Two Green Thumbs

Going Vertical

2012-01-13T09:26:00.000-08:00

So, for the past few years I have been on a path to healing myself, or you can call it fixing myself. During this journey I came across a mentor. His name is Kirk Duncan, owner of a company called 3 key elements. Feel free to look him up. A friend of mine sent me a email about a free seminar. I had no Idea what this guy did, or what he was going to teach. All I knew from his email was that he was going to talk from his heart about what he felt from a spiritual point of view. He talked abaout many things, but the one thing that has stuck is about going Vertical. Basically when you feel you have hit that "wall" you ask yourself... how many people do I need to ask for forgiveness to get to the next level? You see, we are all headed up, and we are not in competition with each other. It has been an amazing thing to see things happen once I have forgiven the certain people that come to my mind. It really does open doors. Can I also tell you how hard it is to find the courage to ask someone for forgiveness?

I had no Idea how hard it can be, but the rewards for carrying this part of the Atonement out are beyond anything I could imagine. What this mentor has to offer, helped me take the Atonement to another level of understanding. The Lord blesses us when we have the courage to do the hard, humbling things. What a blessing to learn when we are ready hear what the Lord wants us to hear.

New pictures

2011-10-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

This picture was not edited at all. The eye color is her own.

Fun pics of my two oldest..

2011-05-20T13:09:00.000-07:00

My photogenic Kimmy

My Handsome man Alex.

Announcing..

2011-05-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

Ellse Marie, 8 lbs 6 oz. 21 inches and lots of dark curly hair.

A Hankering for Rock Hounding and Such...

2011-05-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have always had an interest in hunting for fossils, even now the desire to go do this kind of stuff hasn't changed. I was looking at KSL.com today, and they had an artical on rock hunting, geode hunting, fossil hunting and the like, and I so want to go!!

My two older kids are old enough to maybe start to appreciate this, but still have two very little ones that would not like it so much. These kind of hobbies require lots of drive time in boring hot dry deserts and mountains, which do not cater to the likings of toddlers and newborns. There are usually no parks and playgrounds for kiddos to go romping about in areas like this.

So alas, here I sit with my sweet newborn wishing I could do it all at once. There's a time and a season for everything, right? I guess this is just another lesson in patience. But, I can wait.

Running out of... Everything!

2011-04-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

Well.... At this point I am just trying to hang on and grab any sliver of patience that comes my way. I have run out of energy, patience, emotional strength(sometimes) and things that I can do. I am limited to what I can do right now and my family is feeling it. I always feel so much better after the new arrival, and am anticipating that feeling of starting to be able to pull things together again. It will be so nice to have them all here so that we can continue to move forward with our goals and plans. I have so many things that I want to learn, so many things that I am excited to do again. I am also very excited to meet this new little person in our family and finally get acquainted with her.

Growing Kids vs. Growing Plants

2011-04-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Well, this week has felt like four in itself. It is amazing how when that last month hits, each day feels like a week. This week definitely ended off with a bang in the child growing department. My youngest child found a permanent marker and proceeded to draw on the computer screen, the desk, the hallway walls, the island counters, the entertainment center and the television before I caught him. I was not a happy Mom. So, how does this comopare to growing plants? Plants are a LOT easier to take care of, that is for sure. They do move, but slowly, and when regularly trimmed do not get out of control. Kids grow and move a lot faster. Plants are a lot more quiet. They don't yell at you or disobey much. I could go on....

I am definitely growing two different types of gardens these days...

I saw a commercial where the woman stated that her kids were so cute that she could eat them up, and some days she wished that she had. I feel like that sometimes too.

Four weeks and counting...

2011-03-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

Well.. here I sit. I have about four weeks to go, and am definitely feeling it. I am afraid I have hit one of those walls. It seems like the closer I get to her due date, the more tired I am. I can't do much more than just grow this baby and do the basic home and family care. The problem with this is that I have so many things that I want to get done, but not enough energy to accomplish them all. This results in boredom. It just isn't worth it to go out and dig in my yard. If I do, I'll end up with back pain and it will make it more difficult to do the important things, like sleep. What is a girl to do?

