You've Got Mail Monday

I didn't post one of these last week for two reasons: a) it was vacation Bible school week and I simply didn't have a lot of free time, and b) nothing much worth talking about arrived. I think I've got the post-Lil' Diva birthday bash blues. Rest assured, by the end of this week I'll be glad it's all over. We're having her friends sleep over Friday night. I'm already wondering if Calgon can take me away.

Here are the vendors who loved me enough last week to send catalogs my way: Mary Kay, Land's End, Grandin Road, and Bluestone Perennials. I really want to plant some bulbs this year, but I am so fickle that I planted some bulbs the second year we were here and then pulled them out a few years later. I also have a mostly shady area that we mulched this year that I would like to add plants to for next year.    

Planning to improve my overall health, I subscribed to Health magazine. I haven't read a single issue yet, but the article in the September 2013 issue featured on the cover that says, "Fight Flab and Win" is right up my alley. I could use some lean legs, a flat belly (I honestly don't remember what that looks like anymore), and a firm butt.

My recent issue of Homecoming Magazine also arrived. This is the Gaither magazine my in-laws purchased for me. The women of Homecoming are on the front cover. There's and interview with first lady Laura Bush and one with Amy Grant, who is one of my favorite artists. I have also somehow ended up with ESPN magazine. No one admits buying it for me and I know I didn't order it. The first issue that arrived was all about fitness and had several mostly naked bodies in it. This new issue covers college football. I don't watch football unless the New England Patriots are in the Super Bowl. I don't really understand the sport or its rules. I would much rather watch baseball or hockey.

The most fun gift that the mail carrier delivered to our doorstep is a new book I hope will help with my garden--A Homeowner's Guide to Landscaping with Fruit by Lee Reich. It includes numerous ideas to make "your yard an edible paradise."  This book features landscape design basics; things to consider such as climate, soil, and sun; selecting plants, pollination, pest control, and soil care; landscaping plans, and a guide  to fruiting landscape plants. I had no idea there was such a thing as a raisin tree! I'm eager to dive into this book as I try to add more fruits to my garden.

That's it for this week's You've Got Mail Monday. Hope you all have a great week.  

You've Got Mail Monday

Blogging has taken a backseat to getting the garden planted. Plus it was Greek Easter this past weekend, so we were at the in-laws. With Mother's Day coming on Sunday, my sister-in-law and I are plotting some gardening work in my mother-in-law's yard. She loves flowers, but just can't do as much as she would like these days.

I ended up buying some soil and plants for her and brought them over on Sunday. Today, I bought two large whiskey barrels to replace the broken ones she has, and another smaller one for a plant she has on her deck that has outgrown its pot. On Mother's Day, I'll visit and do some planting in front of the deck. They have more shade than sun in the backyard, so it's been a challenge for her to find just what she wants. I'm hoping she'll enjoy the new plantings.

Speaking of plants and gardening, the last few plants in that garden plan I am working on arrived on Friday thanks to the postman. With the spring vegetables and some herbs now planted, I can get to work on the front yard. Here is my before picture. The tall bush is getting pulled out and placed in the backyard to hide our generator. The lower vine-like ones are going to be donated to a new flower bed we're creating at church on Saturday. This will all be flowering plants when I'm done with it.

The Lil Diva's (11) bathing suit arrived from Land's End last week, too. We're taking them to Disney this month and I swear that child has grown out of everything she owns. So, bathing suit shopping was on the agenda. I like that their bathing suits are modest, whereas some of the ones I find around here show way too much skin than I am (and she) are comfortable bearing.

My May/June 2013 issue of Gardening How-to arrived early last week, in addition to my May/June 2103 issue of History Magazine. Catalogs from Bluestone Perennials (where most of my new plants came from), Ballard Designs, Grandin Road, Land's End, and FrontGate also arrived.

That's it for this week's edition of You've Got Mail Monday. Hope you have a lovely week.