Potting Bench and Patio

Seems like it takes me forever to get a task completed lately, I guess that's because it actually does. I've been wanting to finish up here on the patio for weeks now, but I still needed to find a fern and a few other plants for the urns. I have to wait for Hubbs to help me out, so that means the weekend. And at that point, if it's rainy, forget it... another weekend down the drain. 

(It's a Chilly) Christmas on the Front Porch

Welcome to our Home for Christmas!

I think we're all having below normal temps this last week.

Actually, it's been pretty chilly around here for the last several weeks;

chilly enough to keep me from wanting to spend time outside

 fiddling with Christmas decorations and my camera.

Nature's Treasures

We spent this last weekend on a trip to Eastern Missouri, Hawn State Park, and then visited the soon to be State Park of St. Genevieve, Missouri, which is one of the oldest settlements west of the Mississippi. It was a wonderful trip, very remote in the middle of 5000 acres of pristine woodland and river. Many of the leaves there are already starting to change. I was near giddy at seeing the golden leaves flutter to the ground along the river's edge.

In Harmony with Nature...

...or, what to do if you're easily bored while camping.

Just wanted to check in with you on our/my "camping" progress. We've had a couple of weekend trips; one to the river,(Southern Missouri trout fishing river) the other to a lake (NW Arkansas in the mountains). Both were good, relaxing, and I really enjoyed my time with Hubbs. We grilled steaks and pork chops and had smores (which I thought he'd complain about, but actually he was a trooper. And even though we forgot the long fork, we improvised with small kitchen forks, and it ended up being one of the more memorable moments of the trip)

(we didn't actually go to Lake of the Ozarks, but I love these vintage fold out postcards, 

so I thought I'd share that bit of vintage lake goodness)

Patio Seating Area

Hi, Everyone, hope you had a great Mother's Day weekend, 

mine was nice, but pretty quiet.

 My goal last week was to finally get the lower level patio sitting area cleaned and put together so we can have a place to sit and relax. This is under the deck, so it's somewhat covered, but not waterproof. I found the two seat cushions and bench cushion online at Lowe's, and they were just what I wanted. They're outdoor friendly and have the look of heavy linen or hemp in a dark khaki/taupe color. I wanted something neutral, that would match most of my pillows and quilts, and not show pollen/dirt/or grunge and I think these will work out fine.

What's Growing On...

Between the late Spring and snow in early May, to the every other week out of town doctor visit trips for hubby, I'm way behind in getting plants potted and the deck and outdoors spiffed up. I was able to get a few containers put together for the deck this week, but it's been slow going. (so many of you have asked how he's doing and it's also been "slow going", but he's making improvement little by little. Thank you all so much for asking, and for your prayers)

I was able to winter one of my mint plants, and after cutting back the unusable winter growth, I'm just now getting some new leaves. I use mint every day in my green tea and lemonade or my new favorite Crystal Light Mojito, club soda, fresh lime and mint. So easy, tastes like it's alcoholic cousin, no calories, and creates a party in your mouth!

(angel vine)

My small urns are planted with variegated Impatiens...

always a favorite, and so easy.

We recently gave our humongous gas grill to our daughter and her husband. I'd never liked using it; I swear I could taste the "gas" on the steaks. (they don't notice it.) The deck is now 3 times as large without that eyesore taking up so much space, and we're on the hunt for a smaller charcoal grill. One that actually produces a great tasting meal. 

These are a couple of the new containers filled with Million Bells, Geraniums, and Verbena. I winter my Geraniums, but this year when we were gone for a week with my hubby's surgery, they became a salad bar for the rabbits...nibbled down to the stubbs. So getting them back will take a while.

In the front yard, Iris are blooming. I transplanted them from my m-i-l about 5 years ago, and they've not been much on blooms, but this year I have some beautiful ones.

I'm also having Peony blooms for the first year,

but the ants are loving them too.

A Knockout Rose that creates a little secret sanctuary for the bird bath.

The robins love it, and have a great time flopping, chirping, and cooling off.

This rose bush has gone nuts this year.

 A few just potted red Geraniums with "soon to be trailing"
Verbena next to the garage.

And more Impatiens in the twin urns on the front steps.

It looks pretty bare out here without color, 

hopefully, the Impatiens will add some soon.

(If the brick looks wonky, it's because I "cloned" out the house number plaque)

Last year this Hydrangea was all but dead. The drought and temps in the low 100's almost everyday caused it to wilt and killed the blooms. It was so disheartening. No matter how much I watered it, the bush just couldn't take the heat. But I started treating it with coffee grounds, and it rallied late in the season.

Now, it's covered in little immature blooms...

and I'm so excited.

This may be it's year!!

joining in with these parties:

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

The Scoop at Cedar-Hill Ranch

A Stroll Thru Life

Knick of Time

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Savvy Southern Style

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend,

xoxo,

Organizing the Potting Bench and other backyard business...

This cold Spring has really put me behind in getting things cleaned up and functional outdoors. It's been the "domino effect" around here with chores and projects. Get the yard people out to do the Spring "clean-up" and shrub trimming, then a big job of painting our pool deck which my sis and nephew helped me do. I can't do much more until we open the pool, which is usually around Mother's Day. (If it doesn't warm up it might be the 4th of July!) Then, all the real work (and fun) will start.

