Sunday, August 1, 2010

c.rea.tiv musings

Well, I've officially started my first blog.  I'm not exactly sure where I'm going with it or why but I'm enjoying my first step on my journey to somewhere.

Much of my time these summer days is spent in my modest back yard.  When I'm not working on it, I'm sitting on my chaise enjoying it.  The landscape is pretty funky; something I started a couple of years ago during a record heat wave with the help of someone special who appreciates my uniqueness - thanks Patrice - and the efforts of two other friends - thank you Sylver and Gary.  Because of my two crazy dogs, planting in the ground doesn't work especially well so I opted to create gravel-filled beds bordered by broken concrete and lots of pots of various sizes and types.  The garden is divided into several areas.

The first area is next to my greenhouse, which I had built for my mother's orchids.  This area I call "the farm" and the decor is farm-related.  Space and sun are limited here, but I do manage to grow strawberries in an old pail hanging from the corner of the greenhouse (it's a "bucket o' berries"), Brussels sprouts in a fertilizer spreader, and tomatoes in a large clay pot.  The sunflowers growing out of a wooden box are not doing as well as I'd hoped and are close to expiring.

The next area is the "boudoir," and it includes a rusty old innerspring from a mattress that serves as a trellis for a sexy red mandevilla, an iron headboard for looks, and an old tin bathtub painted periwinkle blue that holds a large hot pink geranium.  A tarnished silver champagne bucket and ornate mirror are among the accessories adding charm to this area.

Next door is the "wild, wild west."  An old buckboard is surrounded by succulents planted in an old keg, a spittoon, a possum belly drawer, and an old red wagon.  Today I added something of a niche made from a long tray with rusted out bottom.  Hung vertically from a heart-shaped hook with a rusty old trowel hanging from the other handle, it created a nice spot for a funky little succulent.
The Wild Wild West - that's an old rusted trunk lid creating a shelf for the shoe.

Here's a close up of the new "niche."
I've probably shared enough in my first posting, so I'll stop the tour here.  I look forward to sharing more about the other areas in the near future.