GA Tree Progression (mostly)

Warning .... Picture Heavy. I've been wanting to document these for quite some time. If you want, just click on the 1st pic to bigefy & then right click to next one.

Taken 2015, 2017 & 2018

Pine by driveway

 

Silver Maple. Not doing very well. Maybe we just aren't meant to have maples?

Oak in NE field

Sycamore

Oak in North field. Most dramatic difference.

Oak by House & Barn

Lemon Sprout

Orange

Pine in South Field

Florida Oak



Florida Oak 2 - This one was blown over after Irma in 2017 but is still hanging in there.

 

Magnolia

 

Maple - Sadly, this died & is now a Maple bush.

 

Oak by barns

 

Below were taken 2017 & 2018 - Not a whole lof of difference but I think they are just getting established.

Cherry Bark Oak in NE field

 

Little Maple near garden - not sure if this one will make it.

 

Cherry Bark in NW field

 

Cherry Bark by Mom & Dad

 

Cherry Bark in South field

 

The first years were taken in September & the last in November. In the future, will try to take them again in September so shadows don't interfere.

We have a lot of plants to transport & plant in the early spring of 2019 (azalea, loropetalum, camillia, more crepe myrtles, etc.) . We'll also be adding about 15 - 20 pecan trees at that time as well. Hopefully we'll be a two person retired household by then!

Catching up

Long time no post. Can't even think of all that has been going on since February. So I think I'll just start anew.

I am recuperating from surgery on my left wrist. Had the right one done back in July (De Quervain's Tenosynovitis). Very painful syndrome that was causing me to not be able to do certain things that I enjoy. So, I bit the bullet & went ahead w/the surgeries. And boy, am I glad I did. Relief is almost immediate (after the soreness of the incision wears off).

I had posted last year about purchasing a featherweight (Featherweight post). What I didn't talk about was the poor condition of one of the cases. I only took  a couple of pics (that I can find).

Inside

Outside (left corner - someones attempt at repair)

My original plan was to strip it and stain but once I got the black fabric off, I found that the wood was just too fragile to try to sand it smooth.

Front

Back

So ... I decided to go old school & decoupage it! Had some old fabric & bought a bottle of Mod Podge. I then put a couple of layers of polyurethane & viola!

Very pleased with how it came out. 

Since it is actually beginning to feel like fall weather (some days) I decided to make a fall wreath for our front door. A little lopsided but I wanted to get up before our 4 days of fall are over.

Nothing too exciting I know, but hopefully will get me back in the mood to continue documenting my journey.

Happy Halloween!

February 2018 - Lots going on.

Last week I went to my annual Featherweight quilt retreat in SC & got 2 quilt tops done. I used the same pattern but different fabrics. The blue one is for my 87 year old FIL who is recovering from having his hip removed but is finally home from re-hab. Hopefully we'll soon find out if they will be able to put in another hip. I finished it this morning & will gift it to him this afternoon. 

The earth tone one is for me! My friend Jenny found the fabric for me & the squares are made using the 4 patch posey technique. The lines inside are more green than grey. I hope to finish it before fall of next year!

When I got home from SC I went to an Estate Sale that had an original Featherweight table for sale. It is only 31" x 31" & is portable & was reasonably priced. The top is all wood & the metal hardware to hold the machine is very sturdy. I think it's very cute & will keep the FW off my dining table, making room to lay out more quilting projects.

And, here is a picture of the T-shirt my Greg got me for Valentines Day.

I forgot to mention in my last couple of posts that my niece got engaged, to a really great guy, in early December.

It was a complete surprise as you can see by the photo. No, it wasn't staged. Her BFF (who knew about the engagement) was taking pictures of their group at a plantation they were visiting for the day. She had been taking 'artsy type' photos all morning. She had asked these 2  to stand back to back & take 2 steps before turning partially around. Of course the soon to be groom kneeled instead of taking the steps. The wedding is in November & the planning has begun. We went Wedding dress shopping last Sunday & she found exactly what she wanted. She will be such a beautiful bride.

Hope everyone is having a good week. We have a few house & land projects going that I hope to post about soon.

New Year, Oranges & Snow!

We had a great Christmas. Spent it with family. My FIL had his artificial hip removed back in October & has been in re-hab ever since. SIL & family came down from Atlanta to spend Christmas with everyone. We took Christmas Eve dinner to the re-hab place, then niece opened her gifts. We stopped exchanging with the adults on hubby's side of the family several years ago. We were just exchanging $$ & gift cards & decided to stop.

We still exchange with my family so we headed to my sisters on Christmas Day. Had a wonderful late lunch & after gifts were opened we headed to the country to work on the Barn Apartment.  We have been working on it since late 2015.

