Snips, Snails and Jerry-Rigging

 I pride myself on my ability to jerry-rig. I am always coming up with ideas but ideas that I might not always have the budget to do correctly with the help of professionals but, that has never stopped me! I seriously think it started oh so many years ago when I just had to have a kitchen renovation! I asked my hubby what he thought of the idea and his answer was just what it always was-usually tongue in cheek a bit but a little serious as well..."you can do anything you want just as long as it doesn't cost me a fortune!". And so I did...and it turned out way better than I ever imagined...and I did a lot of jerry-rigging...and a master jerry-rigger was born.

Since that day, I have tackled many projects without benefit of professional help-way more things have gotten accomplished than ever would have if I sat back and waited until I could really afford to do one of my hair-brained ideas and that is how I have pretty much faced life ever since. I am definitely going to try anything by myself before calling in reinforcements. Now, I have learned that there are some things better left to others-especially if expensive, specialty tools might be called for but, other than that, all things are fair game. Lol 

I had set aside this weekend to try to get the majority of my outside to-do things done. And boy did I ever deliver! I think except for lots more leaf raking, most of the major things are done-until they need to be done again-kind of like housework. The minute you finish and stand back to admire, it starts getting ready to be redone again!

In any case, as I was out and about in lots of areas of the yard where I might not usually be, I spied some things that just didn't look right any longer and I decided to do some swapping.

I started with the very large ceramic vessel that is supposed to be a bubbler fountain. I have two actual fountains on the pool side of the yard but at one point a number of years ago I decided that the extra patio needed a bubbler. My girls gave me the bubbler piece and large ceramic basin as a gift and I set out to put it all together. First of all, both pieces weigh a TON!! And then things had to be perfectly level and I would need to be able to get under the pieces to clean the filter, etc., etc., etc. I quickly decided that that was one upkeep that wasn't in the cards for the benefit we would have gotten so the larger piece went into the garden and became the world's most expensive plant stand and the basin has been used in various capacities-most recently in the terraced garden where it was a water feature until the crows kept biting the fountain apparatus and throwing it out of the water.

So this weekend the two pieces kind of came back together-well not the basin but the bubbler and the fountain. It seriously took everything I had to move the bubbler across the yard! It is super heavy and super awkward but, with a bit of lifting and a lot of rolling, I got it to the corner of the pool deck. My initial plan had been to just use it as a plant holder and I tried it out like this.

I was going to find a larger plant and call it a day when I remembered the fountain thingy. Right now, this is the largest bowl I have that will work unless I use one of my really nice bowls and, since I'm not sure that the crows might not still attack this thing and knock the bowl to the ground, I am starting here. I think if I decide to keep it-which might be more trouble than it is worth but, since I water everything out there at least once every other day, it shouldn't be too much extra effort-I might look for a larger, non-breakable one.

Then I moved on to my next issue. When the pool guy cut off the slide, there were the holes from where the legs went into the decking left-and, a bit of the metal sticking up. They might have been able to be ground down-but not by me-and so I came up with my next ingenious idea. I filled the holes with small stones that I had left over from a craft project and got out the "crack filler" that my brother used to seal a crack in the grout of my sunroom wall. Since the cool deck is so varied, I just slathered on some of this stuff and after it dries I will probably need to add more until I can kind of get things level and not a trip hazard and then I still have some of the concrete stain from the last time we redid the deck and my hope is that when all is said and done, no one will ever know there was ever a slide there-except of course for the water pipes that go under the deck and then to other areas of the yard so removal of that would be way out of my budget right now. I'll just set the chair over it and no one will ever know. LOL

And then there is this:

I managed to get all of the dead bougainvillea vines down from the trellis and it makes me so sad. First of all, I couldn't get the pretty color that I had had here originally and secondly, it will take a number of years before these two plants meet up on the top of the garage door again. Sigh! At least the original trellising that my brother and sister-in-law helped me do is still perfect and ready to go!

