Eye candy for you gardeners

Here's some flower shots from the Buffalo Garden Walk this past weekend.

Buffalo Garden Walk

We chose to go today because the weathermen predicted a better day than yesterday.  Just as we got there it started sprinkling and we thought they were wrong once again.  But, the day cleared up and by the time we were done, we sure were glad we chose today.  It was just so humid yesterday, don't think we could have even enjoyed ourselves.

But, the rain was the least of my problems.  Thought we would check out a few new neighborhoods this year and went down to Columbus Parkway.  The very first house I went to take a picture of their beautiful porch and nothing from my camera.  I had charged up the battery first thing this morning.  Too bad it was still home in the charger.  I knew I couldn't possibly enjoy the day without my camera, so back we went.  We were home and back in a half an hour and I would have been so disappointed to miss these shots.

How's this for mulch?  Smashed pottery

Wasn't that a beautiful yard?  Think my yard may be the recipient of the mirror I mentioned back a few posts.

And it's not just all about the flowers.  I love to look at all the cool things people put in their yards.  Check out the sign on this gate:

And look at her peeking out from the flowers:

This is an old heaboard resting on same table legs to support their gladiolas.

The architecture is pretty cool too.

Here's a trellis my friend Anne made out of an old metal headboard:

Look at this trellis she made.  That is painted PVC pipe with lanterns from Pier 1 on top of each post.

I'll get some flower shots in at a later date, the internet is not cooperating very well tonight.

Hello Weekend!

I can't really complain about the week since I was off until Thursday.  After recovering from a weekend at the cottage, we tackled the garage on Tuesday.  Not quite as clean as I had hoped and we did just move some stuff from the garage to the shed, but we don't have to be embarrassed to open the garage door anymore.  But I do have to make a decision on the Eastlake furniture before it's time to use the garage for the winter.

On a positive note, I started sanding the sewing machine I got from David so I could paint it and Nick and Dave jumped in.  I had all intentions of painting it something like this:

Isn't it cute?  But think they have talked me into staining it, although I have never refinished furniture before and don't know how to get rid of all the variations in color like that big spot in the middle.

But, on the plus side ... it sure will be a lot easier to stain it than paint it.  And I think I am getting a little carried away with the painted furniture!  I spray painted so much stuff at the cottage I have a permanent callus on my pointer finger.

On the disappointing side, my daughter quit rowing this week.  I really thought this was finally the activity that she was going to really love and stick with.  Heck, I was already envisioning the college scholarships!  It certainly will free up some time during the week though and I could say I got my life back if only I had a life!

Finally got some rain yesterday and did we need it.  Supposed to get some more today, but hard to believe it will with this beautiful sky from last night.

And of course, the Buffalo Garden Walk is tomorrow.  Always one of the highlights of the summer for me!  And always means more work for Nick.  We've copied a lot of ideas from that Garden Walk.  Here's one from last year I have saved in my idea file.  My friend David's friend Annie MADE this gazebo from scratch using PVC pipe and material.  Is it one of the cutest things you've ever seen?

 Here's a close up of the material:

So, check back for lots of photos from the Walk.

Miscellaneous weekend stuff

Went to the cottage for the weekend.  M&M took a friend.  Can someone please tell me what is wrong with teenagers nowadays?  If we would have gone to the beach for the weekend when we were kids, we would have been down to the beach before our Dad got the car in park.  Kids nowadays?  Nah!  They'd rather sit in the house, listen to their iPods and turn the TV on.  Now don't get me wrong, I took the laptop with me but not to the exclusion of outdoor activities. 

Even got the old man down to the beach.  Sat down there for a couple hours yesterday and we each got some color and had some fries.  God, I love those fries.  By the time the girls dragged themselves out of the house the sun was gone.

Salt, vinegar and ketchup!

Finally walked out for dinner after owning the joint for the last 3 years.  Took a nice little stroll down to the South Coast and enjoyed some wings and a Crystal Beach cheese steak.  (with chicken instead of beef!)  Actually had a fire when we got back and the girls went down to the beach again.  But after all that activity we were in bed by 10pm.  Can you say LOSERS?

Loganberry

Got my garbage picked bed all finished and set up in the spare room, but the pillow top mattress is so high, it takes away from the bed.  It still is beautiful though, but I wish I would have shabbied it up a little more.  Maybe the next trip.

Back to reality today - packing, unpacking, watering and discovering the deer came right up to our front door and ate my beautiful potato vine I had growing out of an old milk container.  Guess that's going to have to get moved to the back yard.

