Flower Baskets

About a year ago, my parents and I, traveled up to the State Capital. For no real reason at all. Just for a quick trip. We didn't have a plan. But figured that we would walk through the Plaza. And eventually head home. It was a day trip.

And when we got there, you couldn't miss the beautiful flowers. Tons and tons of baskets, overflowing with beautiful flowers. Hanging throughout the Plaza. A little like these...



And since that time, those flowers were all I could think about. I wanted baskets of beautiful flowers for my yard. Something simple, but beautiful. So I almost died out of excitement, when I found hanging flower baskets, and liners, at the Dollar Tree.

I bought a dozen. I'm not even ashamed to admit that. They're not huge. But they are the perfect size. And I planted a bunch of seeds inside them. And a few flowers. I have bigger plans for next year. Since I have a better clue about growing flowers in a basket. And I've got so many ideas. Yup, I'm excited!

It's funny. How simple the idea is. And how it never occurred to me before. I want flowers to hang from my HUGE trees. And in the middle of the lawn. I just need to find those poles. I can imagine flowering vines growing up the poles, and flowers dangling from the baskets. All the things that inspired me, on that summer day. ♫

Commander in Chief Lilies

I'm really a fan of lilies. They're beautiful. And super easy to grow! I almost cried, when I seen this Lily. It's so beautiful in real life. And I knew I had to have some.

I asked my friend C, were she got them. Well, the next day, I had 5 bulbs on my desk! My friends are incredible. I planted them, as soon as I got home. Along with 3 yellow King Humberts. Yes, they look amazing too! I'm one step closer to a "Tropical Paradise," in my backyard!

I'm hoping that these lilies multiply. They're gorgeous. And so expensive! But they're beautiful. And honestly, they're perfect for this time of year! The rich red, against the beautiful green grass. ♫

Oriental Poppies

These beauties, are one of my favorite flowers. They're Oriental Poppies. They range in color from pure white, to a coral red color. But these pinkish peach ones are my favorite! They're just so pretty to look at.

Late in the Spring, I found a package of roots. I bought them. And planted them. Very recently, I found seed packets. I bought 5 packs. They were 5 for $1! I couldn't pass them up. But these beauties, they just don't want to grow for me.

What really breaks my heart is, My Music Man, he just threw a bunch of seeds in his yard. Dude hasn't been home, in at least a couple of weeks. Darn it, if his plants aren't already getting flower buds. How in the heck does that happen? I don't know. But I'm still hopeful that my poppies will grow and bloom this year. ♫

Summer Dreaming

It's only 7AM here, and it's a million degrees outside! Yes, this weather is just nuts! And it makes me dream of wonderful things. Like places I could be. Or lovely things, that I want for my home.



Like this yummy summer hideaway. Doesn't it just look amazing? Simple. Elegant. And beautiful. I'm just dreaming of this peaceful setting. A good book, a soft breeze, and a yummy cold drink will make it just magical!

I wish that I could make it a possibility. And that I had the time to leisurely read my favorite books. Wouldn't that be the life? The endless possibilities, of my dreams. Happy Sunday! ♫

Lesson Learned

When I was 16, and a junior in high school, I signed up for a music class. It sounded wonderful! I'd have 3 electives, 2 of which were music classes! This class was supposed to be about ear training, writing music, and learning about music history.

In all reality, we just watched a lot of movies. With really good music. For 90% of the time. But we always knew 1 thing, we'd have to write a song for our final exam. We were told this in August. And we'd have to perform this song, or have someone else perform it for us, in May.

I don't think many of us thought about it. At least until January. It was always at the back of my mind. But I rather enjoyed it, way back there. Then 2 days before our recital, I realized, I had no song.

Yes, I had waited all that time. Not without a plan. Because there was a piece that I was working on. In my violin lessons. I didn't like that song. And I would always make up my own music, on page 3, 10 bars in. My teacher wasn't too thrilled about that. But it got me through my lessons. And eventually, I was given a different piece to learn.

