Need a new sofa and I'm overwhelmed.
8 years ago
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- 8 years ago
- 8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
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I'm overwhelmed- help!
Comments (6)Yes, I'd check with CA gardening forum too. Also, you sound like you might be in a state of panic. Don't panic...that soil will wait for you to decide what to do! Just make some educated decisions about what you want to plant, then go forward. Posting here is a good start. First decide whether you want permanent plants, or do you want to have annuals which need to be replaced periodically? Boganvillas would probably want more sun than you have, and they get very large. You should think more of ferns, fuchsias, heavenly bamboo, azalea, camellias. I have clivia in full shade, and they have done well for years. Impatiens might be ok there and bloom beautifully.Clivia blooms are orange, but there is a new creamy white variety out at Armstrongs. Be sure to take into consideration the final grown-up size of your plants. If you put in something that grows too big, you'll end up pulling it out and starting over. If you are going to do more gardening, you will probably want to get a copy of the Sunset Western Garden Book. It is very helpful....See MoreA plague of bugs - I'm overwhelmed and need help
Comments (6)Mentally, I'm recovered. LOL. This was really devastating to me, because I'd never had such a bad year, but I think I was just overdue. The good news is that I've totally immersed myself in organic ways and have been taking crash courses. I've learned SO MUCH. (Much of it here from everyone...you all are great!) Add me to the 100 percent organic converts now. I never plan to use another synthetic chemical again. This weekend, I'm planning on building my very first compost pile! Yes I am, and I'm so excited about it. I've used compost, but it was always purchased from the store (Lowes and Wal Mart). And I'm thinking about next year. This year is kind of an experience in learning, and I've learned a lot. I had a good crop of tomatoes (Celebrity, Caspian Pink - love those - and Better Boys), but it's about died out now. Usually, I have a regular crop of tomatoes through the first frost (which isn't until Halloween or so). But the tomatoes I got were good, and I didn't have a lot of splitting for the first time ever. I credit that to the HGTV/DIY shows that said add a handful of lime when planting. My eggplants did really well for awhile, and that was fun. I still think I'll get a few more, but everything seems to be winding down. This is very unusual, but I've been hearing it from others around the area. It's just not been a good year for anyone it seems. My gypsy peppers, bless their hearts, are indestructable. They just smiled through the invasion and kept on doing their thing. Lots of wonderful peppers. Those are so fun to grow...and so prolific. My herbs all did really well and are still going. (Except the coriander, but it always dies in the heat) But my fears on the cukes and honeydews came true and they're near death. I got a good crop of cukes before the cucumber beetles invaded. (And I ended up with both striped AND spotted beetles, with a few squash bugs for extra fun) I'm sure it's wilt from the beetles. My melons were all deformed and I think had scab on them. Poor things. LOL. But I'm just letting them keep growing, just in case. I finally cut the oldest melon open, and inside was a small, deformed melon. It wasn't sweet enough yet, but it was a nice color and tasted fresh and springy anyway. I got about three nice bites. haha. I've not grown a successful melon yet, but I'll keep trying every year. Now I'm about ready to head to my local extension office, get my soil tested and see if they can help me decide what to do with my garden over winter. I'm trying to decide between black plastic (which will supposedly kill pathogens by cooking them, but I'm not sure about bug eggs), and a cover crop such as hairy vetch. I'm leaning towards hairy vetch if I do a cover crop. But I'll ask the ext. agent for his/her thoughts on our area. I don't know if the lacewings ever did their work or not. I had fun sprinkling the little hatchlings, like fairy dust. My neighbors might have had a few laughs watching me, because I did prance and sprinkle. (I thought lacewings were the size of moths in adulthood, but now I read they're tiny little things) Next year, I'm probably going to introduce beneficials early, some nematodes and ladybugs. I had a lot of different bugs this year, but my big problems were the leafhoppers (they're still hopping and sucking) and the cucumber beetles. The other good news, and the reason I went organic this year...the birdies! I haven't had tons of butterflies yet, but man do I have many hummingbirds. I finally bought a little feeder that hangs outside my front window, and they come one after another. I've got at least 6-8 that I've seen in a bunch (a gaggle?). And one in particular likes to dance with me, and with my cats, through the window. It's just amazing. I also have a family of cardinals that I've been feeding safflower seeds, and it's been so fun watching their behavior (dad feeding the wife and kids...looks like they're kissing). And one son is starting to turn red...I call him my birdie boy. The others fly away when I approach, but he stays and lets me talk to him, and cocks his head like a pet bird. My family thinks I've lost my mind. LOL. But they're indulging my bird chatter and my new obsession with a compost pile. So that was the longggggggg answer (sorry). Short answer: garden mostly went to hell, but I've enjoyed the birds and intend to keep learning about organic ways. Thanks, Kitty, for asking. ***...See MoreI'm getting badly overwhelmed. :-(
