A Haven for Vee

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Tying Up Loose Ends

Good morning. It's raining. I'm so grateful. Why this sudden change of heart? It means that we might not have to work as hard today as we did yesterday. John most especially.


Eight 6 by 6 by 8ft green hemlock=heavy!




This was our inspiration: a photo taken at the Fryeburg Fair last October.


So here the hemlock waits. John's going to build it in place. It'll be permanent. The goal is to set it up between the barn star and the white post to the right. My rhubarb will be going elsewhere. (It's never done well there anyway.) The chives will probably go into the bed/planter. I don't dare to call it a raised bed anymore.  =D

***


In the afternoon, I decided to dig out all that terribly invasive Lily of the Valley that has been advancing on my plants. It wiped out the Astilbe and Rudbeckia. Before it got any more of a stronghold, I thought it time to spring into action. Thing is my spring broke in 1986. Anyway, nothing that an hour of work with a pitchfork can't handle. Lily of the Valley is not easy to get rid of because it's tuberous and has miles of interconnecting roots. I still have a lot of work to get it straightened around yet.

                                                               ***

Lorrie sent me the most wonderful Note Cards last week. Didn't she present them beautifully?


If you visit Fabric Paper Thread, you'll find Lorrie walking on this very beach many days. She is a wonderful photographer and has an incredible eye.


They're much more lovely in person, believe me. Go see for yourself! I'm so impressed with Lorrie's note cards that I am more eager than ever to give it a try myself.

***

So many of you have expressed your love and admiration for Elisabeth Elliot
Gren that I want to tell you about Dani, a personal friend of the Grens, who blogs at The Invisible Reality. She has posted an update, which she says will probably be her final update. I will stay in touch with her via email. I felt most encouraged reading her post today.

Over and out. If you're still reading, another medal is in order. Have a blessed Tuesday!

34 comments:

  1. The planter will be fabulous when it is finished! Have a cozy day!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've had the same problem with an aster this spring - very invasive!

    Your new bed planter will be a wonderful and fun addition to your landscape. Your inspiration picture makes me want one, too.

    The notecards are beautiful. I think you're inspiring each of us to create our own notecards.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh how he looks hard at work! Believe me, helping to haul the wood around here, it is heavy and if it's hot...it seems heavier. I bet he is happy for a break today too. And you digging up all that Lily of the Valley, you'll both be feeling it for sure. I love my Lily of the Valley, but it is starting to creep out more and more. I have it next to pachysandra (or how ever it is spelled) I'm hoping it doesn't choke that out! Enjoy your restful day!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It looks like you have selected an ideal spot for your new garden. I can see now why the rain is a blessing. You two worked hard yesterday and a break will be good before the hard work begins again.
    I have been wanting to add Lily of the Valley to my garden. In fact I planted a few earlier this spring, but they never came up. I guess that's a good thing :).
    Enjoy your day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have never had success with Lily of The Valley here in GA. I did experience an "overgrowth" of crocosmia. I love the new planter you two are creating - very nice. Glad you are receiving some rain and a little bit of a break today! Take care.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good morning! Yes he looks like he is working HARD, so a break today seems like a good idea. I think the new planter is going to be just perfect though! I love the note cards. I am going to check out those blogs you mentioned now. Have a wonderfully cozy day!

    ReplyDelete
  7. John looks like he is working very hard!! The planter is going to be wonderful when it is finished.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh my, that is going to be quite a sturdy raised bed! Poor John is probably tuckered out big time from toting those logs!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hemlock..that is a new wood for me. It is all looking great...so different from what we can grow down here in Texas. Enjoy your break.
    Yes thanks for the update on Elizabeth, she was a friend of my DIL's grandmother. My DIL wrote her a poem one time. I will check out the update.

    Thanks as always for encouraging more me to venture out to others in the blog world.

    Enjoy your rain

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for posting the prayer request for the Gren's. I know they will really appreciate prayers for healing. Dani is the sweetest and most delightful young lady who served a year helping the Gren's in their home.

    Jocelyn @
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh gracious, yes. I'm glad it's raining in your neck of the woods. Poor John, he looks knackered. (Thinking that means, he looks ready to fall-in-a-heap, hauling those heavy timbers.) I'm not that up-on my English slang. ;-O

    "Uncle A." had to dig out some Lily of the Valley here, in a wee little front flower bed. The ferns were taking over in the back, and the LotV, in front of them. And we DO like to plant some impatient there!

    Has "miles of interconnecting roots". Like the ding-dang Binder Vine! Binder Vine sends out roots, to pop up, elsewhere. Ugh...

    And you can't just roto-till them. Each little chopped up piece, will start a new one. Ugh...

