This Garden's Progress

Remember when I planted my garden seeds last month, and it looked like this?

This is how it looks one month later. Green beans at left, Squash in the center, and four little Sunflowers next to the squash. The big, blue pot has a Tomato plant in it.

Here's a view looking down the row of Green beans. And, no, I did not plant a dandelion! That's a yellow marigold which looks far too similar to a dandelion. Note to self: next year, if you want to plant marigolds, you might consider the orange ones instead.

The long box at the left has Basil in it (from seed). Next to it, at the right, are a few Zinnias.

A dear friend gave me this wooden milk box when I was first diagnosed with diverticulitis. I drag it out every year and plant annuals in it. This year it holds blue lobelia and red geraniums. I decided to hang it on the fence. Makes it really stand out.

Close up of the Zinnias. Look at those weeds! Sheesh! Stop blogging and get out there, woman :)

The box o' Basil

I'm squeezing all I can out of every little strip of dirt in our backyard. This itsy-bitsy area is next to where the grass clippings get dumped. I threw down some seeds of parsley, lettuce, peas, and spinach. The lettuce and peas are the first...no, no, the weeds are actually the first...to come up.

My Tomato plant and 2 marigolds (masquerading as dandelions). Honest.

Can you see the little yellow tomato blossoms? I'm so excited!! I could never grow tomatoes in western Washington. With the climate being much hotter and drier here, I am anticipating lots of capresi salads with my Basil and Tomatoes. Yum!

I'll be checking the garden's progress in another month. Oh yes...and doing some weeding.

A Summer Poem

"In our book there's space for a summer poem:

With what luscious things shall we fill it?

with Water for splashers,

and Ice Cream on dashers,

and Root Beer so high that you'll spill it!

I'm glad there's a space for a summer poem,

though I'm sure that we'll soon run it over

With bikes right for racing,

And frisbees for chasing,

And picnics spread out in the clover.

Now pile the space higher!

Add a tent, add a fire ---

And drowsy-eyed papas and mamas

who chauffeur their crew

to a drive-in or two,

Before we need winter pajamas."

-anonymous

My House Is Crying

Do you think houses can cry? Or do they just look sad? Granted, this picture of Gopher Hill Place was taken a year ago when we lived there and life was settled. We moved away last March due to a job/life change. The house is going through a short sale. We have passed the original closing date waiting for bank approval and are now scheduled to close the last day of June. If the sale doesn't go through we are facing foreclosure. I admit it's been an emotional roller coaster. We go back as often as we can just to keep the place from looking abandoned. We mow the lawn, pull a few weeds, dust and sweep the inside, but the place just feels so lonely. It breaks my heart to see it this way. I think it would be much easier for me if it were a "normal" sale where the buyers move in 3 days after the closing date, a month or less after papers are signed, and life keeps humming along. But, since this isn't normal circumstances the house sits empty and all alone, waiting for someone to love it. I don't like empty houses. Or the thought of them. I think a house needs life breathed into it with people and activity and the daily routines whirling within its walls. I pray that this sale will finalize soon, and that this house will once again get its smile back.

Spring into Summer Flowers

Love, love, love these Red Hot Pokers. Only wish they stayed in bloom longer.

We were back at the Gopher Hill house this weekend to do some yard work, and look what was voluntarily blooming! Some of these beauties I had forgotten about. These orange pansies are REALLY orange. The photo doesn't quite capture their intense color. I love these!

This Calla Lily is in an area of the backyard lovingly called The Donation Station. It's when landscaping customers of ours had plants or shrubs they wanted to get rid of, and those plants 'mysteriously' ended up in our backyard. You know, one man's sick plant is another man's Donation Station treasure. Isn't that the saying?

This Japenese Maple is really getting out of hand, and desperately needs pruning, but doesn't it look beautiful above the tiny blue flowers of this ground cover? Sigh.

Here's a little wider shot of the area. Just disregard the garbage cans in the background. At best, I'm an amateur photographer just keepin' it real.

Let's Walk Around My House

Welcome! Let's start at my kitchen table. See this little plate? It's one of my favorite things. If you can't read it it says, "May this house to every guest be a place of peace and rest." I hope you enjoy being my guest :)

We are now looking out my kitchen window above my sink. This is the view I see whenever I'm doing the dishes. That's a small fruit orchard in front of the two-story home. It was in full bloom a couple of weeks ago!

Let's step outside. This is the front view of my little rental cottage. It's been interesting renting again after all these years as a homeowner. But this is a lovely little place, and I'm getting the knack of scaling down.

I don't know if you noticed , but when we opened the front door these Iris were the first thing to greet us. Aren't they lovely? I just planted some white allysum seeds beneath them. Can't wait until they come up. I love the fragrance that sweet allysum gives off!

Now let's go into the backyard. I just finished planting a small (we're talkin' tiny) garden in this area. Some green beans, squash, basil, and a sunflower will be popping up! Also, the blue planter is waiting for a large tomato plant to potted in it. I'll show the bounty of it all in a couple of months...maybe sooner :)

This is our patch of concrete, better known as the patio. Only a fraction of our patio furniture would fit in this space. The rest is in storage. I took this pic in the morning when there is full sun. Fortunately, in the late afternoon and early evening this is the most pleasant side of the house for relaxing. Really happy about that!

Here's a look at another corner of my backyard. This birdhouse is one of my sentimental treasures. A dear friend gave it to me. It was made from scraps of old barn wood by another creative friend that we both know. I love it. Well, that's the tour! Thanks for walking around my house with me. Hope you enjoyed it. Now, let's go get a glass of lemonade!

Photo Montage For Previous Post

Little Miss Harper

Baby Truman

Bobbi, Lincoln and Sage in tent in the living room

This Is Why I'm Bobbi

A lot of you know this, but Bobbi is my grandma name. To these four sweet little peanuts in this picture I am their Bobbi. Some grandchildren have a Nana ( I did ) or a Gramma or a Grannie or any other assortment of names bestowed upon a grandmother. I, however, am unique! I don't know of any other children who call their grandma, "Bobbi." I have my oldest grandson to thank for this moniker. You see, when he was right around 2 years old (give or take) my daughter and I were wondering what he would probably call me. She asked me what I would prefer, and I really didn't have anything selected. I had never really thought of what I might be called when I reached grandmother status. So my reply was, "Let's ask Sage what he wants to call me". His answer was, "Bobbi." My daughter and I were so perplexed by this that we asked him to repeat his answer. We thought he had said, "Mommy" and we just hadn't heard it right. Nope. "Bobbi", he said again. Later when my daughter and I were alone I asked her if he had a friend named Bobby, and she said that not only did he not have any friends with that name, but they didn't know anyone named Bobby. She had no idea where he came up with this, and we laughed. No one thought it would stick longer than a few days. We were sure that another name would no doubt take its place, and that would be the pattern until something permanent was established. Fast forward eleven years and three more grandchildren later. I am still "Bobbi". I did get to select how I wanted it spelled, and since I do love makeup I chose to spell it the same as Bobbi Brown. (my daughters know me and are not surprised by this) Our family has only one Bobbi. And it is I. And I love being called a name of sweet endearment by my precious grandchildren. Thank you so much, Sage!

Love, Bobbi