Category: Gardens

CMMC, The Oddball Trellis

In accepting the challenge from Cee on CMMC combined with Kammie’s Oddball Challenge, I give you the cucumber trellis. We saw this idea on Facebook and with the help of some local college students who help us get our community garden setup – they made us two.

The theory is that the cucumber growing in the planter tub will climb up the chicken wire of the trellis and the fruit will slide through the holes of the chicken wire and make for easier and cleaner picking.

With the mindset of “build it and they will come” – we built it to see if it really works. It was a fun and interesting project and I will post later in the season as the cucumbers grow. In reality, they would grow a lot better if the squirrels would leave them alone. 🥺

As with any challenge in life, it can be made a little easier if, kindness is the marker used to traverse the chaos.

FOTD, March 6, Unknown

Cee’s fun challenge of Flower of the Day can always prove beautiful and interesting. While in San Francisco, I saw spring flowers already blooming and I took a picture of this one because I had no idea what it was but it was intriguing.

I recognize the holly behind it but don’t really know what this is, but isn’t it cool. The long bamboo like stems look similar to a larger plant I have in my house but mine doesn’t bloom. Then further down the pier, there was an awesome topiary of succulents in the shape of a seal. It was not quite ready for it’s spring bloom but it was still awesome.

The tulips and daffodils in the lower section of the flower bed were just getting started. In another week they will be really full and beautiful.

Reflect on the beauty that surrounds you as spring starts to show it’s warm face and remember to share that warmth with kindness.

CFFC: Reminds You of Natures Beauty

While I do agree with Cee on the beauty of nature, but it can also has a fun whimsical side. My case in point, I give you the story of the potato family members where mother potato refused to let any of her children go out on their own. This family was pulled this morning from the community garden of my church.

The balancing act mom had to do did not bode very well so she used my juice glass from this morning to help stabilize herself. Even her other children stuck close to protect the baby in the center…

All in all, they are a very loving family. They must have been watching how elephants come in close to always protect the younger ones in the herd. And I am sure they will be tasty with my string beans tonight. 😊. Always remember the beauty of nature even when it looks funny.

Thank you for stopping by for a moment of silliness. I hope it made you smile. Remember that smiles are contagious so share them often.

FOTD, June 2, No Flowers Yet

Cee always gives us such wonderful ways to share the beauty we see. And while this is Flower of The Day, we don’t have flowers yet but the greenery is growing, finally. I give you beginning pics of our community garden sponsored by our church. Its small but enjoyed by those close in our neighborhood.

Raised beds

We have eight raised beds the boy scouts built for us two years ago. The chain link fence is to keep the rodents out…good luck. But we have a variety of bed vegetables growing. Beside the raised beds we have the larger vegetables growing, like corn and potatoes. You cant live in Iowa and not grow corn…just sayin’.

As we enjoy the growing season, let us remember the kindness of us sharing love like we do with our garden.

Always Be Kind

Must Watch Better

Spring is really a busy time for me, especially since I volunteered to head up the church’s community garden this year. I planned it our carefully, measuring out the rows, deciding on what and how many of each plant to grow…due to the catastrophe of last year’s jungle. I checked with the extension service to make sure I didn’t plant too early and we started indoors with seed for cost savings. We planted in cups at the right time…and then spring would not come…and the plants kept growing. I had a pole bean that went ballistic and climbed up the string for the blinds.

Then it was finally time. The weather was warming up and last weekend we were able to plant. Yay! I had people lined up. We put 87 of 117 plants in the raised beds. The weather was perfect and we celebrated. THEN a freak wind storm came through with cold winds and killed everything we planted.

So now we have no choice but to start over. Next year we will have to watch better like Daisy!!

Daisy on guard duty

And our trees are just now starting to bud and bloom. Guess I should have watched those too. They knew.

I realized as I started to post this that is has been nearly a month since I last posted. That’s way too busy for being retired. Once we replant this weekend, I am glad someone else is in charge of the rest.

Well, have a good rest of your week. And remember…Bee Kind!

You can always Be kind

Profoundly Jealous

While I love seeing everyone’s beautiful spring flowers…I am a bit jealous. Well, maybe more than a bit but please don’t stop sharing. It makes it easier to know it is coming when this morning I again had to scrape the snow off my car before going to my appointment. Seriously!!! UG!!

Will Spring EVER come??

As the sprouts continue to grow in my office for the community garden, I find hope in their determination. But if it doesn’t warm up soon, they are going to hit the ceiling.

Beans and squash getting tall.

When I got home from shopping I checked out the yard as Daisy did her business. Currently not snowing but you can feel the light mix as it hits your face. ENOUGH ALREADY!

The dianthus around the mailbox is trying and my irises are peeking through, so I know it coming. I’m just being impatient. This is the last day of March, so hopefully this lion takes his winter coat with him as he leaves.

I think the lion won this one…at least for the midwest.

Hopefully we can all enjoy the warmth of spring and the beauty of new flowers. And when we do lets us all remember the beauty of kindness.

Always Be Kind

CFFC: Ground

Cee’s CFFC challenge is ground. Since it is garden time, I give you raised ground – for those of us who don’t bend as well as we use to.

Here we have the garden after the corn started coming up and before the squash took over.

This was taken last week…now it is even higher. I broke rule #1 – don’t plant too much in a small space! Ah well, its been fun.

If you plant a garden, remember to plant kindness. It will grow into a garden of love.

CFFC Challenge,Wilting & Dying

We are now getting into the sad time of year where the beauty of the spring flowers are about done. Its about time to start planting the fall flowers of yellows and golds.

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Even though the under brush is dying, the determination to bloom still holds.

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The bloom of the sunflower has bowed in death, yet the birds still feast on the few seeds left.

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The pods of this beauty are curled in death but a new life is sprinkled to the ground for spring.

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The leaves of the tomato where fruit was enjoyed lay wrinkled in death at the end of a season.

 

Come join in on Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge. This week’s CFFC topic is Special Request: Wilting, dead or aging flowers and leaves. Be creative and mostly have a lot of fun.

But remember the beauty they gave us earlier in the year with their colors so vibrant and fragrances so dear. We bid them goodbye, dreaming of the next season come and encourage them to tell us “what about next year?”

I am reminding you as always to be kind and enjoy the simple things of life. I am sharing a picture group that shows pure joy…hope it makes you smile. Thank you Random Acts of Kindness for the Photos.

elephant

FOTD, July 23, Caladiums

Today’s Flower of the day really is no flower but its color is still bright and beautiful. Cee says leave and berries are acceptable so here we go.

Caladiums…of all the various varieties, I think this one is my favorite.

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They are beautiful by themselves or help highlight other plants….

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They help highlight the tiny flowers who fight to be noticed….

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And they hold onto raindrops to highlight their own beauty after a summer shower. All plants within the garden have their own beauty to share and highlight God’s love of creation.

As you enjoy the wonders of nature and your gardens, remember to share its kindness.

 

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Kind hearts are the gardens

Kind thoughts are the roots

Kind words are the flowers

Kind deeds are the fruits

Take care of your garden

and keep out the weeds

Fill it with sunshine,

kind words and great deeds.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow