Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy. Eskimo proverb

Our HoMe

Pennys, Towels, & Rolling pin Covers..I do custom work..made to order :>)

I don't have an attitude,
I have a personality you can't handle.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

BusY BuSy BusY...LoTs oF BeFoRe & AfTers...

Good Morning everyone!! or should I say good afternoon to most of you out there...I hope your thursday is going well!!!..I have been busy since I got back from utah..This is a picture heavy post..on Saturday we started our day off with a walk, then sent hubby off to work and I went to work in the yard..(the photo above is the before photo) while I was back home in Utah..hubby did some of his own work in the yard to surprise me..he wanted me to have something to smile about when I got home with the week I had had..see the holly tree above (taken in Sept. 2010)
now you don't!!! he took the holly tree out for me and the tree in the next door neighbors yard...oh it looks so much better now..so saturday I rake up all of the holly leaves and removed the long leggy plants that were growing under the holly..they are called crocosmia...I love them..but they spread and as you can see I took them out last year and they came back..and I will probably have to keep taking them out till they are all gone..


the after photo..all gone..this bit gets good morning and afternoon sun..so next year I am planting my zucchini and pumpkins here and hoping they do well.. hubby even repaired the picket fence..parts of it were rotting and we still have to replace some of the wood..he even fixed the gate in and out of the yard..so much better now..the grass in the bottom of the photo is going away too..will be replaced with bark..it is just a bunch of moss and very little grass there..so no point in mowing it..
This was taken in from my craft room window..I can see my neighbors beautiful yard now..I haven't seen it in 17 years as that is how long that holly tree was there..
much more simplified..hubby needs to get a new blade for the chain saw to get the stump out..but oh I love this so much better..after that was finished..I mowed the lawn and worked in the back yard..deadheading plants etc...it was a long but productive day..
This is the before photo taken of the front portion of the yard...see the wheelbarrow..that is a type of ground cover clover..love it..but it takes over..ripped it out last year..and you can see it came back..
before photo of front yard..see the long crocosmia in the right front of the photo?...
more before photos of the clover and other stuff growing in the front..
aaahhhh the after photo..I worked on this yesterday..took all day just to do this portion of the garden..
This was done on Tuesday..did some stuff up front on this portion..still need to pull out plants closer to the wall portion..
after..you don't see the crocosmia any more..now you see that metal tiller..and the portion by the right side of the photo is gone too..took out all the yarrow and other stuff..
still need to work on this portion..it will be there for another day..maybe tomorrow..giving the bod a rest..
gotta do up the walkway and by the wall..I have decided to do some simplifying of the yard..since I am the main one to take care of the yard..need to make it easy and simple...cause when Fall comes and all those maples drop..its a huge pain to get out of the yard..(remember no one likes to take care of their stuff here) so I am left doing it..so ripping out my yard to make it more simple...
before....
after....
after...
Okay on sunday after church..I came home and put up my strawberry jam/sauce..I purchased 2 flats of strawberries from our fesitival they have here every year on the first saturday of July..(I didn't go this year) ...just wasn't in the mood..I worked in the yard instead..so I froze 2 pints to use in waffles or hot cereal come winter...when we want hot oatmeal.. and the rest made the yummiest jam/sauce ever..I did 5 batches and made 37 jars of jam...

this is where it is currently residing...
and here too..I will give some of this away for christmas gifts this year..I gave one to my new next door neighbor on sunday..hot of the press..she had company coming for the 4th so they had it on their vanilla icecream..she said it was the best she had eaten..and she only has 1/2 a jar left..I am just glad its over..took me 6 hours to do all this..but worth it..;)
for the 4th..we didn't do anything but go to the farmers market and then home for an early dinner of ribs marinated in beer and potato/macaroni salad..quiet day..

our new website is currently open and we have some wonderful talent out there..so be sure to check it out..on the 1st and the 15th (I am doing the 15th)..I have lots to share too..halloween and other fun stuff..
Today I am going to take it easy..catch up on some recorded programing..and maybe sewing..haven't decided..today is a drizzly overcast kind of day..just right for parking it on the couch..take care and I will be back tomorrow with some goodies I have received in the mail...Have a wonderful day.;)

12 comments:

  1. Hey girl....lordy you have been busy! I just love working in the yard and seeing the difference changes can make to certain areas....love that you make your own jam like that...that is one thing I have never tried...when I was expecting our youngest a precious friend knew how much I loved homemade biscuits and homemade blackberry jam...she kept me supplied with both the whole 9 months! lol Thanks so much for coming by sweetie..hope your week has been fantastic....Picket

    ReplyDelete
  2. WOW..37 jars of jam!!!! that's alot, it looks so yummy! I just LOVE your picture heavy posts of your home and yard Gina, makes me feel like I am RIGHT THERE in Indianola with you strolling through the yard, glass of iced tea in hand, LOL;) Thanks for sharing, it looks GREAT and hope you enjoy the day!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am getting ready to make peach preserves. They bring them up from Georgia about this time every year. We get them from a little market out in the middle of nowhere. They are awesome. I've never done peach before but my 83 year old Dad asked me to, and his wish is my command!
    Love that you are still working so hard in the yard. I can't do it anymore so I am envious. It all looks fantastic!
    Big ((()))s.
    ★Linda★

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Gina,
    My! you have been busy! Your yard is so nice! Ours is so small with not a lot going for it.
    I love the jars of jam...that must have been a lot of work too. We had a garden this year with a few things. I fully intended to make pickles, and Lord knows we have had a ton of cucumbers, but never have found an easy recipe.
    Checked out the new web site....if you don't mind...how do you become involved with it?
    Try to get a bit of rest...
    Hugs,
    Shari

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gina,
    Send some of that jam my way. I love it on hot biscuits. Your yard looks so nice. A lot of time and work though, but it is worth it in the end. You wore me out just talking about it. I love to work outside but I can't go at it like killing a snake anymore. Enjoy your relaxing time.
    After all that you deserve a rest.
    Until next time
    Tamera
    Country at heart

    ReplyDelete
  6. All of your hard work is really paying off. It is looking beautiful around your place. That strawberry jam/sauce looks delicious! Very pretty color too. Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh my...have you been busy!! That's alot of jam, but it looks so yummy!! Love your yard...it is so pretty!!
    hugs,
    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, that is alot of jam, I love freezer jam. And your yard always looks wonderful. Your hubby was so sweet to surprise you with his wonderful yard work. Hugs, Lecia

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gina,

    So nice of hubby to get some things done for you in the yard. What a nice surprise. It's amazing how much time it takes to make jam but the results are so worth every drop. It looks yummy. I'm thinking on making some sugar free for me this year...for the rare occasion that I will have a biscuit.

    D

    ReplyDelete
  10. The jam looks so good ! Lots of hard work in your yard,but it is looking great. It was sweet of hubby to do some of it for you. Have a good night.Jen

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your jam looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing your yard photos! Once you finally get it the way you want it will be a lot less work. I am wanting to cut back on the yard work too, without it being too obvious, so been adding more and more perennials and using more pots and containers to set around instead of planting so many annuals in the ground. That really cuts down on weeding time.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your yard looks lovely! I have a holly bush that is taking over the front of the yard too. Hopefully soon hubby will get to it. Jam looks yummy!

    ReplyDelete