Lo(wes) & Behold

Besides busily organizing my vast eclectic collection of personally burned fav music CDs, these past few weeks I've spent sprucing up the great outdoors, particularly the patio area and I have spent an inordinate amount of time at our friendly neighborhood Lowes. Having never had the time to take much of an interest in yard work, I've really made up for it by picking out a few things to make the place prettier. In no particular order of purchase there are now Azalea bushes in several colors adjacent to a wood fence near the patio, four more rose bushes displaying the colors of yellow, medium pink, and two lovely pale pinks. We won’t even get into how I’ve neglected my original three (a climbing red, a climbing pink, and a peachy-coral stunner) what with my never bothering to prune, water or take basic rose care needs. I’m a notoriously bad rosebush mother. However, I attempted some much needed trimming and am hoping for a rallying in their thorny ranks. TBC fixed the decrepit twin flower beds in the front yard and I purchased gorgeous Butterfly Blue Pincushion perennials to add a pop of much needed color. Sis gave me a diminutive walnut tree and I promptly plopped him in one the many new planters I bought. He joins several baby maple trees also enjoying potted glory. Lord knows I need yet another maple tree. I have one in the bedroom which I am reaaaally hoping is a red maple and not another silver maple that we have all over the freeking place. Did I tell you TBC surprised me with two real palms which now grace the back entryway next to the sliding glass doors and in front of a window in the bedroom? They are doing great! I had planned to purchase two fake trees but the price was prohibitive. These twin babies set us back a whopping 12 bucks apiece. Quite a difference as the pseudo palms were over $65. I thought our tree shopping was over for this season but thanks to all the rain we’ve had this week and the generous gardening gods, TBC surprised me and brought home a Globe Willow tree yesterday. It was originally $23 and he got it for $6. Alrighty then. We remain unsure as to its outdoor placement so for the moment it's patiently perched near the entrance. I dare not forget to mention the herbs and assorted plants that join our growing leafy family—a small Schefflera, a tasteful mix of exotic plants in an Asian looking (couldn't resist) planter, sage, chives and parsley. TBC has several others he transplanted to the garden but mine are playing lookout on the kitchen windowsill and bistro table.

In addition to living green goodness, I’m a sucker for solar lights and we moved the four ground ones from standing point around the patio to lighting the short brick walkway TBC built leading to the wine/storm cellar. I also wanted some tall ones so I purchased a shepherds rod with three arms and another four ground luminary set from which I snagged three to hang on the patio rod and transformed the short poles into one long pole and hung the last light on it and stuck it next to a maple tree in front much to the Butterfly Blue Pincushions delight. To make all the lovely changes even closer to perfection, I still require a firepit, gazing ball, Japanese lanterns and new patio furniture. Yeah, I’ve been busy. ;)