Clematis @ Casa Grande

My purple Clematis are now three years old.

The Clematis on the right is supposed to grow 8 to 10 feet but this year it just kinda grew "out" before I realized and could train it upwards. The season is still early and it blooms for a long time so I still have hope it will grow "up." For now, bits have started climbing the porch railing (with a little help!) and I'm liking the look.

The flowers are a gorgeous medium purple color.

Did I mention the blossoms are HUGE??!!

The Clematis on the left is only supposed to grow 6 to 8 feet but it's still really small this year...not sure why. The blossoms are a much darker purple...

but the petals don't stick around very long, leaving this fluffy center.

This year I also purchased a yellow Clematis that has little bell flowers.

This delicate little plant is supposed to grow 21 feet!! I've probably got 2 years, before it's really established, to find something for it to grow on (fence, only iron gate, etc). Ideas?



Yup - we mulched the new flower beds. It's a little chunky but the price was right - it's free at the Village Park.

I have one other new Clematis that is supposed to be pink (yeh, I know *pink* but the price was right) but it's struggling a little from the heat so I didn't take any photos...no blossoms yet.

Peonies

Nothing of my own to report today... My EMT recertification final is tonight and I haven't done much this week besides the remaining classes or review for the test. I'm whooped altho I haven't over-done it and I'm not sure why. Probably just too many weeks with too many projects/deadlines and I won't get a decent break until June.

Instead, I'll share the peonies from Genesee Country Museum last weekend. I now have 3 peony plants of my own and will be re/planting them in a brand new, much sunnier, flower bed this weekend. I hope someday they will look like this!

I know they are pink (my least fav color in the entire universe) but they are peonies and I make exceptions for peonies.

Feline Friday

At least some one enjoys the pink carpet!

I do believe this is the last pink in the house and the ATEP is thrilled!

Don't you just want to love on that all white belly? Unfortunately she's not a belly girl :(

Design Wall Monday - 3/14/11

I can't actually show you what is on my design wall yet - not until it's finished...

Will these walls suffice in the meantime? I still need to paint the accent wall but it is sewwwww much better than when I started. Those of us at the ATEP are pleased. The only pink left in the house is the carpet in the studio...Yuckckckck. The paint color is Colorado Springs but it is a light blue that has a little gray when there is no sun coming in the windows, like the last 4 days. (Check out the second picture - the living room also has the same paint color, long story) Yeh, the room is a little darker than when it was just white but I need COLOR!!!

And here is a great photo of the definition of overcommitment. Each pile represents a project that needs some kind of progress or completion by this weekend. It could be ironing, quilting or just packing to take to the LQS for National Quilting Day events/show-n-tell. I will be glad when the weekend is over...

Design Wall Monday - 2/28/11

First, those of us at the ATEP** are happy to report that we are making considerable progress at CasaGrande.

Second, there is a house rule that there will be no white rooms (I've lived in too many white rentals), so this is just primer and within a week, the walls will be 'Colorado Springs' blue with an accent wall of a darker blue. The baseboards and window trim will remain white. The wall to the left of this picture while host a 4x6' USA map with map pins for all the places I visit(ed). Can't wait to get the map up there and remember all those trips.

On the quilting front, I am working up this little table runner and wall hanging using zigZapps. I'm still working out the design for the wall hanging (on the left side pf the photo) but both pieces will look great in my dining room. You can see with the partial runner on the right that I am working on trapunto for the leaves and flowers. I need to do some more trimming and free motion quilting on those pieces tonight and then hopefully get it sandwiched and quilted by week's end.

**Alliance To Eradicate Pink