brick by brick

Isn't it true that things take time?  The garden takes time.  Most days you can find me out back combing my beds like a detective to see what has pulled through the winter.  All the while trying to consciously balance my garden obsession so the beans don't grow up thinking I was completely nuts!  But these days I am beginning to think that we're all a little nuts in our own ways, just trying to navigate this thing called life!

Last year I started work on our garden room but knew that the path had to change due to drainage issues and mud when strolling through.  

After a ridiculous amount of leveling solid compacted dirt I was able to line the path with my pre-exisiting brick, lay down some landscape fabric, and fill with gravel.  Nope I'm not done.  With three beans sometimes 5 with the other little ones I watch, things get done in stages around here!

A lot of brown still!

Just so happens that this spot is completely a hit in the entertainment department.  Trucks and diggers spend most of their days scooping and dumping.

I am finding signs of life everywhere now!  My flower seeds won't be going in until May with temperatures still shifting most days.  And on the subject of seeds, I was able to find GMO free seeds from organic distributors on Amazon!  And very reasonably priced for those of you who are still wrapping up your seed orders.

The Cornelian Cherry showing bursts of sunshine....this tree is actually a Dogwood and its small colorful red fruit is a great song bird attractor.

peonies...

our kitchen garden....carrots, peas, and lettuce are in thus far

My bare-root Autumn Bliss raspberry plants just arrived and in they went.

Hellebores...

Dwarf Viburnum blooming...

 New paths going in...

Bleeding Heart coming up...

And my sweet bean sitting with the daffs!

 Whatever your passion...may it fill your soul with great joy!

galvanized steel wash tub

I have admired steel wash tubs in the garden for a while but have never come across the right one. 

via~Williams-Sonoma

 Today as I was heading to the park with the beans, I passed by a garage sale and there it was!  A beauty waiting to be swept up!  The family selling this tub even had a typed up history about our tub....

Vintage No. 3 Rust, Leak, Fire and Rodent Resistant (will not crack in the cold) Domestic Hot Dipped Galvanized Steel Wash Tub.

F.H. Lawson Co. Cincinnati OH produced metal trash cans and garbage pails.  The company was founded in 1816 and had a successful run for several decades.  However, it became burdened by financial difficulties that were precipitated by a leveraged buyout in the 1970's, and F. H. Lawson Co. finally ceased operations in early 1988.  When plastic receptacles were first introduced by Rubbermaid and Continental, it made business very tough for the F. H. Lawson Company.

The tub is 24 and a half inches in diameter.  I will be lining it and popping some holes in the bottom for drainage.  And then in goes some seeds for salad greens this weekend!

Crocuses are popping up while the daffs and tulips are showing their faces!  Peas are planted in the front yard and more are going in out back this weekend.


Now, I can't say that we have as much going on as you Northwestern gardeners...but hey, it's a start!!!

Some of my crocuses being eaten by our unruly squirrels!

Happy planting folks!

working it out around here

 We have finally had some nice weather!!!   Today we were busy relocating some of our raised garden beds and the beans helped me drill our box together.  I made a special point to tell my daughter that she is a strong girl who can work a drill just as good as any boy!  The good thing about my little helpers is that they are amazing at amending the soil for me and finding worms to add to our boxes.

The lovely Jennifer from Three Dogs In A Garden  (her blog is beyond inspiring) sent me this gardening book for the beans.  It has so many project ideas for little ones in the garden.  The beans have already bookmarked the ones that they would like to try for this season!

And I would like to add that Jennifer was one of my first followers.  Always leaving me encouraging comments when I had none.  And for that I would like to say thank you Jennifer!  

Busy working Beans!

So with a couple of jobs checked off the list in the garden here is a project that we knocked out inside.


A year ago we tackled our tiny bathroom.  (we are lucky to have one off of our bedroom) I enjoy being somewhat of a minimalist so a small bathroom actually works for us.  It is the size of a closet and its 1967ness was really starting to show.  With a broken toilet. rotted pipes, and funk growing in the shower we decided to fix it up. 

Do you like our wire hanger rigging?!?!  

With the space being so small it was a bit hard to even take a picture!  The little things that help us live in our small bath are hooks for hanging, trays for extra this and thats, and a large medicine cabinet over the sink for storage.  The old vanity was donated.  Its replacement is an extra small size that makes the space feel larger.

And the week has already been a good one!  I will be around to visit your blogs here in a bit as it has been a bit busy here!  At a doctors appointment today I was taken when I walked into the office building and was greeted by a stunning indoor garden.   It was a reminder that even when your mind is consumed with other things that it is important to slow down and look around you.

May your week be filled with beautiful things!

the thaw

The thaw is on!  Spring is finally at our door which means that my mind is full of ideas and plans for our garden.  Piles of books and my trusty notebook have overtaken my nightstand as I stay up way too late working on this seasons doings.

Some of my most recent color order......"Cherry Queen" zinnias, "Bluesette" dahlias, "Salmon Queen" zinnias, "Cafe au Lait" dahlias  

flower photos via ~Eden Brothers.com~

Our backyard currently looks like it has a large river running through it with several small wading pools of water.  There is an overwhelming amount of work to do back there which only makes my eye twitch slightly!  So while doing some basic assessing this week of what has to get done, the beans were busy making nests from the many twigs (and logs!) that have fallen throughout the winter.  I worked on plotting out a new area for more crops this season.

what's going in so far this year.....

~tomatoes

~cucumbers

~carrots

~peas

~greens

~peppers 

~basil

~raspberries

~strawberries

And some this and thats.

a pretty potting shed...

~source unknown~

Vintage sports calendars that this guy and I found at a resale shop...

He picked out his 2 favorites for 4 bucks which we will be using to decorate his room.

A new blouse for me....

A pot of happy flowers for my daughter.  The most fantastic woman works at our local Trader Joe's.   Every time she sees my daughter she let's her check out all of the groceries from our cart while taking the time to teach her about being a cashier.   She makes her feel so special and on this particular day she let her pick out flowers because my bean had fallen earlier that day and had a bad scrape on her face.

There really are so many awesome people in this world!  

Happy Friday Friends!