Annuals Part 2

Summer annual season is almost over, and I realized I still had pictures to share!  I had shared my large new planters, but I still have more annuals to share with you.......

 

So here you go, you can savor them on the screen, while I savor them in real life before the frost gets them! Boo Frost!  Please note these images are from the beginning of the season, they grew lusher as the summer when on.  Also, if you want to know what anything is, just ask me!

I saw these fun pots at Home Depot and just had to have tons of them one of them! : )  I have it on my outdoor coffee table and it looks just lovely!

 

 

 

 

I have a small pot by my hose, which might be my favorite due to the fabulous color combinations!

 

 

 

 

 

I have lots of pots on my stoop.  Since we moved in I always have wanted one really low large planter there, but big planters are expensive so I keep putting lots of smaller ones clustered up there.  Last year I had all my herbs up there but it ended up looking so green...aka no color... So this year I mixed some flowers in with my herbs, which was a great idea.  Now I have things to snip when I cook AND color!

 

 

These purple ones are pretty right...well don't plant them! They never flower!  They were green and bare most of the summer, and I even was using Miracle Grow!

 

 

I forgot the name of these red plants, but how fun are they!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I put a small pot in my potting bench which you have already seen, and is basically what I did last year.  I planned on adding a few more plant to the potting bench, but never did...next year!

 

 

 

 

A few weeks after I had done my annuals, my family got me this fun rubber boot planter, so I headed back to the nursery for a few more plants.  I set it up by my potting bench since I felt I needed a little color there.  I clustered it with some a few more herbs, some mint and some basil, since the first basil I had bought was not taking off.

 

 

 

 

 

Now to the front yard.....I love my cast iron urns, but I have to be honest, I don't have great luck with planting things in them.  Not sure if it is because of the sun/shade conditions in the front yard or the lack of soil in the containers.  Next year I am going to do more shade loving annuals and see if that makes any difference. 

I noticed last year, the pale purples and yellow I did in them didn't really stand out from the street, so this year the goal was BRIGHT! Bright colors that would pop from the street and side walk. So I went with bright green, peach and bright pink.  Not what I normally would have put together, but it works!  I will update you with pictures later in the season so you can see the full effect.

 

 

So there are the rest of my annuals.  : )  Yay Plants!

Succulent Inspiration

As silly as this sentence sounds, Succulents are "in". haha These small little plants tend to be all over pinterest and 'blog lady' blogs and I want me some.  And the best part about them, is the fun little containers you see them in, like tea cup, sugar bowls, old tins, pitchers.. etc.

 

SO last weekend, when my Dad and I went to the nursery to get a tree he wanted, I got myself some succulents.  I am pretty confident I will kill them, but I am going to give it a go! ha!  I got 3 to start, just to make sure I can keep them alive. (side note, due to the less hot summer we had, my ferns actually survived this summer in my hot house, they are not looking to great, but they are alive! WIN!)

 

I have not planted them or taken any pictures yet, so I leave you with some lovely internet images to make you want succulents too! : )

 

I planned on planting them this weekend, but I just read they shouldn't have typically dense soil, so I think I need to wait until next week and steal grab a handful of gravel or sand from work to add to the potting mix before planting them.  (I am sure there is something better to use, but I am a lady on a budget.) Stay tuned for photos of what I bought. 

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oh that is so lovely, looks at those trailers....I might need a large urn of them on my patio at some point!

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 This fountain filled with them is amazing...I think I need an old fountain stat!

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Family BBQ

A few weeks ago I had my family over for a BBQ! With such a nice patio, I have to use it right? : )

It was a nice time, it was great to see everyone, chat with my family and do fancy entertaining things, like make apps and set up my potting bench bar! : )

 

Putting the potting bench bar to good use!

 

 

 

My grandparents

 

 

Oh how I love cloth napkins, especially the fun colorful summer ones!  For app recipe click here.

 

 

My parents, the first to arrive!
 

Our outdoor wicker only seats 4, so when we have larger groups, we drag the dining chairs over to the wicker side of the patio.  Part of the thought behind the furniture placement was being able to easily add additional seating.

 

 

The bird I bought myself for my birthday....love her!

 

Bunting, how I have love buntings too!  I will make a post dedicated to buntings, but I still had to show them off here. 

For soda and beers, in the spring I grabbed 2 galvanized metal tubs on sale at Target.  They are not as great as using a cooler, since the ice melts fast, but they look fun! And it works for smaller, shorter parties.

 

My aunt, uncle and cousins

 

 

The Men! (Men love sitting under buntings)

 

 

This was the first time I iced the little bucket in the potting bench and put ice in it.  It worked well and was the perfect size for my 2 pitchers.  This potting bench as been a success and I am so glad I got it!  The left is sangria ( or course) the right is a Blue Moon Cocktail.  I haven't taken pictures when I made it yet to blog about it, but check the link and do yourself a favor and make it!

