and now slightly less out of control

After some major vegetable garden bed grunt work on Saturday, I tackled the garden beds around my deck. Again, the weeds were a mite out of control. They had moved on from weed stage into "growing roots, becoming ground cover and in general growing too large to easily pull out of the ground without a shovel" stage.

Now, here's the kicker: I weed these stupid garden beds every single year. Either I don't get mulch on them, or the weeds take over anyway. Here are the beds in early summer last year, when I was trying to decide what to plant:



Both sides were taken over by weeds by the end of the summer, since I never got mulch down. I managed to weed the right side earlier this summer when I planted the rose bush in front (which I now forget the name of. It's either Aloha or Gertrude Jekyll?) but then...say it with me....didn't get mulch down.  Well last weekend, I got mulch down!!



That's the rose I ordered from Chamblee's nursery in the front, and a Knockout rose on the right, with daylillies and some black-eyed susans on the right.

To the left side of the deck, in shade, I planted a Midnight Duchess hydrangea last year. It's done pretty well in the shade.


This time when I mulched, I decided to use blackout/weedblock cloth. It doesn't really do a lot, since most of my weeds are the groundcover kind that grow on top in the mulch, rather than through the bottom. However, I have some uber-stubborn weeds that terrorize my side yard that are a PITA to kill, so I used the weedblock to prevent them from coming back.



My secret: I put down newspaper under the weedblock for a double layer of protection! I save my papers for a few weeks, and voila! I've used it under mulch without the weedblock, and it does a pretty good job of stopping weeds. And it's free!





I used about 5 cubic feet for the hydrangea bed, and about 7 for the roses bed. Last year I had mulch delivered, but this year I've been picking up 3 cubic feet bags at Lowe's for about four bucks a pop.  It's so much easier than shoveling, and I'm not planning on mulching every thing this year, so I'm saving quite a bit of money.

Next up was the corner bed. It was the first bed I planted when I moved, but it has fallen by the wayside this year. For whatever reason, the black-eyed susans just did not come back after the winter. Plus, Bristow runs through this bed constantly, killing just about everything. On top of that, frog's leaf, a kudzu variation, and the PITA weed have taken over, stilting the growth of most of the lillies. I'm sure it'll come back next year, provided Bristow can keep his muddy paws out of it!


First year. Aww, it's all so tiny!!


This year. You can't see it, but B has worn a path around the edge of the garden from his incessant pacing.

Look what I ran into while weeding! Ack!!

I tried to get Nellie to eat it, but she wanted nothing to do with it. Smart dog.

even more out of control

Oh dear. The garden has absolutely taken over. I may have been a bit..."remiss" in weeding the backyard this summer.  I was in school, and working, and it was hot out, and there was a Bones marathon on TNT...you know how it goes. I promise myself every year that this won't happen, but let's be honest: the weeds and crab grass are going to take over the garden around July of each year and I will be helpless to stop it.

Case in point:
This is my garden. This is my garden on no drugs, just raised garden beds. Any questions???

lawn mower included for scale/laziness

I ended up pulling the patty pan squash from the bed on the left. It was the only thing producing, except the cherry tomato, and I have no idea what to do with patty pans (those flutey white squashes). They are an SOB to cut open, and let's face it, I'm pretty lazy.

Knife crushing patty pan squash

The cherry tomatoes are out in force this year. I'm not even sure how many plants there are. One? Two? Apparently whatever I picked was an indeterminate variety, because there are little vines of tomatoes on all four sides of the bed. I keep mowing them over with the lawn mower. Sorry, tiny tomatoes, but you are in may way. Also? I hate tomatoes. I know, I know...why do I grow them? Did you see the top picture? I am an ace at growing things (not including green beans, but including patty pan squash and tomatoes), so I grow things. It's pretty simple, really.


six of many

As for that tall stuff in the back, along the fence? When I planted them in (ahem, late) May, I assumed they were bush beans. They were in a sack labeled "bush beans," but I plant them every year and forget they are really pole beans. Do I re-label the bag they came from? Nope.  So, surprise, pole beans. Also surprise? They aren't producing. No beans! Not even a flower on these babies. Too little potassium? nitrogen? phosphorous? One of those elements that belongs in soil and is responsible for producing fruit?