A few updates:

Before I had even finished out on the pool deck, I had to refill the bowl on the new "fountain" twice so I was just about to call it quits but then I realized that with the bowl as small as it is and the spout as high as I had it, the water was quickly leaving the bowl. Since this thing comes with many different nozzles, I tried every one of the others and, in doing so, I discovered if I didn't use any nozzle at all. I would have a bubbler. And so I went with that and haven't had to add more water in over 24 hours. It is kind of serendipity that this large vessel was meant to be a bubbler fountain and after many, many years of non-use has kind of found its way back to its purpose. Lol

I actually love the way this looks as a bubbler but I DEFINITELY need to find a larger vessel!

And, I have put all of the rest of the "crack filler" that I had down on the deck and although it is nowhere near perfect, I don't think anyone will be tripping here in the future...at least fingers crossed.

And, as I was re-reading this post before publishing, I took another look at this photo:

I realized that I actually really like the size of the planter on top of the vessel. I'm now thinking that if I can find any kind of a bowl large enough to nestle down into the planter just a bit, I may have a WINNER! Guess that will be my next treasure hunt-maybe I can even find something around here as it won't be seen so it won't really matter what it looks like-we shall see.

I'm busy today catching more of the little things that I have let slip. I have a hair appointment this week as well as two award banquets so I will be busy but hoping to get back soon to finish up our spring tour and to let you know how things end up back here. Stay safe and stay tuned.

Best Laid Plans!

 Well, it seems like a hot minute since I have been here. I think when we last visited I mentioned that I was getting my house ready for carpet cleaning in the four bedrooms, replanting of the terraced garden and bougainvillea pots and then, possibly FINALLY painting the sunroom ceiling because I had finally gotten the "urge". Let's just say that it is too bad I had the first two things to address because, honestly, by the time I had finished with all of that, I was lucky to even be able to stand straight and the "urge" quickly left the room. Lol

I have carpeting only in the bedrooms and, since only the primary gets used all of the time, vacuuming does more than enough but, still, about once a year I like to get them deep cleaned. And, when I do that, I use that opportunity to clean right up against the baseboards where the machine won't reach as well as washing the baseboards as I go. I also move all of the "smaller" pieces of furniture out so they can get to as much of the carpet as they can. And, even though I never think of that as a huge job, by the time I am done, I am pretty sore and the house looks like this.

Lucky for me the carpet really needed overnight to dry completely so I didn't have to move anything back until the following day-which was a REALLY, REALLY good thing because by then I was almost upright again. LOL

Of course, now that the carpets all look and feel so clean, I am thinking all of the rest of the floors need to be next!

And, since I did get the bougainvillea planted as well as the terraced garden, much extra watering has been needed as things around here are DRY! And, once I was out there for that, I moved on to the continuing list of garden chores that need to be done. This is the time of year where things happen quickly and my life will be so much easier later in the year if I stay on top of things now. Lucky for me, I love working in the yard and don't mind wearing myself out because the sense of accomplishment it gives me more than makes up for the effort!

And so, with the ceiling painting looking like it is tabled yet again, let's head into the sunroom. The sunroom never gets a whole lot of "love" but this season seems to be even less than normal. I think I have already told you that the lack of any purple in this room comes from the fact that I still want to use the cute little "postcard" pillow. It kind of set the tone for everything else.

The colors on the pillow are what led to the "lack of colors" in the arrangement.

I split one of my larger peace lilies and put them into the new pots from Walmart's "My Texas House" collection and then found the cute scalloped plates to set them on in Target.

Most of the photos are on display for this "theme" only because their frames are spring colors or the event happened in the spring. No big "ta-da" here.

So that is all I have for you today. I think the weekend looks to be pretty busy as my outdoor "to-do" list just keeps growing the more I look around. I've been looking over my 4th of July photos from last year and beginning to work out a few small changes and, I am still looking for some new craft ideas. I definitely miss crafting but honestly, there truly isn't anything I've seen lately that I want to make. It seems like I have just "been there-done that" with everything I am seeing these days. I won't stop looking but it will have to be something really special for me to add to my already over crowded 4th of July decor...we shall see. Until then, stay safe and stay tuned.

