The Great May Garage Clean Out

Okay, Jules!

Your idea "The Great May Garage Clean Out!"  I'm in.  Here is what we have to start with. 

Ugh! But hey, I'm in.  I am all for the getting rid of  stuff!  I am all for the organizing of what I already have!

But then again I am all in favor of naps and brownies too!  :o|

Oh, and by the way, I think your garage is many times cleaner than my garage already, so I think I should get some handicap points.  :o)

I will take  a picture on Sunday and once a week throughout the month of May, so that you can watch the progress. 

Now I have to go have a brownie and take a nap~

                  Bud

Double Duty

Jules ~  This is an article I wrote for the Dallas Organic Garden Club's Newsletter. The picture illustrates why vegetables are good, but not the only good thing about having a garden. 
Hope you enjoy!

               Bud

How to Improve Your Garden Using Your Computer

No, this is not an article about planting keyboard keys and growing Macintoshs from them, but wouldn't that be great!

I learn from the speakers that we have each month, but many of the little gems that I have learned over the last 10 years are from the internet. I am sure that many of you have had this experience as well. The internet will allow folks to seek out new inventive ways of doing things that are just perfect for their own situations or scan through completely unique and not necessarily associated topics and find ideas to adapt to their situations.

So I am going to share some things that I have found with their links and I hope that some of these will help or inspire you. Obviously if you come across links that you think would be good for others in our community then please share them in one or both of the DOGC's communication tools: Our web forums or our facebook site.

So here are a few of my favorite discoveries:

Rotary Compost Sifter
I found this idea while reading a blog. For those of you who aren't familiar with blogs. They are online musings posted by anyone on anything. Marie Tedei has one, I have one, Chi Yeh has one. If any of you have one that you would like to share then you know where to share that info (see communication tools above :o). I found this on Henbogle, who saw it on Gardenweb, that got it from Instructables. All of which I recommend.

Instuctables gives specific instructions on how to make a compost sifter that rolls on wheels similar to a dryer's action. Reducing the work required and increasing the speed with which the sifting gets done.

Vegetable Variety Resource

Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners, this site is provided by Cornell University. You can join in or just use it as a resource. Launched in 2004, this site includes over 5,600 vegetable variety descriptions with seed sources, more than 3,400 reviews from more than 2,300 registered users, and online tools are available to help you find the best varieties for your garden. All of the vegetable growers in our club should be a part of this community.

Urban Orcharding

I found this amazing video about urban orcharding on this blog. If you ever wanted lots of fruit trees, but thought you didn't have enough room then check out this site and specifically the video Starting Your Urban Orchard -Your Guide to Green - Greg's Blog. Greg's method of growing fruit from normal sized fruit trees that have been sort of bonzai'd is terrific. I am trying it on a peach tree in my backyard and if it is successful you can beleive there will be more fruit trees in my future.

Craig's List

My final recommendation is to check out Craig's List for two things: First, as recommended by Laura Sims, check out the "Free" pages. I believe Laura found a treasure trove that way. And secondly, check out any edible offerings. Eating local may be easier than you think if a neighbor, that you just haven't met yet, has an over abundance from their garden that they would like to sale or share.

Technology has turned out to be a great thing for those of us that like to spend time in the garden even if Macintosh's don't grow on trees....oh wait... :o)

A Fun Project

Hi Bud,

Every once in a while you get a project that you can really sink your teeth into. I had the opportunity of doing a 6,000 sq ft. ob/gyn doctor's office.

My charge was to make it  warm and comfortable and inviting for the patients. I spent weeks putting together designs for the individual exam rooms (12), doctor's personal offices (4), procedure, sonogram and mammography rooms as well as the hallways, spaces for a large staff and the two waiting rooms.
 All of the work had to be completed after the patients went home in the evening and on the week-ends. I knew that non of those 12 exam rooms could be down for even an hour during the project. As many design jobs go, it started small and grew. I was fortunate to work with doctors who allowed me to expand the project and spend the time and funds necessary to transform the office. We did considerable paint, but also extensive wallpaper. There were 30 spaces that had new wallpaper installed. Wallpaper can add so much warmth and interest to a room. The carpet was fabulous and we put a special anti-microbial backing on it that allows easy care and clean up.

It took months to complete the project and I am very proud of it. The doctors, nurses, staff and patients have all been very complimentary. I received a phone call from the managing doctor of the practice one day who happily reported that, "today I received 11 compliments on the office." What more could you ask for?

I am including pictures of the lobby and as well as one of the hallways. In the lobby I used multiple fabrics, a soft wallcovering, a patterned carpet and large art pieces that just finished it off.

Once all the paint, carpet and furniture were installed, we added nearly 70 pieces of art to the building. It makes all the difference.

I hope you enjoy it!

Jules

One Little Corner . . .

Hi, Jules ~

One little corner of the dining room is beginning to look refurbished.  Isn't it amazing how much longer things take to do than you think they will. Ugh!

As of today I have about 5 or 6 of the white squares on my floor painted, the cornice board over the window is up, an experimental painting idea for the top of the wallpaper is about 1/4 complete.   

Don't panic about the hot pink cuz it may get toned down.  Easier to tone down than tone up, you know. Oh, my that is true in so many ways (reference: a certain goal lacking from my 'goals for this year' mentioned in an earlier post - eek!).

I know that you have experienced this too, but don't you just hate how a small project becomes a large project just because you are looking at everything so much more closely.  I have to paint the ceiling in the dining room again, but don't hold your breath for any pictures of that, cuz it may not get done until the next millenia.  And the windows! GAD!  I have to wash my windows on the outside.  Now there's a job that doesn't get done often enough.

This weekend will allow me to make some progress though.  To allow myself more time I will be making my Mom's standby burger and mashed potatoes with peas for our big meal.  I love my mom's old standby, I hope you and your mom will too.

Thanks for visiting,

                             Bud