Two more days off and tomorrow's agenda - CLEANING THE GARAGE!  After that, let's see if I can get some of my stuff listed on Craigslist so I can make room for more stuff.

Rainbarrels

Saw these at the Buffalo Garden walk last year, but was too cheap to pay the $100 for them.  So, found some nice 46 gallon drums on Craigslist that once housed pepperoncini and bought a couple for $5 each.

Bought a faucet, some washers, a new piece for our downspout, some screen and voila!  Our very own rain barrels made for about $20 each.  They sure have come in handy this year.

To see the website for one of the best garden walks in the whole country click here:

Garden Walk Buffalo

Must clean living room!

I've got to decide where these pieces are going.  Running out of room in the living room!

I'm getting there!

My house is starting to look like a warehouse for old furniture.  But slowly I am knocking them off one project at a time.

Here's my latest score, an old sewing machine cabinet from my friend's basement.  It has the drawers and the sewing machine.  Can't wait to see if it still works!

 

Here's the headboard of the bed I am working on.  The picture doesn't show well, but it is a  beautiful shade of robin's egg blue.

And just for fun, here's a picture from my backyard the other night.  The squirrel was pulling out all the spanish moss from my wreath.

And here's the wreath minus our friend.

A lesson in commitment, or a tough pill to swallow

Summer rowing season has been in full swing for 3 weeks. M&M missed a full week while we were on vacation, plus another day when she had to play in the band for graduation. Today was their first regatta. She begged to sleep over her friend's house Friday night and opted to miss rowing practice yesterday morning. I told her how important it was to go to practice the day before an event. There was no reasoning with her.

We got to the regatta this morning and she was not in a boat. What a look of disappointment on her face. I hope this is a learning experience for her.

Two finished projects

My girlfriend drinks a lot if wine. On the garden walk a few years ago we saw a beautiful garden with a wine cork wreath hanging on their patio. So, Linda and her sister saved me their corks and voila! Took a straw wreath and left the plastic over it so it wouldn't make a mess. Got all the corks out and hammered a nail into the end of each one. Stuck a piece of floral wire a couple of inches long in each cork and stuck them in the wreath. Couldn't have been any easier.


Remember that mirror I garbaged picked a couple of weeks ago? Well, here it is. It's been painted for awhile. Finally took it to a glass place and had a mirror put in. I think I will hang it over this garage sale table.

I love this time of year!

Here's a couple pictures from my garden. I love to walk around out there in the morning with my coffee and take it all in.

Vacation recap

All in all, it was a success. Only one day of rain. Nick got the railing put up on the deck and the screen doors in. We also got the gazebo back up for the season. Even had a chance to enjoy the place for a change. I got to the beach several times. The girls got a few cliff jumps in at Sherkston and I made it to Sherkston to see some old high school friends. One I hadn't seen since I last heard Pomp & Circumstance - 38 years ago.

Our view from the screen door on Day one.

Look how full those sconces were.

Sunset the first night.

A few beach shots:

Friends from High School:

Ann, Sue & Barb

Barb, Pete & Ann

Sue's son's tattoo of his late father, another one of my classmates.

The fireworks were awesome on the beach. The canoe club had a barge out in the lake where they shot their fireworks. Lots of people on the beach had their own fireworks and Joey blew some off at the Sagasta cottage. The group was a far cry from the cottage parties of days gone by. No beer bongs, no rowdy fires and grandchildren instead of children. But it was good seeing Rob & Carol, Fred, Joe, Timmy, Mark & Donna, Matthew and his girlfriend, Brittany and their little girl, Julianna. Last time I saw Matthew at the cottage, we was the one walking around without his diaper and now he is the one changing diapers!

A blast from the past ... some things don't change!

Hate cleaning the cottage to leave, but M&M and Clara have had enough of each other for the week and I have had enough of them! All the laundry is on the line, the refrigerator repairman is here and the garbage is at the curb. I amo heading down to Mia's (the most awesome shop where she re-upholtsters furniture and paints in shabby chic style.) She must think I am a stalker because I walk through the place and lovingly touch every piece but never buy anything. But I have gotten some great ideas and she has a chair in the window that is a match for a chair I have. It is rattan and Mia says it is from to 20s or 30s. Guess I'm going to have to dress mine up a little bit.

We made this for our yard ... isn't it cute?

View from the car ... 1 hour and 57 minutes to cross the Peace Bridge.

Back to the old grind tomorrow! Think it will feel good.