Spring 2010

I think I should begin this post by stating that I am a shameless hussy of a bragger about my flowers. Now that it is getting so hot and most have faded I am reliving theirs and mine days of glory back in April.

The roses made me want to cut down my trees *gasp* so they could be seen by everyone.

I was a bad flower mommy and took the pictures of the bride's bouquet a week too late.

Stupid blogger will not let me rotate this picture. It caused me bad half hour before I realized that amaryllis still look good sideways.

The hollyhocks are the best thing ever to pop up in the garden. It was here when we moved in, and I have had the most fun waiting to see what came up next.

Cape jasmine. I have never done a thing to it other than abuse it with neglect.

I took a lot of pictures this year thinking they will help us if we decide to sell our home next year. We also sodded the bare spots in the grass and covered the entire lawn with top soil and Dillo dirt. The grass has been growing like crazy and I hope it does not get too hot this summer.

Favorite things

This year I am beating Oprah to the punch. Well, hopefully I am since I don't watch Oprah very often. Here is a list of my favorite things: 

bath product: Aveda Caribbean Therapy Bath Soak

bath music: Coleman Hawkins encounters Ben Webster

shampoo: Lush BIG

hair Product: Aveda Sap Moss

interior decorator: Katrin Cargill 

furniture: Shabby Chic's, Large Squadgy II Chair in pink velvet

decorating accessory: globes

place to pick up random accessories: Uncommon Objects (South Congress, Austin, TX)

patio: Retro vintage style in bright colors

nursery: Natural Gardener (Austin, TX)

flower: red geraniums

lawn products: Lady Bug Natural Brand

cleaning product: 409 Antibacterial Kitchen Lemon

cleaning tips: Flylady.com

cleaning tool: Swifter duster

And in no particular order...

Bath and Body Works Lavender and Chamomile sleepy scent

Gap Favorite Stretch T

Flat wallets

Viking glass in amberina

SOB junk store in Las Cruces, NM

I would like to state for the record that finds at yard sales and old junk shops always trump items you can buy anywhere else based on their uniqueness and thrill of the hunt. I also have no idea why I only want to blog lists. Probably because it is the only place in my life that the lists get finished. 

Christmas budget

Well. Christmas is almost here and I am frantically trying to get all my gifts. I was somehow foresighted enough to know that money would be tight and arrange not to exchange gifts with friends. Did I think about the presents I would have to buy? Of course not. Because if I had I would not be here, one week before Christmas trying to MAKE presents. Oi. 

In times like this I always believe I have these mad sewing skills and can sew presents. But after 3 hours of trying to make a cute smockette for my niece, courtesy of www.themayfly.com I am wondering what I was thinking (it took 3 hours because I was watching the Biggest Loser finale). The last time I sewed I made a pair of boxer shorts under supervision in Home Ec in 1994. The smockette did not go well. Mainly because I am not a fantastic sewer and cannot read simple directions about what kind of fabric to use. 

I am still thinking that this gift might be possible given the right kind of fabric and some focus. A smock doesn't have to be perfect; it is for getting dirty. Not to mention she is 18 months old, chances are she'll never remember it. 

I also found another gift that requires work. But it met the budget requirements, so it came home with me. Hopefully I will be able to post pictures of these things after they are given. I am afraid to do so now and spoil the surprise. 

Also, since this blog started with the garden I feel I should give my roses some praise. They are still blooming. It is freezing at night, 40 degrees all day, and the damn roses have 40 blooms. All I can figure is the previous, crazy gardening owners of this house are sneaking into my yard at night and feeding the roses crack. The hubs also cut down the banana tree tonight. It was time, but it is my favorite part of the house and I miss it until spring. 

Square dreams

I had (what I thought was) the weirdest dream last night. I dreamed my family and I were out in the yard - only it wasn't exactly MY yard because it never is in dreamland. I looked over and my agapanthus were 8 feet tall! My dad was very impressed. They were taller than my rose bushes. Which, as I tried to explain to my husband J, is shocking because the agapanthus are done blooming and my roses are now over 6 feet. J gives me a pitying, disbelieving, amused look and tells me, "that is the squarest dream I have ever heard".It is. And so that is how this blog begins. It is not wildly exciting tales from the other side. It is me and my life as it is. Which is pretty good even if the agapanthus are of average size.