IN THE GARDEN

Let's take a peek at what's blooming in the gardens this week!

You've heard the saying that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. But did you know that sometimes it's also a bit sunnier too?!

When I planted this red mandevilla vine, I forgot that I had planted blue morning glories in the pot last summer.

They look lovely together, don't they?

I think that if I drop a few white morning glory seeds in there next year, it will be sheer red, white and blue perfection!

Obedient Plant, being very disobedient, and spreading profusely.

I love how they start blooming at the bottom and work their way up.

I added the birdhouse on the left and the butterfly house on the right to the 7 foot tall house in the middle, tucked into the back corner of The Secret Garden.

That craziness happening behind them is a Sweet Autumn Clematis, ready to burst with tiny white flowers. My plan is to have lots of Foxgloves growing around these houses by next year. So many places have their plants drastically reduced right now, so it won't cost me a fortune to really cottage-ify it up back there!

I love gardening so much! It's not just about the plant life, but the other life forms that I come across while I'm puttering around out there. Like this bug, sitting on the Autumn Joy Sedum. I think it's just a fly, but you can't deny it's beautiful metallic green color. 

This Praying Mantis posed for quite a while before he grew tired of me and crawled away. Isn't he cute?!

I read that there are larger varieties that will eat rodents and snakes, but I'm hoping this guy will be having a mosquito buffet! Speaking of snakes, there's one that likes to sun itself by the potting shed door. Unfortunately he's been too fast for me to catch. I'd really love to get a photo of him!

And when it's too dark and too scary (racoons, porcupines, bats, etc.) to garden, I love to read Better Homes and Gardens COUNTRY GARDENS magazine. I've saved every single issue I've read since discovering this magazine several years ago. It never fails to inspire me, and as any gardener knows, our gardens are never done, and we are always learning something new! 

MY WEEKEND FINDS

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of My Weekend Finds, the continuing saga of one girl's quest for more junk!

My first find is that groovy watering can, straight out of the 70s! Mr. Old Glory and I were at the flea market when I spotted it, and he bought it for me for our anniversary! I know the traditional gift for 20 years of marriage is china, but 23 years is definitely little vintage watering cans!

I was at a garage sale when the first thing to catch my eye were two pieces of wood like this, sitting on a table. I was pretty sure I knew what it was. Something that I had been in search of for a couple of years.

And when I saw the price, and the seller said "It works", I couldn't believe my luck.

A vintage Starburst Wall Clock! Didn't we all grow up with one of these? I know I did, and I hated it at the time! Of course now I want that clock real bad, but my Mom threw it out ages ago. And that seller wasn't lying. It keeps perfect time. As soon as it stops raining and isn't so gloomy in the house, I'll share where I've hung it. 

In the category of More Junk I Found In My Mom's Garage, we have two vintage aqua-colored freezer baskets, from her old gargantuan freezer. 

After a thorough cleaning and a coat of varnish to seal them, the possibilities are endless for these baskets. 

I'm using one for linens.....

And the other for extra towels.

This hanging flower pot holder with the pink pottery came from an estate sale.

And last, for a bit of fun, I found that light-up moon for my owl. My garage saling buddy Nancy swears it's a banana, but it's most definitely a moon.

I hate to see summer end, but this makes me SO excited for Halloween! And I think the owl really likes his banana moon, don't you?! So, did you find any goodies last week?

REDNESDAY--Too Tired To Junk?!?!

It's been an exhausting past few weeks. My Mom is finally home after a long stint in a nursing home, rehabbing from surgery, and my sister and I have taken turns spending the night with her. Unfortunately she has to take a water pill which wakes her up a couple of times during the night. We weren't sure how strong she was, so we'd get up too. 

At one point, I was TOO TIRED TO GO JUNKING. And, I DIDN'T MISS IT. Shocking, isn't it?! Rest assured that I'm over that temporary bit of insanity!

While I'm at my Mom's, I like to snoop around in her garage. That's where I found this awesome picnic jug.

I love that label! And I think the jug was meant to come live with all of my picnic tins!

I also found these chalkware rooster plaques, which I think I remember hanging in the kitchen when I was little, but I could just be making that up, due to my exhaustion.

