I am a Victorian Soul, who lives in a small townhouse that was built in the mid 1970's, not a huge Mega Mansion!! I just recently lost my Hubby Joe, who was a Retired Letter Carrier. I worked night shift as an RN on a Hospital based Rehabilitation( Physical Medicine) Unit for 37 years before I had Knee Replacement Surgery and officially Retired in 2019 after 41 years working in Direct Patient Care ... I am so glad that we retired at 62 years of age and got to spend that time together before he passed....I still do love Retirement!!!!

I DABBLE IN A BIT OF THIS AND THAT!!!!

" IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN"
George Eliot
George Eliot was actually a pen name for a woman named Mary Anne Evans......

BLOGGING FOR FUN AND FRIENDSHIP!!!!!!

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

A Few Garden Projects and Visitors...


Welcome to Debbie-Dabble Blog!!
I am so happy you decided to stop by!!

In my last post, I shared a few Patio Projects......

Like new rugs for the Patio......
 A new hanging basket and what I filled it with....
 And how I lit up the Patio in the evening........
 Click HERE if you missed that post.....

Today, I will be sharing a few Garden Projects that I recently did........

We all love pinterest, don't we?????

I saw this Solar Light chandy and was reminded that I did do something similar a few years back.....
 I then thought of my teardrop hanging Solar Lights that I bought last year at Ocean State Job Lot......

I then simply placed a wire hanging basket over then and this is how it looks.....
Sort of a Farmhouse style to it, don't you think????
Nothing fancy but definitely added a little something to it.....
 And lit in the evening......

 I bought these hanging bags several years ago at a Clearance sale of a Nursery for a mere $3.00 each......
Since then, I have been planting them myself......
Each one takes 11 plants and I usually do impatiens in them because they get really full......
I decided that this gate in the back yard, which we do not use because of the huge slope behind us that one could break one's neck on, looked a bit bare......
I decided to use an old piece of garden hose, old garden tools and a bright green sprinkler  to make a simple Garden Hose Wreath.......
I had the wreath in my stash and everything else came from my neighbor Elly's house when we cleaned it out for her sons when they were selling it......
I wired everything on.....
And then used burlap ribbon that I had left over from another project to disguise the wires.....
Adding a bow to the top of the wreath......
You can see the flower bags are already filling in......
I did make another Hose wreath several years ago but the birds picked apart the flowers and the big bow did not weather the elements well......
This would work where it would not be exposed too much like on a door under an overhang or awning......
That is why I went much simpler with this one.....

I also decided it was time to freshen up some of the Garden figurines that I have out in our back yard Cottage Garden so I got out my craft paints and went to work........

Before.....
After.......
 Before......
 After.......
And I did all the Garden Angels that Joe bought at Wegman's on Clearance several years back for 75% off.....

I forgot to take Before pictures but I was able to pull some from past Blog posts.....

Before......
After.......
Sorry for the poor quality of these Before pics but you can see how bad the angels looked.....
 After......
 Before.....
 After.......
Before......
After.......
  Before......

After.......
I even added some river rocks from Dollar Tree that I had in my stash to this.....
When taking pictures of this Grackle taking a drinking in my hanging bird bath, I took notice of the Welcome sign that I bought at a flea market about 12-15 years go......
So that got freshened up too!!!!
And I even gave this a fresh coat of Purple Pearl Paint......
 I sprayed everything that I painted with a clear gloss coat of a sealant.......

Now I am surely no artist but I do like the splash of color that my painting gave to the Garden!!!!


I moved some hanging things around and decided to plant this old Home Interiors Bird Cage.......
I placed a coco liner inside of it with a few crushed soda cans so it would not weigh too much.......
Then added garden soil and 2 impatiens.......
Hopefully, it will do as good as my planted bird bath did last year.....
This area of the Garden was brightened up a bit.......

I was still having an issue with the darn squirrels digging in my flower containers, hiding peanuts that they got from my neighbor's yard who continues to dump whole bags of them in his back yard......
Sorry, but I do not find them cute when they are digging up my flowers that I paid good money for!!!!
NO!!!  I don't care how  much you pose for me!!!
  Still NOT cute!!!!!

"Really!!  You don't think I am cute?"

NO!!!!!
"Even if I do this?"
"Or this?"
Still no!!!

Joe bought some sort of granules that you put around your yard and in the pots to keep the squirrels out so we will see how they work!!!!!


Now I do enjoy the birds.......

Since I bought this wind chime using an Amazon Gift Card for Mother's Day from my son, Joey........
  I have been greeted in the mornings by this......
I feel that "Some One" Blessed my day.....

I had some Solar Lights that were no longer working and had really nice glass bottoms to them so I decided to repurpose them and use them for bird seed.......
Now I did not want to attract the squirrels to my yard any more than they already are attracted to my yard, so I "elevated " them using the same technique that I used on these solar lights....

Use a piece of rebar, take the spike off the bottom of the solar light.......
 Cut a piece of PVC piping and place the solar light  column over the rebar to hold it in place......
I spray painted the PVC pipes black to match these solar lights in the front yard.....
The bird seed cup is now elevated so that a squirrel can not sit in these pots and have itself a feast like I did find one doing before I did this!!
I decided to add some bird seed to this tea cup which was planted with succulents that I took out  and planted elsewhere......
I then moved it and "elevated" it too......
The Grackles.......
And the Blue Jays seem to like this one......
 I think I just may give that tea cup a fresh coat of paint too!!!!!

