Monday, February 21, 2022

Sunny on Sunday

Blueberry Flowers


The blueberry bushes, growing by the back door, are flowering!  We bought them last year and picked quite a few blueberries.  I am hoping for another good crop, this year, too, although my daughter might not be here to enjoy them fresh.  

It was a sunny day, today.  Still warm, in the low 70s, but, the weather forecast calls for some showers and cooler temperatures in the coming week.  

I spent a little more time in the shed, today, too. So, what is this shed that I've been talking about so much?  It isn't one of those cute "she sheds" that look like tiny cottages and are very pretty!  It is a very utilitarian metal shed, which was a pristine white when we bought it 30 years ago, but, it has since rusted quite a bit (the inside is grey and not rusted):

Garden Shed

It sits right behind the garage and backs up against the side garden wall; it is about 8' x 10', I think, and sits on a cemented area that was poured for the purpose.

This is how it looked inside once M had removed all the cans and bottles (which had been stored in plastic shopping bags which had disintegrated!):

Inside After the Recyclables Were Removed

This photo was taken on Friday, after things were taken out and I had started to sweep the floor:

Clean Up in Progress


Swept Floor and The Old Metal Shelving Unit

This next photo was taken after the floor and walls were hosed down, on Saturday.  There are still some stains on the floor, which I was unable to remove with just hosing it down; it's not pretty, but, I know it is relatively clean, now. 

Washed Floor


Today, I spent about an hour in the shed, removing the items that were on the metal shelving unit, pulling the shelf unit out, and hosing it down.  Then, I hosed down the shed wall that was behind the shelf unit and that part of the floor needed to be washed, again, too.  I moved the shelf unit to the opposite wall, just for a change!  Then, I decided I had to rinse out the old pots and planters before I put them back inside and that created a bit of a muddy mess just outside the shed!  I left the shed doors open to help the inside dry a bit faster, while I picked a few snow pea pods.  The doors were open for less than 5 minutes, but, it was long enough for Stripey cat, as curious as ever, to go inside to check out this interesting place!  So, I chased him away and closed the doors, again!  Later, I put a few things back, because the forecast said there might be a chance of showers in the morning.  I didn't want the ladder, etc. to get wet.  

I am wondering if I should put the old computer desk (that is still sitting outside) in the shed to make a sort of potting table.  

In the afternoon, I took some muffins over to friend R and she gave me some bananas she had bought for me (after I had told her about the missing bananas, yesterday!) and shared some homegrown tangerines a friend had given her!  I also chatted on the phone with neighbor T.

Later, my daughter connected the new modem, without any trouble!  So glad that went well.

In the evening, we watched the Olympics Closing Ceremony.  I cooked salmon, a stir-fry of vegetables, and a boxed rice and wild rice mix for dinner and did the dishes.

Today, I am grateful for:

- Friend R giving me bananas and tangerines
- The shed clean up is coming along nicely
- Harvesting more peapods from the garden
- Daughter was able to connect the new modem without difficulty
- What I was able to accomplish

Today's joyful activity was a quick curbside visit with friend R.

Daughter is off work, tomorrow, for Presidents' Day.  She is happy to have a long weekend.  My plans for tomorrow will depend on the weather - if it rains, for how long, etc., and any activities daughter might want to do.  I will try to wash the rest of the pots and planters and put them back in the shed, tomorrow; M will have to help me with the grill (it probably need a good scrub, too, although I hosed it down, today).  

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday?

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26 comments:

  1. Sunday was wind, rain, wind, rain...Monday likewise. I was going to say that we have come through unscathed - but Bob just spotted that the fence which screens our oil tank has blown down [we suspect the honeysuckle plant growing up it was just a bit too heavy] That's not a serious matter though, compared to some. I like your "potting shed" I am staying indoors until the weather easesd up. But sorting out the old 'little' garage and insulating the new 'big' one are high on the to-do list.

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    1. I'm glad that the only damage from the storm was a downed fence. Good idea to stay indoors until the weather improves. Good luck with your garage projects!

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  2. Oh fresh home grown blueberries - now that is a special treat to look forward to. Bravo you tackling the cleaning & tidying of the shed. Putting the old desk it there ... will it attract more stuff? Can you paint the outside? Today is a holiday for us - it's called Family Day, so cheers to a long weekend.

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    1. Fresh homegrown blueberries are definitely a treat! Thank you! Yes, probably the old desk would attract more stuff! But, hopefully, it will be the gardening stuff that is currently sitting on top of an old kitchen cabinet in the garage! M has been storing the bags of potting soil, etc. in the garage and I am thinking that we might be able to move that stuff to the shed, instead! It is something to think about, anyway. Hope you are enjoying your long weekend!

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  3. Wow, you have made a big difference to the shed. Do you plan to paint the outside at some stage? Well done anyway. Does this give you some more room to store things or are you going to keep it solely for gardening equipment?

    I hope you enjoy your Presidents' Day however you and your daughter choose to celebrate it.

    We're being battered by Storm Franklin so I've abandoned the patio pots and have taken refuge indoors!

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    1. Thank you, Eileen. Thank you, too, for motivating me to get going with it!

      I hadn't thought as far as painting it, but, now that you've mentioned it, I must see if I can persuade M to pick up some suitable paint. He had been talking about painting the metal security door in the front, too, for some time, now.

