Seed Catalogs and Cheap Thrills

My New Bedspread

Oh I just get all goose pimply when the seed catalogs start coming in. I am trying not to over do it but its so hard to hold myself back.

I also made it by the library and picked up a few books to keep me up at night

Wagon Garden Camping

I wanted to share how well our wagon garden is doing...Yes, it came with me camping...I have to have something to fuss over.

Composting While Camping

I thought I would share my dirt with you.  Yes I have to have plants while camping and that means I have to have some compost. I brought a bucket full of the compost I had at my home since I have been here I have been adding to it...Coffee grounds, veg that have gone through the food processor.  The food processors turns the veg into mush and it cooks faster.  I also trotted down to the cow pasture and found some manure near the fence line...Trinity went with me and thought I was just crazy!

But the End results of pampering my pots is glorious!  Even Trinity Says So.

Trash Picking

Remember when I was complaining about all the junk that was left around the campground from past campers...well...the kids and I went trash picking and we found this swing.

The frame was rusty at the joints and the paint had faded. The swing had lost most of its paint and the rest was flaking off. The chains were rusting out and needed replacing.

But under all this we saw potential. So we dragged it out of a heap of stuff (ruined my shirt) and started giving it some TLC.

We set the parts up on a ladder rack that was left behind...hummmm...with a tarp and some hay bails I see this ladder rack turning into a fort...OK getting of child labor subject. The kids and I got to work scraping and sanding.

Voila we have us a recycle swing. The bails of straw were found as well...good garden of peas! they were heavy. Not sure how long they will last...but they were free.

All the pots, signs, flags and what-knots where from my house. A friend brought me a Mum as a Trailer Trash (house) warming gift. I nabbed another one at the Walmart. I still need to fill the hanging baskets, it may not be my gardens at home but its something I can putter with and get some of natures beauty near me.

I guess we will do some more trash pickin'.I have been eyeing a stove left at another sight.

The Making of a Wagon Garden

A fellow gardener and online friend inspired this project. She had made an inspiring wagon garden and after Trinity and I stopped drooling we got to work.

Can you see Trinity in the back Swinging?

First we chanced by a sale at Hobby Lobby and got all the neat little miniatures...of course we were just there for the wooden sticks for the fence along with some white paint...and get this the paint was called "Garden Gate."

Trinity was awesome with the moss. She made it all fit together and patted it with her sweet little hands.

Trinity's hands...pat...pat...

She and I had been needing a good Girly project that didn't include glittery nail polish. It took us two days to apply several coats of paint. She was an expert at placement, I kept my know it all adult opinions to myself and let her guide the project...as you can see it is lovely...I guess we adults don't know everything after all.

Found a new use for my bird house barn

To visit Sue and her unbelievable garden...yes I am still drooling...and you will too...visit her here http://suesgardenjournal.blogspot.com/ be sure to take a napkin to wipe your chin.




With all That I Am
Carrie "Forrest-Dweller" Duvall

Drying Hydrangea's

Its amazing how cool these look...when its in the 90's...

My Lovely little hydrangea garden has brought me much pleasure over the years...The flowers Open up in June and go through a myriad of color.

I have enjoyed cutting, drying and crafting with these lovelies...

So I thought I would share the best way I have found to dry them...I like to do things naturally, if I can...so I let nature do the job for me...I just work very close with her.

Drying Hydrangea's


1. Most important, cut them when they are papery feeling. They kind of rustle when you touch the flour and they may be a bit green around the edges.

2. Cut them the day after a good rain or a deep watering.
3. Strip all the leaves off (Hold it at the neck and pull your hand down the stalk will take the leaves off).
4. Take them inside and take off any brown flowers, missed leaves...just spruce them up a bit.
5. Trim the stalk, do not trim them all the same length they are going to need air while drying.
6. Arrange them in a container of water making sure there is good air flow (this is why you trimmed them at different lengths)
7. Place them around the house away from direct sunlight and any AC vents.
8. Do not water again unless you cut them fresh.

9. Now have fun decorating or making gifts.

I would love to show photo's of my house right now...its all Blue! But alas my camera is not working...heading out to camera store for repair!

Birds In The GArden

As I was checking out my Grapes I found a special friend moved in.....

Mrs. Robin didn't care for how close I got to the nest. And she has quite upset the squirrels path to the bird feeder as they can go from home to the bird feeder (AKA Squirrel feeder) via the grape trellis. But she doe's have first dibs on the grapes hanging in her nest when they ripen. Such is the life at our little cottage.