Flowers and Wine: An Excellent Combo

The frenzy of flower buying takes place in May, then by the middle of June it's pretty much completely done--displays are gone, and temporary garden shops have packed up for the year. 


This is my golden opportunity to get cheap perennials.  


I did that today and restrained myself in a remarkable show of will power.  


Now I can fill in the huge bare spot in the front of my garden that I forgot to buy flowers for last month.  Three huge pots of perennials, one geranium to replace one that didn't survive, and two pots of deep red hollyhocks.  My trip to New Mexico once again reminded me how much I love to see hollyhocks.  They grow very very well in that climate (along with roses and lavender).  I do have a few in my garden from last year, but pesky critters usually eat them before they can bloom.  Either the critters have moved onto different territory, or my hollyhocks have a shield of protection around them, cause they have bloomed this year!  A lovely pink color.  It's not huge, but I'm happy with it.  


I still have to get that damn mulch.  A bit pricey right now, so I will wait and eagerly check prices as I drive around town.  Having a pick up truck makes it easy to just stop and buy this stuff and toss it in the back.  But then I have to drag it out of the truck, haul it to the garden, and spread it around.  Bud likes to remind me on occasion that I "wanted all these gardens and flowers" so I guess that means he thinks I should skip and sing when I'm working on them.  


Hell no.  I will bitch til the sun goes down!  It's hard work, dang it.  And I just can't afford a gardener--not just yet.  A bookstore salary doesn't stretch quite that far. A Powerball winning ticket, however, would allow that.  And such a big flower garden that I could buy a golf cart and drive it around.  THEN I would be skipping and singing.


Potted herbs are doing nicely.  Using lots of basil!  Always wish I had more.  


My thrilling Tuesday includes sanding and sealing my front porch.  Oh, the joy of that.  Today I've planned tomorrow--in my usual delusional way:  Up super early to run hills, then home for breakfast and a quick planting of my flowers.  Then start on the porch.  This is the super woman mentality that attacks me before I remember just who the heck I am!  A pooped out 45 year old who forgets to take vitamins on a daily basis.  


Reality:  I'll get up and run, but I will come home tired and want to read all day. Maybe wash the dishes.  Read until I guilt myself into working on the front porch.  Then take a break and read some more.  Take a nap.  Wait until an hour before Bud comes over to get cleaned up and figure out what to have for supper.  




Wine Alert!  I have been looking and tasting all over the place trying to find a good white wine to sip this summer.  I think I found it:  Refresh Turning Leaf Crisp White.  A little bit fizzy, just enough sweet but not much and darn tasty ice cold.  And it's reasonably priced around $8.  I will be buying a few more bottles and keeping one in the fridge.  And--a twist top.  Get out your wine glasses!  I found it at my local grocery store, so it should be pretty easy to find.  


I will post some photos of my garden.  Just too lazy right now.  And I have to cut down a butt load of daisies that look bad.  Guess I'll just add that to  tomorrow's super woman to-do list :)