iPod

Zach bought me an iPod today and I am so excited! I'm using it as my motivation to get back into an exercise routine. I have been incredibly lazy.

Since accessories for this gadget are so freakin' expensive, I decided to create my own iPod armband. I think it turned out fabulous! I had fun doing it, especially since I've been on a craft ban until the quilt is finished. I'll have some quilting to do this week to offset it.

Figs!

My adventure in figs started with the help of Zach's grandfather. He has amazing fig trees that he continually uses to grow more fig trees! I took a tree home to our apartment a couple years ago, but that was a disaster. Once we moved to the house, I agreed to take another. Although his preference was for the tree to remain potted, brought inside for the winter and during cool nights and the beginning and end of the season, I chose to plant it in the soil.

I really didn't know how to care for it, especially over the winter, but I did my best. This summer was the second season at the house and although it has been growing, I'm still not sure that I caring for it correctly. I was warned that it probably wouldn't produce figs until the end of the summer because the growing season here is still a little cooler than it would prefer. It also may not produce until next year because of its age.

I got to see quite a few fig trees at Longwood Gardens and really got excited to correctly care for my own tree. I was super excited once I returned home to find a fig growing on my tree! I have absolutely no idea if I even like figs or not, but to have it produce - lovely!

While visiting Pop-pop (Zach's grandfather) this July, he had convinced me to take home a second fig tree that he had started to grow this season. I agreed, but had no idea where I would plant this one, so it has remained in its pot since returning home. I checked on it today and guess what! It has a little fig growing. Wowzer! I actually am contemplating keeping this second tree potted and caring for it the way Pop-pop does. I'll have to find a spot in the garage for it.

P.S. I have no idea how to eat figs - I looked it up on YouTube :)

Longwood Gardens

Mom and I were finally able to enjoy a nice day at Longwood Gardens. Our original trip was planned about a month ago, but we were experiencing 110 degree weather at that point and we just could not imagine enjoying a day outside in that temperature. So, yesterday we were not complaining with a humid, 80 degree day. Even the thunderstorm that rolled through in the evening didn't stop us from have a good time!

Here are a few pictures. I may have taken more photographs, but we were toward the end of the season for most of the perennials and the storm forced us to explore part of the gardens later in the evening.

The annual beds in the idea garden.

Blooming perennial

These sunflowers were gigantic.

Waterfall and Chime Tower.

The sky's starting to turn gray. At this point the weather turned much cooler - relief from the humidity was on its way!

A rainbow after the rain stopped.

We were able to duck inside for dinner for the majority of the storm.

Pretty unique!

This was one of the two treehouses at Longwood. They were really amazing!

When we visited the other one, it was well after dark and the lights illuminated it - very pretty.

These wisteria vines were amazing. The way the wrapped around the posts so tightly was kind of creepy. It reminded us of something from Harry Potter.

This is the green wall in the Conservatory. The wall was designed so that plants grew out of it. The funny thing was, that the hallway was lined in individual bathroom that were almost futuristic-looking. I'm not quite sure what they were trying to get out of this design. It was just weird.

I love how neatly these vines were growing.

The bonsai trees were quite amazing. I'm not that excited about bonsai, but some of these trees were over 100 year old!

All in all, it was a fun day! Mom and I had a few good laughs. We both learned about QR codes and QR readers. (And if you can believe it -- Mom is much more versatile on the iphone than I am) And although Melisa wasn't able to join as a originally planned, she was there in spirit. Mom and I both brought our ASPCA tote bags (gifts from Mel), which incidentally ended up coordinating with our outfits :)

I definitely learned a lot more about plants and planning a garden. I was able to see how my variety of hydrangea should be growing, and I also got to check out some fig trees and how they were pruned. Mom decided she loves the indigo plant and will be searching for some to add to her garden.

Coming up Empty

Well, I barely pulled a post together last week and this week I'm not going to do any better. In fact, I don't even have pictures. I have had a very busy week at work which concluded with an exhausting Saturday shift, so I am taking this weekend off - completely. I will be a bum if I want to. I will be productive if I want to. But I will set no goals at all for myself. Ahh...that feels good already!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Fun Outdoors

My beautiful boys enjoying their time outside.

Fred

Beeker

Otis

Wilbur

Here's a short clip of Wilbur and Otis. I was trying to catch Wilbur, who was laying flat on his back with his legs up over his head. I couldn't get up for my camera, so I tried the camera built into my laptop. Once I figured it out, though, of course Wilbur had changed positions. Oh well...