Week 48 Random Pinehurst

No Poinsettias this year from Lowes.

That makes me SOOOO sad.

So instead, I tried to force some bulbs.

"tried" being the key word.

At the least, I'll have lots of pretty wicker pots of dirt 

around for the holidays.

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October - Found Out and About

Not all of these items were found in October.

But I am getting around to share what I've found lately.

 

  

You know that vintage wire baskets are hard to find.

Mine was $5, half off blue tags (means it was $2.50) from Goodwill.

Also finally found some great wine jugs. 2.99 each.

I have been looking for colored glasses for a while now.

I especially wanted some in fall colors.

These are two small to be truly practical.

But I loved the swirls, the color and the price (.69 each).

I found the bowls (.99 each) right after I had given up

and decided that I was going to use wood salad bowls instead.

The plate is for my yet to be realized adventure

into diversifying my plate wall.

Beyond black and white eh?

If you didn't know it before, I am a sucker for textiles.

 

My "linen" closet is proof of that.

From farther away, the ledge is super cozy

and it really sets off my growing African mask collection.

Happy thrifting!

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We Slide Quickly Out of Fall {Autumn}

The leaves are gone.

The grass is cut once more.

The pumpkins are harvested.

We slide quickly out of fall.

 

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Project 2: The Grass is Still Greener (DIY for Busy Gals)

31 minute project

You'll need:

Planter (s)

(a mug or bowl can substitute)

potting soil/compost mix

(compost is optional)

wheatberries 

(I've used red, hard and soft wheatberries all successfully)

water

paper towels

You are going to grow this:

In pictures:

For the readers:
1. Lay down newspaper on your counter.
2. Grab some planters. A mug or bowl works in a pinch.
3.Mix equal parts potting soil and compost (compost is optional)
4. Make sure you have wheatberries on hand.

5. Fill your planters to the top with your potting mix.
Do this on the newspaper for easy cleanup.

6. Scoop wheatberries on to soil.

7. Make sure you spread a thick enough layer of berries so that you don't see soil, 

but thin enough so that sprouting berries won't crowd each other out.

8. Douse your layer of wheatberries with water.

I use the sprayer with a gentle mist so as not to wash the berries away.

I also soak them to a count of about 6 or 8 (not seconds, just count to 6)

Deeper wet soil, deeper roots.  

You may hate me for this later.

9. I wet and then thinly layer a paper towel over the top of the planter.

Don't ever, ever, never, ever let the paper towel dry out before the berries sprout.

After they sprout, one day, you will walk passed your planter and think to yourself 

"Self, I have not water those in forever"

You will look at said planter and notice that those super strong sprouts

are shooting off their dried and crispy paper towel lid.

You just watch.
Healthy, cheap, fun DIY that will be a great decor

AND healthy too!

Check out what's to come with 31 DIY projects for Busy Gals by clicking the log above.

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Around Pinehurst | October

 Pleasant surprise

Green tomatoes turn red on the counter

And are even sweeter than straight off the vine

Heaven. On. Earth

Happy October.

 

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Week 39 Random Pinehurst

The deck was awesome

this summer.

 

 Now.
The deadheading
and composting
begins

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Week 38 Random Pinehurst

I could grow nothing but tomato plants.

Well.

And maybe some basil too.

  

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Evolution - Back Flower Bed

When we first moved in to Pinehurst

Let's just say that the landscaping was hurting.

 There were undergrown shrubs and overgrown grass/weeds

and there was hardly any definition at all to any beds.

 

Shortly after moving in, I dug out the back flower bed.

Got all curvy with it.

I may or may not (yeah I did) have dug up

each and every rock you see

lining the edge of that bed.

 

It did all that digging last summer/fall.

This spring/early summer, I planted those tiny boxwoods.

Look closer.  Under the gigantic windows.

You know, the windows that make them look even tinier.

 

Last fall, we got around to mulching out the beds. 

With red bark mulch that totally stained his jeans.

Not mine, because I was not rolling around in the stuff.

Fast forward to end of this spring and you can kind of see

the remnants of the most amazing flowers ever.

Here, let's get closer...

 I would plant nothing but black tulips and giant king yellow daffodils

if space were not an issue.  As it is, the Peony to the left of those tulips

would come to steal my heart early summer.  

The heather, at the foot of the tulips, to the right

just FINALLY came alive.

I was so ready to sacrifice her for the space.

What's popping up in your garden this time of year?

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Summer Kitchen

Sigh.

I love my kitchen.

Those shiny black granite counters

are the bane of my existence.

I do think I want to paint my cabinets white

(I know, I know)

but the prospect of a black and white kitchen

with yellow accents

totally makes me giddy.

he (who shall not be named)

is having a hard time thinking this would look good.

Oh how he doesn't hang out on pinterest enough.

I made the bookwreaths from one of the many tutorials online

and you can read about my hack here.

I grew the lovely vase fulls of goodness in my jungle of a front yard.

Just. Saying.

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Week 36 Random Pinehurst

I actually grew Lilac this year.

It was SO beautiful on the tree

that I did not want to snip it down.

And it smelled like heaven scent.

Or at least what I imagine heaven smells like.

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Flora Nirvana - McClendon Hardware

 

I confess.

I would spend my whole

(really substantial)

paycheck on flowers.

If only I didn't go out of control in the store

only to not really gauge how much time it takes to plant them

and grow them

in my yard.

All said,

there are really about five places I shop for plants:

Fred's [Hobby] Wholesale Priced Nursery up the road

Home Depot/Lowes clearance racks

Fred Myer
Wal Mart clearance rack
McClendon Hardware

I know.
It is quite the assortment.

Today, let me introduce you to the place
where I pay full price
all the time
because the plants are that great.

McClendon's Hardware is a local (I think) semi-chain hardware store.
Think ACE without the nationwide network
but with the hometown feel
and the everything you could possibly ever want to buy inventory.

There is a McClendon's by my work and one on the way home by Wal Mart.
This was my recent trip to the one by Wal Mart.

They had these gorgeous fuschia baskets for $10 each

I promptly left it on my porch
not hung up
forgot to water it
and killed it in 3 days.

Sigh.

You already know the fate of my .99 each colorspots
(I love their color spot specials)

What I love about the Renton McClendon's is the variety.

I need to purchase moss, like I need another hole in my head.
I mean, people try to kill all sorts of this stuff off for days on end.
Although I do have some rocks that I want to grow specialty moss on.

Now that we finally stained the side gate,
I really want to do a really large pot
and stick some wisteria in it
and grow it over the side.

I'm sure he (who shall not be named)
would L.O.V.E that.  Something about
wood rot
and plants too close to foundations
etc.

All things considered.
This is one of my many Flora Nirvana stops

Where do you shop for living decor?

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Week 35 Random Pinehurst

They have long faded from purple

to brown.

And in California,

I saw the largest,

most awesome

allium ever.

Can't wait until they are back next year.

I must buy more.

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Week 34 Random Pinehurst

Who would have thought

I would be such a frilly girly girl

once I learned how to grow my own flowers?

LOVE these peonies and hydrangeas.

Awesome sauce.

I grew those.  In my backyard.

 

I think Peonies may be my new fave flower.

Cannot believe August is almost over.

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Around Pinehurst | August

 

We did a lot of this during the summer.

Ashley yard work, Summer 2011

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Week 31 Random Pinehurst

Away.

With family.

Especially patriotic ones

that serve this country.

Happy b-day little brother.

Thank you for your service.

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Fave Garden Pickings 2011

By far, my fave bouquet of the year:

I grew those Peonies!

And yes, there were only three that bloomed.

But they were so easy, 

so carefree,

and totally going to be like my whole garden next year.

Well, once I leave room for these:

hydrangeas

hostas

peonies

I will totally do these again next year.

Even though summer was short here,

there is all sorts of great color in the yard.

And, I finally found

crocosmia

and beautiful purple bearded iris

Truly, my garden should be shades

of yellow, purple and white

to best go with the house.

But I love pink.

I can't help it.

What is popping up in your yard lately?

Linking up at
Savvy Southern Style

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Week 28 Random Pinehurst

Best recipe ever.

Top secret of course.

Not.

Googled homemade granola

Modified the first recipe

because I like mine sweet like honey.

Of course,

vanilla soy milk

does the trick too.

Cheap Gardener

I admit it
I'm never going to pay a landscape architect
(sorry Cornellians)
to plany my yard for me

To design my firepit/swimmable water feature...
that is a different story.

But for my garden,
I am really fortunate that I have a very green thumb.

I stick it in the ground
or I forget to stick it in the ground for a few weeks

and the next year

I get these



I am cheap.

Aside from the clearance,

no really, just take them because they are dead

pots of plants I bring home regularly from

Home Depot and Lowes,

I also have a super secret supplier up the road

who sales GORGEOUS

peris mostly (you know, the ones that come back)

for dirt cheap wholesale prices

To the public.

Large plot of land,

but I like how uncrowded it is.

Not that the masses read my blog

but also, it starts getting close to home

if I post that address

But if you really want to know

and you live in East King County

(you know, not really Seattle)

let me know.

I would even say with $50 in your pocket,

it is worth the gas to come from the south and north ends

and even the west side. 

You will leave with a carload of

GORGEOUS

HUGE

plants. 

If they don't bloom the color they are labeled

or don't perform spectacularly for you

You get a credit to come get some more

Fred (oops) might even have a way of getting you your funds back.

Yes, because, you see,

to pay, you write on a slip of paper what you took

and you either tightly fold up some bills

and slip them into the cash box

OR, I've seen folks leave IOUs

OR, I've seen folks slip in a $50

(there is no change available,

unless there is the rare other shopper on site)

and shop on "credit" for a couple of visits.

It is awesome.

It is what I love about small town living.

Yes, this "city" girl said it.

Anyhow,

Another great source for me

is Grocery Outlet.

Yes. Grocery Outlet.

This time of year,

they often have out tomato plants

(I got two on my way to Costco for their plants which I skipped this year)

I am growing one plant upside down (it is HUGE)

and the other traditional

We shall see which I like better.

But, of course, you know what else I got

at Grocery Outlet

Thought I would not like pink ones.

I thought so wrong.

Especially next to the

tall, yellow spikes of Columbine

and the heavenly lavendar and purple allium

Man.

I love this time of year.