"I'm not really a career person.I'm a gardener,basically.".....George Harrison

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Sometimes Things Go Full Circle…..

In the light of day,things tend to look different.

Looking back on yesterday,I realize things could have turned out a whole lot different.

Just 30 minutes before the tree fell,YardBoy and a friend were moving the canoe…(I finally convinced him to sell that thing!).

But,today,has brought a new light to TheGreatWall.

In the light of day,the tree/pool look like this….

IMG_3040

 

IMG_3045

IMG_3046

more cracks are showing up as time goes on.

Adjusters have been here.

Estimates made,

faxed,

yada,yada,yada…...

 

So,today,is a time for counting our blessings

 

Miss Emma’s Garden survived….

IMG_3042

but will need to be removed,temporarily.

 

And Dad’s orchids were truly blessed…

IMG_3053

Can you believe the branches missed them?

…but most other plants will be lost….

no time to remove those before the tree removal.

 

The poor La Toilette planter took a hit….

IMG_3049

But,thankfully,isn’t broke.

Nor,is froggie who sits,contemplating,on the bowl.

Yes!!!!

Sorry,but I love,love,love that darnn planter!

The tree root ball and the rest of the tree are due to be removed Thursday.

The pool will have to be demo’d and replaced

(waterfall…?… all the family is kicking in with suggestions already…),

so plantings need to be removed,

again

More retaining walls?

Guess there is gonna be a total reworking of TheGreatWall

Interestingly enough,this blog was started to keep family and friends up to date with the renovations,here…

Well,here we go again!

It’s gonna be one Hell of a ride!

 

 

Monday, August 29, 2011

Oh Schitt!!!

I’d say,”Oh!Crap!”

But at the moment crap just doesn’t seem quite appropriate,enough….

What happened at TheGreatWall,today….

Yep----the huge Florida Live Oak decided to rake a tumble,and take part of the swimming pool with it….

 

Sit back and enjoy…..?

 

Phone  call already in to the insurance company.

 

……Guess it’s time to rework the shade garden……

Sunday, August 28, 2011

The Fall Veggie Garden~~~

Now,that I’m over my case of lazy-itis

(or ADD),

this weekend it was time to get a start on the fall veggie garden.

Between the rain showers,

and the heat,

and the humidity,

two beds were uncovered

 (three beds were left for next weekend),

IMG_3019

and planted with beans,peas,lettuce (Mesclun and a Lettuce Mix-one row of each),and radishes.

Also,planted was a Heirloom tomato(a heat tolerant Brandywine)

and a red bell pepper.

Because,the seedlings are not ready to go into the ground,I went ahead and bought them already started.

IMG_3026

…Gotta get a head start…

Plus,I’m missing homegrown tomatoes!

Next weekend,carrots,collards,turnips,and squash will be planted.

Hopefully,the tomatoes I started from seed will be ready.

I,also,ordered garlic

(gonna give garlic a try,against my Dad’s advice.”I’ve never had luck with it.I don’t think it grows well in Florida,but you go ahead and try it,if you want to.”….)

and shallots.

I finally got around to moving the huge Staghorn Fern that fell down.

IMG_2983

It took me over an hour to drag it to the back!

Let me tell ya-it was heavy!

No,I didn’t saw it up-just because I didn’t have any energy left-

But,I probably will.

And start a whole lot of new ones from this one.

But,it left me with a blank space.

…Dontcha just love blank spaces in the garden?…

For now,a container was moved to that area.

IMG_3023

It doesn’t do much to fill it in,

but

it’s better than nothing….

And the Yellow Top,flaveria linearis,that I bought here, is getting ready to bloom!

IMG_3020

 

This week,is Miss Emma’s first birthday!

She certainly has come a l-o-n-g way…

… from this….

emma3

to this….

emmablackdress

 

Soooo,this week will be spent bringing some Autumn to Her Garden…

I’m thinking I some Angel’s Tears

 ---appropriate,dontcha think?---

will be added,

and some Gerberas….

red/garnet-for FSU---for her Momma

yellow-for USF---for me

orange-for UF---for her Uncle Erich

 

…..Gotta give her choices…..

