Shades of the old country — Pantone 2013 colour of the year

The folks at Pantone have announced their 2013 colour and for me it is a classic that harkens back to the old country. Well ancestral country anyway.

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It’s Emerald green this year. Perhaps some shades from Ireland will bring a little vibrant colour into our home.

I’ve toyed with the idea of green in our palettes. We’ve painted the upstairs bathroom in the condo an olive-green and I’ve started painting the patio furniture a lime-green. I do like this emerald though I don’t think it will work in the condo. Perhaps the schoolhouse would relish some green to match our emerald-green roof. Something to think about.

Harmony in a hammock

This miserable weather has me thinking about our hammock trees.

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We have two perfectly placed oak trees in the backyard with two perfectly placed hooks in the bark that have been a source of many a sound snooze for friends, family and likely unknown passersby when we aren’t around. They look a little like this though I can’t seem to find a good photo in my albums. The hammock trees are about the best place to flake out in nice weather which I plan to do when this winter is over.

However in recent years the trees have grown and begun to swallow up the hooks and one tree is starting to show his age and may not weather the test of time. We’re working on some pruning that may help but I hope to get a few more years out of our lovely hammock trees.

We also need a new hammock. The old white, many-stringed behemoth that someone brought back from Mexico has lost my confidence. It is time for a new one. I’ve been perusing the internet and while their prices are a bit steep it is a sound investment in weekend rest!

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And of course it couldn’t hurt to have one or two (or three) for the boys!

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New for the garden in 2013?

Like the new blossoms of spring, my mailbox is starting to unfurl its bounty of seed catalogues.

It’s that time of year when you can start thinking about what to do in the garden this year. I’ve got a few ideas and a few things to finish up from last year. And the year before. And the year before that…

Beyond the chronic weeding that will have to take place I want to finish off my perennial beds at the front corner and along the side of the house. It’s time to get these guys done already.

I wondered what might be new in the old garden centres this year so have been looking at some of the new plants of 2013.

Of course Canada Blooms is coming up so I can always make a trip down there. Not a huge fan of these shows but they are pretty to look at after a bland winter.

According to Better Homes and Gardens there are several new “Must-Grow New Perennials for 2013” including some new Dianthus, anemone, and the all-too popular hardy hibiscus that everyone seems to have now.

If you want to go for seeds, Stokes has a nice selection for this year. I like the lavender but I’ll go with a well-formed plant as seeds are rarely my pals.

According to the US Perennial Plant Association, this year’s perennial of the year is a variegated Solomon’s Seal. Not my cup of tea but different strokes and all of that.

Well this gives me a few ideas but I’ll spend a few days stewing on it and dreaming about spring.

Our first orchid

We are taking our houseplants up a notch.

The parentals came to visit around Valentine’s Day and gave us an orchid. Now I know houseplants but an orchid seems like a commitment. My violet is in good shape and both Christmas cacti have bloomed this year amazingly. But an orchid demands attention.

Our newest member of the household.

So far all I know is that it is a Phalaenopsis which is one of the most common and hardy types. That should be good to get used to. And it seems that there are a lot of resources available to provide ample information.

Phalaenopsis Care
Phalaenopsis for Beginners – American Orchid Society

Here’s hoping this orchid (Let’s call him Archie) makes it to Spring Break.

So now this week I am off to find Archie a nice planter and will be doing a little “orchid”-ology.

Some fresh decorating ideas – an infographic

Here’s a little infographic that might inspire and incite some change.

Nothing too fancy here but also nothing that any of us could try on say a long weekend? Happy Family Day weekend everyone!

Simple Ways to Freshen Up Your Home in the New Year! infographic

 

Art for the dining room? There’s A New Hope for us…

My recent purchase of art just arrived.

We may not agree on much in the household decorating area but this was a solid yes on both our parts. These, once framed, will grace the space over our dining room table.

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Finally decorating in a nerd-esque style is socially acceptable. These will go nicely with our Tintin triptych and my Valentine’s day gift of 2010. Most girls don’t want an A-Team action figure shadow box display but I am not most girls.

Steam punk felines

While I am no steam punk fan this cat pipe might be welcomed into our home.

Aloe there!

I bought a tiny little aloe plant at a church sale a few months back thinking it would likely not survive, let alone grow.

Oh how wrong I was. Despite having little to no luck with them in the past I seem to have created the right conditions for this one.

It sits on my little wobbly nightstand next to whatever pile of books I am working on, my lamp, the “charming” bowl I made in pottery class at the Gardiner Museum and my 1985 Sony Dream Machine which is still ticking. Well not ticking but you get what I mean.

So other than sunburns, which are few and far between in a Canadian winter, what do I do with it?

I’ll take any and all suggestions. In the meantime I’ll do a little research on the subject to find out more. I’m also wondering if I should transplant it now or wait until the spring?