Saturday, May 24, 2008

Smelly and Sore

Gardening again. I think I garden out of guilt. The woman that lived in this house was 82 when she left. She was a gardener and had a beautiful perennial garden in the backyard next to the patio and it was like her baby. I know this because her children told us at the closing. The first year we were here, it was somewhat easy to maintain. As time has gone on, it has gotten increasingly difficult. Today I spent two hours just on that garden and it looks like all I did was trample the daffodil greens down. What I actually did was remove all the dead stuff from last season (I know I am late in doing so) and release all the peonies from the grip of the cancer vine. I call it the cancer vine because that it what it reminds me of. It hides, pops up then grows and strangles the pretty plants. It doesn't flower and it grows about a foot a day. It reminds me of kudzu. It's easy enough to pull and break but you never get the damn root and then it pops up again. It is the bane of my gardening existence. I now have to wait till the daff foilage dies back so I can do some rearranging. I am determined to do it this year I just don't want to ruin the peonies.

ASIDE: Just went down to check to see what G-dog was barking at. Two flippin' squiriels sitting about 2 feet from the poor girls nose through the screen door. Jackasses were teasing the poor girl.

Anyway, I got rid of the rest of the mulch pile on the side gardens and around my herbs. I have been taking tufts of G-dog's hair from brushing and placing it around my herbs to discourage forraging critters. So far, so good. My only worry is that there is enough sun hitting the areas where I planted sun loving plants (2 butterfly bushes and some lavender). It's tough because we have very large oak trees which provide lovely shade but might be too much of a match for my plants. Time will tell.

No plans tonight. This would normally be ok but I can't cook either. P's project for this weekend entailed repainting the kitchen cabinets. I don't want to cook in the midst of the painting for fear of getting grease, etc into the paint. It is going to look so much better in there when it is done. I just need to pick a color for the walls. There isn't much to the walls b/c there is this odd tiny tile halfway up but I'd like to go with something a little deeper than the light blue that is there now. P isn't so sure. If I though it wouldn't darken the room, I'd go with a deep blue like navy for contrast with the white cabinetry and moulding. It's not a big kitchen. Maybe I'll post a pic and you can help me. :)

12 comments:

MissKris said...

I'm just aching to get out and put my yard in order! It's beginning to resemble my younger brother's photos of the jungle in Uganda that he took on his trip there and was over showing me yesterday! I don't quite have the energy or stamina for it yet, but I'm hoping SOON to get out there and enjoy a peaceful day pulling weeds and pruning back all the old growth from last year, too!

Unknown said...

I just picked up all my flowers this morning. The people in line behind me were tapping their feet in disgust and impatience as I was being rung up...........
I on the other hand was SO EXCITED!
You take a picture of yours and I'll take a picture of mine.

By the by, any wall color looks good with white cabinets.
Trust me.

Anonymous said...

Don't get me started on gardening!!

It takes forever, you get filthy dirty, (drink)work long hard hours and still looks as if nothing was done.


And then....2 days later...you have to freaking weed.


i,m done bitching.


Peace
#2

BS5 Blogger said...

Hi Scargosun - some kitchen pics - yes please! Good idea!

Did you let G -dog have her fun and chase the squirrels?

Have a good Sunday :)

Tiffany said...

I love freshly painted cabinets in a kitchen. ITs the simplest thing with most dramatic results

I am trying to grow something, my bougeanvilla is doing well, but I would LOVE peonies...

Anonymous said...

I garden only out of guilt too. And when I do I like to cut down tall green gadgets and speeily heave the evidence over the fence before anyone can see what I have done. I will never be a careful and attentive gardener

Snooty Primadona said...

Patience Grasshopper. A garden is always an ongoing process of learning, lol. And it's a labor of love, but I began gardening as a young child with my grandmother. She was the most amazing gardener I've ever known. Her yard had a bricked path through it and the rest was flowers.

I've never been able to grow the flowers like she did, but I do grow veggies organically. She always spent all of her spare time in the garden.

I never heard her complain, but I know her back must have been killing he all the time. Mine damn sure does.

Your cancer vine sounds like my Trumpet Vine. Wicked, dominating plant that comes up everywhere it isn't wanted. It has lovely orange trumpet flowers but it kills out everything else if not kept severely cut back. Good luck with that.

Dirty White boy said...

If you dont keep that garden up, that old woman is going to haunt you! lol.
have a great memorial day!

Los said...

I hope you found something good to eat ... it's summer-time, you should be outside grilling something, shouldn't you?

Mom2FiveBratz said...

I think navy blue with white trim sounds awesome!
I love dark colors and with light hues to bring it out.

Betsy, short for Elizabeth, formally known as Esther said...

We did much of the same this weekend. It is so rewarding to me, all the gardening, especially the part about time will tell.

so true, so true.

Anonymous said...

I have tagged you over at mine xx