A Change In The Weather…

While my heart,thoughts,and prayers are with the Northeast,I can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief it wasn’t us in Florida.

...can you say Charley,Frances,Jeanne,and Wilma?…

Finally…..

….Sandy has brought welcome relief from the heat and humidity of our Florida summer weather.

And the garden is ever so happy….

Dwarf Powder Puff….

Cassia Senna…

excuse the empty,dirty birdbath…..

Where these came from,I have no idea.But I’ll keep ‘em….growing in a container in the veggie garden.

Romaine lettuce….

Green beans,Contender Bush…

Peas,Sugar Snap…

Kale…

Collards are up,but for some reason aren’t doing very well this year.Maybe they’ll improve with the cooler weather?

Does anything else say Autumn like Firebush?

Plumeria against the dark sky of the incoming front…

For some reason,the only ones that bloomed this year were the yellow,and the yellow and cream.Last year,the only ones that bloomed were the pink and the reds.Could the weather have an effect on them?

and Harley is taking her job seriously……

Yeah,right….

you lovin’ this weather,too?

Signs of Autumn…

….on TheGreatWall…..

Agastache and Queen Emma Crinum…

Bat Faced Cuphea…

…garden is ready

for Halloween,too…

Stokes Aster….

Beauty Berry…

Native Poinsettia…

Orchids have started blooming….

Miss Emma’s Garden is finally starting to fill in…

Cassia is absolutely astounding…..

and Harley is taking her job as Chief of Security quite seriously…..

No lizards,toads,or lubbers on her watch!

No siree!

Your garden looking like Autumn?

The New and Improved HQ……

Yep,the renovation of the HQ of TheGreatWall is starting to come to an end…

 

...yippeeee!….

 

No longer does a PODS or a construction dumpster reside in my front yard!

 

Sooooo…

What used to look like this…..

 

Now,looks like this…..

Still needs some touch ups…

…like the house numbers?….and an entryway light fixture?

 

And a front garden totally destroyed by the best workers evah!

I forgive them….I do….

They really worked hard!

 

After two days of weeding,

three…

…count ‘em …

3

trash cans full of weeds and construction trash

(they tried,they really did,to clean up,but is my garden,after all…),

and trimming shrubs…

 

it now looks like this…

nothing that compost,mulch, and TLC won’t cure.

 

Accomplished so far….

 

New front doors…

The stucco people still need to come back and stucco around them.Also,need a paint job.

Still working on the color.

See the new light fixture sitting on the bench?

and the pumpkin?

I heart these doors!

 

Inside…

All of the popcorn was taken off the ceilings-who invented that stuff anyways?

 

Ceilings and walls were refreshed and repainted.

 

A new staircase….

Along with a new wall ledge,new carpeting,all new and improved ceiling fan,TV  hung over the fireplace-went all wireless-w00t! No cords hanging all over the place!

---yada,yada,yada…

 

A renovated office…

I had commercial grade carpet installed in here.Still need to hang the drapes.

 

Not to be outdone,the dining area was renovated,too….

 

Still to be done…

-New sliders and windows across the back of the HQ.

-And a new slider installed in the master bedroom.

 

Soooo…..guess I have no more excuses for not gardening.

 

 

Speaking of flowers,you didn’t think you’d get away without a picture –or two- of the ever delightful Miss Emma,did you?

 

 

 

She’s obviously a future gardener!

 

Much thanks to Erich,the Younger,and Kyle for moving me back into the HQ.

And Michael,the Elder,for the TV research and all the physical work.

Love those guys!

 

 

 

Remembering….

Early this morning,I lost a good friend.How good a friend she was I don’t think I realized,until today.You don’t appreciate someone until they aren’t there anymore.I just want her to know I did appreciate her friendship.And I miss her.

Tammy-

I knew you were sick.You just didn’t want anyone to know.You were that kind of person.Very private.But I knew you were in pain.That was the game we played. You and I.

That’s what I liked about you.Your personal business was yours.And mine was mine.You didn’t intrude.If I didn’t want to share,you were cool with that.And if I did tell you something,you never,ever passed it on.You seemed to understand.I don’t think I ever got what a really good friend you were.

I do,today…

I miss the late nite phone calls full of gossip and bitching…

The 5AM bitch sessions at work.We did straighten some people out,didn’t we?

I remember my last day at work.How pissed you were at me.That I was retiring and you weren’t able to,yet.

You,actually,got mad at me.

Me: “You want my warm up jacket?”

Tammy:”No.What do I want that for?”

Me:”Cuz,you wear that paper shit jacket all the time and this is a good cloth one.Take it,damn it!I’m not gonna need it.What’s your problem?”

Tammy: “Because you’re leaving,and you don’t give a shit anymore.It won’t fit,but I’ll take it”

Me:”You’re right.I don’t give a shit.Are you ok?”

Tammy;”I hate this place.I wish it was me retiring.”

Me:”Your time is coming.”

Tammy:”Not soon enough.”

We all knew you weren’t well.

We just didn’t know just how sick you were.You were that kind of person.

Would it have made a difference if we knew?

You hated public displays of emotion.

But,Tammy…

….you were/are loved….

…and missed….

 

….Be nice to tell you one more time….

 

Miss ya,girlfriend…..