That was the melody I'd use. As inspiration. The one I had made up at bar 10. The one I always got in trouble for. Honestly, I never put pencil to paper. Never had a better plan than that. Didn't practice. Wasn't worried. In the end, it all worked out beautifully. The song was amazing. I received a standing ovation.

But I couldn't repeat it. Not even if my life were at stake. My parents recorded it. With about 15 other families. But I couldn't repeat 10 bars of my composition...



Now 12 years later, I've realized something. You can't put things off. You simply can't put off what can be done today...for tomorrow. That much, I've learned.

And as I pulled out of my driveway this morning, I realized something important. I'm glad I don't put things off anymore. Why? And how does this story all tie up together?

Well, the "Codes Man" was out. At 6AM. Notebook, computer thing, and pen. Happily walking the street, writing tickets, leaving notices, and doing whatever else he does.

I saw neighbors scrambling. You know, trying to get out to their yards. Making an effort to clean, before he got to their home. And I was so happy, to not be them. To know, that just days ago, I cleaned my yard.

Sure, at the time, I had wanted to sleep. To rest. To be lazy. To recover from the graduation party, and the wedding. And to be cool. Instead of sweating in triple digit weather. But I worked. And this morning, I was glad I did.

For me, there are no fines. No notices. None of that. Back in February, a lady was arrested for not keeping up with her property. Crazy! But they're strict out here. And we all know it. We just have to stay on top of. Honestly, I'm glad those crazy days of procrastination are long behind me.

Instead, I'm at work. Getting the payroll ready. Snacking on some pecans and a smoothie. Dogs at my feet, beautiful flowers on my desk, and an easy feeling about my day. It really does pay to work hard first, and play hard later. I'm just happy that I was 1 step ahead of my buddy...the "Codes Man." ♫

I Can Count on Him

It's really funny. The last person I thought I could count on, has really been here for me. If you would have told me this 2 years ago, when we barely muttered hi to one another, I would have laughed! But in the last year, My Music Man, has really stepped up his game.

Let's just talk about the last 48 hours...

Yesterday, I had planned on cleaning my yard. Let's not even talk about the disaster I found, when I got home. You know, last week, we had the graduation party. And I was gone for a few days. I should know better. But when I got home, I found almost all my flowers were dead. The grass was yellow! Triple digit temps are literally killing me.

And for anyone that lives around here, they know that Codes Enforcement is all over these things. So I needed to clean. And I had a crap load to clean! And only days to do it in. Because I'm going back to my hometown, later this week.

My neighbor...well she was on her 3rd day of partying. At 11AM, on a Sunday morning. The street was lined with cars. And I didn't want to "ruffle any feathers." So I put off the cleaning. Because we share a fence. And I really respect her parents. They no longer live there, but they own the house.

So I went in my house. And tried to occupy my time with something else. Until I heard bottles breaking. I found that the party-ers were throwing their beer bottles into my backyard. I didn't go all psycho. I probably should have. But I didn't. I just went back inside. And tried to cool down.

Hard to do, when the outside temps are near 100. You can just imagine what it was like inside my house. With no AC. But I tried. I could feel my blood boiling over. And somehow, he just knew. Before I knew it, My Music Man was at my front door...

He came over to help. He knew I had a lot of work to do. And he is only here, until the middle of the week. So we had sorta planned things out. He'd come over and help for a few hours. Well, nothing was getting done. I was getting madder by the second. And a certain hombrecito, well, he suggested we head over to his house.

You see, last week we made plans. Which included taking Big M out to dinner. That was the plan for Sunday night. So we headed to his house. He put on the NASCAR race, made me lunch, and left me to cool off. I was that mad!

Meanwhile, he left. To go pick up Big M. By the time he got back, he had Mi Princesa, and Little M. Oh, and My Jellybean. :) 4 girls, 3 sisters, 2 Goddaughters. Oh, and Jeff Gordon won the race! Things were looking up.

