Friday, April 5, 2019

Bits & Bobs...And An Update

We are still waiting for spring to arrive to the mountain top...as a matter of fact just a few minutes ago it was snowing. 

Of course it was....that's because Mother Nature knows I wanted to get out in the garden tomorrow and get some spring cleanup done! 


I was able to spend a few hours outside last Saturday, beginning the arduous and overwhelming task of getting the gardens cleaned up for spring.

The first two hours or so, my trusty helper Bee and I picked up about a billion sticks from all around the property.

They will make for a lovely bonfire some summer evening. 


This was the first time Bee has been out of the Garden Cottage since the end of gardening season last year....the ground was pretty wet, so we made a lot of tracks, but her help is invaluable and worth any tracks in the grass. 


I managed to get the beds around the veggie garden cleaned out for the most part....until Sunday, when the winds kicked up and blew all the leaves right back in. 

So frustrating - grrrrrrrrrr!

There are spring bulbs popping up in this little garden next to the garden path, and I see my perennials coming back to life as well. Exciting times for a gardener!


I have been able to hang out laundry a couple of times recently, which thrills me to no end. There's just something so peaceful about the act of hanging laundry in the sunshine, with the sound of the birds all around me.

Yes, I know, you don't have to tell me....I'm completely lame, what can I say. 


I'm trying to identify this seed pod, in a pot up in Papa's Garden. I can't remember for the life of me what I had planted in that pot, but the seedpod sure is cool! 


Could it have been a Zinnia? Looking at this photo, it seems I may have had a Zinnia growing in that corner (to the right of the Arborvitae.) I don't even remember planting any Zinnias in there! 

I cannot wait until Papa's Garden looks like this again - wasn't it simply gorgeous? 


Little Miss Molly was not one bit impressed to be trapped inside while I was outside, as you can tell by her little blinkety-eye face. 


She was thrilled later in the day when all the work was done and I let her out to sit with Mommy on the deck swing. 

The second she sees my butt aiming for the swing, she flies across the deck like a complete lunatic and leaps onto the swing before me. 


Wow, that little cutie can really jump!!  We call her the Flying Fluff! 


Meanwhile, as we wait for spring to finally arrive, the seedlings are taking over the house. These are Pansies and Sweet Peas in my dining room.


Happy Snapdragons, also in my dining room. These dining room seedlings got to spend one whole day outside on the deck so far....I can't wait until Sweetie finishes up my cold frame so they can move outside permanently. 


There's a grow light in my downstairs laundry area, on what I like to use as my wrapping paper station. 


The Geraniums I overwintered are making quite the comeback, as you can see. They don't all come back, sadly, but any that do are a bonus, since it costs me nothing to overwinter them. I think about 10 are coming back so far, but I'm not giving up on the others just yet! Every one that comes back saves me $4 at the garden center. Yes, please!


I have a folding table set up near the sliding doors with another grow light where I have Peppers, Celery, Leeks, Herbs, Alpine Strawberries, Salvia, and more Geraniums. 

The final grow light is in the utility room, where's it's warm and toasty. That's where I start the seeds, and then move them out here when they get a bit stronger. 

Everything is a bit of a mess right now, as my daughter is still in the process of moving out. Once she's done, I can get things organized in the anal way I like them once again.  


My Fig tree has been rescued from the closet under the stairs, where it overwinters. I re-potted it, and put it in the guest room window. It's happy looking out at the horses, I guess - look at this wonderful new growth!

Perhaps this will be the year I actually get figs? Fingers crossed! 

Meanwhile, despite my best efforts, the insurance company and the well company are both refusing to cough up as much as a dime for the damages to my lower level. The bills have all come in, and it cost me about $7000 in repairs, which completely wiped out my emergency fund. It's so disheartening to pay for homeowner's insurance when they refuse to help when you need them! 

The well company refuses to accept any responsibility, which is completely unfair. If any of you live in the Upstate NY area, stay away from Titan Drilling if you have any well issues, that's for sure! 

And I wouldn't recommend New York Central Mutual for your homeowner's insurance either! 

The Attorney General's office was no help, The Better Business Bureau didn't pan out, and so far I haven't even heard back from the Department of Financial Services. 

