Update on the Orchids

 The little orchid is doing great - two more buds coming behind these.

I can't wait until this rescued orchid reblooms. If I remember correctly the flowers are pink. We'll have to wait and see.

the yellow line is your friend!

     Well... we survived, and so did the car! My daughter's first day driving a real car on a real road, not just a big parking lot. She did a great job. I have no whip lash, and she was smiling and laughing when we finished, so I guess it was a success. We drove to a small town out in the country and back - only six cars had to pass us, and we were never really close to the ditch. i think she's going to be a great driver.

Now, parking... that's going to be a whole 'nuther thing.

It's been a long road...

     My wife often calls me when she is coming home from the store so I can help her bring things up. One night she called and said, "come down in a minute I have something for you." I went out to help her bring in the groceries. She said, "This was just sitting at the grocery store, it was so pitiful, I just couldn't leave it there. I knew you could take care of it" Well, of course I figured it was an abandoned kitten. Oh, great!

     She reached into the the back of her car and brought out the saddest orchid I had ever seen. We held it in our hands like it a fragile treasure. It was totally wilted, the leaves were tan/green like some kind of camoflauge color. Half the roots were rotten, the other half were shriveled up and dry. It was floating in dirty water. Pitiful really doesn't do it justice. It was bad... very bad.

     I had read that orchids like dry feet. I poured out all the water and let the poor soul drain and gasp for air for a while in the sink. I put it on the shelf with the other orchids, and left it there. After a couple of weeks of good light and air, life began to come back into the roots and the leaves. It's been a long road, but ... I think she's back. Bless her heart!

     All this reminds me of Jack. He was a rescue too. We only buy the Sunday paper, but one day my wife said she felt lead to get a paper - it was a Tuesday - What in the world? She was scanning the ads and spotted an ad for a rescued standard poodle - cheap. Yeah right. Cheap? What's wrong with it? Three legs? One ear? We talked and talked about it for several days - she couldn't get it off her mind. We were too chicken to call the number - knowing we would feel sorry for whatever we found on the other end of the line. We had a friend call. It seemed legitimate. We drove 40 miles and met in the parking lot of the McDonalds in the town this lady lived near.

    It was just like that orchid - when she opened the door of the car to show us that dog it was the saddest thing you can imagine seeing. He was wet from a bath, shaking and bleeding from a bad fast clipping, all stained with red mud. He was a full grown dog - but he weighed about 50 pounds. pit - i - ful.

     Well, of course we had to have him. He never barked, we thought his vocal cords had been cut. He ate laying down with his head in the bowl - he had been kept in a bathroom his whole short life. He still has a fear of coat hangers, we try not to hang clothes in the closet when he see us. He hates men with beards wearing hats. I think I can piece together what he may have gone through.

     You can see that he is now a full figured 90+ pounds - healthy, and happy. He screams and hollers at every cat, jogger, or tourist that has the nerve to walk past the front door, night or day. It's been a long road, but ... I think he's back. Jack. Bless his heart!

Three Snow Days ... and a lot of baking

Here in Abbeville we just don't get much snow. We had the Christmas Day snow, and now we have missed three days of school this week. Everybody is happy now, but they won't be so happy this Spring Break when they have to make all these days back up. It has been really beautiful. It is cold and this stuff refreezes really fast at night.

My carbs get low on snow days... i have to bake and keep my levels up, napping helps too. Homemade bisquits, pancakes, i'm considering dumplings, i think i have a problem.  

I got my Wayside Garden catalog - i am trying to not look at it, i have cabin fever really bad, and ordering massive amounts of perennials might help bring me out of it. Right?

This is the side yard in the front. It looks cold in those beds. I always cut my border grass on MLK day. I don't think I'll be cutting any of that grass on Monday. Below is a photo of the orchids in the kitchen. The window gets early morning bright light - then indirect light the rest of the day. I am so proud of these ladies reblooming! Last year the blooms lasted almost three months - it was amazing. 

Thanks for stopping by - have a great week.

Christmas at Pinewood Cottage

Here's a look at the house all decorated up for the Christmas season. We really enjoy putting out the garland, the bows, and the lights. We can actually do all this in about three hours. It only took 15 years to figure out the secrets... zip ties and cup hooks.

The front door gets thick, heavy garland and loads of lights. Through the door you can see all the way into the back of the central hall. The Pencil Tree is positioned to center in this door. 

Here's the Pencil Tree all decked out. Our ceilings are 11 1/2 feet tall so I guess the tree is 10 feet tall. This tree is usually all decked in silver and red balls and goes in the living room but this year it gets center stage.

Underneath the Pencil tree i fixed my childhood train set and the pieces we have in Snow Village. We seem to have alot more accessory pieces than houses. I really need to focus on getting these as gifts more often.

I love to sit and watch the train go round and round. It is strange having a toy from your childhood. It makes me think of my Daddy and brother who both died the same year ... 2001. I think if I collect enough houses to create a great village what joy it could bring grandchildren someday. I'm planning WAY ahead i guess. My children are 14 and 11, I think I still have time to collect.

