning house from bottom to middle. No reason to touch the attic. The kittens left fleas on the basement. I've treated the space a few times now. I hope they're gone. It usually takes many weeks to break the life cycle. I need to do laundry. The machines are down there.

It's 68 degrees at 10 am. It feels awesome. Storms overnight sucked out most of the humidity in the air.

Sometimes, you have to do what works.

2011-08-10T11:32:00.002-04:00

I've tried the newest technology and it really seems to be lacking something. So I'm back to my standard method of posting. I might use the technology from time to time, but it's not something I want to do every day.

The yard is doing its own thing this year. It's been too hot to worry about much. I cut the grass every two weeks. I could probably mow once a week. In one part of the perennial bed, the path has disappeared.

Little snippets of variety are what I love.

I didn't realize I had purchased a 6' tall variety of agastache. If anyone would like a start of this, please let me know. I've got to move it next spring. It's HUGE! There are butterfly bushes in there somewhere.

Lots of hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

The hosta are blooming in the shade on the north side.

Yep. He's a happy mutt.

In late spring, I took my ficus tree outside to the side porch. I did some major pruning taking it down to about 6 main branches. It's forgiven me with a vengeance.

It's 84 degrees and humid. Mid 90s with 100s heat index again. I've taken Koda out three times this morning. The figs are ripening one mouthful at a time.

Some flowers and stuff.

2011-08-07T20:07:00.001-04:00

We had a lot of rain yesterday with a severe thunderstorm moving through. It toppled a lot of the weary plants. It's been ugly outside. I'm glad I work inside these days. The garden is dominated now by the yellow of two kinds of Rudbeckia. I have Goldstrum and triloba. Koda appreciates them.

He likes these too.

I like the Coreopsis in this bed. Full Moon. Blooms til frost from early June.

After the tour, we strolled home.

It's 84 degrees. The mosquitoes are bigger than the dog.

Meet Koda

2011-08-03T07:46:00.002-04:00

He's about 8 weeks old and has a lot more energy than these tired bones of mine. I know I shouldn't have, but I kept him on the bed last night. I wanted to sleep. From 11pm til 3am, we slept. From there on out, he needed to go out every hour.

Yesterday, I taught him to carry his own leash. Beats having it wound around my legs. I'm still dizzy.

The training didn't go too well. Koda gave up a long time before I did.

"Hiding" from me right after I brought him home.

I kept him in the back bedroom away from the cat and got him used to me before bringing him into the house. For the next 4-6 weeks while he learns to control his muscles, he will spend days in the crate when I'm at work.

I thought the bones would be good for a teething puppy. Koda has shown very little interest in these. He prefers my toes and now a sock with more than one hole.

Koda comes from the Sioux Indians meaning "friend". My new buddy has fleas from being raised in a barn. I'm going to be bathing him once it warms up a little more. The grass needs to be mowed. The laundry needs to be done. And I will probably find myself driving into Charlotte this evening for dinner with friends. I'll take Koda with me to get him used to all the miles we'll travel. At 30lbs, he'll be a little small to ride in the bed of the truck, but the passenger seat is almost always unoccupied.

It's 72 degrees. Yardwork today.

Puppy

2011-08-02T18:45:00.002-04:00

He needs a name. If I base it on what he's done for the past hour, it would be Pee, Poop, or Sleep.

The kittens are gone. The last two went home with the couple that gave me the puppy. Finally. I can clean the basement tomorrow.

Dusk.

2011-08-01T20:39:00.001-04:00

The sun has set. It was a great day. The lightning bugs are out.

The first ripe fig...

2011-08-01T09:15:00.001-04:00

was probably delicious.

~ I'm trying new technology...It will change the way I blog. Come along.

Home again

2011-08-01T09:09:00.001-04:00

It's been a long weekend of traveling. I've been to Asheville, Charlotte, and heading to Badin this afternoon. It's good to be home. Heavy rains last night toppled everything. The backyard is lovely. It's 73 degrees. Hot again today.

Hot.

2011-07-20T16:30:00.002-04:00

Three day weekend coming up. Spending it on the lake with Laura. Tomatoes are being harvested. Beans and cukes have been pickled. I mowed the grass this morning. Too hot to do much else. Plants are hanging in there. I'm not.

Peaches and herbs.

2011-07-08T17:39:00.002-04:00

Have you ever eaten a peach from a tree you planted in the backyard? A peach washed by the summer rainstorm that passed through about an hour before? I have. It was delicious.

About 100 more to come.

The stargazers are still going strong. Seen here with a small Zuni crape myrtle, fancy ditch lilies, Red Texas Star, and a few bits and pieces of other things.

Goldstrum is blooming. The wasps still enjoy the spearmint.

Full Moon Coreopsis gives me some yellow in the yard. It sprawled again. It should grow to about 32". It makes it to about 30 and hits the ground leaving the crown exposed.

The blackberry lilies are blooming too. I wintersowed lots of seeds and planted all of them out a few weeks ago. They will bloom next year for the first time.