I thought, for a while, that the tomatoes were also duds.  I had seen a few larger fruits growing in the depths of the jungle, but hadn't seen any ripen.  I was reading in the backyard Saturday when I saw a flash of black sneak behind me into the garden bed. I didn't have my camera out quickly enough, but you guessed it: Bristow stealing green tomatoes!!!  Maybe he is stealing all of the green beans, too? I bet he enlists Nellie to get the ones on the top of the vines. She's quite the little jumper. Cheeky little bastards.


Don't let their puppy dog eyes fool you. They are ruthless vegetable thieves.

1-2-3-4

I'm taking a few classes online this semester, and in one we had to create a video slideshow. I, of course, picked my favorite subject: the pups! You'll see Winnie, Nellie, Bristow and even good ol' Murphy in there. It's set to Feist's 1-2-3-4, which was the first song I opened up in iMovie and decided it fit perfectly!

happy adoptiversary!

It is hard to believe that I adopted Nellie a year ago today. I had been wanting a second dog, but my mom kept trying to tell me the one I had was more than enough. She was right, but I didn't listen! My friend and I drove up to Anderson ACC and picked out a dog I had seen on Petfinder- Frannie. I knew the shelter was overbooked and needed the room, so obviously I was coming home with a dog no matter what. Frannie seemed quiet and was quite a bit smaller than Bristow, so I figured, why not.



As soon as I got her home, I renamed her Nellie, after...well, nothing in particular. It just seemed like an appropriate name for such a little (she's 45 pounds, not really that little) dog. Nell is a wee bit high-strung- she runs in circles constantly, completing miles of laps around the house. But she is a cuddler! Bristow will only sit next to you on the couch if he has no choice. Nell stares at you with her big brown eyes until you scoot over to give her some room.



At least Nell and Briz get along like gangbusters- they constantly wail on each other and thankfully also wear each other out.

Happy Adoptiversary, Nell!

snowstorm crazy

,Since we are due to have another snowstorm tonight/tomorrow, I thought I'd post some pictures from our first snow of the season, a few days before Christmas.


My very handsome dog (like I had ANYTHING to do with that)


Bristow has taken possession of my shoe(s). They are now playtoys. Sigh.






Nell doesn't stand still for very long!

2009 recap and into 2010

Well, I think it's time for the obligatory 2009 recap.  I posted 50+ times, although I hope to post more in 2010. If only my work would unblock Blogger, my life would be so much simpler!

For me, 2009 was not a spectacular year. My company filed for bankruptcy, although I do still have a job. I think I only ran about 50 miles the entire year- a sharp drop off from running 15-20 a week in 2008. I am also still single, although I don't talk much about that on this blog.  On the upside, I paid down all of my debt to my dad and on my credit cards, got LASIK, went to China, and hung out with my sis in West Virginia. I also took a rock climbing class, which was very difficult, but fun.



In March, I adopted Nellie from Anderson Animal Care & Control. She is such a pistol! She constantly wails on Bristow and makes him play with her. She also needs attention every single minute of every single day. Briz is not cuddly at all, so it's nice to have a "lap" dog, even if she does weigh 40 pounds!



I also spent a lot of time with my best friend's son, A. Isn't he cute?

Looking forward to 2010, I only have a few goals:
-Lose 15 pounds. My doc gave me the go ahead to start running- SLOWLY- once or twice a week. I'm coupling that with giving up chocolate (for now, let's be serious people) to get back into shape.
-Go on a "big" trip for my 30th birthday
-Hang up some fricking artwork in my house. I have the art, just not suitable frames.
-Be more social- I joined a dodgeball team that starts next week. I want to meet some new people, maybe branch out with another group of friends
-Finish some of these unfinished craft projects. See these? Still not done.
-Go somewhere warm for New Year's Eve. Indiana sucks in the winter.

