103 in Welcome NC- YIKES

 I know much of the country are having record temps and we sure are.  It was 101 yesterday, humid and just plain miserable in general.   I was out at 6 am watering the front and back becuase we have new planting in both..  

 After all this work and expence I sure dont want to loose anything to the scalding sun. 

 so I think I'll make a gallon of ice cold sweet tea and sit back here under the umbrella , with a fan too.. Yes I have a big ole box fan outside with me.. How weird is that :)

 Stay safe and cool folks and thanks for visiting me.

xoxo
Sonny

Window Boxes are Done

 I finally got my front window boxes planted.  They are made of real wood and I have to paint them each year.  I noticed this time both had splits in the sides so those had to be patched and extra screws put in first.

  I'm thinking I may take them off and start with all new next year.  I hate to loose them but maybe if I'm very careful I can save them for the back area to sit on the concrete.  Someone very special built them and so I dont want to toss them unless I absolutely have to..

 Why am I only showing 1.. cause my daughter had her fan in the window and that isnt pretty but the other looks about the same.:-)

 This is the flag I choose for this year.. With the Pineapple and apples it had sort of a Williamsburg look and I like that . Plus the leaf shape at the bottom was somewhat unique as most flags are just a square.

I found these 3 stones at a local craft shop and Loved them so home with me they came.  front porch tabletop..  This way I see them every time I drive in.  I found the dough bowl at goodwill for 1.00 and just stuck some greenery in it. 

 Now I'm off to Lowes to look for some porch paint.  Pretty sure I want a pale grey but once I get there I might change my mind..  Right now I have this sorta orangy tile and it hasnt ever made me really happy.
 Change is Good, right?

thanks for visiting me... I spend a lot of time at home alone since I live and work here so when ya'll comment it really does fell like a Visit to me and I appreciate it more than I can tell ya.

Parties I am joining are below.. I will add and post to each party as they are made available..

Monday:::

Susan's Meta Monday Party

Dedicated House~ Make it Pretty Monday

 Marty~ Tabletop Tuesday

Porch~ Making Progress

Ya'll have been so patient waiting for me to get more of my new front yard done..

 Last fall everything came out and there was Nothing, no trees, no scrubs I mean nothing- ewwww.

 I still have lots to do and with normal life to deal with its going slowwwwwwwwwwwwww lol.
 Ivy and Elephants Party

.Marty' Tabletop Tuesday Party

Dedicated House~ Make It Pretty Party 

 DIY Home Sweet Home Party

Joining Susan for Meta Monday 

 I still need to get the old tile off and the new tile on.  Not sure I'm happy with the plants I choose for the garage door containers.. Its a Creation in Progress and I am loving it as we go along even though I already see changes I want to make.

 New roof, new garage door, new plantings and a table I found at goodwill and painted.

 I also need rocker cushions and a rug.. so much to do , so little time.

But, I'm making progress so I'll show ya where I am so far..

 I keep thinking I need to change the name of my blog to Subject to Change ..  LOL

 I was so glad to get rid of that brown roof.  I didnt like it the day it went on but I lived with it for 13 years.

New black roof, new garage door , new plantings and mulch.  Now its just a case of wait for it all to mature a bit.

 See those shrubs in the containers at the garage door.  Not sure I'm happy with those.. Might have to move them somewhere else and try a trellis and some jasmine vine in the containers instead.  Or maybe nothing and no containers would be best..  what do Ya'll think??   any suggestions are appreciated..
ps~ the roof doesnt look wonky like that in real life  :-)

Thanks for stopping by to take a peek..
xoxo
Sonny

I Named Her "Venus"

Many of you know I've been working on replacing all my plantings in the front yard.
 Trees, schrubs and just a few flowers but its been an exhausting as well as thrilling experience.  I was so sorry to loose what had been here for 11 years but when its wrong its wrong and wishing wont fix that. There's nothing to do but Take it Out-- Cry, cry some more-- and start again. So thats what I've been doing since mid april.
 Back when I started this blog I told ya I'd be sharing the Good and the Bad  and I do:-)
 I dont always make the right decision the First time but I'm not stubborn about it when that happens. I admit to myself and others I made a boo boo and fix that if its at all possible and this particular spot was once of those boo boo times.  I guess I could excuse myself by saying when the wrong thing went in 12 inches off center I was running 102 fever lol... Thats no excuse I could still see and didnt.

 You've all been very patient with me about Complete pictures of the front yard but its taking time to get it just as I want it and want you to see it.. I'm getting there, really I am.

 She was planted the afternoon before the major venus eclipse  and so I named her Venus. She is soooooooo beautiful I cried when I found her at a " new to me" local nursery..   I had a very hard time finding a specimen to fill this 76 inch wide  , 9 ft high space as most of what I found that would come anywhere close to making a statement  was anywhere from 175.00 to 280.00 and that just wasnt in the budget as I'd already spent so much in front..  When you are redoing an entire front yard, its expensive .
  At Frank's nursery in winston salem nc, this 5 year old plant in a 10 gallon bucket was $30.00.. I tried not to gasp when he told me the price but it wasnt easy..   I had found plants half this size for $99.00 or more so-- I didnt faint but I sure felt dizzy for a minute....

I'll probably have to trim her by fall and I will do so gladly.. I keep walking out there and looking at her , amazed and grateful each time I do..  
  When You see this next photo, you'll understand why..  this was my Boo Boo choice..  the difference is amazing to me.  Seriously?  I let them plant it that far off center... oiu vey..
 Thats a little olive tree and would have taken 5 or 6 years to reach maturity . I moved her to the corner of the house and she hides the water hose very nicely so we're all happy about that..
 Pictures tell more than I ever could... The before and after is beyond words...

Thanks for visiting me.  I hope you enjoyed your time here cause we sure enjoy having you. Ya'll come back to see us, Ya Hear~!
Happy Friday~!

Cheap-Cheep Cardinal Wreath

I finally got my door wreath hung and photographed.  My neighbors seem to like it as they have all stopped by to let me know it makes them smile as they go out in the morning.

   I choose to go with red accents this year as I did purple last year and persih the thought that I do the same color two years in a row,, giggle.


 The Cardinal is our state bird so I got 2 of those at my local craft store as well as the red and white polka dot ribbon.  Someone in blogland- Pat at Back Porch Musings, I think- did polka dot ribbon last year and I loved it so , Sonny See - Sonny Do:-)

 I had the grapevine wreath and the twig birdcage- sprayed those lightly with white spray paint, the 1.00 a can stuff.  I didnt want it solid white, more like a white wash and I am tickled with how it turned out.

 If and when I ever get the rest of the porch done I'll show the entire project to you, really I will..

Grape Wreath Before:::  I got it at goodwill for 1.00 . it had some garish ribbon and flowers on it so I tossed those.   I sure got a dollars worth as I used it as it arrived to do my fall wreath.

Twig birdcage- also a goodwill find 4 or 5 years ago for  50 cents..  I love 2nd hand shopping for the unique items I find as well as how much money I save.  Then add to that the fact that if I want to change something and I mess it up- I havent lost a fortune, so I can go further out on a limb with my creativeity.
 Thats my thinkin anyways:-)

one more after.. cardinals-- 1.50 each
                        ribbon -----2.00 for a yard
  faux florals from my stash..
 so again, here's my Cheap Cheap-- Cheep Cheep  Wreath..

click below to see lots of unique wreaths
Creative Birdhouse at Funky Junk