Home Goods Love

I have not been to Home Goods in a long time, AND I remembered I had a gift card, so one night when Colin wasn't home I went.  I took my time and walked up and down every single isle.  It was great!

I spent more than my gift card (opps)!

Check out my new loot!

 

 

 

I got a new rug for the kitchen sink, some fall table linens and a bowl.

You remember when I talked about getting a new rug or getting the old one cleaned when we moved in about 2 years ago????? Well guess what I did about that? NOTHING! That same dirty rug has been there until I came home from Home Goods! ha!  I put the old one in the basement to get it cleaned at some point.  You know, since damp basements are great places to store rugs!

(sorry, low lighting in the kitchen for good photos)

 

 

I was drawn to these placemats and cloth napkins.  I hesitated on the napkins since the background was white, but I figured it would be ok.  Won't these make the most lovely fall table setting!

 

 

And the bowl is for succulents.  I keep seeing blog ladies have succulents around the house in fun containers like bowls, sugar bowls, pitchers,  little metal bins, etc.  So I figured a little white bowl would do the trick.  It is hard to see, but there is a subtle leaf pattern on it.  As I was waiting to pay I realized there was also a subtle butterfly pattern on it (eww) but I didn't care enough to get off line. ha! I'll keep you updated when I plant it! : )

 

Roasted Veggie App Plate

One of the pizza places by us, makes this roasted veggie app, that I love.  It is lettuce, arugula, tomatoes, roasted/grilled eggplant  and red peppers. Then it comes with fresh mozzarella, olives and bread (and sometimes white bean dip).  Sometimes it is more like roasted veggies on a bed of greens, other times it is more like roasted veggies over a salad, it depends on who is making it I guess...

Either way...YUM!

So this summer I decided to copy it, or sort of copy it. 

I have made it a few times and it seems to be a hit!

 

 

 

 

 

Here are loose ingredients and instructions:

Take eggplant and red peppers, mix them with oil olive, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder.  Then roasted them in a hot oven, filling often so they don't burn.

Take a platter and lay arugula down over it, then arrange the roasted veggies and fresh mozzarella.  I put the olives in mini bowls on the platter as well. (don't forget you have the arugula in your fridge, like I most often do ha!)

Take bread, slice it and toast it in the oven, sometime I do it plain, or sometimes with a little olive oil and garlic, just like you would for Brusetta.

You can also make it with white bean dip which I only did once, since it isn't really needed.

 

The pizza place serves this with balsamic dressing, the whipped kind, but I just put olive oil and balsamic vinegar out to drizzle on if desired. 
I still need to look into making or buying that whipped kind.

 

 

 

Make this! Serve this! It seems so fancy, but it is so easy!

Happy Labor Day

Pesto

 

Although I am enjoying the hints of fall that have started popping up, I am trying to savor the last bits of summer...One way to savor summer...turn your basil into pesto!

 

 

 

 

 

Plus my once lush basil was looking pretty sad so I figured I better use it before I lose it!

 

I planned on sharing a pesto recipe with you, only to realized I pretty much shared the same recipe already...It just comes out better due to some tips from Erin so I didn't realize it was basically the same.  I'll re-share anyway. : )

 

 

 

Pesto

from the Joy of Cooking

 

Ingredients:

2 Cups loosely packed basil leaves

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/3 cup pine nuts (or other nut)

2 medium garlic cloves

(my last recipe called for 3, which is kind of too much! sometimes

 I even do more like 1.5 garlic cloves if they are large)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

 

Directions:

Combine basil, parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic, salt and pepper in the food processor.  Start the machine, let it chop for a few seconds and then slowly add the olive oil.  I think this is the key to getting a better, more fine consistency, which is what I had always struggled with.  So Erin thank you for that tip, my pesto is much improved!

 

 

 

This time around I only did a half batch since I could only get about 1 cup of good leaves from my sad plant.

 

Once made, I like to portion in small tupperwares and freeze, that way I can take them out one dinner at a time. : )

 

 

Pretty House

Hey, I haven't have time from real posts, but I have been looking around on the internet and saw this adorable house.  This might be one of the most loveliest homes I have even seen.  Check it out, soak it up, swoon over the white washed brick...

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And while we are on the topic of drooling over lovely internet images, check this one out...I LOVE this photo. I often show it to clients as an example photos, and I never tire of it. Normally I am drawn to more formal space and more formal patios, but that irregular stone that just fades away into the lawn... Love it!

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Hi!

Hi, Don't forget about me, I have things to share and no time to share them! : ( 

Work has been crazy! 

 

I have more annuals I want to show you, and we got a new driveway I need to show you and Colin and I had a antique trip I photographed.  I want to show you more pictures of some new plants, and I think next weekend we are going to actually chalk paint something real!  Plus I have been thinking of some fall and winter decor projects for inside. Stay tuned!