I Failed in my Attempt

This is hard. The nicotine patch and gum works well. I just caved last night. I am a 40 year smoker and cigarettes has become my friend. I know it isn't a good friend. I have to get my mind reset with a new strategy. I am not giving up.

Monday - Promising

This is what I bought this weekend.

Getting hurricane ready.

Success....

Fertilizer Friday - TGIF

Good Friday morning friends. TGIF. It's Friday in case you didn't know - time to join the party over at Tootsie Time to show off our blooms. http://www.tootsietime.com/

I'm so glad I made myself get out and at least water my babies and take a few photos. I hate not participating in the weekly get togethers.

Faithful begonias. They are so tolerant of the dry conditions. It doesn't seem to even bother them.

Theis a four o'clock that has been in this stage for over 2 wks. I have looked at it at different times of day and it is the same all the time. The plant is loaded with little 'almost' flowers all over it. This is a Marvel of Peru.

Milkweed is flowering now. Butterflies are everywhere but all I've seen so far are swallow tails. They won't stay still long enough for me to get a photo.

Cannas still blooming.

Verbena and coleus.

Vincas.

Cleome is beginning to bloom.

That's about all I have for today.

I feel that I am so fortunate to have found that blogging would lead to so many friends. I appreciate each and every comment from my post yesterday. You all are so encouraging to me.

I am a list maker. Nicotine patch and nicotine gum and hard candy are on my walmart list. I plan to apply the patch on Monday.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Fizzled Out

Here I am. OK. I'm in a rut. I'm just feeling fizzled out. I walk by my gardens checking to see what is making it through this extreme heat and what has tuckered out. The fertilizer sits on the shelf in the utility room needing to be used. The garden hose is turned on for at least 2 hours every other day and some plants are struggling. My camera sits in my purse where it always is but lately it hasn't left my purse. No pictures have been taken in 2 weeks which is why I haven't posted much lately. The temps are high with heat factors of 100-110 almost every day. The heat really overcomes the desire to be outdoors. Today the temps are around 100 in my neck of the woods. I do the same things every day at nearly the same times. Deal or No Deal has become my favorite show when I come home from work. I'm gonna have to cut good looking Howie Mandel off more often. Not to mention that Young and the Restless is on from 6-7p on the soap channel and I can't miss my friends in Genoa City.

I am knowingly hurting myself every day by not exercising and doing things against my health. I am not a young person anymore either so taking care is even more important. Why is it so hard to do these things to help myself. It is a struggle. I have a perfect walking spot. I have an exercise bike in a spare bedroom and I even have a TV to watch in there. But I just walk by it every day and think I really need to get back on that bike.

My heart flutters and my BP rises and falls throught out the day. I am not stressed out either. I know from tests over the past 6 months that I already have plaque build up in my heart and it is the early stages of heart disease. I worry that I am a heart attack waiting to happen. Then will I do what I need to do. My elbow is killing me. My knees hurt and swell as well. I wish I could/would give up these nasty cigarettes. I know they are offensive and are killing me. I have smoked since I was 14 years old. Sure I have quit over the years a couple of times - even for a 2 year period one time. I stupidly picked them up again. I don't eat properly. I go for several days at a time eating only a few things and then get to feeling bad. I live alone so I hate cooking for myself. But I need to be more consious of my eating habits. I have vitamins but I don't take them either. I need to take them.

I know what I NEED to do. I know that it is entirely up to me to change. No one can make me. Confessing it here is hard to do but confessing is half the battle. I acknowledge that I have these problems and I need to CHANGE.

Now what am I going to do? I am going to tend to my gardens today. I am going to ride the bike today. I am making plans to purchase some nicotine patches and nicotine gum. I am going to make notes about what is going to help me over the next month and then the next and so on. I am going to DO THIS. Small changes lead to big changes. I will blog about my health and successes and failures on my other blog.

I write this for my own personal accountability.

