Rust and Other Opportunities

The question on my mind today is how to "rust" things... quickly! I have a mismatched set of iron furniture, 2 black chairs, one green table, and one rusty bench (see it below in the finished patio photo). When I pulled them all together, the thought was to paint them all to match. Trouble is, I can't find a paint color that screams my name. What is screaming my name is the rust on the bench. I've just fallen in love with that rusty patina. I can coat the bench with a clear coat (polyurethane?) of some sort so that the rust doesn't come off all over everyone. But now I don't know how to give the table and chairs that wonderful rusty patina. Anyone have any ideas? Remember, I'm not that patient, and it has to be e-z.
Building a flagstone patio has turned out to bee a long and arduous process. At first, it was going to be 10x10', just the right size for the gazebo. Then the gazebo was destroyed in a windstorm; that left a tiny little patio, barely large enough for my dining table and two chairs.
After several eac's (engineering authorized changes), the flagstone patio became a 10x18' rectangle. I like to think of these project changes as opportunities rather than obstacles. (I sound optimistic, but you should hear me whine while the plan is being revised) This is a glimpse of the enlarged flagstone patio,just completed this week.This larger size definitely fits the bill better for us; I can load this patio up with potted plants and various odds and ends of outdoor furniture and yard art.
What I learned from this month long series of opportunities is that (a) I should always opt for a larger design, because I will always end up with way more stuff filling the area than I originally intended, and (b) I should remain flexible to change and not stress out so badly.
While the back yard landscaping "bones" are in place, the job is not finished. This is the hottest, driest summer in recent memory, so now is not a good time to plant. I will have to wait until September, when the mercury no longer hits triple digits to complete my plantings. Also, the Chinese pistachio is not in good shape. The heat has taken it's toll on the once lovely tree, and reduced it to a brown twig. It may (or may not) live. I'm holding on to the hope that it will survive, doctoring it with compost tea and keeping it wet. My landscaper has agreed to watch it until September and, if necessary, replace it then, when the temps are cooler.
In the interim, I'm finishing up some odds and ends in the back yard, and trying to decide on cushion color for my seating area; I quickly realized that the heat of a Texas summer, iron furniture, and my backside are not a good combination. After sitting down in one of the black iron chairs in the middle of the day, I make a split second decision to add cushions! My second degree burns are healing nicely, thanks for asking!
Also, I'm deciding what type of shade structure I may want to add to the patio area. The patio is against the west wall of the house, so it's only in shade from about 3pm on. I need some type of shade in that area so I can sit out and have my coffee, as well as a shady spot for the critters to escape the sun. Right now my shade is limited to a table umbrella, but that isn't a long term solution. Trust me, with a dog, 5 cats, and myself under a 5' umbrella, it's just a little too cozy!
You know I love to mess around with photoshop, so I've come up with this photomerge as one possible solution to my problem:I'm thinking of a shade sail to block off some of the morning sun. I've got to read up on the pros and cons a little more before I make a decision. If anyone's ever had a shade sail, or especially if anyone's ever put one up as a "do it yourself" project, let me know! I'm welcoming all the input I can get.
So there's a glimpse of the back yard progress, as it stands now. I can't say I'll post photos of the completed project, because things never seem to be complete around here, they are always changing. I can say that I'll post some photos this fall when I get my perimeter plantings in, decide on cushions, and hopefully have all my furniture rusted to perfection!

Blogiversary!