On Thursday, a customer came into the store to let us know there were some kittens in a box in the parking lot. Four of them. One went home with a cashier. I am currently in possession of the other three and trying to find them good homes. One is spoken for but will remain with me for a couple weeks. The two males are available.

I gave them a bath as soon as we got home. They were covered in fleas.

The spoken for calico and her brother.

Big tabby is big.

We're about to get our third storm of the afternoon. It's nice having rain every day. The mosquitoes are multiplying faster than the bats.

It's 85 degrees and soggy.

Rain on the 4th.

2011-07-05T07:17:00.002-04:00

Spent the day on Lake Tillery. I'm fast approaching Lobster Red. It's been hot the past few days like it is in July. In the garden center, the thermometers near the registers topped 100 degrees. The official number was 98 on Sunday. We all got a break yesterday. The garden enjoyed nearly 3/4" of rain that started around 6pm. It was windy at first and then the rain fell in sheets. There's a 30% chance of rain everyday for the rest of the summer it seems.

The stargazers are scorched in the heat. The paper-like blooms of the hibiscus are still wet this morning. The grasses are starting to spike.

It's 70 degrees with light high clouds. More rain possible this evening. I need to pick some beans this morning. I might not get a chance when I get back from the lake.

Rain.

2011-06-29T09:21:00.003-04:00

Doppler radar estimated between four and five inches of rain between Salisbury and Granite Quarry...in Rowan County. Near Harrisburg in Cabarrus County, over three inches of rain fell last night...up to four inches in the Roberta Mill area. In the past 24 hours, up to six inches of rain was estimated in parts of Guilford, Forsyth, and Davidson counties.---Larry Sprinkle WCNC NewsChannel 36.

I'd say we got at least 3 inches. It started about 8pm and sputtered until 10 when the bottom fell out. It's been over a week since it rained. You can't tell from the picture. I need more of these agastache on the right for the backyard. Huge plants. 4-5' tall, just as round. I wish I knew the variety. Huge.

It's 72 degrees. I opened the windows last night. The humidity is climbing. The sun is beating away the last of the cloud. It's only going to be 90 today instead of the 98 we saw yesterday. I've got two days of floating on Badin Lake planned.

Color.

2011-06-24T15:31:00.003-04:00

Summer has arrived. It's 90 degrees. The humidity overnight was 86%. It never rained. Until the boat's batteries are charged, I'm staying inside. Storms possible this evening anyway.

On the first day of summer.

2011-06-22T09:17:00.005-04:00

Summer rolled through here yesterday just after 1pm. It was hot. The humidity was terrible. Heat index in the low 100's. In the sun, the thermometers were topping out at 120. The air temperature was in the mid 90s. I went to the lake after work with a few of the girls. Bedtime came early, but I heard the thunder and saw the lightning as I fell asleep. It rained so hard last night, the gutters became self-cleaning. I slept through it all.

As is typical after hot, dry periods with no rain, the storm flattened the usual candidates. The R. hirta might stand up again if it can dry out this afternoon. Maybe if it were planted thicker, it would support itself.

Even Lord Baltimore has a bit of swagger this morning.

But the stargazers have popped. The first ones opened last night. These are by far my favorite flower in the garden. It's not just the color, but the fragrance.

The thyme is blooming.

Vitex cuttings rooted last spring have put out new growth too.

Lots and lots of green tomatoes on my Rutgers plants. The beefsteaks and Black Krims are still growing. I should have tomatoes til frost. That was the plan.

The cucumbers shot up almost a foot since Monday afternoon.

I've got beans to pick again this morning. I need to rebuild the starter on the boat. I'm tired of using the trolling motor as the primary means of locomotion. I learned something new this week. It's been a great week. It's 72 degrees and clear. Even I feel refreshed.

Beans and Squash.

2011-06-18T09:58:00.003-04:00

I toiled all morning as the mosquitoes swarmed. I swatted at bees while a black kitty slalomed between my ankles. I braved the intense heat of the morning sun to collect my prizes. I've worked diligently for the past 50+ days preparing for the harvest. I'm just glad I don't have to be self-sufficient. I'd starve by early next week.

It's 81 degrees. Another 90-ish day with 30% chance of isolated thunderstorms. It rained Thursday night. Hard. For about 10 minutes.

It rained.

2011-06-12T18:44:00.002-04:00

It happened Saturday night. Almost 3" in a couple hours. It's "coming up a cloud."

The front walk beds have really popped this year. Very pleased with them.

The colors and combinations work for me.

I can't have enough coneflowers.

Self-sowers.

There's beans. Golden Wax.

And yellow squash.

The potagers enjoyed the rain. I hope we get more tonight.

I've been hand watering these Rutgers. The beefsteaks need to be tied soon. The purple Krims are still small.

88 degrees and the temperature is falling. We came home from the lake early today. It was a good day. Can't really complain when this is all you have to think about for 4 hours.

I am a broken man

2011-06-10T17:25:00.003-04:00

Thursday, 8pm.

READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED:

I am bruised in places I had forgotten existed. I have never been so mistreated in my life. She beat me from every direction. She punched me in the gut and yanked on my nipple when I did something wrong. Move just a tiny bit too far to the right and she tosses me over. Put a knee in the wrong place and bam! I was back down on my shins as she wreaked havoc on my crotch. We were drenched and covered in oil. Our whole bodies were soaking wet from the physical exertion.

I've got a gash on my left elbow. My right elbow feels like it's been attacked by a cheese grater. My knees are on their way to being black and blue. My chest is bright red. Even my feet hurt. WHY DO MY FEET HURT? I didn't remember it being this way. I remember laughter. I recall the exhilaration as we crested together. Wave after wave of excitement that would finally build until it exploded and we'd be tossed free of each other. It was supposed to be fun. This WAS NOT FUN!

It was a long 2 hours. I'm sore all over. My whole body is in shock. I'll be lucky to hobble by morning. I can barely straighten my legs out. But it was worth it. It's really hard to frown on a wave runner.

Thanks Carla and Melissa. I had an awesome afternoon. Looking forward to Saturday.

My lumps.

Friday, 5:30pm. Still bruised. Very sore.

I'm heading out on the pontoon tomorrow at 10am. Off from work all weekend, I'm going to celebrate the lack of rain by floating all summer. The boat has returned.

It's 97 degrees. The yard has wilted.

I got stuff.

2011-06-06T09:13:00.002-04:00

It's all over the yard. I see opportunities in the spaces between. Another 90 degree day is on tap. I've got nothing I have to do. Two days off.

Now a wall of photos.

The last of May.

2011-05-31T10:18:00.002-04:00

Bring on June. It's supposed to be 97 here today. It's 82 already.

New Life.

2011-05-26T12:39:00.002-04:00

I took cuttings this morning of some weigela, azaleas, and vitex. I think it might be too early for vitex, but I'm experimenting again.

Then I squirrel-proofed it.

I hid the container under the deck on the North side of the house. I suspect I will check on them too infrequently and half or more will not survive. That's part of my process.

The fig tree I rooted in 2009/10.

We have tomato blossoms.

And blooming hosta.

But the crinum, stuck back in the rear steals the show for me. Graceful and delicate.

It's 84 degrees. My back is a tinge red again today. Vitamin D is flowing through my body. Older joints don't hurt as much under direct sun. The boat will be here soon. I'm so ready.

Devil's Trumpet.

2011-05-24T21:04:00.003-04:00

Last night.

Tonight.

Feels like Summer.

2011-05-23T18:43:00.003-04:00

92 degrees was the high today. Rain in the forecast again this weekend. Things are popping.

I can't remember who sent that Crinum bulb. I do remember a note saying it "might" survive in a protected site. So I put it against the corner of a south facing chimney. The sago palm that survived the winter is on the other corner. It's been three (maybe two) years since I planted it here.

For a whole buck, I picked up a very distressed Texas Everbearing Fig. I'm hoping some cow manure compost and a little tender care will bring it back to life.

The night I wait all winter for has arrived.

I'll be sitting outside half the evening watching it open.

I waited two years, again.

2011-05-19T10:38:00.002-04:00

And this is the bloom on these dianthus. Really? Yes, that's a Lady Bug.

Ditch lilies are blooming.

Asiatic Lilies too.

Red Hot Pokers - Torch Lily.

Hydrangeas from rooted cuttings. I planted these over 2 years ago. I rooted them in the cloner that I no longer use.

Ligustrum are blooming. Eventually they'll grow large enough to hide the neighbor's ugly chain link fence.

It's been cool the past few days. We got more than 3 inches of rain in my yard. The official tally is a lot less, but they are a few miles away. There was spotty flooding in some areas just 10 minutes south of here. That's not unusual when we have a few days of rain. The sun is shining now. Temperatures are climbing back to normal. By Sunday, we'll be in the upper 80s, maybe 90. It's been a long spring. That's unusual.

Soggy all week.

2011-05-11T15:48:00.000-04:00

Last night, storms passed through and dropped almost an inch of rain in a few hours. All week, there's a good chance we'll see storms overnight. Glad we got the budget out of the way over the weekend. Sales were strong this year, but not as good as last year.

The rain is making it hard for me to plan for the backyard. I need more blooms and flowers. I want it to feel more like the bed near the driveway. I can divide and sow and move plants. I like scattering seeds best. It's easy. I'll work on it more over the summer and fall. I got time.

Some bicolor Rose campion might be nice. It can take the dry soil and searing heat.

Datura blooms are coming.

The humid air fills with the aroma of magnolias and honeysuckle.

It's 77 degrees. I can't get over how nice it's been lately.

Long Spring.

2011-05-10T14:44:00.004-04:00

We've had cool nights and warm days. Spring has survived. We've only had one day at 90 degrees so far. Today, it's 81. Thunderstorms are very likely this afternoon. I'll probably take a nap.

