Sunday, June 3, 2012

The Baseball Bat Stomp

(Sung to the tune of The Trolley Song
as performed by Judy Garland)

Ouch, ouch, ouch go my muscles!
It sure hurts when I bend!
All my joints are so painful!
I've been out in the garden again!
____________

I don't know what's come over me but I am suddenly deriving pleasure from gardening even though I have stated unequivocally in the not too distant past that I have come to the conclusion that I hate gardening & despite the fact that I can barely move for 2 days after doing it!  There is something strange afoot here.  It started out with me just trying to make the foundation beds look a bit neater by ridding them of their jungle-like overgrowth of weeds before putting the house up for sale.  Having accomplished this weed genocide (except for removing the dead stuff left behind & keeping a jump ahead of the new rebel weed forces that keep trying to overthrow me) John & I decided that things looked a little bare.  Last year I planted 2 daylilies in the foundation garden outside the back door.  For some reason I have become obsessed with daylilies & have bought another 5 or 6 plants thinking how pretty it would be to have a forest of daylilies out there!  There's a lot of room in this particular garden area so buying a few more daylilies is something that will undoubtedly be happening before too long.  Of course in our quest for daylilies we are spotting other things from time to time & thinking "this needs to come home with us!"

Thursday morning I decided to suit up & have a go at the butterfly garden I planted last year.  It was quite a mess as you will see in these before photos.







Here is what it looks like after.







The butterflies will hopefully be lining up in droves to enjoy all the work I've done for them   : )  As you can see there is room for another plant or two & I'm sure I'll find something to place in those areas.  I thought it would be really cool to have a little butterfly house here & I think I remember seeing such a thing as a butterfly bath ... like a bird bath?  One of these days   : )   I was thinking a hummingbird feeder might be nice as well   : )

I managed to do a bit of stitching last night.  Of course I can't show it to you ... another exchange piece.  No knitting has been accomplished yet because I need to exchange the needles I bought last week for a different type.  We won't be going back to Lexington until Wednesday so no knitting will be started unless I dig out some cotton yarn & straight needles I bought a while back to make a couple dishcloths.  That's a possibility but who knows.  After all, this is me we're dealing with here ... lol!  One thing for sure today is I am going to work on a finishing a couple pinkeeps I made from recent stitchings.  Once again I can't show you anything but you'll see them eventually   : )

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello

I'm looking forward to seeing your finishes when you are able to show us them.

Your garden looks great. I have one daylily that my MIL gave us and it's yellow and very pretty! your beds will look so lovely with a few different coloured ones.

I love plants that attract butterflies!
Happy gardening!

Michelle said...

Your garden looks great Shirlee well done xx

Vickie said...

Now that weeding was definitely worth it!! Great results. Just don't go mental buying more and more day lilies!! Remember they reproduce. :)

Angela said...

Afternoon Shirlee, Your love for gardening is something you and I definitely don't have in common. I love the rewards of beautiful blooms outdoors, but only when Mr. P. brings them inside to me. Your butterfly garden looks great but I am also seeing all that beautiful green lawn you have surrounding you. No house close and no neighbors in spitting distance. Oh you lucky girl. Have fun stitching. Knitting is something I have always wanted to learn. I can crochet but never learned to knit. Can't wait to see all your finishes. Have a great week.
Angela

Kaisievic said...

I love the idea of a butterfly garden, I hope that they come to visit you soon.

Jan Gartlan said...

What reward you have for your hard weeding! The garden bed is beautiful.

Marie said...

Oh no, I hate gardening! I have no idea how to tend to things in the garden but I do appreciate the beauty of one.
Your "after" picture of the butterfly garden looks great. I never knew there was such a thing as a butterfly house...I may get one for my yard.

Look forward to seeing your finished pinkeeps.

bettyj said...

Your butterfly garden is beautiful. I have lots of daylillies. They are so easy is why I like them. I have all colors. My butterfly bush is huge! I need to trim it back. Did you ever get your redware?

Judy said...

Sorry to hear you are in pain after gardening..but wow..the butterfly garden is beautiful! I agree about the weed war...and it seems they are always a step ahead! Darn things. Hope you get time to reat, heal and stitch.

Judy heartland stitcher

Chris said...

The garden is looking lovely.
I am looking forward to seeing your stitching :)

Kendra said...

Isn't that a great mental feeling to accomplish getting a garden in shape...the physical feeling not so good, but worth it. Looks great!

Kendra

Mouse said...

well.... thanks for the tune rattling round my wee brain .... and ouchie indeed .... cor lass you didn't half do a good job there ....looks gorgeous and yes you can get a butterfly house / insect house :)
glad you are managing some stitching and looking forward to when you can reveal .... take a nice long hot bath and massage some painkilling gel in to the worst areas ok ....
love mouse xxxxx

Janet P said...

You certainly have been busy, hopefully your butterfly garden will attract bees as well. You can look with pride at what your hard work has achieved. love Janet x

TheCrankyCrow said...

That little garden is gorgeous, Shirlee!!! And, yes - DEFINITELY a butterfly house and bath!! And perhaps something old and rusty as well. ;o) And now that you're getting the gardening bug and beginning to enjoy it, you can come tackle mine! Truly, I have just a small little area or two.....Just can't seem to get out there. And this week is already a write-off - the rest of today will be spent running my mom to the doctor; tomorrow, taking her for a hair appt and dental appt; Friday I HAVE to run to the university to pick up my books and get my butt going on the syllabus which was due yesterday - and, try to run around and find things for the basement project my husband decided to do NOW of all stupid times..... :o Smiles & Hugs ~ Robin