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  1. I went and looked at the shades and thought ok I will be objective and….I voted for your shade . Ioved your use of old linens…go Brenda!

  2. Wow, you have so many things already for your garden. So glad you could bring them from the other house. It all looks really good. What til Charlie next door sees this. I bet his wife will have him planting, hah.
    Yeah, I was finally able to vote. Yours is the best lampshade hands down.
    Love the pupsters pictures. How does Charlie () balance up on top of the cushion. They look right at home. The squirrels really bother my springer…..even more than the deer. It may just take awhile for the birds to come. I don't really know.
    Rest your back and foot, you have been working hard.
    It's so hard loosing a best friend. I lost mine 10 years ago. So ironic that I now watch her one year old granddaughter. I think she would be pleased.
    Have a good week.
    Debby

  3. While I'm not a gardener myself I certainly enjoy looking at gorgeous ones like yours. You've been a very busy girl. The pups seems to like it also. Your new home, new garden, getting settled in pretty well. Things take time, you don't have to hurry, give yourself a break. Glad you found yourself such a perfect place for you and your furry kidz.
    It is nice not to have so much to clean up after. The older I get (will be 74 in July) the more I realize that. We just have a small 3 bdrm, 2 bath single wide manufactured home 16×80 and it's too much for me most of the time. I want to spend my energies/time on making things not cleaning house.
    I had to print out the photo of your lamp shade so I can keep the idea in mind. Making a big glass jar into a lamp, your lamp shade style would be so pretty on it. I did vote for your shade also. Happy days

  4. This is just what I needed today! I've created a new garden space outside my kitchen window that will just have potted plants and a bird feeder (I don't want another flower bed to have to weed!) My problem is how to make it all look connected and "pulled together". Thanks for your tips! I love your galvanized tubs and I'm going outside now and stick a pretty plate in my pot 🙂
    When I first moved in here 3 years ago, I was so jealous of my neighbors yard. Birds would fly over my yard and go to their feeders and I'd pray "just one bird to come to my feeder, please". I even tied a red ribbon on the feeder so they might spot it easier. Then God sent a beautiful Monarch butterfly that very moment, to land in my yard just a few feet away from my feet. It was just what I needed to remind me that other wildlife would come – I wasn't forgotten – and today my yard is full of birds and squirrels.

  5. I am in LOVE with those washtubs…what a sensational idea! It's going to look like a waterfall of color in a few weeks! You have done a really wonderful job on your patio and you are going to enjoy it so much! Yay!

    XO,
    Jane

  6. I love the washtubs and the fence. They take you right out of the city to the lovely countryside. When the vines take hold and cover you can
    light them with the solar up-lights that look like rocks. Such a beautiful spot on a soft summer night. All of your pots are gorgeous. Anything we have in pots on concrete is already
    frying…100 degrees today!
    You're so lucky! And the birds will
    come. Maybe the previous resident
    used to chase them. They just need time.

  7. Brenda, you have done a beautiful job with your courtyard patio. It looks huge. That's funny about the pupsters and the cats. My toy poodle thinks he is a cat. We have him and three outdoor kitties and two of them are bigger than him. One of those kitties and him are best friends. When he goes to the groomer, he can be found hanging out in the cat condo when we pick him up. xoxo

  8. You are definitely the Plant Whisperer. This week I guess we will work on getting some plants for the pots and to hang in the pergola. My husband does the gardening because he's the one with the green thumb. I do love looking at what you have been able to accomplish is such a short time.

    1. I would love to have one of those Target gazebos I had in TX. It was so nice to sit out and read while it rained. I'll be looking into that when the funds are there. I hope!

  9. Reading some of your own comments here makes me wonder if you aren't still in the blue house of your daughter's ?
    Did I miss a move?

  10. Your container garden is beautiful…and I would think so much easier than plants in the ground.
    And those little dogs are sooo cute.

    1. With the little rolling cart I've had for years, it makes container gardening so easy. So easy on your back and stooping. I really don't think I could do it all without it.

  11. Your garden is coming together so nicely. I love your colorful sunshine face. He makes me smile with him. I have a big fence that could use some color, I might just have to be on the lookout for something like that. I never thought of planing something who's fragrance would carry in the air into the house. What a great idea. You being out in the garden really makes me want to get out and play in the dirt. But, it will be a few weeks for me. Until then I will live vicariously through you.

  12. You seem so much happier in your new place. I love that you have this small garden space right out your patio door. I'm really going to enjoy seeing how your little garden grows. I think the place is very cute on the inside too! Cuter than your house. I'm having a hard time blogging of late because I am working so much. But I have been able to buy a few things I've wanted for awhile – now I just need to blog about them.

    1. I read about your new job. Congratulations, Nita! I hope you like it. This place was built in the sixties, so is not by any means new, but that's fine by me.

  13. Your outdoor room and gardens look wonderful, Brenda! I love all your colorful pots. The pups look like they are enjoying their new home, too. I finally got to vote for your lampshade. It's by far the prettiest in my opinion!