The city, probably due to financial restrictions, failed to chop back the streetside "weeds" as they have the past two years. Privet, honeysuckle, and mock orange fill the air with their fragrances.

Just past the hedge, the perennial bed comes into view. I love coming home.

There's a little something everywhere in this bed. I'm gonna be scattering seeds all summer and fall to fill in neglected parts of the yard.

Reseeding annuals fight for space among perennials and biennials. I noticed the brugmansias are already a foot tall in another area.

The arbor is showing off this year.

It can barely compete with the larkspur and shade plants that I put in last year.

In the backyard, two of the 5 Southern Magnolias are blooming. The scent is heavenly. I can't wait for gardenias.

I'm not working in the yard a whole lot these days. Between my hours at the store and personal commitments, I've been busy. Watching it do its own thing has a certain charm to it. I planted it to do just this when I started. I'll make changes as I feel the need. It's maturing slowly. Just wait til next year.

The realtor and I had a chat. The keybox will be removed this week, but we're gonna just let the contract run out in June. I've got nowhere to go, yet.

Peonies

2011-05-03T12:09:00.002-04:00

If you've ever smelled them, I can't really add anything here besides photos. If you haven't, you should make it a point to find a clump somewhere.

Squash seedlings. Beans are just starting to crack the soil. No cucumbers yet.

It's 73 degrees and cloudy. Off tomorrow and Wednesday.

Perpetual Motion.

2011-04-29T07:27:00.003-04:00

It's time for the Larkspur. These plants came from seed sent from Texas. I tossed them out two weeks after Nell Jean mentioned it a few years ago. I pulled some faded annuals and scattered the seeds in the broken soil. They germinated well and survived a pretty harsh winter for NC. I did the same the past two years running. It's gonna be quite a show in about a week. I'll spread more seeds this year in various naked parts of the yard.

I'll have a few seeds from Money Plant it seems. There are gobs of them on each plant. There's larkspur everywhere in here.

It's everywhere.

Another annual that reseeded in one spot is Orlaya grandiflora. It's a relative of the carrot and Queen Anne's Lace. I have both of those in the gardens too.

The peonies are making a strong show this year.

These pink ones are decades old. They were traded for nandinas several years ago.

Etoile Violette is just getting started. Cut to the ground in late winter, this clematis purchased with no tag has shot up past the top of the arbor to the perennial bed.

A hiccup in the perpetual motion machine appears to be foxglove. Out of thousands of seeds scattered, this is one returning plant. The others didn't survive the summer.

It's a cool 52 degrees this morning. The sky is clear. The wind is gone. The birds got started around 4am. I'm going to do a little watering since the rains failed to show. The rest of the day is mine and nobody is gonna take it from me.

Spring.

2011-04-24T21:40:00.003-04:00

In pictures.

The backyard is younger and will mature over the next couple of years. I'll be scattering seeds whenever they're ready.

Judy, Dame's Rocket has not proven invasive at all for me. It has a taproot and we have heavy clay soil. I did deadhead last year before the majority of the seeds were ripe. I left a few but haven't noticed any new seedlings this year. The white is still the more fragrant of the two. I want some in the backyard next year, so I will leave it to set seed this time around.

Momentarily.

2011-04-20T08:44:00.002-04:00

It's April 20th already? The irises and clematis are taking center stage in the perennial garden.

It's 66 degrees. Storms possible again this evening with a high in the mid-70s expected. Carla and I have tentative plans to haul some compost for our vegetable gardens before work. I'll give her a call in a few. I bought my tomato plants yesterday. Yeah. The ones from seed were donated to the squirrels.

Others weren't so lucky

2011-04-17T19:28:00.002-04:00

We got a lot of rain, really terrible winds, and a night of watching the trees bend towards the ground through the sheer curtains.

Sanford Lowe's Home Improvement and other damage.

Today, sunny and 70 degrees. Went to Morrow Mountain with a friend. Great day for a hike.

Blooms

2011-04-12T09:36:00.002-04:00

Yeah. I'm early with these. So what. Some of them are early too.

I hate squirrels.

Pink weigela.

Mountain Bluet

Scattered seeds collected from Larry's bulbs last spring produced these.

Nearly black columbine

May Night Salvia

Eastern Red? Scott? Any help?

Close-up

Lunaria and what will some day be an 8' wide and tall azalea.

A dark leafed weigela just beyond the Korean Lilac. It was a gift from Trevor.

Miss Bateman didn't climb much this year. I had hoped she would climb the crape myrtle she's planted beneath.

Self-sown red clover blooms in front of the swing in what used to be the meadow area. I haven't cut the grass in a couple weeks. I was curious. I'll mow selected areas this afternoon. Maybe. Bridal Wreath spirea is next to the swing.

Past blooms became peaches. I need to thin them.

Another salvia. Rescued from the clearance rack last fall.

Knockout.

Bath's Pink dianthus grown from cuttings Jim sent. I have several clumps blooming heavily this year. They took a while to recover after I planted them last spring. It was a hard summer for lots of things.