Apologies

2011-03-06T10:09:00.000-08:00

I have to apologize for not posting pictures. I"m just not that driven to learn how. My hubby will show me, then I forget... and, well, Im a bit lazy lately when it comes to learning computer stuff.

However, I have 8 weeks and counting till the new arrival is due. I love growing stuff, but kids is a whole other story. Thankfully this pregancy has been one of the easiest in a lot of ways. Except I'm feeling older.. oh well.

It is that time of the year to cut down the dead plants to make way for the new undergrowth. It has been harder for me to get out there this year and get it done. It was easier the last pregnancy. People in the neighborhood have finally realized just how much I like to do that kind of stuff. They probably think I'm crazy out there, big belly and all chopping down plants. But it makes me feel alive. I need it, especially towards the end of the pregnancy. I have been trying to get out there for at least 10 minutes a day to get some sunshine. I am sure I am low on Vitamin D.(aren't we all by now?) It makes us all feel good to just get out there and get some fresh air. There's just something about being outside that one can't get any other way.

A very interesting day

2011-03-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

I had quite the interesting day today. I ran into someone that I have not talked to for two and a half years. The relationship with this person had ended in a very unhappy way. But even though things ended in such a devastating manner, this person did more for me and my spiritual growth than they can ever know. I guess I should have thanked this person for that, but the short conversation that happened did not allow time for any communication about that. I think that it did however mend a few things for both of us, and hopefully will help this other person to move forward too. It was nice to see that this person who saw me first, called my name and wanted to catch up on a few things.
I have learned that forgiveness is the key to so many things in life. I wish people realized just how much holding on to hurtful, angry (etc.) feelings only hurts the one holding on to them. It also awakened a passion to learn, and changed the way that I view many things. I have such a more positive outlook on life. I am grateful for the blessings that this trial unfolded for me.
It was so wonderful to see this person and have only feel good feelings towards them. What a freeing awesome thing. I am very grateful for that.

Holding On

2011-02-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

As April gets closer, I wonder where the year has gone. Normally these winter months seem to drag while I impatiently wait for spring to get here. This time, however, I have been very busy, and seem to be running out of time. With limited energy and so much to do for my kiddos I just hope that I am able to get things close to where I hope they will be come the end of April. I do have to say how nice it has been to see January and February fly by so fast. Has the beginning of the year flown for you? If not, how have you survived?

Valentines and Strep...

2011-02-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

I came down with my little girl's strep last night. Needless to say, Valentines is not going to happen much this year. It is a good thing we went to Jason's Deli this weekend. So, happy sick Valentine's to ya' all!!

Groundhog Day

2011-02-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Groundhog day!! Puxatawny Phil announced this morning that he did NOT see his shadow.... but the weather forecast is predicting snow. I'm starting to think the fat little rodent is lying this year since the temperature out there is in the teens this morning. We shall see...
But that means that today is the day to watch Groundhog Day on Groundhog Day and make a big pan of yummy cinnamon rolls... why the cinnamon rolls? I needed an excuse to make them at least once a year, so I picked Feb. 2nd as the day. Very fitting, I think since the weather is FREEZING!
Well.. off I go to teach the young ones, and by the way, it has been one of the best things that I have ever done.

Good Friends

2011-01-30T20:26:00.000-08:00

As I am having to say goodbye to another really good friend I have been pondering the importance of them, and how they come and go in our lives. Some come and go, and as we or they change, sometimes we drift apart. I think truly good friends are far and few in between, and that they just "happen". I have learned that true friends cannot be forced. They become our friends, or they do not. It is that simple. And it is that hard too.

Gratefully this good friend of mine who is leaving for better employment opportunities will always stay my good friend, and that I am thankful for that. I hope she knows how much I love her and appreciate all she has helped me to learn and grow, especially in the last few years.

