Tag Archives: container garden

Still Hoping for a Garden!

Can I manage a Throwback Thursday post, that is the question.  I know, you thought it was to be or not to be (you know who you are).  I guess the main question is, can I make a blog post?

Wow, look at how tame they are!

Here is a nice picture from June of 2017. My front yard does not look like this now!  The daisies have taken over the place, although the peonies are still there.

More daisies!

This is my daisies in 2024.  I just can’t make myself get rid of them; they are so cheerful.

When did I ever have THESE?

This picture is from May 2018, but I do not remember having four orange tulips.  How pretty are they!  This year I had one yellow tulip, which I was very grateful for but did not get a picture of.

So pretty!

And here is perhaps the last time I had a container garden on my deck.  I thought I might go somewhere to purchase flowers and herbs for this year but did not manage to.  I did not even manage to sweep the helicopters off my deck and get it ready for containers.  Oh well, there is always tomorrow.  We’ll see what I can do.  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

Will My Garden Grow?

Hello and welcome to another Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, the day when I use up some of the pictures I impulsively take as I go about my business.  Full disclosure:  I have not felt well all day, sorry for whining about it, but if this post is not up to par, so to speak, that is my excuse.  I know, what is my excuse the rest of the days? Never mind that, on with the post.

Isn’t that lovely?

I had to pause during one of my walks to take a picture of this flower.  I think it is some kind of lily, but I don’t know from plants.  My own garden, container and regular, has not progressed as planned this year.  However, it is only June.  I might still come up with something, maybe even something this pretty.

Now there’s something to aspire to!

This was outside the post office; I took the picture yesterday afternoon after I had mailed a letter to a sister-in-law and a bill.  It makes me feel bad for not doing my container garden yet.

Who could resist a turtle?

This was on Main Street in Herkimer.  Isn’t he cute?  I have a few frogs I could put out, again, if I manage to get my garden together.

Now I have inspired myself.  I can’t do much about my garden tonight, because I have a Town Hall meeting to cover, and my stomach is quite upset (I hope the meeting does not get too dramatic and really upset my tummy).  But tomorrow, I do not have anything on my schedule.  I can finish cleaning my deck!  I can visit a couple of greenhouses!  It will make a great blog post!

 

Lawnmowers and Lame Hopes

One of the quintessential sounds of summer is the sound of a lawnmower.  Personally I could live without it.  It is too loud for me.  That is my random observation for the morning.  I am sitting at my sister Diane’s house, listening to a neighbor being ambitious (mowing the lawn prior to 9 a.m.?  Isn’t there some rule of etiquette about that?), and trying to make a Lame Post Friday blog post.  Quite frankly, I don’t got much, except for a little bit of a headache.

Could it be a preview of coming attractions?

I throw in a picture to pep things up.  This is from May 2017, a “before” shot of my container garden, which I used to have in those days.  I am hoping to have a container garden this year, but this is not the weekend it will happen.  This weekend is about cleaning the inside of my house.  I hope.

This may also be a coming attraction.

Here is a picture from May 2021 at Diane’s house.  It shows me, Diane, our mother, and our sister Vicki.  I am wearing a tie-dye shirt and pearls again today, but different shirt and pearls (my late, beloved husband Steven and I between us wore out that shirt, and I have many pearls) (although I do not clutch them) (but I digress).

Diane and I will be returning to Herkimer this morning, where she will help me in my quest to get rid of things and clean my house.  I am afraid, however, I may be distracted with taking her to some of my favorite places to go for Mohawk Valley Adventures.  I will rationalize such behavior on the grounds that it will make for better blog posts.

 

Sometimes Lame Will Do

It is early(ish) Saturday morning and I thought I would attempt a Late Lame Post Friday post.  For one reason, I really got nothin’ except perhaps for some half-baked philosophy and random observations plus a couple of pictures from my Media Library to pep things up.  I confess it cheers me up to make a blog post in the morning.  Something about putting words together makes me happy.  I must do it more often and wonder at myself that I do not.  I know, many people wonder about me (you know who you are).  I feel it is part of my charm, but perhaps I flatter myself.

Both missed, but at least I can talk to one.

Here is one of them there pictures to pep things up.  It is my late, dearly missed husband Steve and my friend Kim, who moved to Colorado, at the Waterfront Grille in Herkimer NY.  I have not been there in a while.  It is a bit of a walk for me, although I surely need the exercise (I will call you Shirley if I decide to).  Today it is raining, so I am unlikely to make the journey.