Today is my one year blogiversary! I can't believe that one short year ago I began blogging, time passes so quickly. So much has changed, so much has stayed the same. I have nothing particular to blog about today, I just wanted to let you all know how truly blessed I've been and much richer my life is thanks to the friends I've met blogging this past year as well as the friends who I've known for ages that now keep up with my life via my blog!I once heard it said that friendship doubles your joy and divides your sorrow. How true. In the past year, whenever I was happy, you all celebrated with me and more than doubled my joy. During the difficult months surrounding my Dad's death, you all comforted me in ways you will never know. Without the support from all my friends, those who blog and those who do not, my grief would have been unbearable. There is no way I can ever repay you all for your kind and comforting words, your prayers, and your support. Without being too dramatic, I think it's fair to say my life is better because I blog.Blogging lets me vent feelings that shouldn't be bottled up inside me. Your comments and feedback often open my eyes to the many different ways to handle feelings and situations. Blogging has been a cross between therapy and a tea party! I can "let it all out" and then step back and see things from other people's frame of reference.I'm not the most original thinker, and your posts have given me lots of new ideas. I jokingly commented to someone the other day that I hadn't had an original idea since Nixon was president. I now have a "to do" list that I'll never complete even if I live to be 100! The only list longer than the "to do" list is the "I gotta have that plant in my garden" list. Seriously, my garden is so small, I know I'll never try half of the plants I've discovered through blogging. The good thing is, I can come and visit those plants in your gardens, and I don't have to worry about watering, fertilizing, or weeding them!Because of blogging, my house is dirtier, my pile of dirty laundry is larger, and I've almost abandoned keeping up with the world news. Those aren't necessarily bad things, either. I've found that life is still happy even if the house isn't spotless. No matter how large the laundry pile is, we usually still have something clean to wear. And there's a lot less stress in my life when I don't worry about all the current events the media harp on (past week is a great example).I haven't been keeping you up to date the past month or so. Sorry, I WILL do better. I've been busy, lots going on, projects in progress. I'll get back in the swing of things and get you all caught up with my life soon. In the meantime, enjoy your summer, and thanks for sharing your lives with me this past year.

A Little Help From My Friends...

Remember that song by the Beatles... I get by with a little help from my friends...
That's what I need from my blogging friends today, a little help identifying some of my plants. While you're in the mood to "Name That Plant", would you be so kind as to hop on over to Diane's Musings and help her identify a plant, too? Puleeeeeezzzzzzz?
Sometimes people give me plants; they tell me what they are and I forget. Such is the case with this plant:Big Mama gave me a planter with this unknown and plumbago all mixed together. I love the lacy little purple blooms, I hope it propagates well! The leaves are thin and jagged on the edges, they look a lot like a seedling hackberry when they first come up. I do know that it's a perennial, because it wasn't visible when I got the pot, but came back from the root (or did it come from seed already in the pot?) in early spring.
Then there's this plant. I don't know what it is, but it multiplies like rabbits! I had a tiny bit last year, now it's come up in several other places. I like it, so I'm keeping it, but I'd sure like to know what it is!It has shiny, smooth lime green leaves and grows in a clump. It died back last winter and then this spring I had several clumps come up, so I guess it reseeds. Click to zoom in on the photo and you'll see a bloom just begining to open on the end of one of those little shoots sticking up on the upper right. It looks like the flowers will be small, either red or coral. Maybe that will help identify the little mystery guest!
Thanks in advance for your help dear friends! Have a great weekend!

Farrah

May you rest in peace
Ferrah Leni Fawcett
February 2, 1947 - June 25, 2009
(Note: I did not misspell her first name, that is the way the media listed it as her name when she was born)