Yes, we take things a little slower here in the south ...lol. Really though, the reason is that we save up to do what we can & then stop & save up some more so we can pay off as we go. We were in the final stretch & only had to install the plumbing stuff (faucets, toilets, etc.), get a septic tank installed & then hook up the water. Greg got the plumbing done & we got the septic installed but not inspected before we left (that happened yesterday). He'll hook up the water when we go back. Then all we have to do is take all the crap things that I have been accumulating. Once my wrist(s) heal I will be able to clean cabinets (need water for that), install shelving paper & get the kitchen set up too. I can't remember what I have bought (mostly at Estate Sales) & what I still need.

It was cold the whole time we were there & the only thing I got done was get my asparagus beds ready for winter & pick the oranges that had finally ripened.

42!

We headed back to the city on the 30th because it was supposed to get even colder in the country. When we got back, the Christmas Cactus was almost in full bloom.

Pink is pretty but I wish I had a red one too.

We had a low key New Years Eve dinner & the usual for New Years Day (pork chops, turnip greens, black eyed peas, rice & cornbread). Greg headed back to work yesterday (bummer for him).

We are having cold weather here in the city & it is currently raining which may turn to sleet later this afternoon if the temps continue to drop (dropped from 36 to 34 in the last hour). There was snow just west & north of the city & quite a bit near our country house. Here's a a couple pics of relatives kids.

These were taken about 5 miles from our house up there. Here's a couple closer to the house, not as thick but accumulation none the less.

And last one, taken in town about 8 miles away.

It will most likely melt by nightfall or tomorrow morning. Fun for the kids & a novelty for the adults as this only happens this far south every 10 years or so.

Headed to the kitchen to make 15 bean soup as we are supposed to have hard freezes (20s) for the next 3 nights. All animals are hunkered down trying to stay warm. For those not allowed inside I've created warm boxes with bedding & quilts, under shelter, out of the wind, to keep them warm. Plus, they have very thick coats of fur & are doing fine.

Hope everyone has a great New Year!

Quilt Gifts & Merry Christmas

I finally finished  & gifted some of the quilts I have been working on. Some, for a very long time. It feels good to have them done so I can begin work on a few new projects next year. Although, the tendons in my wrist (from thumb) have gotten worse so I will be taking the entire month of January off. Other than surgery, the Dr. said that non-use is the only thing that will heal them. Oh well, such as it is with aging!

Here are photos of the finished quilts.

Step Mom Quilt

 I used leftover weave fabric to create the binding for this one.

Two friends Quilt

I finished 2 of these for friends. Only difference is the borders & binding. I still have mine left to finish.

For a dear friend who loves Christmas.

Wish I had swapped out the upper right block with the lower left one to make it more balanced. But, you don't notice when it is wrapped around your legs keeping you warm.

Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Years Celebrations. Stay safe out there!

Happy Thanksgiving!

November! Where Did October Go?

I try to post at least once a month but somehow October came & went way too fast. Nothing major going on just a few random things.

While cleaning up from Irma at the Country House we ran across a Muscadine vine by the road, that became accessible after a tree fell down. We picked 2 huge bowls. I gave one to MIL & I juiced the other, after I had my fill. It made about 2 1/2 pints of delicious, sweet juice. We also picked a few persimmons from a wild tree but not enough to do anything with & I forgot to open one to look at the seed to see if winter will be mild or not.

I went to the Jax Quilt Fest in late September & as usual saw some amazing quilts.

After that, I went to SC to a surprise Birthday Party for my friend Debbie from
Fox Trot Farm. I stayed w/her on the Farm & finally got to meet Porkchop, their adorable & very friendly pot bellied pig.

Then, in mid October I worked the Ag Expo at the Hoss Sustainable Living Center. The weather was perfect this year! The plants were also pretty spectacular.

5 Different kinds of okra (zinnias to the left)

Broccoli & Cauliflower

6 kinds of Eggplant

Buttercrunch & Red Leaf Lettuc

There was also corn, cucumbers, micro greens, kale & rainbow chard.

Last weekend I decided to clean up my 3 raised garden beds in the City. They were all in terrible shape.

Here's a pic with them all cleaned up. The 3rd one on the right has some horrendous weeds growing that I couldn't get out. Will cover w/black plastic over the winter to hopefully kill them.

I also had a couple of whiskey barrels filled with Amaryllis that were falling apart. So I separated & put them all in pots to take to the country next spring. No pics but when I was putting them in the plant hospital in the corner of the yard I looked up & there sat this guy.

I finished placing the pots & went inside to get my camera. I was sure he would fly away but he stayed there for about 30 or 40 minutes. I was literally about 8 ft. from him! Note: Broken fence courtesy of Irma.

We are in the process of having the siding replaced on our city house. with Hardy Board. It was cedar & rotting in spots. It was over 30 years old so I can't really complain ... about the product.... but I can complain about the contractor. Will get into that in another post.

I think that gets me caught up on what's been happening. Still working on Christmas gifts, will also post about those soon.