    1. I plan to keep expanding on what I have out there when the ideas strike me. I just love color you know!

  14. Brenda that is really looking great! I think you have done a great job back there and once things fill in a bit and the vines start to climb they won't look so "lined up". Love that ladybug from Judy. That is so like her! It took several weeks for the birds to find us once we moved in, Brenda. The birds were at our neighbors house but didn't come to us for a long time. I don't know what the magic is….How about something on top of the fence to lure them in-some seeds pushed into the wood a bit …or held on by some peanut butter or something? xo Diana

    1. I think it just takes birds awhile to trust you. I'm hoping so. Someone else said I might try smaller seed in another feeder. I'll try that.

  15. I so enjoy your voice and the ideas from your blog, but I'm ready to unsubscribe because of the way the updates are delivered to my email; with no information as to the content in the post. I suppose it is what the blogsphere recommends, but it is such a shame.

    1. I have no say on how they do the emails that go out. Because I use free Feedburner. I am looking into other options, but I will have to pay. Perhaps it would be worth it. I am researching that now, because Feedburner seems to have dropped the ball on sending out emails.

  16. Your patio garden is already looking great. I am really liking the stacked galvanized tubs. If I can find some more I will add to the two that I have and stack them. The way you have used the plates really adds some nice pops of color.

    I had to keep going back and looking at your pretty garden pictures—so much beauty and creativity! Wonderful collection of suns. How nice it must be to sit in your living room and be able to look out onto such a pretty space. Another good thing is that you can let the pupsters outside and keep an eye on them from inside.

    1. It is wonderful to sit while I'm working on my laptop and gaze at each new leaf; each new bloom.

  17. Oh the birds will wise up soon : ) I voted on your lampshade the other day and it was an honest vote too…as in, while I went there to vote for you, you blew the others away 🙂
    This might be a matter of taste but I just loved what you did with it. Old-fashioned, sweet, and delicate.
    As to the patio garden I just knew that this was going to be fun once you'd settled in 🙂

    1. I've got to get the bathroom, bedroom and kitchen in better shape, and clean out the boxes from the closets. Then I will be free to garden!

  18. Hi Brenda! I've just come back from voting for your darling lampshade! I thought it was the sweetest one! Now your patio area is looking great! The puppies seem very comfy there too. I'm so thrilled for you that you have this space and it seems pretty spacious too! You've been a busy little bee too – everything looks so pretty and healthy. I've not been around too much as we've been to New York and now home and busy busy busy, but I had to pop in to see what you were up to. I'm glad you were up to digging in the dirt! 😉
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia 🙂

    1. It is so much fun to fiddle around out there. To make it fit my personality. Hope you're finally getting to garden in your neck of the woods.

  19. Give the birds some time. They may not be aware the seeds are there yet. When I moved and added birdfeeders it took several weeks before I got any birds there. I think it just took awhile for them to find them.

    1. Well, I sure hope so. I love to take photos of birds, and I can't do it if I don't draw some in!

    1. Thanks, Martina. I actually prefer not to have grass. It's a pain in the butt to me. I would rather have garden after garden if I had dirt. Seeing as I have cement, it might get a little hotter. I will just have to make sure all my containers are a good size so the sun and cement doesn't overheat them.

  20. Brenda, You have made yourself a nice little oasis. I love that you can see it while in the kitchen. I think it would make the kitchen seem larger. Love you tubs. Lots of wonderful flowers. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

    1. Thanks Susie. I just moved the refrigerator to make room for my washer closer to my sink so I hopefully won't have to move it to attach it to the kitchen faucet. Things are coming together and I'm pleased with a smaller space to clean. My ankle and back are pleased as well!

  21. I love how you stacked those garden tubs. I wanted to make a fountain out of one this year, but maybe I'll plant in it instead. I'm afraid the mosquitoes might like the fountain (and me) too much. I just voted for your shade. I love it! It's sort of like a doily quilt.

    1. I've never been one to ask for votes, or ask people to "follow" me, etc. If you guys go over there and see one you like better, you should certainly vote for it. I'm not a fan of asking people to do things. Just like I don't have rules for my Tweak It party. I think we can get carried away with all the rules and such and take the fun out of things.

  22. I love your outdoor space Brenda, it is looking real good, I especially like the galvanized garden area. Loving the purple iris. I voted for you and yours is the best. You spirit seem happier, and I am so happy for you! I think you are certainly making this your home!

    1. We (I say we, it was actually Judy and her granddaughter) put up some pretty dark bamboo like shades I'd ordered for the front window. It was just too much white over there with the white blinds and white walls. I love the way it looks. Will show you all soon. We left the white blinds up and they are underneath. I know this will probably help my cooling bill.

  23. Love your outdoor space. It is much larger then I thought and such a great space to have your garden and room to sit and enjoy. Love the big glass doors to bring the outside in. The pupsters are so cute!!
    hugs, Linda

    1. I almost didn't get this space. But I'm so glad it worked out that I did. It's probably one of the biggest spaces here. Some people don't use their space, I've noticed. Boy, I sure do!

    1. Thank you! There is a lot one can achieve with container gardening. Especially good if you are disabled, in a wheelchair, of just have a bad back. I sit on my little garden roller and have a ball.

