My Sanctuary

April showers bring May flowers. Well that is all well and good but in my yard March snow storms bring April beauty! If you don't believe me look for yourself!

This is Yoshi. We named him that due to being a flowering Japanese something. Not sure what his real name is but he is Yoshi and his brother in the corner is Mr. Robot-o. Notice the buds!!! He's getting fancy!

This is a Lilly I planted last year. I was so worried it wouldn't come back but here it is. It's hanging out with a couple Crocuses and tulips.

I have no idea what this is. It comes back every year even though we have hacked and hacked at it. We have sprayed it and it still comes back. If it is that determined we decided (and there isn't much we can do at this point) to keep it. It has yellow spongy flowers come late Spring early Summer.

Say hello to Mona Lisa. Yes, that is it's name. There are multiple types of them. This is just the yellow one. I bought purple, faded pink and white, white, red, and light purple.

This will be a orange Tulip. If you look down inside of it there is a bud! YAY!

More Mona Lisa's.

This lovely mix will greet you at our front door! Some come on over and bask in the beauty of the Robinson yard.

I also planted snap dragons, poppies, and pansies yesterday. I'll take more pictures as they flower. Steven mowed the lawn and fertilized and I planted flowers and baptized them in Miracle Grow. I also picked out all the pesky weeds that just won't go away.

When do you start weeding and planting flowers? I like to start early with Spring flowers that will come back the next year. I only enjoy them for a short time but next Spring the yard will be more vibrant than it was this year. I buy summer plants around Mothers Day. After Mothers Day I just prune and play.

What are your gardening rituals?

I Can't Get Enough

Of these GORGEOUS flowers. I love them!

My Happy Moment

Everyone should have at least one happy moment a day. A moment when they are most themselves with their fave activity, music in the ipod, or just your happy thoughts. My happy moment today was out in my yard. I put Squid in his play pen and planted 24 beautiful pansies around the budding bulbs in my flower beds. Normally I would drown out the sounds of life with The Ataris, Taking Back Sunday, or Lilly Allen (yes my top 3 at the moment-don't judge), but today I listened to Squid meow at blowing leaves and the wind. It was amazing. It was my moment. I was in the dirt making my life a little more beautiful with 1.5 have my fave people in attendance and one on my mind. I had Squid and my baby safely tucked inside of me enjoying the weather and awesomeness of the day. On my mind I was thinking about my amazing husband. The one who has sacrificed so much for the things we have. The only one that could give me my beautiful family. He said yes (reluctantly) to adding Squid to our twosome and he has given both of us #4. Our lima bean! 

So this was my happy moment. I was lost in beautification, nature, Squid, baby, and Steven. 

When was the last time you had a happy moment?

Spring Love

Bulbs!

These are my first bulbs of the season! This is a white Crocus. The tulips are 2 inches tall and growing every day! Pretty soon they will be blooming and I'll have some pretty orange Tulips in my yard.

The Rat's Verdict Is In!

There will be an early Spring this year! As I posted in an earlier post here I am so very excited for my bulbs to come up!

I can't wait for green grass, colorful flowers, stuffy noses from the pollen and taking Squid out in his play pen while I garden! It will be awesome!

Lets just hope that damn rat was right!

Meanings

I planted bulbs in the fall for the spring. I am hoping they come up and look beautiful. I was researching the meaning of some of the flowers I planted and am going to plant this year. I found it really interesting so I will share it with you!

ALLIUM
Prosperity

CROCUS

Cheerfulness, gladness

PETUNIA

Resentment, Anger, Your Presence Sooths Me

POPPY

Eternal Sleep, Oblivion, Imagination

TULIP

Perfect Lover, Frame, Flower Emblem of Holland

ZINNIA

Memory of an absent friend

SNAPDRAGON

Deception, Gracious Lady

PEONY

Shame, Happy Life, Happy Marriage

ANEMONE

Forsaken, sincerity

Yard Working and Pretty Things

This weekend Mr. Rad and I did some major yard work. It was awesome. This is Charlie our Japanese Maple, Camelia, Bleeding Heart, and of course the fountain. Yes those are bubbles in the fountain. Every time we turn it on we can't help ourselves. We throw a cap of Mr. Clean in it. It makes the whole front yard smell good and the bubbles are kinda fun! [plus when it overflows we find dead spiders on the sidewalk].



These are Lilacs, bleeding hearts, and something that came up on it's own. I'm waiting to see what it is before I rip it out. I hope it's something fun!

So were you productive this weekend? Did you enjoy the weather? I got a sunburn!

Remember This?

Remember this horrible (click on link) mess? I do, It was a nightmare I had to stare at everyday. Saturday Mr. Rad and I cleared it out. Stiff muscles and a few encounters with the biggest spiders I have ever seen later and BOOM!

It looks amazing doesn't it?


P.S. Yes the fountain works I just didn't turn it on. Sorry.

Earth Day

With Earth day comes amazing street festivals! I absolutely love street festivals! Mr. Rad hates them but he will brave the crowds and crazy hippies to make me happy.

Here are some of the events going on locally for Earth Day:
-Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival
-Earth Jam
-Party For The Planet

What I would like to try and do for Earth Day is create a tradition of planting a tree/shrub/bulbs in my yard. Something that will come back bigger and better every year. I think it would be a great way to make my yard a Earth happy place. :)

What are you doing for Earth Day?

April Fools

Is this a joke? Seriously?

Look What I Bought!

Okay so it doesn't look like that yet but it will. I bought two Miss Kim Lilac's today at the local Home Depot.

So this is what they really look like:

They may be small now but they have potential. I had a pep talk with them and we have big plans. They said they would love to live with us and be part of our amazing yard if I promise to water them regularly, feed them fertilizer, and promise to bring in their lovely sprigs into the house to share. Of course I agreed and we are excited about our future together.

While we were in St. George I went to my mom's Home Depot that she manages and bought some awesome Mona Lisa's and Marie Bracey Camellia plants.



This is what the Camellia will look like when it blooms:


Gorgeous right!?!?!?

I will be planting them here under the window as soon as we clean up all the rocks. I'm not sure what the previous owner was trying to do. Yes, that is a water feature of some kind. I'm not sure if it works but if it does that will be kinda fun to have!!!

To Do List: Projects

1- Buy fabric for my bedskirt
2- Sew my bedskirt
3- Kill all the nasty stuff growing in my rocks that I hate
4- Pray for warmth so I can plant pretty stuff in my rocks since they will be naked soon
5- Clean the BBQ and buy a cover for it
6- Buy a new kitchen sink faucet
7- Put my new doorknob on the kitchen pantry door
8- Sew throw pillows to match my bedskirt
9- Buy another shoe rack from IKEA
10- Buy gray paint and paint the house
11- Prime the wall with the chalk board painted directly on it
12- Paint the orange guest bedroom
13- Plant my garden
14- Paint all the doors leading outside black
15- Install a peep hole in my front door
16- Sand down and varnish the night stands
17- Create my picture wall

Wow! Big enough list eh?

What Should I Do Here?

This is the area right next to my front door. What should I do with it. I am not a huge fan of the red rock. There is way too much of it. Yes that is a water feature. I don't know if it works at all but it will be interesting to see if it does this summer. This is an all shade area. We are north facing so it is all way shaded plus it is in a 'nook'. So what do you think? Any good ideas for shade loving plants? Garden gnomes?

Spring Time

April 17, 2009 - Does anyone else hate these stupid weeds?


April 18, 2009 - The friendly neighborhood lama. There is a whole field of lama's by my house. Totally random but I always say hi to them when I pass bye.


April 19, 2009 - Beautiful spring blossoms. I love this warm weather don't you?


{click on the photos to make them bigger}

Tuesday Tell All

This madness...

...is my fridge (March 24, 2009 pic of the day). The fridge which a few minutes before snapping this photo was completely bare. We hadn't shopped in over 3 weeks. We had milk that was 2 weeks past it's due date. Sick, I know. What few items do you have to have in your fridge at all times? I used to have a supply of Diet Coke but since I am cutting back I didn't get any when we went shopping today. Things I love to have at all times are:

Scallions
Light Raspberry Vinaigrette
Frozen Raspberries
Vanilla Yogurt
Salsa
Salad

Steven always has to have Mnt. Dew and Dunfords White bread (for his daily PB&J's).

What things do you have to have in your fridge at all times? If you see a random item in my fridge you don't recognize just ask. My fridge has an open door policy. All friends are welcome!!


P.S. Here are my 365 picts. I have been busy this week so I was ignoring the blog world. I know you were anxiously waiting to see what I randomly captured with my camera. Enjoy!!


March 19, 2009 - the labels for my garden. Half way done.


March 20, 2009 - my porch flowers. It was cold so they are curled up and sleeping but when they get warm and happy the flower is huge.


March 21, 2009 - Random horse in Annabella.


March 22, 2009 - I love the way the dirt looks in Annabella.


March 23, 2009 - The clouds before a storm.

Crafts and Plants

This is my tile mosiac I was telling you all about. Isn't it so cool!?!? I can't wait to put it in the yard. We are still cleaning up hedges, the landlords dog poop (can you tell I am pissed about that?), and leaves so we won't have a place to put it for another week or so. This was such a fun project. The smores and pizza made it even better! YUM!



Here are my sexy seedlings! They must love me because they are popping up super fast.

Have you started a garden? Can you have one? If you can't do you wish you could?

3:365

This is my spring break rival. Everytime I look at this fence and all it's ugly vines It feels like it is laughing in my face. Well guess what..?

I bought these:


WHO'S LAUGHING NOW VINES!!! YOU ARE GOING DOWN!

Picture of the day and Gardening

This is what I did today. I started my seedlings!
Lemon Cucumbers
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Peas
Beans
Green Bell Pepper
Banana Peppers
Hot Hungarian Peppers
Dill
Basil
California Poppies
Asters
Zinnias

Fun eh? I am going to buy yellow pear tomatoes, big red tomatoes and little cherry tomatoes this year and maybe some random veggies that I find when I go shopping. I will keep you updated on my 365 day challenge, awesome veggies, and pretty flowers!

Craft Time

My friend Stephanie and I are going to have a craft night in the near future with her 8 year old daughter Brooke. These are some crafts I want to try out.


Fun and retro eh?

I want mine to be Moss Green


With a broken Teracotta roof.




This is a garden stepping stone I want to try. I want ours to have our initials mosiac-ed in to add a personal flair.


Do you have any other craft ideas you want to share? They can be inside crafts or outside. I'm not picky!!!