So... under the deck, where we house all our patio furniture, (and the potting bench) looks a little like a bunch of homeless hillbillies have been taking up winter residence. But I did manage to get the potting bench scrubbed down and put in a little bit of order.

I'm just getting started, and I'm looking forward to a visit to the nursery for some cheery blooms. But right now the potting bench is just a clean slate, emphasis on "clean". Hubbs and I put this together a couple of years ago. I'd been looking for ways to create a place to organize my flower pots, plantings, garden tools, and soil storage. I ended up with this great worktable that had been used for a tool bench and an old bookshelf. I properly "married them", and it's been fun having everything organized together within easy reach.

In lieu of purchased plants, I did find a small patch of wild violets along the fence to use as a stand-in until I can get my hands on some storebought blooms.

just a sweet little gift from nature in an old McCoy planter

Here's my vintage garden cart that I also put together a couple of years ago. I just love creeping phlox, but I've never been able to keep it going in a bed or border. I'm not sure why, maybe not enough water throughout the year, but in here it's taken off like gangbusters.

This little area will get more attention when the white garden chair gets decked out with geraniums and some other annuals join in on the fun. It's still a little bare around here, especially since we've hovered around 32 degrees several times this last week.

Here it is when I first planted it two years ago. My husband had threatened to haul it out to the curb for the trash man if I didn't do something useful with it.

How could you pitch this little garden cutie?

OK, sometimes we don't ask those rhetorical questions,

for fear of an honest answer...

I'm really looking forward to have the time to get everything in shape.
Next to Fall, this is my favorite time of the year...
Has the weather been cooperating with your outdoor plans?

joining in for these parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Swing Into Spring at DIY by Design
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage
Tips and Tutorials at Stone Gable
French Country Cottage
The Charm of Home
Rooted in Thyme
Jennifer Rizzo
From My Front Porch to Yours
Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings

xoxo,

Some chipmunk fun...

I have to say "sorry" for the blurry photos up front. This post is sort of an experiment, hope you all don't mind being the "guinea pigs" for my lackluster techy skills. Actually this is close to "guinea pigs", since I'm showing you one of my little visitors on the deck the last few days.

These pics were taken through my kitchen window above the sink,

 that's why they're so blurry.

Early in the week I put out this old enamel wash pan filled with seeds for the birds. The cats and I need our entertainment from the sunporch you know. So besides the birdies, we've had our regular squirrels and then my favorite little buddies, the chips.

This one is having a great time filling his pouches with all the yummies, but what's been the real laugh, is seeing him bob up and down making sure no one is going to grab him. He's on the alert, but really wants to take advantage of his good fortune in finding the mother load of seed.

My camera has a video option, so this is my first time using it. I'm hoping it works. If it doesn't, then just look at the blurry pictures and imagine you see him doing his thing. He had me in stitches, but then it doesn't take a lot to amuse me now-days.

It's a minute of up and down, up and down. But like I said, this was my first time inserting a video into a blog post. Stay tuned later today for the cliff hanger on my "Late Fall Mantle". I know you all are on the edge of your seats waiting for it. Oh and the racket in the background is my dryer. I have a load of rocks in it evidently...

Thanks for indulging me, 

hope you have a chuckle from this,

xoxo,

Mums the word...

Hey there all you "can't wait for Fall" peeps,

look what I found this afternoon at Lowe's!

the first batch of mums for the season.

My big planter next to the garage door was really ready for a change. The verbena had stopped flowering and the rest looked so tired. (sort of like me by the end of the summer) So the geraniums will be transplanted into containers in the back, joining in with some of their friends . Wacky me, I decided to go with a varied look in this container.

I just couldn't help myself.

Let the party begin...

pinterest

joining in at these parties:

Savvy Southern Style

xoxo,

4th of July Outdoors Tablescape

I'm not a "Tablescaper" by any stretch of the imagination,

but I do like to put together a fun and festive holiday display.

I have "bits and pieces" of transferware, not complete sets, so I grabbed what I had of the blue/red and mixed them up with some standard white vintage plates, to put together a little outdoors soiree.

Whitewashed flower pots with old seed packets hold the silverware

While one of my heavy duty Homer Laughlin pitchers 

holds some daisies and flags

I layered old tablecloths and vintage linens for an extra "picnic-y" feel.

croquet anyone?

Hope you have a fun 4th of July!

We'll be celebrating our younger daughter and her husband's birthdays

with some pool party craziness.

If you haven't entered my Big Book Give Away 

of Carolyn Westbrook's new book, 

"Through the French Door"

then CLICK HERE

Some of you may not know this, but I have another blog, 

"a day in the life...walking with God".

My posts have been a little sporadic this year, 

but I'd love to have you come by and visit.

I'll be joining in for these parties:

Between Naps on the Porch

Savvy Southern Style

Primp

A Very Merry Vintage Style

No Minimalist Here

A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

A Vintage Farmhouse

Rooted in Thyme

The Charm of Home

French Country Cottage

At the Picket Fence

2805

Shabby Art Boutique

xoxo,