the (soon to be) peacock tree

Tree number two: Theoretically, this will eventually become my peacock tree, although currently the only peacock feathers on it are artificial and covered in glitter. But it’s a start, and everything has a starting point. The tree itself is old and sparse and at least a bit crappy. I think I bought it for five […]

boldly going into the season…

This should prove, ever onward, my obsession with decorating for the winter holidays. Last year, I created Star Trek: The Christmas Tree for my husband, a lifelong Trekkie. I scoured the internet for used ornaments, bundled lots, and all the greatest deals on my first foray into Hallmark Keepsake collections. To be certain, I would […]

the color purple:

I have said for some time that if a color could be anthropomorphized lavender would be my spirit guide. It is only a marginal jest. (We do live in a periwinkle cottage!) With this in mind, I will state that I have not applied as much effort as it would seem to putting purple into […]

our atomic tomatoes

Well, they’re Brad’s to be specific: Brad’s Atomic Grape tomatoes. They are the reason I wanted to learn to grow tomatoes from seed, since I cannot find them as starts. Of course, want didn’t stop me from killing every. single. plant. last year during the hardening off process. This year I get it. It took […]

from yawning to AAWWW-ning

The previous life, death, and rebirth of a tattered old awning: Below is the house as we bought it three and a half years ago. The sad, beige, paint-splattered aluminum awning did it’s job well, but otherwise sat there with no joy. Some of the hardware was removed to drop it out of the way […]

the unbearable weightness of mowing

Keeping a lawn makes me crazy. The time, energy, and money spent on keeping a growing thing from looking like it ever grows. Seed and water and fertilizer and weed killers and weeders and edgers and push mowers and riding mowers and zero-turn riding mowers and treatment companies and lawn care companies and and and. […]

faring the storm

An abrupt and aggressive storm swept across the Kansas City Metro this morning, knocking out our power for over three hours while I was at work. My husband informs me that the wind was so strong and rain blew into the kitchen underneath the back door. He watched the garden in the side lot and […]