Since I brought up Steve, I will give a brief grief update (didn’t mean to rhyme) (honest).  I slowly find my way to being alone.  I will never be done missing him.  I will always be sad at times.  However, I try not to dwell on it or feel ill-used.  I guess I don’t have much to say about it.  Oh well, it was to be a brief update.  Back to being Lame.

It will look somewhat different this year.

I add this picture to encourage myself.  I said I would have a container garden this year.  I am struggling to get my house in better shape, and I must soon move outdoors, where there is a LOT to do!  In fact, I should get off the computer and get to work.  Well, maybe one more picture.

I haven’t worn those socks in a while.

This is another picture to encourage me:  the thought of relaxing after a job well done.  My relaxing feet on the front porch or back deck may have been more appropriate after the container garden picture, but this one was handy.  Full disclosure:  I spend a lot of time with my feet up, job well done or not.  I’m old and my feet hurt!  Never mind.  I have managed over 400 words worth of a blog post and that is not bad, however lame the post may be.  Will I have a productive Saturday?  Will I relax after a job well done?  For the answer to these and other burning questions (or do I once again flatter myself?) stay tuned to Mohawk Valley Girl!

 

Best Lame Plans for Blogs and Gardens

So I did Wednesday’s post on Thursday then neglected to make Thursday’s post on Thursday or Friday, and here I am Saturday morning thinking I might just make a Lame Post Friday post.  Full disclosure:  I am feeling a bit lightheaded (cue jokes about how I am always somewhat dizzy).  This could be from the last remnants of my cold or it could be from the decongestant I took earlier (it was the kind with the D on the box, that you have to ask the pharmacist for) or it could be a kind of a migraine.  My head does not lack variety, I’ll say that for it.

What my head feels like sometimes.

I throw in a picture to pep up the post.  I do not remember where I saw this skull, but I like it.  Studying the picture, it appears to be on my stairs.  Is this skull somewhere in my house?  Maybe if I continue my efforts at cleaning, I will find it.  Just a little motivation to brighten up my day.

THIS is what I need!

I go a different way with my next picture, showing the rhododendron in my back yard one of the years it was especially beautiful.  I am SO looking forward to spring and hoping to plant many more flowers in my yard.  And maybe a few vegetables.  There are some flowers that may show up again on their own:  the above pictured rhododendron and forget-me-nots, some black- and brown-eyed susans, a few daisies…

From a more ambitious year.

I also hope to have a container garden on my deck.  Flowers, herbs, definitely some basil!  Then I’ll have some people over and we’ll sit amongst the plants and have some iced tea or wine or something.  Won’t that be nice?

 

Late, Lame, at Least It’s a Post!

I guess I had a couple more blogger’s sick days in which I did not even have the wherewithal to post a few whiny words about how I couldn’t make a blog post.  Ooh, here’s a Freudian typo:  I first put “shiny words.”  I guess I want to feel that my talent as a writer always shines through.  It is my one talent, after all.  Or do I flatter myself?  Never mind, on with my Lame Post Friday post, made early-ish Saturday morning.

That magic elixir, coffee.

I am on my second cup of coffee.  I am enjoying it quite a bit.  I went without if for two days, substituting tea for my morning cuppa (I believe I mentioned it the last time I made a blog post).  I love tea, but coffee is what gets me going in the morning.  Not that I am actually going right now, but I am blogging, so we’ll call that a win, however lame this post may turn out to be (I am thinking very, but I am also my worst critic) (that earlier line about my writing talent notwithstanding).

Only a dream?

It took me a long time to find a second picture to liven up the post.  This is from 2017, a really good year for my container garden.  I was determined to have one this year, but, alas, not determined enough.  Perhaps I can get out and at least do a few things in the yard this morning.  Unfortunately, it is supposed to rain (my bunions and the weather forecast said so).  I think I even heard a few drops earlier.  I suppose I could do a certain amount in the rain, then take a very soapy shower, hoping not to track too much mud between the door and the bathroom.  It might be a good idea to eat breakfast first.

 

These plants don’t seem to have any problem growing.

I wanted to add one more picture.  Regular readers may remember that this was meant to serve as inspiration for the murder mystery I must finish.  That will be a good thing to work on if it pours rain later.  Such plans!  Such ambition!  Will I accomplish anything?  The uncertainty will add interest to my Saturday.

 

Lawn Order? Not So Much

Yesterday I mentioned how I did not work on my lawn, in consideration of my aching back.  Today once again my back gave me grief, but I chose to ignore it.  I thought, I’m old and overweight:  I’m going to have back pain.  I might just as well get what I can done.  With great effort, I got the garage door open.  Despite great effort, I could not get the power mower going.  I hauled out the  non-power mower and had at it.

