Thank you so much Christin. If I had the money, I would be going to that junk store every weekday. Not so many people there during the week day, so more to myself. The lady who owns it was so nice. She took the time to show me how easy it was to take that arbor apart and put back together. Then she and I (and her three-year old daughter) put everything into the truck. I also got that arch behind the statue in the garden. The little three year old was so precious and beautiful. Such a sweet child too, and so cute. She followed me everywhere and "helped" me carry things out to the truck, just chattering away. I had to go home to get the truck after making my purchases, and when I came back two hours later, she ran to greet me, her head of blonde curls bouncing with each step and blowing in the breeze. She hugged me and began following again, conversing about anything and everything. I enjoyed her very much. I sure hope the Empress settee is still there on my next visit. Our house was built in 1930. It is a very small Bungalow - too small in fact, and there is now storage - none. The original owner was the village doctor - Doc Davis. There were originally 160 adjoining acres. He didn't farm it, but leased it out to ranchers for grazing and growing wheat, so I've been told. We had the option of also buying the remaining 70 acres. Wish I could have talked "The Heathen " into that. But, we got 3 acres and that is nice enough...for now. Several of the old-timers here have told me so many interesting stories about having their broken arm set here, getting "stitched up", or some such. One man in town lived on the place as a child. His father was the caretaker/maintenance man - he lit the coal furnace for the Misses, and that sort of thing. There was a smaller cottage on the north side of the property where they lived. Just the foundation remains. I am gleaning the old red Iron stones that are loose from the remaining foundation. I had thought of planting spring bulbs inside it. Still would like to do that. It is in heavy shade in summertime, but has enough sun in the spring for flowering bulbs. Would be so pretty. Right now, it is a snake pit - Copperheads. Me no likey that! The house itself is very unique in the sense that it is solid brick, not veneer applied to wood frame. The outside walls are also the inside walls, only coated in plaster. No lath-work underneath, just plaster. And, we have a full basement - not common in Oklahoma on account of the terrible problem with the ground shifting - not safe at all. But this house has stood the years and made it through many tornadoes too. I have visions of it collapsing one day and falling into the basement, especially since we have had some pretty hefty Earthquakes that shook the house and rattled the windows for 15 minutes and longer. Yikes! There was no garden at all when we bought the place. Only a few native trees, and the two woodland areas on the hill above, and a smattering of old daylilies against the northside of the house. Everything else, including trees, I planted. Sometimes when out int the garden working, I think on it, and am amazed at how much I have done to this place. The vines on the house are English Ivy and Virginia Creeper. I planted it the first year in 1996. I love the colorful leaves and blue berries in the fall of the Virginia Creeper, and the English Ivy adds the charm and greenery I love to the cottage. It is not only charming, but it also insulates the house in winter and summer. Birds love to nest in the ivy and creeper, especially the Lesser Flycatcher. Those tiny birds eat thousands of mosquitoes every day and flies as well. The vines and birds lure snakes, but they don't bother us. Our cats and dogs see to that. I did a lot of research to come up with the right type of garden that would look best with the house, and decided upon the Cottage Garden as best choice. I will be keeping a close watch on the junk store - they are struggling to keep it going. So sorry to hear that. Just another family on the brink of failure and ruin in the country. (Grrrrr...) But, if they do end up going out of business, I want to make their closing sale for certain. In the meantime, I am saving my pennies in jars so I can go back to get that settee and the Birdcage gazebo - at least. You ought to see all the lovelies INSIDE their store! ~Annie

Thanks everyone I love my house too. It's old, and needs a lot of work, but thats what gives it character. We have been here about 13 years now, and it's just been the last 2 or 3 that I have taken the time for the gardens. Although the DH has been planting fruit and berry trees since we moved here. I think the garden room wins, in my book anyway. I just need to convince the DH. Someone mentioned scale, and that it was wrong for the sidewalk, I think I will use that info in my arguement. As for the TV antennea, I am stumped where to put it. I thought at the end of the sidewalk to one side of the power utility pole. But am not sure. The stupid thing has been sitting in the same spot in the yard for 2 or 3 years now, waiting for me to decide! Jenny P

Sharon I can't find the pictures of your path. I just started my adventure into gardening last year with vegetables. I was dared by my husband and that was all I needed. With the help of my dear fiend, (a master gardner and mentor) I cut down the necessary trees the next day and had the veggies & planted within the next 3days..so much for challenges in my family. I just made new beds and paths for my new perineal garden....a work in progress since it is just me and limited funds. For my paths, I called my tree man and asked if he would bring tree clipping from his jobs. To my surprise I ended up with 3 huge loads that I made my paths, saving the rest to season. Maybe not the best material for a path, but it was free and it fades into my landscape nicely. Now I am adding plants as I can afford. Love this site.

Craftsman style house goes with my cottage style of gardening. One of the two blue spruce in the pictures, the one on the right, came down in a big rain and windstorm early this spring. So there is a lot more light in the front. That side is now in full sun. As to lots of land, I don't have it. I have a typical suburban size lot. What makes it all work here as far as everything I have planted is that the yard is all multilevel. Harder to deal with but more things can be squeeezed in. It would never all work if it was just level. The parking lot you can see across the street is to a 16 acre park and beach so its really very nice here in the summer. Its for our City residents but never crowded just afew people arounhd weekdays and not that much more on weekends. Next to it immediately adjoining so you can walk from one into the other is a large county nature preserve, this time all wooded. Also with shoreline accress. I remember going fishing there with my dad when I was a young child. Well, I went with him. He fished, I played around.