Beautiful job of landscaping Aurora; it will not only provide many years of enjoyment, but will greatly help the resale value of your home when you finally move on.

I'm not sure what I accomplished this year. I am glad that for the most part I'm still enjoying my "Hoya Hobby." I'm glad that I have rediscovered the joy of reading books for pleasure. Now that I take the bus to work everyday instead of driving I have read at least 20 books this year. I concurred my fear of cell phones and sent my first text messages. All in all, 2014 was a pretty good year.

Books are invaluable. I have tons of 'em. Hubby thinks I should start using one of those tablets or special book tablets, but there is something about (the feel, smell...?) a real book that electronics cannot replace!
I am glad that you are enjoying your hoya still and glad that 2014 has been a good year for you!
To 2015!

Yeah, only physical books will release those anticipatory bookworm endorphins, but it's damn handy to have a library of books on your phone, when you get stuck someplace and need one. And to be liberated from worrying about damaging your beloved physical copies... oo la la!

I guess what I'm saying is, you don't really have to choose one or the other lol. In this magical age, in which we haven't deforested the planet and already have robots, you are free to enjoy both. I always have an electronic book I am reading, an audiobook I am listening to, and a physical book I am reading.

I think your landscaping looks very smart and I can appreciate what a HUGE amount of work that must have been to do, just the two of you. I have to begin work on my yard next spring and it is a GIANT mouthful when you are starting from scratch. I need to get to drafting my design before spring comes and the plants go to my head.

The landscaping is beautiful, Aurora!

2014 was an eventful year. Met new people at the theatre and here at GW (online, I have yet to meet my online gardening friends lol). I did get some new Hoyas (that are doing very well so far-they're alive lol), and I'm excited to see how all of them will grow and which one will bloom first. Tried some new recipes, started walking more (and my body is thanking me for that), and in the midst of doing my annual winter project: Winter Sowing!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

The landscaping looks great and your Hosta's are beautiful.
Thanks for sharing, Dottie

Moonwolf, so glad to hear that you have had such a good (past) year! It is always nice to make new friends (and get more hoya :) ). I, too, have started walking more. Work doesn't allow for much walking (and being bent over a microscope is a literal PITA and back, lol), so I do it when I get home. Best of luck to you, with your seeds!
Dottie, thank you!
Greedyghost, thank you as well. I also agree that technology can be invaluable, as far as reading goes. I still prefer books (lol), but my children do have tablets to read on, specifically so they don't ruin momma's books. LOL. I have a tablet as well, but it is rarely used by myself. This laptop, though, has seen LOTS of use by me. There are so many things you can learn online (fact checking is important, as I have learned) that you may not be able to learn through a book, due to the book being unavailable, or lost. I have also learned a lot from others sharing their knowledge online, and I am sure the its the same vice versa. I totally agree that technology has it's own value!
As far as landscaping goes, the only advice I can give you is to make a plan. And plan to rip that plan right up. Many times, lol. Especially if you have limited space and lots of plants you love and MUST have. Very hard to choose! I am sure whatever you pick that sticks will look lovely! Please post photos!
To everyone: Here's to 2015, and may everyone prosper!

Haha. Kids using your books is definitely a good one that I hadn't thought of. I have a beloved children's book section in my collection, bc I love children's books (illustrated and chapter) despite the fact that I have no kids. I am vigorously buying my niece her own books so I never have to let her touch mine. :P That sounds so wrong... lol

lol Good advice on landscaping. I can only imagine how many times i will redraft a landscaping plan given how frequently I've had to rethink a humble indoor grow space. Fortunately or unfortunately space constraints is not one of my obstacles. I have a ridiculously oversized yard that bleeds into an idyllic pasture dotted with rivers, ponds and cherubic sheep, llamas, alpacas and horses, and it is absolutely terrifying and overwhelming to figure out where to begin.

Wow! I grew up on 30 acres with horses and cattle (TX girl, here), so I can relate to you about overwhelming (and overwhelmingly beautiful). Perhaps start with a garden around the house itself. Then go from there!

Yeah, you understand. That's what I am planning on, workwise. But I'd still like to kind of mentally break the space up into chunks. And plan my tree/shrub energy conservation strategy. Otherwise I know I'm going to impulsively buy some saplings in the spring, panic about getting them in the ground, and put them somewhere ridiculous.

OMG!!! I had that same issue last year, LOL. I bought 4 saplings (katsura, stella cherry, franklin tree, and catalpa) for our large and treeless backyard, panicked because I didn't plan first where to put them, and then just furiously dug holes, giving the katsura the prime space (it grows huge), and just sticking the others in various locations. When we leveled the front yard, we also leveled a bit of the side yard. I replanted the cherry tree there, so the katsura is in the center of our backyard, the franklin tree is in one corner about 5 feet from the fence, and the catalpa is in the other corner.
DON'T do it! LOL!!!

Haha. Too late! I already stuck 12 in the yard (+30 in the pasture) in the fall, with no planning except "this is a spot that is not too close to another tree...." It is a heavily treed lot, but a lot of the old trees are coming down, or are well past their prime... and I was given a bucketful of saplings... and one thing led to another...

But no more of that nonsense now!!! ;P

Oddly enough, I'm actually Winter Sowing White Magnolia (unknown variety) seeds from one of my new GW friends who is very generous in sending seeds :). GG, if you were closer, I'd give you some lol, that is, if they germinate for me.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

That is so exciting, Brad! Actually, I spent my childhood and college years in North Carolina, and southern magnolias are my favorite tree/flower. So, the first saplings I buy will be magnolias (+Japanese maples, and some carefully selected fruit trees.) Of course, I will have to make due nurturing the very hardiest varieties, not the magnificent Magnolia grandiflora.

I hope you have a lot of luck with your seeds and end up with a whole forest of magnolias! ;D

Thank you, GG! I'm hoping mine turn out to be the Star Magnolia (M. stellata). I managed to smell one at Home Depot a year or two ago and it was wonderful :). Magnolias are gorgeous in general. I really hope they sprout, too! Michael (the same one I'm giving cuttings to in the spring) is the one who sent me them, and he's Winter Sowing them for the first time, too. So, he and I are both anxious to see what happens lol.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

There is no such thing as a bad magnolia, imo. :) It sounds like a great winter bonding activity, too!

I agree. I've never met a magnolia (or Hoya) I didn't like. Winter Sowing is fun in general, and I need to catch up, but it's a little too cold to be going in and out of doors whilst carrying milk jugs full of seeds lol.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

GG, did you happen to see my costume? What did you think of it?

Brad AKA Moonwolf