Stella Helps Sewing a Hammock...

"Exactly what part of my stitching is bad???"

Daughter Rem came over tonight to sew her hammock.
Stella decided Rem needed help.
Stella's idea of helping was to sit in the middle of said hammock-to-be.
I asked Rem if this was a good idea.
Rem said it really wasn't that good of an idea.
Stella indicated she really didn't care what Remy thought.

So Stella slept in the middle of the hammock for the entire evening.
And the hammock was sewn the following night.

The end.

~~~

xoabb

expect giggles!

P. S. We love our Stella!

Leafless Gutter System...

That would be a ~fail~...

~~~

xoabb

Needless to say, I'll not be recommending the Leafless Gutter System any time soon. The amount of leaves I took out of the downspout would have done a tree proud if I could have reattached them. Total waste of money. Most unfortunately.

Blueberries!

One of my dearest friends - you know her as Mental Pause Mama - is now residing in a charming condominium complex (a town that is FAR removed from me, dammit!). I have never seen a more beautifully landscaped place! My Sunday's photo was of the hydrangea bush just outside her front door. The above blueberry bush is just before that hydrangea.

Whoda thunk blueberry bushes were landscaping plants?? I surely didn't!

All I know is...I expect a blueberry pie about a month from now.
(MPM...are you listening???)

~~~

xoabb
expect anything!

Sunday Serenity

Nothing more calming
Than gazing on lovely blooms
My thoughts...just slow down

~~~

xoabb
expect peace!

BumbleBee & a Bonica Conundrum...

My Bonica rose bush is just beautiful from year to year. But this year I'm alarmed because the blooms have been so heavy, the entire rose bush has flopped over. What do I do??? Prune the entire thing back or just let it flop?? I am really at a loss. Help!

~~~

xoabb

Above rose bush is actually one from my parents' MO garden summer '09.

You can go here to see photos of my bonica before it flopped.

Missouri Sunset

Callaway County, Missourahhh

4/20/10

~~~

xoabb

Skywatch Friday

do join us!

Hands of a Master Gardener

Hands that love this earth
Create sustainable land
That nourish us all

~

We've begun a lecture series at our Fodor Farm Community Garden and the first lecture I was able to attend was given by a gentleman who is a Master Gardener. Wow! In the hour and a half he spoke, I learned more than I thought possible! Did you know you should use shredded newspaper beneath your tomatoes so they're protected from splashing water and because they're also a good form of nourishment? Me neither! And that we who live by the shore are lucky enough to be able to harvest our very own oyster and crab shells - free of charge - that when crushed are wonderful additions to our gardens? Or to plant your tomato seedlings in no less than a 5" pot and when it's ready to be transplanted, strip all but the top leaves off, then plant it horizontally in not-so-deep (amended always) soil, then cover it with a section of banana peel and then soil? WOW! Whoda thunk? He taught us about the whole nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium conundrum, which I wouldn't possibly remember if I hadn't written it down. Hopefully that'll be on his web site soon (hint!). Then, to top off a most excellent talk, he walked to all our plots and told us what we were doing correctly and then also told us (quite gently) what we were doing wrong (that was just about everything for me...sigh).

A very loverly, most wonderful Saturday morning!

~~~

xoabb
expecting good garden things!

P. S. - Here's the most bizarre thing that happened at the lecture/talk: I raised my hand to ask a question of this master gardener, (who had an accent and told us he, too was an interloper like many of the species we find in our gardens). He said: "Yes, Ann, what is your question?" I thought I knew I'd never seen him before so convinced myself he said "Yes, ma'am, what is your question?" He never said another word, we went on our garden tour, I showed him my plot (totally overplanted the carrots, among other things), he gave me tomato and other advice and I took his card.
Flash forward 4 hours. I finally looked at his card so I could go to his website and get the formula for sterlizing seeds. And found out:

His name is Nick Mancini.
The very gentleman who cut my hair for years, years ago...
Before he disappeared off the face of the earth.
Now I know, it was to become a Master Gardener.
(And also lose quite a bit of himself.)
He looks just wonderful - and seems so damn happy!
He recognized me after all these years and I had not a clue!

Strange how paths reconnect...
Wonder if he'd give this old mop of mine a new do...
Boy is it ever needed!

You can visit Mr. Mancini's gardening site here.

Drip drip drip

Sunday Serenity

Bridges cross the main

Arteries of our driving life

Connecting with our good


xoabb

Overplanted Wonderland

Do you also have a small 4' x 12' plot that's being eating to the quick by the marauding bunnies and such who are chewing holes through the chicken wire (what's up with that?) surrounding your community garden? Really...you do?? Me too!
My solution, unproved tho it is, is to totally over-plant my little plot...I'll let you know how that goes...and to heavily spray it with bunny-be-gone... I'll let you know how that goes, too.

~~~

xoabb
expecting bunny nightmares

On another very happy note, 26 years ago today George and I welcomed into our world the most wonderful son any two parents could ever hope to be blessed with. The happiest of birthdays to you, Bly-Guy, you are the very very best and loved more than you will ever know!!