Have a great holiday season.

I wish you all the warmest, Christmas cheer.

The Ginko Tree

Coming home I saw "The Ginko Tree" was in it's full glory. I never seem to be quick enough to get a photo. This time I was determined. The tree is on North Main Street and only stays in color for about 2 days - then every leaf will drop off all at once. We always say "let's remember to get a picture", this year we got it!

The Only Thing Growing

It is mid-November, the temps are moderate - 30 at night rising to 65 or 70 each afternoon. Not much is growing now. The rye grass likes it. The only thing really growing in the garden right now are the Knock Out Roses.

This one is a shade of red. There are two soft pink Knock Outs that are still settling in this year. They are not wasting energy blooming. The flower beds have been cleaned out, pruned back, and put to bed for Winter.

Jack and I sat on the Porch all Sunday afternoon soaking in the warm sunshine. It feels so good. I think about it all week long - it me gets through. 

Here's the front door. My wife enjoys decorating it each season, and people always comment on the door. We find it funny. Under all those leaves there is a grapevine wreath that we made twenty years ago wrapping the vines around an old wash tub that her grandmother had hanging around on the back wall under the steps.

It is funny how long we have used that one afternoon's worth of work, and how many times that wreath has been reinvented. The screen door sags and has some cracks - i guess if i was 130 i would sag and been cracked too.

Here's the house today - i don't know why the camera thinks it's Halloween. The leaves are still on the trees and the light is still good, Winter has not come here  yet. The annual rye grass is waiting for rain.

On a personal note - we won Property of the Month. We live in a small town and they reward follks who take the time to try and improve their surroundings. We received a nice little certificate and letter from the mayor - I don't garden for this reason... but it is nice to have your efforts acknowledged.

Have a great week guys.

Garden Magic

Air Layering is ... garden magic.

Mid - Spring, wounded and bandaged...

By Late - Fall, fifteen Pink Perfection Camellias, three Japanese Maples, one red Camellia from a neighbors yard. I have lots of patience - I'll see who is still alive in the Spring.

Garden Magic

This is the garden's magic,

That through the sunny hours

The gardener who tends it,

Himself outgrows his flowers.

 

He grows by gift of patience,

Since he who sows must know

That only in the Lord's good time

Does any seedling grow.

He learns from buds unfolding,

From each tight leaf unfurled,

That his own heart, expanding,

Is one with all the world.

 

He bares his head to sunshine,

His bending back a sign

Of grace, and ev'ry shower becomes

His sacramental wine.

 

And when at last his labors

Bring forth the very stuff

And substance of all beauty

This is reward enough.

MARIE NETTLETON CARROLL

Update on the Rye Grass / Sons-Before-The-Fathers

This is where we were last weekend...

but after a week of daily watering and lots of late Summer SC Sunshine here's where we are now.

The trees suck all the moisture out of the ground and the soil is so acid that i cannot grow warm season grass but this annual rye seems to love it and helps the soil - so yeah!

The Sons-Before-The-Fathers

 I also wanted to show you the Fall blooms on the Sons-Before-The-Fathers plant that was the mystery plant earlier this year. Don't be fooled, the foliage you see is some sad old variagated lirope border grass. The flowers have no foliage.

This is the plant that has leaves in the Spring dies back,

 then in the Fall these crocus like flowers appear apparently with no leaves. It is an interesting plant. Not native to the South as I understand but it is common in Maine - where the lady who lived in the house from 1901 - 1946 was from -

so who knows we may have an heirloom pass along.

Have a great weekend!

Aerating the lawns

   The front yard here had ivy covering every inch of it for decades - ivy is evil. It sucks all the life and energy from the soil. One inch under the grass the soil has the consistency of dry cake mix - powdery and dead. I have spent years adding compost and topsoil trying to bring life back to the yard. In the back yard the riding mower, bicycles, scooters all compact and harden the ground.

   I decided it was time to aerate. I rented a pull behind aerator from the local rental center. I was happily surprised to find that it was only $29.00 for a one day rental. From Friday afternoon when school let out until 4 p.m. on Saturday it was mine!

   Round and round, figure eights, wandering wavy lines - i tilled the front yard for at least an hour. I then went to the back yard where i let my eleven year old son help me since the areas are not as tight as they are in the front yard. He was happy to drive around with a "new toy" - and i needed a break from that riding mower seat. Now we are just waiting on some Fall rain to come and renew our yards, and our spirits.

Update on the lawn....

I decided to go ahead and seed the front yard with annual rye seed. i watered it every afternoon - but i could see nothing changing. Yesterday was cloudy all day, then last night we had a really good thunder shower, lots of good soaking rain. This morning I got up and saw the flush of green starting! i can't grow grass under those trees during the Summer but we can have a lush green lawn for the cooler Fall and Winter months. If it's cool I can get it last until May. Can you see the lush green of the grass coming?