So, life will go on and I will patiently wait to gain one more good friend.(the more the merrier) I know it will simply "happen".... because I know there really is no other way around it. It is just the way it is. One of those universal truths...or at least that is what I have found to be true. :)

Getting older

2011-01-15T18:34:00.000-08:00

My kids are getting older and are starting to entertain themselves, especially my youngest. And here I find myself, bored. I had better catch up with my boredom and get some things done (work and fun) before I am tied down again with another little one. So, what to do? I usually spend my spare time these days catching up on being lazy. Oh, I mean growing a baby. Life is good.

Getting through January

2011-01-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

Now that the holidays are over, the yearly challenge of getting through the longest month of the year has begun.... what to do? Luckily, I have discovered that my 1st grader thrives on a lot of school work, and have literally doubled his work load. So it has been a tiring first week of january, but it sure has gone by fast! Baby #4 is doing great, and mom is feeling the effects of this fourth pregnancy. I'm tired, joints hurt, but I'm doing great. I have piles of books I need to read, things to be gone through in my house and a baby to start nesting for. I have a feeling that it is going to be a great year.

New Years Resolutions??

2010-12-31T14:44:00.000-08:00

So after many years of making New Years resolutions and failing at them, I have decided it is better for me to continue with the things I am currently working on and strive to be a bit better every day, or at least keep at an upward direction.

I hope to continue improving myself, learning to let go of past hurts and wrongs, etc.. This is one of the best ways (I think) to be a better Mom and Wife. The more that I can do this, the more able I will be to get out of myself and think about others and serve them. I call this an upward spiral. I hope to keep it spiraling up this year.

It is official

2010-12-09T18:49:00.000-08:00

Well... it is official. We are having number four, and it is going to be a little girl. We are all excited! So that is the main reason for my gardening slacking lately. It kinda slows me down. But things are good here. I do, however have an interest in learning skills that will make our family more self sufficient. Some things I am interested, done some homework but have not yet tried are: soapmaking, making homemade lotion ( there were rave reviews on that one) making homemade yogurt and cheese to name a few. At this point, I am just too tired to do more than look into it and send myself links for when I am able to retrieve my own energy back and try a few of these.

What I am grateful for

2010-11-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

I would be ungrateful if I did not post about things that I am grateful for. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for this wonderful time of year that gives us the opportunity to remember all of the things we have been given. I am grateful for my warm home, I am grateful for my kids. I am grateful for how well I am feeling right now. I am grateful for an awesome loving hubby. I am grateful for chocolate and baking cookies with my kids. I am grateful to have my kids home and that I have the opportunity to teach them. I am grateful for a good night's sleep. I am grateful for beautiful sunsets. I am grateful for Christmas lights. I am grateful for this past year and a half. I have learned and grown and been given more in this period of time than I ever thought possible. I am grateful for good friends. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that provided all this for me, and who provided a Savior and Redeemer who took upon Himself what I cannot. My heart is full of gratitude this year. I hope and pray that it stays that way, well, no...... I hope my gratitude continues to grow. Happy Thanksgiving!

In n' Out

2010-10-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

So... are you proud of me? I went to the opening day of In n out burger! the wait wasn't too long and boy, was it so yummy!!!! I'm gonna get me some animal style fries the next time I'm out that way. Yum! Oh, and the poor yard has been neglected this fall, but I am in the planning mode of planting more herbs and moving our grapes. They need full sun, not the north side where we have them. Oh, and tomorrow I am going to start me some more infused comfrey oil now that I know what I'm doing, it will turn out right this time. I'll keep you posted on that too.

Egyptain Walking Onions... Yes they are for real!

