Olive Out News

Hello friends.

Above our Broome Closet window booth at Ridge Antiques in Ridge Spring, S.C.  is pictured with our beloved blue mantle. Frankly if we do not sell that mantle any time soon I will not mind. We have filled it with bunnies and items that bring spring to mind.

 I also have this affinity for galvanized metal so watering cans and radiator water cans have made their way into the booth. Buckets are populating the floor. Right now all items are 50% off unless marked firm. We are cleaning house for spring.

In Olive Out news we are at 30 truck loads of limbs and trees to our second lot from the ice storm. Along with that clean up I have been doing my February gardening. February is a huge gardening month for me. I am getting behind as it is March! Joe helped me plant three David Austin roses.   Spring is upon us whether I am ready or not.

Joe mowed that large section of  green monkey grass (lilirope) on Saturday. It must be done before the green shoots pop out. You can see some debris in the foreground. Small stuff like that we are leaving for now.

Saturday I was resting in the chaise for a minute and heard a chain saw very close. A man was in our oak tree sawing away and throwing limbs in our clean yard. It was a FEMA crew. They said someone would be here in two days to pick up the limbs. Our neighbor astutely said "And I believe in the Tooth Fairy."No pick up crew yet and they cut limbs that did not need cutting. Oh and they cut an electric line and our power was off for five hours that night. It is exciting here but not in a good way.

I cannot recall a time when I was this fatigued except perhaps after childbirth. Maybe that analogy does not hold. However I am sore all over and fear I have torn my left rotator cuff. Not to mention my back is hurting and I seldom have back pain.  I know you are not here to hear my whining but this is our life at the moment. Joe is about the same and has to go to work.

I miss blogging and wish I could get into some sort of routine once more. I thank my new and loyal followers. I am thankful for the kinship found here.

joy and peace

Olive

Saving Baby Birds!

Yesterday midmorning I was loading items into the Jeep walking back and forth from the deck and thus through the flower garden. After a few minutes I began to notice that the birds were fussing again. I immediately looked into the funeral basket on the deck, four feet from our back door, where the wrens have a nest of baby birds.

The thirty six inch long rat snake, I saw last week, was revolting coiled in the basket attempting to eat the baby birds. First, I screamed. Then I thought "What can I do?" Joe would have just picked him up out of there but I am a coward in that regard. CC handed me the broom and I tipped the basket over. The snake slithered off the hot tub and baby birds scattered all over the deck. It was pandemonium. We could no longer see the snake and the fluffy tiny birds who are incapable of flight were desperately trying to hide.

 I righted the basket and lo and behold about 100 second later the d@*% snake was back in the basket looking for the babies who were not there. He was searching with his repellent tongue.  CC and I were unsure what to do. We know that is the snakes nature. However we are for the underbird in this scenario.

Two of the baby birds went left hopping into the sunny yard aided by the parents. The others may have been under the deck and been taken by the snake. That snake is getting located to the Savannah River as soon as Joe finds him.

That same morning I saw two deer and a rabbit eating my roses. The flower garden is an exciting and happening place. Want to come over for tea in the garden?

Olive

After The Rain: Raindrops

Rain has a cleansing effect.

 Making the flowers glisten. 

Capturing raindrops is a little bit like chasing rainbows. 

There is a small window of opportunity.

 I am not proficient at either task but that does not stop me from trying.

happy gardening

Olive

Morning Primrose

Because my house is full of stinky dorm laundry.

Because  chaos reigns here.

Because learning a new computer and photo editing program at the same time is too much.

Because it is cold and raining outside and may be very cold where you are.

Let's look at last weeks sunny explosion of morning primrose in the garden.

Dianthus is in the background.

I planted one of these pink flowers two years ago. 

Now I must have five hundred.

If only interest on savings accounts could do that.

linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

Olive

Tired Always Follows Sick

I am sick and tired this month. Tired always follows sick as the brilliant Bill Cosby reminded us. April has been tough and nearly overwhelming for me. The Boston Marathon Bombing Terrorist attacks followed by the tragedy in the town of West, Texas. I despair every time I hear another parent claim their grown child is as innocent as a white dove. I had parents of convicted murderers tell me that all the time when I was a Director of Nursing for the Georgia Department of Corrections. 

We all are in potential what every criminal is in actuality. I learned that there is a thin fine line between criminals and us. I hear you shouting in protest "But I have the sweetest child." I am sure you do. Please, please, parents never claim your children can do no wrong. Hold them accountable for their mistakes. It may be the greatest gift you give to them.

If you think this blog shallow or too focused on all things pretty just know that I have spent far too much time, working as an RN in challenging locations, and need this pretty refuge. I seek the solitude of gardening and making our home comfortable for a reason. If you have not read my Hold Everything Lightly Series at the top of the page you might want to consider it.

Our daughter, CC, has a dear friend whose mother died, last night, at age 52, of breast cancer. She was surrounded by her husband and children. We know she is no longer suffering and is with Her Lord. CC is hurting and is away at college and unable to comfort her friend. Here again April has been a difficult road to travel.

Hug Someone You Love Today

Olive

My View Is Just As Important As Curb Appeal

Our yellow house has many windows and I plant flowers with that in mind.  

