Stepping Away from the Edge

A Little Garden Project

My best gardening pal, Sandie, and I spent a glorious afternoon yesterday making papercrete hypertufa containers.

Huh?

We made containers like this one  (Sandie made this one in a workshop last April).

Only three ingredients:  paper pulp (shredded newspaper soaked in water for 48 hours), Portland cement, and perlite (or, in our case, vermiculite . . . because we couldn't find perlite).

Did you know that cement is really, incredibly cheap?  So cheap. . . that the smallest bag you can buy is 94 pounds!

That's a whole lotta cement. . . but what a deal!  Only $9.79 for a 94 pound bag!

Anyway.  We gathered our ingredients and some plastic forms and other oddments, and set up shop in Sandie's garage.

We measured . . .

and mixed. . .

(3 parts paper pulp : 2 parts Portland cement : 1 part perlite/vermiculite . . . with a splosh of water during the mixing up)

and ended up with a bucket of papercrete!

We coated our plastic molds with vegetable spray,

and then just started glopping it in (with a lot of intentional mooshing and smashing).

We ended up with quite a collection of hypertufa planters!

Now . . . we just have to wait . . . for the papercrete to dry, harden, and cure.  In a few weeks, we'll have new containers for yet more succulents!  (And we have enough cement to last a lifetime. . . )

 

Road Trip!

When most people think of Michigan. . . they think of cars.

And, sure.  There is that.  But. . . Southwest Michigan is more famous for being the Bedding Plant Capital of the World!

And, what does that mean for me? 

Why, it means I'm in Fat City when it comes to high-quality plant material!  It means that I live smack-dab in the middle of some of the best nurseries in the world!   And it means that I look forward to Opening Day for all my favorite nurseries with the same kind of passion that fuels. . . 

• Hunters awaiting the opening of "gun season."
• Fisherman looking forward to "The Trout Opener."
• Shoppers camping out for "Black Friday."

It means that I collect my Opening Day announcements and Early Bird coupons; it means that I mark dates and times on my calendar; it means that my friend Sandie and I have many strategy discussions over coffee; it means . . .

ROAD TRIP!

Even though we have plenty of WONderful nurseries right here in Kalamazoo, Sandie and I traditionally start the nursery season with a road trip to some of our favorite remote nurseries.  This year was no exception, as we hit the road bright and early Saturday morning . . . discount coupons in hand!

First stop. . .

Hidden Grove in West Olive, Michigan.

Grab a cup of coffee, and come along with us!

Hidden Grove is a wonderful nursey with high-quality perennials

fun little garden tchotchkes and beautiful pots

and aisle after aisle

after greenhouse after greenhouse

of great plants for every spot in your garden!  They also have great demonstration gardens out on their property, although it's a bit early in the season to really explore them.

They also have the most stunning array of succulents EVER.

This is only one of several rows of succulents.  (I may have had a bit of a falling down in the succulent sections.)

They also have a gorgeous selection of begonias.  I think I'll take . . .  THIS one!

Next, we swung over to WW Greenhouses, which is probably my first-love when it comes to nurseries.  (Our first house was less than a mile away from this place.  I spent many an afternoon, dragging Toddler Erin and Baby Brian through WW!)

WW's tagline is "The Perennial People" . . . and they aren't kidding!  They have a great selection of perennials, native plants, pond plants, and annuals that will just knock your socks off!

WW always EXPLODES with color.

Their greenhouses go on for acres!  They do a wonderful job with demonstration gardens -- both inside and out.

Their hanging baskets and containers are inspiring!  The best I've seen -- and, trust me, I've seen a LOT of great hanging baskets at various nurseries in the area.

They even have butterflies and birds.  It's just a delight.

(The Japanese Forest Grass came home with me; sadly, the Red Admiral did not.)

And here's the funny part.  We weren't going to buy anything at WW.  We were just goiing to look.

Oops.

Here's Sandie with her cart!  Mine was significantly less full, but still. . .

We definitely pushed the limits of Sandie's new Prius -- and have dubbed it the Official Flower Wagon of All Road Trips!

Now. . . if only the weather would warm up so we could get rid of the frost warnings!

 

Field Trip

Yesterday, I boarded a charter bus with my friends Sandie and Jackie and headed to Chicago for the annual Flower & Garden Show.  We had a great time!

Sandie and Jackie at the entrance.  (Before we had pinned on our flashing flower pins!)

The Flower & Garden show brings together ideas. . .

Trust me, succulents remain BIG for the upcoming season!  They were everywhere.

This was a wall made of cement blocks.  They tucked pots of fern and moss, and hung little baskets of succulents.  I want one!

 Feeding my current love of the terrarium!

