April 15, 2012--Transition Assistance

Right about now (I am writing this after the second night of frost), I’m guessing I’ve got a few of you out there shaking your fists in the general direction of downtown Clarksville saying, “I hope you’re happy, Paige!” 

My response, “Yup.”

I am happy.  I just needed a little reprieve from the high temperatures . . . I’ve had it and now I’m ready to move forward.  I do apologize to Stacy for the wasp sting (reference her column last week) I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, least of all my editor.

The cool weather allowed me to do a few things that would have otherwise been a little more difficult.  Number one was I was able to keep the plants alive. 

About two weeks ago we put some plants in the ground, along with our wine bottle garden (more on that later).  Darren was very concerned that, with my busy schedule, I wouldn’t have time for watering the new plants.  I did, I kept them alive for a whole week; the cool weather came and helped me out this past week.  I watered, but it wasn’t a life or death situation for them.

Number two, I was able to climb in the display windows at the shop and do some much needed updating.  Those windows are not climate controlled and they get pretty warm—especially on those sunny days, so I was already dreading the hours I would spend in there making the necessary changes. 

With the drop in temperature I was inspired to get started; to bring a lighter, springy look to my shop windows.  The natural thoughts with the season tend to lean toward pastels and lots of green, but I tossed around a few ideas, moved some stuff in-and-out of the window and settled on whites for now.  That way, when I want to do a patriotic theme for Memorial Day of Fourth of July, I can just spruce it up with the addition of some reds and blues.  I’ll likely add some aqua and a boating theme for the June—in honor of the anticipated opening of the marina.

Of course, all of this window movement started out of necessity.  I sold a large mantel which was an integral part of the display, so the whole display has to be moved to get the mantel out.  I replaced the mantel with another one—which I painted in tones of taupe and grey—then started adding the decorations for the mantel.  Thinking garden wedding theme, I went with whites and a table setting for a casual wedding buffet.   

I told you all of that, to tell you this—your inspiration can come from anywhere AND when it’s time to move or make a change, it doesn’t have to be complete.  Just add and subtract.  I left the table and several items we had been using in the window (the iron lantern, the trellis and lavender topiaries), but with the addition of white dishes and a “just married” banner we have instant wedding.  Don’t be daunted by your decorating projects—think to what’s ahead and plan accordingly.  With this change, I’ve prepped the window for displays to get us through the entire summer.

Thanks for taking a look.

April 1, 2012

April 1, 2012
Why is everyone so pleased about this early spring?  I’ll tell you why—it’s because they haven’t thought beyond to the mosquitoes that are coming.  I admit it, when it comes to summer . . . my glass is half empty.  I’m already looking for methods to do battle; building my war arsenal.  Perhaps you don’t have a difficult time with those little guys, but they are ferocious around our place.  Darren’s birthday was yesterday and honestly considered giving him a fogger.
We have been working in the yard a little.  Generally, that means I buy the stuff and Darren does everything else, but I did manage to pull a wheelbarrow load of weeds and trim back the dead stuff I missed last fall.  Oh, and I filled a couple of the planters on the front porch.  Darren has already saluted them and told them he appreciates their impeding sacrifice.  Funny guy.

 (Not much to see right now--I left my asters and pansies, but added the lavender.  The pot of wave petunias are new, too.)

We've enjoyed a meal or two on the patio, but we haven’t had a large group yet.  We need to do a couple of clean-up activities around the party patio.  I hope to add some new shade plants this year—a real challenge for me.  My parents and aunt are great with shade plants, as is my sister, Nikki—in Virginia.  I think it’s because they are in older homes with established trees and, out of necessity they learned to cultivate flourishing shade gardens.  While we’re in an older home, we still have a lot of sun in our yard; the patio area being the exception.  
While visiting with a client/friend, Debbie Underwood, last week, we took a brief walk around her backyard patio garden.  While she apologized for the things she hadn’t done, I marveled at the lovely relaxed feel I got while wandering the path.  She had all the elements I loved—pavers and bricks with moss growing in between, iron patio furniture and a sturdy pergola to support a large wisteria vine on the verge of exploding—just to name a few.  After seeing her Lily of the Valley which was popping up, I made a beeline for the garden center to purchase some for our garden.  She offered to share some her prolific old fashioned Columbine, which has an eye-popping shade of orange and I’ve already decided to where to add it to our garden.  
Their garden embraces the back of their home—it appears to be an extension of their home.  I love that!  Our patio requires a bit of a stroll, but geography dictated its location.

