porch — Page 13

A Discovery in the Boxwood

April 30, 2017 at 9:53 am by Claudia

On Friday, I was doing something or other near one of the boxwoods and I heard a frantic flapping of wings. I thought that there must have been a bird on the bush, startled by my sudden presence.

Yesterday, I was weeding and, at one point, ended up in the same area. Again, the frantic movement of a bird. Curious, I walked over to the boxwood, looked down, and saw this:

I gasped. Luckily, I had my iPhone in my back pocket, so I quickly took some pictures.

If that isn’t one of the most beautiful sights one can see, I don’t know what is. A miracle, tucked down inside a boxwood.

I was filled with wonder at this beauty, this perfectly made nest with five blue eggs.

After I tended to some other things, I carefully and quietly walked toward the boxwood (but stayed far away enough that I figured all would be well) and again, Mama flew off. Since I had been planning to mow the front yard, I decided I should get on it right away, starting with the area of grass right in front of the boxwoods that are at the front of the house. I had scared Mama enough and I wanted to mow while she was still watching from the neighboring maple tree so that she could relax for the rest of the day.

Since this is right in front of the porch, I will have to be very careful. Later in the day, I was sitting on the glider, not making a sound, when Mama started screeching at me. Oh boy. I got the message and went inside.

I don’t want to get too involved with watching the eggs hatch. I did that years ago while working on a job in Wisconsin (the nest was right outside my door) and I was stressed the whole time. I worry too much.

I also put together one of the Adirondack chairs.

It took me a long time and it wasn’t easy. It’s really a two person job, and since there’s just me, myself, and I, many curse words were uttered. Interestingly this didn’t seem to bother the nesting robin (I put it together on the porch). By the time I finished, my hands were sore! Still are.

I imagine the second one will be less problematic.

I’m thinking I’ll paint them as the natural wood is very light in color and I don’t really want to go the stain route.

And I’m thinking that this color (used on the mini adirondacks in Don’s studio) would be perfect. (Note that there just happen to be mini boxwoods in this photo.)

I asked Don whether we should go with white or this green and he enthusiastically went for the green. There you go.

A splash of color in the midst of all the weathered teak will be perfect.

Today, a trip to the store for some supplies. Tomorrow, I’ll buy mulch and potting soil and I’ll soak my morning glory seeds and get ready to plant them this week.

Happy Sunday.

The Porch in September

September 25, 2015 at 8:19 am by Claudia

I was cleaning the porch railings yesterday, which prompted me to sweep and do some general clean-up. So I took some pictures.

I used to buy mums in the fall, but the reality is that I have more than enough pots still in bloom. In fact, all of them are still in bloom.

So, I save myself some money and enjoy the riot of color and pretty blossoms that are already there.

9-25 porch_

See what I mean?

9-25 bench

But there are fallen leaves everywhere. How did that happen?

9-25 leaves

The sugar maple is already shedding its leaves.

9-25 porch scaevola

The hanging pots of scaevola are still thriving. They last from early spring until the first frost.

9-25 porch rocker

I brought the wicker rocker down from the bedroom, where, frankly, it took up too much room – I could never get my dresser drawers open without having to move it. It’s been replaced by Grandma’s chair. I’ll put the rocker in the shed for the winter because it gets awfully wet and snowy on this porch.

It’s pretty, isn’t it? However, the back needs to be reinforced and I haven’t done that yet (it’s only been over a year), so it’s unusable if you want to sit back, relax and actually rock.

9-25 impatiens

9-25 pinkbud

I’m going to try and sit on the porch and read every day while I can. With the advent of Fall comes the looming onset of Winter. So I want to take advantage of this lovely extra room of ours while I can.

Lovely reader Sharon sent us a package. And by us, I mean me, Don and Scout.

9-25 treats from Sharon

Some wonderful egg cups for me, as well as a little pitcher. Healthy treats for Scout and Hershey’s Almond Kisses for Don.

You’ll noticed they’ve been opened by someone. (I keep finding little foil bits around the house.)

Thank you, Sharon, for your thoughtful gift. Scout and Don thank you, as well!

Book Review of The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny on Just Let Me Finish This Page today.

Happy Friday.

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P: The Porch, A Pot, A Plant, And Pruning

May 23, 2015 at 9:15 am by Claudia

I pruned and shaped the boxwoods in front of the house yesterday, as well as the tall bush in the big garden bed. Do you remember my saying that the hens & chicks that I had planted in front of the porch didn’t come back this spring? Well, you never know what some pruning might reveal:

5-23 hensandchicks

Hello! I was wrong to doubt you, little one. You were there all the time.

5-23 glider

Behold our funky, rusty glider. Don found it when we were living in San Diego. He arrived home with it in the back of his Blazer. $25.00. It’s been with us for years. Some might think I should paint it, but I really love it this way. I do, however, want to find a cushion that fits the entire length of the glider.

And no, I’m not in the mood to make one.

But for now, this works just fine. For those of you who are new to the blog, the floor of the porch is made of bluestone and I fell in love with it when I saw this cottage for the first time.

5-23 gardening stuff

Caroline, the owner of the dollhouse, has her own potting shed. I do not. So this is what you see as you enter the porch. Supplies, clippers, soil, mulch, garden gloves, recycling bins. I guess you can say my potting bench is this bench, along with the picnic table which is to the left.

I got the sign several years ago in an antique mall.

5-23 deutzia

Currently blooming in the big garden bed: Nikko Dwarf Mound Deutzia. There are two of them. I planted them the first summer we lived here, so that would make them nine years old. They’re especially pretty this year.

And, I was standing in the kitchen yesterday, I glanced at the Vernors crate that is on the island and realized I had neglected to include one piece of McCoy Pottery when I did the series.

5-23 little mccoy pot

It’s a tiny little flower pot, a wee bit crooked, that I found locally. It holds all of our pens and pencils and sits in the crate. It’s from the 1940s.

5-23 nm mark

It has the Nelson McCoy mark – an intertwined NM.

I didn’t want this little piece to feel left out!

Last night, we had a frost warning. Next week, the temps are going to hit ninety degrees. This has been the strangest spring!

Happy Saturday.

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A Discovery in the Boxwood

The Porch in September

P: The Porch, A Pot, A Plant, And Pruning

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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