Uncle!!

 Remember how happy I was when I showed you this?

Those pictures were taken just over a year ago and are what I was expecting to see any day now. But, it finally became obvious to me that that wasn't going to happen this year. And, honestly, I don't know why. For the past few years all I do in the winter is cover the bottom portion of the plant and the pots. Most of the leaves will freeze back but begin sprouting back quickly. For whatever reason, that didn't happen even though I have been faithful in watering and fertilizing with a fairly expensive bougainvillea food.

I have checked carefully every day just positive that soon I would see a new leaf but I finally had to give up! This is the best I was getting.

I wish I could say that the green that you see was new growth but, alas, it is just a weed that seems to be happy for now. And so, I headed to the nursery this morning. I chose the original color bougainvillea that I did because I am not a fan of the fuchsia color and it wouldn't clash with all of the seasonal decor that I used but this fuchsia color was all that I could find today. And, it does seem to be the only color plant I see flourishing on neighbors' mailboxes so I am wondering if maybe the color I had chosen last was a hybrid of some sort and harder to maintain?? I would like to think that might be the reason my green thumb once again failed me. Lol

And so, I caved.

I also grabbed a few new annuals and thought I would get them all down today but by the time I got home and caught up on a few other things, it was too late to start. And so, tomorrow, my day is full. Not only will I be doing that but I will be moving some furniture in all four bedrooms for carpet cleaning on Wednesday. And then, for whatever reason, I have an urge to finally paint the sunroom ceiling. Don't ask me how that happened as I have had the paint for over two years. Let's hope it is still liquid when I open it.

I thought I would zip around the yard and get some pictures of the things that have come back this year but they are few and far between. I guess our winter really was colder than years past.

Just one lonely little gardenia on one of my many dwarf plants but there are more buds so I am hopeful.

Lots of clover growing everywhere and although I know I probably shouldn't encourage it, the little blooms are pretty so for now I am leaving them alone.

The hydrangeas on this side of the yard seem to be fairing the best but so far, this is the only bloom.

I think I have four mock oranges now. Even though I know they have no fragrance, I seem to find myself sniffing them as I walk by anyway. Lol I grew up in the Indian River area of Florida known for its plentiful citrus groves and I will never forget how beautifully perfumed the air was when those trees were in bloom! 

And then there is this that went from this...

...to this almost overnight!

I go out there every day and I swear I expect to see "Jack". This thing grows a foot every day and I am trying hard to keep tying it back so that maybe it grows a little more evenly over the top of the pergola this year. We shall see.

The next few days promise to be busy but I will be back soon. Until then stay safe and stay tuned.

To the Dining Room

 I have a bit of time this morning as I am waiting for the Florida Pest Control guy and since it looks like I have a new technician coming, I know I will need to be available to show him through the house so I can't really get into any projects until I do that. And so, here I am and we can head into the dining room today. I changed up the side board a bit but I think everything else remains pretty much as it was last year.

 Last year I created this vignette when I was once again having a hard time coming up with what to do. It kind of goes against my "simplify" rule but I was OK with it and, since I honestly couldn't come up with anything else this year, I fell back on it. I like it but every time I look at it I see Mr. McGregor and Peter Rabbit. Lol

When I looked this way, something was missing. Where is my pop of color?

This spot might need a tweak or two. I wanted to keep it simple with mostly just the green of spring with a touch of the purple but I'm thinking it might still need some help. Lol Again, Easter and spring just seem to stump the decorator in me.

And that is where I thought I was finished until I looked at these pictures again. I had made the decision NOT to use the couch pillow I had painted a number of years ago because, honestly, that thing gave me a really hard time and I never really liked the way it turned out but, the couch looked bare and missing a pop of color so I went and pulled it out and it is back where it has been all these years.