My view is always a consideration.

  I helped a sweet friend of mine select plants from a local nursery last Thursday. She bought me this popcorn viburnum and a catmint plant for helping her. I am excited to have both of these plants. The viburnum is in my view from the deck.

  This is a faux copper urn another sweet friend sold to me for next to nothing with the catmint planted in it. Catmint is invasive and that is why I put it in a planter. It will have purple blossoms later. This planter is in my view when I drive into the driveway or walk in the gravel road we live on.

 I seldom share the front of the yellow house because it is rather plain but the salvia has started blooming and I adore it's spiky blooms. Salvia is a winning perennial for me and blooms from now until winter. That is getting my money out of a plant. I cut back all my perennials in February and that helps them bloom in the spring. I see that view of the front steps every time I drive into the driveway. I keep pots of succulents on each step and a little birdbath.

These iris were transplanted from our old house to the yellow house last year. I planted them in the side yard.

 This is my view from the den door where I sit and blog. The curvy gravel road has our yellow house and four other houses on it but they are spaced well apart. I garden for my view. I want to see beautiful flowers when I look out the doors, windows, and deck, of our house. Curb appeal is important but so is my view. 

Gardening brings me peace and I feel close to God in my backyard flower garden and yard. There is nothing like the feel of sunshine on my face and dirt on my fingers. The satisfaction of spying a new bloom from my kitchen window is worth all the work.

Linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

What is your gardening philosophy?

Olive

Garden Blooms

Phlox, or I have always called it thrift, has finally made it in my garden. 

I have lost several in our heat.

Sweet William

This snapdragon has bloomed all winter and quadrupled in size.

A chickadee has built a nest in this old birdhouse. 

We can observe her from the kitchen window.

The Knockout Roses will be blooming next week.

Bridal Veil Spirea is one of my favorite bushes. 

It holds many childhood memories for me. 

This one is still small and difficult to photograph but I am overjoyed 

to see these mini white clouds of flowers.

The aloe vera in the twig wreath made it through the winter in the lawn mower shed. 

I have been outside for about three hours this morning combating weeds.

 It is a fine day. Today's high will be 80 degrees. 

Perfect weather to sit on the deck, read, and listen to bird song.

What's blooming in your garden?

You might be interested to read about The Rust Goddess and I

 finding an Opium Bed on Saturday while out junking.

Linking@Wow Us Wednesday's

Be Inspired

happy gardening

Olive

Spring Garden Readiness

This Thyme that I purchased in a nearly dead condition last summer, for fifty cents, has survived and even thrived. It is winter hardy here too. I have had two of these rusty blue tile tables in storage and decided to use them on the deck. I am slowly clearing and cleaning the deck and pergola. Yikes, I did not sweep it.

The pansies have smiled at us all winter. It is hard to tell but rosemary is growing in the purple pot. I enjoy growing herbs pretty much for how they look. I also have rosemary growing in a planting bed now {it is winter hardy too}.

More pansies and blooming variegated vinca slightly different from the vinca at the old house I showed you on Friday. I like the vinca flowing out of the overhanging deck basket. The pansies will soon be replaced with another flower. Joe and I have worked tirelessly, this weekend, in the yard and flower garden. I cut an uncounted mind and finger numbing number of monkey grass bundles, with scissors, because they are where our mower cannot reach {because I must be ever so slightly mad too}. I went to bed last evening when the sun was still high in the sky.

I should give this camellia bush a special name because despite our strange weather she has been beautiful this year. I adore this soft pink color. I think I can say our flower garden is ready for spring. By doing a little bit here and there, every weekend, we have managed to get where we want to be with it. We are blessed by our little yellow house that you see here on Olive Out. Thank you for sharing the journey with us.

~please forgive me I am chatty when exhausted~

happy gardening

Olive

Blooming Now

I know many of you are in the midst of a snow storm and I am thinking of you and praying for your safety. Here are my pansies blooming now in various containers in our back yard. I have these positioned so that we can see them from the kitchen windows. Make your views wonderful and washing dishes becomes much easier.

Thank for your kind comments about my terrible week. I have adjusted my attitude, prayed, breathed, and realized I am not in control even when I grasp for control all the time.

happy gardening

Olive

Winter Garden

Quince

Camilla

January is a big gardening month for me. 

It is 74 degrees and gorgeous outside.

This is what I did this morning:

Cut back 13 roses

Cut back all the perennials

Raked mulch from half the flower garden

Replaced  mulch with pine straw from our yard (free)

~~~~~

I still have to rake the other half of the flower garden 

and place pine straw around the plants.

 In February I run over the monkey grass with the mower 

and cut back the butterfly bushes.

This is a before image with long scraggly roses 

and dogwood leaves all over the place.

The pine straw will settle down in a few days. The blank spots are where ground covers are. The plan here is eventually to have ground cover between plants and little need for mulch.

Clovis helped of course. 

I find peace in my little garden. 

All the hard space here needs updating.

I really do not mind. 

There is no money for it any way. 

The plants, sun, and joy of being outside are enough for me.

Linking@Wow Us Wednesdays

happy gardening

Olive