Fall is upon us!!!

So I guess it is official, according to the calendar at least, that fall is here. Being sick this entire month has made me feel as if we are just entering September, not leaving it. I did manage during my "sickies" to venture out last saturday with my husband and children to pick up the sticks that the wind storm had shaken loose from our huge oak trees. All around us were "sticks" if you can call them that, some of those suckers looked like full blown limbs. Matt, earlier in the season, had travelled about an hour south of us to purchase a chipper from a guy. He had posted it on craigslist and it seemed to be the perfect price. So Matt went and brought it home. We lovingly call it "the beast". It is much heavier and bulkier than the newer models, but we got it for a steal, saved it from a landfill, and it is quite a useful tool for us. Last Saturday, we dragged out the beast, and fed it for 9 hours straight. What we ended up with was a beautiful green tinted mulch that I was able to put all around my plants. It looks so pretty. Even though the soreness set in shortly after finishing, I was so proud of my new green, green mulch.

In my big session last saturday, I also pulled up my tomato plants, my eggplant, my spicy peppers, and my cabbages. In their place I planted my three mums, who by the way aren't looking so good. I have heard NOT to give them a boost with fertilizer, BUT my MIL gave hers a boost and they look gorgeous. So I am in the midst of the "should I or shouldn't I" battle that happens so often in my head. ARGH! I just need to do it and deal with the consequences later.

This past spring I purchased a Eucalyptus plant. I put it into a container, knowing come fall it needs to be moved indoors. But for the summer, I parked it right outside of my front door. That sucker has grown so beautifully!!! I am getting ready to move her inside and into my sunroom. The Eucalyptus plant is from Austrailia and is really good for when you have congestion in your chest. You crush up some leaves and steep them in hot water and then breathe the scented steam in. Before buying this plant, I bought the essential oil and added it to my shower in the morning. The water and steam would waft up and help me breathe a little easier.

I also recently purchased some herbs. I put them into a planter and put it out in the yard to get sunlight. I will be moving that indoors and look SO forward to fresh herbs all winter!!!!!

This past week, I was shopping at Sam's Club. This past spring I bought one of their boxes of Dahlia's. I planted them and low and behold, when they finally bloomed (which took a while), they are now the highlight of my yard. Everytime I look at them, I just smile. I absolutely LOVE them. So I didn't even hesitate for one moment when I fell upon the spring bulb display. On it were GORGEOUS bright red tulips and a mixture of crocus' of different purples and whites. I bought one of each and mixed them up with the daffodils I dug up last spring. I had a bucket FULL of yellow and off white daffodil bulbs. I planted all 60 tulips, all 100 crocus and about 100-150 daffodils in three areas of my yard. I plan on going back to buy more tulips and also some hyacinth. I have a few Iris' I need to get in and I may buy some of them too. I have at least three other areas in the front that need some spring love, not to mention the back of my house. Come spring, I am going to be one happy little girl!!!!

It's ALIVE!!!

NO KIDDING! The Oakleaf Hydrangea I killed is coming back!!! I was heading out the the compost pile the other day and was thinking I really need to chop back the dead branches of this bush. Afterall, my yard is beginning to look like the Adams Family. So I got my pruners and started chopping away and then realized from amidst the roots of the plant were new "oak leaves". Upon further inspection, I realized that the damn thing has rerooted and is sending up a new plant! YEAH!!!!!! I'll take pictures and post them in a day or so.

Also, I have a fuzzy apple-ish looking tree/bush. Not sure what it is and so far everyone I have shown it to, scratches their head....... I think I'll start calling it the Peapple tree..... half peach, half apple. My sister's boyfriend was gonna take a bite of one and see what it tastes like, but my mom and sister put a stop to it. They were afraid he'd get sick. I personally was hoping he would have. Oh well, I'll give it a few more weeks and see what happens.