Borrowed Mule

Pulling weeds is back breaking work, especially hard is trying to get rid of all the Bermuda grass.  Where did that stuff come from?  We have a beautiful St. Augustine lawn, but somehow we have Bermuda grass in all the flowers beds.

Having knee surgery last year put me way behind in garden maintenance, now Mr. J&C and I are knee deep in weeds.  I am happy to report that we are half way through our garden cleanup.

Beautiful flower bed, notice the grapevine up front
- it already has blooms (well, one or two).

We are trying to get all the work done before the Texas heat returns to Fort Worth.  I thought we were all HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY ---  Until I heard my husband say I was working him like a "borrowed mule."

Mr. J&C hard at work.

Picking up a thing or two at local garden center.

What is one supposed to do when the 'help' starts complaining?

I've given him (and me) the day off.  I've even sweetened the deal by giving him his choice of whiskey.

Lessons learned this week? 

Be good to your garden help - and yourself.

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Seasoning

I love my Texas home but it took me a while to adjust to the way we do seasons around here. There are years when I miss whole seasons. I can be just minding my own business and then, half way through a winter afternoon, I realize summer is here. 

The calendar says March so I think it's about time for Spring. Cold mornings, mild afternoons. Could it be that Spring is really here?

These started blooming three weeks ago before I got
out there to weed that section of the garden.
 

Many thanks to my friend, Mernie, who years ago gave me these 'Texas' daffodil bulbs for a birthday present.  I received them in September and planted them in October. They've grown and multiplied every year.


I may not be a zealot about using plants that are
grown for a Texas garden - but I'm getting close to it.

I've been going through old pictures, instruction manuals, and files (trying to get the house organized enough so Mr. J&C can find anything - without me having to stop and show him where "we" keep things). 

I moved the plant information card to the
top just for this picture.... work with me,
I'm trying to tell a story.

Turns out I had more than one garden notebook, so for now I'm keeping my garden stuff in a box. One a rainy day I may put everything in notebook, but this box idea is sort of growing on me.

I don't usually keep birthday cards but for some reason (the turtle maybe?) I kept this one with the plant instructions.  It reminds me who gave me such a great gift and I figure if someone gives you a perennial they hope each time you see it you'll think of them and smile.


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Garden Workers

Retirement Perk -  I have a helper in the garden this year.  Who knew two people working in the garden would work so much faster than just one? We started at the front door and have trimmed up the shrubbery along the front of the house. We added new bark mulch giving the front of the house a nice, clean look.

A little over a week ago I cleaned out a pot, added fresh soil, and tore open a seed packet.  I took a chance and planted some cilantro in a new spot this year.

Cilantro - Week 2

I usually sprinkle seeds in the autumn, planting herbs straight in the flower beds mixed in among the perennials.  This year I plan to have several pots of herbs just outside the back door.  Cilantro is one of my favorites, I like using the leaves in salads and salsa, or chopping up a handful and throwing them in a pot of pinto beans just before I serve them.  At this stage of the game these are just wishful plans - right now I'm babying sprouts and watching the daily weather reports to keep my seedlings healthy.

I got this idea from my Mom: Using plastic wrap
to protect the 'cilantro babies' from the cold weather.

Mr. J&C and I have ended several days cold and covered in dirt - tired, tired. But proud of our accomplishments and looking forward to what we will do next.

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Temptation

Sunny and 67 F on  February 14th.  If you and yours celebrated Valentines' Day, I hope you had a wonderful time.  Mr. J&C and I tempted each other with chocolates.

Over the last few weeks I've gotten several seed and garden catalogs so I know that it is wintertime.  I love that every year, in the dead of winter, I receive these beauties...

I love to look through them and dream.  I have learned by sad trial and error (and who knows how much money!) that all I can do is dream - and plan.  I take my time wishing and hoping and finally, when I'm ready to buy and plant, I take my pictures to my favorite local shops and buy.  They have plants that may survive in my area and it makes more sense to buy plants that have a fighting chance.

