Monday, March 7, 2022

a week went by


Saturday...I see I posted last on Tuesday (except for the book reviews). Wednesday I started taking all the plants back outside. All the plumerias and the bird of paradise are out of the garage (which may have been a mistake as next Friday is predicted to drop below freezing). Haven't moved the night blooming cereus yet and it may just stay where it is for another week. I moved the stag horn ferns and the nun orchids out of the bedroom (easy enough to bring them back in for a night or two). Still have to move the small pots out onto the etageres (which also may wait another week) but had to rake and sweep the little patio outside the back door first which I did Thursday afternoon. Of course no before picture because...me, but it was covered with a thick layer of leaves.

Now I have to set up the etageres which I might do differently this year. At this point there is so much on my to do list that I can't decide where to start. But even though the day was partly sunny, mostly cloudy and turned windy I was not inspired to attend to any one task so I just piddled around and then I had a beer at lunch which further destroyed any motivation I might have had. Really, all I managed to accomplish is to finally put all the loose printed out recipes I keep in a big plastic bag into the binder that I bought months ago for that purpose.

Sunday...Partly sunny, windy and maybe rain today which would be good as we need it (but no, did not rain). The mock dogwood, the turk's cap, and the yesterday, today, and tomorrow have sent out little green leaves up and down their brown stems seemingly overnight. I'm pretty sure yesterday there was nothing, certainly Friday. The shrimp plant, the confederate roses, the firespike, and the night blooming jasmine are also putting out new growth. A few azalea flowers have opened. The chinese fringe flower trees are starting to bloom. The camera did not want to focus on the little green bits.

I think I mentioned when I laid the sandstone path 5 years ago along the side of the house that I had a collection of antique glass doorknobs and I even settled some of them in between the sandstone slabs. Of course they were quickly covered with leaves and dirt and so I got them out when I pulled up the slabs whenever that was a month or so ago. I collected them originally to use and we did use some of them in the city house. Today I got out all the doorknobs and picked out all the ones in good condition and washed them because I thought of a way I could finally display them. Each of these is different, some subtly, some very.

Here is what I did with them. I only got about half of them on because I ran out of the screws I was using.

And this is what I did the rest of the day, laying down a new sandstone path along the side of the house. I think I have enough, along with some concrete slabs to get all the way to the steps of the deck. I'm spacing them a stride apart this time instead of fitted together like this

to allow rain to flow away from the foundation of the back half of the house. Once I get past the plant on the right with the round leaves that won't be a problem because the front half of the house is on pier and beam. This was as far as I got as I ran out of sand.

I'm ready for a shower and a drink now. (Or was and I did both and now it's today and today is back to being cold and overcast and wet.)


 

18 comments:

  1. As always, we are going to get your weather a day or so behind you.
    Good idea for the doorknobs! They are so pretty.
    Everything is opening and sending out shoots here. We, too, need the rain and hopefully we'll be getting it tomorrow.

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    1. Just as everything if finally coming out Friday and Saturday nights are supposed to be below freezing. One says 27, the other says 30 for a low.

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  2. Sounds like you are pretty busy to me. I like the doorknobs and the paving stones. That's a workout fixing the sand and lifting those large slabs of stone. Keep up the good work!

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    1. It's a big property so there's always a lot to do. And it has to be done before summer hits.

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  3. I love the doorknobs and their new resting place. Must look really good with sunlight shining on/through them.

    As usual, you have me exhausted from just reading what you do in a day. I look at our patio every morning waiting for the energy to get out the power washer before we pack it all with the pot plants wintering inside. One of these days.

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    1. I need to seal the deck before I start moving things onto it besides the two chairs, one pot, and a ceramic camel that serves as a little table. At this rate it may never get sealed.

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  4. I love the glass doorknob display!

    I hope you don't have a freeze. Ms. Moon was saying one is expected there as well. I hate to think of all that new growth on the plants getting frost-bitten.

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    1. Oh, I know! It has taken everything so long to come out and now, yes, they are predicting a freeze.

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  5. We're heading into cooler wetter weather here too. I laughed at myself because I haven't worn my crocheted scarves as much as I wanted to to & I was sad, but it's still early March for heaven's sake & I have one on now because it was 45 degrees this morning.

    I like how you document things coming to life down there - it encourages me to notice things around me here. And I love the doorknob project!

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    1. I've worn my coat more this year than any. Usually I can just get by with my fleece vest.

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  6. I love those doorknobs. What a great collection.
    I checked our weather forecast for the week. Looks like we're in for some rain by the weekend. Maybe even an inch. That might help a little for the drought which almost seems inevitable now.

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    1. I have/had another one that was a deep purple from years outside in the UV rays of the sun but I've misplaced it and can't find it now.

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  7. Sunny and gorgeous here. I'm just waiting for my PT appointment. No Major construcction stuff.

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  8. I like those glass doorknobs. I used to have one that was completely round, like a witches' ball. In the bottom row of your lined up doorknobs, there are colored doorknobs in the bottom row. Is that from being sunk in sand for a period of time?

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    1. No. I'm not sure why some have color. The far left second row is sort of green. I think it's the color of the glass. However, I have/had one that was a really nice purple and I know that when they turn purple like that it's from being exposed to the UV rays of the sun for a long period. I used to keep it in the center hole of the table outside where we sat but I obviously moved it to put up the umbrella at one time and now I have no idea where it is. I hope it didn't get swept away during the flood and I'll eventually find it.

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  9. Can you believe they had hail today in Lake Jackson? There was enough to turn the ground white, at least for a while. I certainly am hoping this weekend's blast is the end of the fronts. Some nice spring rains would suit me just fine -- along with some temps in the 70s. I love those doorknobs. I like glass knobs on kitchen cabinets, too. I've seen some old bottles that pick up a bit of that lavender tint from being in the sun. I think it's the maganese in the glass that oxidizes and turns color. Your deep purple doorknob must have had a lot of maganese!

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    1. I have glass knobs and drawer pulls too. I pick them up at antique stores or estate sales. I think the purple doorknob was probably just exposed to the UV rays for decades, maybe faced west, which is why it was so dark. Sure wish I could find it.

      We need rain badly but I am tired of the below freezing nights. I though the last one would be the last but no so I had to drag everything back into the house or garage this week. Thankfully the Accuweather app low temp has gone from 27 to 30.

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  10. Your industry is impressive, I know I've said this before. I love what you did with the doorknobs!

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.