Wordless Wednesday

Swinging...Swinging...Swinging...

While we celebrated my daughter's 8th birthday in the park, my second daughter started swinging too.

Who doesn't love to swing?

Happy Monday!

Friday Finds

Kim Klassen continues this week hosting Friday Finds.  This is what she says about it:

So many find possiblities.....unique treasures...... special moments..... life's lessons......little things.....big things too...... nature's beauty..... heart shaped stones, a special cup.....a pretty flower....wise words....

I was thrilled to bring home some more buttons from a sale I went to last Friday.

I was especially happy that they were in bags unsorted so I could have the pleasure of sorting them.

See those two on the left?!  Earrings they will be!

I don't mind the musty smell while sorting.

Nor do I mind the somewhat griminess that accompanies buttons tucked away in a jar or box for years and years.   Soap and water take care of that.

I posted a few years back about how much I like to sort buttons.

So, I guess along with the treasured buttons I found this week was the treasure of the peace that comes from sitting and sorting them.

My second to the youngest turned 8 today!  There is some more celebrating to do! 

Tank Garden Update

 I was way behind on the tank garden this spring because of graduation.  I've been waiting for some color to appear to take some pictures.

I picked up this stainless steel gazing ball last year after losing two glass balls in hail storms.

What's blooming beautifully right now is the honeysuckle vine.  It smells divine!!!

And, has completely engulfed my Schwinn!  I have two patches of this vine in the tank garden and both were started from a shoot from the vine in the back yard.  It's easy to get going.  

I sure hope this feed box fills out with blooms.  There's another little yellow plant on top that you can't see in the picture.

 Moss roses are about the only thing I dare to put in my little strainer planters as they get very dry between waterings, but the moss roses can take it.

That's heliotrope in the big tub below.  I sure hope to keep it alive this year.  I had poor results with my first attempt with heliotrope last year.  It smells so sweet too!

My big project for the garden this year was to get my doors mounted, and it's done!!

Now that they are secured, I can add adornments as I have time. 

And, look at the crazy tree thing that grew up last year by my rusty culvert!  We have no idea what it is!  In the fall all the branches just fell off and I thought maybe it was dead, but this spring it started growing again and it is really neat.  I really want to identify it.  Anyone know?

More daisies. :)

I have a lot of herbs that need drying now, so hopefully I get to it!  

~wishing for you a very nice day~

Wordless Wednesday

Mosaic Monday

About 15 years ago, there were fun happy daisies growing at the front of our property in the weeds/grass.  I went out to dig them up and transplant them into our new garden.  

Technically, I'm pretty sure they are a mum and not a daisy, but mums don't sound like "fun" or "happy" and they look like daisies!

As I was digging, the neighbor across the road was out and we chatted some.  I didn't know him too well, but he was very friendly and I knew he was a school teacher.

I commented that I thought it was so odd that these daisies were growing there out of the blue.

He said, oh no he had pulled a bunch from his yard and threw them over in our field and they must have seeded.  He said they grow like weeds!

He and his family moved not long after I dug up the daisies.

Well 15 years later those plants he discarded as weeds, have multiplied and have brought me so much happiness.  I had daisies in our poor soil even when other plants wouldn't do well. 

I've even shared some plants with others.

I saw through a friend on Facebook that this gentleman recently died.  The flowers have always been a reminder to me of him and now they are a reminder for me to pray for him and his family.

Interesting, that even an action as throwing something that you regard as nothing or a nuisance can bring someone else much pleasure.  

Interesting, that God can use us even when when we are completely unaware.

Saturday Digest

**A spine poem?!  I just found this quite creative blog.  Not sure I could come up with a poem from the spines of our books, but I'm tempted to try.  I imagine it could take awhile and I would get waylaid perusing books. 

**The new issue of  Mollie Makes looks great.  Check out the Sassy Sister Dolls on the front cover!

**I'm trying my hand at rooting some cuttings from a Wandering Jew I purchased from a local plant sale.  

This annual plant sale is much like a garage sale that a group of women host to raise funds for their church.  They sell plants they propagate, grow from seed, or divided from their own gardens along with pots and garden supplies that they no longer need.  Isn't that a good idea?

Maybe in a couple of months I'll have some plants to share.  

Have a great weekend!

Friday Finds

My brother is working on the storage sheds at my Mom's.
So, we've been sorting through some treasures!

I can't express how cool I think this very old shopping basket is!! Look at the handle on the cane. :)
The two stools the basket is sitting on need some work and a base, but will be wonderful.

I didn't take a side picture of this old tote that has been repaired with can lids.  But, I will.  Maybe my Dad didn't do the repair and he bought it like this from an auction, but it is just like the type of repair he would have made!

The chair is fairly sturdy and I'm in for all things photography.

An old milking stool is holding the AWESOME set of stencils!

I guess it's actually called a Stencil Outfit.

You can see it all needs some cleaning and it may take me awhile to get that done, but in time, I will.

I'm thrilled with my finds!

I'm linking up this week with Kim Klassen's Friday Finds.

Wire Vine and A Tobacco Tin: A Good Match

I've posted about wire vine before and I still think it's sooooo pretty!  Last year I only planted one plant.

And, it pretty much just sat there and did nothing all summer.  Bad location and soil.

So, I brought it in last fall planted in this old tobacco can.

And, it pretty much just sat there all winter and did nothing.

Someone suggested I fertilize it.  ?!?!?!?!

I had seriously not even thought of that. Sheesh!

I fertilized!

Now, it's finally starting to grow and I'm going to try and keep this one as a house plant.  

I have two more planted outside that are growing too!  They are in the same location as in the post I linked earlier so should do well.

It's romantic even in a tobacco tin!

I usually have an ironstone saucer under it for the drainage, but took it out for pictures.  

Wordless Wednesday

Lookin' Out My Backdoor

Imagination sets in, pretty soon I'm singin'

doo, doo, doo

lookin' out my back door

bother me tomorrow

today, I'll 'bide no sorrows

doo, doo, doo, 

lookin' out my back door

A Few Mantle Shots

  Still, and always loving old books.

The vase and drieds came from a garage sale.

A wonderful brass crucifix.

Iron book ends.  They certainly don't have to match and they don't!

The little drieds in the pitcher are "love in the mist" seed pod heads from last year's garden.

We've had some really beautiful weather this week, I hope the same is true for you!

Wordless Wednesday

Tough Love: Petunias

I've never been a big fan of petunias, but before graduation we needed some color.  Since spring had been so cold and dreary here, the nurseries were sparse and I hadn't been able to get my own pots of flowers going.

I found these wave petunias at Walmart for a great price. So pink petunias it was.  (I rarely buy pink flowers or petunias!)

I knew it wouldn't be long until they were ratty looking which is why I don't like petunias.  

Time for some tough love.

I watched this You Tube video, then this one, and got aggressive.

I have never been sure how to dead head a petunia. Do you just pull out the spent bloom? Or, do you  need to pinch off the whole stem it came out of?  Now, I know.  It must all come out.  I have never cared for them properly.  Mine were so far gone though that I had to aggressively prune.

I also learned on the video that the are aggressive feeders so I will try to fertilize these often.  They were so perfectly in bloom when I bought them,  I assume they've used up the fertilizer they started with.

One little bloom showing what was...Now, hopefully, in a couple of weeks I can show you pictures of rejuvenated plants.

I'm still not sure that I will dedicate the time to proper dead heading.

Any thoughts, wisdom, or experiences with petunias you'd care to share?  I'm always looking for tips and hints!