I've been spending lots of time here, on the back porch and it's pretty darn wonderful. I wish it could be spring for 8 months of the year. Not 12, just 8. Yes in my ideal weather world, we would have mostly spring. I also love fall so I'd like about 3 months of fall. And just so things don't get too boring I'd take half a month of summer and half winter.
I know with the winter much of the country has endured, I have absolutely no right to complain about anything weather related, so I'll stop.
The first stretch of warm days sends me straight to the garden center, usually just like a kid in a candy store. It's taken me a long time, but I think I've finally accepted that I'm lazy when it comes to caring for flowers. This year I practiced great restraint and only bought a few blooms, opting instead for super easy, super hardy asparagus fern and sweet potato vine. No matter how hot it gets and how much I ignore them, these two plants never let me down.
I also wanted to do some sort of container herb garden. Home Depot had herbs and vegetable plants on sale, 5 pots (3"?) for $10. I came home with rosemary, parsley, cilantro, and a basil variety and got busy searching pinterest for herb garden ideas.
Man, I love pinterest! And galvanized pails.
I gathered up several that I had around the house and in the shed.
I drilled holes in the bottoms, and along the bottom of the sides of all my pots.
I took these photos with my phone and they look like they have a soft filter applied. Nope, it's just pollen on the lens. Nothing is safe. Achoo!
An upside down flower pot placed in the large tub helps to elevate the second pail and also to save on the amount of potting soil needed.
Then I just added potting soil and placed my herbs with plenty of space left for growth. I also scattered some seeds in the open spaces, to extend the life of my little herb garden. Along with the herbs, I used a couple of the sweet potato vines for some trailing interest.
I think I'll search pinterest one more time for some cute plant marker ideas to replace those not so cute plastic guys.
I can't wait to start snipping my herbs for all the gourmet meals I cook. (Wink)
As long as we're in the backyard, let me show you one more thing.
My last post, I mentioned Lola, the chihuahua mix I rescued from beside the road. I'm pretty sure someone had abandoned her, but not before abusing her. She's very skiddish around most men, especially Mitch. She's terrified of him and since he's never given her reason to fear him, I think he must remind her of someone who did.
Anyway, Lola took about one day to make herself right at home. She loves it here, but she's also a bit of a roamer. Our backyard is fenced in, but the slats are spaced so that she could walk right through. She could and she did every chance she got, running like the wind through the hood. We tried lining the inside of the fence with some plastic chicken wire type material. She would root underneath or just push it down and go over the top, so I could only let her out on a leash.
Then I happened upon this picture on pinterest.
Wha...? Kind of crazy huh? No, I didn't get this for her, but I did search for similar, less dangerous looking options and came across the Puppy Bumper.
Genius I tell ya'!
Lola and I are in love with her Puppy Bumper.
In love! She can roam freely around inside the fence and I don't have to be right there with her every minute. She tested it out pretty vigorously to begin with.
She gave it her all, trying to get through, over under.... no luck. She wasn't going anywhere. Ha! Now that she's used to it, she will poke her head out to look around, but doesn't really try to squeeze through anymore. She goes nuts when she sees it and knows it means she gets to go out. It doesn't seem in the least bothersome to her and she hasn't tried to bite or scratch it off. It was 25 bucks and worth every dollar!
I have in no way been compensated to say that. The Puppy Bumper folks have no idea I exist, but Lola and I are so glad I found them!
Lola is just precious! I know you will make each other very happy! Give her some time, she'll get used to kindness from Mitch. When we first got our Gily, he wasn't crazy about guys, but now he's an equal opportunity love-hound. Sometimes visibly distressing over which of us he wants to crowd out of a chair!
Take care! Wish I was enjoying that beautiful porch with you. And, I approve of your weather plan. I'll sign a petition on that if you need for me to :)
Posted by: Sharly | April 10, 2013 at 02:12 PM
Love the puppy bumper!!! and would love to sip some iced=tea on that porch!!!
Have some buckets like the ones you used hanging on my side of my neighbors fence...I just may have to do a Home Depot trip and get some potting soil and herbs or flowers and do that on my patio...well concrete slab...not large enough to be considered patio. If the hubby were healthy and physically able I'd build a form fill it with sand and top off with bricks like my neighbor did when he was out on strike one summer over thirty years ago...patio still there but alas they moved to NC some years back to be near their only child/daughter.
Posted by: Elaine | April 11, 2013 at 09:14 AM
Oh. My. Gosh! That puppy bumper is hysterical!!! What an awesome solution. Do you think that would work for toddlers on decks LOL???
Posted by: Thimbleanna | April 11, 2013 at 10:15 AM
Isn't it genius? I love a good low tech solution. Maybe a belted version would work for toddlers :)
Posted by: Autum | April 11, 2013 at 10:52 AM
Oh my word - that made me giggle. Ingenious solution, eh?
Posted by: domesticali | April 12, 2013 at 02:49 AM
The Puppy Bumper people are delighted to have found this post! Anybody who needs one can use STAYSAFE for a discount on our website!
Posted by: Ann Price | April 23, 2013 at 07:50 AM
Hi Ann!
So glad you found my blog post about the puppy bumper. We are so glad to have found your wonderful product. Lola is so happy to have more freedom and I'm delighted to feel comfortable giving her that freedom.
She really goes nuts when I get it out.
I don't know how many folks will read the comments on this post, and I'd love to be sure people can take advantage of your generous offer of a discount, so if you don't mind I'll write a separate post. To clarify, how much of a discount are you offering?
Thanks so much!
Autum
Posted by: Autum | April 23, 2013 at 03:22 PM
Lovely - I too would like to spend time out on your porch - looks wonderful!
Posted by: cathyb | May 29, 2013 at 03:27 PM
Ha Ha, I came back after commenting on your most recent post to read another post & there it is, my tiered herb garden. I love your screened porch by the way. I still have my tiered gardens, but now they are full of strawberries. I love how yours turned out. This is the first time in forever that I've read any blogs & so funny that here you are in NC and you made an herb garden inspired by mine & we both have front & back porches. Maybe we're close to each other here in good ol' NC. Blessings
Posted by: Carrie | July 13, 2013 at 08:55 PM
Okay, I just finished reading the post & you are going to think I'm absolutely crazy, but I have two yorkies and our new house has a black iron fence & the first thing they did was run over to it & jump through. We've been exploring options to modify the fence...I never thought of modifying the dog. I am definitely going to have to give this a try, I'm sure it will be much less expensive than the alternatives. Wow, I really was meant to read your blog today thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Carrie | July 13, 2013 at 08:58 PM
Just purchased my puppy bumper. Too bad we bloggers don't get a credit every time someone buys something from our recommendations....Hobby Lobby would owe me a nice little check, and you would have something coming from Puppy Bumpers ha ha.
Posted by: Carrie | July 13, 2013 at 09:18 PM
Miss your blog posts. Prayers everything is ok..
Posted by: Elaine | February 04, 2014 at 05:33 PM