  24. Brenda-
    I voted on your lampshade the other day. I must say, in the past, sometimes I've gone to vote at certain sites and found that I was torn on who to vote for; but not this time! I TRULY LIKED YOUR SHADE BEST…voting for you was easy! 🙂 Now…do we only vote once–or is this one of those, I can vote for you once every 24 hrs? Cause I'll vote for you again,girl!
    Love your patio garden– it is so nice. I was wondering about accommodations for the pupsters too?
    The purple iris is so pretty! Mine did not bloom this year. Only the whites on the side of the house bloomed. :/ No purple.
    Pat

    1. There are little strips of flower gardens they go in. When they were pups in TX, they were trained to flower beds because I didn't have grass on that side of the house.

  25. Charlie and Abi look like they are already right at home. I really like those galvanized tubs and the red dishes in front! I have a gardening question. My posts are on a screen-in patio yet there is still a lot of little "knat" type bugs around my strawberries. I was thinking of getting some organic insecticidal soap to get rid of them. Do you ever get pesty bugs on any of your plants, and if so, what do you do?

    1. I haven't had a lot of trouble with that. Been lucky I guess. But then it's been ages since I grew strawberries too. I'd google home remedy ways to get rid of them. I just hate to use pesticides of any nature.

  26. There is dirt along the perimeter of three sides. Just not against the walls. I have planted stuff in them, because they are accustomed (or were in TX) to going in flower beds. No, that's why I chose this place. Don't have to walk them, and have a big place for plants.

  27. Brenda! Your flowers are so fun and pretty! I worked out in my patio area today. Whew! Im pooped! Where do the pupsters go potty??? Do you walk them?

    MJ

  28. You've done a lot of work and it all looks so lovely already. I have a delicate question — where do the pups go to the potty now? I'm not trying to be nosy or weird, I'm just wondering how you handle something like that with two dogs in a small space. We have a cat in a rental and don't have an ideal place for a litter box, so, I know what it's like having to try to come up with solutions for such problems. I'm wondering if you have fixed up a place for them inside of your fenced patio, or if you have to take them on a walk outside of the fenced area. I hope it's not a difficult arrangement for you and your ankle issues.

    1. Not nosy. Everyone asks that. There are dirt perimeters around three sides of the fence. Just not against the house wall. They are anywhere (different in different beds) from a foot or so to probably two feet. I have planted plants there, because in TX that's how they started out. They're accustomed to going in flower beds. I had no grass for them in TX.

    2. OK, I think I see the dirt perimeter in a couple of the photos. Thanks for the answer. Going back to look at the photos, I noticed the moon-shaped decoration with the graceful lady in it, and the metal sculpture of the girl reaching for the sky. I love both of those! You have so many nice decorations, but what is best, you have a way of putting everything together so that it is pleasing and not cluttered.

  29. My goodness, I had no idea you had that many plants/flowers already. And you have some very big pots! Love the galvanized tubs. That took a lot of dirt! I have an old horse trough that leaks, so I'm going to use it for herbs and tomatoes! They are so serviceable. Who knew your patio garden could be so beautiful in such a short time? You are truly amazing! It's like 94 today, 104 yesterday!

    1. Judy brought me a bunch of pine cones from their yard, so some of the tubs are filled halfway with pine cones. I did the same thing in the big pots, except I didn't have the pine cones yet. So I used broken pottery and the small plastic pots flowers come in.

  30. I love the picture of darling Charlie and Abi. They seem to be displaying their sweet personalities in their poses. Charlie the guard and Abi the diva. Seeing them always makes me smile!

    You are beautifully creating such a lovely garden. I really enjoy looking at your beautiful photos. I know right now, I will adore your purple-themed container, as I always love purple flowers. I'm just thrilled for you that you have such an adorable gardening spot! And I'm so looking forward to watching it grow and thrive…

    1. That patio, and not having to walk the dogs, sealed the deal. I wouldn't have given up my washer/dryer (and had to order a more expensive unit) if I didn't have something I really wanted. And that was the patio.

  31. So pretty! I'd like to sit out on your patio and enjoy all the flowers. I think you are going to really enjoy living there. And I think it's wonderful your doggies have an outdoor area to hang out in.

  32. Your patio is beautiful!!! Do you put holes in the bottom of your galvaized tubs for water to drain? Cant wait to see your fairy gardens! Oh Brenda so happy for you. It all looks like you and your magical touch!!

    1. Yes, I put holes in the bottom. And then add pine cones and/or pottery shards.

  33. your garden looks very pretty and soothing! I love your tall fence something I think is needed in the city for a private space. So many plants – I wish I was good like that with plants – I try but I'm no where near like you – I have too much space (live in the country) and most of my space is shady

    1. I find it is much harder to figure out very large spaces than very small spaces. Just take one spot and work outward I guess! I basically picked this place for the patio.

  34. Your patio is looking lovey, Brenda. Iris are one of my favorite flowers. Love seeing yours. But, you know me, the pupsters look so cute, especially Charlie on guard.

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