We went out to dinner. At the Double Eagle. Yum! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed dinner. About 20 people came to our table. To compliment us on our beautiful and well behaved daughters. :) Do I look that nuts? 4 under 5? But we smiled and said Thanks.

And we met my favorite chef...My Music Man's little brother. He works at the restaurant that is 1/2 a block away. He met us at the Candy Store. Where we all had some yummy ice cream. Well, My Jellybean had some leche. :)

The girls ran around. We may or may not have taken a detour. You know, for some new toys. :) There was a little bit of Echo watching. And pleading with a certain uncle for the videos. And eventually, we got them home by 10PM. We're such a bad influence! But their parents' all looked very happy. A few hours without the kiddos...

I got home to find the party in full swing. And my neighbor managed to party until 3AM! I was not a happy camper. At all! Third night in a row! But I had plans on Monday. To CLEAN my yard. I didn't care how it was getting done. Or who was still partying next door. I was going to be cleaning!

At sunrise, My Music Man showed up. And we got to work. Pulling and dragging dead tree limbs. Every single time it is windy, at least 4 big limbs break from my trees. We pulled weeds. Bagged leaves. Where were they from? I have no clue. We picked trash off my fence. Mowed the lawn. Pulled out the grass in the flowerbeds. And did whatever else needed to be done. I had just cleaned my yard. The day before I left for my hometown...

My neighbor, she wasn't happy. At 6:15AM, she was screaming at me. At 6:30AM, she was cussing out My Music Man. By 7AM, I had 3 bags full of broken beer bottles, and 2 of cans. She was also calling her dad.

By 8AM, my old neighbor, was apologizing to me. I wasn't trying to make his daughter look bad. But I wanted him to see what I was dealing with. We had pictures. And bags of trash. She was still screaming. The 2 elderly neighbors, one lives across the street, the other next door, soon joined us. And we all talked.

I think things were sorta figured out. That nut job was still screaming. Her dad was still apologizing. Her little girl was crying, and her ex, well he was just trying to pick up their daughter. And he was thanking me for his daughter's birthday present. The same one, that had been thrown at me, just an hour before. I'm pretty sure, the dresses had gotten dirty. But little A was in heaven with her present.

All this time, My Music Man had my back. He defended me. Kept his cool. And tried to help me keep mine. Which at this point, was tough. After all the excitement died down, we got back to work. And by 1PM, we were ready to die! Red faces, 2 broken shovels, and 20 bags of yard waste, we were done. He went home. I went inside to clean up.

I was gone for days. Yes, days. As in, less than a week! And my yard got that bad. You see, I spend about 2-3 hours working in my yard. Every single day. During the summer. It's that big. And requires that kind of maintenance. Some days, I just wish that it was all dirt...

But my friend, he was there to help. And he even came back...with lunch. This evening, he returned. With Big M, some flower bulbs, and ice cream sundaes. We enjoyed the shady part of the yard. Ate all of our ice cream. Big M helped plant the bulbs. And my psycho neighbor yelled until her roommate came home.

Friends like this, they don't come around often. And I don't just mean the ones that bring you stuff. I mean the ones that are there for you. I can sit here all night, and tell you about the amazing things he does. Like going to Patrick's funeral. Just in case I needed him. Or protecting me from my psycho stalker. Or bringing me chicken noodle soup, when I had the flu.

He's a great guy. An amazing friend. And one of the best people I know. Who else, would spend their days off...helping me with my yard work? Or taking a bunch of kiddos out to dinner. Or putting up with my cranky butt? Not many.

I'm glad that we're friends. I'm glad that we met...almost 10 years ago! And that he talked to me every single day...until I caved. Because My Music Man is much more than a friend. We're starting to feel a heck of a lot like familia. More than family. You know, we were just meant to find each other. ♫

Ranunculus

Last year, I literally stumbled over flower bulbs at Dollar General. I never knew that they sold them. When did this happen? And I ended up buying a few packages. Some lilies, gladiolas, and ranunculus.