This garden flower was made from a soda can!  They looked so cool popping up here and there in one of the gardens.

charm and whimsy. . .

Bunnies.  In knit cardigans!  Couldn't resist.

Look at theses drawer pulls!  Charmed, I'm sure.

Flower umbrellas hanging above.

Painted tire planters!

Glass sculpture at the main entrance.

and shopping. . .

The shop (in Naperville) is as cool as their sign!

I bought one of these hanging terrariums (only in a teardrop shape), with a few air plants, to hang in my kitchen window.

There are plenty of classes and workshops, too.  (Attended a few; no pictures.)

It was an unbelievably beautiful day in Chicago.  Unseasonably warm (80s).  Who ever would have thought we'd be eating OUTSIDE on Navy Pier in mid-March?  Unthinkable!

It felt like summer! 

It looked like summer!

There were even sailboats out on the Lake!

As an added bonus -- there was a stained glass exhibit on Navy Pier (unrelated to the Flower & Garden Show).  Most of the designs were floral in nature. . .

(This one is Tiffany.)

but there were grids, too!

Back at the Flower & Garden Show, there was an exhibit of aprons created by the a Chicago area fiber artist group, Women's Journeys in Fiber.  Very powerful -- and creative!

The best part of the day for me, though, was being able to see these guys . . . up close and personal! 

Meet Mr. Barred Owl. . .

and Mr. Great Horned Owl. . .

My photos just don't do these awesome creatures justice!  They are just so So SO cool!

So much to see!  So much to do!  As you can imagine, by the end, we were quite weary.   This was a welcome sight. . .

And the bus ride gave me some time to knit!

Just a perfect field trip, and a great day, all the way around!

 

 

Gardeners, Start Your Engines. . .

Tuesday was a big day:  The first day of the annual ( and apparently famous) Cart Sale at Wenke Greenouses here in Kalamazoo.

This event is, simply, Quite Something.

The folks at Wenke load up all of their unsold stock of annuals, hanging baskets, herbs, and vegetables (no perennials, though) from the nursery . . . and organize it all out in their parking lot.

Gardening consumers come in, grab a cart. . . and pay one lump sum (this year, $45) for everything they can fit on a cart.

There are rules, of course.   (Here is my friend, Sandie, checking out the rules before we get started.)

Sandie and I are members of Wenke's Garden "Club" (one of those frequent-buyer things) --- which means we get first crack at the Cart Sale.  We are Really Good at taking advantage of this sale.  We do it every year -- we arrive early; we divide and conquer; we laugh a lot.

And, in the end, we fill up one cart between the two of us (we're Really Good at consolidating -- following all Rules of The Cart Sale, of course!).

Not bad for $22.50 (each)!

 

 

A Big Day and Lots of Cool Stuff

Last week, I celebrated my birthday.

When I was a kid, I loved having my birthday.  As an adult, though, I just kind of let my birthday slide into the background of life.  I wasn't all that excited about getting older, and I was never all that comfortable being in the birthday limelight.

Not anymore, though.

The whole cancer thing has changed my way of thinking.  Now. . . I embrace my birthday!  I want more birthdays.  Because that means I'm still around to celebrate!  And there can never - ever - be . . . too many candles!

This year's celebration lasted several days.  Lunches out with friends, dinner out with Tom, a family party yesterday (we missed you, Erin!), and it's about to last several more -- my sister arrives later this week!  I've had a great time.  And you know what else is fun about birthdays?  Cool Stuff!  Like. . .

Plants . . . from my sister

and my pal, Sandie.

A great bag (made of woven, dyed grass made by Baskets of Cambodia) from my Mom and Dad.

This bag is so cool!  The details are perfect

right down to the inside!

And Tom got me a rain barrel!

(This is not my actual rain barrel; this is the photo from the Gardener's Supply Catalog, where he ordered mine.)

It's good to have birthdays.  Bring 'em on!

 

 

Thankful Thursdays: We Are Each Other's Angels

This November, I'm counting my blessings . . . by thinking about connections -- and how vital they are to my life.  Today, I'm thankful to my "connections" -- my personal network of friends.

When I was just starting out in my work life, everyone was telling me I needed to "network."  (That, and "dress for success" were the buzz-words of the work world in the early 80s!)  I truly didn't "get" the "networking" thing.  It seemed so trite.  And forced.  And fake.  Besides, all the people I met were at the same stage of their career as I was.  How was that supposed to be beneficial from a career standpoint?  I just blew off the whole "networking" thing.  I'd rather have friends. . . than a network!

As I grew older and wiser, though, I learned an important thing.  My friends WERE my network!  As I moved out in greater and greater circles in the world, I made more and more friends. . . who did more and more things. . . and connected me to more and more new friends.  And, all of a sudden, I HAD a network!

