You’ve Got Deals

Hello friends,

“You’ve Got Deals” is what my computer should say every morning when I log on to my email.

This morning, I took the plunge and purchased my first Groupon.  In case you don’t know, Groupon is an online coupon group for your city.  I’ve often lurked on Groupon, but today I bit the bullet and purchased my first great deal. 

Straight from their website, here is how Groupon works.

“1. Get It

Check your email, Facebook or Twitter feeds for daily deals on cool local businesses.

2. Share It

Groupons are more fun when used with friends. Pass along deals by email or broadcast them to your social networks.

3. Enjoy It

Print the voucher or bring it up on your mobile device, then present it at the business to get your deal.”

So, today’s deal was from one of my favorite local stores, Harmony Landing.  This store has these chairs that I have been swooning over for the past 2 1/2 years. 

Yeah, I know, I  move at a snail’s pace.

Anyways, the deal was to purchase a $50 Groupon with a value of $200 at Harmony Landing.  Wahoo.

Maybe using this coupon by its expiration date of October, 2011 will be the little push I needed to take yet another plunge and order the darn things.  I plan to order two chairs and an ottoman.

Below is the picture Groupon used for today’s deal.  It is of some merchandise currently at Harmony Landing.

Click here to get today’s Groupon Deal.

A Time To Plant

 

Ecclesiastes 3:2 - A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

It’s the “time to pluck up” that I am excited about with this little project.

I planted an herb container garden last weekend.  My mom had a Lowe’s buy one, get one free coupon for herbs.  She kindly let me use it since she (master gardener extraordinaire) already had her kitchen garden planted.

I bought the following:

I also bought a pack of Dill seeds to start in the garden.  I already had some chives growing.  My mom continued her thoughtfulness by splitting some mint, oregano, and rosemary with me that she had planted at her house.

Now, if you are like me and know very little about gardening, here is a helpful tip.  Mom and Judd informed me that mint and oregano should be planted in separate containers because they spread and take over other plants.  I planted the mint and oregano in the smaller containers to the side. I also planted the rosemary in a separate pot because my larger container did not have room for it.

    

I didn’t really like the plastic garden stake labels that came with my plants.  Instead, I replaced them with what you see below.  I bought some craft sticks from Hobby Lobby and labeled the plants myself using a sharpie fine point marker.

     

I made a mistake on one craft stick.  Judd turned it upside down and drew an Easter bunny on the other end for me.  I put this stake in a container, on our front porch, that holds impatiens and sweet potato vine. (Per the usual, pardon the bad photo quality.  These are all from an iphone.)

Cole helped while I planted and labeled the herbs.  He also drank from the hose while I watered them.

Here is how the container looked when I was finished, aside from the fact that I photographed this before I took the plastic labels out – oops.  I can’t wait for the dill seeds to come up and for the other plants to thrive.  I hope the plants will fill in the whole container. 

I chose variegated thyme because the green and white color variation looked pretty with the other all green plants.  The thyme was planted towards the front of the container because, according to mom and Judd, it will creep over the side and will look pretty.

I planted the tomato in the back so that as it grows tall I can easily support it with a stake.  The other plants were placed according the height I expect them grow--from back to front, tallest to shortest.

Here is another thing to note if you are also going to plant an herb container garden.  I found the cilantro and flat leaf parsley difficult to tell apart.  So, I made sure to plant my flat leaf and curly leaf parsley together and then on the opposite side of the container I planted the cilantro.  Additionally, I thought the symmetry of the flat leaf parsley and cilantro flanking either side of the thyme looked nice.

  

Mom reminded me, so I will remind you, to water the herbs everyday because they will require more water since they are in a container and not planted in the ground.

Do you have an herb garden or plans to create an herb garden?  What did you plant?  Do you have any tips on how to make this garden grow?

Happy Gardening.

The Sandlot Syndrome

Do you recall the 1990’s movie, The Sandlot?  If so, then you may remember that it is about a group of young boys who play baseball on a small field known as the sandlot.  All of the boys try to avoid hitting over-the-fence homeruns because a backyard, adjacent to the outfield, contains a large dog who steals any ball that comes over his fence.  The boys called the dog, The Beast.  They were afraid to jump the fence and retrieve their baseballs because of him.

Well, I am afraid we may have the sandlot syndrome occurring at our house too.  Only, in our backyard, Cole (a.k.a The Beast II), our black lab, is not just stealing baseballs, he is keeping golf balls, tennis balls, soccer balls, and frisbee’s too.

You see, Judd and I live behind a local elementary school.  The school has a large play ground and soccer/T-ball field.  Since the weather has been so nice lately, we have been putting Cole outside during the day. 

Usually, when one of us comes home, we immediately go out to our backyard and play with Cole.  I went out the other day and he very proudly brought me a tennis ball that we did not give him.

The next day, I stepped outside to continue our routine of afternoon playtime and he came galloping towards me with a golf ball in his mouth.

Then, on Sunday, while Judd was cutting our grass, he found a frisbee that Cole apparently called dibs on.

Last spring, we looked out the window and he was playing soccer on his own with a soccer ball that he wouldn’t give back to the local kids.

Lessons Learned:

1. Don’t put a labrador retriever in the back yard and expect him not to retrieve anything.

2. Teach him to share with children.

3. Teach him that the old saying “Finders, keepers” does not apply at our house.

4. Offer him more toys of his own so that he will stop stealing.

To all of our neighborhood children, we apologize for our dog’s lack of manners.

To all the parents in our neighborhood, consider putting your address on your sporting equipment.  We promise to return whatever Cole finds.  :)

The End.

Inspiration: Sneak Peak II

Lately, Judd and I have been especially busy.  I wish I had more time to fill you all in on the daily happenings of The Langham Project (i.e. our lives).

Here is a quick second glance at some inspiration we have been using as of late.  If you haven’t already guessed, we are designing an office space.  The photos I posted here, the other day, were for use in the main work area.  The photos below are for a small conference room with an even smaller budget in the same office.  We will see how it turns out.

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