It's a shame that we can't get help when we need it, isn't it? 

I've been stressing out big time about this, and I am trying to take a step back and live in the moment. I really enjoy my cozy house, and instead of worrying about what may happen next, I'm trying to focus on the blessings all around me

I also downloaded an app onto my phone called Calm... I can't even describe to you how much this app is helping me sleep! They have what they call 'sleep stories' which are basically adult bedtime stories, told in a soothing tone, with a focus on settling in, getting cozy, slowing your breathing...within 5 minutes of starting a sleep story I'm fast asleep!!  If I wake up in the middle of the night, I'll start the story again....and BOOM five minutes later I'm asleep again! Talk about a blessing!

If any of you out there are having any difficulty sleeping, I would highly suggest you give it a try. This is NOT a sponsored post, I just love sharing tidbits like this with my amazing readers. 

Happy Weekend Everyone!!  
xo

26 comments:

  1. I still have not even started on cleaning out my garden beds and cutting down my perennials yet. My back hurts too much today to even start (and yes, I do planks in my daily routine...you mentioned those), tomorrow will be a decent day too, but I might be out with family tomorrow, then Sunday will be raining. The 10 day forecast looks miserable...back down into the 40's and nothing but rain. Even some possible sn** showers one day.

    Your seedling plants are looking fantastic. I give you so much credit for all that hard work, especially with working FT.

    That is just terrible that you aren't getting anywhere with getting any help with your basement flood fiasco. I am so sorry. As someone who has also had to shell out thousands for things like basement floods and roof damage because home owner's insurance wouldn't cover things, I feel your pain. Makes me even question why the heck we even have the insurance in the first place.

    I don't have the Calm app but I do use two others - one simply called Meditation the other is Insight Timer. I don't listen to them in bed though because that would mean having to look at my phone (which the light greatly disrupts your sleep) and having to take ear buds in and out. So sometimes I just listen to the apps/meditations on the couch before bed.

    Hope you have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That stinks, Melanie - we had snow today, but I'm hoping whatever we get won't last. It is what it is, right? If I'm not in the garden cleaning up, maybe I can at least get my garden cottage straightened up for planting season. It's still a mess from the fall and needs some serious TLC. Enjoy your weekend, my friend!

      Delete
  2. It's 5:30 pm here in the Saratoga region, and still snowing! The ground is covered and the pines look like they did in January. I think it was supposed to turn to rain by now, but... You're right Debbie - it is what it is! We are at least having a spring season and not going right from winter to summer as we seem to do some years. Your seedlings look wonderful. We are over-wintering 6 geraniums and so far they all seem to be doing well. I can't believe you've had no luck with any of those agencies! How unfair!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right, Sue, at least we are having a spring season - like you, a couple of recent years we went straight from winter to summer! The snow is just about gone here....let's hope it stays that way!

      Delete
  3. oh that's so frustrating regarding the insurance companies...

    I definitely have issues with sleep, but alas, can't hear otherwise I'd try that app.

    Love that bumble bee! Reminds me of my trusty gator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Someone recently recommended taking magnesium supplements for my twitching eye (stress) and to benefit the nervous system in general, Karen Ann. Bonus? It's supposed to help me sleep also! I'll add one every evening along with my melatonin!

      Delete
  4. We plan on working in our yard this weekend and I cannot wait. I do see that we have to replace the wood around our raised garden beds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There's always repairs to be done in the spring, Betty - last year I had to replace the wood around my raised veggie garden beds. I sure do wish it was stone or metal, something that would last longer!

      Delete
  5. I hope to get some outside gardening started this weekend or next. Just waiting on it to warm up just a little bit.
    I laughed at “blinky eye face”.
    Do you have one or two fig trees? They come in female and male. http://www.weekendgardener.co.nz/Ask-an-Expert/Figs-that-wont-flower/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I only have one fig tree, Lisa - uh oh I hope it will flower! It was a gift from a friend, but she bought it at a very reputable garden center, so I assume they sold her the correct one....fingers crossed!

