Saturday, June 10, 2017

Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Choosing Beauty


I didn't plant anything in the garden this year with the exception of one Sweet Annie plant tucked into the perennial herb raised bed.  Otherwise, I hadn't planned on having many flowers around.  The household budget needed to go elsewhere this spring. Then I received an unexpected gift from a friend, which I normally would use to make some pantry purchases but this time... I decided upon Beauty.

It took a couple weeks of choosing and planting and cleaning the deck of winter grime but now one can look out my deck windows or the window over the sink and see a garden.  When anyone walks up to the porch, they see flowers and greenery.  I don't know about the visitors but they cause me to smile.

As important as the pantry is, I believe we are also fed by nature.  Sometimes I find it hard to put Beauty first in the budget, especially as I am always passing by inexpensive grocery store flowers which cost less than the one pound of ground beef in the basket.   Every time I look outside, sit on the deck, or walk up to the porch... I am thankful to my friend and that decision to choose Beauty.

Below are some photos that I think are self explanatory.  First the deck, then the front porch... and yes, I do live in and by a forest.

I have two small tables on the deck, the smaller one is kept free of plants so I can easily sit there with my morning coffee in nice weather.  This larger table always has flowers and herbs on it that I can see out my kitchen window.  They are easy to move to the deck railing should I need the table for company.





The pots for the basil are rather small
but I had them in the shed already.




This corner of the deck looks kind of sad but eventually the pineapple sage and bee balm will both grow huge!

View from the front porch.  Not showing is the Boston fern, hanging in its usual place which is over your left shoulder if you are holding the camera.

We still need to fix the edging clipped by the mower!

I think you can agree after viewing the photos that Beauty was a very good investment of my friend's gift... and a thank you sent to her!  :)

14 comments:

Lori said...

Everything looks lovely! It was a wise investment. πŸ˜€

Anonymous said...

Beautiful and I am so happy you gave yourself permission for beauty. JIll

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

I think this was a wise choice. Beauty has healing powers, I think....

Anonymous said...

Beautiful view..love the symmetry. You did good..right choice. Blessings, Sharon D.

Jennifer Williams said...

Good call! The plants and flowers are lovely to look upon, and I am sure it is quite relaxing. :-)

Instagram.com/melissasnotes said...

Love the pops of red! This is indeed a lovely view for you every single day!

I know that some people spend their money on vacations to enjoy two weeks out of the year, but every once in a while we choose to spend the money on fixing something in our house that we can enjoy every single day.

Vee said...

Yes, an excellent investment and one that you will enjoy for months to come. Your deck is looking like a very cheery place indeed. (Mine needs a good rescue! )

Marie said...

Beautiful!

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

So pretty! We need to feed our souls as much as we need to feed our bodies. In times like these it may be more important to feed your soul!

Heather Anne said...

Very pretty - what a joy and a blessing to have such a lovely view and be reminded every time that God moved in the heart of a friend to bless you with the gift of beauty!

Little Penpen said...

Your deck and plants are so beautiful!

Anonymous said...

It's all so pretty. An oasis to enjoy in this old fallen world. I'll think of you enjoying tea or coffee on your pretty deck when I enjoy coffee and a cool breeze on mine! ☕️πŸ’πŸŒΈπŸŒΊ☕️

Keri said...

It's all so beautiful! The red and purple together are such a treat for the eye! And yes, if I was one of your visitors, I would smile at the beauty. :) I'm so glad that your friend made that beauty possible for you...and that you chose that route over a more practical use for the gift.

A combination of budget constraints and laziness have led to me only purchasing a couple of herbs for my upper deck, where I usually have at least 3 or 4 pots with annuals. But for my lower deck, which usually stays bare, I found a great deal on a hibiscus plant. I've never owned one before -- in fact, I've never even seen them for sale -- but long ago I read a book that I adored called "Christmas in Hibiscus," a mystery set in a small town in Florida, and therefore it appealed to me to buy this hisbiscus plant as a reminder of the delightful book. I'm so enjoying the huge, bright blooms, and I think this might have to be a new annual purchase!

Debbie said...

So pretty! I love flowers too and have worked on adding more and more each year, even if it is only one perennial a year. I do love hanging baskets full of flowers so I keep my hanging baskets and fill them myself. I did score on a beautiful fuchsia basket though at Walmart on clearance. They always remind me of my mother since they are her favorites.