Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Line Dried Clothes, New Signs & More Gardening

 
Lots of photos . . .
better grab a cuppa :)
 
 
 
More line dried clothes.
 
 Do any of you have sun sensitive skin?
Well I do and each year around August
my arms rebel and brake out in a rash.
 
Last year I went to the Goodwill and purchased 
a few long sleeve white shirts. 
I wore them while working out in the sun 
and I'm happy to report . . .
Last year the rash did not show up :)
 
Something you might want to try,
or to pass on to a friend that might
benefit from this information.
 
On to my new signs . . .





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In my last post you saw the main garden filled with
Peppers & Tomatoes.
These garden beds are out behind the 
Art Barn.
 
 Cucumbers
Pumpkins
 
Onions & Green Beans
 

Three years ago these were three bare-root raspberries.

Look how they have grown . . .


 

Can you say raspberry jam :)
 

I've also started rooting some of my succulents. 
 
Well, that's it . . .
better get back to work.
 
Keep Smiling!
 
Your blogging sister,
Connie :)

49 comments:

  1. You sure have been busy! I burn very easily and have problems with the sun. But now that they're saying I'm vitamin D deficient, the doctor wants me to have more sun! Which do I do!? Love the new signs and your gardening puts me to shame.
    Blessings, Betsy

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Sounds like you have a problem. Maybe wearing a white shirt would help . . . it reflex the sun and would prevent burning, but you are still getting benefits from the sun. Do you wear a hat and sun block when your out . . . very important.

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  2. I still want a clothespin bag just like yours!! I can't believe you make all those signs. Those are so neat! Your garden beds sure look good and with all your other talents your have a green thumb too.

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    1. I think we should make a trade. I can make you a clothespin bag like mine for one of your bonnets :)

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  3. Oh- I just love your signs. They are just so sweet. All your gardening ventures look good, too. Everything looks healthy and like it is growing nicely.
    Nothing in the world like line dried sheets and I love your clothes pin bag. I thought I was the last person in blogland to dry my sheets outside. xo Diana

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    1. Nothing smells better than crawling into a line dried bed :)

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  4. Is there anything you can't do? Your signs all look amazing and your garden is awesome. I'll be lucky if I can get one or two tomato plants to grow

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    1. Well, tomatoes love hot weather and sunshine and we have plenty of both :)

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  5. I have some tires....will paint them and fill with dirt, do you think the cucumbers grow better in a tire???? Beautiful pictures and signs, you have quite the talent in everything you do.

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    1. This is my first time to grow cucumbers in tires, but I was told that they do great in tires, that the tires heat up and keep the soil warm and that it boosts there growth. Time will tell :)

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  6. Tomatoes here in UK are best grown in the greenhouse. Our weather can be so chilly. Your raised beds look very prolific!

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    1. We live in a desert area, so we have a lot of heat and sunshine . . . as long as we don't miss watering, the garden does very well :)

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  7. Must be Heaven to be outside in the fresh air after Winter. The shirts are a good idea.I burn in the sun, so I have covered up for many years.I too was Vitamin deficient, but you can take tablets and almonds etc.
    Love your productive garden.Nothing like gardening to bring on those Happy Feelings, and fresh veg for cooking!

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    1. I'm looking very forward to fresh vegetables. They are about six weeks away, but then it's grocery shopping in the backyard until frost :)

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  8. The cow is my favorite. : )
    Love your signs.

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  9. I like your signs and the way you make them look used. Funny, isn't it, that now we prefer things to look old instead of "too new".
    I like your clothespin bag. Once upon a time I had my pins in a bag that I left hanging on the line when not in use. One day when I stuck my hand in for a pin I grabbed a tiny frog. Now I put my clothespins away in a cupboard!!

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    1. Around here it would be a spider and not a frog . . . I leave my bag out while the laundry is on the line, but then I bring it in with the laundry and store it inside. I'm happy that you like my signs, thanks :)

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  10. I've had several small skin cancers removed so I have to take precaution when outside. I wear sunscreen but it gets into my eyes and burns like crazy, and I wear long sleeved shirts too. Your raised beds are neat! Sure wish the farmer would build some for me. Wow! the succulents look wonderful; I lost my hen and chicks plant.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Did your hen and chick die because of the cold winter or what? Have you tried sun block that's made especially for your face, or waterproof for swimming. I know how bad it feels when it get into your eyes . . . not fun.

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  11. Beautiful blog,loved your signs and the beautiful roses!Hugs!Maristella.

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    1. Thank you so much and thanks also for visiting my blog. It gave me a chance to find your blog, too and I love your beautiful tea cups :)

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  12. Connie, your plantings look wonderful. Susan

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    1. I love getting my hands in the dirt and planting a garden. It's a simple pleasure that brings so much satisfaction.