2010-08-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

So, about 11 or so years ago back when I and the hubby were newlyweds He brought me to a man's house who had a lush backyard full of trees, bushes, etc up a steep slope. It was beautiful and fun to look at. On the side of his house he had a garden that had Jerusalem artichokes, Kohrabi and.. yes! Egyptian walking onions.
I always remember how interesting those were, and just recently had to start asking around to see if someone remembered the name of them. finally one of my good friends sent me the link where I ordered my batch of bulbs. I've been on a self sufficiency kick and have been digging up useless perennials and planting useful medicinal/helpful herbs instead. I also plan to expand the herb garden. Yes, I am digging out more grass this fall, or I plan to anyway.

So, Hopefully I will be able to download a picture of these interesting onions. They grow tall hollow twisted posts that flower. Instead of just havein the flower seed part they start growing bulbs where the flower buds are. Then when they are heavy enough and fall to the ground, they will start taking root wherever they fall if left there. They are really hardy too! I figured it would be a good thing to constantly have onions on tow...they have been in for a few weeks and they are already sending up green shoots! I am pretty excited!

Just because I think it totally fits.....

2010-07-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

Annual contest at Texas A&M University calling for the most appropriate definition of a contemporary term:

The 2008 year's term was "Political Correctness."

The winner wrote:

"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

And just because He is just so darn cute,,, here is my cutie!

Rain drops on Hosta

2010-06-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

Herbs...

2010-06-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about herbs lately, and thought I would start posting things about them, what I like, how beautiful they can be incorporated into the flowerbeds, Decorating with them, their use in culinary cooking and in homeopathic use.... We might as well learn to use what the good Lord provided for us, right? So there ya go..

I couldn't find any herb pics yet, so here is a cute flashback of the kiddos.

It's About Time!

2010-06-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

I thought it was time I posted something. It seems that life with three kids has really cut down on the gardening time this year. But we did get our garden in.. tomatoes, beans, peppers, zucchini, baby pumpkins( for the kids) and onions(for fun).

I love being able to go into my yard and renew the energy that life zaps out of me. It truly does give back. Here are a few tidbits of what we are able to enjoy being in the yard.

The kids really love having thier tree to climb. Unfortunately this is before we had to top it off for liability reasons.....

Starting the Garden

2010-03-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

The raspberry starts are in! And boy do we have a ton! We planted everbearing.. they produce the first year (unlike those that only produce on second year stalks)and the more you pick, the more they produce. The people that gave us the starts said that these still produce berries up until the first snow! I can't wait to see that happen!

It is also time to get the peas in. The flower beds are all cleaned up and ready for spring.... well, about 80 percent there anyway.

Learning

2010-03-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, things sure have been crazy over here. I have dived into the adventure of homeschooling. And I am actually excited! I am excited to spend time with my kids, teaching them a lot of things they wouldn't get otherwise in public school. And think of the awesome field trips we get do to... pretty much anything we want! Like all about plants.. (he he) and awesome art projects, and trips to the zoo! At first it looked daunting, but the more that I've learned about it, the more excited I am. there are great programs out there that you can use like K-12, public school online which when you are accepted, you are sent all of the curriculum right to your door. For free! and it is an awesome well rounded curriculum to boot.

M has also started to pull himself up to things, and I think, I am afraid, that he will be our first climber.... He is sure going to keep us on our toes!

Now for a concrete plan...

2010-03-06T06:23:00.000-08:00

things are starting to get underway.. Now if I can just get some important questions answered I might be able to sleep better. I wish curriculum wasn't so expensive. We were going to get raspberry starts today, but the snow yesterday has made everything muddy. We will have to wait a week.

Carrying it through

2010-03-02T11:31:00.000-08:00

It seems sometimes that making a decision is a lot easier that carrying it out. Hopefully the difficult part will be over so that we can move forward, and get to better stuff.. like planning the garden already. It is almost time to plant the peas!!

Decisions.. Decisions...

2010-02-26T11:19:00.000-08:00

It seems like when you think life is settled down and it is time to just roll with the punches.. something difficult comes along. Have you had those moments when you just didn't see it coming? And all of a sudden there it is. Staring you in the face. I have some difficult decisions to make ( I have made a good start though..) and it's scary.
( don't worry, marriage and family are fantastic!)

