Re-Booting My System

Well friends, a lot of time has passed since my last post. A LOT.  Looking back on 2017, I only posted 6 times.  There was plenty going on, but nothing I felt like writing about, except for those 6 posts. So now I'm ready to fill in the gaps and get back to blogging!

As you may have read, my 90 year old Mom came to live with us from Texas at the first of the year, and she sadly passed on a couple of months later.  We all loved the time we had together, though not long enough.  She was an absolute joy, and not a day goes by without missing her terribly.

My husband Seamus was my rock after Mom was gone.  Luckily, he was home and with me every day for the first few months since his work is seasonal.  I threw myself into several different projects around the cottage and garden. That helped a great deal. I did this -

Gravel in place of grass = less mowing!

And this -

I LOVE this rocking bench.

And planted these - 

But somewhere along the way, something happened.  My hubby started his tours and I was alone a lot. And then, the big, beautiful spruce tree behind the cottage died and had to be removed. I know that doesn't sound like a tragedy, but  after that, I just couldn't find the joy in the things that usually bring me joy.  

I stopped crafting. I stopped painting furniture. I stopped walking in the forest. I started binge-watching telly.  Oh, and binge eating junk food.  You know, REALLY productive stuff!! LOL

And if that weren't bad enough, Mother Nature brought us the first-ever hurricane to Ireland in the form of Ophelia.  And this was the result -

I thought I cried when we lost the ONE tree - In total, it was over a dozen large trees, including the huge cypress that came down on top of our new shed. The insurance examiner was quick enough to come out and assess the damage, but due to the widespread damage across Ireland, getting our site cleared took a couple of months. When the clearing was done, this is what we were left with -

And here are a few of the Before and Afters -

BEFORE

AFTER

 

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

                                 

                             

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

It breaks my heart to see the AFTERS, but it's important to remember how it was before so it can hopefully be again. I am determined to plant more TREES, and lots of them!!!

Once the trees were taken away and the shed was rebuilt, both my hubby and I suddenly got the home improvement bug again - FINALLY!!!

So, at long last, I'm happy to say that new projects have sprung up at Moonlight Cottage! Stay tuned, because I have plenty to show you in my upcoming posts. I try not to leave you hanging too long this time!

“Autumn Leaves and Pumpkins, Please”

“Advice from a pumpkin: be well-rounded, get plenty of sunshine, give thanks for life's bounty, have thick skin, keep growing, be outstanding in your field, think big." -- Unknown

I’ve always had a fascination for pumpkins. I think part of it is how very fleeting they are - we don’t give them a thought until October, and by Christmas they are long forgotten. 

This is my first attempt at growing these beautiful orange orbs. Truth be told, it’s my first attempt at growing any kind of vegetable. A normal person would start with some simple like tomatoes, but then, I have never claimed to be normal!

I can tell you that after just a couple of months as a pumpkin farmer I am 100% hooked!! I’m already planning a pumpkin patch on a much bigger scale for next year. In the meantime, here’s a few pictures of the current crop for your viewing pleasure —

Every Blooming Thing

The summer in the garden has had some ups and downs.  Let's start with the highlights:

New roses this year. Here we have David Austin's "Mary Rose" English shrub roses. 

The lavender hedge is maturing nicely. 

Starry Night petunias

A lovely "Shirley Temple" peony.

Our bird feeding station.

This hydrangea is called "Curly Wurly".

Our fire pit

This shrub rose is named "Winchester Cathedral ".

"Ebb Tide" English rose. 

Purple perennials.

Now for the unpleasant part -

Our beautiful Norway spruce tree that canopied the cottage... 

...fell ill and had to be taken down. 

I cried that entire day, to be honest.

Hard to see, but there's a guy in the tree cutting limbs.

 Just a bit of the trunk peeking over the roof.

 Some of the bits and pieces.

Nothing left but the stump.

 Proof that it was TRYING to live. New growth, but not enough.

I planted a willow tree nearby, in hopes for a new canopy in a few years.

Curb Appeal

Springtime to me means gardening. We've done nothing up to now to enhance the front garden, which is really just a little patch of grass. 

 

It's an awkward patch to mow, and doesn't really add to the curb appeal, SO --

 

 

Out with the grass, and in with the gravel! Normally I wouldn't prefer a hardscape over greenery, but over the summer this area will be transformed into a proper cottage garden. I'm still in the design phase, but stay tuned and I'll post more pics of the progress.  Wish me luck!