I did this back when I was painting a different pillow cover for each decor theme and I was trying hard for them to "look" watercolory. I love the watercolor effect but I can't accomplish it on paper so I'm not sure what made me think I could do it on fabric! I will say that some of the more abstract designs worked OK but anything that was supposed to actually look like something...well, not so much.

This was supposed to be lilacs or maybe, better yet, wisteria but at one point they looked like bunches of grapes so I did something and then that wasn't right so I did something else and before I knew it I had this-kind of just big blobs. But, they are big blobs of color and that is what that end of the room needed so they shall stay.

It is hot here right now but otherwise beautiful outside so I think I might end my day sitting by the pool and reading for a bit. Not sure what the next week holds but I will be back as soon as I can. Until then, stay safe and stay tuned.

Now You See it...

 Now you see it-now you don't. That is the perfect name for this blog and you will see why as we move along. Let's check out the kitchen today.

I have always loved lavender. I have tried to grow it a number of times with varied results even though I did "all of the things" that supposedly make it flourish. I finally gave up but still purchase anything "lavender scented" that I can find. I bought this towel when we stopped at this lavender farm when in Connecticut and even though we were not there at the peak of the season, I can still smell the fragrance from all of the lavender gifts they sold in their shop and the few blooms still left on the plants.

When you look this way you can kind of see the pops of purple...until you get closer. Lol

I picked up the new tea kettle in Target. I had looked at it a few times and even though I had a perfectly usable kettle already, I was more than ready for a change so, when this cutie went on sale, I grabbed it.

 I reused the rose prints I had for Valentine's Day to the left and the right of the stove.

And, the rose print I picked up in Walmart a bit ago is on the shelf over the sink. 

And, even though I convinced myself that roses come out in the spring-although I really think of them as more of a summer flower-I already knew that the color and "theme" differences in this room were going to bother me and...sure enough, as I was posting these pictures, this happened.

I just had to find some lilac and lavender prints and swap them out. Which leads me to this...

The flowers in the print are definitely roses but the ones in the small pot on the shelf are pansies so, for whatever reason, this isn't bothering me as much...yet. Lol

I had forgotten that I bought this print in Walmart back when I was looking for what I would use for my "Halloween remake". I didn't use this one but set it aside for spring but then almost forgot I had it. I think I like it here.

And I left the dinnerware as it was for Easter. I like the mix of the soft green ruffled edge set mixed with the floral ones. I usually bring out just the floral for spring but I think the green adds a softness that seems to go with everything on the top shelf. I also just laid the fresh lavender bundle across the metal "bird feeder" tray.

I think it was ALL of the lavender and lilac on this end of the kitchen that made me rethink the other side. Somehow those pink roses just kept saying Valentine's Day. Lol

So that's where the kitchen stands for now. Time to go sit down and put my feet up after a pretty busy day but first, I need to share some pictures from the lacrosse game. We took a pretty hefty win which was exciting because it was the last game that will be played on their home field for this year and the last one forever for the seniors-including grandson #2. After four years of football and lacrosse for this one, it is a bit sad to know that this part of his story is ending-along with all of ours-countless nights of freezing, sweltering, getting rained on, tailgating, cheering, etc. has drawn to a close and I am going to miss it all. And soon a whole new chapter of his life will open as he heads to UF. It was kind of crazy on the field as lots of hugs and handshakes were happening but I did manage to get a few shots before the lights started going off in the stadium to let us know it was time to say good night. Lol

My son-in-law is one of his coaches. Hud actually scored a goal tonight which doesn't happen often because of the position he plays but he has had a great year with more goals for him than usual. When it does happen, it is always an incredible play!

Even his sister is proud of him!

He and his head coach have a bond.

And then he surprised me later that evening when he sent me some other pictures from the prom that hadn't been shared yet.

They had a good time and will be doing it all again at his prom in a few weeks!

That's all I've got for today. Stay safe and stay tuned.