Friday, July 25, 2008

The Three Dollar Backyard Garden....( oh and Friday Night Music..)

"Once you choose hope, anything's possible." ~Christopher Reeve


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"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come." ~Anne Lamott

This is my backyard oasis...I moved here about 16 monthes ago, and the first summer was spent trying to find the Secret Garden under debris and overgrowth.....It is still in transition, Under Construction...It is where I escape to think, burn incense and candles and yes.... Hope....Everything here has been salvaged every pot, even some of the plants, the chairs,the tablecloth, the Birdbath made from a thrown out lamp at the curb, actually most of it is from "Curbside Shopping Specials".The Suitcase I painted and I lug my Garden Tools round in it... I spent 2 dollars on a can of Green Rustoleum for the chairs, And the fabric I bought at a yardsale for 1 dollar...So it really is my 3 Dollar Garden...

So have a Sit...and some Iced Tea.And there is plenty here to read , so scroll down, there is the "Amish and Monty Python","Lessons from our Children" , some politics, and there is some Soulfood, and other throughtprovoking posts. I have to go run some errands I will be back later this evening...There is some Fresh Mint over by the Birdbath...Make yourself at Home....namaste.

Some Music for you on this steamy Friday....David Gray " Babylon"...for your afternoon...


AND for your Friday Night Music....Ben Taylor, who is amazing, he is Carly Simon's and James Taylor's son, and yes, he is incredibly talented .....I first posted this song and it had 400 views...NOW it has over 180,000...Now this is the kind of music for a Friday Night sitting in my garden...Have a good night...

When you come to the edge of All that you Know,
you must Believe in one of two things:
There will be earth upon which to stand,
or you will be given wings."
author unknown.
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BANKS Issue::: So I know that many are worried about the Bank Closings Issue, DK over at Redheaded Wisdom has written a really helpful post about how to check on your monies...so head over....

30 comments:

jmsjoin said...

I'm telling you enigma!
That picture of you with those eyes... That is a beautiful $3 spot to sit, relax, and contemplate. you did a good job making do and creating a nice little spot for yourself. Hope you get to enjoy it often!

Ingrid said...

wow..I wish I could hop over and sit there with you..I'd curl up with a book and you could sit and think and hope..[g]..I should take a picture of our bare bones garden...there is so much to do but you do give me hope girlie..no need to spend a 100 bucks on a bird bath..just salvage, and get the rustoleum out...I'll need to go out and look for stuff..I'll let you know when I get my 'before' pics out..hugs

Ingrid

Bradda said...

Quite a relaxing little nook you have enigma. I'm jealous because in L.A. you have to drive an hour to find a spot like that. Everything else is covered in asphalt. Thanks for checking my blog out also, we added you to our Literate Electorate!

Mariamariacuchita said...

Wow. Very comforting space, with pretty flowers. I also like the Ann Lamott quoter. I heard her read a short story at a conference last year...quite a writer. She had her hair all in small rastabraids.

enigma4ever said...

Bradda::
hey there , I love your blog....I am adding it to the Blog tonight and putting you on the Round Up this Weekend....(I love the name of it....)....I live Urban - for now- Cleveland...but I live in the heart of an old neighborhood- 2 miles from the heart of downtown....I am so so lucky to have this little oasis....the first 18 monthes here I lived in Downtown Ctown with my teenage son- in an Old Renovated Loft...BUT...then in the dead of winter it got foreclosed on our landlord.....sooooo Off I went In Search...and the first time I was in this old side by side- 3 story side by side....OLD 1894 ....and well, very very run down....and there was 2 feet of snow and ice and alot of trash in the back- but I just knew there was a garden out that kitchen window...and I could find it.....( cheapest rent I have ever ever had..because I negogiated with the Landlord to clean , fix and paint the house- every single room...)

I was West Coast before that....Cali- Mid Coast...and the NW.....so I still very must miss the West Coast.....sigh...BUT I am very very lucky to have this little oasis....that is why I wanted to share it with everyone....
nice to meet you ;-)

Ingrid::::
I am a bit of a packrat...in a good way....Sundays is Trash Night- I call it Curbside Shopping....oooops be right back,,,,Kitty fight...

Bradda said...

Sometimes the places that need a little elbow grease are the best!

Billie Greenwood said...

Simply beautiful! Your ingenuity only enhances the impact.

enigma4ever said...

Hey there Bradda...
yup...ahem..this place needed ALOT of elbow grease;-) BUT I like a goooood challenge....as Soon as I know Blogger is fixed I will add you to the Blogroll...
( It keeps flashing that it is unavailable)....

Now back to responding to folks- Blogger was FRitzing....yikes...

Maria::::
I have no idea what happened to my last reply it went out the window......Blogger spat it out.....Anyways...I saw her also on I think a talk show with Travis late one night and I was so moved that she talks like she writes....and yes, I love her braids...

Ingrid:::
hey there...yup..paint, duct tape, and soap..and GLUE....and you can find amazing things....I don't DIG...I itterally just look for things that are set to the curb, and make sure it is not too hazardy looking....hmmm , I don;'t think I have any Before pics...well some with snow ;0

Have a good weekend friend..

Patriot:::
NOW for the 3rd time I have tried to post...thanks...wink-blush.....gee....ahem....now back to the garden - I had to share with you....yup....everyone should have a seceret garden...Have a great night...

Agi said...

Very nice. My summer project is to spruce up my little backyard with some raised boxes filled with herbs and vegetables, possibly a fountain. I can't wait to sit back with a mint julep in my hand and listen to the water dribble...

X. Dell said...

That space looks like a beautiful spot to drink tea, collect thoughts, and listen to David Gray.

