Container Planting and Painting Styofoam Pots

Like most of you, I've been excited to finally get some outside work accomplished. Earlier this Spring we had our deck rebuilt. It was torn down to the studs and given a complete overhaul. This is the point that I can get really negative on the previous owners for neglecting an amazing 10 year old deck and landscape, but I won't do that. So instead I'll tell you how nice it is to have it mostly finished except for some painting we need to do under the floorboards, and how it's quickly becoming a comfortable place to relax and enjoy our beautiful back yard.

Potting Bench Progress

Hi Everyone, hope you all had a great weekend...

I've spent most of my time outside this last week. First, working on getting the container planters filled with flowers for the deck, patio and front yard, then coming up with more things for the potting bench area. 

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,

Everybody's mad...

at me!

I knew this day would have to come.

But they weren't happy.
Lot's of griping and pouting.

Yes, the bird feeder on the deck had to go back to the tree,

so I could be ready to put out the hummingbird feeder.

These little guys kept me hopping last year until late October.
I didn't get a feeder up until probably July, but then they mobbed me.

(Google Images)

They come back to the feeder they summer at, and I want to be ready,

'cause I'm hoping to see a little of this...

(Google Images)

This afternoon was glorious!
Sunny and warm and fabulous...

So I took a little time to straighten up the deck.

(OK, I cleaned it, it was a mess)

and potted the daffodils and tulips that had been on the sunporch.

Yes, the ones that now have bite marks and chunks out of them.

wonder who...?

Just in case you missed the post with all the nasty grunge

that critter feeding can cause.

Earlier in February and March...

just downright gross...

but the kitties and I loved watching them.

So now things are looking more like Spring...

and a little tidier.

Still too early to bring out the geraniums that I winter,

but soon.

I have so much outdoor clean-up, but that will wait.

Today I did something I thoroughly enjoyed...

joining in with these parties this week:

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House
The Scoop at Cedar Hill Ranch
A Stroll Thru Life

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,

Backyard Progress

Nothing that hasn't been seen before, but at least I'm making some progress in the backyard. I painted my old metal fence gate white so it would show up better against the wooden privacy fence, and I potted a red geranium and white verbena to go into the seat. This little area is next to the gate on the side of the house adjacent to the pool area. This little grouping adds a little something to a boring ho-hum area where a gorgeous maple was removed a few years ago. We need to do a lot of landscape "re-doing" cause it's pretty tired, but right now I don't see that happening...so I'm making the best of it and just slapping some vintage goodies out here to help camouflage the wornout spaces. (hmmm...come to think of it, that's sort of been my attitude toward make-up recently...you hoo, LifeStyle Lift...)

 A $5 chair I bought last year 

and put a coat of outdoor paint on to help preserve it.

I winter all my geraniums in our John Deere room, but this year many of them decided to poop out, so I had to replace most of them. It seems all I've done lately is run to the nursery and hand over my wallet. I do love my flowers though, so I can't complain too much. It just wouldn't be summer without my geranium fix.

I'm hoping the rabbits will leave my petunias alone; last year I had them in low pots and they were considered a salad bar for all the locals.

I found this sweet little metal shelf in the shape of a birdcage

this last week at Inspirational Home's Spring Open House.

Here are some photos from last Thursday of the lawn at IH.

Lot's of fun vintage things to bring some vintage outdoors.

I had to slap myself so I wouldn't be tempted to haul home those great big off white shutters.

 I love the garden area in the front room of the store.

I drool over this chippy cupboard each time I'm here!

 IH carries everything you need for fairy gardens too.

Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday,

I'll be partying at these places this week:

Southern Hospitality

Between Naps on the Porch

Coastal Charm

A Stroll Thru Life

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Knick of Time

Cowgirl Up at Cedar Hill Ranch

White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Hope you'll also join in for

where you can link up your Etsy and Online Boutique Items.

Then shop you're little heart out!

xoxo,