Hey!

2010-02-22T22:04:00.001-08:00

Did anybody else see the snowmen last night? Anyone.... Anyone.....

My dose of Therapy

2010-02-20T21:55:00.000-08:00

I was able to go out today while the baby was sleeping and get a bunch of stuff cut down. I have to admit it is one of my most favorite things to do in the late winter/spring. So much fun to clean up and wait for all the wonderful green spring to start creeping up. It makes me feel alive. It is also pretty amazing what you can do in 25 minutes... so for all of you out there that have the impression that yardwork takes hours and hours... think again. Short spurts are the way to go.

No more excuses. Just forget about the past when your dad made you weed the whole yard on a Saturday...taking the Whole day to do it. I know a better and easier way to garden. All my work is done by the end of April and I spend the rest of the year loving my flowers. Just try and catch me weeding in the summer. It rarely happens.

Gratitude

2010-02-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

I just had to write about how grateful I am. I am so so blessed. I love my family. I have the greatest Hubby and Kids. I am so glad that I know what I know. I love what I do. I love life!!

Planning The Garden

2010-02-14T12:28:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm..... What are we going to plant in the vegetable garden this year??? Tomatoes... peas... basil...beans..... some more raspberries... Just the basics. Today is such a beautiful day. I am really looking forward to Spring. I've been out cutting down the dead stuff so that Spring can grow. It makes me Happy.

Come on... Really?

2010-02-12T13:56:00.000-08:00

Now it is the 24 hour flu. What the Heck???? If I could just be well for 5 minutes I could do something fun outside, like trim a rose bush or something. Oh well. cutting stuff down in the late winter-early spring is one of my most favorite times of the year. I love to see everything coming up in the spring. So fun!

How do I do this??

2010-02-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/

now only if I could figure out how to post a picture from their site. I think I did it once, but now I don't remember how to do it anymore.

I can't wait

2010-02-10T08:05:00.000-08:00

I can't wait for the world to wake up from it's winter sleep. I also can't wait to be better from this strep throat that I have.

Pet Peeves and other Stuff

2010-02-07T20:31:00.000-08:00

Do you want to know what one of my pet peeves is? Small wreaths on front doors. They are just not proportionally correct. They really bug me when I start noticing them. We must spread the word.... Bigger is better in this department.

I did, however cut off a big branch off of one of my trees all by myself. It felt great. I paid for it the next day though. It was so worth it.

So, do you want to know one of my newest favorite things? Essental oils. I suppose the gardener in me would have to eventually get exposed to them. They are awesome, by the way. If you want to check out a fabulous website to purchase excellent quality ones with the best prices, click here. You would be amazed at what they can do. And they smell soooo good!

Sleeping

2010-02-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

The yard is still sleeping... but it is waking up. there are signs if you start looking closely . I have a bunch of chives, that as I cleared the dead stuff off I found tiny green points looking for the sun. It has been a busy time taking care of my little family and I haven't been able to start my extremely early spring cleaning of my flower beds.

But I just might go out there right now ... seems like the stars might be aligning....

Ready to go to work!

2010-01-24T19:44:00.000-08:00

So I found myself outside today just dying to start my spring clean up. the snow is half melted, so it's time.... right??? So I guess you can call me a fanatic about my yard. I really miss being outside. It makes me a lot calmer and happier if I can get my regular dose of green, even if it is still asleep under the January cold. And, I've decided that the cold really can't hurt me. ... better cold than stiffling hot.

Which reminds me.. I am long finished with any major spring yard prep by the time Mother's day comes. By then, everyone, and I mean Everyone flocks to the nurseries to buy what is in bloom.. They plant it, and wow, it is pretty! Which is great til two weeks later when the bloom ends and they have nothing in bloom for the rest of the year. DArn those huge nurseries..and by then the selection is already picked over...So my advice is to Try your spring shopping in march.. It will give your starts a few months to get their roots going and they will do MUCH better. and you usually only have to water them in once, when they are planted unless it is an extremely dry late winter.