I think that's it! I hope your 2010 is a good one!

i knew it

I knew they were BFFs when I'm not around.

a tale of two dog crates

Me: Nellie, Bristow, get in your boxes!


Me: No, your OWN box.



Me: Sigh.


(sorry for the fuzziness)

it's nellie time

more of New Nellie!








and one of Bristow, for good measure

meet new puppy

Meet New Puppy! I adopted her yesterday and have not yet decided on a name. She is a super sweet dog- 1 to 2 year old shepherd mix, gets along with my other dog, and loves to be petted. She's just what we (Bristow and I) were looking for!

note- not a cat

Last night I let Bristow outside to go potty before bed. It's like 11pm and it's pouring rain. I see him lunge for the fence- there's a slight dip at the bottom so I thought he was trying to get under. I pounded on the door and he stopped. Then he proceeded to stand under the tree (to stay dry) for like five minutes. I went out, b/c I thought, oh no! Maybe he's puking! That's where he stands to do it, you see.



I say, "let's go inside!" AND HE PICKS UP A MOUSE. THAT HE CAUGHT. May I remind you all, kind readers, that he is a DOG? Not a cat. Not even a small-animal catching dog, like say, oh, a rat terrier. No. He is a large large shepherd mix. He can barely retrieve. But he can catch a mouse and make a break for the back door which I left open.

He did a victory lap around the living room, meanwhile I'm screaming my head off "NO NON NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOO!", which the neighbors found highly amusing, I'm sure. He goes into his crate and drops the mouse. It's dead, and little, but here's the dilemma: NOW WHAT? Do I get some paper towels and pick up the mouse and throw it in the trash- in which there is no trash bag b/c I am the epitome of laziness??? Or do I throw it back outside, where I know he'll just pick it up tomorrow? Bristow is, by the way, just staring at me like I am a raving lunatic, which I am, as I'm screaming at him trying to figure this out. I'm also yelling, "Let's go outside! OUTside!" with emphatic hand gestures to make the point.

I somehow convinced him (yes, I'm sure "convinced my dog" is the right verbiage here) to take the mouse outside, at which point, I grab the water spray bottle and some peanut butter and chase him outside, taking care to shut the door behind me this time. I run up to him and start spraying him with the bottle to get him to drop the mouse- please keep in mind that it is not only raining out but I have also inadvertently left the bottle on "mist" from earlier when I was getting wrinkles out of my sweater. So, let's recap. It's 11pm, pouring, and I'm misting my dog. Ooh, he's scared.

So I switch to the peanut butter and LO! it lures him away from the mouse long enough for us to make it inside and for me to triumphantly slam and lock the door! Hoorah! No mouse in my house!!!

And that's how I spent last night.

i say goodbye, you say hello

Say goodbye to this little guy! I found him running in traffic last week, but found him a new and loving forever home this weekend.



Bristow was both a huge fan and not a fan of the little guy (whom I referred to as "Lil Dude" or "New Puppy" so as to not get too attached)- he went straight for Bristow's favorites toys and bed when he came inside. On the other hand, they played tug of war for hours!



I'm also marking "get a dog" off my 101 Things list. I seriously considered keeping the little guy, since he just wants to love and cuddle with you- things Bristow is rarely a fan of. But Bristow kept tripping over him every step of the way, and it's not fair to him to have to constantly jump around to avoid stepping on another dog. There was also the issue of not being housebroken, although I'm told that he has no problems with that in his new house. But in the end, I realized that I am not fully ready for another crazy pants dog, especially not a young puppy. And if I do get one, he/she needs to be closer to Bristow's size for more equitable roughhousing!

iPod, i heard knew ye

,While I was out running six miles in the freezing rain/snow Saturday morning, this is how my dog was occupying himself: