in clover: getting unstuck

I've been stuck in a bit of a rut lately.  It's ok, happens to the best of us. And being stuck in a rut is not all bad.  Sometimes, it is helpful to be in a "rut."  Sometimes, we just need to get where we need to go without having to think much about it.  But other times, we need to break out of the rut. 

I felt ready to be unstuck so I started moving things around. When I get stuck, it's the first thing I do.  I move things around in my physical environment.  Things I all ready have.  You'd be surprised by the difference that can be made, just by rearranging things a bit.  I moved things around inside the house last week.   Still stuck.  So I went outside....

The first thing I moved was this succulent I had planted in the wall pocket that hangs on the gate to the chicken courtyard.  I'd never felt quite satisfied with the way it looked.  Out of balance.  Not terrible but not quite right, either.  

I replaced it with this little guy which I think IS just right. 



  

Remember my post  about sacred brokenness?  Well, as is often the case, I have been given an opportunity to practice what I preach.  These are the window boxes by my back door last summer. 

I have had these planters as long as I have lived in this house.  Every year I congratulate myself on my good luck at finding pretty, reasonably priced, long lasting pottery planters that JUST FIT my concrete window ledges like they were custom made!

This year I lined the planters up on the ground for a new planting…all six in a row...

I added compost and plants to the six boxes and fit them snugly together on the ledge.  One, two, three, four, five...

 and then six.... 

I don’t know what happened.  It simply slipped from my hand.  Smashed on the concrete.   Can't be mended.

I was home alone and I could have cursed at the top of my lungs but I remembered that post about sacred brokenness.  So I allowed myself one quick, angry lap around the garden, fists clinched, and then I took a deep breath because there’s no sense crying over spilled milk or broken window boxes.

As I gathered the broken pieces, I realized they were too pretty to throw away.  To honor the lovely brokenness of the pottery, I placed the bits here, in this flower bed.  For the past few years, this has been my herb garden but in the spirit of moving things around I decided to move the herbs and  throw down about a zillion zinnia seeds here, among the instantly gratifying but quite expensive (compared to seeds) zinnia plants I bought at Wilson’s. Once things start to grow, I'll move the broken bits around again.

I spread out the five remaining boxes until the space on the ledge was evenly filled.  I thought to myself, “its kind of ZEN to leave a little blank space between the planters….like the beads of silence interspersed on my prayer bracelet.” 

After much reflection, I think I actually like them better this way.    

I’ve also changed the plantings in the window boxes themselves this year.  I’ve mixed up my  color scheme…throwing in some red, orange and yellow by adding basil, rosemary, Tequila mix rose moss, red calibrachoa  and giant Antigua Orange marigolds to my usual pink geraniums, asparagus fern and sweet alyssum.  I also swapped out the planters that sit on the steps under the window boxes.  I moved the very traditional dark green concrete planters filled with Lipstick Impatiens to the front steps. 

I replaced them with more contemporary plastic moss green urns and repeated the same plants.  (Got the urns at Target…a bargain at under $7 each!)  I've never had plastic urns before but I was drawn to the color and simple lines of these.  I looked at them at least a dozen times before I gave in and put them in the cart.

For a finishing touch, I swapped a (mildewed) khaki and black chaise lounge cushion for a bright green one.   (Home Depot - $19.99)  There is a lot of vibrant color in this corner now and I really like it.

I also made one more big change.  I did something I don't think I have EVER done before.  I bought some plastic chairs. It's not that I have anything against plastic...it's just that plastic, by it's very nature, cannot be rusty or have peely paint...traits that make my heart beat faster. 

Out front, I have these lovely handmade wooden Adirondacks (a gift from a sweet friend). And I LOVE them.

But I went with plastic for the back garden. They will dry quickly after a rain or a squirt from a garden hose.  They are lightweight and very easy to move off the grass.  Big C sometimes mows around the heavy wooden chairs which doesn't make me very happy. 

I like to move the chairs around to the ever elusive shady spot in the afternoon.  These are maintenance free, inexpensive ($16 on sale at Target) and come in very pretty colors these days.  I can't imagine I would ever want ALL plastic furniture, no matter how convenient or practical, but I am definitely enjoying these two chairs.   

I chose blue to pick up the blue roof on little c's house...

which, yikes, I just remembered is also made of plastic!  The little house was a gift to her on her 3rd birthday.  At the time, it was a choice between the cutest plastic house I could find or no house at all, despite the elaborate plans I had drawn for a custom made playhouse named Foxglove Cottage. 

