I am at that age when sleeping at night is sometimes challenging. When I do wake up at 3:00 am, I reach for a magazine. A good book with a fast plot will keep me awake, but a magazine tends to help me fall asleep. A friend of mine gets lots of free subscriptions due to airline points so she passes them on:
Country Living, Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping. I must admit, I love the gorgeous photos of indoor decor and outdoor gardens, and I know the photos are staged, but still, Better Homes and Gardens, I am definitely NOT.
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| My tomatoes |
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| Better Homes and Gardens Tomatoes |
I have no clue how gardeners grow disease and pest free flowers and vegetables. My zucchini succumbed to squash beetles, and my tomatoes had fungus and stink bugs. My roses have been snacked on by beetles, and the peaches had so many bugs and blights and the squirrels ran off with so many that we ended up harvesting about a fifty edible ones, although the tree had been filled with thousands.
Then there's the inside of the house. The photo on the right tells all. Not that my whole house would be a Hoarders' TV show. But my office qualifies. I tell people it's because I have a business and no warehouse to put inventory. Which is true. I managed to find shelves for anything that's selling on Ebay after I lost an item that had sold because it was in the bottom of one of the piles. But too many treasures come in while not enough go out, so the stacks keep growing. I don't want to keep this stuff, but sometimes when there is a good deal, I just can't help myself. Finding that unique treasure for a steal is an addiction. My friends who are also 'dealers' and I laugh about needing Antiques Anonymous. We really do love the stuff. But as anyone knows who has a house, car or horse to sell, it's much easier to buy than sell, especially in this tough economy. I do yard sales, have three booths, and sell on Ebay, yet my 'inventory' (okay,
junk) is overflowing my life.
My kids just hope I don't die and leave it for them to get rid of. Is your home and garden a "Better Homes and Gardens"? Anyone else have an out-of-control collection? Please share with a failed gardener and addict! At least I will know that I am not alone.
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| My Office --don't you love that wire rack? |
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| Better Homes and Gardens Office |
Alison--You are too funny. I have to admit, I go to great efforts to photograph my own garden from a flattering viewpoint. But the truth is that we have just as many failures as successes. Every year some things do well and other things do dismally. And we can never predict what will thrive and what won't. Last year we had a good harvest from our Gravenstein apple tree--this year, just a few not very good apples. But the Fuji apple tree is loaded with good looking apples (at least today--one never knows what tomorrow holds). I think that's just the nature of gardening. I consider anyone who grows even a little of their own food to be a successful gardener.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the office, around here its kind of an ebb and flow thing. When it gets more crowded than we can stand, we eradicate all the piles (later realizing we've thrown away stuff we shouldn't have). And then ever so slowly, but steadily, the piles come back. And then, when it gets too messy....etc.
Oh Laura, I am glad you are not a Better Homes and Gardens gal! I would be so jealous. I already am jealous or your great trail riding!
ReplyDeleteKeep working hard on your new book.
Well, reality bites most of the times, you can probably get your home immaculate clean and neat for half a day until real people steps in, haha! Let's just say that 'Better Homes and Gardens' likes to 'inspire' people ;)
ReplyDeleteHa - Alison, after having our home for sale for three years (and having to scramble and make it immaculate every time people came to look at it, it's a joy to be able to relax and have a "lived in" look now. I do know that feeling of finding "deals" since I was in the antique, or *cough* "treasure," business for a few years, and my findings constantly sat on a card table in the middle of the living room, while I decided what to do with them! Not many of us have the kind of houses found in those magazines, and just like the ones displaying perfect skinny bodies, they occasionally make us feel inadequate. Thanks for the post, and thank goodness we're not all "Perfect."
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