I planted them all! Almost immediately when I got home. And I had such hopes for them. I watered every other day. Waited. Pulled weeds. Got rid of the grass that was trying to take over. But nothing. No flowers. Not even a hint of a flower.

So I did some research. I had planted the bulbs according to the package directions. But after reading some information online, I realized I hadn't done something important. Something that wasn't on the package. I hadn't placed the bulbs in warm water, before planting.

Then we had that horrible freeze in February. My neighbors lost all their roses. Some of my bulbs didn't return. My tulips froze. But there was some hope. Like my palm tree. Which is fighting to live. I've seen signs of my ranunculus.

Yes! I might actually get a few of these beauties. I'm so super excited. I think they're such a pretty flower. And like my peonies that magically appeared, these little guys are growing. I have so much hope for my flowers. Maybe that horrible freeze wasn't so bad after all! ♫

Lion King Iris

Right before leaving for NC, M gave me some Lion King Iris bulbs. Literally, it was minutes before we left. There was no picture. Just a name. And I was dying to plant them. The minute we got home, I had to tackle some yard work.

And after mowing the lawn, pulling some weeds, and watering everything, I finally planted my bulbs. But I was still interested in what the flowers would look like. When I looked them up, this is what I got.



I think they're so pretty! I have purple irises now. That's it. I want more variety. And I think this is a good place to start. Now I just need to be patient and let them grow. I wonder if any of them will flower this year. It generally takes a year or two to get a flower. And I'm feeling a little impatient at the moment. ♫

Oriental Lilies

I don't know about you, but Oriental Lilies are some of my favorite flowers. I'm not lying here! There's something about this flower. Beyond the exotic color. And the beautiful bloom. Which, smells amazing! They're just so exotic! Almost like a "forbidden" garden gem.

And because of the size of my yard, and the way it lays, I've been able to create separate almost "Garden Rooms." I've concentrated heavily on the side yard. As it's the largest. And thanks to all that good USDA certification, I've been able to add lots to my yard. Lots of fruit, pretty flowers, and even a couple of small trees.

But the "gem" of my property, is the back yard. Ya, the part with the palm tree. The one that was almost 100% responsible for me buying my house. I'm not even joking here! The same tree that died 5 years ago. And started to come back to life last November. Yes, the one that sat in the middle of 18 inches of snow in February. Yes, that palm tree, it gave me an idea.

Because of the area I live in, tropical plants, trees, and flowers thrive out here. Thanks to all those 100+ degree days! I've started out slowly. As tropical plants cost significantly more than your average rose bush, or packet of flower seeds.

So far, I have a nice little mix of plants. And a palm tree that is fighting to live. I'm almost positive, that baby is not going to make it. And I've already started saving for a "King Palm." I'm super excited!

I want my backyard to feel exotic. Like a hideaway. I have all sorts of plans. And little by little, I've been adding to it. I'm on the search for the perfect outdoor furniture. And I'm really loving all the tropical flower vines growing on the fences. It's really starting to look amazing. Thanks goodness!



But one of my favorite flowers, I still haven't added in the mix. The bulbs are so expensive! $6 a bulb! Last year, I managed to find a semi good deal, and bout 12 bulbs for $8...on clearance. But with the deep freezes that we had, they pretty much died. So I'm on a hunt. For some reasonably priced bulbs to add to my little piece of paradise. Oh, I can't wait to see these lilies taking over my flower beds! ♫

My Dear Bougainvillea

A few years ago, I found Barbara Karst Bougainvillea on clearance. A gallon sized bucket, which had been $25, was now $3. Why? I don't know. It was dead. Or dying. I just think the stock was changing at Wal-Mart. It was still hot out here, but Halloween decorations and school supplies were taking over.

I bought 7. I know. It seems extreme. But with the size of my yard, either you go big...or you just go home. So I planted them. In the backyard. On the west fence. I thought it would add to my "tropical" vision. I wanted my backyard to have an "exotic" feel to it.



