The veggies are really starting to show up and we are all enjoying reaping the fruits of our labor..

…(some more than others.)

Our weather here has taken a turn for the exceptionally hot and although we are suffering,

  the plants seem to be thriving

 as long as Mike and Pete keep them watered well.

Luckily an occasional thunderstorm keeps our rainbarrels full.

 So as we keep on gardening, hopefully our garden will keep on producing this delicious food for all of us to enjoy.

Half the interest of a garden is the constant exercise of the imagination. 
~Mrs. C.W. Earle

The rain continues but I have decided to not let it dampen my gardening spirit.  Out I went this afternoon into the wet tall grass to see what my spring garden is looking like.

The rain seems to go on and on and I am afraid I am missing all of the colors that are so beautiful this time of year.  The Lilacs and Iris are blooming, and my vegetable garden is waiting to be complete. 

 I decided to go ahead and put in a few of my seeedlings today to spite the rain.  You never know around here if you should wait until Memorial Day like everyone advises for a last frost date, or go for it. 

 Our weather this year has been chilly and VERY wet, but honestly I am tired of waiting so I have put in some of my vegetables and some flowers. 

We are going away for a week and hopefully I won’t be starting from scratch when we return because everything drown or froze while we were away. 

~”Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.” ~Roger Miller 

I wore my Muck Daily Garden Shoes and even though I was soaked through, my feet were dry and comfy!

click on the picture for more information

Who says we can’t look great and show our personalities while we are playing in the dirt?

Garden Shoes Online offers sturdy protective boots for those of you that landscape. We also have waterproof boots and shoes for those rainy spring days or muddy gardens. Do you want gardening shoes that slip on and off easily for those that like to “just do a bit of deadheading” that leads to an afternoon of rearranging their entire garden.  There is protective footwear that in addition to being waterproof and comfortable are also made to look good on you and show your personal style.

Tired, calloused hands, sore knees, mud in my shoes, and gnats bugging me are some of the discomforts I used to think were part of gardening until I started working at Garden Shoes Online. Until then I had no idea what a difference great garden shoes, boots, hats, tools and gloves could do for my gardening game.

I have found that quality gardening tools and accessories can make any task more efficient and ergonomic therefore easier on my ever-aging back and joints.  So if you are thinking that you have gotten along fine without great gloves or comfortable garden shoes, think again.  It’s so much better when the right tool or accessory is easily available and makes your work more like the play you intended it to be.

My old pair of sneakers or flip-flops aren’t my garden shoe go-tos any more. I can be standing in dirt, filthy and tired, but with a quality pair of garden shoes on that feel good, I can forge on knowing my shoes not only look good, support my feet and preserve my pedicure, they also keep my feet clean, my traction great and protect my foot arch from shoveling injuries. 

 It  is also much more enjoyable to garden with a good pair of gloves.  What a difference they can make.  No more calloused hands, blisters or dirt under my nails. My hands aren’t dried out from the dirt or the scrubbing it takes to get them clean after gardening now that I always wear a pair of quality gardening gloves. 

I am no longer swatting the bugs and sunburned while I weed because I wear my Insect Shield Wide brim Hat that not only keeps bugs away, it offers spf 50+ protection from the sun.

Buying from an online store may make you take pause~

• What if they don’t fit? No worries there, we have a Perfect Fit Guarantee~ If the size your ordered doesn’t fit we will send you the correct size for free. We want you to love your new shoes or boots!
• What if it’s a heavy item?  Shipping could be expensive. ~ Don’t fret, we ship for free any order over $49 dollars and if it’s under $49 dollars for your items we charge a flat fee of $4.95. So buying online gives you choices all in one place for items you probably can’t find at any stores nearby.  

Our goal at Garden Shoes Online is to make your passion for gardening be greater by making you more comfortable, more efficient, safer and of course making you look good too.  Even though you didn’t think you could love gardening more than you already do, click on over to Garden Shoes Online and see the many products we offer that really can make it even better.

#Gardenchat is a weekly meeting of gardeners that takes place on twitter.  It is really informational.  Each week there is a new topic and guest host that answers questions about the topic of the week.  Anyone can join in.  It’s fun and you meet people who love doing the same thing you do.   It’s easy to participate and Brenda of BGgarden always posts a transcript of the chat the next day.  That way if you miss any info, you can catch it then.   It’s really fun to see the enthusiasm gardeners have to share their knowledge and experiences.  Tonight was about heirloom seeds.  Chris McLaughlin of  A Suburban Farmer was the guest host. 

 The one thing I love about gardening is that there are so many different aspects of gardening to know about.  The more I learn the more I find that I want to know about.  After listening to Chris share information about heirloom seeds, I decided to order two books she has written. 

 Now I will spend a few weeks out of this looong cold winter learning more about gardening and passing the time until I can get my hands dirty again.  

 And what could be better than an old tractor?

An old red tractor.

~ Happiness is never stopping to think if you are.  ~Palmer Sondreal

We found some vintage windows on the curb, and they inspired this entire project.  With a bit of wood found in the garage and a quick trip to Home Depot, we had the makings of a fun weekend. 

 On a gorgeous day early last Spring,  myhusband  got started on building me a cold frame.. 

First he built it,

 then he put on wheels so we can move it into the sun or in and out of the garage if we have a bad frost coming.  

 Next we painted it, 

put the windows on with  hinges,

and reused the window hardware as handles.

He added a couple of heavy duty handles on the sides for lifting (you never know) 

and there you have it…

a great cold frame to hold all my fledgling seedlings and give them an early start.

~ All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar. ~ Helen Hayes

Can we conceive what humanity would be if it did not know the flowers?  ~Maurice Maeterlinck

Great Christmas gifts, and orders over $49 get free shipping too.

There is still time left to order in time for Christmas!

Happy Holidays from Garden Shoes Online!

What is it that draws us in and obsesses many?  Is it the lure of the flowers, their beauty, their fragrance?  Is it purely the personal enjoyment~a hobby?  Is it getting our hands dirty or feeling the soil as we work?   

Do we actually like to sweat while standing out side with the gnats swarming us?  Maybe we like muscle pains and back aches?  Or is it the feeling of accomplishment when you stand back after a long day of swatting bugs and getting sunburned to take in the bounty of your hard work?  

Having a purpose for being outdoors breathing the fresh air, growing flowers that fill our yards and vases for sheer pleasure or being one with the earth while taking in mother nature’s gifts could some it up for many.    Some garden to get food, pure and simple.  Others may like the challenge of putting order and beauty where it hadn’t existed, making  something out of nothing. Perhaps it is to see the amazing beauty and colors that Mother Nature can produce at our own hand, making us part of the grand scheme of life in tangible ways.   

 Perhaps we garden for all of the above in some shape or form but mostly I like to think that people garden because it simply makes them happy~ for whatever the reason.

  So as each of us gardeners long for springtime to arrive, and we wait for sunny, warm days that don’t last long enough to do everything we hope to in the garden that day, we can ponder why  do we do it. 

 The truth is most of us would probably say it’s just… because.

  “We come from the earth, we return to the earth, and in between we garden.”~ unknown

 ~”Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.” ~ Peg Bracken.