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Friday, 24 May 2013

Why Lilacs are Awesome



One of the neat things about having your own blog is that you get to talk about pretty much whatever you feel like at any given time. I'm not saying that anyone will actually read what you have to say, but you can pretend that they are and that they also of course care deeply about whatever topic is on your mind that day.

A post about why you really love peeling potatoes? Sure, go for it! A blog about how to make fine china out of play dough? Why not?

Today I really feel drawn to talk about why lilacs are one of the very best flowering shrubs you can choose to have around your property. And you can't stop me. Nor should you, because I speak the truth!


I've been waiting to enjoy lilacs from this giant tree for the last 2 years. Last year we had a weird early hot spell and then a late frost and it pretty much killed the season for flowering trees. I was hopeful, but no flowers came all year.


This year more than made up for it though. Being a first-time lilac tree owner, I've discovered that I had every right to be excited about this tree and that lilacs are awesome.


Lilacs give so much and ask for so little in return. As long as they get established, they pretty much keep to themselves and don't really need anything from you.


When lilacs are in bloom, your whole property smells like some remote corner of heaven and you almost have to say "Aaahhhhh!" every time you step out of your car.


It's nearly impossible to get in a fight with anyone in your family when your house smells like lilacs. It's just a fact.


Lilacs aren't fancy or snooty. You don't need to clean up for them. They're comfortable in the middle of a formal dining room or just plunked down on your kitchen table with an overflowing laundry basket in the background. Doesn't matter to them. They'll give you all the cheeriness they have to give either way.


See? Still cheery!


So, if you haven't got one already, plant yourself a lilac and enjoy all the free awesomeness for years to come.














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Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Old Shoe Rack Turned Gardening and Tool Stand


Well, it might not be the prettiest thing, but it sure makes me happy every time I see it sitting there in the corner of my mud room, all ready to help whenever needed.

We've had a bit of a problem since moving into this house almost two years ago. Our garage is a disaster zone unlike you've ever seen. I promise you. The tools and hardware and junk are all piled together in giant heaps on top of the various work benches. So finding anything is nearly impossible, if you can even get to the work benches past the bikes, several ride-on lawn mowers, stacks of flooring waiting to be installed and power tools all over the floor. It's bad.

There's a little skinny hard-to-get-to cupboard in the house that I was using, but it wasn't working out so well, and my "house tools" kept mysteriously ending up back in the garage.


I found this old shoe rack in the basement, and you might have one just like it lurking around somewhere. I put it by the door to the mudroom and now everything I need is right there waiting for me on my way outside. The little angled shelves are perfect for grabbing whatever I need quickly and easily.



Terra cotta pots make it even easier to fill er' up with all my gardening and quick home repair necessities.




So what do we have here? Just the basics. Stuff I use everyday-ish. A hammer, tape measure, screw drivers, and wrenches, gardening gloves, a little shovel and some pruners, seeds and fertilizer, and some tie-downs for when we're taking yard waste to the recycling center.

As I recover more and more useful tools from the garage, I have room for them on my little stand! It's a silly little thing, but it makes me happy.


Well, yes, it probably would make me even happier if I just cleaned out the garage. I'm hoping to get started on that one too a bit this month. I should be all done sometime around July of 2017. Stay tuned for that exciting update!

Until then, I'm happy with my little shoe rack.













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