Tag Archive for 'flowers'

Carnival of Modern Home Dwelling Day Eight: Outdoor Living

Published by Sarah Bray on May 22, 2008 in Carnival of Modern Home Dwelling and In the Garden. 7 Comments

Organizing Junkie has a round-up of 13 storage solutions available on Etsy that you MUST check out. For more good reading, visit the rest of our carnival sponsors!

Today’s the last day of the carnival, and I’m a bit sad to see it go, I’ve had so much fun! But there’s always next time to look forward to.

Now for the entries!

Modish contributor Maddy has created these wonderful printable seed packets for you to savor. Aren’t they great! I imagine you could use them for other things, too.

 

 

 

 

Stephanie from Stop the Ride had a great idea one day — to use an old stump as a container for flowers. Not only is it frugal, but it certainly blends in with the scenery!

 

 

 

 

Depending on where you live, you may or may not ever get the chance to mend fences. But if you do, I highly recommend that you consult horsewoman over at Innstyle Montana for direction — she’s got some suggestions that are sure to help, even if you are just thinking of building a fence.

 

 

 

Amy from Housekeeping Tips recommends that you use your leaves to fertilize your lawn — and she tells you how.

 

 

 

 

Carol from May Dreams Gardens has a novel idea — that we embrace weeding as a part of our gardening lives. How is this possible? I guess you’ll have to read to find out!

 

 

 

 

Thinking of starting a vegetable garden? Woman Tribune gives us some tips on how to plan it.

 

 

 

 

Rosemary from Her Home Blog has some tips for creating an inviting outdoor living room. (I really need these!)

 

 

 

 

Tony from Birds and Things inspires us to get out and go bird watching this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

Geeky Poet grows her own lettuce — and so can you with her helpful advice. Lettuce is so adorable as it grows…don’t you think?

 

 

 

 

Things to Consider for Your Hot Tub Installation. Before you even buy a hot tub, read Mandy’s article at The Hot Tub Advisor. She’ll make sure you don’t end up with a disaster on your hands.

Organic Pesticides for a Safe Lawn. Happy Housekeeper has a helpful list of organic pesticides that you can use instead of chemicals.

Managing Lawn Care During a Drought. Considering last year’s rain scarcity, it might be a good idea to check out Hobby Lawn Care’s article on the topic.

Well, here we are at the close of our journey. It’s been fun guys! Oh…right. I still need to disclose the winner. The talented entrant is…

Geeky Poet for her helpful article on lettuce-growing! Congratulations! Be sure to email your address to sarahjoy AT todayshomemaker DOT com so that we can send out your prize package.

So what’s next? Well, for me, it’s going to be an enjoyable weekend filled with lots of non-computer time. ;) But I’m also dreaming up ideas for the next carnival, which of course I can’t help but do.

In the garden: Perennials that make me look like I have a green thumb

Published by Sarah Bray on April 15, 2008 in In the Garden. 0 Comments

I’ve finally gotten around to taking my camera (which is still grasping at life by a cobweb-strand) out to photograph some of my favorite perennials that have begun to bloom in my garden. I really will invest in a fully functional camera soon - perhaps when we get that “economy booster” check from Uncle Sam. Until then, cherish these photo-filled posts, my friends. I am fully aware of their rarity.

Do not be fooled. I have done nothing to merit these beauties. They’re just doing their thing, which is why I like perennials. You order the right plants from a local garden center that knows what grows well in your area, plant them, baby them a bit for the first season (meaning: make sure they don’t get hit by a drought), and they’ll require little else year after year. Sure, it’s nice to weed every now and again, but if you plant them close enough and pour on the mulch thick enough, that won’t be much of a problem.

No, I do not know the names of these plants. When we planted them last year, I was so good. I wrote everything down and was determined to know the plant profile of every single genus, class, species…whatever they may be1. What happened to that list? I have no idea. I think there must be goblins in this house. That is the only reasonable explanation for me never being able to find ANYTHING.

It’s supposed to be warmer today at 58 degrees. I am starting to lose hope for anything better. And today is the magic day! April 15th! The final frost date will have come and gone by tonight, and I still do not have any tomatoes. Oh well. I’ve heard rumors that the longer you wait to plant, the better your harvest will be. They’re just rumors, but I always bank on them since I am perpetually running behind. It comforts me.

P.S. Twitter was breaking my blog when I posted this, so I took it down for a wee bit. My challenge for today is to schedule care for my dog. Colby needs a haircut so badly that I’m kind of embarrassed to take him in!

  1. Oops…my ineptitude at biology is showing, isn’t it? Ah well. There are worse things. [↩]

Friday’s challenge: Pick flowers!

Published by Sarah Bray on April 4, 2008 in In the Garden. 3 Comments

I have GOT to take pictures of the gorgeous flowers in my perennial bed. They have absolutely exploded with color over the past few days. So today, I challenge everyone to pick some flowers and bring them inside. Doesn’t have to be anything fancy…just something to make you happy!

I might be a bit late posting my Friday faves today. I’ve recently been blessed with several new projects that are keeping me busy. I am SO amazed at how God is providing for us right now. Every time I get discouraged and frustrated that things aren’t zipping along at the speed of light (because hey…I’m not generally a patient person), something happens that gives me new perspective.