Vignettes From My Garden

Been living here for a few years now and the garden and patio are finally looking full and lush.  I am so happy with the way my plants are filling in.  I try to do mostly perennials so I don't have to do too much planting each Spring.  This is the gate from the patio to the pool.

OK, my pots are annuals.  The sweet potato plants went crazy.  Can the potatoes from these plants be eaten?  I can see them pushing out of the ground.  Anyone know?

 

Another pot to the left of the gate.

Continuing to the left of the gate is this lovely huge bush.  I cannot remember it's name but it begins with an "L".  It gets small clusters of lavender flowers all over it and the bees love it too.  It blooms late and it is just now setting buds.  Time to trim that Monarda (bee balm).

Continuing to the left are 2 steps from the patio to the back lawn, just behind this pot.  Tuber Roses in the pot should bloom soon.

Steps to the left again from the patio to the garage.

 

This is a favorite Forget-Me-Not.

Such pretty leaves.

 

Behind you if you are looking at the Forget-Me-Not are the stairs to the sunroom.  My pot of herbs that I have been clipping all Summer.

Sweet Miss Kitty is sleeping on her "Petting Chair".  She can be on the other side of the patio and if she wants to be petted she will race to this chair so that you know what is on her mind.  So funny.  All of our kitty's are strays that have now become a part of the family.

This is my Fairy Garden.  Love the angel and the glitter balls, as I call them.  You can buy them on QVC.  They come in a set of 3.  I have 3 colors, green, blue and silver.  Each ball is battery operated and has a timer.  Mine go on at dusk and off 5 hours later and for those 5 hours they glitter and sparkle.

So pretty.

 

This is the Wisteria that I planted last year.  It has made strong gains this year.

Up and up to the deck to the sunroom and up the railing to above the windows.  The plan is to run the vine across the top of the windows to shade them during the summer.

This is my Handsome man.  He likes to sleep on the steps.  It is cool there and he gets lots of attention each time someone passes him on the steps.

This is the covering on the patio shading it from the late afternoon sun so that we can have dinner here each night.  The cold winter was hard on my boxwood.  There are 5 growing in the raised planter on the patio.  I am trying to save them but I may have to dig them out.  These 2 look almost dead.

This clematis is still booming.  It is planted in the center of the 5 boxwood and  is running up the light string that runs around the structure on the patio.

I love this outdoor rug.  Do you have one outside?  It feels good on my bare feet.

The canvas top can be pulled down toward the setting sun creating a cool space for meals.

I was experimenting with my camera and attempted to get pictures last night of my glitter balls.  Here are two different shots.  I really need more practice.

 

I am working on the front lawn doing some landscaping and I will be sharing pictures later.

Thanks for stopping by,

~ ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~ ~

 

Please stop over at my new blog;

www.JoyouslyVibrantLife.com

 

I am linking up with these gals:

(Links to come)

 

My Romantic Home

 

French Country Cottage

I Would Like You To Meet My Neighbors

 

 She is so sweet. 

She and her friends live just down the street in the buttercup pasture.

 

This is my hard working neighbor plowing the fields for planting.

 

This is tobacco planted in the field. 

Lots of tobacco is grown in Lancaster County.

 

 Many buggy's are driven here instead of cars. 

The Amish and the Mennonite.

 

The Mennonite drive black carriages and the Amish drive gray carriages.

 

They do not call them buggy's (we do, the English)

Got to get the lingo right.

They call them carriages, so says my Amish friend.

 

The children who cannot fit in the carriage ride their bike behind.

The whole family gets to their destination one way or another.

 

This is George.  He is all around the neighborhood in his green wagon.

 

Children walking to school by our house each morning.

 

One of many horses living near by.

 

Enjoy your Spring, wherever you are.

~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

Christmas Tutorial: How I Wrap My Tree In Ribbons

Hello Friends~ ~ ~

I know it's a bit late for this year.  Most of you have your tree up for this season.

I wanted to share with you how I wrap my Christmas tree in ribbon.

