The Garden of Eden

Dear Gentle Readers:

We have been enjoying our new outdoor living space.  Teddy finished the brick paver patio (ca. 260 sq. ft.); we purchased a table and chair set (see photo); and have planted a veggie garden and planted various containers throughout the area.  A Garden Bench, built by hubby for my last birthday, now has a trellis surrounding it with the thought of training wisteria to climb it.  It's simply lovely.  It reminds me of a modern day Garden of Eden. Does that make me Eve? Watch out for The Serpent!  Don't eat The Forbidden Fruit!

The Martha Stewart five-piece patio set from Home Depot

Last Friday, taking a personal day of leave, we spent the entire day outside, glorying in the beauty of the day: in the plants now growing in our veggie garden; in the multi-colored plants hanging in the trees; the herb garden; the new patio furniture, on which we have enjoyed many delicious meals; the area for the grill and smoker; the nine rose bushes that make up the Rose Garden; the Wedding Garden, now filled with Celosia (see photo below) for the spring season.

"Celosia is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word κηλος (kelos), meaning "burned," and refers to the flame-like flower heads. Species are commonly known as woolflowers, or, if the flower heads are crested by fasciation, cockscombs." ~ Wikipedia

Now you know!  My Celosia are of various colors: pink, orange, red, and yellow, but I seriously doubt we will be eating any of them.  They do, however, make a spectacular showing in the 14-foot circular Wedding Garden.  Pictures sure to come!

As we were planning our new outdoor living area, we thought we'd place the dining set on the New Patio and leave the chaise lounge chairs on the Old Patio.  (I've gotta come up with better names that this!)  Several weeks ago, after the patio table/chairs were delivered, I came home and found the furniture fully assembled and sitting on the OP.  (How about that? OP for Old Patio and NP for New Patio.  It'll have to do for now.) The table was set with two placemats, two linen napkins, and rosebud in a small vase (from my Rose Garden). It looked charming and ready for us to enjoy a meal, which was exactly what we did that evening. My husband, Teddy, is quite the cook and quite the romantic, or had you noticed?!? 

We've left the dining set on the OP and have put the two chaise lounge chairs with their side table and firepit on the NP. On a recent trip to Garden Ridge, we bought two additional side chairs and a side table, complementing the original furnishings.  Also purchased were two small pillows to enhance the beauty and comfort of the two side charis.  All of the items look and work well on the larger NP. 

I should, I know, take pictures.  Now, where's my camera?

Everything's Comin' Up Roses

Dear Gentle Readers:

As a wedding gift, and knowing how much I love and enjoy flowers, my newly wedded husband, Teddy, decided he would plant a special garden for me in our backyard. After a trip to Home Depot last Sunday after worship, and several hundred$ of dollar$ later, we came home with petunias, marigolds, 9 rose bushes, other assorted "spring color spot" plants, border, veggie seeds for our veggie garden (a work in progress) that include spinach, squash, orka, and two tomato plants. And finally, 5 bags of mulch. (Mulch is the "secret" to a thriving garden, so don't neglect this step of the planting process. Trust me on this one.)

And he got right to work. Over the course of three and one-half days, he has dug up the ugly Hawthornes that lined the back portion of the house (the sunny, west side), and replaced them with roses in a variety of colors and heights: red (2), pink (2), yellow (4) and iceberg white (1). "Stunning" is the word I'd use to describe the result. The picture at the top of this post is of yellow Lady Banks, the name of the rose he bought for me. It is a minature, climbing rose.



The Wedding Garden has an attractive white Adirondack border around the perimeter of the garden in which he placed our birdbath in the center (after cleaning it out -- YUCK!!!), then planted fragrant yellow and orange marigolds. They are spectacular and can easily be seen as I sit in the recliner in our bedroom.

Lastly, he planted pink petunias in the front yard (in two separate areas of the beds) and used some of the left over marigolds for three pots he placed in the Angel Garden, also located in the front beds. On the patio in the back yard, he planted 5 containers of -- I forget the exact name, but they are tiny pink flowers with "lacy" green foliage. Using some more left over marigolds, he made three hanging baskets that now adorn our large Red Oak tree in the back yard. Every single flower he bought was used in a beautiful manner.

Our plans are to sit on the patio -- weather permitting -- and enjoy the fruits of his labor. We also have five assorted wind chimes that provide a melodic accompaniment to our evenings on our patio. We call it our PT, or Patio Time.

Domino has loved "working" with Teddy in the gardens as well as sitting on the patio in the evenings with us. Domino sits with one of us while alertly surveying his area of responsibility! There we are, the happy little family, with Teddy drinking his iced tea, and me sipping my crisp glass of Chardonnay.

Life is good. Life is very good...and it's comin' up roses...or mostly roses...

Birthday Month

"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me..."

Yes, this is my birth month. October 26, to be exact. I'll be 52 a week from today. I was asked by a co-worker today how I would celebrate it. Actually, I've not thought of anything yet. It's not like it's a "special number". The special number was two years. On my 50th birthday, I was playing for the funeral of a dear friend's mother. Doesn't seem possible that Miss Norma has been gone two years...

Tim's birthday was last Wednesday, October 14. He, too, would have been 52. A friend knew this to be Tim's birthday and asked me, "How are you going to handle it?"

"Same as I've handled it for five years." But it seems to be different every year -- the feeling of loss. That feeling ebbs and flows -- just as life does. Another friend simply emailed me on Tim's birthday and wrote six words: "With sweet thoughts of Tim today...". Very meaningful. Thank you, Brenda.

It's not that I'm against celebrating, I just don't think I want to do anything very special. Besides, it falls on a Monday, and I'm not usually up for anything "big" on a work night. At my age and stage of life, if I want anything, I will have to arrange it. Seems like too much work.

Actually, what I'd like to do is to plant pansies in my garden. Miniature pansies. The purple and yellow variety. Pansies are the "flower of thoughtful reflection". What a lovely thought. I like the idea of planting pansies in October and thoughtfully remembering my friends who also have birthdays in October -- and indeed, all of my friends. Maybe Saturday would be a good day for that...

To all my October Birthday Buddies: Mom, Tim (who are now both deceased), Sarah, Sandy, Ben Scholl, Ben C., my friends at work, James, Mary Beth, Ryan, Grant, Sherri, and Sharon ~ ~ ~ "Birthday Blessings!"