Since winter seems to be dragging on just a little too long, my mom Peggy decided a trip to the Meijer's floral department was in order! This certainly added cheer to my day since nothing is blooming yet in the garden
Category: General
Enough of February 2015
February is finally done and it was quite a month for much of the country. It finished here in Chicago as tied with 1875 for the coldest February ever, with an average temperature of 14.6°F, and the third snowiest with just under 27 inches. I hope March will not be anywhere near as record breaking. I … Continue reading Enough of February 2015
Superbowl Snowstorm
Much of the country has been having their share of big winter snowstorms and we here in Chicago got ours this past weekend. The snow started Saturday late afternoon, and didn't end until the lake effect finale finally moved on around 6 am Monday morning. All total, this end up the as the 5th biggest … Continue reading Superbowl Snowstorm
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year and best wishes for 2015! As many of you have noticed, I had to take a little break this fall. Sometimes, life just gets busy and something needs to give. I've been taking lots of pictures and notes, so I'm looking forward to catching up over the next few weeks. In the … Continue reading Happy New Year!
Visiting the Pumpkin Patch 2014
A couple of weeks ago, it was time to visit the Glass Pumpkin Patch at the Morton Arboretum again. This has become one of my favorite fall things to do. The weather wasn't great, but at least on the day I went it wasn't raining. I also had the chance to make my own glass … Continue reading Visiting the Pumpkin Patch 2014
Seniors, School Boards and Sunflowers
Well that title certainly should catch your attention. What could they possibly have to do with one another? Nothing much except the first two has been needing my attention a lot lately, keeping me out of the garden. The "seniors" refer to my twin boys who are seniors in high school this year. With that … Continue reading Seniors, School Boards and Sunflowers
Painted Rocks as Plant Labels–In the Garden
Last fall, I had great fun painting rocks to use as plant labels (Painting Rock Garden Markers). They look great in the garden and add a bright splash of color! But, now that I know what I've actually planted, I need to get my paints out and make some more to complete the set. … Continue reading Painted Rocks as Plant Labels–In the Garden
Gardening: All in the Family
For as long as I can remember my mom had vegetable and flower gardens, sometimes big, sometimes small. So did my grandparents. All this interest in growing things rubbed off on me and hopefully I'll pass it on to my kids. With that in mind, I had my mom and daughter take us on a tour … Continue reading Gardening: All in the Family
A View of the June Garden-Front yard
Yesterday, the backyard, now on to the front yard... This is the area of biggest change. In preparation for new construction, all the trees next door were taken down in early April. We knew this was likely at some point (see Problem Areas) and had tried to plan ahead. This garden contains arborvitae, annabelle hydrangeas, hostas and … Continue reading A View of the June Garden-Front yard
A View of the June Garden-Backyard
I took a tour of my yard today to see how everything was looking. Other than a little late, most things were looking quite healthy. It seems I'm often focussed on the "little picture", so it was nice to just step back and look at the "big picture". Starting in the back... Hostas, sedum, peonies, … Continue reading A View of the June Garden-Backyard