This is what you get for 235 smackers

This is what a $235 water bill will get you. 

Totally worth it.

May 13, 2012

August 16, 2012

Silo City

My festival buddy and I went to Buffalo River Fest today and latched on to the walking tour of the area. We were a little late and missed the first part of the tour, but we saw that they were close and walked over and joined in. It was free, so don't worry that we horned in on the action on the cheap. And boy were we glad we did. We joined by the dock of the Edward M. Cotter fire boat (oldest working fireboat in the WORLD) and made our way over the bridge to the milling area by the Buffalo River and down Ganson Street.  This beauty of a milling building was built in the late 1800's. The present owner had tried to tear it down, but someone got it National Historic Landmark Status and now they can't. haha to them! 

 We then headed down to the Grain Elevators. Silo City it's called. Acres and acres of concrete monoliths, some of them still in use.

 We stopped at Elevator B Hive City. Read this article. It's amazing what they did to build this....

 Reach out and touch an elevator...

 Then they told us we were going to GO INSIDE THE BUILDING!!!! This was very very exciting!!!  Here we go!!!

 This is the top of one of the first chambers you walk into. The picture does  not begin to convey the height.

 Down a little farther were some shutes

 This went on and on and on

 view of another elevator from a window of the one we were in.

 Amazing to walk around this place. I'm pretty sure the guide said this one was built around 1906

 This is another elevator. The stored the grain for the Koch's Brewery here.

 The elevator in the background is still in use today.

We left a little sunburn, but Emily and I can cross one thing off our bucket list. Probably the coolest thing we've done all year. And we can't wait to go back.

It's Happening!! It's Finally Happening!!

It's bed building day!!

The bobcat is back.

 first load of bed material (sand and mulch) goes in.

 it was my job to stomp down the first layer of bed material. and the second layer. and the third.

 stuff is actually planted. in the ground. in our yard.

 sorry for the lighting in this picture

 Mr. GreenJeans actually wanted me to take his picture in the bobcat, knowing full well that it would end up here. Where he doesn't like to end up. He's just funny that way.

 

After mulching. again with the shady picture. i'll have to get a better one in the morning.

Mulch down.

pretend that all that dirt is green grass. 

oh, look...i don't have to wait until morning....the light is better now.

So thats two beds down, and one to go. Should be done tomorrow. After they build the third bed, the topsoil goes in and grass seed goes on.

Progress

Tree....

 Hole.....

 Tree in the hole...

So I Was Totally Gardening Today!!!

And no, the beds have not been put in yet. But I've got plants. I've got germinating seeds. I've got blooming bulbs. And they have to go in the ground soon. I figure, since I'm not a nag, I'd do a little passive aggressive hint dropping that stuff has to start moving soon. So, I'm turning into Crazy Garden Lady who tends a garden that isn't even really there. 

Step One.......The Layout...

• One side of the porch..

Other Side of the Porch

Here's one of the bulbs thats just taking off. The day lily flower is a deep deep purple that almost looks black.

Some Johnny Jump Ups that are germinating.

 And I got all crafty with some chandelier crystals that I bought at The Worlds Largest Yard Sale last summer. And since there is going to be no bed, just grass, in this corner, I thought I'd dress up the fence a little. I found a picture on Pintrest where you drill little holes in the fence and put marbles in to make colorful knotholes and considered doing that. But there's no way Mr. GreenJeans was gonna be cool with me taking the Ryobi to the wood. So, next best thing....crystals. The pictures doesn't do it justice. *The dirt pile doesn't make it look too hot either, but lets not go there.*  I positioned them in front of the little spaces between each slat where the setting sun can go thru and a little breeze makes them dance a little. Kinda neat when the sun is setting and the crystals are throwing off light.

Up close with a crystal

Bloomin'

In the last episode of "The Frost Killed the Lilac Tree", the old girl wasn't looking too well. 

I'm pleased to report that she's pretty leafy today. *Ignore the dirt in the foreground. More on that later*

And!!!!!! she's blooming!!

Not that you can really call two teeeeeny little flowers on a clump blooming. Wait, this is my blog so I will call it blooming. 

Meanwhile, the yard is still a dirt pit. Oh, its all regraded just the way Mr. GreenJeans wants, but now it just a matter of putting in the beds. *there are only so many hours in a day.*   Y'know, the dirt piles I was supposed to get when this whole project started. Meanwhile, the tree is still sitting at the nursery waiting to be picked up.

In my anticipation of finally having a flower garden, I went ahead and purchased some bulbs, which I shouldn't have done because I know how timelines progress around here. The supply of the ones I wanted was dwindling, and, basically, I want what I want, so I bought them. Good thing I looked in the package because the bulbs were starting to sprout in the packaging. I had to plant them somewhere, and I came up with this... 

Plastic cups. This better work.

Also, its just my passive-aggressve way to say "WTF, MAN, WHEN DO THE BEDS GET PUT IN!!!!"

Playing In The Dirt

We used to have a pool. It was a nice pool and served its purpose for almost 16 years. We got rid of it, and the ginormous deck we had, 2 years ago, when we built the porch addition. A lawn was planted in the crater that was the pool space. Trouble was, you could tell that a pool had been there, and Mr. GreenJeans was not pleased. So, now, he's ripping it up. 1/2 my yard is being roto-tilled as we speak. 

 I don't get it....why would you not till up this little patch of grass? 168 feet of tilling and this green is left? Mr. GreenJeans is scary when he has a plan.

 The early bloom because of that 80 degree stretch we had in early March, and the cold snap at the end of the month may have just damaged my Lilac Bush. It does not look healthy at all.

On the positive front...I'm finally getting the planting beds around the house that I've been nagging suggesting we put in. And the tree to hide the neighbor's shed. The glare off that thing just blinds me when I'm out there.