Monthly Archives: August 2017

I am not perfect.

Posted on by
10

August garden of Sunflowers, Pumpkins, blueberries, apples and 3 pears

This post has been floating around in my head for quite a while now.  Here’s where I’m coming from:  I really like Instagram.  For me it is an easy way to flick through loads of pretty pictures.  Pick a category, any category, and you’ll find someone who eats, breathes, and lives all day long just that category.

I also love taking pictures!

Here’s where my feelings of imperfection come in.  That eating, breathing, living just one category of a thing, is just not me.  I have lots of interests and I’m always jumping all over the place trying to get as many different things in as possible. My Instagram feed covers just about every topic you can imagine 🙂

So my garden, while I love it, is anything but a masterpiece.  I manage my time in the garden to allow me to do other things.

early summer garden

My crochet projects?  If I set my goal to 3 projects a year, I can usually nail that!

This year’s crochet project challenge was a sweater!

Biking?  I really like biking but I don’t want to spend every free minute on my bike.  I’m happy if I get out twice a week; one short bike ride and one long bike ride.

My husband usually keeps me company on my bike rides, which I think is awesome. I love this route along the water in Annagassan.

My house is clean and tidy … if I am given plenty of notice before company comes over.  Otherwise, we sport a “lived in” look.

this is as tidy as it gets … Did you spot the Irish time on the left and NY time on the right? 🙂

This is me, and all of my imperfections.  I have fun with what I do, and I am O.K. with that.

August is for making lavender wreaths! They are whimsical and “artsy” rather than “perfect”.

You won’t find me specializing any time soon.  That jumping around from interest to interest is what keeps me going.

spring time garden

Last year I tried my hand at painting an old cabinet and I had so much fun I’m going to try painting a dresser this year.  One project at a time.

Refinished bathroom cabinet added some zing to this room!

At this stage in my life, I can tell you pretty certainly that this is who I am.  I love what I do, all of it.  I accept that I’m not in any “perfect” category, but I am in a category of “good enough to make me happy”!

How about you?  Would you say you are “good enough to make you happy”?

In peace,
Dana

Another one of my favorite past times: coaching swimming! I’m lucky enough to be a part of my daughter’s swimming.

 

A Summer Wreath of Lavender, Rosemary & Roses

Posted on by
3

lavender in the garden

I love having scented plants in the garden.  Three of my favorite scented plants are lavender, rosemary, and roses.  I also like to dry roses and lavender because they really keep their scent and they are so easy to dry.

this is how we hang

I dry my roses early in the season knowing that I’ll want to use them before the end of the summer.  I’ve learned that the dark pink ones dry best, and I need to cut them before they start to open too much.  I was experimenting with the yellow roses in the picture above.  They have such a beautiful sweet scent, but they dry a rather ‘brownish’ color that isn’t pretty.

this is what we start with

Lavender is usually ready to harvest in the middle to end of July here in Ireland.  I LOVE to work with lavender!  I’ve made wands and sachets and wreaths before. You can read and see about those here,  here and here.

Step one: Spanish moss

Making a wreath is so easy.  I use a straw wreath and floral u-shaped pins to attach everything to the wreath. The Spanish moss is a great filler.

rosemary as the base

I like to have green in with the lavender to brighten it up.  We have a rosemary plant that doesn’t get used enough in cooking so it is getting rather big.  I gave it a super trim and had quite a lot to work with then.

one bunch of lavender at a time

I did not have any design in mind when I started (ahem, probably not the best way to start!).  I just went with the flow and put things where they seemed right to put. 😉

just need the roses now

The roses are the most delicate. It was helpful to have the moss to use to help pin them in place.

My hands smelled so good while making this!  I’m not sure which I like more – the rosemary or the lavender!

My gladiolas ‘the dark knights’ and some of those sweet smelling yellow roses that tend to droop!

lavender wreath on our playhouse

This is our playhouse. I’m slowly creating a tiny garden around it and I’ve started with lavender.

wreath on the playhouse door

 

lavender, rosemary & roses wreath

Tadah!  It was so quick and easy to make and I love the result.  It didn’t require that much lavender, either, which means I still have loads left to work with!

Summer Wreath 2016

My wreath from last summer needs some freshening up, but I still like it 🙂  Are you making anything from the garden this summer?

In peace,
Dana