Comments (20)Alisande I sooo understand your situation being in a similar one myself. The dominos analogy is absolutely perfect! I never thought Id long for simple tasks like vaccuming, ironing and dusting either. LOL!! In my case its a new to us house we moved into in April. As we needed more cupboard space and new appliances there, the kitchen was (and still is) first on the agenda. Seemed no biggy just call a cabinet maker & get these cabs organized, add an island & move on to the next issue. The trades are soooo busy here that 8 months later our new appliances sit in the garage with their warranties diminishing, the kitchen is painted, and thats it! If wed wanted to rip the kitchen entirely, it probably would have been done by now but finding someone to do custom work is a huge chore and when you do find someone, its hurry up and wait once again. As wed begun with the primary focus of kitchen, it took quite some time to switch gears. However eventually we moved on to the living/dining and the majority of those rooms are done. However now both the TV & the DH snoozing on the new sofa are in the Living Room, which does not make my heart beat madly, because (Domino) the Family Room is full of boxes, yet unpacked, destined for other rooms, one of which is the kitchen. And on it goes . . . the carpet which will go from Master Bdrm to Guest Bdrm but first we have to . . . and like that. I know you know. Being totally overwhelmed, particularly with the Xmas season upon me - Where is the turkey roaster? Where is the Turkey Platter? Which box is the . . . I coped as best I could over Xmas but it sure wasnt the Xmas Id planned using this ancient stove the door doesnt close properly on rather than my new oven and like that! Now also looming is Spring and with that event, a garden badly in need of tending. Once gardening starts it will be even more difficult to balance "house" with "garden" time. So, being very desperate to get some balance back, what Ive done is use the Flylady Zone thing but in a different way. This week the Zone has been the front entrance/front hall/dining room. Our Xmas tree was in the Dining area so I took that down, and moved furniture back into place, dusted, polished, did some small "to do" items such as putting little protector pads on the table lamps so they dont scratch the table tops, and cleaning up the entrance/front hall. I have blinds coming for the Living/Dining at the end of Jan so Im filling and staining the Dining window frame (the Living frames will be done when its Living Zone time). Past that I cant do much as the dog kennel presently residing in the front hall but destined for either the garage or the family room cannot go either place for now as both are too full of stuff that belongs in other areas. Basically Ive looked at a Zone, listed what needs to be done in it over and above cleaning and will work on those items for the duration of the Zone time. Next Zone is Kitchen / Laundry and there are (non-cleaning) things I CAN do there so Ill make a little more progress though it certainly wont be complete. I dont know that it would work for you, or at this point, even for me. LOL! It does however, get me started somewhere, which for me was a problem. I was so overwhelmed with how much there was to do and how much is not getting anywhere near where I had expected it to be by now, I was in "throw up my hands" mode. So far, its also helped with the ADD Syndrome that seems to set in when you are surrounded by *masses of stuff*. I also want to convey comfort on your loss and, having a 90 year old father with Alzheimers, understand your feelings of it being, to some extent, a blessing. Regardless, no matter how expected, its a big life change so treat yourself gently. Warm regards + Hugs PS - I'd definitely get those beams done for you. That is a huge job that just the idea of doing it would have me putting it off forever!...See Moregot countertops installed yesterday, now i'm sooo overwhelmed!
Comments (53)I agree that it's the orangy-gold-yellowy paint that seems to be throwing everything off. I wonder what a warm blue might do for the room? It may be a bit tricky to get the right shade - you need enough warmth for the cabinets, but your counter reads slightly cooler. With the garnets that are in your counter, you could pick up the reddish-wine color and use that as an accent...that can work well with a blue. Usually with colors it seems like it's more about getting the right undertones rather than the right color family. You've got oak cabinets - I'm assuming they aren't going anywhere for a while, so you need to make peace with them. I think that with the right paint color, you can make the cabinets and the granite work. There is always the gel-stain option and if changing them I'd probably look that route. I don't think that painting the oak is a good idea since it tends to look like...painted oak. And that's a look that I really don't care for. You mentioned that the ceiling is changing - does that mean that you're putting in some can lighting as well as the pendants? I like the linear tiles...but not with your cabinets. Their style is more contemporary/transitional than what I think your cabinets can muster...the cabinets have a much more traditional look so you might do better with something a bit more classic in the tile line....See MoreRelated Professionals
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