Gorgeous Poppies in my flower beds.

I was very pleased to discover this beautiful Poppy (if it is something different – let me know!).  The bright red frizzy petals fall and cause a burst of color on the brown earth and the green grass. I love wonderful surprises like this!

Time For Weeding!

Lately, I’ve spent much of my time weeding the flower beds and our “mini” vegetable garden. I swear the weeds are out to get me. I have many weapons of torture and I’m thinking of bringing in bigger guns! They shall NOT get the better of me!

Weeds be gone!

These are some of the enemy; rising from the dead overnight. Overnight. I said. I decided to take some time to organize my weapons. or gardening tools.

Garden Tool Rack

This rustic heavy platform was just laying around – so I made it into a holder that is on the side of our house and is easily accessible from the front and back yards. When the shovel broke, we “re-purposed” it back into a shovel with duct tape.

Outlined Shovels with Black Marker

I made a specific spot for each tool, outlining the shovel with a black marker and numbering the rakes so they would go back to the same spot each time. ( Yes. some of my friends know I’m obsessive. I even label the shelves in my fridge.)

Flower Water

Now, with weeds come beautiful flowers; so, it’s worth the fight. Here is an easy way to preserve fresh-cut flowers in the house.

Recipe for Flower Water

1 quart water

2 TB. Fresh Lemon Juice

1 TB. Sugar

1/2 tsp. Bleach

I made up some extra concentrate to keep in the fridge for the next couple weeks; I labeled it well so no one will think it’s lemonade:) The concentrate only had 1 cup of water per rest of ingredients. Then I made 4 cups total concentrate. Next time I cut fresh flowers, I will add 1 cup concentrate and 3 cups of water for a medium size vase or container.

First Vase of My own Cut Roses

Some flowers are worth fighting for!