Sometimes...when I make my plans of what I would like to get done in a set amount of time...I plan too much.
And by sometimes I mean all of the time.
And by too much I mean way to much.
So when I get to the end of the day, week, or weekend, and I still have 15 things left on my list, I feel a little defeated. In order to combat this certain failure, I am trying some new techniques. Actually, it is all a matter of perspective.
For example, I am trying to do is prioritize. This means I need to focus in on what I really want to get done. If other things get done, great. If they don't, I at least need to get my One Thing done. And then I have succeeded.
This weekend my One Thing was to get my flower bed weeded and planted with flowers. Here is how it looked Friday morning.
After a lot of weeding, we went to Menards and purchased these beauties. (Note: I was very, very pleased with these plants. Particularly, I was surprised at how non-root bound they were in their containers, which is great.)
Saturday morning I was a very, very happy girl-- digging in my garden and planting beautiful things. This is how things are looking now.
Ok, so you can't tell a big difference in the pictures, but it is much better, let me assure you. Let's take a closer look.
I planted geraniums and begonias in the sun. The shadier parts have impatiens, begonias, and coleus. I will be interested to compare the begonias in the sun vs. shade and see which ones do better, or if there is a difference.
I also have a lot of cosmos that self-seeded from last year. Volunteers are so fun and exciting! I don't have to do anything but keep them happy!
This (above) is the shaded part of the flower bed. And let's take a moment to compare it to this picture of last year.
Aaaah... progress.
These pots are on my front step. The top picture includes violas that also volunteered from last year, and the bottom one has a purply-pink impatiens... we will see how it does in the sun. They both also have 3 geraniums and a coleus. Again, I am interested to compare these coleus to the ones in the shade and see how they do.
Sheesh, Steph-- ya think you crammed enough plants into those poor little pots?!
I know, I know, I know. I just wanted them to look full. And knowing me, not everything will survive anyway, so there should be plenty of room in a couple of weeks.
These are my herbs I planted a few weeks ago. They are coming along so well! I can't wait to have some cilantro!! Oh... what's that tall healthy plant? I'm so glad you asked.
It's my birthday flower. From Kaden. I will explain in a moment, but first we must finish the tour!
These are Hatch green chile seeds that I successfully started (I had nine growing!! NINE!) then successfully killed. I'm good at that. So I planted more seeds, and I am praying they will survive. Because I REALLY want some Hatches.
I also started these flower seeds inside on Friday, and LOOK! They're growing!!!!!
It is crazy because yesterday it was just a bunch of seeds sitting on top of soggy soil and now look at them--two inches tall!!
They are zinnias and marigolds. I even have some seeds growing from the ground! Yay!
Sorry for all the blurry pictures...I apparently can't hold still, and I'm too lazy to use a tripod.
Oh yes---more perspective. Here is our side yard today.
Here is was in May 2011.
Another technique for feeling like you've accomplished something: take before and after pictures! But don't beat yourself up if you forget to take before pictures-- life is for living, not photographing.
Another before and after pair (opposite perspectives before and after).
This is my strawberry plant...
...And my cherry tomato plant that is going crazy...
...and the mint that has gone to seed when we haven't even used one sprig yet this season...
...tomatoes in the trash cans (also going crazy all of a sudden)...
And here is the vegetable garden. I should try to remember to take this picture every week so we can watch it grow together. Sometimes when I look at it multiple times a day, I don't see the growth. Time-lapse photos would be good.
But check this out...lettuce! (sorry for all the exclamation points, but seeing things grow makes me very, very happy and excited)
And now we end the tour with...
THE BIRTHDAY FLOWER
Back in April, Mindy asked Kaden what they should get me for my birthday. He decided they should get me a birthday flower.
Kaden's grandma got him a birthday flower when he turned 3, and he still has it (and he's about to turn 6!). So he wanted to get me a red geranium just like his birthday flower. And he painted me a pot to plant it in. I planted it tonight.
This is a bird.
This is a flower (the bird was flying at the flower)
This is rain.
And this is a rainbow.
And this is a really great birthday present. Thanks Kaden!
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