WINNER - 200th Post Giveaway

CONGRATULATION TO MARYDON FORD AS THE WINNER OF THE WAX BURNER. MARYDON HAS THE NEATEST BLOG. http://blushingrosetoo.blogspot.com/ .    You need to go check out her blog - I know you will be delighted with what you see.

Hope you all have a nice Monday.

Fertilizer Friday - TGIF

Good Friday morning and a fine one it is. I'm so glad today is Friday. I have lots to do this weekend such as cut my grass. My mower has been out of commission for 4 weeks and my grass hasn't been cut since then. Yea! It is fixed. I need desperately to tend to my gardens - stuff needs to be cut back and new plants put in place of ones that have died off. It would be more fun if the temps weren't so cool. Finally we are getting some rain and that is keeping the temps to the low 90's.

I hope you all are doing well today. Today is Fertilizer Friday - the day we gather over at Tootsie's to flaunt our pretties. Ya'll go check out Tootsie Time at http://www/tootsietime.com/ and see who else is flaunting their blooms today.

These zinnias just don't quit. They are die hards. I am collecting seeds from all of my zinnias. I will share and get addresses of those wanting seeds.

I think this is bee balm. Correct me if I'm wrong. I tend to forget names of flowers (and people - I'm just terrible with names). This one I put in the ground from a clearance sale at Walmart and finally it is beginning to bloom. I have butterfly's all over the place but can't seem to catch one in action.

I just love this zinnia.

Forget me knots still blooming.

Dianthus are coming back for another round of blooms.

It's short and sweet today. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Thanks for stopping buy.

Don't forget to leave a comment for the giveaway on the previous post.

200th Post Giveaway

I love blogging. I just passed a milestone in blogging. This is my 202nd post. I still find it hard to believe that you all actually read my post - something that I write. I am humbled. I read and appreciate each and every comment.

Why I blog.

When I moved into my rental house 3 years ago there was not a single flower on the property - nearly 4 acres. I have always enjoyed growing flowers but never really got to where I wanted.

Since starting my blog I have created 4 garden areas. I have been blessed by my fellow bloggers with seeds this spring. My gardens have flourished. I enjoy gardening like I never have before. It is theraputic. When you are in the gardens it seems there is nothing but pretties and the expectation of more beauties opening up to kiss the sun.

I started this blog as a means to share what I'm doing. It helps me to be accountable. I blog because I like participating in what others are doing. I blog because it's fun. I blog because it also takes your mind off of yourself and into what others are doing, sharing and their lives. Because we are friends we sometime share what's going on in our lives and reach out. There are prayer warriors all over blogland. And when we share we can be sure that someone is praying for us.

I want to gift this to someone. It is Delightful Daisy Wax Burner. All you have to do is leave a comment. You must be a blogger - no anonymous will be considered. The winner will be announced on Monday.

Hope you all have a blessed day.

Bloomin' Tuesday

Good Tuesday morning blogging buddies. Today is the day we all get together over at Jeans to share what's blooming in our gardens. Head on over to Jeans at http://msgreenthumbjean.blogspot.com/ to see who else has somthing blooming.

I purchased a couple more plants this weekend. I love this pot with these beautiful babies. I love coleus and have no idea why I have none in my gardens. Help me out here - what is the red flower.

I love vincas almost as much as begonias. They tolerate dry and hot conditions very well here. I only purchased 2 this weekend. A light pink and a darker pink.

This basil smells so good. Makes my want to cook some spaghetti. I have never used fresh herbs before so this will be a new experience.

Parsley

Jasmine is growing very well. And yes it smells good. Hurt my knees getting down that close.

These zinnias have not stopped blooming all year.

Well look at this. I finally grew some peaches that are so good. This is my first eatable peaches. They are juicy and sweet. I did the happy dance when I cut them open and tasted them. Yummy. I think I'll have to make something with them. Throw me some ideas.

