Checked Out

I have done it again.  I have been to the library, gotten home with my books only to realize that I have rented this one before.  Which could mean I am very forgetful, or it might mean that the book was just that good.  In this case, I am forgetful.  But the book is good and I probably would have gotten it again anyway even if I realized at the time I had seen it already. 

 

This week's book is called:

 

JUNK Beautiful

Outdoor Edition

 

By: Sue Whitney, with Kimberly Melamed

 

Published Date: 2009

 

I like these gals and have checked out more than one of their decorating junk books and they are all good.  They even offer items that you can make throughout the book and instructional "how-to's" in the back.  The outdoor edition, however, seems to have a lot of set-up shots.  Which isn't necessarily a bad quality because these gals know what they are doing.  But some of the ideas aren't real practical for every day use, not in my world anyway.  It seems the wind and weather might run away with things.  But if you are having an outdoor party or gathering a lot of these ideas are perfect.  They do have a greenhouse shot that I love and that I feel inspired my dream greenhouse the last time I checked the book out.  I did find myself taking pictures of pictures in this book to print out for my inspiration journal.  Plus these seem like fun gals with a good sense of humor which leads to good and humorous reading.

 

Checked Out Rating: 8

 

 

December 1st?

This has been one beautiful day in Tennessee.  After wearing short sleeves all day, I checked the thermometer which was reading an outdoor temp of a fine 66 degrees.  That was at about 2:00.  I had running to do this morning which included a trip to the tiny feed store down the street in which I bought hay instead of straw to reline the chicken coop once I cleaned it out this afternoon.  It still works but I always feel laim because I can never remember the difference between the two until I see it and forehead smack!  This particular feed store only has hay so I really didn't have a choice unless I went up somewhere else.  Nuff said... here's a few views.  I have a wedding to get ready for.

Repotting My Orchid

I received an orchid from a working friend when I left a job about seven years ago.  Wow has it been that long?  I guess so.  Anyway, this was and is still my first orchid.  When I first got it, of course, it was in full bloom.  For the first year of it's life with me it lived in the house and seemed... just ok. 

The summer after I got it I decided to put it in a shady spot on my patio outside and to my surprise it bloomed!  That Fall I brought it back inside for the winter and each summer have set it outside to enjoy the fresh air.  It has bloomed for me four times now but has chosen not to for the last two summers.  Which makes me sad because it is a sure sign that something is wrong. 

Since it was placed in the same spot on the porch where it had once bloomed and receives water from the plant hanging above it, I knew it had to be that the poor thing needed more room.  I will be honest... I have been scared to death to repot this thing.  Orchids are just different.  There's no dirt.  Their natural habitat is a crevasse in a rock amidst a misty waterfall.  (Ahhh what a lovely thought) 

Yesterday, I bit the bullet and bought some orchid bark and simply tried to follow the directions on the package.  I picked a larger pot for it's new home but when I tried to pry it out of it's tiny home it wouldn't budge.  Roots where everywhere, old and new.  I trimmed and pried and wound up getting out a hammer and breaking the pot it was in. I trimmed more brown roots off and dug as much as I could of the old bark from it's base.  I placed some rocks in the bottom of the new pot and filled it the rest of the way with the new bark.  I placed the orchid inside and it sort of just fell over.  So I got out some wooden skewers and staked it.  It will receive a daily misting and will hopefully root into it's new home for a couple more years.  Hopefully!  It sure does look better and much healthier.  I think it is smiling now.   Maybe next summer it will bloom once again.

 The good, healthy roots are white with green tips.

Yeah.. not too many here huh. :(

 And to my surprise an even smaller pot inside.  This made me feel even better about what I was doing.  Even though my stomach was in knots the whole time.

 I also trimmed off some of the shoots.  Don't know it I was supposed to or not once they were still green inside.  But it cleaned it up more.

 It said to leave it out of the sunlight until it takes hold again.

I imagine it's spreading around as I type.

So much better!

 

This is what her blooms look like.  This pic was in 2008.

 And this was the last time she bloomed in 2010.