It wasn't trite.  Or forced.  Or fake.  It was a real network -- of friends.  What I didn't know when I was 24,  (well, one of many things I didn't know at 24. . .) is that your "network" can't be built overnight, and it can't be forced. . . if it's going to connect you to friends.  It takes time.  Lots of time.  And it's really pretty easy.  You just . . . connect . . . with people.

And what I really didn't understand. . . is that my "network" . . . developed without my trying at all.  I found that . . . we are each other's angels. . . and we meet when it is time.

So now, several decades later, I have a network of friends.  My network can connect me to . . . travel tips, the best recipes, new restaurants, knitting patterns, great books, hugs during a rough patch, advice when moving to a new community, the best teachers in a new grade level, mentors, internship options, medical information, and even new jobs. But mostly, my network of friends gets me through!

I am thankful for my network of friends . . . keeping me connected to people, situations, and the world!  We are each other's angels. . . and we meet when it is time. . . we keep each other going. . . and we show each other signs. . .

A Pivotal Moment

Soundtrack. . .

A friend sent me this card when I finished chemotherapy. . .

I like thinking about "pivotal moments" -- the before and after points.  Today marks an anniversary of a "pivotal moment" for me. . . it's my first "Blog-iversary."

I really had no idea last year - when I made my first post - what I was in for with my little blog.  I was just hoping for . . . an outlet for expression; a way to make myself seem "real;" a little journey. . . stepping away from the edge.  What I got, though, was a whole lot more.  What I got. . . was YOU!

Thanks for making this year such a fabulous adventure.

Friday Round Up: Mixed Bag Edition

I don't know about you, but it seems like this has been a bit of a crazy week in BlogLand  Now, I can't really complain -- because my week has gone much, MUCH smoother than it has for some people I know.  And, while I might have had a broken air conditioner, at least I didn't have any snow.  And I haven't noticed any big, persistent woodland creatures in my birdseed (yet).  But.  I did spot some huge . . . HUGE. . . poison ivy in my neighbor's back yard. . . in an area way out behind their pool. . . where they never think to check.  It's nearing my fence.  I'm ready to do battle!

 

Graduation plans are in full swing this week.  My mom visited on Wednesday, and we worked hard, putting Brian's scrapbook together.  It's still not quite finished. . . but almost!  

 

I've also planned the menu for his graduation open house, and started gathering the supplies and equipment I need to pull this off!   Meanwhile, the newly-finished (former) high school student is enjoying just . . . hanging around.  Doing nothing!

 

And. . . speaking of doing nothing. . . my bad knee acted up this week, relegating me to the couch with an ice pack (and maybe some wine. . . and some knitting. . . and an audio book. . .).  I broke down and got a cortisone injection yesterday, and things are improving.

 

That quiet time did wonders for my current knitting project!  I am very close to finishing this little summer cardigan.  (Horribly written pattern, though.  Horrible.)

 

And, in perhaps the biggest news of the week, I have purchased a new computer!  It's going to take me a while to shift everything over. . . but I'm really excited.  I have taken the plunge.  See?

 

Now, before signing off for the Memorial Day weekend, take a look at what's happening in my garden.  Our summer-like weather has encouraged all kinds of blooms . . . and vegetable growth at a rate I can practically WATCH!

 

 

 

 

 

Have a relaxingl Memorial Day weekend! 

The Real Winner

A month or so ago, I noticed I had a "blog milestone" approaching, so I had a little contest.  I offered to make a minion for the 1,000th commenter on my blog.  After a flurry of comments, Sharon was declared . . . The Winner! 

I made a little, round minion with a tuque for Sharon. . . and sent it off to New Jersey just in time for Valentine's Day.

 

I love reading all of your comments, and I'm so happy to have made so many new friends through my blog.  I was really excited to send this little minion off to Sharon -- and so pleased to learn that the little round gal (this minion is a girl. . .) makes Sharon smile!

But, you know, even though Sharon won my contest, I realized that I'm the REAL winner here.  Not only do I get all of my new blog friendships, but today . . .  I got a really cool prize of my own!  Sharon sent me this gorgeous handmade totebag to carry my gardening books and magazines.

 

Her timing couldn't be better!  It's snowing again.  It's cold and grey and dark.  If feels like spring will never, ever arrive.  And I really have the itch to garden.  So, this bright, lovely garden bag just made my day!

 

I put it right to work, hauling my new magazines and catalogs.  The size is perfect. 

And look --  Sharon has personalized tags!  So cute.

 

Thanks so much for brightening my day -- with your comments, and your friendships, and (Wow!) with surprises!

I AM the Real Winner!