It's That Time

Seeds, seeds, and more seeds! The best thing about winter is that you have time to prepare both yourself and your land for the new season ahead. Of course, it also happens to be the time when most gardeners begin to feel that tell tale itch. The one that you can't really scratch until your garden is fully going. So far this year, I have started stratifying some lavender seeds in the refrigerator and will start the whole asparagus process at the end of the month. I also have plans for carrots, beets, and parsley. That's the list that God has given to me for the year so far.

I have also begun to start thinking about 2nd year care for all of the 100 plus trees that I planted last year. Yeah, I'm crazy like that. At the top of my priority list is getting them fully protected. Granny brought in some really nice fence netting and I'm hoping that there will be enough to cover up all of my plants. I really want to get them off to a strong start. For the ones up on the mountain, I just want to check on them and make sure that my pine trees are continuing to grow. I am not so worried about the wild cherries, oaks, hawthorns, chestnuts, ect. (But maybe I should be). 

I just want to talk briefly on the fact that I have really been inspired lately by Paul, the guy who really started the back to Eden gardening concept. His journey and the man himself are really impressive and both he and his garden are utterly enchanting. Check him out please! He is really enjoyable and a very easy way to get pumped about gardening if you are feeling a little low.

Happy New Year!

As usual, with every new year comes new goals. One of my goals this year is to really stretch my creative side(s). I'm hoping that I can remain accountable to myself on here. Not going to lie, I, for one, am definitely grateful that 2018 is over. It definitely ranks up there in the worst years of my life category. Anyways, I just wanted to get a fresh post up on the sight so that all of ya'll know that my heart's still ticking away. Here's to the new year and all the adventures that it holds. Cheers!

Project 2: The Banks

On the banks, I would like to preserve all my mint plants, but I want to start some descending beds that look something like a combination of these two pictures:

Does anyone have a website with step by step paper instructions???? I've been trying to find one, but no such luck. Except, that is in my Garden landscaping book, but it isn't quite the look I'm going for.

My biggest challenge with this project is going to be cost. 😩 I don't even want to think about it. I'm hoping I can make it out of pallets but...yeah. 

I think I would probably do a herb garden in the raised beds since the mint is alread preexisting. Pretty much the herbs that you cook with day to day:
http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/essential-ingredients/all-about-herbs-slideshow

I might put a few sacrifical strawberry plants in there to. Gotta keep the birdies away from my larger patch!

Project 1: Driveway Wildflower Bed

Okay, so my plan is that I'm going to trim down the overgrown bank at the end of the driveway and till it up into a usuable flower bed. One part of me wants to use some old tires because it's right next to the road and I feel like it would be a cool statement. There are so many amazing ideas, but the biggest problem for me is that I dont have anything to cut the firewalls out of the tires. 😢. But some websites say you don't have to...*sigh*.

This is a great article that I found. Very step by step, though not the design I'm looking for. http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Raised-Bed-Garden-From-Tires/

These were eye opening and highly creative. And they pretty much convinced me to use tires. The second one has me thinking of even more uses:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/a-new-use-for-old-tires-a-garden-using-tires/
http://balconygardenweb.com/8-tire-garden-ideas-you-must-look-on/ 

And this one told me that I could do what I was envisioning. Survey pictures 2-7 essentially. the ones where they kind of look like walls.
http://www.akitasmexico.com/flowerbed-of-tires-with-your-own-hands-photo-beds-of-the-wheel-tires-and-walkthroughs-for-its-creation/

But we shall see. There are a lot of varying opinions on whether or not it's okay to plant edibles in the tires, but I'm gonna try it out. But for the area next to the road I'm probably gonna grab some nice wildflowers. Gotta attract those pollinators! 

I think I'm going to buy both of these from Clyde Robin:
http://clyderobin.com/wildflower_mixes/wildflower_collections/hummingbird_butterfly_mix.htm 
http://clyderobin.com/wildflower_mixes/wildflower_collections/hardy_wildflowers.html 

And this is just the first project!

SPRING!!! (Ish)

Spring is coming, in fact it feels like it's already here! I have done so much outside recently, getting the lndscaping into shape before things start to emerge from their winter slumber.

Word to the wise, don't try to pull a two-hundred-plus-pound log off of a mountain for your garden decor. The tree will, eventually, win. I foolishly pulled it off of the mountain and dragged it quite a way, but I would not recommend it to anyone. And it still hasn't gotten all the way to the garden so...yeah. I'm going to make a few more posts about the projects that I'm planning...I'm being pretty ambitious.