What's tempting you this week?


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In the Black

Our first month of retirement is coming to a close.  We traveled around Texas and then went east to spend a couple of weeks with my family in north Georgia.  We got to visit the Georgia Aquarium last week - it is wonderful! 

If you want to feel small just stand in front of this aquarium wall.

Now we are home and ready to explore what this new life holds for us.  One of our first snags occurred doing the laundry.  Mr. Joy & Comfort picked up a pair of black panties and asked, "Whose are these?"  I just looked at him - and them - and him...  Let me see... only two people live in this house.  Whose indeed.

Like most women, I've owned a pair, or two, or three of black undies since I graduated high school.  I like colors and lace and - well, honestly, I thought I had made a better impression on him in them.  Maybe he did work too much...

I explained that they were mine, recently worn and now washed, ready to be worn again.  I'll make sure he notices next time.


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Quilting with Joy

I took on a unique quilting project last year when I won a contest on  Barbara's blog, Cat Patches.   The moment that I entered the contest I had the thought "if I win I'll share the prize with the blogger that told me about the contest."  So when I won a stack of fabric, I contacted Denise at Count It All Joy and told her she had also won.  I sent her half the fabric and she picked out a pattern for us to use.  I had plans for this little project to be finished by March 2012 so that I would have a 'ready made' post for you.

Life got busy, almost to the point of overwhelming, and my sewing machine made two unexpected trips to the repair shop.  I made it through all this and I am proud to announce that I have (at last) finished my block.  That's right, we were making just a simple block...  Here's the pattern by Adrianne at Little Bluebell with its own little story.  The original was a little pillow.  What did Denise make?  Here it is (along with her adventure in making this little gem). 

What did Joy do?  I promise I started off thinking 'little pillow' - something to give a friend who likes to read in bed so she could prop up her book.  But as I played with the fabric something else came to mind, as you can see in this post from July.  If I bought just a couple of yards of fabric I could make a blanket.  Off I went in search of more of the MODA 'little apples' fabric.  (This was the year I learned that fabric lines can come and go quickly.)  All I could find was a few fat quarters of the printed white, a few more of the gray fabrics, and less than three yards of the green. 

This "Mommie Blanket" is for Allison, a new friend of mine.  She recently had her second baby - two under three.  I figure if anyone could use a blankie it would be this sweet (and brave!) young woman.



My 'little pillow.'

Here is it, almost the end of the year, and I have finally finished this little quilt. Many thanks to Denise, Barbara, and Adrianne. 

Cute Fabric - Love the Squirrels!

I learned a few more things working on this little project. Like "share your joy" and "there's no job that can't be put off" and, my favorite, "be nice to strangers - that's how we make friends."

Happy New Year !

             Joy

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It's beginning to look...

When I'm in the mood to create, there is such a lightness in my heart, I work without effort.  I enjoy creating things. Fabrics become quilts. A few flowers and herbs become a garden. Furniture, curtains, meals, and memories become a home.

This past month has been unseasonably warm here in Texas making it hard for me to decorate for Christmas. In my brain, cold weather and gray cloudy days demand color, sparkle, lights, and festive music, but lately my days have been all sunshine and springlike weather. It makes me want to get out in the garden or take a trip to the zoo or do just about anything except create a winter wonderland in the house.

Sunshiny days make it hard for me to focus on decorating the tree.

I am happy to report that we have had a couple of days of cooler weather and I just heard the Christmas Day forecast for a chance of snow - that's more like it. I'm on a roll now, maybe I can finish gift wrapping and just sit by the fire with a cup of tea.

When it gets cold enough to wear a heavy coat,
I can't wait to trim the tree and deck the halls.

I'm off to bake one more batch of cookies and spend some time with my family.   

At last, it's the most wonderful time of the year...

Thanks for spending time with me and my blog.

I hope your holidays are happy and bright.

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