Sunday, September 21, 2014

Craft Room and Women of Faith

This weekend was the balloon festival. Theo and the girls were home watching for them, but they only flew over the house once and they didn't get any pictures. I think they were going the wrong direction to fly over our house. 




I was at Women of Faith with friends and had a wonderful time! We were totally spoiled by our friend and mentor who gifts us this experience every year. We loved sitting in a suite at the arena, and were pampered at the W hotel. The messages were very inspirational. One of my recent favorite songs is Hello my name is, and Matthew West was there performing it! We all had a great time. 

Then today, since I needed something to do to procrastinate doing my homework, I organized our craft room. At Staples, I had found these track desks. They were originally $250 on clearance for only $20! I grabbed two. They were a pain in the butt to put in but I think they look great! Now I just need to padlock the door so it stays tidy. The gravity is thick in there and all of our crap just whooshes in!











Lizzy's Girl Scouts

Thursday, Lizzy's troop went to the nursing home. At an earlier meeting they had painted flower pots. Lowe's was great and donated $50 worth of houseplants to our troop. The girls planted them and went around the nursing home talking with the residents and giving them houseplants. 





Sunday, September 14, 2014

Garden Journal

A friend suggested that I start a garden journal to keep track of where plants will regrow so I don't RoundUp them in the spring. I have no idea where I would keep it without loosing it, so I took some pictures and I'm putting them on here. Also, I can keep track of how things are growing.

From right to left, firebush (he's growing slow because he should be in the sun, but he's been there for several years so I hate to move him), hydrangea (I didn't get any blooms this year??? but the leaves always looked nice), elephant ears.

Pistachio tree, The little hosta that could, Boston fern (this was sold as an indoor plant and I got tired of it dropping leaves and threw it outside. We'll see how it winters)

Barely noticable, is a pink autumn sage that never grew - I think it needs more sun. Between them is a naked lady that popped up and then the abelia bush. 

My Mexican petunias Diana gave me were mostly eaten by rabbits, but I think they will come back, and the tree is our red oak. 

I'm going to trim this autumn pink sage way back this fall - it's getting too leggy

I already trimmed this overgrown vitex. I'm trying to root a cutting to see if I can get another.  Beside it is a small lantana needs moved to a more sunny spot. 

This red oak is growing so fast - I thought it'd be cool to have a picture of how big it is now. 


Next we have the two mounding abelias with the other pistachio tree in between.




I trimmed this crepe myrtle into a tree from an overgrown bush yesterday. Hopefully he'll look a bit nicer in the spring. 


This rose of sharon has pretty flowers but no leaves. Summer 2015 will be it's third summer so I'm hoping to see a more leaves. 

I trimmed this crepe myrtle a bit as well. He doesn't get a lot of sun there, so he's growing slow, but once he gets over the shed, he'll be happy.

This is the big lantana that comes back every year. I hope that next year it doesn't grow all flat like that. The elephant ears here need to be moved - they are getting too much sun.  There is a small lantana in the front left that isn't growing fast, but looks good. I had a lantana behind the tree too, but it died. Maybe it will come back in the summer. 


This knock out rose is doing beautifully after I planted it only last June. I trimmed it up a bit. I love these elephant ears here. They are my favorites. I transplanted some to the left of the roses too and they seem to have survived. Hopefully they'll come back in the fall. In the very front is the last of the three heavenly bamboo I planted last June. The rabbits liked them too much. 


This burry oak is covered in rust colored fuzzy spots. It looks like it has leprosy. I hope that is normal or not too bad. We'll see how he looks in the spring. He's leaning a lot so I want to tie him to the fence. 


Here are the baby elephant ears just coming in. 

I think this is going to help me a lot next spring! I should probably also document around the pool and out front. 

Last Swim

We had our last swim on Thursday. Friday, the temperature dropped and it rained. Usually the pool gets cold enough after the first September rain to swim again.








Lizzy's expander

Just before school started, Lizzy got an upper expander. So far, it really sucks. We'll all be really glad when it's gone. 


Summer knitting

I finished my summer knitting project in the nick of time before school started. I made this rather fat necked unicorn for Lizzy. 










First Day of School

Katie started middle school this year. She is loving 6th grade so far, especially band.



Lizzy is in 3rd grade this year! Here she is on the first day with her teacher, Mrs. Smith, the same one Katie had for third that we loved.


And a shot with her principal!