Inspiration for the Pool Hole Landscape

Now that the weather is warming - I'm back to scheming (about the landscaping). I've discussed the pool hole before and how I want to change it - but here's a bit more.

I've lined up a few burly guys (for a donation to their rugby club) to do the manual labor of tearing out a fairly large raised bed and dumping that dirt into the pool hole to improve the slope a bit, reshape the edge of the hole for drainage, add a dry creek bed with rocks from the raised bed (again for drainage - water goes amongst the rocks instead of on the surface area), and fill in with more dirt as needed. It's a big project, but the result is better backyard access (with the raised bed gone), a play area for Max, and a beautiful area instead of an eyesore!

Once that's in, I'll be adding landscaping... think lots of daylilies along the upper slope, a few hostas along the edges, maybe some amaranth or quinoa for height here and there. And ornamental grass, beautiful and easy!

A little visual inspiration: (click image for source)

from our visit to the Montreal Botanical Gardens

from our visit to the Montreal Botanical Gardens

In the Clouds

There was a rainbow in the clouds this morning. It's not easy to see in the photo, but the full spectrum was there.

Garden Envy - Montreal Botanical Garden

There are definitely gardens that you should be envious of - and the Montreal Botanical Garden is one of them. Hubby took me on a date there earlier in the month (a date that involves travel is one serious date).

We were there for four hours and 12 minutes and didn't see all of it - we bypassed the arboretum and the lilacs (which had gone by of course) and only glanced at the roses. I could spend days there... I was so overloaded with inspiration that we'd been driving for at least an hour on the way home before I could start gushing.

Here's some eye candy for you!

yours truly, feeling at home (I miss Poway)

shade plants + hubby = twice the eye candy

Book Flowers

A young lady that I (peripherally) work with made these beautiful paper flowers out of book pages and twigs. Stunning, aren't they? And so simply but beautifully displayed in a dark green bottle.

Beautiful Food

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I got a thank you note postcard a few days ago and was struck by how beautiful the postcard is. I wish my canned goods looked that good.

Cool Recycled Envelope

Check out this envelope that I got from Germany (yeah, I got mail from Germany. I tell ya, opening that envelope made me feel like a kid again even though it was work related. It just seems so exotic...)

It's a map! Yes, a topographical map that this envelope making company used to make the envelope. The outside is white and professional looking, and as you can see from the photo the inside is the printed map side.

I checked out their website (which I've forgotten the address for, sorry), and even though I couldn't read a lot of it my barely remembered high school German was enough to figure out that this company makes a lot of interesting and useful things out of unwanted or overstocked items from other companies. Like map making companies.

I know there are a lot of tutorials on how to make your own envelopes out of scrap paper, and I always mean to do it, but it would be nice to have a company that does it for you. Do you know of one in the US?

31 Days of Inspiration: Max

Max is the reason why I get up every day. He's the reason why I seldom have to set an alarm clock. He's the reason that I wanted a house with a yard and room to run. He's the reason why I grew more green beans than I knew what to do with. He's the reason why I sew tiny clothes. He's the reason why I do an extra load or two of laundry a week. He's the reason I was put on this planet. He's the reason why my love knows no bounds. He's the reason why my patience has expanded to almost boundless. He's my ultimate inspiration.

He's also the reason why I go to sporting events. He loves it. :)

31 Days of Inspiration: Art

by Roz

by Roz

by Roz

by enrouge

31 Days of Inspiration: Indoor Gardening

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31 Days of Inspiration: Outdoor Gardening

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grow 100 lbs of potatoes

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colorful tomato cages

straw bale gardening

31 Days of Inspiration: Smart Storage

Not just smart storage - but smart storage that I could actually DIY. Or DIM. (do it myself... but DIM is not a nice looking acronym, is it?)

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Those are magazine files and a piece of wood, folks.

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Yes, a bookshelf in the door. BOOKSHELF IN THE DOOR. That's just awesome.

31 Days of Inspiration: Chairs

I want these chairs. There's no image source unfortunately as they were posted on Craigslist and have since expired.

Can you tell I have a certain chair style?

My free chair has really similar fundamentals - wood and upholstery. It will not be solid green tho...

31 Days of Inspiration: Scrabble!

I love Scrabble - and decorators loves it too!

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31 Days of Inspiration: Floors

Painted floors, painted stairs, and a rug - it's all good.

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