It's Dream Home Time

Every year HGTV gives away a "Dream Home" worth millions that the winner usually opts to sell for the cash. This year, the home is in Sonoma, CA. The house looks lovely, as do the interiors, but I have to admit, I was less than impressed with it's gardens. Tons of grass out front, some boring shrubs around the foundation, a teeny, tiny area tucked between the house and the garage for gardening, and more grass in the back. The patio and pergola look nice, but sort of plunked in the back. Don't get me started on the Arborvitae hedge in the back. The one sort of cool thing was a grape arbor (which makes sense when the house is smack in the middle of wine country).

Don't get me wrong, I'm entering the sweepstakes daily. And telling everyone I meet to do the same, but it does sort of bother me that the "G" in HGTV is a bit neglected.

Graphic from HGTV Dream Home Web Site.

22, Feels Like 3

Apparently, it is unseasonably cold this week. I'm hibernating due to the frigidity, but I did lean onto my front porch to get this shot of my Scotch Broom (a pink one). I have my doubts about whether it will survive the winter in a container, but I bought this plant on a whim (curse you, Home Depot) and was never happy with it (just read all the nasty reviews on Dave's Garden, it will make you shudder). So I dug it up and put it in this container to see if I will like it any better. The jury is still out.

My sister gave me this houseplant over the weekend. Well actually, I stole the houseplant from her (thanks Maria and Don). It was a little sickly looking, so I did a little pruning, and voila, healthy as a horse (well, maybe except for those black tips).

Yesterday I went to Home Depot again, this time for some screws to hang this gift from my sister.


Then, acting on the same urge that struck me when I bought the Broom, I couldn't leave without the following:

Happy New Year!