And this little guys loves picking up all the seed that the birds throw out of the feeders!!!!!
We were also visited by this Morning Dove........
Who walked all around the planted bird bath......
Flew over here.....
And then preceeded to walk up the walk way almost onto the patio!!!
I couldn't help but wonder if he was one of our babies that were born in my hanging basket in the corner of the Patio where morning doves had nested so many times in past years......


And finally, the first bloom on my Missouri Primroses......
Soon most of the back yard will be a blazing yellow as these have spread everywhere and I have to keep thinning them out......


And I was able to "SEIZE THE DAY", "Carpe Diem", last Monday when there was low humidity and temps. in the mid 70's.......
I spent the afternoon on the front porch, looking through just some of my Garden and Summer decorating magazines!!!!
Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Retirement????????


In my next post, I will be sharing Nelson Crest all decked out in her Patriotic finery......
 So I hope you will stop by to visit again soon!!

Stay safe, healthy and most of all, HAPPY!!

Thanks to those who took the time out of their busy day to spend a little bit of time with me!!

If you do not have a blog, PLEASE  give me some way to reply to your comment, maybe by including your email in your comment.  If I can not find a way to reach you, I will reply on the post where you commented so please check back......


I am linking up to these parties:

THURSDAY
Vintage Charm
Home and Garden Party Thursday
Share Your Style Thursday Link Up Party
 Encouraging Hearts and Home Party
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop 
Grace at Home Party

FRIDAY
 Funtastic Friday
Friday Favorites
Home Matters Linky Party
Farmhouse Friday
Flaunt It Fridays

 SATURDAY
Saturday Sparks
Pink Saturday-Anything Goes!!
Best of the Weekend Party

SUNDAY
Snickerdoodle Sunday
Silver Pennies Sunday
Happiness is Homemade Linky Party

 MONDAY 
Inspire Me Monday
Love Your Creativity Link Party
Busy Monday
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13 comments:

  1. JeanieJune 10, 2020 at 3:57 PM

    There's something about fairy lights that make any space more magical and more delightful. And I love your visitors -- both of them!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnnsterwJune 10, 2020 at 4:30 PM

    What an adorable garden area! I am super jealous and I can totally understand how the animals would flock to hang out there! I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Louca por porcelanaJune 10, 2020 at 4:54 PM

    What happy and pretty garden!Best wishes!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Miss MerryJune 10, 2020 at 4:59 PM

    Your back yard is just beautiful. I love the new wreath and repainting your accessories sure brought them back to life!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Joanne June 11, 2020 at 5:02 PM

    Cute visitors and I love those lights! Thanks for sharing with us at Encouraging Hearts and Home. Pinned.

    ReplyDelete
  6. NinaJune 11, 2020 at 5:16 PM

    I am so glad you are enjoying your retirement!!! I am looking forward to mine....just like you I am home body. We have been homebound since March and have been using the time to get things done around the house...I have lived every minute of it!!!!

    Your garden is so magical!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble ChristmasJune 16, 2020 at 8:45 AM

      Nina,
      Thanks so much for taking the time to visit and to leave such nice comments!! I personally think this pandemic was something that I was preparing for my whole life!!! LOL! I have been busy doing a lot of thing that I put off when I was working and enjoying every moment of it!! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
      Hugs,
      Deb

      Delete
  7. Karie's Chic CreationsJune 11, 2020 at 11:18 PM

    Hi Deb, I loved visiting your cute backyard patio. It all looks so beautiful. And you have quite the character visitors. I don't blame you for being upset with little squirrel. He is a character. Where I live we never see squirrels only in the mountains. And we never see cardinals. They never fly this far. Well back to your cute yard. It all looks beautiful. A delightful place for you to enjoy. I always look forward to seeing all your decorating ideas, both inside your home and outside. I am looking forward to your patriot decor. Take care my friend. It is good to be back and see your beautiful creations.

    ReplyDelete
  8. My thrift store addictionJune 14, 2020 at 5:26 PM

    Cute wreath and chandy, Debbie! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Unique creations by AnitaJune 14, 2020 at 10:05 PM

    Your garden wreath is very cool and unique.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cherryl EhlenburgJune 15, 2020 at 1:35 PM

    Thank you for the inspiration! I always enjoy seeing photos of your yard in the Summer. It inspires me to get working on mine!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble ChristmasJune 19, 2020 at 8:01 AM

      Cherryl,
      Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words!! I could not find any other way to respond to your comment so i am doing so here!
      Hugs,
      Deb

      Delete
  11. Debra@CommonGroundJune 15, 2020 at 10:17 PM

    Oh that garden tool wreath is adorable, and so are all your critters, even those stinky squirrels! thanks for coming by to join in Debbie!

    ReplyDelete

I always love to read your comments and opinions!!
I will try to respond to your comment as quickly as I can either on your Blog, through an email address or here on the posts where you commented if I cannot find any other way to contact you!!
If you are a vendor and insist upon leaving a comment with a link back to a website, it will be deleted immediately as I check my comment several times a day!!

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