Friday, June 13, 2014

Grass looks greener in my sewing room!

Hi everyone,

For too long I've been on hiatus from sewing as well as gardening. That's why I'm posting these photos of my chicken pin-cushions: to encourage me to get through today's outdoor work chores. 

Chicken pincushion in batik cottons


Chicken conference

And right about now, I'd love nothing more than to be sewing. Plus, I feel badly about skipping a blog yesterday but you see, the gardens needed me. Desperately. I abandoned them last year, though I was perfectly healthy. I just took a wrong turn on the retirement road. I'll call it Volunteer Street! 

It all started with a quilt I made that I thought could earn a lot of raffle money for our community college's annual orchid show. Last April my quilt was done, and so, I thought, was my involvement! Of course the Orchid Show Committee urged me to join. Next thing I knew, I was rounding up speakers (orchid experts, authors, and biologists), curating an exhibit of 100-year-old pressed orchid specimens, soliciting for auction donations, exhibiting my quilt around the county and selling tickets. I could go on....but I won't. Lesson learned: be careful when you veer toward Volunteer Street.

Anyway, it cost us a summer of no garden maintenance and those sneaky weeds took advantage! Yesterday's garden antics involved a version of musical chairs that my husband and I dubbed "musical shrubs and trees." Our Western Massachusetts winter was cruel, and we lost several specimens. It didn't help that I mistook the Weigelia my husband suggested be moved into a lower garden....I dug up the wrong one! Had to dig another spot for that one as there was no point in returning it to its former home, now hidden by an ever-growing Japanese Maple. 

Two more evergreen shrubs had to be dug up and brought to the humus pile. We'd already eliminated two in May. Tim reduced our departed Redbud to a 4-foot trunk, which is held hostage by a mob of late-blooming irises around its base: only after they peak, can we can move them temporarily in order to excavate Redbud's rotten rootball. Whew, I'm tired all over again! And I still have to dig in the lilac I moved to make way for the lovely red-flowering Weigelia that my husband meant to be moved in the first place! To dig in the lilac, though, I first must clear a spot in the former garden plot, which looks like, well, an embarrassment. Ha! And just try getting a patch of grass repaired....gardening is not for wimps!

Now you know why the grass looks greener in my sewing room!

I wonder, do any of you ever feel like you took a wrong turn?

12 comments:

Susan said...

Hi Vickie...Your chickies are behond adorable! Oh, so cute.

Oh, trust me, I've taken a lot of wrong turns but that's okay. Learned something from every experience.

I think it's wonderful that you did the Orchid Show volunteering. Imagine the joy that quilt brought-----not only to whoever won it but to all who saw it. I'm sure it was exquisite because you do exquisite work!

Good luck with the gardens today. Enjoy being out in nature and it won't seem so much like work! Susan

Musings, Tea, and Me said...

Hi Susan, I'm taking a quick yogurt break! Need some energy. Thanks for your perspective, too. I do love the gardening....and I am resigned to our company seeing whatever stage it's in on Saturday...after all, gardens are a work in progress, and their beauty is worth the effort.

Enjoy your day too! Vickie

Unknown said...

Hello from Spain: I like many your sewing creations. Very cute. The garden is a big task. I do not usually take different turns in my life. I like routines. Keep in touch

Valerie said...

What cute, colorful and very lovely little chickies. What talent you have! Blessings and Sunshine, Valerie

Elephant's Child said...

Love your chickens.
And yes on the garden front. Mine got away over our long hot summer. I am going gang busters trying to reclaim beds from the weeds, and sadly removing things which died in the heat and the drought. Blood, sweat and tears. And it will be worth it. It is worth it.

Musings, Tea, and Me said...

Hi Marta, I'm realizing the value of routines! Makes for easier living. ;-)

Musings, Tea, and Me said...

Thanks, Valerie! Nice to hear from you and glad you like my chickies!

Musings, Tea, and Me said...

Keep telling me that, EC! We'll reap the benefits eventually, I know. Another long day, and it seems like I made such little progress, but, it is progress and it's getting tidy again. I realize too, that with all the winter kill, we have an opportunity to improve on our "design." It will be so worth it!

Linda O'Connell said...

Hi Vickie
My Midwest garden is thriving with green tomatoes. We are going to have a bumper crop this year. Your chickens are so cute!

Musings, Tea, and Me said...

Thanks, Linda. You are a lucky lady- how I love fresh tomatoes!

kate steeper said...

the garden was looking as if it would be underwater for another season , but in the space of 2 weeks of sunshine its now thigh high in weeds , its funny how the weeds always survive a flood

Musings, Tea, and Me said...

They're hearty all right!