Two year old Siberian Wallflowers are looking nice on the hill.

And a wintersown lupine that just sat there all summer and winter has been blooming for about a week.

It's 64 degrees and cloudy. A tish of rain fell overnight. Another day off, I'm planning to clean the house.

Two days off.

2011-04-11T15:36:00.002-04:00

I spent time this morning shopping my own garden center for the annuals and soil I needed to complete my window boxes. I picked out bronze leaf red blooming begonias and an assortment of pink to red shades of impatiens. I even bought the soil I recommend to customers. I want to see if I'm right.

It's 84 degrees. I've had the windows open all day. I've been getting some sun, visiting with friends, and just flat out enjoying the freedom to do whatever I want. Tomorrow. I want to call the realtor again. She still hasn't gotten in touch with me.

Summertime.

2011-04-06T08:08:00.001-04:00

It's 30 degrees, clear and frosty.

Dogwoods and Wisteria.

2011-04-02T15:52:00.003-04:00

It's 65 degrees and windy. It's been a great day. Spring is here. So are the customers.

My Azaleas.

2011-04-01T12:37:00.003-04:00

I just got home from the store. It's my day off, but I had to find out what the verdict was. Store Manager told me it looked really good. I'm pleased. I also emailed the Realtor.

At $2.50 a pop, I couldn't pass up some new azaleas that arrived this week. They're on sale.

Pink Ruffles

Pink Pearl

Trouper Red

Red Ruffles

In the yard, I have a few shrubs starting to bloom. This one is either Delaware or Glacier White. I have them both. It's not that important to me. They're white.

A mangled pink one that was here when I bought the house. The long hot dry summer baked this poor azalea. I've mulched heavily with shredded pine already this year.

Lavender Formosa is about to pop. This one should be a huge shrub.

Before the rains of the past week (near 2"), I fertilized all the azaleas, camellias, and tea olives. I bought peat moss to use for planting these new azaleas. I made mistakes with the first azaleas I planted here. I'm trying to correct those now and actually practice what I preach.

The skies are clearing. I'm about to head outside and give home to my new purchases. I'll save one for the hole where the realtor's sign is. It's a breezy, brisk 52 degrees.

Azalea Propagation Techniques. *hint hint*

What a week.

2011-04-01T00:40:00.001-04:00

Learned a lot. Got things done. I'll spend tomorrow in my own yard. It's 45 degrees. Should be in the mid 60s and sunny on Friday.

30 degrees

2011-03-29T06:18:00.002-04:00

I hope the plants on the front sidewalk at the store survive this. High today of about 60. Tomorrow, 45. Ugh.

Morning.

2011-03-26T08:36:00.002-04:00

Rain on the way for a couple days. We've got a 32 degree night in the forecast Sunday. Ugh.

New growth on the Burford Hollies at the end of the driveway.

Fragrant Carolina Jasmine.

Zuni Crape Myrtle. Um, it's too early. The Muskogee on the corner of the house is leafing out too. The old pink in the backyard is still dormant. It's smart.

The morning sky was beautiful this morning. There's a lot of green on the trees. The oaks will start tasseling any day now. The truck is orange, covered with pollen. It's 45 degrees.

Click to embiggen.

Four camellias

2011-03-25T11:18:00.003-04:00

Another camellia post. I bought two 1 gallon plants yesterday.

I picked through until I found ones with two plants in each container. Two plus two equals four. I'll separate them out before planting them. A little pruning, some fertilizer, and they'll grow into nice shrubs in a few years.

The dogwoods are blooming.

Rosebud.

It's 48 degrees. Dropped down into the upper 30s last night. Two chances of no frost this weekend. It's not gonna happen.

A walk outside.

2011-03-23T11:56:00.002-04:00

I spent much of the mid-morning watering things I moved last weekend.

The hosta are up. Even along the North side of the house, there are peaks of new green growth coming out of the soil.

That red and white striped camellia that's solid red with a yellow center has put on some new blooms too. I can't wait to see what it looks like in another 3 years.

The cast aside Loropetalum is blooming too. These two shrubs have been in more locations than I can count. At least 5. And yet they've survived somehow. I need to prune them a bit to shape them up. The hot pink sizzle in the backyard is going to be nice in a few years. I've paired them with all sorts of things including a white and green variegated privet. I know. Privet.

It's 77 degrees. I've been outside all morning with my shirt off. I managed to get a little heat on my shoulders. Feels good. Cooling down later in the week to more normal temperatures in the mid 60s.

Wisteria

2011-03-22T19:59:00.002-04:00

Last year, the wisteria was in full bloom on April 11.

Today.

My Carolina Jasmine hasn't even finished yet.

There is green in the sky.

It's 72 degrees at 8:06pm.

Pansies and the 80s.

2011-03-22T12:33:00.003-04:00

It's barely noon and already 79 degrees. It's a beautiful day. The garden center is jumping and I'm taking a lunch break. I go back for an hour and then the manager's meeting.

