Something New at the House

 While we were in Hawaii last month, the front patio was poured. When we got back it was shopping time for the furniture. Then it was decorating time. So here is the end result.

Our neighbors mentioned this project last summer. I wasn't immediately onboard, but Hubby convinced me it would be a great way to meet the neighbors...sitting outside in the front of the house while people are out walking.

I bought a new patio rug for the back deck, so put the old rug in the front. Hubby thought the area needed flowers and color, so end of the spring sale on plants helped fill the purple planter. I moved the Hibiscus tree to the front. We bought new glass topped side tables and the new rocking swivel chairs. 

Hubby was right. Our neighbor walks across the street often to visit if she sees us outside working or just hanging out. With 90º-100º temps, we are not out in the sun often. 

The orange day lily finally bloomed. It adds a real spot of color with the yellow lilies and the pink geraniums. The apricot colored lily will bloom soon.

We ate this six inch cucumber last night. The plant was labeled a bush cucumber. The dang thing started vining over the edge of the pot so I bought a trellis and zip-tied it to the deck railing and zip-tied the planter to the metal chair holding the pot. During one of our windy days the plant had tipped off the chair, so that is the reason it is now tied down. The cucumber was GOOD!

This tomato will be ready next week! The tomatoes are in pails and in the frame we made. It all works great, but the tomatoes do not have many blossoms. They are growing and look healthy, just not producing like I wish.

When I went to water last night, this little grape tomato had fallen off. I ate it. This plant is also a disappointment as it does not have a lot of blossoms and the tomatoes that have started are very small for grape tomatoes. (This plant has yellow leaves at the base. I did remove them.)

the tomato on the third plant

The cucumber bed got new organic soil this spring. I planted three straight eight/burpless cucumber plants. The one on the left took off almost immediately. You can see it has reached the top of the deck railing. The other two plants are just starting to vine. (The potted bush cucumber plant is on the right of the cucumber box.)

There are teeny tiny cucumbers started on the vine on the plant on the left, but they are certainly itty bitty things! It will be awhile before we have any more cucumbers to eat!