My overgrown lawn from a different year.

Off I went, up and down the yard, pushing, pushing, getting caught in sticks, throwing said sticks aside, throwing other sticks aside before I got stuck on them.  I soon found I could see a difference between where I had mowed and where I had not, so that encouraged me.  I did the back then the front.  Then I grabbed a set of clippers and tried to chop down a few tall monstrosities that had popped up out front.  I think I got most of them, throwing their corpses into one of the plastic trash cans I keep for such a purpose.  I went out back for more chopping but had pretty much run out of steam by then.

My ambition for the future.

This is my container garden from another year. You can see the lawn not overgrown in the background.  I have a long way to go to get such a backyard oasis for this summer.  Will I manage it?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my spring.

 

The Blog Will Go On

Oh dear, will I have another week of late posts?  They say better late than never (one Saturday I said, “Better Lame Than Never,” and thought I was pretty clever) (but perhaps I flattered myself).  If only I was not too brain dead to make a decent blog post, and that is becoming a chronic condition.  Could it be my age?  SAY IT AIN’T SO !!!  But I must not obsess over that.  I talked about being old yesterday; if I keep doing it, it will become, you should pardon the expression, old (although we did establish yesterday that old people repeat themselves).

She is awesome, yes!

One reason I have been feeling extra down lately is that my bestie, Kim, is moving across the country to Colorado.  It may be a very good move for her, but who will I go on Mohawk Valley adventures with?  I know, I have gone on many by myself, and some with my family.  The blog will survive.  So will I, I am sure, but sometimes you have to allow yourself space to say, and feel, that this is a real bummer.

I do love flowers.

I thought I would put in a more cheerful picture, to end today’s post on an optimistic note.  I am determined to have a container garden on my deck this year.  Perhaps before Kim leaves town she will have time to wander around The Flower Barn in Ilion, NY with me, choosing blooms and herbs (sticking in a shout-out to a local business).

I see I am over 250 words.  I am going to bill this as a Tired Tuesday and drive on.  I hope today will not turn out to be a Wuss-out Wednesday.

 

How Will My Garden Grow?

I thought I would try for an on-time Thursday blog post with another Throwback Thursday.  I am a little afraid I re-use the same throwback pictures again and again.  Of course I am too lazy to go back and check which pictures I may have used recently.  I shall trust to my sometimes reliable memory.

Pretty!

I went back to May of 2017 and found this “before” shot of plants I had purchased for the container garden on my deck.  It has been years since I have had a container garden, but I hope to have one this year.

I always hope they’ll fill in a little as the summer progresses.

Here is one of the pots from that same year.  I always enjoy putting the different flowers together.  I do not always have “the thrill, the fill, and the spill” that the gardening articles advise for an ideal container, but some of my containers are not very big.

At least two of these pots are now in pieces.

I also make use of different levels.  I don’t know what shape those tree sections are in.  They may be rotted by now.

I must get a pedicure soon.

And here is a picture of what I would like to be doing, eventually.  Lounging on my deck, glass of wine nearby, enjoying an evening with my container garden.  So I have pursued two purposes tonight:  I made a Throwback Thursday blog post, and I encouraged myself to get my act together at least to the extent of having another container garden.  May this turn out to be a Preview of Coming Attractions!

 

Remembering Ambition Past

Ambition is overrated.  Or is that sour grapes on my part, because I have none?  Last Sunday I was semi-ambitious.  Perhaps I could write a little about that in lieu of my usual Wrist to Forehead Sunday Post.

I actually did not mean to leave my water bottle in the shot.

I drove to Ilion Marina and took a walk along the Erie Canalway Trail.  It was a very pleasant interlude.  I petted a dog and found a four leaf clover.

It looks peaceful.

I did not sit on this bench but do not rule out doing so on some future date.

I didn’t park in the driveway!

After leaving the Marina, I drove down Route 5 to And Stuff of That Nature,  a farm stand I have been following on Facebook but had not yet visited.  I looked at all their stuff and purchased some basil for my hoped-for container garden (preview of coming attractions).

Pretty!

I may go back for some flowers.  They also carry honey and eggs.

The reason for my ambition was that I wanted something to write about for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  I wrote and submitted the articles. I hope they like at least one of them!

I hope to muster a little more ambition for more Mohawk Valley Adventures.  For one reason, it makes for better blog posts.  Or do I flatter myself?