Sharing My Mess

Carla over at A Mellow Life inspired me! She's been doing a "tour de yard" posting shots from all around her yard. She was even brave enough to show her potting area, an area that's usually not the most scenic in our yards!
What Carla inspired me to do is air my "dirty laundry" as it were; to show my messy messy potting area(s). Every time I step over into the potting area, I think to myself "thank goodness this isn't easily seen from the rest of the yard, what on earth would my blogger friends think of this wild mess?" Then it dawned on me when I saw Carla's spot that many of us probably have a tiny little corner of the garden that's less than photogenic.
Today I decided to share my mess! And actually, I have TWO messy areas. I have the area that I put my old rusty sink in originally to use as a potting area. Yep, there it is in all it's, er, uh, glory (?). Never mind all that rock, it's yet another project waiting to happen. Almost as soon as I began using this area, I realized I'd made a mistake. Does that ever happen in your garden? My mistake was that there isn't any shade in the potting area after about 10 am, so it was quite uncomfortable for me and my little seedlings. None of us like that much sun, so I'm moving the potting area to another spot...
Messy area number two has a lot more shade and is tucked out of site along the south side of the house. Before we lived here, it was a dog pen, an area about 12x12' enclosed with chain link. I don't need a dog pen, you all know that Chili has free reign, no pen for my pup! Of course, I have to move some of my stuff around. I can't get rid of it, this is pretty important stuff. I actually use or have plans to use all of that precious clutter, except for that old tire, that's just some of hubby's useless crap! I have a big plastic barrel that may some day be used for water harvesting, so I can't get rid of that! Then, I am blessed with a number of sturdy, homemade tomato cages, and I can't get rid of those. Not only are they sturdy, they have such a nice patina of rust! (Yes, you heard that correctly, I love rust; but that's another issue and another post) Then there are odds and ends of crapola, stuff I will use eventually, but can't get rid of and have no other place to store, like the plastic pond liner, edging, and some metal I'll use as a trellis. I'll be busy over in this area for a while, there's lots of rearranging to do here. Dang, there's a ladder in my space, another piece of hubby's useless crap! I wish he wouldn't put stuff in my area!
I hope you made it through this post without tripping over the clutter, and I didn't hear too many gasps from you neatniks! Anyway, I know all you blogging friends are tolerant of me; I am a packrat and have no intention of changing, I embrace my junk!
Ahhh, it feels so good to unburden myself and get that out in the open! I dare any of you that are brave enough to show us your mess!
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Changing the subject...
How lucky am I? Curtiss Ann at Pressing On gave me the One Lovely Blog Award! Thanks Curtiss Ann, you inspire me, too!
The rules for this award are:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to other blogs….
3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

As usual, I'm passing the award on to anyone who wishes to play along! There are too many lovely blogs for me to chose!
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Also, Sherrie at Sherrie's Stuff passed this award on to me! It's bestowed to blogs that are exceedingly charming (not sure I qualify). The bloggers aim to find and be friends; they are not interested in self-aggrandizement. (I had to look that word up in the dictionary!) Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.
I'm supposed to share 7 things about myself, so here goes:
1 - I hate housework (duh, any surprise there?)
2 - I love chocolate, but rarely eat it since Chili dog adopted me and he can't share my chocolate! (thank you Chili)
3 - My favorite fragrance is Samsara by Guerlain
4 - My favorite herb is cilantro
5 - San Antonio if my favorite spot (besides home) in Texas
6 - Prague, Czech Republic is my favorite spot in the world!
7 - I wish I could sing well

Now you all know how I am, I just can't pick out eight bloggers, because I'd have to leave out some of my favorites, so as usual...
I'm passing this along to anyone who wants to play along! Take this award and share something with us!
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OK, now I'm going back outside to work on messy area number one... or maybe messy area number two... Ahh, so many opportunities!

Aunt Debbi's Interview

Not long ago, Debbi at Aunt Debbi's Garden asked if some of her blog readers were willing to be interviewed. Yeah, like I need a reason to talk! Here are her questions and my answers. Check her blog, she'll be linking or posting interviews with other bloggers, too!
Debbi: At what age did you begin cooking?
Nola: I'm not sure what age. I really don't ever remember not cooking. From very early on, my Mama (pictured below) let me come into the kitchen and help. When I was little, in the early 1960's (gasp), Imperial Sugar came out with a small cookbook for young girls called "My First Cookbook" (photo above). I still have my copy, along with the sequel (for teens) called "Teena In the Kitchen". Does anyone else remember those? I think you had to save up so many labels from Imperial Pure Cane Sugar and mail them in along with a dollar or so, and they sent you the cookbook. That was my first cookbook, and now I have (at last count) over 80 cookbooks, along with lots of small publications.
Debbi: Who taught you?
Nola: Mostly my mom, but all the good cooks I've known have shared something with me; a recipe, a tip, or some little secret that's made me a better cook.
(The photo below is my maternal grandmother, Rosie in her kitchen in the late 1950's.)
Debbi: What type of food is your favorite?
Nola: Mexican. I've known some fantastic Mexican cooks, and been blessed by living in Texas where good Mexican food is abundant!
(The photo below is my paternal grandmother, Willie in her kitchen in the late 1940's)
Debbi: Where to you get your best ingredients?
Nola: The best ingredients often come from my friends and family's gardens. I also buy local produce when I can find it. As for packaged foods, HEB grocery carries a lot of things I use regularly. HEB is based in San Antonio and only has stores in Texas, as far as I know. They have a website I visit regularly with tips, recipes, etc...Debbi: Do you know any cooking tricks?
Nola: My best trick is to learn to improvise and substitute! I rarely make a recipe exactly the same two times in a row. I constantly modify the recipes to fit my taste preference, as well as using what's on hand in my pantry.
(The photo below is Angie's mom and grandmother, Jeanne and Grandmother Pritchett, two of the best cooks in the world. Jeanne makes the best hot water cornbread in the world!)Debbi: Will you share a recipe?
Nola: Gladly! One of my pet peeves is those people who refuse to share recipes, claiming it's an old family secret, or some such excuse. I consider it a real compliment to be asked for any of my recipes! Since it's summer, I'll share a cool and light gazpacho recipe. During the summer months, and anytime I'm on Weight Watchers, I keep this on hand. It's cool, healthy, relatively low cal, and best of all, it's easy! This recipe came from my cousin Paula, but I've altered it to contain the veggies I crave:

Instant Gazpacho

1 medium onion, chopped
2 small bell peppers, diced
2 small cucumbers, diced
1 can tomatoes, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 jar diced pimentos
1 jar sliced ripe olives
1 large bottle Bloody Mary mix
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp prepared horseradish
dash of hot sauce
plenty of fresh cilantro, chopped or torn

Stir ingredients together, chill 1 hour. Ladle into individual bowls and top with a drizzle of light Ranch dressing & a squeeze of fresh lime juice! Sometimes (as in the photo) I add a cup of cooked rice, if I have it on hand.

Thanks Debbi, that was fun!

Virtual Visits

Everyone who reads my blog very much knows what a homebody I am; only leaving my home when absolutely necessary. That is a good thing, but it's also a bad thing. I know it makes me appear rather unsocial, but I'm not... no, really, I'm not. I'm just contented. I have almost everything here that I need, no reason to wander. Besides, Dorothy was right "there's no place like home."The down side to being reclusive is that I miss visiting friends and seeing their gardens. But thanks to blogging, I can keep in touch with friends without ever leaving the Alamo!Imagine how surprised and delighted I was this morning when I logged on and found an email from my old friend Ronnie announcing that she's created her own blog! Note that when I say old, I mean in terms of how long we've been friends, not in terms of her age, although now that I think about it... Isn't next year's birthday a big, round one for you Ronnie??? Don't worry, I'm on the other side, it's fine, it's just a number! haha!Anyway, I digress (as I always do). Ronnie and I worked together "AT The phone company" together for years (decades actually, but let's not go there) until I retired in 2007. Nowadays it's hard to visit, because we live in different towns, she's still working, and something's always going on somewhere!
But thanks to blogging, I can now stay in touch with her via cyber visits to My Sanctuary at 210 Stewart! You gardening fanatics (yes, most people who garden, myself included are fanatical about it, admit it!) pop over and take a peek at Ronnie's self made paradise. And I do mean self made! She started with a house and a patch of grass, and one huge crepe myrtle. Over the last few years, she's transformed it into a virtual shangrila! She's spent hundreds of hours of digging, planting and weeding. Buckets of sweat & backaches too numerous to count later, her yard has been transformed! (She literally dug the driveway up by hand, if memory serves me)We've swapped plants and seeds galore over the years, so you'll see a lot of the same plants over at her place that I have. I am thrilled that we both love the Mexican Bird of Paradise, and you'll see a huge one on her banner photo! It was one of the first to be propagated from my tree (which came to me via my Mama). Ronnie's tree is huge now, much larger than my trees, which have been transplanted twice and lived in containers for the better part of one year. I love the way she's fixed up her front porch; now I can visualize her sitting there sipping her morning coffee, enjoying the fruits of her labor! And my gosh, have you ever seen a crepe myrtle that big? Ronnie, are you feeding those plants steroids?Okay, I gotta stop yapping and go tend my little paradise, before the Texas sun dries it up turns it all brown! I'll be catching up on all my blog reading later today, when it's too freakin' hot to be outside any longer...
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Note: I borrowed Ronnie's photos of profile, front porch, and crepe myrtle.