Herb Help Needed!

As I work on becoming a gardener I have come across an herb situation concerning mint that has me stumped.

This about the size of the mint area 5 years ago

When I moved into this house 5 years ago there was mint growing along the fence. Yay right? Yes, it’s so wonderful. One of my tricks to amazing carrots is mint. Secret is out, but trust me it transforms carrots. 🥕Also, in the summer I can make fresh peach mint tea because I also have a peach tree. 🍑

Honestly my backyard isn’t very big and it lacks my one great dream of having a pool, BUT it is not only home to my peach tree but 3 other fruit trees: a pomegranate, a plum and an apple. I’m very fortunate and it is helping learn more about pruning, and how to someday become a regular farmer. 👩‍🌾 I’ve always wanted a ranch!

The beautiful red blossoms attract hummingbirds. 

Getting back on topic of my mint. Did you know that mint grows like a weed? Yes, it is VERY hearty and it has the ability to plant itself anywhere and EVERYWHERE! And that is where my problem is. I’ve pulled the mint out of “flowerbed” only to have it grow back thicker and even better looking. I’ve transplanted some into a pot because mint, even though it doesn’t want to be, needs to be contained.

I didn’t take a before pic but here is my flowerbed after I pulled a trash can full of mint and weeds back in Feb.

This the same area today! 

The mint has grown the whole length on the side fence and somehow jumped the gate and is now along my driveway. (Sigh)

What is a amateur gardener to do? How does one get mint to stop taking over the yard?  I’m totally open to any and all advice concerning this minty situation.

Hahaha! I just was thinking I could simply become a mint farmer and grow my mint to give to others. (I could call my yard MinTea Gardens 🤣)

If you’ve been wanting any mint (IN A POT) get ahold of me and I’ll give you some to plant.

💕 Lady Phoebe

The garden

I’m calling it. Man, this garden thing is exhausting, stressful (Will the seeds sprout? Will the sprouts die in the sun? Are the bugs or other critters going to eat the sprouts?) and time consuming. I know, I know... the benefits will be rewarding.

I have even enjoyed my time in the yard, minus the day I got heat exhaustion. 🌞 Serious business there. 🥵 Not sure if my neighbors love my music. But I always have turn up Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’ and any Queen that plays. Plus, I like to think my plants enjoy it. 😁 There is a trade off, of course, they hear my music and I deal with their cigarette smoke that blows right over the fence to me. 🤢

I have beautiful rows with plants in them and they seem to have decided to toy with me. Some look healthy and seem to be thriving while others seem to be playing hide-n-seek or DEAD 😏 One of the two. I pray it’s the 1st one. 🌾🌱

I had some sprouts that just didn’t seem to do must after popping up cute, little buds; so I’ve planted them in all in my Wonderland section. This is how I entertain myself when things are weird, I jump on the crazy train and enjoy the ride. 🤪🚂

My Wonderland section. Who knows what will pop up.

I still have more garden area that needs to be dug up along with more seeds to plant. Some of the seeds I’ve decided I’m going to throw into Wonderland and not hassle with growing the seeds into sprouts first. It could end up an epic fail or a colossal success. It’ll be fun to see the results.

There are some seeds that I will sprout so I’m off to take care of that. It’s like Christmas morning when they pop up! 

Here’s to plants, Christmas feelings in April and warm sunny days 🌻

💕 Lady Phoebe

Sunny Sundays

Not often will I post photos of myself. Personally, I’d rather be behind the camera instead of in front of it. However, we took a photo his morning and I actually liked it. (Shocking)

While looking at this photo I thought: WOW(!) Mr. J looks likes he is growing a beard in! 🧔🏻

My man has to shave every day so on the weekends he chooses to give his skin a break. I prefer a smooth shaved face. I don’t know if I’d like a beard on him; he has only been able to grow a patchy, scruffy look that he was quick to get rid of. But from this photo I’m starting to think he might actually be to finally participate in beard month. But, his job doesn’t allow it so... we may never find out. I know, so sad I’m crying. Haha

Now that church is being held at home it’s a great blessing to be able to have our meetings together and to ZOOM with our girls. I love studying the scriptures and then being able to learn from my family what they have studied and are enjoying. 