The pansies by the front walk seem to be popular. These are what I thought I was planting, more purple and pink, more in matching the color of the door and shutters.

This is what I got, for $2 on clearance this past winter.

Can't say it's ugly because they are nice pansies. But the combinations just didn't turn out the way I wanted. I would like more bright color next year. Maybe some orange yellow and white. Or whatever goes on clearance around Thanksgiving.

Beyond Daffodils.

2011-03-21T17:42:00.002-04:00

We have honest, true blooms in the garden.

Money Plant. Tucked in between the camellias. I tossed these seeds out last summer. They survived the winter. I hope they reseed well.

Siberian Wallflower. Wintersown. Or scattered. Looks planted.

Euphorbia. I forget which variety and it's not really a bloom.

Nina Simone would love this plant. Euphorbia "Blackbird".

I paired it with a yellow striped yucca. Both are evergreen through the winter. I've added some other greens and golds in the form of shrubs, grasses, and sedums.

It's 77 degrees. Hoot!

My Camellias.

2011-03-20T11:15:00.002-04:00

I've been in this house over 3 years and have never seen blooms on some of these camellias. I'm hoping the final one yet to bloom is a pink one, but someone liked red.

Before we get to that, I spent the morning sowing canna and windmill palm seeds. I put them in cups. I also potted out the willow cuttings. With containers by the trash can, it must be spring.

The hyacinths and pansies along the front walk are an odd combination. I think next year, I'll do solid yellow and white.

This fall, I'll move the one surviving seedling from my sister's Bloodgood Japanese Maple. I dug it up last spring. I didn't know any had survived.

I moved a camellia from a shady corner in the yard where I already have another to the front slope. I also planted the white one I bought yesterday.

Besides being a double white, I couldn't help but chuckle at the name.

The previous owner also planted a short hedge of camellias. There may have been more, but they're long gone. When I moved in, they were scraggly tall ugly things. I cut them to the ground having no idea what they were. I let them regrow. The big one has impressed me the most. It's the pink with a yellow center I've shown other times. On either side, there's a smaller, but double red. The photos show pink, but it's red. It's not lipstick by any means. But it is red.

The one in front.

The one nearer the gully.

Across the driveway, the red one I moved last fall has bloomed. Sort of. The center should be red and white striped. It's an odd bloom. Can't wait to see it fill in at 8-10' tall and wide.

It's 57 degrees and overcast. Great day both with the weather and in regards to the almanac for moving plants and starting seeds. Super full moon, indeed. Back to work tomorrow.

A long week.

2011-03-17T20:09:00.002-04:00

It's been a very long week. I'm exhausted. I still managed to find the energy to carry myself across the street to take pictures of the camelias I intend to air layer this spring. I plan to use them along the hill of the front yard. I'd like to create a hedge.

It's what the neighbor I plan to ask about taking cuttings has done. Or someone did many many years ago. These camellias are easily 15' tall.

There's every color from white to red.

I love this pink one.

And this striped one. This is what I thought I was buying. Like the first Golden Shower rose, mine is red. It seems to be a theme.

I took pictures to make notes about which plants I want to take cuttings from.

I'll mix camellias and gardenias (that I need to root this year too) along this hill. I've already got bulbs, and tomorrow there will be more hosta moved.

The wild violets are welcome here. I'm encouraging them to climb into the yard.

It's 63 degrees. High in the 80s tomorrow. I'm off for three whole days.

I like to walk around.

2011-03-14T16:29:00.003-04:00

By the front door, the pansy planter looks the best it ever has.

I see daffodils that I want to remember so I can divide them and spread orange through other parts of the yard. I'm patient. This could take years.

A camellia planted last year is blooming. It got moved in the fall to a shadier spot.

My new pink and white striped camellia. Isn't it fabulous?

Yeah. And then there's this little treasure. The loropetalum is about to clash horribly with the quince.

Maybe the Redbuds will tone it down a bit.

The only reason to like vinca.

Food is pretty.

I'm thinking a stir fry with baby cabbage.

I'm worried it might bolt like my broccoli.

All the herb containers have sprouts. This is dill.

Sprouts in my wintersown containers too. Red Texas Star hibiscus. Sweet.

The beginning of a fire pit. I'll work on it more next weekend when I have some help moving a few stones.

It's 63 degrees but cool. Should be a nice week.

Today

2011-03-12T13:24:00.002-05:00

For the showing that was canceled.

The first hyacinth along the front walk.

A crocus under the arbor.

The new camellia.

Hanging in there.

It was 28 degrees this morning with a very heavy frost on low lying areas. I'm worries about my peaches.

The Showing.

2011-03-11T16:40:00.004-05:00

I left home at 5 of the hour. I had to waste two hours. I went downtown first. I was going to take some pictures and just check out what's happened since last summer.

It started to rain as I got half a block from the truck. I made the block and decided to head out to Badin. It seemed a decent place to park for a while at the boat landing. It was pouring rain when I arrived.

