Patti Beck's place

As you know, My Shug has been off of work since May 6.  Achilles Tendon surgery takes quite a while to heal.  (or should I say heel-snort snort-sorry)  It's been nice having him home, although my entire 'schedule' has changed.  And really, I don't even have a schedule.  I've tried.  I can't seem to stick with a schedule for anything because, well, stuff happens!   Anyway, I'll be getting up very early again, and that's when I usually get on my computer.  So I do hope to get back to blogging and reading blogs.  I have a lot of catching up to do! And I'll probably be playing catch up for a few weeks.  Including on the house blog.

Last month, the day after our family reunion, my cousin Gloria (middle) came over with her daughter-in-law (left) and her daughter-in-laws friend, who both drove up from Tennessee to attend the reunion and visit with family.  We had a nice day visiting.  There were a few items in the room (that we live in) that they asked about and I told them Patti Beck is the artist, and she just happens to be having an open house on Saturday.  I told them if they want to go, to text me. 

 They did!  We went.  And just a few days ago, I went back with some friends to do a little more shopping, and picture taking, and garden touring!

 This chicken coop with the cupola reminds me of something you would see on Susan Branch's property or blog.  It's adorable.

 You know what else is adorable?  Three little kittens that were dumped made their home with the chickens and are living in the coop all nice-like!  Adorbs I tell ya!

 See this flower?  It's verbena.  It's one of my favorites.  Not because it's so beautiful, although I do love the way it is very tall and sway-ee, but because the first time I ever saw it was on Mackinac Island on a very romantic vacay with My Shug.

 Now here are a few pics for you garden loving peeps.

 

 This is my cousin-in-law and she was showing all of the cute stuff she bought for her fairy garden.

 Look at all the pottery for sale behind her!

 Gloria, Me, Akemi and her cute stuff!  I couldn't decide what pic I liked best.  My blog, I'm posting both!

 Group pic...Treva, Patti, Me, Gloria, oh shoot....I forget her name (Rene maybe?),....Akemi

 Look how cute...a miniature bottle tree...kind of!

 Look at this big bird!

 Break time!

You can't take a bad picture at this place

  Akemi and me and my little Dixie Doodle Dog...saying bye :-( at our house

When I go to Patti Becks I always get inspired to garden.  We have the land, we do not have the time right now, with house-building. 

 But I did see this and thought it was so cute.

 See the little boy fairy inside.

 I stopped at a garage sale on my way into town one day and they had this bee skep for $1.00!  I was thrilled.  I filled it up with a couple of plants and a girl fairy I had at home.  She loves her new hive-home!

Cindy Bee

Grow one edible item

Hey everyone....do this!

GROW ONE EDIBLE ITEM 

And harvest it,

And eat it.

  You don't have to have a big area...

 

 (Sugar snap peas in my flower bed)

This is the size of our flower bed.  Just a little garden bed outside our door.

 We have two of them.  

 It's really all I have time for right now.  We have acres of land but I just can't do it all.  

 

I have visions of a garden like Tasha Tudor, walking around barefoot with my Corgis and my goats....

and a Beatrix Potter life with my own Jemima Puddleduck and Tabitha Twitchett, 

and Patti Beck garden with her flowers and fun pottery type stuff.....(Hi Patti! she's the only one that reads my blog...well....actually.....never mind.)

But for now

  this is it..

 

and this.  

It's lettuce....in a pot. 

 It works.  

 

  No chemicals.

Why do I want you to grow one edible item this year?  

I actually say this every year, but here's the deal.

 I really do believe it's chemicals that are killing our bees.  Granted this winter was tough and killed a lot of bees.  But the more I read about these chemicals, and these genetically modified plants (GMO's) the more I believe it's the heart of the problem with our bees.

And us.

And our animals. 

 My Shug came home the other day from visiting a neighbor down the road.  The neighbor said both of his dogs died this winter from cancer in their mouth and nose.  I asked him if this neighbor had a perfect yard.  My Shug said, "yeah, why?"  I said, "Because I don't know of anyone that has a perfect yard that doesn't use chemicals.  And these companies tell you to not let animals or children walk in the yard after spraying."   That should scare you.  And if you don't think those chemicals are being sprayed on your food, think again.

So my thinking is this...the more we grow our own food, even a little at a time, the less chemicals we are using, spreading, and eating. 

Not to mention how much tastier the food is!

I know it's probably a pipe dream, but I'm asking.....

grown one edible item that isn't genetically modified, and don't use chemicals.

We gotta start somewhere right....let's start with bloggers.

 And use your farmer's market.  Ours is small, but there are several organic vendors there on Saturday mornings.

Lastly, does anyone know if this is a flower or a weed?  I want to pull it, but I'm wondering if it's something I planted last year!

Cindy Bee

Patti Becks garden tour

Back in June, I visited Patti Beck's garden and pottery studio.

My friend Marcia wanted to take me out that day for my birthday and go to a few garage sales.  I explained to her that I couldn't go 'sailing' because I have no willpower, but let's go to Patti Becks garden instead.  She had never been there, and loved it, by the way.

I've done posts on her garden before, but I always get so inspired when I visit, that I can't help but post every year.  Check out one of the old posts here if you want to see inside the camper.

She has two open houses every year, one in the winter, and one in the summer.

Garden bed

Her garden has changed a lot since the summer, I've seen pics.  If I can slow down from painting and extracting, I'd like to go there one more time before winter.

Adorable chicken coop.

Her yard is huge!

Why is it that some people can take 'stuff', put it in a garden, and make it look like something, while others take stuff, put it in the garden, and it looks like they need to clean the place up.  I fall in the latter category.  The above pic is shovels and rakes and such, made into an arbor.

I wish I had a better picture of this chandelier.  It has colorful flowers that she made on it and those flowers  just jazzed it up.  Remember she is a ceramic artist.  I have bought a few pieces of her pottery every time I visit and now I have quite a collection.  I cannot wait to have time to actually garden....and set up my camper...and spend time in the bee yard....and decorate.

Bottle bush and tree.

Now this is what I'm talking about....doors in the yard.....L.O.V.E. it.

Fairy gardens

Pond

This clock reminded me of Alice in Wonderland

Another back yard photo

Patti is so nice to me.  She knew we were starting over gardening so she gave me these plants!  When I got home, I planted every single one of them.  They are all doing great too.

This is a Laura Bush petunia (I think) and it self-seeds.  I want to put all self-seeding plants in my bee yard.  My bees would be so happy.

So, I bought this chicken/rooster to put in my little garden area.  And I took them out there and stood them in the garden, but I had this big blank space above my kitchen sink and I thought they looked perfect there!

I love them!

  So, on our way home, Marcia and I stopped at a sale, and they had these lights.  I thought long and hard....buy them...don't buy them....  I was thinking about painting them brighter colors (because sorry folks, but I'm tired of green) and turning them so the flower faces up...and cutting off the wires of course, and hanging them somewhere outside to use as candle holders.

But I was wondering what ideas you might have?

And I was also wondering, what would Patti do with them!

Cindy Bee