My little Buddy. Just got a haircut. They messed up but oh well it's just hair. He needs more puff on top.

Oops this was suppose to be at the top.

That's it for today. Hope you all have a great day.

This and That Weekend

I got me a cool hair cut last week. Can't tell ya when my hair was this short. The older I get the less time I want to spend in front of a mirror or with a blow dryer in my hand. I went ahead and put a color on it thank goodness. It was looking pretty bad.

My new phone I purchased this weekend. Actually my contract was due to renew anyway. It'll be great when I figure out all the bells and whistles. My main reason for having a phone like this is during hurricane season. Since TV's have gone digital we can no longer use our old B&W battery operated ones. So I'll be able to access the weather and local TV stations using this one.

I stopped at a yard sale this weekend too. Look what I found. It was marked $15 but I only paid $10. I am going to paint it. I love the carved wood. It will go good with my antique sofa.

The fellow at the yard sale was giving these flower pots away. I've never seen anything like these. Very different. I think I'm gonna paint them blue and place them in the garden with the yellow tire. Maybe.

Our weather is hot hot hot. Temps in the upper nineties and humidity. With the heat factor feels like 110. Ouch. Can't do any gardening in weather that hot. However I did purchase a couple more plants this weekend and planted them. I'll share those tomorrow.

PS This is my 201 post. I can't believe it. I can't believe that you guys actually read what I write. I never knew writing could be this much fun. And that I'd meet so many fantastic people from all walks of life. I will be doing a party give-a-way on Wednesday. So come back and check it out.

Bloomin' Tuesday

It's Bloomin' Tuesday over at Jean's. Ya'll stop over and see who has something blooming today. I know you'll like what you see.

I don't have much to share today. I've been busy this weekend cleaning and weeding the gardens. I pulled out a couple of things that just wasn't doing it for me.

I told ya I was going to buy some color. Didn't make it to Lowe's/Home Depot but I picked up 3 clearance plants as Wal Mart. This is a beautiful shade of Cherry Rose Geranium. They will look nice in the gardens.

Glad I found this Shasta Daisy. I'm tired of waiting on my plants to produce a flower. This one was in a gallon container so it is pretty big. I cut back the dead spots on both plants.

That's all I have today. I'll have more to share next week.

I will be trying to get around to visit you all over the next couple of days. I have been flooded with work right now and am very busy (that's a good thing). 

Hope you all had a great Independance day. Mine was quiet and enjoyed some delicious grilled chicken. Have a gread day.

Fertilizer Friday

Hey everybody! Ya'll know what day it is - TGIF. I am ready for the weekend. But before we start our weekend let's get together over at Tootsies and flaunt our bloomers and hopefully some of us are fertilizing. Whatever - let's get the party going here. http://www.tootsietime.com/

Blogger is now loading different and all of my photos were loaded in reverse order. Oh well - the changes will take some getting used to.

I got around to weeding this bed and it really is showing too much dirt - so what's a gardener to do. Think I'll go buy me some more color. The okra hibuscus is laying on the ground here. It'll break if I try to tie it up but it is still giving me some blooms.

I like the way this area looks. The colors really pop against the dusty miller. Zinnias yellow and pink and pink begonia with white vincas. Yet to bloom are my shasta daisy's. I am not expecting my lupine to do anything.

A closer look at the zinnias. I like how that so many are blooming in this one spot.

I am collecting seeds now from my zinnias. I will be looking for folks who would like some of these beauties. They grow around 4+ feet and will topple over in the wind. These are kinda on the ground but are still blooming beautifully. They grow best in 6+ hours of sun and are tolerant of dry conditions. Zinnias are a no fuss plant except for being so big.

Darn it some places on my post my curser wants to be in the center and then it finds itself over to the left. And then I can't get between some photos.

Anyway the dahlias are still beautiful.

Hope you all have a wonderful and safe Independence Day. 1776-2010 Happy Birthday America