Is it really too early to start in the yard? I guess I'm a bit ancy. Oh well. It is totally worth it to me to get frozen fingers and get something done outside. Happy gardening!

Determination

2010-01-20T09:27:00.000-08:00

I am determined to have a positive attitude. i am determined to have good feelings and be grateful. I am determined to focus on the positive and count my blessings. I have so much to be grateful for and have no excuse to complain about anything. I Choose to be happy. Life is good. Thank you, T, for kicking my butt (without even knowing you did) and opening my eyes to all that life has given me.

2010-01-19T09:26:00.000-08:00

here are some more Winter pictures. The Ice crystals on everything in the mornings from the fog are a small miracle to me. They are simply amazing. I cannot look at the beautiful things in this world without recognizing God's hand in it and not be filled with gratitude.

There is beauty in the dead of winter.

2010-01-19T07:37:00.000-08:00

We want a Shrubbery!!!

2010-01-17T20:11:00.000-08:00

So I've been looking at my catalog from High country Gardens. They specialize in native plants to specifically high elevation desert areas. I am quite interested in some of their bushes.. specifically this one called Mahonia fremontii. It looks like a member of the Holly family. That means it is an evergreen and It produces berries for the winter birds too. That is another thing I like about it. Now the only trick is to decide where it goes and what I am going to have to dig out in it's place. ( my flower beds are already full... what to do, what to do...) I also like the Philadelphus microphyllus 'June Bride'™ Very pretty.

What to post?

2010-01-15T21:07:00.000-08:00

It is kinda hard to write about something good when I'm not happy. Went to Chile's restaurant, they were about half an hour later than expected( which is not good when baby is home with dad) I got annoyed and complained and they must have heard, because my salad was HORRIBLE. I knew they had done something to it, and mine was sprinkled with paprika spicy stuff so that they could tell the difference when serving it.(My friend next to me had the same thing) Mine was doused in a strong vinegarette underneath and served with the same nasty stuff on the side. It left a nasty aftertaste which lingered for more than an hour afterwards. I ate almost half and was done trying to like the stuff. Definitely not the best way to score points with customers... will never go there again...

On a lighter note, January is half over. Wohoo!! And I loved the Ice crystals that formed on everything from the fog last night.. I will post pics soon.

Decorating with rose hips from my garden

2010-01-11T15:06:00.000-08:00

I finally used some of my rose hips from one of my rose bushes to decorate some wreaths. Very fun. I bought this particular kind of rose because of the rose hips that it produces. I am also big on ways to become self-sufficient, and having rose hips in my herb garden definitely is a must. As you might know, rose hips have an extremely high amount of vitamin C. Ways to get the vitamin C is to make an herbal tea with them, (Yum!) or I know that it can be extracted by making tinctures... I just haven't gotten that far yet. Growing herbs is pretty easy to do. Most herbs are extremely hardy and prefer ground that isn't over fertilized, so just about any plot of ground will do. I love them though.. some of my favorites are Lavender, Basil, Echinachea, Sage, chives... mostly the basics. But they certainly come in handy and are surprisingly beautiful in the home garden.

Tired

2010-01-09T10:13:00.000-08:00

After being up half the night with a baby with cholic the reality has set in that this year may not be a very big year for my gardening, except some maintenance. It may depend a bit on my hubby's enthusiasm too. I will, however be replacing the new d'anjou Pear tree that A decided to bend over and sit on like he was a cartoon character with another of the same kind...The poor tree snapped a foot from the base. We were very sad. sometimes it is hard to learn life's lessons when you don't have anyone else to learn from.

