Calendar Poodle SAL

Thursday, April 19, 2012

I have been in the garden

Hey everybody!  I hope you are all doing well and are safe where you are at. 

Huckleberry Fudge and Chocolate Chess Irises  June 2011
So I have been working every day in the garden.  I have this large heart shaped flower bed that has moved with us twice now!  My husband gave me seeds and plants that are "chocolate" since I am a chocolate fanatic! :)  This was for our 10th wedding anniversary.

Chocolate Heart Garden   June 2011
So I love gardening.  My body doesn't so much anymore.  I can't do major lifting or shoveling without serious injury/pain to my left hip.  I have been working on my hands and knees for almost a week now.  It is slow going.  Percocet!!

The problem is grass.  Some weeds, but grass has crept in under those rocks.  I have chocolate chip ajuga(bugleweed) for a ground cover.  Even in the areas that it completely covered the ground, that darn grass grows into it.  I have had to dig it ALL out.  I have dug many plants in the garden out also.  Then I replaced them.  I have moved each rock in about 3 inches.  This will make the heart  a bit smaller.  I had left more room on purpose for additional chocolate plants.  As the money for more plants is not anywhere to be found, I am moving it in.  This will make it easier for me to manage. Once this yucky part is all done!  AAHH!!


Okay, isn't this an adorable picture of Mabel?  Madeleine took it this week.  She was barking and being sassy.  Maggie and Mabel hang out in the yard with me while I garden.  Mabel is the garden assistant however.  When I pull weeds she has her nose 1 inch from my hands.  She then "kills" the weed for me. :)  It does get messy with her spreading the weeds about.  She doesn't do every one thank goodness!  It gets a bit counterproductive.

taken by Madeleine

The little female sparrow having a bath in the teacup bird bath. 


I have been stitching, just not much.  I am working on a Mother's Day project for my mom. 

I have also been reading Hush Now, Don't You Cry by Rhys Bowen.  It is a new book for our library so I only get it for one week.  I am overdue right now, but I am almost done with it. I will just keep it, finish it and pay the fine.  Otherwise I would have to get on the waiting list again as she has popular books!  This is a good one.  Another historical fiction mystery in the Molly Murphy series.  This one takes place in 1903.  Molly is a female detective.  Very unusual in those days.

gardening, stitching, reading and praying,
Vickie

11 comments:

Mouse said...

ohhhh love your wee chocolate heart bed and sorry about the grass invasion ....
love your photos especially the teacup bird bath ....
hope your fine isn't too much :)
love mouse xxxxx

Trace4J said...

Oh I love the chocolate garden but oh MY I LOVE MABEL!
Praying for you Friend.
Hugs
Trace

www.grannytracescrapsandsquares.com

Shirlee said...

I love that photo of the bird : ) Your garden looks beautiful!

butterfly said...

What a great idea a heart chocolate garden, so cute your flowers are looking beautiful, and I love the photo of your little bird and your dog.

Carol said...

I have never heard of brown irises, Vickie--what fun! Your heart shaped garden is so pretty. We've been scaling our beds back in size, too--just too much work as we age.

The bird enjoying his bath is precious! I might have to put one of those in my garden now that we no longer have a cat who would attack the poor things :)

Enjoy your weekend!

Unknown said...

You are the only person I know Vickie to have a chocolate garden and I think it just perfect for you. It looks wonderful and I'm so sorry you can't leave it that size without it causing you major pain. I do hope its just as lovely smaller and becomes a lot more manageable for you. Looking forward to seeing what you are stitching for your Mom.

Lynn said...

Love those chocolate irises! My garden is in very sad shape and I'm not sure what I'll do with it this year. I'm no longer able to get down on my hands and knees because of arthritis so I'm hoping my son will clean out the weeds when he visits next week. Container gardening here I come, lol!
BTW, your bird bath is adorable!

Penny said...

Your garden is beautiful! Our pets do love to assist us sometimes. :) What a sweet picture of the bird. I love the teacup birdbath! I've never read anything by Rhys Bowen, but the book sounds interesting.

Anne said...

I love your irises! They are stunning!! Mabel is adorable! I love that picture of her! The little sparrow in the tea cup is the sweetest photo I have seen yet!!

Catherine said...

Lovely garden photos ~ and the idea of a heart shaped chocolate garden bed ~ love it!! Great shot of the bird too!

Meari said...

Your irises are beautiful. Love the photo of the birdie taking a bath :)