      Delete
  6. Your seedlings look wonderful! It will warm up here to the 70s this week, and I am itching to dig in the dirt. I did some transplanting, and my seedlings may survive, but will see. When I was working, I used a white noise machine that made a sound like ocean waves, gentle and soothing, and it helped me sleep. Now that I am retired, I sleep better than I ever have, LOL!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are in the 60's right now, Carole, although of course that won't last...but I'll take it while it does! It's gloomy today, though - cloudy and overcast with rain expected. That's ok, I'm not off today, so it can rain all it wants to as long as I have a nice day at the weekend to get some work done outside!

      Delete
  7. I have Calm, because generally I am not. 😉 My kids showed it to me, I don't use it as much as I should. I'm so sorry to hear about your well issues. I can't believe that no one can help you out. And it's downright deplorable that the insurance company won't pay. A house is a big expense and that's why we get insurance...in case of emergencies and unforeseen situations like this one. My goodness, why even bother if they won't pay...I'm glad you're enjoying the garden though. Focus on that!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm trying to focus on that, Kim, and get that feeling of peace back that my house always brought me....it's tough though when I'm so upset about that stupid well company!

      Delete
  8. We are heading out today to clear our garden beds and I will be planted some radish seedsI outside. I am so sorry to hear about your insurance and well company not paying!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, the first seeds going into the ground, that's exciting Penny!!

      Delete
  9. That's alot of sticks you collected. Miss Molly is adorable and obviously loves you very much. Your seedlings are doing well. I used to love perennials in our large yard in the old house.

    I'm sorry no one will make this right for you financially. It's such a shame.

    Cindy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a shame, Cindy, and I'm clearly not happy about it. I love my perennials as well, although the original perennial bed that was here needs some editing. They made some poor choices (Tansy!!) and I'm paying the price for it now. I have three rosebushes in that bed that I cut back to the ground over the weekend - they need to be dug out and replaced also.

      Delete
  10. You go girl with getting that yard cleaned up. Today it is 70 here and we are picking up lots of twigs and branches from those heavy winter snows. The sun is shining and I even opened up a few windows. Heaven! Tomorrow warm again but with rain. Then possible snow this week. So I am enjoying today. I love to hang sheets and towels out to dry. Something about that fresh air smell. Little Miss Molly is too adorable wanting to come outside with you. Glad she got to go on the swing. Buddy is sunning himself out on the deck today. He is loving that sunshine.
    Have a great rest of the weekend.
    Hugs,
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The babies spent a good amount of time on the deck yesterday while I was in the garden, Kris - they love sunning themselves out there and chasing away all the critters! It was a glorious day, and I worked very hard outside...I feel every bit of it today, believe me!

      Delete
  11. Isn't that just ridiculous that you pay for insurance and yet you get no help from them? Insane! I couldn't own another home, I don't think. The stress would kill me.
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So ridiculous, Brenda, what's the point in paying for insurance???

      Delete
  12. Debbie, I know you can't wait to get at that garden. I can't wait to see it. Love the flower gardens by the sweet shed. Your Papa will be proud. Picking up "sticks" can be an all day job. I wanted to work in our yard....but I had to do a power cleaning of Ted's bedroom. washing walls shampooing carpet. I am so sore all over now. I just want a shower and to go to bed. I loved seeing your laundry out. I always love that wonderful scent . Blessings to you, hard working girl. xoxo, Susie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, that sure is a power cleaning, Susie! I'm sure your hubby will appreciate all your hard work!

      Delete
  13. I hate that you have had more snow. I know you are ready to get your hands dirty and get those beautiful plants in the ground. I normally dread the task of cleaning up the yard and getting the beds ready, but this year I'm actually looking forward to it! All I can way is that Phil lied...LOL Love and hugs sweet friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I dread certain garden beds that I have to tackle, Benita, in particular the perennial bed - it's such a nightmare to clean up every spring, and it kicks my butt! I prefer to tackle it first thing on a Saturday morning, because there's no way I have the energy for it after I've done any other chores. I had to wait until Sunday this weekend, when I was already sore from all I had done Saturday, so that made it tougher, but I was victorious!!

      Delete

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking time out of your busy day to leave a comment...I truly love reading your comments and I try to respond to each and every one of your sweet comments right here on my blog page!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
09 10