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A Garden Tour ~ ala Zuzu ~

Category: Zuzu's Bloomin' Blog | Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:47 pm

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Welcome to the zuzu-zone,
my serene refuge from all the pressures of the world,
a place where I can always feel perfectly at ease.

I'm so glad you've come, let's take a little walk around together.


This is the courtyard and fountain at the front.
I think the wooden grid and gravel has a sort of zen calm about it.

(Although, I was noticing recently that some of the wooden grid
which we laid nearly 20 years ago is deteriorating
and should really be replaced.
Hmmmm, that's gonna be a big job . . .

. . . well, I'll think about that later
. . . let's move on, shall we?)



Here, at the top of the drive, we built a screen from some old
iron patio railing sections and a couple of lattice panels.
It's meant to look something like the old iron gates one might
find at the entry of an old southern garden, but mostly, it's
intended to give ourselves a spot to relax, without having to look
into the grilles of our automobiles, it's holding up quite well.

(Of course, the table and chairs really do need to be sanded and repainted,
and I should make some comfortable new cushions for all of the seating . . .

. . . but, nevermind, I won't dwell on that right now, either
. . . come right this way.)



There's my little lean-to potting shed, it's so very handy.

(Yeah, it's very, very handy, always right there, staring me in the face,
any time I try to sit down and relax, reminding me that there's
an endless list of projects that I'm running behind on . . .

Oh, I'm sorry, did I say that out loud . . . here, let's look at this.)



This is the entry into a little corner that I still call my "secret garden",
'though sadly, now it's quite exposed, since hurricane Charlie knocked down
the wonderful, huge Hickory tree that once made it so private.
It used to be such a peaceful spot to sit with a book and a glass
of "lemonade", but now there's no place to hide,
and my old chair has been made into a planter.

(This part of the garden changed from deep shade to bright and sunny
as fast as you can say "timm-berr", and I still haven't caught up,
I need to transplant and replace some things which are now ill-placed . . .

. . . Cripes! I CANNOT keep up with this stinking place
. . . and we're moving on.)



From the secret garden, we can just see the glasshouse

(Which hulks there, reminding me of all that needs doing in there, too . . .

. . . Crap, crap, crap
. . . C'mon, let's go, let's go, move it already!)



I grow lots of plants that are not hardy in my zone,
so I end up with a plethora of potted plants.

(I expect these will all need to be freshly potted when they
emerge from the glasshouse . . .
stupid, stupid plants, always outgrowing their damned pots . . .

. . . Why are you dragging your feet? I said let's MOVE!)



Here is a long view down the back garden, the pond is at the far end.

(Watch your step, the walkway has become somewhat treacherous in spots,
due to the stones being heaved up by roots, I should really take them up,
level the foundation and then re-lay them all . . .

. . . It's too much, I swear this @*##^@ place is going to kill me)



And here is the pond.

(. . . in a few weeks, I've got to climb into that hideous cesspool and try to get out
all of the muck and the fallen leaves and twigs that have accumulated in the bottom,
and, no doubt, the Waterlilies and Irises need repotting . . .

. . . Okay, I'm just going to stop
and take a few deep, calming breaths now.)



Here we are, on the back porch, looking out,
you can see the shady path to our studio/garage in the "woods".

(. . . my side of which, not surprisingly, is chock-full
of projects in various stages of incompletion . . .

. . . Is it getting dark?
I think I may be hyperventilating)



And there is a view back up toward the house and back porch.

(yes, yes . . . the house is full of stuff I should be doing, too . . .

. . . Will you STOP looking at me that way? I see that accusitory expression!)

Well, that's not everything, but it's probably best we stop here,
you look a little jumpy, and I'm slightly tense, too, just thinking
of everything that's falling farther behind by the moment . . .
. . . did I say "serene refuge"?

Nevermind . . . would you care to join me for a little drinkie-poo?
I'm having Tequila shooters, what's yours??


Last edited: Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:53 pm

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To Retirement and Back ~

Category: Zuzu's Homefront Blog | Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 11:28 pm

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The holidays have provided hubby and me with a sort of
preview into how we get along with lots of leisure time on our hands.
We both took off 2 entire weeks.

Well, I'm not bragging, but if this has been any indication,
we just might be alright when the time comes.

Of course , the fact that we didn't schedule any
major projects into our holiday vacation may have had
a little something to do with it . . . yes, I'm sure of it.