Behind me, the sun broke through the last of the clouds. The sky was still dark overhead. From the landing, it appeared that the rainbow sprang out of the lake itself.

I sat there about an hour and just watched the water and the clouds. Then I drove into town and parked across the street from the store. I didn't see a single customer go in or out the whole time. About quarter of 7, I started making my way back home. I stopped at the store for a pack of gum. I drove past the house and noticed the dining room light was off. I could go home again.

Her card was on the kitchen counter. Someone had been in my house.

This morning I get an email stating that the tour had been canceled at the last minute due to problems on the client's end. So be it. Another tour will be scheduled, but she's already disrupted my life enough.

Scheduled a showing.

2011-03-10T08:34:00.002-05:00

The realtor called yesterday. I wasn't home. She sent me an email about 10pm last night. Another realtor has asked for a showing today between 5 and 7pm. I emailed her back to agree. I've got mixed feelings.

When I put the house on the market, I had a clear plan of what I was doing. I would apply for a manager's position inside the box. I'd put the house on the market. I'd work in plumbing until Spring when I would begin applying for transfers in a couple warmer cities. By the time the larkspur bloomed, the house would be sold and I'd be moving. The larkspur should bloom by the middle of April.

Things have changed. I'm in the job I need to be in for two years. I hadn't planned on that. In preparation for the party, I've learned to love my house again. I love watching the plants come back in the spring. I love the wide open windows and brightness of the rooms on sunny days. I love my kitchen. I'm even learning to love the basement space now that it's almost empty and mostly clean. So I hope these people come back with a ridiculously low offer, if they make an offer at all.

I'm not ready to sell my house, yet. It's not done.

On the windowsill.

2011-03-09T09:14:00.002-05:00

10 days soaking in water, the first canna seed has cracked. These were collected from my sister's red/orange plants. I'm hoping to add more variety around the perennial bed.

Pussywillow. Six days.

My sister called yesterday to ask about that yellow blooming shrub that she's seeing everywhere these days. I told her, "Forsythia. How many do you want?" So I'll stick more cuttings today that will eventually be used to make her six shrubs. Patience, Sister.

It's 48 degrees and cloudy. Rain this evening and tomorrow. I'm going grocery shopping before I play in the yard. Dinner this evening with friends in Charlotte. Two days off starts now. Woot!

Another hard frost

2011-03-07T08:20:00.002-05:00

It was only 32 for a couple hours last night. After the rain moved out and the wind died down, the temperature plummeted. The peach blossoms seems okay. The frost landed mainly on rooftops. Near the ground, the warmer temperatures of the past few days seemed to protect things.

With some judicious pruning, the peach tree should complement the swing color each year.

The concrete bird bath did not freeze. This bamboo bowl set into concrete surrounded by stones did.

It's crystal clear and cold. 37 degrees and climbing.

The camellias seem a little faded. Or maybe they've always been pink instead of red. I'll have to buy a red one soon. I picked up "Lady Vansittart" this weekend. It's pink and white striped.

Transplanted larkspur is doing fine. I moved these on Friday. I was hoping for a good hard rain. We got it. I'll move more this Wednesday to other areas of the yard. I'd like to see huge swaths of it blooming in the spring. It reseeds easily, so a few plants this year means a lot of plants next year.

Snow peas. This is my best showing ever. I need to get some fertilizer on them soon.

Going to mail out some plants I rooted last spring for a lady in Texas. She sent me irises. We wanted to send it at the right time and this fall was not in the cards. So she's getting them now, before it gets hot.

I've got sprouts in my herb containers. I need an herb garden. Maybe near a patio off the side porch.

Mercy

2011-03-04T11:43:00.002-05:00

Mother Nature is just toying with us now. From the 80s back to the upper 20s and everywhere in between, sometimes in the same day. It's 46 and cloudy now. It was sunny when I went outside to move the first hosta this morning. Rain is in the forecast for the weekend. Gonna be chilly too.

I moved too many things to list here. Hostas, shrubs, perennials, annuals, a lot of things were uprooted ahead of the coming rain. I'm working on framing in the backyard with spring blooming shrubs. I've got my eye on a pink and white striped camellia that came into the store yesterday. I might accidentally buy two. Thanks Chris for that wording.

Next spring, the area that used to be "The Wild" will be home to blooming forsythia, flowering quince, and maybe some azaleas. If the Camellia sasanquas that I dug as suckers from my own full sun shrub take root, I'll plant them in here too. I'm going for evergreen and not depending solely on conifers. I want to mix it up a bit.

All those evergreens will provide a backdrop for the peach tree.

And the pussywillow grown from cuttings. It'll also help frame in the swing. The color may be reconsidered by then.

The mahonia I moved as a stick with no roots is doing well. It's at the base of a Zuni crape myrtle. This is the crape's second spring. It bloomed a little last year. I hope to see nice growth this summer.

Those orange daffs are hiding another wood hyacinth. They've popped up all over this year. I guess they reseed. I like them.

Baby Brussel Sprouts are forming. And can I just say, fresh broccoli from my own garden is better than sex. There. I said it. I can't wait to try the sprouts.