Vibrant pink flowers were taking over. These plants grew so well! Taking over the fence. Even my neighbor commented on how pretty the looked. I was so happy! These plants were amazing climbers. And added a bit of "privacy" to my backyard. A total bonus!



I also picked up an orange variety. I have no clue what it's "real name" is. But it was gorgeous. More of a peach color. And I planted next to the gate, leading to my backyard. It grew nicely. Not overtaking the space. But adding a nice "pop" of color.

Well, around here, most people landscape with more "tropical" plants. It's more common to see palm trees, than it is to see pine trees. And we're more than cool with that. Until we get snow.

That would be 2 years in a row. Lots of snow! My backyard had almost 2 feet of snow in it! That was February. When our temperatures loomed under 0*F. We were not happy. Not me. Not my town. Not the surrounding area.

So many plants and trees died. Costing this city, and our neighboring city way too much money. HUGE palm trees, are now having to be replaced. As for me, my dear plants have died. I have little hope for their return.

A bit dramatic? I think not! Any and all tropical plants that I had, are pretty much dead. I've been diligently watering. But I'm almost 100% sure they are not coming back. It's a sad situation really. Last summer, they were so pretty!

But I will not let that get me down. No sir! I will keep my eyes open. Looking for another good deal. Hoping that I can find a few bougainvilleas. Maybe some hydrangeas. Anything to add to my yard. It's going to be a long process to figure out what survived our tough winter, and what didn't. ♫

Finally

I was starting to lose hope. You know, in my yard and garden. Nothing has been blooming. My tiger lilies are begging for some help and relief from the desert sun. And all plants are just stems with green leaves. Not very attractive at all.

Then in my few hours of time off from work, I decided to tackle some more yard work. I swear to you, it never ends! But to my surprise, this little beauty had bloomed. Isn't it beautiful?

This is a plant my Mom gave me this Spring. And at one point, I thought it had died. But no! With a little TLC, and a whole heck of a lot of water, my Barrio survived. 2 of them actually. :) "Barrios" are what they call hollyhocks around here. Not sure why. But they do.

So I've got one bloom. Now if my lilies, lirios, or even my gladiolas would bloom, I'd be a very happy lady! Oh, and I could really use some veggies from my garden. Everything seems to be growing a lot slower this year. ♫

Beautiful

I've always been a lover of the "Great Outdoors." I just didn't really enjoy being outdoors, getting dirt under my nails, and really gardening, until I had my own home. Things have greatly changed. Now, I spend most of my free time outside.



Aren't these flowers just gorgeous? I honestly don't know what kind of flowers these are, but I think they're so pretty. I just love the brightly colored blooms!



And this space, oh it's like a piece of heaven. I have dreams. That my side yard, can one day feel, something like this. You know, a bit enchanted. Like it's a secret hideaway in the woods. Something fun, beautiful, and natural. A place to escape and re-energize. ♫

Doing the Prep Work

It's almost that time. You know, to start my garden. I'm a lot like my Tatie in that respect. I like a nice garden. I started planting veggies a few years ago. Last year, I really got into it. Everything was going amazing. Until our crazy weather got really crazy! My plants stopped growing in the middle of the summer. Then in November, my plants were growing wild. I had mini watermelons in November! Until they froze...

But it's Spring. And now I need to start getting ready to plant. So I spent 3 hours pulling small weeds, trying to kill part of my grass, and just prepping. The grass keeps taking over my flower beds and garden spot. And I'm trying to revive the grass in the front yard. I was covered in dirt, stickers, and weeds. But my yard is coming along.

And if you've ever seen the size of my yard, you know it takes a lot to keep it up. I'm constantly doing something! But I really do enjoy it. I can see flowers cracking through the ground. I've already got a bunch of seeds. I need to start them in my cups. I can't plants seeds directly in the ground. The birds eat them. But I'm almost ready to start my Spring planting. ♫