When A Tree Falls On A House

The view from my porch on Sunday morning.

So I'm on the couch at around 6:30 in the morning trying to prepare my GBBD post when it suddenly starts to get really dark outside. Within a matter of minutes a big bad storm was brewing. I'm not talking about heavy rain, I'm talking about like monsoon type weather.

I was sitting with my knees in the couch looking out the living room window like a 5 year old when suddenly our big tree came crashing down on the house. It didn't make a sound.

Did I ever mention how I have the worst response to danger, ever? When the tree fell I said, in my only slightly raised voice, "oh no, the tree fell on the house." Meanwhile Mr. W is behind me freaking out. "HOLY EXPLETIVE! THE EXPLETIVE TREE! WHAT THE EXPLETIVE?" I have been scolded time and time again for my inappropriate response. Like the time the oven mitt that was ON Mr. W caught on fire. "oh honey, you're on fire." Or the time the garage door was closing on the car. "oh no, the door..."

Here's the view from the street. Thankfully there was no major damage. The awning over the porch is dented and all my newly planted seedlings were squashed to death but it could have been much worse.

The thing that irritates me is that I called the village about this tree last year because I thought it was diseased and they said it was fine. Now millions of carpenter ants have been displaced and I'm sure they are finding their way into the house to eat me in my sleep.

Technorati Tags: falling trees,storms,curb appeal,seedlings

New Plants: Trees and Succulents

I've seen varying reviews of buying plants on Ebay but as of today I'd like to say I'm all for it. I've ordered other stuff from E and all of my buying experiences have been positive but I've only browsed plants for auction, never having the nerve to actually buy one. These 2 pictured below were bought way back in December of 2007. What I loved was the fact that these 2 sellers offered to hold the plants until whatever date that I wanted them shipped. I picked March 15th. In hindsight, I should have waited longer. So, ever since December, I've been sitting around wondering if I just gave away money. I mean of course they wanted their money right away. But just as they promised, these 2 sellers shipped right on time and the plants arrived looking pretty healthy. The one on the left is Purple Smoke Tree and the one on the right is Tamarisk. I fell in love with both these last summer on the garden walk. I ordered one each for GB and myself. I know they are tiny and lord knows how long it will take for them to grow to anything that looks like an actual tree, but they were very affordable and I'm hoping to be able to show them off one day bragging that "these were only a few inches when I planted them."

You may remember me saying I don't like succulents. Well, I changed my mind. These little darlings came from the Chicagoland Flower and Garden show and I think they are just adorable. The one above is Echeveria peocockii. I have no idea what to do with these things so for now they are just hanging out in the kitchen window trying not to die.

Is this the cutest thing you've ever seen? It's called Haworthia reinwartii and I love it.

Echeveria gibbiflora is not happy at my house. I loved the way it looked at the show but it seems to be deteriorating pretty quickly. See how the leaf on the right is sorta shriveling up? I don't know what I did to it but now I'm scared to go near these things. Maybe I'm watering them too much? Maybe I'm not watering them enough?

This is a Jade Tree and I admit I only got one because GB did and I'm a copycat. (good grief my kitchen window is disgusting)