Sundays are such a great day in our home. For many reasons but one of my favorite reasons is I don’t cook on Sundays. 

I am SO tired of cooking. I’ve have had to cook every day, and when my kids where little it was 3 meals a day, for 25 years. It simply has gotten to the point that I don’t enjoy it much, not that I was huge fan in the first place. That doesn’t mean I don’t know how though. I do know how to cook and bake; I’m even good at it. But I am not really a fan of cooking anymore. Baking is another story, go figure that is what I still love; along with eating.  However a few years back I clued in and decided everyone else could cook on the weekends and I could have a day off. I mean I taught all 3 of my kids to cook and figured they could practice so they’d be pros when they moved out. 😀 They are really good at it and now they are gone. 😭 Thankfully I have a good hubby who knows how to cook. 

Since I’ve managed to touch upon a couple of different, yet amazingly enough still connected topics, I’ll end my life altering thoughts. 😉

Here’s to sunny Sundays, family, unshaved faces and not having to cook.

💕Lady Phoebe

Little Sprouts and their Lady Gardener

Check it out my friends! We’ve got sprouts!

The little seeds actually did their thing! Way to go seeds! You are growing up so beautifully. Keep it going, this lady won’t complain that her babies are growing up too fast in this situation.

Now my garden area isn’t quite ready yet. We had some rain and our dirt turns into a think clay-like heavy situation that it hard to do much with, so my weeding stopped. When I finished that I have struggled with how to soften my soil so my plants can grow. Now I’m just trying to get my plants in the dirt, but I don’t want to rush it. Hey, I’d hate to have a garden that was ruined from the beginning due to my being over zealous.

I also have realized I don’t have garden layout planned. I believe it’ll help to know what should be planted next to what.

Ugh...anyone thinking growing a garden is just throwing a bunch of seeds in the ground, would be gravely mistaken. This is serious business. I am also determined to succeed- by gum, even if I have to go buy carrots 🥕 and shove them into the earth only to then pull them right back out! 😄 I will produce some food from out of my garden.

Just Kidding. Sort of.

Anyhooo.. I got a great book called Garden’s Way’s Joy of Gardening by Dick Raymond. Bless his sweet gardening heart and green thumbs. He layouts what to do for those of us who are slightly not as clever as he is. Now I have to figure out my plants and put it all into motion. Hopefully next week I’ll be able to show an area with actual rows with seeds growing.

I wish growing a garden was as easy and fun as it is to read about it. I won’t make any claims of being a true gardener, (yet) but seeing the seeds sprout up was very exciting for me. Who knew I’d squeal with delight and do a little happy dance that made the dogs stare at me like I’m a crazy person?! Maybe because I over think the whole process I’m still in the like department for gardening. I hope I find the escalator (or should I say ladder?) to the level of love.

💕 Lady Phoebe

Ladybugs

I have an exciting event taking place in my front yard. My front lawn has turned into a safe haven for ladybugs. It’s quite the sight to see bright red dots moving all over my yard. (Sadly it’s difficult to photograph this in all its glory)
 I sit out every evening, waiting for my hardworking hubby to come home from work, just watching them live.

This is a group that found a piece of bark and started to sunbath. Are they just the cutest bugs ever?

 But the grass is also turning into a jungle, perhaps that is why I have so many ladybugs hanging out there. Add in the fact that I don’t have pest control.

This jungle yard has gotten my guy to talking, and the talk is not good. He’s taken to using the M word.
MOW!
I’ve been stalling him and doing a decent job with the help of recent rains but I’m certain this weekend my ladybug sanctuary could turn into a ladybug graveyard. If mowing the grass doesn’t kill them I’m worried they will all fly away; and not to my backyard. I’m thinking they all take off and go far away. 😭

I’ve tried collecting them and transporting them into the back. In doing this I have learned that:
1. Ladybugs are not easy to collect and they are not so agreeable to moving.
2. They are quick. One moment they are in my container and the next they have crawled out. Funny thing, they haven’t flown away. 
3. I apparently am a naturalist, I want things to be able to remain where they are. Except spiders, spiders and rodents. In that department they both have a place in the world but it is NOT my house.


