The yard is glorious with flowers as you can see ~ the arbor is in our front yard, on the side of our house and looks beautiful as you turn the corner towards our house.
The first picture is some flowers I've picked and put into vases. They are my roses (also near the arbor), sweet peas and small vases with smaller sweet peas with pansy's mixed into the vase.
And last is a close up of one of the small vases of sweet peas (they grow on our front porch window box).
It sounds silly to be proud of these flowers, but I have become obsessed with my flowers. I've said before in my blog that I didn't really have much experience with gardening. But if enthusiasm counts for anything, I'm all in.
Although the roses look beautiful, I really didn't do much more than pick them out, plant them and suggest an arbor for the side of the house. Roses are God's miracle flowers.
Growing sweet peas on the other hand has become very personal for me. For years, my friends Fred and Mel at work would bring me beautiful bouquets. The fragrance was astounding - the whole main office would smell of sweet peas. But I could not figure out how the plant grew or how to cut the flowers off. They would always encourage me to try and grow them - but - and here is the stumbling block - I needed to start them from seed in October or November to have flowers in April and May.
Last year I started the seeds and put them into the ground in January. The snails ate all but maybe 8 plants. But boy did I enjoy the sweet peas I got off those 8 plants.
This year, I planted 3 flats of sweet peas (72 plants per flat) - I bought a heating mat to keep them warm, I misted them and checked on their progress daily. I had charts of what seed I planted and what little section of the flat it was in - I was on a mission. I watched them grow and got them into the ground in early November. I could have killed the whole snail population of the WORLD with the amount of snail bait that I sprinkled around my babies. They grew to about 5 inches and there they basically stayed throughout December, January and February. I started spraying them with my magic Bill's Spray-N-Grow fertilizer "perfect blend" and they started to take off. Now my plants are 5 feet high and just starting to bloom. I haven't cut off a lot of flowers - but enough to make me happy. Apparently you want to cut off the flowers and they will continue to bloom. Don't ask me how that happens but that's what I've been told. I certainly haven't had the amount of flowers that Fred and Mel used to bring me but with the amount of stems I have growing, I'm hoping to. If and when that happens I will be sure and post another picture. I'm sure my 2 faithful readers will be glad to see them!
Actually I've been outside quite a bit ~ pulling weeds, preparing ground for a vegetable garden, planting some new flowers ~ I've been pretty busy out there. But my yard will never be the yard that could be pictured in Better Homes and Gardens. I am lucky enough to have a basketball hoop, a horse to ride back and forth on, a trampoline, a huge baseball net to practice hitting with, a swimming pool, play guns, super hero dolls that will save the world and bikes and big wheels. Because with all those things out in the backyard I have my 6 grandkids that love to come to Grammy's and play. The basketball smashed all my tulips but Matty perfected his 3 point shot, Joe loves to play handball, Zachy likes to run around being a super hero, Chloe came up and hit baseballs into the net, Cyrah took on everyone in basketball and Benji loves the horse, the trampoline has always been a big hit and everyone is waiting for the pool to open. And we haven't even brought out the ping pong table yet!
Retirement gives me the time to go outside and enjoy my new found hobby and be proud of what I've been able to grow and enjoy the beauty of the flowers. It also lets me know that ~ come the weekend ~ the yard will be full of kids ~ having fun at Grammy's ~ and I can sit out there and enjoy the pandemonium knowing that
every day is Saturday and I don't have to get ready for work on Monday!
Life is Good!
Just a little something I'd like to add ~ today is my Dad's birthday ~ he would be 85 years old. I miss him every day. But I know that I still have the power to make him laugh with some of the stupid stuff I do! I Love You Dad!
My thought to leave you with this time is ~ God laughs in flowers!
Until next time . . .
How beautiful Sherrie ! I bet those sweet peas smell great...Our tomatos and beans are taking off, but we'll see who wins, the bugs or us.
ReplyDeleteWow Sherri, I am so impressed with your beautiful flowers! Vases full of them inside the house is just a dream I have. Never seem to have grown enough flowers or the right kind of flowers to cut them and bring them inside. I am jealous! And I am also jealous of the that beautiful arbor full of roses! We want a picket fence across the front yard and would love to have an arbor (full of roses) where you enter the pathway to the front door. Just a dream at this point but your pictures make it clear how very possible it might be. I am most amazed because I always knew that you were especially good at sewing and that you also became very good with wood working projects but you never mentioned to me such an interest in the garden. I have always considered myself a person with a green thumb - that i am my fathers daughter and that he taught me everything I know through the years as we worked together in his yard and in mine. But dad really never did seeds and I have not tried seeds either. You have put in such efforts to do the seeds and get the flowers and the wonderful scent you have been looking for. Very cool my dear cousin! And an encouragement to me to give it a try!!! And good for you Sherri! Able to sit in the yard and watch your wonderful grandchildren play and enjoy your yard without concern for your flowers and your efforts. Sounds like you have created a wonderful atmosphere in your yard. One that is perfect for family gatherings but beautiful for you to enjoy the quiet and beauty of during the week. I have always loved to be in my yard and it goes back to the hours spent with my dad in the yard and why he told me he loved it. The yard is a place where you feel close to God and therefore to those who are no longer here. I agree with you - Roses are God's miracle flowers and God does laugh in flowers everyday! Your laughter fills my heart with memories of us growing up together. Those were the days of family loving family and shared beliefs and values. Sounds like your yard keeps those wonderful ideas alive as you have created a place to share many hours with you grandkids and to have quiet moments to feel close to your mom and dad. I am impressed (as usual) with you dear Sherri. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHave really enjoyed what you write. I am so happy your retirement is going so great -- and I love hearing about your grand kids. You have a great life's philosophy -- life goes on -- I believe my mom used to say that. Love you! jani
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