(The walk way to the patio.)

  Our patio allows for a seasonal view of the river (in the winter) and plenty of shade when most needed.  The western side still gets a fair amount of sun, so we have daylilies lining the sloping edge.  The rest sits comfortably in the shade of several hackberry trees, a struggling red bud and my beloved, but detested mulberry.  Such a lovely canopy, but incredibly messy tree!

(The offending tree.  With this view--I'm noticing quite a few dead limbs--with makes me irrationally sad . . .) 

It is finally leafing-out (usually the last one to get leaves in our yard)—shortly, it will be dropping its berries, which will attract more flies than the house at 112 Ocean Ave, Amityville, NY!  The berries will stain the chairs, feet and carpets (when tracked into the house on the bottom of shoes).  It will then start dropping its huge yellow leaves as early as August.  Did I mention the lovely canopy? 

April 8, 2012

Happy Easter!

I hope this finds you looking forward to a wonderful day filled with family and friends.  Perhaps you’ve already been to the Easter service at church and the kids have already founds all of the Easter eggs or, perhaps, you have those events yet to transpire.  Whatever the case, here’s my hope for you . . . that the eggs you dyed last week were the ones you hard boiled and not the raw eggs.  Further, if you did happen to dye the raw eggs, I hope the Easter Bunny didn’t hide one of them in your shoe—where it subsequently broke.  (Not an imagined scenario and still elicits fits of giggles around the King Kompound.)

This year, as I am protesting the ridiculously early arrival of spring, I’ve done very little to decorate for spring.  I pulled out a few bunnies (mainly because they never made it up to storage last year and were easily accessible in places like my china cabinet—where I shoved them when I started pulling out the Santas).  I’ve told you, I prefer the decorations of fall and winter, but I do love my rabbits!  My favorite is the large rabbit planter, which holds a Christmas cactus (just now noticing the irony) year round.  My Dad was particularly fond of it, too, which makes it extra special to me.

I’ve made a few other changes, such as switching the brown transferware teacups on my display stand, with my floral teacups from my Grandmother’s collection.  I’ve also planted a few spring flowers in the pots on the front porch, but I’ve yet to put out my spring wreath.  Actually, I think I disassembled it last year; I’ve had it hanging for years and the flowers were fading or blowing off in the wind.

(This is actually a tree stand--I've balance a plate with 

a large candle on the bunnies' heads.)

(I almost always prefer concrete or outdoor statuary to 

ceramic, wood or other styles of animal replicas.)

I guess that means I’ll be assembling a new wreath for the front of the house.  When choosing supplies and colors for my arrangements, I try to find the most natural looking flowers and greenery—nothing sets my teeth on edge like blue roses or any other not-occurring-in-nature combination of color and flower.  I also look for quality construction in my faux flowers—considering how much effort I put into these things, I want them to last.  I’ve found that I prefer the asymmetrical style for wreaths, where most of the wreath form is exposed (I almost always use grapevine forms), with just a touch of color adorning one-third of the wreath. This style is also a cost saving measure—it is much less expensive than decorating a full wreath.  It allows me to hang a large wreath, appropriate for the space, without breaking the bank.

I’d be happy to discuss ideas with you or you can research ideas and tutorials online.

(Side note:  I haven't settled on a wreath design, but will post a picture as soon as I do.)