Showing posts with label Plants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Plants. Show all posts

Monday, March 15, 2010

Working Outside and with Whiskers is Dangerous

Well...my plans for this weekend didn't quite go as planned.

My list was:
Mow the yard
Weed eat all around

Paint the shed
Paint hubbies work table

Pull weeds in flower bed
Add fresh soil to flower bed
Get my new plants in the ground
Redo the mulch

Well lets start this with Friday night. I had bought the cats some flea collars. I had never put collars on these cats and knew it was going to be a challenge. I got the first one ready to just slip over the head, so I could quickly get them on. I coax Peach to me and perfectly maneuvered it on, she didn't seen to mind at all. I am very pleased and now more relaxed to do it to Whiskers. I did the same coaxing with Whiskers, but the end result was much different. I held him and started to slip it on and in a flash and a claw, he was gone. Collar still in my hand. I tried coaxing, chasing and cornering. I guess in the chasing part is when "it" happened. It..being, hurt my knee. Bending slightly hurts, walking really hurts.

Saturday..My knee still hurts but not enough to keep me from trying to get my list done. I started with the mowing and halfway through while turning the mower in the opposite direction, I cut my wrist on the fence. So, I had to stop and deal with that.

(Sorry for the blurry pic, it looks like it would if viewing through tears)

The temp was 80 and I was getting hot and super thirsty. I kept having to stop for a rest with shade and plenty of water.

After hours of mowing and resting, I then moved on to pulling weeds/grass (not really sure what it is, just know its not supposed to be there). Those weeds were so thick and deeply rooted. Hercules wouldn't have gotten much farther than I did. I managed to get about 6ft x 6in of area cleared (the bed is 14ft x 3ft). One patch that I was tugging on (with all my body weight) slipped through my hands and made me fall on my arse. I took a break. I went back an hour later and got a tiny bit more done, but then suddenly I felt a burning pain run across my ribs. I think I pulled a muscle instead of the weed.

That was IT, I was done in for the day. Way to many owies for me to handle.

Sunday...Knee still hurts, fence cut looks infected, tooshie tender, rib muscle hurting like crazy and all other muscles are screaming "NO MORE". I took it easy till noon.
I then took the easiest chore..painting the shed and work table.

(The before pic with one side painted)

Instead of taking me about two hours, it took four!


(hubbies work table painted, the unpainted version was 10 kind of ways awful)

Thankfully I didn't add any more injuries to the list, TODAY (there is always tomorrow). I did get some green paint in my hair and shampoo isn't taking it out, I guess I'm covered for St. Patty's Day! LOL!

I am debating on just slapping my plants into larger pots for now,

(No name)

(I forget the name)

(Lantana, purple flowers)

(Various new victims)

(The mums sitting next to the new steps I did)

I don't think I can fight with those weeds just now (they would surely win).

Must drag my aching body to bed now.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Spring Fever

Spring Fever hit me today.

I was going through some of yalls posts and kept running across the word spring.

I hadn't planned on getting any new plants this year, cause of the super high temps we had last year. My Golden Forsythia doesn't appear to have weathered well and my Mexican Heather is sprouting very little so far. The only plant that is thriving is the mums I bought last November and the no name (clover shaped leaves with little pink flowers that grow on their own stems and eventually get long enough to lay over the top of the leaves) plant that I have had for years.

I had to go to the grocery store and on my way I stopped at the hardware store, big mistake! I was there only to get paint for the shed. I ended up browsing around in the gardening section and before I knew it I had picked up some dill, pansies, lantana and more..

Now these poor plants were probably screaming not to be bought by me. I'm sure they can spot a black thumb a mile away. I am getting better at trying to get Texas hardy plants and plants that once established in the ground can survive on their own, instead of just getting what looks pretty. I do try to be a good gardener, but my knowledge is very little, I read the instructions on the little plastic things and do my best. Trial and error. I do feel for the plants that have come across my path in the past (there were plenty) and suffered my neglect. I really shouldn't be allowed in any gardening sections of any stores, but I do keep trying.

So..I will be spending all of Saturday and Sunday outside planting, painting and mowing.