Peonies A Poppin'

This is my current "project". I have a big table that will seat 10. I don't have 10 chairs. I don't have room for 10 chairs. With this in mind I am always on the lookout for interesting chairs. He who knows everybody (he gets out more than me), happened upon this pew and got it for me. $50!! It needed work. It was a flat brown and it needs a support in the center. I sanded on and off for several days. The seat has some deep gouges and if I sanded them out would lose some of it's stability. So, I decided to do a dry brush of black paint, then top it off with polyurethane. I want a wipe clean surface for my grandchildren. I like the way it turned out. Now I just need some muscle to get it in the house .............. and some grandchildren to seat.

Winter was extreme this year. This maple did not fare well. It is alive, but looks so sad.

Kamp buddy Yvonne got this frog to grace my sewer pipe planter. I rescued the plant from the clearance section of dying WalMart plants.

My clematis is thriving. I was hoping it would spread more and cover the porch rail. I am happy to see the blooms, though.

There will be peaches. I just used the last bag of frozen fruit from last season. I am ready for some fresh fruit.

The last three days has brought three quarts of strawberries. Tonight we will have a fresh strawberry pie. I have no idea what the main course will be, but who cares!

I grow chives because I like the flowers! My hostas seemed to have tripled in size. They like the cold winter.

I lost my cherry tree. I am thinking we should chop it down and save it for Halloween decor. I have waited to cut it down because I want to replace it with another tree. Too bad the one I want is almost $300. I suppose I should wait until I find one on sale. I will, but I really want that Japanese Maple; really, really do.

I planted this peony last year. It was one of those clearance, about to die $1 plants from WalMart. I kind of half-heartedly stuck it in the ground. Just look at what I got!