As much as we love each other, we both have our own ideas
of how goals can best be achieved. Ideas that can tend to be
rather firmly held . . . not to say inflexible . . .
and often, friction and frustration are the outcome.

Neither of us lacks self-assuredness or endurance,
and we have been known to come to a dead stop on a project
rather than give ground. We lived with a raw-cut edge of
carpet in the bedroom doorway for over 17 years before a
mutually agreeable threshhold was purchased and installed.
Try to imagine rhinos equiped with porcupine quills.

Considering our personalities, our conflict resolution skills
are, perhaps, just a teensy bit underdeveloped.

Oh, what am I worried about?
We've both become accustomed to regular meals and
a roof over our heads.
We'll NEVER be able to retire!

Last edited: Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:22 am

This blog entry has been viewed 679 times

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Let The Self-Flagellation Begin ~

Category: Zuzu's Homefront Blog | Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 6:15 pm

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For me, and for many people, New Year's Eve is a time for reflection,
and often for a heaping dose of self recrimination .
Even though I swore off formal resolution making years ago,
when this time of year rolls around, I am conditioned to review,
and it is utterly ridiculous to try not to.

The list of things I meant to do, and didn't, seems endless
- rivaled only by the list of things I meant not to do, but did.

I did not rid myself of all the junk I've accumulated.
I did, in fact, add to the accumulation
~~ I may as well face it, I'm a crap magnet.

I did not put my not-so-good eating habits behind me forever.
I did, as a result, put another inch on
~~ now that I put behind me, so to speak.

I did not learn the self-discipline to finish one undertaking before beginning another.
I did, therefore, establish several new stacks & boxes of semi-complete projects
~~ all waiting for my interest to rekindle, they mock me.

I did not set up and adhere to a schedule of routine medical checkups.
I did fall even further behind on every sort of "personal maintenance"
~~ from eye exams to . . . whatever.

These don't represent even a scintilla of my list of shame,
but why bother to go on, I already know that the coming year will be the same.




Last edited: Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:21 am

This blog entry has been viewed 836 times

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It's Time For The "Christmas-Mystery" Award ~

Category: Zuzu's Homefront Blog | Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:05 pm

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I used to decorate much more elaborately for the holidays . . .
. . . when I was younger.

One year, I built a couple of deer out of chicken wire
and some grapevine freshly cut from our back lot.





Hubby built a plywood sleigh, that was big enough to hold
a small cedar tree, which we picked up from a brush pile
at the side of the road.
I "harnessed" the deer to the sleigh with ribbon.



And the following year I built and added
a life-sized figure of St. Nick and another deer, this one lying down.


(No, that's NOT hubby )

We eventually developed a little bit of a reputation,
and the traffic flow on our street picked up noticeably
in the week or so around Christmas.
I got such a kick out of watching the cars slow to a crawl,
or even stop. And, each night, through the front windows,
we could see the spark of flash bulbs, and occasionally,
the steady gleam of a cam-corder light.
I was just so flattered to think that people wanted
to come and see what I'd done,
and some even wanted to keep or maybe share it on film.

Every year I made a new and different display.

Gosh, I used to go all out, back then! Looking at these old photos,
I wonder where I got the time and energy??
Well, I was younger . . . did I already mention that part?

Anyway, it was because of one of those "productions" of mine,
that our annual award tradition was born.

One day, near Christmas, I came home to find
a pretty little poinsettia plant on my doorstep.
With it, there was a short and very sweet, but unsigned. note.
It said how much they enjoyed seeing our display,
and how seeing it had been a much-needed bright spot
in an otherwise difficult season.
It was a sort of a "Thank you" note.

It really touched my heart.
It made me feel so appreciated and humble all at the same time.
I was reminded how we can sometimes touch a life
in a positive way without ever realizing it,
just by being who we are, and doing what we do naturally.

I asked around for weeks afterward,
but I never worked out who it had been,
all of our neighbors denied any part in it.
Hubby called it "The Christmas-Mystery Award"

In the years since then, my outdoor holiday decorations
have become distinctly more subdued,
I can't seem to find the energy and time that I used to have,
but hubby and I have replaced that old tradition
with a new one.

We started giving out "Christmas-Mystery Awards" each year.
I just pick up a little something extra when I'm shopping,
an ornament, a small gift or maybe a seasonal plant.
Then, while we're riding around, enjoying everyone else's
lights and decorations, we choose one place,
and leave the little gift, along with a card, saying
"Thank you for making our Christmas brighter with your lovely display"

I've got everything ready, we'll go out one evening later this week.
It's a lot of fun . . . . . . so long as we don't get shot or arrested.

This blog entry has been viewed 884 times

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Confessions of a Paneling Painter ~

Category: Zuzu's Homefront Blog | Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:43 pm

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OOh , the evilest of all renovation evil deeds in some folks' eyes . . .

There is something that, for some people,
goes very badly against the grain (please excuse the pun)
where painting over wood is concerned.
"How could you possibly consider applying paint over real wood?!?"
The words "real wood" usually spoken in hushed and reverent tones.

In my opinion, the answer was simple. The room in question looked dated
and, despite having 3 large windows, it felt dark and dingy.



The (now "vintage") knotty pine, with it's obligatory coats of
shiny orange shellac, was apparently a popular construction
choice in this part of the world in the 60's,
which is when this addition to my home was built.

At least, it was certainly popular with the builder who built the addition.
He used it to cover all four walls and the ceiling
of the small (9'x13') bedroom which we are now in the process
of converting into a home office.

It took more than a few "trust me's",
and a handful of magazine photographs to sell the paint idea to hubby,
even though he conceded that he did not love the pine.

I think the moment that may have tipped the scale, was when I pointed out
that even if we didn't paint, we weren't off the hook work-wise,
we were still going to have to refresh the existing finish with something . . .
. . . Good grief!! Not more shellac???

So, after applying a single coat of oil-based primer, we painted the walls
with a latex paint called "Patina", a soothing mossy-grey color,
and then did the trim and ceiling in a very soft (nearly white)
chiffon yellow named "Pale Sunshine".



The thing is, I think the space still has the "craftsman-ly" quality
of a paneled room, but it really does look and feel so much fresher.
As you can see, the room is still a work-in-progress,
but we both love the paint, trust me.

Now . . . if we can just come to terms on furniture . . .

Oh, by the way,
the same paneling also swaths a small adjoining hall and bath,
as well as my little kitchen . . .
here's a brush, I hope you wore your painting clothes.

Last edited: Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:37 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 21358 times

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The Weather Outside Is Frightful ~

Category: Zuzu's Bloomin' Blog | Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 10:47 pm

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The hard-hitting cold front that has swept across
the whole U.S. is now arriving at the east coast.
It's been the dreariest of days,
grey and blustery with a cold rain that just wouldn't quit.
In short, the sort of day that tempts me to open a vein.

Told ya I'm a weather wimp, and it's no lie.
I'm the poster child for SAD.

The glasshouse is my lifeline to summer.
So, naturally, that is my destination again today,
because while the weather outside truly is frightful . . .
. . . the color in there is delightful.


I stripped nearly all the leaves from this Brugmansia
before bringing it inside, but it's blooming it's heart out anyhow.


There are a few powderpuffs on the Calliandra

And, happily, 'tis the season for orchids.

Lots of Dendrobiums


Oncidium


Phalaenopsis

Vanda


I'm so glad you stopped by, hope you enjoyed the 2 cent tour.
Have you got time to come back to the house
for some gingersnaps and tea?


Last edited: Mon Dec 04, 2006 6:16 pm

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My "Happy Place" ~

Category: Zuzu's Bloomin' Blog | Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 6:28 pm

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November is coming to an end,
and my garden needs a ton of maintenance,
but this just doesn't feel like the "fun" kind of work
that results in the Oooh's and Ahhh's that I utter
when I take my morning strolls in spring or summer,
with my mug of tea or coffee in hand,
surveying for any tiny new green shoot or bright new blossom
like a keen-eyed gold prospector.

Somehow, chopping down the spent lily stalks
hardly yields the same thrill.

True, we don't have a long cold season,
but I'm a pathetic weather wimp.
It's not really my fault, my veins flow with zone 10 blood,
I'm one of those freaks who thinks that Christmas lights
look perfectly charming festooned in palm trees.

The short daylight hours alone can put me into a deep funk.

Which is why, my favorite place, at this time of year,
is easily my glasshouse.
A simple structure that my clever hubby built
using recycled sliding glass door panes.
Just 12'x12', this is my pocket paradise.

So, for now, I'll bring my cup here each morning,
and commence my ooohing and ahhhing . . .
. . . just as soon as I wipe the steam off my specs













Isn't Ma Nature a miracle worker?
Thanks for visiting, oh, can I fill that cup for you?


Last edited: Tue Nov 28, 2006 6:33 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 935 times

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