friends

it's a little cold & blustery today. so plans to start on the arbor gate will wait 'til tomorrow. meanwhile i am inspired by my yesterday spent with a friend. we talked a little gossip, a lot of garden advice and a road trip.
we've been to festival hill in round top, texas before. kim has been many time since. it is a magical place. renown for it art and music programs, the gardens are amazing. the website doesn't do it justice, but take a look at www.festivalhill.org . every year they host an herbal forum celebrating the 'herb of the year'. this year it is bay. so we're off to the festivities in march for a weekend of herbs and chit-chat. i am a lucky girl to have such good friends.

garden plans & schemes

with the bitter cold engulfing the USofA, we spoiled texans are whining. the high today is somewhere around the upper 40's. brrrrr to our thin blood. but, not to worry, monday is suppose to bring back our charming 70 degree weather. this is why we live in the great state.
looking forward to what winter brings in the texas garden is so indulgent. our bulbs bloom as early as late january (i can see white iris looking for warmth outside my office window). my neighbor reports her byzantine gladiola's are peeking through the dirt. mine, however, are not.
the nice thing about these cold days is that i can sit surrounded by my gardening books and plan and scheme and dream about what to plant in my back garden. we've recently put in new square concrete pavers for the walk and small patio area. complimenting the gray concrete are recycled bricks. some as edging. some free-flowing around the love of my backyard, my urn garden. i will plant between the pavers to give some softness, scent and color. in the urn will be a variety of succulents. i have bulbine (a gift from our son) and rosemary (from our daughter) in place. a wide variety of herbs, scattered among the landscape, will serve as my kitchen garden. my husband is starting on the new side fence and arbor this weekend. we are reusing the old - very solid - frame from the original front screen door as the gate. a neighbor is donating three large foundation stones that we will use in a water feature. my husband is planning his train garden and in the fall i hope to lay the base for the vegetable garden in the side yard - in my excitement i get ahead of myself!
a labor of love. to share with friends and family. my garden gate is always open - in spirit, at least - don't let the dog out!

fashion-ista

yesterday, my boss wore a vest to work. not a typical clothing item for him - but attractive nonetheless. i love vests. sweater vests. v necks, crew necks. cropped. long. watching sportscenter on espn over the weekend, howie long wore a vest with his suit. again, very attractive (and it's hard to improve on howie).
which made me think - where have all the vests gone?
i looked up sweater vest on wikipedia. nothing monumental. there is some guy trying to establish a sweatervestwednesday, but we can see where that is going. it seems that the much-maligned sweater vest is considered nerdy. yet an up and coming fashion trend! so next time i'm at the mall, i think i shall buy a sweater vest. i might find that new look that doesn't say 'that looks like you!'.

off to a great start

happy new year! i am not one for resolutions, but i do believe in revelations. my mid-life crisis is more of a discovery. i love my life. i am blessed.
i see my blogging efforts as my on-line diary. i am anxious to learn. i am willing to share. i am facinated by the world that shares its life inside the internet - so many interesting folks to meet and greet.
so here i go into 2009 ... with eyes and ears and heart wide open. i will enjoy the journey!