A good tip that I give to anyone who wants to do some serious gardening and have top pick and the nurseries is to go to them in March. Noone is there, and nothing has been touched. Plus you miss all of the crowds. Soooo nice. Why would anyone want to fight the crowds that come pillaging on Mother's Day? Not me... I have alread planted, dug out and moved things around by then... March is a great month to plant new trees.. but so is October clear into November..I would have replacedd My D'anjou by now but the local nursery did not have what I needed in stock, and being temporarily stuck at home a lot I wasn't about to go venturing for one. Oh well. A time and season for everything.

2010-01-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

I am grateful for all that I have today. Grateful for January. Without it how would we ever appreciate spring, summer and fall? It is a reminder that we have the bad so that we can learn and appreciate the good in life. So.. I have decided that I will focus on being grateful this January.. and will not dwell on the drab. I am grateful for Pandora radio. I am expanding my music repertoire...and am really liking my Techno station. I am grateful for the plant catalogs that come this time of year. They give me hope that spring is on it's way. I am grateful for family and friends and for my faith. I would not be where I am now without it.

One of my favorite websites is High Country Gardens. They specialize in plants and shrubs that are meant for high elevation deserts like where I live. I like the kind of gardening that focuses on plants that come from this climate. They have amazing varieties and ideas. Check it out sometime.

Chasing those January blues away

2010-01-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

Today I was feeling kinda blue, and missing my yard and the spring... . So I went outside. The sun was shining, which can be a rare thing with the semi-permanent inversion we always have here in wintertime. So I thought I would go out and look at things, even though they were dead. It was freezing cold, but I bundled up, went out, and played fetch with my pooch Cinder. Even in the dead of winter I realized how important it is to get outside and let nature give back and repelenish. It even gives back when everything is hibernating for the winter. So I am sure I got some kind of dose of Vitamin D. I felt great after fifteen minutes of looking things over, playing tug o war with my dog and picking up a few last things in the yard. I definitely feel better!! It was worth it.

"But I wanted someone to turn on my Lego wii game....It was important!!"

2010-01-06T14:06:00.000-08:00

I just have to say that after today I am grateful that when 911 is called by my five year old it was purely out of his naiveity and having to learn everything the hard way. I feel so bad for the poor first child. They have to somehow figure out how the world works all on their own and, since they do not have and older siblings to learn from sure take some bumps. I have to see the good in everything...I have to remember that this dreary Winter season does not last forever and my appreciation for the growing season will only improve after I have endured it.

Where are the Crocus?

2010-01-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

It has got to be just silly of me hat i'm already excited and looking forward to the first crocus. It its barely after the first of the year. i've got at least a month and a half or more. I finally put in some happy yellow ones and am looking forward to seeing them come up this spring. I just love the first signs of life when spring emerges.

I do, however need to find reasons to enjoy the winter months too. There is one thing I do love about the winter and that is the cute cuddly little winter snow birds and bright finches. So cheerful!!

2010-01-03T13:38:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm... What to plant this spring in the vegetable garden? I would like to try some Artichokes... and dip my feet into some square foot gardening... especially since our soil has a lot of clay, I am thinking that some tall square foot boxes will do the trick.

2010-01-02T15:19:00.000-08:00

I love lavender. I love growing herbs. this is a close up of one of my lavender plants. They make me happy. they are so easy to grow and have such great healing properties. Always a good herb to have in the garden.

This time of year I begin plotting what I want to do next in my gardens. It could vary from moving a plant or bush to another better location or re-evaluating whether that tree needs to stay or go... or if I need to start digging out more grass to make more room. Anything is game here.

I am also glad that the days are on their way to getting longer. I know we are not anywhere close to warmer temperatures, but the fact that every day has a bit more light in it is promising.

2010-01-01T21:31:00.000-08:00

2010-01-01T21:27:00.000-08:00

Well, Here is my first entry in my blog. I have decided to make one about something I enjoy a lot. Gardening. I really get a lot of satisfaction from watching things grow and take part in some of God's creations. makes me feel a bit more at home I guess... So here I go!! We shall see how things go from here.