Happy Friday

The end of another week and shortly we will welcome a new month. This summer is flying by and soon we will be talking about the changing leaves and that chill in the air.  With so many of you suffering from the heat, I'm sure it can not come too soon.

For now, we are still in summer and I am celebrating two flowers in my yard.  You will probably think nothing of these plants, but if you knew of the failures here at the Little House you would understand my 'happy dance'.

This Nasturtium, which was supposed to be 'blackish', is doing so well even though it isn't black at all...hmm..

The first summer here at the Little House, I would go to the beach down the road and pick up reclaimed wood and interesting shaped driftwood.  Right off, I found this wooden planter box that looks like it may have come off of a houseboat.  It is sturdy and has that perfect bleached out weathered look that fits in with all of the other treasures gifted from the sea.

So it was planted right up with Petunias and looked oh so very pretty.......for awhile.  Soon, it started shriveling up, behaving as if I was not watering it.  No amount of water or Miracle Grow seemed to help and I was left scratching my head.

The same thing happened the next year and the next.  Recently, after finding that thinking cap that always gets lost somewhere, I realized that it must have been the salt water.  Perhaps it had permeated the wood  and led to the death of the plants.

Not wanting that box to get the best of me, I decided that the salt would surely be gone from the wood by now, after all of the soakings I had given it trying to 'save' the plants.  So, I changed out all of the soil and in went new, fresh, organic goodness.  The seeds went in at the beginning of summer, and, as you can see...healthy, happy flowers!! 

This might appear to be a sad looking Hydrangea, but no.  I am jumping up and down and clapping because this is the first time since it has been put in, maybe 5 years ago, that it has had more than 3 deformed blooms.

I was going to move it to the North side of the house as I just found out they don't like direct, southern sun and probably not salty, misty wind either....Anyway, I am happy and had to share it.

This post was a bit longer than I had planned, so I will wish you all a very happy weekend.  I am still working on cleaning things out and packing out boxes to Goodwill so that is where you will find me.

Anything special on your list this weekend?

See you Monday with the report on the Blueberry Scones.   xo