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  13. You are one busy person. Love all your gardens, veggies, etc. You might even say I could be envious of your space to garden and your creative ability but I will try not to be and just enjoy having you share! LOL Hope you have a wonderful time! Nancy

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    1. Please don't be envious, this is the very reason you downsized. As you know gardening takes a lot of work :)

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  14. Hi Connie. All your signs are so cute. I love how they look when you are through with them. Your garden is magnificent and I love the raised beds. I don't get a full on rash from the sun but do get a few little red bumps that itch. Thanks for the tip..Hope you have a wonderful week and Oh, love the sound of raspberry jam!! Judy

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    1. Hi Judy, last year I had to pick berries and then put them in the frig and save each little picking until I had enough for jam . . . this year I don't think I'll have to do that. It looks like we are going to have a bountiful supply. It's kind of exciting! I love this new country life :)

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  15. Your energy and enthusiasm show in all of your work and projects.

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    1. That energy has been wearing down lately . . . it must be my age . . . I don't mind getting older and having grey hair or a few wrinkles, but I do mind a lack of energy . . . but so it goes :)

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  16. Wow Connie... love those signs! You are the "sign wizard"!!!! And the garden wizard.. wow that garden is beautiful.. and those raspberries.... oh my! raspberry jam! I can say it. I have a little patch that I hope grows like yours has. You must have awesome garden weather up there or you use awesome fertlizer??? I haven't started a thing yet but hopefully by next week I will. Trying to get our pesky lawn to grow something besides weeks. I've never had a real "in town lawn" before.. always just mowed the weeds and grass around the property and it always looked great. Now in town, all the yard seems to want to grow is weeds.. we seeded last summer and Fall but hardly any grass coming up! Such is life. Your place is so beautiful and how fun to dream of raspberry jam (and blackberry too if I recall)!! You are like the energizer bunny..... hugs.. Marilyn

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    1. Hi Marilyn, as for fertilizer I use steer manure. I also save all of my fresh scraps along with eggs, drier lint and coffee grounds and make my own compost. Another trick that my daughter taught me, is to bury those food scraps right into the garden . . . just dig a whole near the plant, but not to disturb the roots and bury it. The earthworms love it and with keep the soil near that plant worked and beautiful :)

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    2. Connie.. thank you.. I do usually use some steer manure when I plant my flowers and veggies...I had forgotten about putting food scraps right beside the plant. i have an ex-brother-in-law who fished alot, and he would bury all the guts and entails below his tomatoes and beside them through the season, and his tomatoes loved it!I do try to keep some liquid fish fertilizer around too! Thanks for the tips! Marilyn

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  17. You just amaze me by all you get done, everything is coming along lovely.... wow those raspberries sure did take off. Your signs look terrific!
    Yes when I work out in the yard my arms break out and they itch, it is usually when I am out weeding that I get it, great idea to stop it, I am usually out there in a tank top trying to stay cool :)

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    1. The white shirt will reflect the sun, keep it unbuttoned over your tank top and the air will circulate. It's great too if you have to run to town quick or someone stops by, because off with the white shirt and your tank top is clean or cleaner, LOL :)

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  18. I have extremely sun sensitive skin and my forearms are very mottled. A dermatologist told me it was from years of sun damage. So I always wear sunscreen while outside. Love your new signs and your gardens look amazing!

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    1. Melanie, you are a sweetie pie thank you. As we get older our skin can pay the price for all of our fun in the sun days. I don't know how many times I've have a sun burn so bad that it peeled. When I was young I just thought it was part of summer.

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  19. I love your signs. You are so artistic in so many different ways. Your garden is going to be keeping you busy but oh what a wonderful harvest you have to look forward to. I am with you when it comes to keeping covered when I'm outside. It's pretty much long sleeves and a hat for me!

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    1. I think as we age our skin gets more sensitive to the sun, maybe due to all the years of fun in the sun without protection. I've been wearing a baseball cap, but need to start wearing my big straw hat, it's much cooler :) I am delighted that you like my signs, thank you :)

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  20. I hang my clothes outside when I can and when it rains they hang in the basement. Great idea about the long sleeves. I wear 3/4 as I always have my hands in water or paint or dirt! LOL! I love light weight cotton in the summer. So many people wear knits and I find them to be hot. Your signs are adorable! You are very talented and your garden is a delight! Thank you for sharing your creativity...you inspire me!

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    1. 3/4 length sleeves are my favorite year round, but harder to find in the summer, or in cool summer colors. Thanks for your sweet words on my garden and signs, I appreciate it:)

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  21. You are living the dream! Love your signs and your gardens!

    Carol

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  22. Only you could think of painting tyres and making them look stylish! Your talents always amaze me xxxx

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    1. Have you tried planting in tired? They actually work very well, the rubber in the tire gets hot and keeps the soil warm and the hole in the middle is perfect drainage. I used spray paint so it was a snap :)

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  23. Connie, I always wear a white shirt when I'm in the garden. Broad brim hat, too. Your clothesline is so homey. I had a big veggie garden when I lived in Illinois and I used to bury my kitchen scraps directly into trenches in the garden. If I eventually have a larger vegetable garden here I think I'll do the same thing. It's so easy. Have a great week, my friend. Hugs, Nancy

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    1. We were invited out for a boat ride yesterday and my sun loving friend was all covered in long sleeves, long pants, big hat and sunglasses. Not her normal sun loving warm weather choices. I found that she had just had a skin cancer removed from her face. It's something we should all think about more and more. Sun blocks are wonderful, but sometimes I feel like I am the only one around here that wears a hat and especially a long sleeve shirt. Prevention sure beats the alternatives.

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