Some garden pics

Hubby and I just finished up vacation. We kind of hung around the homestead for this one. We did take an overnight trip out to Hershey, Pa. and Lancaster. It was a fun trip. Although, I have to say, Lancaster is commercial! I was looking for authentic amish country. We did find it on our way home, but at first it looked like a major hub. Lots of "outlets" if that's what your into. I don't things are any cheaper in them. On thursday my mom came out for the day and we cleared ALL the weeds out of my overgrown garden, spinkled preen all over an mulched. Hard work, but it looks beautiful now. So I decided to post some pics from my plants around the house. OK, so as usual pics don't want to upload....ok, here we go, this is one of the front planters, verbena, mini petunias and geraniums. The other planter is having issues- I think it's a beetle leaving spit all over the petunias, so I have to replant new ones. I have spent alot of time babying my azaelas this year. A use for used coffee grinds!!!! They love them and already look much better. The second planter contains sweet potatoe vine, petunias (large and small) and some kind of daisy. In my window box I have almost the same combo as the front planter except I used full size petunias instead of babybells.This window box has done beautfully this year with minimal work!!! Next, one of my pride and joys!! My huge hosta that is planted in full sun!!!! I know, not believable right? Hostas are usually shade loving plants, but, every year this one grows larger and larger.Next, a mandavilla vine that was a bd present from my friend, master gardner, Janet. Next to it is a boudelia I planted just last year!!! Lots of sun in the willy nilly garden. I also caught this cool butterfly hanging out on it. Pride and joy #2 is my huge Boudelia that my grandmother bought me 2 years ago. It's gorgeous!!!! Always lots of butterflies hanging out on this one. Also deer will NOT eat these. So if you have a deer problem like we do- try a butterfly garden. However, I did plant alot of echinachea and they ate all of them. They like the leaves, so they chew it down to the stalk and the flowers never get a chance to bloom. I have one more pic... This is helenium. I planted it last year and kind of forgot about it. So I pulled it out of the ground in the spring thinking it was a weed. My first clue should have been the fact that there was a root ball. I realized what it was when I looked back at some pics. So upon Janet's recommendation I put them root balls in water for 3 days,then replanted them. Well, I think it worked, don't you???

KNitting injury!!!!!

Yes I am still here- I have been injured!!!!! Not sure how it happened. I think I did it at the gym and then kept knitting through the injury and wound up with some seriously painful tendonitis, aka "tennis elbow" or shall we call it "knitting elbow". Yup. Kept knitting. So I finally have strength back in my arm, but still have pain. So a short post with some projects I finished. Cute rose bag with cute satin lining, I used malabrigo. I also made this super cute star bag-- I used Valley yarn-berkshire from http://yarn.com/ I really like this yarn it's super soft and felts really well. Of course being the fabric addict that I have become I chose this cutie lining material--slightly juvenile, but then again, your never too old for smiley stars and clouds :) Also I want to leave you with a pic of Zoe Belle who is growing so fast, I can hardly believe it , she's always in "attack mode". She is the loviest cat ever. Pics of her sisters soon...

Also on a completely different note I joined a gym. Has anyone tried spinning???? I tried it once in college and thought it was kick ass, but I never continued with it. So upon joining the gym and my "knitter's elbow", I wanted to take a class but the thought of "body pump" or "body attack" and all that upper body work, I settled on spinning. And you know what.......I liked it so much I got out of bed on saturday at 7am and took an 8am class. Crazy! I also bought a heart monitor and bike pants. Have you seen these things? OK- spandex plus a shitload of padding in the crotch area. Hmmm, being an 80's chick who swore off spandex FOREVER....I think my comfort on the spinning seat is more important than the attractiveness that I exude while walking into the darkened spin room. So I broke down and bought them but did not wear them this morning- couldn't do it..