I really love the look it creates.

 

 

I start with a sheer ribbon that has been cut in different length pieces. The way I came up with this technique is that many years ago I was recycling ribbon that had already been cut into pieces when I decided to wrap my tree with it.

This is how I put the first piece on the tree.

It is a short piece maybe 2 feet long.

I use the shortest pieces at the top.

I didn't start at the top because I always fill the top of the tree with silver stars and snowy branches.  You can start at the tippy top if you like.

About 3-4 inches from the end secure the ribbon with a wire to the selected branch.

I like the ends to poke out here and there.

 

As you are twisting the ribbon and working it into the tree put a piece of wire around the ribbon to gather it and twist the wire around just the perfect branch.   You will know it when you get to it.

When the tree is filled you won't notice the wires.

See, don't just wrap the tree but twist the ribbon and sort of fit it into the branches so that it doesn't just sit on the ends of the branches.

Be sure to work at a downward angle.

I would probably just lift this piece as it is laying and drape it over the branches and wire it to secure.

Work the ribbon behind a few of the branches continuing to twist it and wire it to get the look you want.  It's best not to unwind more ribbon than you can manage. . . . .

 

But sometimes as I am fastening a wire this happens.

Then I re-roll the end shorter so that I can manage it better.

Ahh, much better.

Love that little twist in this ribbon.

 

Just keep going and wrapping,  Round and round.

 

I don't usually begin another piece at the end of the last piece.

 

 

Looks much better with all the other trims on the tree but this is how mine looked with just the ribbon on it and a couple of swirly, glittery things on it.

 

 

Here she is all decked out for the holidays.

First time I have ever had a red and white tree.

I kind of like it.

The colors last year were all silver and white, pretty too.

 

If you have a moment I would appreciate it if you stopped by my New ebay shop.

I am so excited to finally get it up and running.  I am just beginning so please stop by often to see what I have for you.  It is:

 

PLEASANT VALLEY ANTIQUES

 

This link above will take you to my shop blog.

Please follow me.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by I appreciate each one of you.

More of my Christmas House Tour to follow.

 

~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

 

I am linking with these gals.  Stop over and see them too.

 

My Romantic Home

 

Between Naps On The Porch

 

French Country Cottage

 

Beth's Tips and Tutorials

 

 

Run. . . .Don't Walk To This China Sale !

If you have a Lenox China Outlet Store near you and you love their Butlers Pantry pattern as much as I do.  Git over there right now girls.

 Yesterday while stopping at the outlet stores I spied a big white tent in the Lenox outlet parking lot.
Now in my mind a tent means Huge savings and I was not disappointed.  I wasn't shopping for china but I have been drooling over this pattern for years.

The tent held great little accent pieces but inside the store was the sale of a lifetime.
All the irregulars were on sale and on top of that another 25% off.  I got 10 dinner plates and 10 Trattoria Accent plates for a bit more then the price of 2 (yes that's right 2) Full Price dinner plates!

I was thunder struck.  I would have bought more but I got the last ones in the dinner plates.  Now there are many other plates in this pattern that coordinate to make a lovely table.  Some have embossed fruit on the borders and some a flower pattern, some are sweet little dots.  Wish they would have had more of the tiny dots.  I would have got them too.

I got what I wanted and am doing a happy dance in the dining room.  Just wanted to let you all know and share the Joy.

As a side note I decorated the plate with Zucchini bread I made from a Betty Crocker recipe that we love.

The little piggy butter dish is from Pottery Barn.

She looks nice with the Butlers Pantry china and the little cream bottle I got antiquing last weekend.

Oh, Did I tell you we have a new kitten?  Can you tell by this picture?  She is into everything.  Loves to play with the silk flowers.  Her name is Jasmine because she is pretty as a flower.

I found her wandering around the back yard near the woods a few months ago.  She was so tiny she fit in the palm of my one hand.  She is growing so quickly and bringing Joy to our lives.  Love kittens.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to let me know if you get to the china sale.

Make it a great day!

~ ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~ ~