Thursday, February 14, 2013

Winter Reflection (edited 3/3/2013)

In November, I did a blog post exploring what I should do in Winter now that I don't have a garden. So I made a list of possible Winter Distractions. In that post, I decided to collect Home Improvement tips and work on that skill. I quickly finished that binder with the basics and add as I come across things. That was a distraction for like a week and a half before there wasn't much to build on until something comes up.

http://homewithmommy-fran.blogspot.com/2012/11/winter-distraction-preparations.html

So I turned to my Garden Binders. There used to be just one now there are four. This was a good project for a while but after realizing exactly how many types of Maple trees there are versus my binder space that I couldn't do that for everything. What I really like is simply being able to identify what something is, like a Spruce or a Fir. Those two trees are so similar but there is one key way to tell, Spruce needles are completely round so they move easily between your fingers. Firs are flat. Although it was cool learning that there is one type of fir with the common name "Christmas Tree".

http://homewithmommy-fran.blogspot.com/2012/11/winter-planning-yup-more-garden-stuff.html

You can look at my garden charts from the above link and the one from last weeks post.

Spring 1
Japanese Holly Single Chair             Double Chair
Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage  
Decorations  
 
 
Daffodils Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth  
 
White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth  
 
Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth  
 
White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip  
    Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip    
Spring 2
Japanese Holly Single Chair             Double Chair
Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage  
Decorations  
 
Pansy Pansy Pansy  
Daffodils Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth  
 
White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth  
 
Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth  
 
White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip  
    Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip    
Spring 3
Japanese Holly Single Chair Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage Double Chair
Decorations  
White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
 
Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
 
Yellow Marigold Daisy Yellow Marigold  
Daisy Daisy  
Blue Bird Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds Red Bird  
Pansies Pansies Pansies  
Daffodils and Daylilies Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth  
 
White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth  
 
Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth  
 
White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip  
    Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip    
Spring 4
Japanese Holly Single Chair   Decorations   Double Chair
   
  White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
   
  Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
 
Pansy Pansy Pansy  
Yellow Marigold Daisy Yellow Marigold  
Daisy Daisy  
Blue Bird Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds Red Bird  
Daffodils and Daylilies Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth  
 
White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth  
 
Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth  
 
White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip  
    Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip    
Spring 5
Japanese Holly Single Chair             Double Chair
Decorations  
Pansy Pansy Pansy  
White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
Daffodils and Daylilies Yellow Marigold Daisy Yellow Marigold  
Daisy Daisy  
 
Blue Bird Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds Red Bird  
 
White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip  
 
    Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip    
Spring 6
Japanese Holly Single Chair   Decorations   Double Chair
 
Pansy Pansy Pansy  
White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
daylilies  
 
Yellow Marigold Daisy Yellow Marigold  
Daisy Daisy  
 
Blue Bird Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds Red Bird  
 
                         
Summer 1
Japanese Holly Single Chair             Double Chair
Pansy Pansy Pansy  
Decorations  
White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
daylilies  
Yellow Marigold Daisy Yellow Marigold  
Daisy Daisy  
 
Shell Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds Shell  
 
Crab  
                     
Summer 2
Japanese Holly Single Chair             Double Chair
Decorations  
 
White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
daylilies  
Yellow Marigold Daisy Yellow Marigold  
Daisy Daisy  
 
Shell Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds Shell  
 
Crab  
                     
Summer 3
Japanese Holly Single Chair             Double Chair
Decorations  
Sunflower Sunflower  
White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
daylilies  
Yellow Marigold Daisy Yellow Marigold  
Daisy Daisy  
 
Shell Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds Shell  
 
Crab  
                     
Fall 1
Japanese Holly Single Chair         Double Chair
  Sunflower Sunflower  
  White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
  Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
  Yellow Marigold Daisy Yellow Marigold  
daylilies   Daisy Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds Daisy  
  Pumpkin Decoration Pumpkin Decoration  
  Aster Mums Aster  
* Plug lined up with the space behind the Japanese Holly root for Fall
Fall 2
Japanese Holly Single Chair Sunflower Yellow Marigold Sunflower Double Chair
Yellow Marigold
  Daisy Daisy Daisy  
  Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds  
  White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
  Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
  Mums Mums Mums  
daylilies Pumpkin Decoration Pumpkin Decoration  
Aster September Mums Aster  
Small      Mums Medium Mums Mums Medium Mums Small      Mums  
* reminder: push September flowers and Pumpkin Decorations back to make more room for the October Mums. For proper spacing work back to front with the daisies behind the plugs
Fall 3
Japanese Holly Single Chair Sunflower Yellow Marigold Sunflower Double Chair
Yellow Marigold
  Daisy Daisy Daisy  
  Yellow Orange Yellow Marigolds  
  White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
  Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
  Mums Mums Mums  
daylilies Pumpkin Decoration Aster September Mums Aster Pumpkin Decoration  
Cabbage Winter Pansy Cabbage Winter Pansy Cabbage  
Small      Mums Medium Mums Mums Medium Mums Small      Mums  
* reminder: push September flowers and Pumpkin Decorations back to make more room for the October Mums. For proper spacing work back to front with the daisies behind the plugs
Fall 4
Japanese Holly Single Chair                     Double Chair
  Aster September Mums Aster  
   