I need these two busy bugs to go to the back if they ever decide to stop with the piggy back rides I could handle them creating a family there. 😉

Any suggestions for saving my lil ladies? Let me know.
As I contemplate them flying off I can’t help but think of the poem about the ladybug.
Ladybug, Ladybug 
Fly away home:...

Here’s hoping.

💕 Lady Phoebe

Fur Babies and their Lady

Who all out there have pets? This lady currently has 2 dogs. I love them. Pets have a way of becoming fur babies. They enter your home and take over your hearts. 💕

My dear friend Dena and I often speak of the utopia world we live in. In our minds! Reality has an interesting way of being vastly different then what we see in our minds. This has been an issue for me for... perhaps my entire life, but definitely for my entire marriage.

Take for instance when my hubby and I tried to plan our children. We had decided that we would try to get pregnant when our first born was 2 so they’d be at least 3 years apart. On the day our oldest was turning 2 I was holding my 2 month old baby girl. Then there was our youngest. For 3 years we had decided we were good in the child department. I had one of each gender. One for each of my hands, so there wasn’t a need to have anymore.

When we moved to Utah my hubby and I discussed if we were finished, finished having kids because if so we should take some permanent measures AND if we weren’t we’d want to plan for late summer to try for a third. You probably see where this going, right? Right. By Sept I was 6 months pregnant. (There seriously is something in the water in Utah, so be careful. You’ve been warned.)

It may seem like I’ve digressed but truly there is a point to my ramblings, I promise.

Ideally, and in this lady’s utopia mind the dogs would sleep in a kennel or on one of those cute little doggie beds on the floor. Note I said FLOOR.

Are you seeing where this is headed? Once again you’re so correct!

I had to finish up some seminary stuff and when I came to bed and pulled back my covers this is what I found: That is NOT an extra blanket hiding under there.

The dog decided to hide while my hardworking hubby is asleep catching  💤 

Hello. Yes I do see you and No you don’t belong there.

So here I sit in a corner of my bed while the hubby snores away. And the fur babies....hog the bed.

Look at all that space down there those pups seem to believe they need.

I normally am the pack leader and I’m very good at it. I’m not mean but I am determined. Hey, I’ve raised three kids into adults, I went through all the phases and I survived. Dogs will be a piece of cake. They are loyal and obedient and.... hey wait a minute what is up with the looks these animals give with their eyes?? It’s like they can cast a spell where we humans become weak and complete push-overs. So, okay! My dogs now sleep ON the bed instead of the floor but I do draw the line at them sleeping under my covers and taking up all the space on my half of my queen bed.

I’m now looking into buying a king size bed.

🐾 Lady Phoebe

This Lady Loves Conference

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds an annual conference in which we can learn from our prophet, apostles and other church leaders. Twice a year for 2 days we listen from home.

In the last conference in Oct our prophet, President Nelson said this:

“the year 2020 will be designated as a bicentennial year. General conference next April will be different from any previous conference. In the next six months, I hope that every member and every family will prepare for a unique conference that will commemorate the very foundations of the restored gospel.”

When it was announced that conference would not be able to meet with members in attendance and would be held in a conference room with 10 or less people, I said prophecy had been fulfilled, and yet I was excited to see what other ways it would be fulfilled because Pres. Nelson also said this:

“Select your own questions. Design your own plan. Immerse yourself in the glorious light of the Restoration. As you do, general conference next April will be not only memorable; it will be unforgettable.”

I feel that every talk was absolutely amazing and here are a few thoughts that impacted me. Disclosure these won’t be direct quotes

Pres. Nelson reminded us to go forward not backwards in courage and faith.