And looky here, what's this??? Why, it's my very first hula hoop! I actually do remember this thing. And when I saw it hanging in the garage, all I could think was: I wonder if I can even get that thing past my shoulders? I think you know where this is heading.....

It did fit past my shoulders, and other much larger body parts as well! I didn't even try to twirl it though. While it probably would have been fun, it just didn't seem worth throwing my hip out for!

I did eventually go to some garage sales last Friday, and I found this vintage minnow bucket at one of them. While trying to negotiate a lower price, I finally had to ask the seller what was so darn  special about the bucket that he wouldn't lower his price. He said: It's a floating bucket, lady! I said: I don't care if it floats, I just think the fish on the front is cute. He said: Lady, gimme two bucks and get outa here!   I knew I could wear him down!

It's amazing what you can find when you clean out a cupboard in the kitchen! Forgot all about this little tin cup and shovel.

I finally got around to planting up this bucket on the front porch. Pay no attention to the varnish flaking off of that rooster cabinet. Just one more thing to add to the list of things that need to be done before the snow starts to fly! 

I popped some impatiens in my cherry bucket too!

Well last night was the first night that my Mom was able to get to the bathroom by herself! So you would think that I got a good night's sleep, wouldn't you? Instead I automatically woke up at 2:30AM. Ah well, that's ok. I'm getting the junking urge again, I'm looking forward to blogging again and catching up with everyone, and I'm linking up to REDNESDAY over at It's A Very Cherry World!  

✿GARDEN JUNK✿ Part 2

Let's take a peek at all of the junk in my gardens!

A stained glass weathervane, which was a gift from my sister.

Petunias spilling out of an old watering can hanging on the lamppost.

Normally I would have a fern growing inside this big metal teapot, but I'm so glad that I don't this year. I'd be watering that thing twice a day, with the super-dry summer we're having.

Another stained glass butterfly that a friend made for us.

An old-fashioned lawn mower. This little area will look so much better once that clematis is in bloom!

A momma goose, with one of her babies peeking out behind her.

Poor kitty lost the tip of her tail!

St. Francis, patron saint of animals, watching over every little critter in the garden.

This cherub is big, at least a foot tall, and yet the English Ivy is about to engulf her!

And of course, the junkiest of the garden junk, my Dirty Dishes Fountain! Not only is it pleasing to listen to, but it's fun to watch the birds balance on those cups while taking a drink. So that's it. You've seen all of my "stuff". Would you believe that I'm always on the lookout for more? Well I am, because I like to change things up a little bit each year. So I have a nice variety to choose from, which would explain why my shed looks the way it does. But let's end on a happy note and not delve into that one. Happy Planting! 

MY WEEKEND FINDS~Junk In (almost) Every Color!

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of My Weekend Finds, the continuing saga of one girl's quest for more junk!

But before I share my finds, I simply must wish the official kitty of Old Glory Cottage a HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY! Yes, Cupcake Sprinkles is 1 year old today! Mr. Old Glory's birthday is in a few days, and I thought it would be a great idea to combine the birthdays into one big celebration, but Cuppy would not hear of it, and wanted her own party. She looks pretty much resigned to the fact that as long as she lives here, she will be dressed up like a doll, doesn't she?

Now, let's proceed to the junk portion of this post! I got pretty excited when I spied these canisters in a box at a garage sale. Love the YELLOW lids and the pretty tulips and daffodils, but it's the confetti that seems to be falling from the sky in celebration of these lovely canisters that made me decide to get them! 

PINK! Love those gingham plates, and I only wish there had been more than just the two of them. Very happy to add a vintage bunny to the Easter collection, and that birdie planter to the pottery collection. And I had to snake my arm through a crowd to reach that sparkly clock. I knew that if I just stood there and waited for the crowd to clear out, I'd miss it.  Didn't even knock anyone over!

My first ever pieces of BLUE Fire King!

A candy cane girl and an angel, all decked out in RED, to add to the Christmas collection.

And the last colorful pieces of junk are GREEN. Can any one of you truthfully say that you have enough flower frogs? I didn't think so! I don't have one shaped like that, so I nabbed it for a quarter. And I couldn't pass up that shovel to add to my vintage green garden tool collection, or the swankiest of swigs, that daffodil glass! All in all, it was a very colorful junking week! So, what did you find  last week?