    "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

    ReplyDelete
  12. I want to comment on everything today, so here goes...
    1) I know how you feel about an excuse for a respite. During the countertop/sink installation week, Bekah had a piano recital, and I was soooo glad to have a reason for all of us to stop working and get out of the house. Enjoy your rainy day!
    2) You had me laughing out loud at your broken spring comment! =D
    3) Those are some beautiful notecards! I have been visiting Lorrie lately, and believe that she is an artist, both with her camera and with her words.
    4) Thank you so much for the update on the Grens. It is good to be aware of needs and to know how to pray. This couple has been a blessing to many people over the years.
    5) (I have been meaning to say this and I always forget, so I might as well tack it on to the end of this already lengthy comment.) I love the new photos you (fairly) recently added in your sidebar! So sweet!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you for encouraging friends to pray for the Grens! You're very sweet. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. That wood looks HEAVY! Once everything is done it will be worth it, but I'm glad you are having a break! We would love a rain break but I don't think there is any in the forecast.

    ReplyDelete
  15. You'll really enjoy that big planter! Hope you gave hubby a Yankee dime for all that hard work! And the notecards are lovely! Enjoy your day...get some rest...both of you!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Those boards look real heavy. You really are doing some back straining work. Hope you pace yourself. The cards from Lorrie are very pretty. Now I'll click over to that post...

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm glad you two are getting a break today, John does look almost tuckered out! Send a little bit of that rain our way, please. We could use some about now. Although I can't complain too much about the great weather, it's going to get HOT again.

    I love the scent of Lily of the Valley, but know it isn't easy to contain. We had a large crop of it at a previous home.

    Have a nice, relaxing day!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I cracked up when you said you broke your spring in 1986! At least you know when it was. My spring got lost somewhere...don't know when or where, cuz trust me...I would go back and get it!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Break time- John looks pretty tired!
    The planter will be really nice when he is finished.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Vee, you opened my eyes about planting Lily of the Valley! I was wondering if I should plant it alone or with other perennials. Now I have to think some more. John was really working hard! Bless him. The note cards from Lorrie are beautiful. Makes me want to escape to a beach right now, even with the rainy weather here. xo

    ReplyDelete
  21. I think my spring broke in the late 90s, I hear ya lady.

    That planter bed is going to be awesome. John is awesome. I think we'll keep him, won't we? (Hugs.)

    I had NO IDEA Lily of the Valley was so invasive! For such a sweet delicate plant, too!??

    I have been chatting in blogs about wanting to try growing it, but not any more, not if it kills things! I always wondered why it is REALLY difficult to find it anywhere being sold....most likely because of it being so pesky???

    So interesting, I had NO idea.

    Same way with mint - we have a lot of mint but it is ALL kept in containers, no way it goes in the gardens or else big trouble.

    ReplyDelete
  22. The raised planter will look great in that spot and all the hard work will be worth it.
    Glad your having a day of rest because of the rain.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Vee,
    Wonderful raised bed/garden/planter. Lots of hard work, but it will be terrific!
    Thanks for the update on the Grens. Elisabeth's Passion and Purity was a great source of wisdom for me as a single mom. I also read it aloud to Chickie as a tween.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oh it is going to be so nice when finished! WOW...got you a worker there! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  25. You two are amazing!!
    Looks like a great project and I can't wait to see it develop!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thanks Vee for the link and the news about the Grens. Praying!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Poor John...those do look heavy.
    The planter will be so pretty, tho.

    Well, I made that cake you sent me the link to and may I just say....
    THANK YOU !!
    I made it this morning and we've almost eaten half of it. My goodness....for whole wheat flour, it is mighty good.
    No icing...we use just a spoonful of cool whip.. good stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Aha! No wimpy little raised bed for you...I see. I think you need a day off before you start that project! It will be awesome.

    I love Lorrie's note cards.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh that does look like very hard work...poor man!
    The lily of the valley needs you over here to show it who is boss. I love it when it blooms and every year I vow to tug it out after it blooms. How can it be so pretty and yet so bossy in the garden.

    ReplyDelete
  30. John is really devoted! And really hard working! But how beautiful this raised be will be when finished. It's a great design!

    ReplyDelete
  31. I just love a husband who does things because his wife has a whim. =) John looks like he needs a day off. =) I love your inspiration for your planter. Just gorgeous! I can't wait too see it finished and planted. I had no idea that Lily of the Valley was so invasive. It's always so pretty. I tend to feel the same way about irises. They just take over a flower bed!

    I think things have settled down enough around here that I can start posting a little more regularly. It has been an adventure lately, for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I don't know what you are feeding John but if you will share that information you will become famous among women! What a dynamo! Things look so nice there. We could use more rain here. Keep plugging!
    Deb

    ReplyDelete
  33. Vee,
    From the photos, you can see how hard John worked. I love how the two of you collaborate on all kinds of projects from your house to your garden.

    Those note cards are stunning. You should have yours printed too Vee. I love your photography.

    I don't know how you do it, your posts are always so interesting and I meet the nicest bloggers through your links.

    Have a great day. It's raining here today, but it looks like it can swing either way.

    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  34. ohmyland, just look at John working his tail off for you!!!! You just got to love a man that works hard to make his woman happy. The planter is going to be gorgeous I'm sure though and will be worth all the work :) Hope you are doing great and having a wonderful week sweet Vee! hugs and love, Dawn

    ReplyDelete

🕊
If comments disappear, please don't fret. A simple "hi" will do. The platform surely needs some maintenance.