This and that

Wow - it's been awhile since I wrote here. I suppose that's because I haven't had much excitement lately - and if you know me in real life, I'm quite happy about that. July 21st is the 3rd anniversary of my Mom's death, which still doesn't seem quite real to me. May 5th was 2 years since Dad died, which also is weird. The shock has worn off, and I'm getting used to not being able to pick up the phone and call them, Mom popping in to go to lunch with me, Dad and I smart-alecking each other to see who gets the last word...

It hit me Monday when I was on the escalator at Penney's at Southdale - Mom wasn't along! She and I did that kind of thing all the time - if one of us had errands to run, we often did that kind of thing together. This whole orphan thing is for the birds. I know they're happy - it was so hard for Dad to be without Mom, and they're hanging out with my brother, but I miss them.

I'm going to the Normandale Bandshell tomorrow night with my nephew - he knows the guy that's playing there so I wanted to hear what they sound like. Hopefully we won't get rained on. They're a country band, and I guess they just released a cd, although I don't know if it's on a label or self produced. So, we'll see what the diva has to say!

The garden is coming along nicely - someone in the neighborhood asked me who "did my plan" so I was very pleased. There really hasn't been a plan - I buy something I think will work, and then plop it in and hope for the best. The hostas that I moved from under the trees like it better where they are now; so much so that I may move some of them further back next year since they seem to be taller than the coral bells and cover them up. I got lots of different coral bells, and hope they all do well.

I found some things at the Linder's garden mart for half price - some of the Flame Astilbes that have burgundy and green foliage - I sure hope they do well because they're really neat. I also got a couple cute plants that have little white flowers. Can't remember what they are but I might have to get more. I've gotten a lot of campanulas, too, so hope they bloom. I guess the test will be how much of this stuff comes back next year. I have to sketch out what's where so I don't think they're weeds next year when they're just getting started!

I wasn't too impressed with what I got from Bluestone - some of it was half dead, and didn't revive, and the columbines aren't doing too great, either. I threw the scabiosa away - looked sickly and I didn't like it after all. I put another couple hosta and - surprise - more coral bells (Peach Flambe) in the side bed, with some Burgundy Glow Ajuga.


I found another garden store I liked - Marshall's in Eden Prairie. I was on the way to Halla (not worth going back to, I think) and stopped there. Lots of nice things - plus! I found the perfect statue, for a third of what it's selling for online. Is this not perfect for a librarian's garden? This picture is from a catalog, but I put some vinca vine and a few flowers by her. I put her to the left rear so we can see her when we come in the driveway.

I will admit that I'm more interested/willing to work in the garden now that I actually have something to maintain and play with. But I sure hope I don't have to work this hard next year...although there is still the back yard to do....uffda.

Getting there

I've been working like a dog on the front yard - this stuff had better grow back next year! I still have a few more things to plant, and some planters to throw stuff in, but overall it's actually starting to look like I had a plan! Not that I did, mind you... I was a but intimidated by the idea of an entire garden plan, so I've been doing little "vignettes" or just planting an area at a time instead of

The coral bells are in, replanted most of the hosta I dug out, threw various coleus around, and put in some astilbes that are supposed to be more tolerant of dry/sun with a few forgetmenots to fill in the spots between. I found some yellow columbine that were on sale, so I put 4 of them in, too. I ordered some half-price perennials from Bluestone, so am waiting for them. I ordered some more columbine - really cute blue and white, and pink and white. Also some pink pincushion flowers (scabiosa - what an awful name!) to stick in the bed beside the driveway. This bed just has some weeds, a few hostas and some scilla that are done on one side, and a lot of iris and tulip that don't really bloom much - I think they need to be thinned out. I've also used various impatiens, and some begonias, etc. I've gone through 15 bags of soil, which will hopefully help keep the plants happy.

Once it's all planted I'll have to start figuring out maintenance, I suppose. My idea is that putting all this work in this year means less in the next few years. (I suppose real gardeners reading this are laughing right now!) If most of the perennials come back, I can then add more stuff if I need to, and throw annuals around. I'm even thinking of growing the coleus from cutting so I don't have to buy so many. I'm not sure where I'd put them in the house, though - the cats might think they were a tasty snack.

I rehung our birdfeeder in the back yard - we had been hanging it off the deck last year. It was a lot of fun watching the birds, and fun watching the cats watch the birds. We gave up on it, though, because a 700 pound raccoon decided that it was a great place to have a snack. He'd just knock it off the deck, and amble down the stairs to have his munchies. I hope I've outsmarted him - we'll see if the squirrel/raccoon repellant spray works! If not, I'll have to be even sneakier.