I made a friend. I didn't want to. She walked right up to me. What is it with me and black cats? There's a tiny patch of white on her chest. She's got food and water at the side door now. I'm whipped. Now go catch some voles.

Heading back out to rearrange some more. I'm doing things as it strikes me. If I have an idea, I act on it. I've picked out the spot for the firepit. I'm trying to decide on a design. It might include a stock tank for plants and fish. Or it might just be a hole in the ground.

Pussywillow

2011-03-03T09:10:00.002-05:00

Last spring I took cuttings from my one surviving plant. The original cuttings came from someone in Nebraska (maybe?). I traded something or other for them a few years ago. I stuck those cuttings along the ditch in the gully and forgot about them. This year, I took cuttings from them. These are rooting for Robert. I started them yesterday, on his birthday.

The dishwasher is installed and working fine. A cell phone, a dishwasher, parties...it's almost like I'm returning to civilized life. I'll be working on the front steps soon.

Who's the Bosch?

2011-03-01T18:09:00.004-05:00

Apparently, I am. Or at least the new dishwasher I brought home today is. I can't say what I paid for it, but it was a returned product thanks to some poorly placed hands during delivery. It's got a dent or two. And it's a Bosch stainless. It completes my kitchen (except for the new sink, paint touchups, slate tile, and door to the side yard).

This thing has a different story. I installed a thermostat right after I moved into this house because I liked the style. It was round, but digital. When I had an orange wire left over, I never really thought about it. The heat came on. The a/c worked. No big deal. Well, that orange wire powered my heat pump. It has sat for 2.5 years and not been used. Instead, I was using the emergency heat only. Thanks Jim. Excellent gift. I feel so dumb.

It's 57 outside and already the heat pump has the house warm. I bumped it up a bit to 70 and it's already there.

I painted the swing.

2011-03-01T12:33:00.003-05:00

I did it on my birthday. I had a little purple paint I was using to touch up the front and side doors. I still need to repaint the kitchen door, but I'm hoping for a bonus from work to replace that door completely. Yes, I am still working on the house. I'm considering taking it off the market when the contract ends, maybe sooner. Nothing is selling and I'd rather not have the sign in the yard unless I've got somewhere to go. I plan to stay another 2 years at my current job.

It's 54 degrees, windy, and cool. Less than three weeks before the official start of spring, the weather from day to day can be very different. Yesterday, it was 83.

Happy Birthday to me.

2011-02-28T11:26:00.002-05:00

I'm 38 as of 9:20am. The party this weekend was great. I cooked and fed all my friends. Everybody loves pizza. I think everyone had a great time. Thanks to Carla especially, but everyone else who helped. It was awesome. And I looked fabulous.

Flowering Quince

2011-02-24T08:30:00.003-05:00

is finally flowering. Three years, but it finally did it.

People are out, even when the temperatures dip into the 50s during the day. It's unseasonably warm. Tomorrow should be another mid 70s day. Today, cloudy, cool, and rain likely. Of course the sun decides to show itself as I type this. It's NC, what do you expect?

Work is, to say the least, busy. I passed myself crossing the Garden Center twice yesterday. We're short staffed for the volume of sales and customers we're seeing. This time of year, only a few people are usually milling about looking for clearance deals on winter damaged plants. We're unloading trucks of plants almost three days a week now. Mulch arrives 22 pallets at a time. We're out of room in the racks. Spring is busting loose regardless of what the calendar says. Stupid peach trees are gonna get burned, I just know it.

Maybe I'll get a few heads of broccoli from my fall sown crop before summer slams through in early April.

Maybe it's just my age, but there doesn't seem to be any "normal" weather these days. I know, Global Warming (Climate Change), whatever you want to call it. I'm not knocking it. I'm glad winter keeps retreating earlier every year. I'm just worried about next year's budget and how bad my comps will be if February is cold and dreary like it usually is.

It's 41 degrees.

More painting.

2011-02-20T15:11:00.003-05:00

Three and a half years and I've finally painted the dark hole that takes you down to the basement. It's dark paneling and stained Celotex. While the pressed fiber board doesn't take paint well, one heavy coat covered enough.

The walls got two coats.

I painted the stairs. I know it won't hold up being indoor latex paint, but it brightens the creepy space.

I even painted the back of the door which was this horrid dark hunter green used all through the house. I painted the doorknobs and hardware black. The color of the door matches the kitchen floor and concrete countertops. This color was originally intended for the living room, but it was too cold.

It's 63 degrees. Lovely day.

Late this year.

2011-02-19T10:56:00.003-05:00

Even with the above normal temperatures for this time of year, the daffodils are about 3 days late compared to last year. They've just been waiting for my day off. Going to be a great weekend.

This hill was planted with 200 bulbs last year. Muscari should come along soon.

Upper potager.

The rose and lavender bed.

Daylilies are coming back too.

63 degrees, but feels cool with the breeze. It's still a gorgeous day.