looks like you guys have lots of fun!!

Mel, we just love gardening. The head pot reminds me of the Voodoo dance that was mentioned in the Gardenia thread... I still remember the comment of doing a 'dance.' Now I have a head with a pole on it, lol. I wonder if that would work?

Its worth a try! Have hubby take photos for us! :)

I love all of your finds! That face pot with the spiky foliage cowlick made me laugh out loud!

I love the inch flower and the little saddle!

Tropical Madonna is just stunning.

Thanks, PK. Your comment is just too funny. I told hubby and he got a real kick out of your description, "spiky foliage cowlick." That one was just $1.50... I saw people passing it over and I had to grab it. Beauty is in the eye... lol! I love the Madonna, too. It's my fav.

Mel, You are not going to believe this, but it's dark outside, and my hubby comes in to tell me, "You have a bloom on your gardenia opening up. Come, look!"

Oh, my goodness! I have waited, and waited.... forever and a day... for that plant to bloom! It's not fully open yet, but I can't wait till morning to see it! Here is a pic in the dark.... I'm so thrilled! It's a real gardening milestone for me!

That's wonderful that your gardenia finally has a bloom!!

Of course you have no idea how it happened, do you? :)

It had two buds, but it seems that they were buds forever. That happened last Spring, too. Two buds then, too, and then they just dropped off... without opening or even saying goodbye. I'm just so happy that this one did not drop off.

I'll wager it smelled great when you went out to check that bloom................congratulations. I like the face pot best of all, and BTW, I love shopping at thrift stores, but have never been fortunate enough to find such treasures.

Hi Carrie, Here are some tips that may help....

I always look for unusual items that others may not like.

They might need a coat of paint. The Madonna was a dark blue with white chipped paint all over. I painted it a gloss white but left some of blue showing through.

I go on Dollar Day... $1.00, Monday; and on Senior day, Tuesday. But, usually, each day has a special tag day that is 50% off.

If there is a holiday coming up (like this Memorial Day), they will have almost everything, except furniture, 50% off. It is then that I go on the "day before" the Holiday sale, because I know that they will stock up for the sale and I can find better merchandise before the 'early birds' get there at the crack of dawn. It will be at regular price, but still a good price for something you really like.

BTW, for those in SA, Bargain Barn on Lanark is going out of business. Right now, everything is 15% off and they have to be out by end of July. They have some garden pots, stepping stones, birdcages, crosses, and assorted unusual items.

Give Winter a hug for me. :-))

He will be glad you asked me to do that.............he is such a spoiled brat.

Awww, he is a real sweetie!

Oh, those are definitely treasures, and the plants are as well!

Irene, thanks for letting us see all your new old stuff ... :-) and the tips how you find it!

Thanks, Jolana. It's hit or miss, sometimes. DH just groans when I come home and I tell him... "I've got junk in the trunk." hehehe!

Roselee, I've been limited lately.... bummer, but I play the sympathy card so well, LOL.

Sorry to hear you have been limited................don't you just hate gardening limitations?? Hey, but we are still gardening, aren't we?

Carrie, thanks so much. You hit the nail on the head. It's so true... the housework can wait, the shopping can wait, and everything else can wait... but don't keep me out of my garden!

I just chuckle when people comment that gardening has taught them patience. Now how did I get passed over? huh? I want to be out there now! Nope, I'll keep hobbling and tilling along.

Me, too, and this forum gives us a great support group to keep our spirits up.

Irene, I'm with you on the patience thing! You were not the only one passed over. When I get something new for the garden, a new plant or a trinket, I want it planted or placed the same day! I'm already posing ideas for the tree stump to Bob and he says, "We've got plenty of time for that." NO, WE DON'T !!! ... LOL!

Roselee, Wow, that's awful news about your tree. You must be devastated... I know I would be. It's really hard to keep a stiff upper lip when you've had that tree for so long and it's part of your beautiful landscaping. I get morose when a tree dies back for the Winter. I had a tree branch fall over once and I also decided to cut the whole tree down. I missed it so much and even my next door neighbor said that she really missed my tree. It made such a huge difference! Believe me, I totally understand!

Well, after an hour or two of fretting it's onward and upward -- as for the spirit that is. The tree is down-ward ... LOL Bob says I should be glad I have something new to plan and do. At least he lets me make the decisions and he helps. What a guy!

And you know what? There's always beach umbrellas I can stick around to provide a little shade ... :-)

This post was edited by roselee on Thu, May 22, 14 at 23:22

That's true and they have those cool sun sails!

"I've got junk in the trunk."
HAHAHAHA

I laughed at the "junk in the trunk" as well...........gotta remember that one.

My refrain that Bob 'loves' ;-) to hear is "Bags in the back" after coming home from finding reduced prices on broken bags of soil/mulch/gravel at Lowes.

Sun sails! Now that's something I hadn't thought of that's worth looking into. Thank you!

Here is a link that might be useful: Sun sails

HAHAHA
The sun sails are at all of the big box stores now. I got one last year and got Bill one a couple of weeks ago. Another thing we should have made ourselves, lol we would be gazillionaires and could buy as many plants as we wanted, LOL

Irene, I like those lyrics! I was telling Bob about the sun sails and he wonders what keeps them from blowing away. Do they have temperary stakes to push into sand or soil, or what.

Oh and Bob says my favorite line is "Sweet heart, do you think you could _____?" I never even realized how often I say it. No wonder he looks at me funny and his eyes glaze over at the first word of the phrase ... LOL.

HAHAHAHA, I bet if I had a nickel for every" sweetheart, do you think you could.....?" I could buy any plant I want, HAHAHAHAHA
I love the name also

They have tie offs at every end, so you can hook them to the house eave, tree,( except ash) railing, etc

This post was edited by jolanaweb on Sat, May 24, 14 at 15:13