  White Begonia White Begonia White Begonia  
  Orange Marigold Orange Marigold Orange Marigold  
  Mums Mums Mums  
daylilies Pumpkin Decoration Pumpkin Decoration  
Cabbage Winter Pansy Cabbage Winter Pansy Cabbage  
Small      Mums Medium Mums Mums Medium Mums Small      Mums  
                           
Fall 5
Japanese Holly Single Chair                     Double Chair
  Aster September Mums Aster  
   
  Cabbage Winter Pansy Cabbage Winter Pansy Cabbage  
  Mums Mums Mums  
  Small      Mums Medium Mums Mums Medium Mums Small      Mums  
   
Pumpkin Decoration Pumpkin Decoration  
 
                           
Fall 6
Japanese Holly Single Chair                     Double Chair
  Winter Pansy Winter Pansy  
   
  Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage  
  Pumpkin Pumpkin Pumpkin  
  Pumpkin Pumpkin  
  Pumpkin Decoration Pumpkin Decoration  
 
 
                           
Winter 1
Japanese Holly                          
Winter Pansy Winter Pansy  
Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage  
Snowflake Snowflake  
Snowflake Snowflake  
   
 
 
                           
Winter 2
Japanese Holly                          
 
 
Snowflake Snowflake  
Snowflake Snowflake  
   
 
 
                           
Winter 3
Japanese Holly                          
 
 
Snowflake Snowflake  
Snowflake Snowflake  
  Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth Pink Hyacinth  
White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth White Hyacinth  
Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth Blue Hyacinth  
White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip White Tulip  
    Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip Yellow Tulip    

Mostly, what I have been doing is thinking about my garden and making changes in some areas. Since that Winter Planning post I added Winter Pansies and Cabbage, am planning to move some of my Pachysandra and replace it with three Daffodils and two Day lilies, and am planting Day lilies in front of my neighbors window. I also Modified them to account for Pansies in early Summer and early bulb bloom in Winter just in case. Frankly, it's the only thing that has made me happy.

I've developed Depression the last six weeks. I talked to my Psychologist about it yesterday. Between the loss of willpower with my dieting and the longing for my garden it's added up. Briefly, I was able to see my bulb buds from a reasonable distance away but then the blizzard hit.

I have been walking more again this past week but once I return home I find myself taking a few minutes to stare at my garden and envision what it will look like. Some of these plans won't be seen until next Spring. For example, the Tulips are in front of the Forsythia this year but in September this is how I will plant them. Same for the Daffodils. At least we'll have the Day lilies this year. When I finally have bloomed Hyacinths I'll post a garden picture (once I replace my broken camera c'mon tax refund) but that will look different then the layout above, at least for this year (but still beautiful).

A big thing to make me happy was when K-Mart got their flower pots in and I was able to get the pots I had been planning for so carefully. I went through 3 sharpies labeling on the bottoms what flowers go in which pots. It was the happiest Josh saw me all Winter.

I have been driving my Mom crazy with talk about what I'll to with my space in her garden and the area by the swing set. It used to be shady there but the neighbors took down the large Fir that was leaning over that area after Sandy to be safe. My Mom said I can choose what goes there with her approval. She isn't ready to talk about that yet. It's frustrating!!! Now is the best time for the distraction of researching possibilities!!! Personally, I'm leaning towards Hostas

  

But she didn't approve of one idea I had. She doesn't plant her begonias until Mid-May so in the meantime that space in empty. She leaves plenty of space between the rows of Begonias that I thought it would be nice to plant a row of Tulips (a single one in each empty row going up the garden) so there is something beautiful to look at between March and when the Begonias get planted (I get mine in April). They would be dying when she plants the Begonias anyway. I could do White Tulips to compliment the White and Red Begonias she plants and she wouldn't have to change a thing about how she plants her garden and her garden would look the same as always all Summer and into the Fall. The only difference is beauty instead of dirt in the Spring. But, she said "no". Maybe if I used pictures to explain it.

A rough layout of what I have in mind. Top row is March-Mid-May, middle is Mid-May-June and the bottom is for the Summer through mid-Fall:

https://workspaces.acrobat.com/?d=F6xz0ky1ywm6fQhGlY-kpg

That's part of my problem. I hate having to get permission from people to plant what I like. I get so many compliments I should just be able to do it. I might be sad about no second kid but I used to be fine knowing we will never have a house. It turns out I'm not fine with that. If we had a small house with a medium front and back yard and money wasn't an issue my home would look fabulous inside and out!!!

In early November my concern was boredom. I haven't been bored, just sad. With some exploration I learned that I can still walk at least half an hour if I wear snow pants once it's below 30 degrees (as cold as 20 degrees). That fresh air and a chance to get out makes a difference. In January, my Mom got a booklet for a local adult school. I leafed through it but the only interesting class was Gardening and that's an all year thing that starts in September. We don't have the money for it but I have been considering it and was considering it since November.

Hopefully, the Winter Pansies and Cabbage with stave off Depression next Winter. But, there is nothing I can do about that now. So I watch the snow slowly melt and new snow fall while make sure the sidewalk and parking lot are getting salted, and remind myself that it is only two weeks from tomorrow that at least it becomes Spring in here and with my Wardrobe. Not long after, I'll have flowers. Spring is almost here and I sure could use it!!! Once the ground thaws I move the Pachysandra and make room for more planting fun!!!
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