Daniel said...

Hey, Enigma, nice to see you all serene and all.

I heard Obama say this morning that America had done nothing in recent years that required any apology. It rather shattered me.

Take care of yourself.

Enigma4ever said...

Daniel::
I had not heard that...can you find it for me? or tell me where to look ? that is upsetting ....that would be shattering for any of us to hear....I wonder if you only were played a snippet of a quote ( which happens here daily....or it is played out of context) that does not sound like what he says when he speaks in public....or what he has written in his books...so this does concern me...

thanks...

Angie said...

What a beautiful space you've created! Way to go on reusing so much to create your garden oasis. You're very Green!

Dada said...

Thanks for the soothing music. I love your Secret Garden. It just invites you in to share the serenity of place it exudes. Mrs. Dada said it looks very much like a European garden. (I can't verify that, having never been to Europe myself.)

Thanks, Enigma, for sharing these relaxing scenes.

enigma4ever said...

Dada::
big welcome to you and mrs dada...
oh that is such a nice compliment from Mrs Dada....( I don;t know- because I have not really been to Europe...I have been to some very overunn garderns in Northern England..and it could resemble I guess ???
maybe we need research expeditions one day to find out...lol)

I can not blog politics all the time....I gotta blog Life sometimes...jus life...

ANgie:::
oh thanks for saying that...and I guess I am green...my son calls it " Martha Stewart a La Garbage Art"....( he knows that she annoys me...)
thank you...

Larry said...

"If you don’t think every day is a good day, just try missing one".

Cavett Robert

D.K. Raed said...

You are like a cirque d'soleil acrobat in stretching a dollar! No one can get more green for less green! Thanks for the peaceful garden space ... perfect spot to collect one's thoughts ... and the mint is right there so handy to snip a leaf & throw in the tea.

enigma4ever said...

Larry Larry...
you have indeed been sooooo missed..welcome back...

DK:::::
whelp- you know the scots ever sooooo frugal....It became kind of challenge to seen if this little reclaimed space could be made Solely from Abandoned goodies....good to see you ...thanks...

D.K. Raed said...

Do birds actually use your birdbath? I know I always feel very bad when the water has evaporated & I see a bird desperately trying to find some moisture (they must know all the neighborhood water spots in this heat). I saw a couple rabbits tonight LICKING our sprinkler heads (which run in the A.M. so I can't imagine what few drops were still there by evening) ... that shows you how dry it is here!

What are those red flowers on the right side of your pic? I was thinking geraniums, but when I clicked to enlarge, it doesn't look like geranium leaves. Very pretty!

And yeah, we scots can sure squeeze a dollar. We are known for being very proud of having short arms & deep pockets. Thriftiness born of necessity!

enigma4ever said...

DK:::
Hey there....
About the bird bath- yup...they sure do...I was so happy that they do..and so were the cats watching from the Kitchen window....much glee ;-)

These are phone photos- so not real clear- sorry...the red flowers were curb throw outs and kind of dead- I brought them home and repotted- but I think the one is peonies, and one is geranium, and then the other is a total mystery- and you can not tell from the photo but the smaller pots I have seeds planted- waiting for those to come up - morning glories, blackeyed susans,poppies...and there is mint in the back...and then there are some pumpkins planted in a couple of pots ( nothing up though)..if I see plants by the curb I take them...no one should throw plants out- that just seems wrong....oh and my irises and tiger lillys just died about a week ago..and I had to cut them down- I loved them..and they looked good together,...oh well...

Not bad for a first try...

Unknown said...

Sorry I've come late to this thread and I don't have time to read all the comments.

I love that suitcase! Your spot may have cost three bucks but it's worth a million. What a lovely space. I would dearly love to sit with you there, candle burning, ice melting in the tea...

Thank you.

Namaste, my friend
Pagan

enigma4ever said...

Pagan::
hey there friend...good to see you ..have a sit and some tea and read a bit...( yeah....the suitcase was an idea that was born out of laziness...I was tired of walking back around the house to get the tools...)

namaste..

********************
I will try to post this afternoon..
Blogger is being very unreasonable...
and sluggish....so can't get my post to load...

I will be back....

All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said...

all i can say is that i love me some flowers and being in the dirt

enigma4ever said...

torrance....

me2...me2...

Distributorcap said...

arent gardens the best..... i wish i had one here in the city

as for ben taylor -- he looks SO much like both of his parents --- it is amazing

enigma4ever said...

Distributor Cap...
you can come by my urban oasis anytime ;-)

As for Ben Taylor...isn't something...and he sounds like both of them too??? I can't believe he is better known....maybe that is a good thing though....

Utah Savage said...

I LOVE your garden, and many of my treasures are from the curbside discard bonanza. But I haven't put in any real work on my garden for so long it has gone wild. When early autumn comes and the temperatures drop, I will make small amends. Sorry I'm so late to the garden party. I'm trying to put my fiction in order. Editing is not my strong suite, so it's like doing house work and I keep procrastinating.

I'm taking a blogging break on my U S site and I'm working behind the scenes to improve the writing. But I have to get out more. I've missed your gorgeous place. It's so peaceful here in your garden.

enigma4ever said...

Utah,
you can come here anytime...I always have a little bit of everything..some music...some soulfood..and a bit of politics...please don't be a stranger...if you are going to be writing and editing and need a break do come by....take care...

Mary said...

So creative! Looks like a most relaxing spot. I too love Ben Taylor. His voice just melts me.

enigma4ever said...

Mary::
it is my little heaven...so hidden too...I love Ben Taylor...his voice does just melt anyone...