Garden Got Up and Went

Contrary to my blog title, the fabric planter did not move itself, I moved it. When I began the garden I was unsure where I wanted to place the planters. One of them was receiving too much shade, so I pulled out one tomato plant and replanted two of them. I removed most of the dirt from the planter, pulled it over to the new location, and then refilled it. Three new varieties of tomato have now joined the garden: Parks Whopper (Improved), Heatmaster, and Red Beefstake. 

The hog wire fencing is wonky on the newly-moved planter. There is a doe I have named Betsy that likes to bed down in the other corner of the yard. She also likes to munch through any available greenery. 

Now it is a waiting game. The peppers and watermelon have flowered. This summer heat will push the tomatos into production. It was worth the push to get this garden to where it is today. This was what it looked like a few months ago. 

We are still clearing brush, small stuff in the twice monthly pickup, and large stuff hauled to the recycle center. 

Tucker sums it up - lazy days of summer.  

Slice of Garden Paradise

No Tuesday with Mila as per doctor's orders for no lifting. Swung by one of my fav Goodwills in Rancho Cordova, California, and bought a $7.99 bag of toys for Tuesday when I am called back into action as one of the Grandma Brigade. 

The Hape harmonica was worth the price of the bag. I also gained a triangle, a hedgehog accordian, a MLP figurine, and a pink metal lunchbox. The rest I thrifted back to the Great Thrift Shop Beyond. 

My slice of garden paradise is finally coming together. Rather than install permanent fence posts, I utilized the chain link fencing sections we had on site like temporary fencing. The connecting hardware cost less than $30. Landscape fabric was placed at the bottom of the galvanized steel garden planter. Bags of raised bed soil were bought at a big box retailer. Straw around the garden bed aids in weed control. 

Tucker models the before and after. It was his first encounter with the spreading the straw event. 

At least 4 more bags of soil are needed. There are already six bags of soil in the planter. 

Painted metal gecko hides a tear in the chain link fencing. The remainder of the straw will be spread around the fabric planters (not shown). I have the hardware and will need help installing the garden gate. 

Approximate cost turning the area from weeds to garden. Anything not listed we had on site already. 

2 fabric planters 16 bags of soil for each
Hardware for fencing $30
Galvanized steel planter $130 6 bags of soil (so far needs more)
Straw bale

The majority of the hard work is done for this planting area. Now, I can move some peppers and smaller plants around.🪴

Forever Flowers and the Mushroom Trip

Mother's Day present to myself was the metal flower hangers in the different colors hanging on the garden fence. Metal flower solar stake on the far left is also a new addition with another yellow one on the way. 

The corner of the property is finally cleared of all of the weeds and accumulation of leaf debris. I've got a few of the fence sections laid out. Special mix concrete for fence posts has been purchased. Before image from a couple of months ago. Three burn pile sessions were completed. All of the embedded grasses were dug out by the root. 

Got off my keister and made an appointment for apply for a passport. The last time I was out of the country was traveling to Europe in 1977. Looking at trips - this year's Tuscany Wine Tour is already sold out and they are booking for the Fall of 2027! Maybe I could pop onto some vacation package with short notice and deeply discounted. 

Bought a senior pass to the local lake. Looking to spend a summer morning at the lake with the grandbaby. Waiting to at least the end of June when baby sees the pediatrician to get the A-OK to take her. The pass also includes the use of the community lap pool, with reserved lanes and times. 

When you do as much dancing as I do (3-4 days a week), you have to have the right shoes. I traveled to Boot Barn and purchased some glorious Ariat "shorty" summer cowboy boots. These I can wear with a long or short skirt. Love them!💙

I have to keep a closer eye on Tucker, our Corgi. Seems he got into mushrooms🍄in the backyard. Took a trip and never left the ranch. His little legs got all wobbly. He was a potato in paradise. $500 later at the vet antiobiotics were prescribed just in case. 

Tuesdays with Mila include the newest batch of baby toys purchased at thrift. (All have been sanitized). The fish winds up and wobbles, frog has all kinds of attachments, most intriguing is the tube toy with moving beads. The bumble bee and butterfly are suctioned spinners. Fun!😁

Tunes with Tami and the Tuck Tuck

I found my holy grail of the baby percussive instrument for Tunes with Tami on Tuesdays with Mila. A Melissa & Doug toy with cutesy faces painted on each color. 

When I brought my bag of Grandma goodies, I had Mila on my lap and the bag on the side of my chair. Last week, Mila kept leaning over wondering what new item was going to come out of the bag (bubbles, books, and baby instrument toys). 

There is a Corgi our lives. Tucker or Tuck Tuck as I like to call him. 

I could not pass up this book, The Great Corgiville Kidnapping. Another Goodwill purchase for the kid library.

This pretty piece was found at Re:Visions, a thrift store benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern California. The artwork is priced in the affordable range so this $50 oil on canvas has joined my room dedicated to artwork. 

This also replaces a piece I missed out on a few years ago. There was an oil on canvas of grape hyacinth, similar to my new piece but much bigger. The up country thrift had it priced at $150. I drove up to half-off day to get that painting. When I inquired, I was told that painting was not on half price sale. I didn't buy it. One of those passed-it-by regrets but this picture more than makes up for it. 

I complained about readjusting my life, but now I am busy each night of the week. I couldn't be happier. I am a Girl on the Go!👵Country line dancing tomorrow night.🤠

Going to Disneyland

Found a couple of cute things at thrift. This hat being one of them. Tucker, the Corgi in my life, models the newest Bio-Domes Headgear knit hat now destined for the trip. He is not too sure about his new modeling career. I am going to pull out all of the cosplay stops allowed for a Golden Girl. 

Rain has hit Northern California and has forced me inside. I have been making headway clearing the land of thistle and blackberry vines. It is not without punishment from those plants, they inflict lots of scratches and tiny wounds. 

It doesn't hurt to put my feet up and stream a few movies while I am watching the grandbaby. I tend to push myself hard and suffer the injuries later. I can say there is a BIG difference between caring for infant when you are 67 and when you are 27. Mila now weighs 12 pounds. Building up my body building arms by lifting her out of the baby swing, up from the floor, and out of the baby seat. I will have 2 days recovery during the week of arm days with Mila. Entering the new phase of the grandbaby workout. 

Heading to Anaheim! I am beyond excited. I have wanted to take a trip where there is lots of activity and lots of people. There are concerts on Friday and Saturday night of the Final Fantasy convention. I've booked the breakfasts for each day and sit-down lunches on Friday and Saturday. After watching a few YouTube videos on navigating Disneyland 70, I learned ordering food from an app saves huge chunks of time. 

I discovered a trick for wearing uncomfortable lever-back earrings. I loved these diamond pave hoops but the lever-back annoyed me. I placed a cheapo earring back between the back of my ear and the lever and now I can wear them!  

Beginnings of a fairy garden with frog figurines and solar mushroom stakes. Decorative rock, preferably in blue/purple, are on my thrift shop wish list. I am working around two large tree stumps. All of the rose bushes have been wrapped in wire. There was an initial deer munching that caught us by surprise. 

In the foreground are glass watering globes, green blown glass and glass mushroom stakes. Looking to add anything frog, fairy, mushroom, or magical to the garden.