Sister Jones spoke of the divine role women have in the restoration and reminded us all that we women have a divine mission from our Heavenly Father and we need to step forward. We need to Hear Christ, Follow Him and Trust Him. ❤️

Elder Cook asked us to reflect on our own spiritual defining moments and told us that those spiritual memories are like lit rocks that illuminate our paths during difficult times but then what I thought was SUPER awesome is that when someone is lost and struggling and unable to recall their spiritual memories that ours will be able help light the path for them to find theirs. 💕

Brother Holmes who is the 1st councilor in the General Young Men presidency spoke of the new Children and Youth personal development program and spoke to the youth on who they are and what they are capable of doing. It was very powerful and encouraging. I’m fortunate enough to work with the youth in my stake and ward; they truly are amazing and strong individuals who inspire me. 💕

Again there is so much more than what this lady shared you can go watch it on this link:

https://youtu.be/4Mb9gU6DmKs

This link will take you to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church site:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/?lang=eng

That link will take you the next session and future connections to read the talks once published, plus so much more. ❤️

Happy watching , listening, and exploring~

Lady Phoebe

Just a Lady with her Shovel

I grew up having a family garden, it was more than just a family thing. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are taught the importance of having a garden and being self reliant.

My mother LOVED gardening and she was GOOD at it. We would joke that she could bring plants back to life. She would squish squash bugs with her bare fingers.... (Ugh 😳🥴 I could pass out then and even now)

As for me, I like (only like) gardening it’s therapeutic and beneficial if your garden grows beautiful flowers or produces food. This lady however isn’t very good at gardening. Add in the fact that here in Elk Grove, where I live, the soil is a close comparison to cement. Garden soil as my dear friend Sarah would say ‘should be fluffy’ and fluffy dirt is not what I have. (SIGH)

But in these uncertain times I was even more determined to have a garden. Last year we didn’t plant a garden... I was the grasshopper instead of the ant 🐜  So my garden... well look for yourself. It was a jungle of weeds

My clever hubby decided to take a hedge trimmer and cut them down low; (🤔 The roots of all those weeds are still in the hard ground.) while I took to pulling them out and then advanced to digging them up. Half the yard I did, the other half he did. Can you tell who did each side? 😁

 Hey, at least I can walk in/on/around the jungle garden, right?

Now this lady has been going out and digging up the tiny weeds and trying to get my soil fluffy.

Just a Lady with her shovel

Do the photos show how hard and unfluffy my soil is? If not, trust me it is! Also, for your personal gardening and soil knowledge: hard soil is heavy soil. I knew you needed that info: You’re Welcome

He thinks he is helping

He knows he is not helping and is proud of it

I have started getting seeds ready (please spout! 🙏🏻)

This Lady is going to play a game and see what is ready first the seeds or the garden soil. My blistered hands vote for the soil and my ever hopeful heart agrees, but is praying those seeds sprout.

Happy Gardening and Living~

💕Lady Phoebe

Girl behind the Lady

I’m just a girl born in Utah and raised in New Mexico. At 18 I moved to Arizona and tried to figure out how to be an adult. I believe it’s a process that never ends... there is always something to learn and grow from. Life changes and some of what I thought and believed about things in my 20’s changed in my 30’s.  As I near 50, 😳 (how bizarre, when did that # show up) I have new perspectives and insights that only living life can teach.
Almost all grown up I still have many moments of wonderment that I’m a lady not a little girl...sometimes I feel much younger than I am.

My 3 amazing children are all off in the world ‘adulting’ and I’m learning how to live a new type of life and way of being.

I am blessed to have a hardworking hubby (of 25 yrs 💕) that supports my crazy. Although I call myself a lady there is wild child inside. Sometimes she is quiet but other times she pops up with wild crazy ideas that don’t always make sense but are fun.

I’m a girl that loves to laugh and I try to look on the bright side of everything. My middle daughter always tells me I laugh when bad or scary things happen. It’s true but that is how I remove stress and fear.

Although our world is in the midsts of a Covid-19 pandemic we can’t let that stop us from living normal lives. I still get up and get dressed and even put on makeup (simply because I like how I feel when I’m ‘put’ together like that AND I’ll confess I get more done. Yep, there have been my days of sitting on my sofa binge watching Netflix and eating whatever junk I can find)

This blog will show many areas of my life.

My garden
My sewing project
My attempt to refurbishment a chair
My adventures with my guy
My religion, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a seminary teacher and YW leader.

I hope that if you stopped by to visit my blog you’ll comment and let me know how you are living your life.

Let’s continue to connect in the ways we can.

💕 Lady Phoebe