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Wow! What a summer… Where have Randy and Jamie been? Trying to get our lives back together and I am happy to report everything is going great. Sometimes things just have to take priority over blogging and that’s what has been happening the past few weeks, well, the past year actually. We are so thankful to faithful readers that continue to visit us and comment on the scattered post, despite our truancy from blogland. We were just trying to do too much at one time in our lives and it all came crashing down on and around us.
Jamie, has been taking time to recuperate from several years of working full time, going to school full time, a full time hobby of body building and managing the demands of every day life. He’s also writing a book. And me, well, I’ve been exploring other little projects and interesting things to do. I’ve always wanted to learn how to make jelly and jams and that’s just what I’ve been doing. I been hunting down fresh fruits to make homemade gifts and so far I’ve been very successful. Jamie and our friends have been enjoying delicious pear, muscadine and pomegranate jelly. I also made some fantastic peach jam from the local peaches. I love all the beautiful colors that jams and jellies produce. Too bad you can’t put them in the window and let the sun shine through them.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but our garden just looks horrible. The heat and lack of rain has just sent everything into early hibernation. The past two months our garden has looked like we were in the last week of October or the first of November. The plants are hanging on and producing blooms, but bless there hearts they all look so tired and ready for rest. Jamie and I haven’t done any work in the garden for weeks now. With the lack of rain there aren’t even any weeds to pull. We’ll most likely get out there this weekend and do a little tidying up. I don’t even remember when the last time was that we cut grass. It’s been dry, dry, dry…
On a positive note, neither Jamie nor I can remember seeing so much wildlife and flying visitors in the garden. Despite its neglected and haggard look, it has been absolutely filled with hundreds and hundreds of butterflies, dragonflies, birds and insects of all shapes and incredible colors. It has been unbelievable; Jamie and I have been in utter amazement and wonder. Tiny jewels of color have filled the air like never before and our back yard has been a source of enchantment for both of us.
~~~~ Congrats to Monica the Garden Faerie! She is this month's winner! Thanks to all of you that took the time to participate.~~~~
Hello everyone! It’s time for the September Giveaway sponsored by CSN Stores! This month’s reward is a $65.00 gift certificate that comes in the form of a promotional code. You can use the code to completely purchase an item or you can use the $65.00 to apply to a more expensive item, it’s your choice. You do not have to be a United States resident to participate in this giveaway, but should you win you will have to pay the cost of international shipping charges on whatever you purchase from CSN.
To be eligible for this month’s giveaway, Jamie thought it would be interesting for everyone to share how they developed an interest in Gardening. What it is the driving force within you that makes you get out and toil in the soil? What do you so find so rewarding about gardening? Since Jamie posed this question I think it’s only fair he share his story with us. Don’t you think? So I’ll have him add to this post. Most of you already know my story of the elderly neighbor and my little red wagon.
You can contribute your answer two ways. You can either do it as a blog entry linking back to this post. Be sure to tell us when your post is up and provide a link. Or, if you absolutely do not have the time you may simply reply in the comments. The first is preferred because more people will be aware of the giveaway, but it is not necessary to be eligible. The deadline for participating in the fun is midnight September 17, 2010. Have joined us in the past and not won? Here is another chance for you to receive the gift. The winner’s name will be drawn at random out of the giveaway flower pot by Jamie. Have fun! I look forward to reading your personal stories.
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I would have to say that my interest in gardening started with my grandfather. He was always pruning this or that shrub in his yard and his favorite flowers were petunias (hence why I love petunias so much). He kept an immaculately maintained flower garden always. My love for gardening waned a little over the years, but when I started gardening with Randy, my passion to create something beautiful was back in full force. I haven't looked back since! --Jamie
September is just a page turn away and with that comes another occasion for the readers of Creating Our Eden to win a thank you gift. These chances are made possible by the generosity of CSN stores. If you aren’t familiar with this company you should check them out. They offer a plethora of items in their online stores. You can find anything from dining chairs to bird feeders. In the past, I’ve spent hours pouring over the websites to find the perfect item to offer our readers for prizes.
Previously I’ve chosen an item myself, but now you have the opportunity to pick your own gift. The Promo Team now provides me with a code you can use to purchase the article of your liking. This month’s gift is even more generous than the last so pour through the websites and start making a wish list!
I’ll be posting the specifics of the giveaway in a few days! Once again, thank you all for being such loyal readers of my ramblings. A warm thank you also goes out to CSN for sponsoring these opportunities. See you soon!
The other day I was reading thru the blogs and thinking, how incredible everyone’s garden looks compared to ours right now. I had just made up my mind I was going to do a post showing the damage the heat did to Our Eden this year when I came upon Lisa’s post. I told her it was good to see it wasn’t just our garden that was suffering so much. She confided that she also had been wondering the same thing.
We’ve kept our garden watered well because we have an extensive drip system, but it was still no match for the heat. You work and toil trying to keep everything looking neat and lush and the heat just destroys your efforts. The heat burns plants quicker than you can help them recover.
It made me feel so much better to see Lisa’s plants. It some how gave me the peace of mind that it was not my lack of care that was causing our garden to look so haggard. It can be so disheartening sometimes when you see the lush beautiful photos of other gardens when your own is looking so tattered.
I’m presenting a challenge. Are you brave enough to show the not so pretty areas of your garden? It sure lifted my spirits to see I was not alone. Just post a link to your post in the comments if you want to participate. :-)
I know for certain we’ve lost two butterfly bushes.
What the heat hasn’t gotten the acidic tee tee of the wild schnauzersaurus has severely damaged… hopefully he will learn not to trample so bad and aim in a different direction, preferably on the chainlink fence.
Congratulations to Jan Goldfield from The Pond Lady’s Pad! She is the winner of the giveaway for this month. Jan I’m sure your friend Bethie will enjoy her gift! For the rest of you thanks for entering and keep checking back. There will be another giveaway coming soon!
As promised in the previous post here’s the giveaway for the month of August. This is what I want you to do. Pretend that I have just given you a $60.00 gift certificate (wink wink*) to use at CSN Stores. Pick out any item you would like to have in that price range and post the link to that item in your comment telling me why you would like to have it.
You have two choices; either pick an item that is $60.00 or less including shipping or you can pick a more expensive item and apply the gift certificate towards that purchase. You will be responsible for the remaining balance if you win.
The rules are very simple, so if you don’t follow them you will not be eligible for the giveaway. The deadline for entries is Midnight on August 13th. The winner’s name will be drawn out of the giveaway flower pot by Jamie and will be announced on next blog entry after that date. You have 72 hours to contact me via the email provided in my blogger profile after you name is drawn or you forfeit your prize and another winner will be randomly selected.
This is my little way of saying thank you to all of you for reading our blog, even when I am unable to visit and read your blogs as often as I would like to do. Good luck to all of you! Oh! In case I wasn’t clear enough, the prize this time is $60.00 in the form of a promotion code. When making your choice of prizes get as close to that amount as you can because there will be no remaining balance on the code once it is used.
“On The Road Again” is the theme for this month’s picture this photo competition at Gardening Gone Wild. This is a photo I took while at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. The glass sculptures mixed with the plants were gorgeous!Good luck to all that choose to enter!
