Late Tomato Planting

I am a little worried.

Normally, I plant my tomato plants on Valentine’s Day,

but all of the cold weather (even in South Texas)

has delayed things.

Our county extension agent gave me that Valentine’s Day planting advice years ago.

I planted my tomatoes  last February on Valentine’s Day, and I had the best tomato crop I have ever had.

My father (the farmer) said the soil is still too cold.

And so I wait…

Have a wonderful Monday!

PS:  I did plant a Pico de Gallo herb bed inside the spokes of a wagon wheel this afternoon.

More on that later.

Valentine’s Day Gift Talk

This goes out to all of you who probably have wonderful tales (both past and present) of romance to tell,

but Valentine’s Day 2014 has ended up being more about laughing and shrugging your shoulders.

***

Setting:  waiting room of the doctor’s office today

Me, kicking the ant bed:  “I think I need a BIG diamond for Valentine’s Day.”

My husband, mumbling: “mumble,mumble,mumble, trying to break us, mumble,mumble…”

Me: smiling because he took the bait

My husband, handing me a magazine a few minutes later: “I think you really need this.

This could really help you do YOUR yard work.”

Don’t you want a Boom Lift trailer or Dr. Stump Grinder?

Here are some gifts he has given me in years’ past:

*a high pressure washer ( I am on my second one)

* a garden wagon with collapsible sides (I am on my second one)

* a baseball glove

* and LOTS of things he doesn’t know he gave me !

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

 

A Simple Home Library

I can’t imagine not having a place in my home for my ‘library’- as humble as it may be.

In fact these simple bookcases in our bedroom hallway were in my high school classroom for years.

When displaying books, I am of the ‘bookmobile’ philosophy:  not every book I own is on display.


I think it is far more interesting to rotate them.

The rest of my books are stashed all over the house.

Where do you keep your books?

***

Linking to:

Be Inspired Friday @ Common Ground

Anything Blue Friday @ The Dedicated House

Creating Your Own Blog Book

Please tell me that on any given day a thought hits,

usually unrelated to what you are doing at the time,

and you think (in no particular order),

“I need to call her now,”

or

“I need to sign up for Carbonite even though I don’t understand how it works,”

or

”I better get all of my blog posts printed before something happens to them.”

And so I did.


I now have 4 volumes of White Spray Paint posts for years 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

The online company I used was Blurb.

The process was simple and easy to follow.

***

Linking to Wow Us Wednesdays

and

Time Travel Thursday

Dear daughters: creating a Thoughtful Room

 

Dear Daughters,

I know you know what the three things are that a thoughtful room has, but isn’t that the wonder of mother-adult daughter conversation?

I know you know , but just because I like to talk about things over and over again doesn’t mean I think you don’t know.

Mercy.

Imagine if you will that these three things are as important as the design triangle needed in a good working kitchen. 

Now imagine three things that fly under the radar but create a quiet sense of comfort and thoughtfulness.

They are inconspicuous yet important.

In fact, I am enjoying these three things as I sit here writing this.

What are they?


1.a comfortable place to sit

2.an end table with a coaster by that place to sit

3.a lamp on that end table


Do not hold your guests hostage under an overhead light- squinting is never a good look. Lamp light is critical to comfortable seating.

Do not ask them to hold their drink (that you offered them- with a napkin- and yes…I know you know about the napkin).

Do not cause them to worry about where to place said weeping glass.


Don’t you just love these Dear Daughter letters? 

I love you, but I know you know that too.

Mom

***

Linking to:

Blue and White Bash at the Pink Pagoda

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings

Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage

Make It Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House

Tuesday Treasure @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Fierce Pink

I like my pink fierce and hot,

as in hot pink.

After all, if it is something pink growing in my garden, it has to withstand the South Texas heat

in late spring and summer.

That fierceness and beauty all rolled into one makes it even prettier to my eye.

It is a defiance of sorts that I imagine my plants saying:

”It may get to 105 degrees outside this summer, but I still look good!”

What fierce pink do you like?

***

Linking to

Show and Tell
Be Inspired
Pink Saturday