 

…a girl must have choices,right?…

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

When ADD Strikes…..

good intentions go out the window….

I had all good intentions of taking a cover off of one the raised beds,

IMG_3009

and maybe planting a row or two of seeds…

IMG_3007

Seriously,

I really,really meant to.

No…

really,I did.

Honest.

But,then I noticed this…

IMG_2983

Dang-I never noticed how big that Staghorn had gotten,’til I tried to pick it up.

It fell?

It was hanging from the big oak by a heavy chain.

I really should do something about that….

cut it up?

Wait!!

they’re willing to pose…

gotta go get the camera!

IMG_2976

IMG_2973

Oooo—the Garlic Chives are blooming…

IMG_2978

Look at this,will ya?

Those mums I stuck in the old palm trunk are getting ready to bloom…

IMG_3013

…forgot about those…

and the Pine Cone Gingers are looking really good…

IMG_3010

Oh!

and look at this Gerbera….

IMG_3000

and the Blackberry Lilies are blooming…

IMG_2981

Look at the Purple Fountain Grass,in the late afternoon sun!

That will make a nice photo..

IMG_2986

 

…Oh what the heck…

I’ll do the seeds tomorrow…

 

It’s too hot,right now,anyways…

and,besides,I have other stuff to do….

 IMG_3012

See what happens,

when ADD strikes a gardener?

and it’s ok if the garden is less than perfect,right?

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Sometimes,the best laid plans….

Go out the window.

Originally,the plan was to plant the fall vegetable garden next weekend.Seeds were bought.Tomatoes have been started and are ready to go in.

The covered beds have heated up well –maintained a consistent temperature of 107*- and are ready.

But then,Mother Nature threw we Florida gardeners,this curve ball….

irene

If we get to vote….

,me…I’m voting for the purple line ….

Figures…

the plumeria are all covered in buds….

IMG_2969

…I guess the veggie garden will have to wait another week…

So,today was spent cleaning up overgrown,weedy flower beds…

IMG_2967

IMG_2966

And cutting up brush,etc.

But then the chain saw died!

dah-um!!!

So,this week will be spent buying a new chain saw,filling up the extra propane tanks and gas tanks,and buying water…

Gardening in Florida,during hurricane season.

Ya,

kinda,sorta,

gotta love it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dad is hanging in there.He gets angry and can be difficult to deal with.His TV went out,and I had to buy him a new one.After numerous instructions and phone calls,too numerous to count,he,finally,has it down.Sometimes,I think the onset of senile dementia is worse than the dementia,itself.He is aware of what it happening,and isn’t dealing with it well.To see someone,that used to be so aware of life,sink into that long good-bye is not easy.

But,on a brighter note.I got the call.”Can you babysit,while we go on a date night?”

Are you kidding me?

What time should I be there?

Miss Emma,after dinner,with smidgens of squash still on her face…

IMG_2962

and cooking breakfast,for me and Gina…

emmabreakfast

 

Sometimes,

….life is good….

Sunday, August 14, 2011

C is for….

Canna….

IMG_2939

IMG_2941

IMG_2942

Cleome….

IMG_2947

Pardon the interruption,but they wanted to pose…

IMG_2944

IMG_2943

IMG_2945

…Now,back to regular blogging…

Coneflower…IMG_2949

Cuphea…

IMG_2952

and

Cleaning.

It has been so hot and humid,lately,Mother Nature must’ve wanted me to

Clean and organize.

So,off to IKEA I went.

I truly believe Mother Nature loves IKEA,

…but that’s just how I think…

Time to reorganize the headquarters of TheGreatWall

IMG_2958

…Oooops,shoulda painted first….in the Fall?…

A new desk,new file Cabinet(old file cabinet relegated to the closet),files have been tossed,drawers Cleaned,

Crap thrown out….

(we all have crap we need to throw out,right?)

What

 C’s

do you have?

And on a sad note,my Dad has had another fall.After a day in the ER,CAT scans,etc.,it was determined he had just sprained his back,but at 92,you just don’t bounce back.and he hasn’t.He has gotten incredibly frail in the two weeks,and seems to have given up.I have come to dread the phone calls….

I still have questions about gardening…

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails