Half way through

June already ? We're about halfway through 2019 and I feel as though I've been cheated out of two or three months.  I just realized that the holidays are only five and six months away. I should seriously think about my holiday knitting and finishing up my WIPs.  I went to Hobby Lobby the other day and ran into an aisle full of fall and Halloween decorations.  I headed over to the Garden Section to pick up a trellis. Guess what ! Not a trellis in sight but there were plenty of holiday wreaths hanging on the wall ! Egads !  Hobby Lobby is notorious for displaying holiday items six months in advance.


Yarn News this weekend

I did receive squishy mail which is always exciting. Two mini-skeins from
Lamb Woman.

A skein from WIP Yarn

Aunt Maggie's Slippers (for me)

This Weekend

I had plans to do some shopping, have a Starbucks with a friend and a little gardening.  Those plans were smashed by the weather. It rained cats and dogs beginning on Friday evening, all day Saturday with drizzles on Sunday.  Saturday was storming hard here and there. We kept receiving flash flood warnings and they closed a few roads near us.  The Saturday rainstorm beat up my garden pretty good.  It bent a few plants and tore down a few. When the water dries up I'll have some cleaning up and staking to do.

Have a Good One !

Gardening and Books

This weekend the sun was out and shining, the grass is green, tulips and daffodils have bloomed.  This can't help but uplife my mood.  I want to work on projects such as butterfly appliques, bookmarks or crocheted coasters.  Yes.  Working on small projects for gratification would add to my cheerfulness.  

Gardening

I'm a person that will collect plants from the side of a road or from a neighbor.  I will offer to reroot a plant for you which of course means I get one of the newbies.  Yes.  I am that person.  These habits I got from my Mother and Grandmother.  I don't ever remember my mother purchasing a plant.  A packet of seeds yes but plants ?  No.  Some years ago a coworker gave me a few snippets of pink hydrangea and white iris.  Last year I didn't Garden so all snippets were thrown into pots with prayers.  The hydrangea looked pretty bad and  I thought for sure it was a goner but no.  It survived. It's budding.  I'm finding hydrangeas to be strong fighters.

 My phlox were close to six feet tall and had been that way for two years then there was a mishap with a chemical and the maintenance man (it's a long story).  After a month or so the phlox began to die.  I had someone cut them down to the quick which tends to rejuvenate perennials.   The phlox fought for it's life and won.  There are a bunch of newbies which won't stretch to even five feet this year but they will at least bloom.  They look rather delicate but Phlox is another strong plant.

 

Early last year I stuck about four in this pot but as you can see they do what iris does best.  They multiplied.  I'm going to wait a month or so before digging an idea spot for them.

Hopefully  my next gardening post will show more progress.

🌱

Reading News

I finished Grisham's "The Racketeer" Friday evening.   It's was an easy read with a fairly mild storyline for Grisham.  I enjoyed it.  Saturday morning I decided to start Anita Shreve' s "All He Ever Wanted".  My instinct kept pulling me to go into Goodreads  and check out the reviews.   I'm a big forum and reviews follower/believer.  The reviews were not good.  Though Ms. Shreve is beloved this book is not.  According to the reviews the main character has been described as flat.  There were debates as to whether Ms. Shreve purposely created that flatness.  The main comment regarding the  storyline was that it is "boring" and that was enough for me to push the book away.  I'll be donating this to the Goodwill.   

I'm at the very beginning of Al Roker's "The Morning Show Murders".  Within the first seven pages I found myself chuckling.  So far the writing is engaging, witty and fast paced.  It may be too soon to say but I'm feeling this book.  I'm enjoying it. 

Knitting

I'm contemplating working on a more significant project.  Either a sweater, cardigan or shawl.  A lot will depend on what my stash has. 

Talk to You Soon !

Knitting and Gardening WIPs

August already can you believe it.  Four months and 2017 will be no more !  Speaking of August I've chosen this Patons Kroy in the colorway Flax as a trimming for my August socks.  Patons sock yarn is a guilty pleasure of mine.  Some of my knitting buddies snub it but it knits up really nice.  

I was compelled to choose a nice cable pattern but decided to do another vanilla pair.  I've chosen Yellow as the main color and the pattern worked will be Vanilla Latte.  

In between working on my socks I'm sneaking in a couple of holiday gifts.  I don't need a pattern.  This is a 2X2 rib done on US 6s.  I will make two or three with little cousins in mind or for other relatives in case I need extra gifts.  I learned this trick a few years ago.

It's interesting going from US2s to US6s.  Feels like I'm knitting with oars.

Now about my garden

My pink hydrangea have taken a few steps backwards.   Not only was it not thriving in the garden but it caught something so the leaves were covered with spots.  I cut off the diseased leaves dug it up and planted it in a large pot.  It actually looks brighter and happier.

I mentioned a few posts ago about purchasing the half dead Bee-balm (Monarda).  It is thriving somewhat but not at all how I'd hoped for.  There are new leaves which are bright but the plant hasn't grown much.    I'm getting the feeling the Bee-Balm doesn't like Georgia clay. 

When I lived in Michigan Bee-Balm was one of my favorite plants.  It was hearty and invasive  but not in my Georgia garden.  I'll dig it up and pot it this week.  Everything else in my garden is doing fine.

The snippets of blue hydrangea are coming along slowly but surely.   They've done so well I'm sure I'll be gifting them to neighbors

Have a Happy rest of the week.  Back to my knitting...

In My Spare time...

I Garden !  This is another happy place in my heart and I'm spreading a little love with this pot.  It's branch cuttings from an abandoned Blue Hydrangea.  I'm going to plant about six or seven for myself and the rest have been promised to a few of my neighbors.  These cuttings are about a week and a half old and are thriving.  Success is on it's way !



How many times have I gone into Walmart and purchased dying plants ?  A dozen times I'm sure.  This one is a Monarda / Bee Balm and I was oh so excited to get it.  You can find Monarda almost anywhere in the Midwest and I had plenty in all colors in my Michigan garden but here in Georgia the plant is a rarity.  The last time I saw Monarda in Georgia was about ten years ago.  This one is a medium pink and wasn't in the worse shape but needed much trimming.  I have trimmed the roots, repotted it, given it fresh dirt and it's on it's way.  

Poor little Monarda !

I've been working on a small square in the yard and have created a new garden.  I thought I'd calculated my spacing but the plants are quite happy had are spreading very fast.  I know a few of them will have to be moved around soon so they don't choke each other.  I am so dreading that.  In any case, besides planning where they will be moved around to I have to deadhead all of my Shasta Daisies and roses.  

My pink Phlox are just beginning to bloom.  I can't wait.  Phlox is one of my favorites.  A gardening buddy of mine a few towns away tells me that her Home Depot is carrying white Phlox.  I will have to make it over that way in the next few days.  White Phlox would be a lovely addition to my Garden.

Well so much for this Gardening issue.  Everyone have a Great Weekend !