Nice Doggies...

When there is a pack of hungry wild dogs (coyotes) outside your door, and you have a dachshund who will need to use the bathroom soon...

Oh, the pleasures of living in a secluded mountain valley.

HSSI-Horticulture Summer Summer Institute

So, while I was searching around for horticulture scholarships, I stumbled upon a summer camp at North Carolina State University. Although I could go to Virginia Tech (eww) I am not entirely sold on the idea and NCSU is only three hours away from the family. Of course, I have been very hesitant because I am not sure if I will like the campus/Raleigh any more than I like Blacksburg. I feel like God is being like, "Tada. Here you go. You decide."

A little on HSSI, so you know why in the world I am so excited. Here's a link: http://www.growforit.org/programs/detail/HSSI

There are a few existing problems though:

1. Living Waters is July 15-21, and this camp is the 8-13. Luckily, both camps are in NC, though on opposite sides of the state. Which leaves me only a day to rest and laundry problems. The solution to this may be to visit a friend of ours, Clay McClean and his wife, Mary, who live in the middle of the state. Maybe we could ask to do laundry. 😉

2. I have to get accepted in order to go to the camp, something that might not happen because I have not been very active in my pursuit of horticulture. Mostly because of finances.

3. It costs $550 to attend, with the down payment being $150. The reason I listed this last is that I feel like God is really calling me to this program. And there are scholarship programs/payment plans. I would be paying for it myself this time. 

Please be praying for me, and that if God wants me to pursue this camp, he will open the doors (or windows, you never know) that would make it available to me.

Super/Red/Blue/Blood/Lunar Eclipse. Just look at the Moon.

So tonight several things are going to happen to our moon.

1. It is going to be full for the second time in a month. The first one being on Janurary 1. Ironic, right? This scientifically classifies it as a blue moon.

2. It is going to be a Blood moon. In slang terms that means that it is going to be HUGE and really really bright. 

3. There is giong to be a total lunar eclipse. Unfortunately for some of us, we won't be able to see the full thing, but the idea is still pretty amazing. 

4. This is the first time in 150 YEARS that all of these things happened in the U.S. at once. needless to say, I have definitely geeked out a bit on this particular topic. I will be watching.

Between Days. Literally.

So, what am I doing at almost twelve in the evening/morning? I'm looking up how to make more convincing characters, of course. Because my brain, when it comes to the worlds of possibilities I've opened up with this new plot line for Aesop's story will not shut up. So, thus I am worried about creating not only believable characters but strong and convincing ones. Here are three good articles that I've read. Everyone has, and is, entitled to their own opinion. 

1. https://thewritepractice.com/how-do-you-build-a-strong-character-in-your-writing/ 

2.  http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/write-first-chapter-get-started/hooked-on-a-feeling

3.  https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/writing-strong-characters/

A Beautiful Day in The Hood

It's sunny, sixty degrees, and there are just a few small clouds floating around. Oh, and a wind advisory. Of course.

The Thing About To-Do Lists

To-Do lists:
Are helpful when your brain won't remember anything.
Are helpful when you know that there is NO way you are getting everything done in one day.
Are helpful when you are feeling a little bit lazy.
Are helpful motivators.

BUT:
Lists can be slightly counterproductive because it is way too easy to get overwhelmed.

When I was looking around for quotes on to-do lists and found this really cool one(including the artsy doodles):



If you do this you, shouldn't have any problems with the but. 🙂

Happy New Year! (Ish)

Okay, so I know I have a lot of ground to cover from my last post. Quite honestly ever since the new year has rolled around my motivation to do anything has shrunk from half and half to absolute zero. Growth spurt? Hormones? Nah. Descions. Life descions. 

Welcome to the junior year in which you contemplate college or no college. Scholarships, grants, schools, career options, studies...is it all even worth it? Anyone own a landscaping buisness and need the help of a hardworking female who loves to getting in the dirt? 

So, why am I so stressed out? Mainly because the only school that offers the career path I would like to go down, in state, is VT. A liberal arts college that seems to put more emphasis on education and Ph.D's than moral or ethical standards. 

Landscape Architect? 4-5 more years of school? Can I really do this?
Pray for me.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Winter

I woke up this morning and it was snowing!! It's really light and powdery, but has that just right amount of wetness that makes it good snowball/snowman weather. We probably have about 4-5 inches. It's supposed to stop at 6 inches, but it doesn't really look like it's going to. Even though I hate the amount of sunshine we get in the winter, snow just makes it all better. And brighter.

Welcome to my front yard!