Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Small Garden Victories


Hi Everybody! Finally the gnomes have left the top of the maple dresser and moved outside. As you can see, Mrs. Gnome is pouting and Mr. Gnome is surveying his new turf. Sorry Gwen and Betty - I know gnomes creep you out. Bear with me . . .

How about fairies? I discovered that I like arranging rocks (who knew?) and I put them all in the Tinkerbell bucket and lay little walk ways and trails. It is sort of like building roads, isn't it?

I brought some raffia and ribbons outside. I might have done this a bit earlier so the birds could use it to doll up their nests, but I didn't think of it in time. I tied silver ribbons around the clay pots so if we have a windy day again, they will be anchored to the old fence. I used silver (it's all I could dig up) and I think the blackbirds will find the shiny bows very appealing.


The "tutu" peonies are about to pop. The delicate shade of ballerina pink makes my heart sing! It does!



I caught a lone love dove watching me tromp around the yard. Doesn't the blue sky match my background? Sky blue = favorite color today!



Some time ago, my friend Starry Kari from Writing Up a Storm wrote a lovely post about The Boxcar Children book #1. I ordered it, read it, and now I like to think about the way the children set up housekeeping in the woods, inside an old boxcar. In the back corner of the garden, near the lilac bush, the Virginia Creepy (I mean, Creeper) is creating a little hide-a-way. I raked it out today, did a little clipping, made a little path of rocks and snapdragons, and soon I'll put another little shelf out there. I'll go through the dish garages (hutches, cupboards, shelves) and find some sweet castoffs to rest on the shelf, buy a little straw broom, maybe lay some brick paving blocks, and then see if the grands discover it and find it charming. I hope they do!



Now, my friend Sara at Shiny Red Houses talked about (and made!) some fairy houses. I love fairy domains even though I've yet to see a drawn fairy that I agree with. Somehow I don't want them to look all sneaky and sassy. I have seen fairy dolls/rag dolls that I can accept, but my idea of fairies exists in my mind and I can't explain it. Anywho, I looked up fairy houses and fairy gardens and found a few treasures I think you'll like looking at.









Cute, yes? Don't you find that just looking at stuff often satisfies the cravings? I do. I like the "idea" of this stuff.

So on to other random things. Below, you see JP Patches. He was a morning regular on Seattle television when I was a kid. I thought he was hilarious. I think I've talked about him before, because he has made such an impression on me. I'm going to save up for the DVDs. I loved his voice. So, I've been thinking about him.

This is my grandparents church in Anacortes, Washington. They lived in a big apple-y house just down the sidewalk from it. See the stairs? We played that "hide the rock in your hand, behind your back and guess" game and if you guessed right, you moved up one stair. We did this in my other granny's cottage, too. She had rosy carpeted stairs that were very steep. We played bus and church on those stairs, too. So I thought you'd like to look at them. Isn't Anacortes Lutheran a lovely church with that fancy steeple?


And finally, another thing I've been thinking about is the story, The Wind in the Willows. My sister received the book for one of her first reading birthdays and due to its fatness, I didn't read it when I was a kid. I read it just a few years ago. I said to that book, "Where have you been all my life?" It is an absolutely delightful read. My favorite descriptions are of the little earthy living spaces and the friendly intervention when Toad goes a bit cuckoo. The colors in these pictures are so bright, clear, and happy.
I tended the dirt outside all morning. All the snapdragons are in the ground. Now it is time to sew. More on that later.
Can't you tell that I'm already reveling in summer and all its hospitality? I'm so happy you stopped in to check on me and I hope you caught a glimpse of something pleasing. Sending love your way . . .



16 comments:

Kerri said...

Pom Pom I loved looking at your garden and especially your little stone paths! It's so lovely to see a summer garden! I love the wind in the willows too and I think the descriptions of their houses was always my favourite thing too when I was little and still now.
Happy gardening!

Elderberry-Rob said...

Now you're talking! fairy gardens. I love ghe little doorway and I am going enjoy seeing your fairy garden develop. My grandmother never had flowers indoors because she believed fairies lived in them and didn't like coming indoors, but plenty of flowers in the garden, she had a small cottage with typically English garden and we would collect stones we liked from the beach and make paths around the flower beds to keep the ground cool for fairies feet, we would intersperse with marbles (remember those lovely glass balls of colour?) fairies according to granny had wings that were transparent, like a fly, their bodies were green. I have no doubt your garden will be visited by fairies! and as you believe in them Pom Pom, you will see them!

Heart Felt said...

I love wind in the willows. Our dog is called Badger and dear old Toad the cat passed away a couple of weeks ago. We have been reading a condensed version to the kids, they love Toad. xx

A garden just outside Venice said...

Hello lovely lady! The new gnomes' location looks perfect to me! They are so cute!
xxx

Daisy Cottage said...

Oh how enchanting - what a fun and magical post.... thank you for sharing! And thank you for your kind comments and visits... you are a sweetheart!

xo,
Kim

melanie said...

I absolutely love this post Pom Pom. I love all the fairy houses, your gnomes, your garden, everything :) Simply charming. :) xxx

Gigi said...

Oh such a pretty post -- all the things we love --- fairies, flowers, books, and love your new music too!
I love "The Boxcar Children", and my favorite part is also setting up housekeeping.
I know I already mentioned the playhouse I put together for the littles out west, but here's a link http://myfireflycottage.blogspot.com/2008/11/playhouse-update.html
if you'd like to see some photos of how it turned. As I said before, I think I almost enjoyed it more than the littles -- still sometimes think I'd like to live there ;-).
Bless your sweet heart,
G

Gigi said...

p.s. Forgot to mention that I managed to book us a little getaway to CO later this summer. Looking forward to it -- haven't been to CO since my son got married at Lake Valecito 7 years ago -- too long!

libbyquilter said...

oh my~!!~ i certainly find that little hide-a-way that you are creatiing fabulously fun and i'm certain that the grands will adore it~little stone path and all~!!~

:-)
libbyQ

ellen b. said...

Oh darn...we were just in Anacortes this past Saturday. Maybe we saw the church. It doesn't show up for me in your post. I, too just read The Wind in the Willows as an adult and loved it! I even had to buy a Wind in the Willow Teapot to celebrate :0)
Your peonies look fabulous. I'll have to add this variety next year!

Leslie said...

PomPom it sounds like you are really relaxing and enjoying your break from school. I love your gardens and the books you mention. Wind and the Willows is a favorite book I discovered only a few years ago when I read it aloud to the kids. I really missed out on good books when I was growing up...and I was a reader!

The dB family said...

It sounds like you are having a wonderful time of summer and relaxation! You've inspired me. I'm going to gather the children round and see if we can't come up with a fairy garden. I think I know just the spot.

Keep on enjoying your summer break!

Blessings!
Deborah

Lynn said...

I love gnomes Pom Pom - great to see what you're up to now school is done :)
Luv ya Pom Pom - thanks for your lovely post at my place !
L.x.

Bradley W. Maston said...

Yes, Wind in the Willows is an absolute treasure. Thank you so much for you wonderful post celebrating summer, gardens and life! Love you loads! xoxoxo brad

debbie bailey said...

I want a fairy garden, too! So cute. Sounds like you're having a relaxed, lovely summer. I have been, too. I guess that's why I'm not posting so much. I'm so relaxed that I'm not doing much! Love it!

Anonymous said...

Oooh, I LOVE fairy gardens!! I have a little "gnomelet" in my garden...I'll have to post about him soon I think. xxxx

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