      My plan is to move all the gardening stuff that are in the garage (bags of potting soil, containers of plant food, some empty pots, replacement sprinkler heads, etc.) to the shed so I can free up some space in the garage!

      We were having a quiet day at home until neighbor T fell! But, she is OK now. I did the last bit of cleaning in the shed, so that's a job completed! :)

      Oh, no, not another storm! Good idea to stay indoors and hopefully, there won't be any damage from this storm, either!

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  4. That looks like a really useful space and now that you are taking control I think that you will make the most of it. The desk sounds like a great idea. You get so much pleasure from your garden.

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    1. Thank you, Lyssa. I think the desk will work well as a potting table. I do enjoy the garden - maybe not quite as much as my mother did, but, it is my oasis, especially since Covid!

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  5. What a difference your hard work has made in the garden shed. Blueberries are so tasty and good for your health, I hope you have a very good crop.
    It was so windy again this morning and someone was chasing their recycling bin down our street. At least it eased off early afternoon.

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    1. Cleaning that garden shed has been on my to do list for so long, but, it seemed like such a big job that I found myself unable to make a start! But, with M helping me, I was able to get it done!

      This is only the 2nd year for the blueberries, but, I am hopeful that I will get a good crop. :)

      Sorry to hear it's been another windy day! Hope you and Tilly were able to go for a short walk after the winds died down. :)

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  6. Hi Bless, You did a great job with the shed. I need to clean and organize mine, too. I would like to replace it. I am making Mexican rice today, took a long bike ride this morning with the dogs, and will continue to organize my closet and cupboards.

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    1. Hi Stephenie. Thank you! The shed is officially cleaned as of today! :) I hope you are able to replace your shed. They have some really pretty sheds, these days. :) Sounds like you've had a lovely day, taking the dogs for a bike ride/run. Yum! Mexican rice is delicious!

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  7. Sounds like quite the job! Glad you managed to get it all done.

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    1. Thank you, Sharon. It took me a little time, partly because I didn't want to get too tired trying to finish it all in one day, but, it is done now, and I am happy! :)

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  8. Blueberry plants are so pretty at every stage. I hope you get a good crop. I laughed to think of Stripey cat investigating the clean shed - probably sent by the other garden cats to report back on what was happening. The idea of using there computer desk for potting sounds good, since you are moving gardening stuff from the garage.
    I didn't go further than the yard today even though it was relatively mild out. I did some ironing, and defrosted the ancient "beer fridge" in the basement and threw large chunks of ice outside when they were loose enough to pry off with my fingers.

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    1. Blueberry flowers are very pretty, aren't they? Thank you; I'm hoping there will be plenty of blueberries, this year. :)
      Stripey is just too much! Today, I double and triple checked the shed before I closed the doors, just to make sure I wasn't locking him inside!
      Sounds like you had a busy day indoors, today! I'm glad I don't have to defrost the fridge/freezer - I remember having to do that with the fridge we had in the apartment!

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  9. Your blueberry flowers are just lovely, but even better because they will be producing something edible!
    You got a lot done in the shed. I need to attack our back yard and get it into some sort of spring/summer shape.
    When is your daughter going to return? I think both of you have been so lucky that she could be at your house during this pandemic.

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    1. Plants that produce something edible are the best plants, aren't they? And if they have pretty flowers, then, that's just a bonus!
      I finished cleaning the shed, today! The next step is to bring the garden stuff from the garage to store in the shed, instead!
      My daughter is probably leaving at the end of March. As things stand, her office will be opening up for in-person work as of April. I am so happy that we were able to spend this past year and two months together!

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  10. What a difference the before and after of the shed. It looks soooo clean now. Good job! I vote yes to putting the old desk in there. If not for a potting table, it'll buy you some flat surface and keep some things off the floor. Denise

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    1. Thank you, Denise. Yes, the desk will help keep a few things off the floor! That should make it easier to clean the floor, too. Besides, the cheapest potting table I was able to find online was more than $55, so, a desk I was going to dispose of will save me some money, as well! :)

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  11. It feels so good to clean and organize an area. At least it does for me. I think you have a good idea to put the old computer desk in the shed for a potting area.

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    1. It does feel good to get one area clean and organized, especially when it is an area that had been on my to do list for a long time! I think the old computer desk will be useful there, for additional storage space, if nothing else. I'll ask M to put it there, when he's here on Wednesday.

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  12. Wow! What a difference. You really have worked hard on that shed and turned it into a really useful space for your gardening equipment. I can't get over how clean you got the inside (the floor!)
    It's much bigger than I pictured it.
    Kudos to you on a job well done.

    p.s. is that a geranium patch on the left? The geraniums that are annuals?
    They live year round for you?

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    1. Thank you, Debra. I am pleased with what I was able to do in there! Of course, the perfectionist in me said the floor should have been scrubbed properly and the walls should have been wiped down as simply hosing wasn't quite enough, but, I had to ignore that voice! "Good enough" has to be my motto from now on!

      Yes! That is a geranium; I think it is a Martha Washington geranium and it has purple flowers in the summer. It does grow year round. It grow from a cutting of a plant that crept up from under the back garden wall, years ago. My mother was able to get the cuttings to grow, but, so far, I have not been able to!

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