I've decided to crown myself Queen of Good Enough and just get on with life!  This house with the blue roof was definitely Good Enough and little c and half the kids in the neighborhood love playing in it, plastic or not. 

The blue also shows up in this bistro table...

And in my broken blue vintage French seltzer bottle...

I think I moved myself right out of that rut.  

Namaste, 

Lisa   



in clover: a little piece of heaven

It has been a most unusual spring around here.  The rain has not stopped...someone said a local meteorologist reported we have had nine days of sunshine since April. 


I have my new raised beds to plant this year and I've been wanting to make a trip to Wilson's in Frankfort.  They have a large selection of locally grown plants,heirlooms and organics.  They also have really cool garden ornaments too.  I'm a bit of a snob, usually preferring old things to new, but sometimes something new can tempt me. 

Last week, on only a SEMI-rainy day, Michael and I made a quick, quick trip to get a few veggies and a few things for the backdoor windowboxes.  
I ran through the nursery, snapping a few photographs and grabbing plants...promising myself I would return for a leisurely visit and maybe even lunch at the cafe.  By the time we were loading plants in the car, it was raining again.

When I got home, I posted to FaceBook that I felt slightly inebriated and that was the truth!  Drunk on beautiful plants, how awesome is that?!  

I liked this bench alot.  It has nice lines and is very sturdy.  It was priced at $300 plus. 

This chair looks very vintage French but with a bit of a modern twist.  A pair would make quite a statement.



This potting bench / green house was one of the first things to catch my eye.  Even though it's new, I really like it. The $1200 price tag was out of reach for me though.  I've been mulling over ideas of how to get a similiar look in my price range.  

A very cute porcelain toadstool....



Succulent shaped candles for $19.95...

This organic perlite reminded me of my friend Kera...she's going to make hypertufa! 

Several years ago, I participated in a group study of M. Scott Peck's book, "The Road Less Traveled."  I decided that I am generally pretty good at "delayed gratification," a concept covered in the book.  I usually plant zinna SEEDS but this year, I couldn't resist the instant gratification of buying a few plants as well.  One of my very favorites....

What an amazing array of succulents.  I decided to choose one for the wall pocket that hangs on the gate of the chicken courtyard and one to plant in my long, skinny stone trough in the green themed garden.  

Each year I try to change up the planting in my windowboxes but the one non-negotiable staple are pink geraniums. These are healthy and beautiful!

We love pesto and last fall, I froze several batches for the winter.  We enjoyed it so much I resolved to plant an entire basil patch this year! Here's one I've not seen before...

And of course, I had to get this variety...in honor of the many Magical Michaels in my life.  

Here's another nice ornament...this large, lovely sphere.  They came in several sizes.  This one was quite large and priced $68. 

Ahhh...Irish moss!  I had a patch of Irish Moss under my potting bench but last years severe drought led to its demise.

I hold myself responsible as it wasn't really in the right place, although the moss really gave it a go.  I got a  nice sized pot and I know exactly where I will plant it..well, one of two places!  I think.

Michael built our raised beds because we needed a custom fit but these would be a very good alternative to building your own...



Ok, I LOVE these....tomato cages in vibrant, cool colors!

Groovy head planters....wish I had gotten the blue one....

This was sweet....a sort of garden doll house...miniature conservatory and accessories.  Hard to resist.  :)

Equally irresistable to me, fairy gardens...one of these days...

Another old fashioned favorite...gazing balls....a chimney pot makes a nice stand  

It's likely a blessing we were in a hurry to meet little c's schoolbus.  We did get everything we needed...a little splash of color, lots of green, and a very nice selection of organic, heirloom veggies and herbs. 

I thought Wilson's prices were very comparable, even to a big box store.  The selection was unbeatable and the quality superb.  I can't wait to see how my garden will grow! 

Namaste,

Lisa
 

in clover: violas are a girl's best friend

Violas are my favorite spring flower.   I planted these in a vintage English terracotta pot and put them by the aviary that is my chicken run.  I added a 1966 french agriculture award to the vignette.

This pot of violas is by my back door.  I tucked it under a rusty birdcage I bought at an outdoor flea market for $15.  I love finding new ways to use it in my garden every year.

I added violas to my window boxes too.  They are happy to live with rosemary.

This is the gate to my chickens fenced free range pen.  I bought the wooden gate and terracotta wall pocket in the cotswolds.  The violas add a bit of color and charm to the gate.

Did I mention I love spring?

Peace,  Lisa