Monday, May 18, 2020

Weekend Wrap Up-The Garden Edition

Hi everyone. Hope you all had a good weekend.
It was a garden weekend for me.The weather was nice but not too hot; the bugs weren't too bad; and the blue sky and clouds made it nice to be outside.
Here's a page in my big journal that I use as more of a journal style scrapbook.
 If you wonder what those "blobs" are, they are little spots of microbeads that I glued down on the page.
I actually didn't make nay art this weekend, but this page has flowers and so it works for Mia's FLOWER challenge at Art Journal Journey

I had a busy weekend in the garden and needed a little help from the hubby. 
I've been wanting to fix up that little strip of land between the deck on the left of the photo and the white picket fence on the top. You can't see it in the photo  but within a few weeks it will (or would) have weeds about a foot tall and make it hard for me to open my veggie garden gate and get into it. I keep the veggie garden inside the picket fence which my hubby built for me because he says I keep a very messy veggie garden. But really it helps keeps animals out of it, both dogs and wild ones.
So my hubby rototilled the strip.
 Then I moved the  topsoil into the veggie garden and smoothed the remaining soil out. Maddie liked it because what is it about dogs laying in dirt?  But I wasn't quite done.
We have a pile of crushed gravel down in the  the driveway (that we use to fix the driveway)  so I shovelled and filled up the wheelbarrow, and the hubby wheeled it up and dumped it for me. Then I raked it smooth and repeated the process many more times.
And finally, it needed to be finished off with some stone I had bought. Well I didn't buy quite enough but anyhow, here's my new walkway.
I can now get into my garden much more easily, and I have a pathway down  into the bottom of our land that we don't actively use.  I think it should hopefully keeps the weeds down in this area.

This is that lower part of our property that we don't use but that  I showed you Saturday. But with my new walkway I can get down in this direction, and this is where I plan on putting up my beehives later this summer. (No bees until next year though.)

And I also managed to clean up much of my screen porch and set up my hammock. It needed to be vacuumed and the floor needed to be washed. I also needed to wipe down the furniture. In the winter we store all the outside things in it and then close it in with sheets of plastic to help keep that end of the house warmer.
I have a little floor painting touch up to do before I finish setting it up. One of these days I will get to it.
But I did hang my hammock.
And I spent a couple of hours Sunday afternoon lounging with a good book.
And watching the birds. My hummingbirds are finally back as are a pair of orioles.
I've still got some projects to do. More fun stuff. Flowers that need to be picked up and planted. My veggie garden needs some work.
But I am getting there.
This is the best part of this time year.
At least for me.
Thanks for visiting!
It is always much appreciated.

And see you later for T.

17 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Congratulations at getting such huge jobs done, you must have been exhausted! It looks really good now. And beehives soon? How exciting!
And good that you were able to rest in the hammock afterwards. Your journal page is gorgeous, love the colours, and I can feel how happy you are that spring is there at long last! Enjoy! Hugs, Valerie

Mia said...

Ι am in love with your garden, Erika. The garden in my house is not big, as I live in Athens, the greek metropolis. But I have a lovely garden in my summer house! So, I think I am lucky!
Your page is beautiful, sweetie. You did not make any art? But this is a piece of art, my friend. Gorgeous! Thank you so much for joining me again at AJJ! Kisses!!!
PS: Greece goes well with the virus (so far -and let's hope that this will not change in the future). Yes, I can go out easily, go swimming, super market etc, but I have to be careful. 1. I keep the distances and 2. I always wear mask and gloves when I am in "closed" places like supermarkets. I do not wear mask and gloves when I walk or if I go to the beach. These are government's measures.
And: I still work from home and I am grateful for giving me this chance.

R's Rue said...

Enjoy it.

Divers and Sundry said...

You've really fixed up your veggie garden nicely. Now you can get to it so much more easily. I like hearing that you'll have bees. Fascinating! I look forward to hearing more about it. Your screened porch looks like a wonderful spot. Seeing orioles would be exciting!

Caty said...

Oohh What a so so Gorgeous Art journal page Erika !! I loove the so amazing background you have created, those stamps and colors are so happy! I´m living spring when I see it. Wonderful microbeads!
I have to say that I´m impressed with the beautiful walkway to your veggie garden, it´s really very well done. you may have had a lot of work. So cute your Maddie, adorable! ooh enjoy your hammock!
I wish you a very nice afternoon, stay safe dear, and
Big hugs,
Caty

Mia said...

Erika, my friend, did I thank you for joining me at AJJ? If not, I tell you A HUGE THANK YOU for joining again my challenge at AJJ! Kisses!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

First, your flowers in your journal page are beautiful. I really like the bright in-your-face colors you chose, too. I love how it seems to sparkle in my monitor. I can only imagine how lovely it is in real life.

Good grief, Erika. I got tired just reading everything you did this weekend. You have corrected a major problem you had and you have turned the project into a success. It turned out great. I have NO idea why dogs love dirt and mud so much. I guess that's why I'm now strictly a cat person. Maddie found the perfect spot until you covered it over.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Not sure I thanked you for sharing this latest entry at Art Journal Journey using Mia's theme. If I didn't, then thanks, dear.

Elkes Lebensglück said...

It was a wonderful weekend for you and everyone was beautifully made with the way to the garden and in the hammock to watch the birds, wonderful and the weather was so great!
Your journal is beautifully designed with happy colors by you, I'm happy to see it too!
So I wish you a nice new creative week
Greetings Elke

Stevenson Q said...

Erika that doggy on that picture near your fence is just so cute and adorable I wanna hug him! I love your garden so much with the picket fence around it. That way you can plant some vegetables that will be free from playful animals that can "play" with them haha. Lovely art, joyful colors you used!

CJ Kennedy said...

You were very busy this weekend. At first I thought you were making a Zen garden when you added the stone. That should make it easier to get into your garden and to keep the weeds down. I’d love to set up an apiary, but I’m allergic to bee stings. That is so cool. Good that you got your screen porch cleaned out and the hammock set up. Now you can take time to smell the flowers like the page you made. Looks like we’re in for some more good weather this week. Take care.

Jeanie said...

Your back had to be a hurting piece of gear after all of that. Gravel isn't exactly like raking leaves! But it all looks terrific -- a really good job, very well done! And I will envision you enjoying that hammock on many a day -- assuming, of course, we get enough nice ones!

Manav Singhi said...

Hi Erika, Beautiful 2020 Spring page and your Walkway is looking perfect. Have a Nice and Safe day. . . :)

Meggymay said...

I thought I had called in here Erika, sorry i must have had a very senior moment.
You have been so busy in the garden, getting ready for when you can enjoy more leisure time out there maybe?
The photos looked good and it must be nice to have the birds returning .
Your flower art page looked fantastic a good idea to use the micro beads in the centre of the flowers.
Stay safe.
Yvonne xx

craftytrog said...

Wonderful art and great garden photos Erika! I did some pruning on Sunday, and stupidly hurt my wrist again. I'm so cross with myself!

Sharon Fritchman said...

What an amazing and gorgeous garden you have, Erika! You did quite a lot of work and it looks great!! And what a beautiful work of art. I love the vibrant colors and your beautiful design. Stay safe and healthy. HUGS!!!

Neet said...

What a lovely home you have - it looks to be in the middle of a forest. Especially as things are at the moment it must be wonderful to be able to walk around your own area and not be in fear of meeting up with other people. You can come and go as you please and nobody needs to know.
I adore your little picket fence - I think it is a lovely idea to have your own little plot like that where you can happily grow things that you want. The news ground cover will make things so much easier for you.
Love your welcoming journal page.
Hugs, Neet xx