Monday, June 29, 2020

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using natural blood meal on tomato plants | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com

Hey Besties! 🌟

So, I've got to spill the tea on my latest garden adventure – and it's all about giving our green babies a little boost with something I never thought I'd try: plant food. Yup, you heard that right. I was always a bit skeptical, thinking it was kinda like skipping leg day and expecting to run a marathon. 🌱💪

using natural blood meal on tomato plants | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com

using natural blood meal on tomato plants | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com

But, oh, how the tides have turned! Our garden was looking a little... let's just say, under the weather. That is, until our neighbor, like a guardian angel with a green thumb, floated over with a bag of what I can only describe as garden gold: Natural Blood Meal.
using natural blood meal on tomato plants | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com

For those scratching their heads, Natural Blood Meal is like a superfood smoothie for your plants. It's packed with nitrogen, essential for our leafy friends to grow strong and vibrant. And it's all organic, coming from dried animal blood (I know, it sounds a bit like a vampire's diet, but trust me, it's all plant-friendly!).

Our tomatoes were basically writing sad country songs about their struggles. Started from seeds way too late; they were the underdogs of the garden. Fast forward to a few "Oh no, they're dying" moments, and I was about ready to sing along with them.

using natural blood meal on tomato plants | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com


using natural blood meal on tomato plants | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.comBut then came the Natural Blood Meal. Picture this: a balmy evening, me, and a spoonful of this magic dust around each tomato plant. A sprinkle here, a water there, and voilà!

The transformation? Stunning. 🍅✨ Within weeks, my tomato plants went from "Better luck next year" to "How are you so big already?!" No joke, I've never seen them thrive like this, not just in size but in spirit, too (if plants have spirits, that is).

using natural blood meal on tomato plants | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com


using natural blood meal on tomato plants | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com

I'm sitting here, just beaming with pride at our lush tomato jungle, thinking it's a mix of love, good old soil, and a dash of Natural Blood Meal magic. This year's garden party is off to a spectacular start, and I'm here for every bit of it.

And hey, because sharing is caring, I've linked some of this plant-boosting wonder below. Because who doesn't love a thriving garden? Let's keep our green babies happy and our hearts full, shall we?

using natural blood meal on tomato plants | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com


Sending all the green vibes and sunshine your way,
Tiff 🌼💚






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Thursday, June 25, 2020

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Hey there, Besties! 🌟 The Roses Are Blooming here On the Creek!



Isn't it just thrilling when our little efforts start showing big, beautiful results? Last spring, my backyard didn't exactly resemble the lush gardens you'd see in those glossy magazines. This year, oh boy, it's a different story! Our climbing roses, those delicate darlings we planted last year, are bursting into bloom, and I just can't wait to share this joy with you!Climbing Roses in chairs | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com


Surviving the Odds: Our Climbing Roses Thrive

Remember my spring yard walk post? I shared a bit of a sad update about some of our rose bushes that didn't make it. But life, as we know it in our grand Earth School, always has a way of balancing things out. So, here's the good news: our climbing roses survived and are thriving, painting our little creek-side haven with swashes of vibrant colors!


I planned to pamper them with rose plant food this year, but time got away from me (as it often does!). Miraculously, though, they seem to be doing just fine. It goes to show that sometimes nature just needs a little trust and space to work its magic!

Climbing Roses in chairs | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com

Climbing Roses in chairs | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com


A Garden Full of Surprises: Our New Floral Experiment

Now, get this: instead of letting these beauties climb the usual fences, we've decided to get creative. We're training our roses to climb over a couple of old chairs! Yes, chairs! It's a quirky little experiment, and although they're not climbing much yet, I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for a garden spectacle.


It's all a bit of a waiting game at this stage—those of you who garden know exactly what I mean. Perennials like these climbing roses take their sweet time, but I'm all in for the long haul, dreaming of the day these chairs are fully draped in rose-filled glory!

Climbing Roses in chairs | on the creek blog // www.onthecreekblog.com

Embracing the Unexpected in Gardening and Life

Starting out, I never pictured myself with a vast flower garden, but here I am, completely in love with every leaf and petal. Each day brings new growth, new challenges, and new surprises. Just like our crafting projects or a home renovation, gardening teaches us patience, creativity, and resilience. Every little bud, every bloom is a testament to what we can achieve with a bit of grit and a lot of love.


So, whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting to dip your toes into the soil, remember that every plant, project, and moment is a step in our beautiful, ongoing journey of growth and discovery. Keep planting, keep dreaming, and let's make our worlds—whether they're as big as a backyard or as small as a window sill—a little more beautiful every day.


Happy gardening, everyone! 🌹✨


Wednesday, June 24, 2020

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Remembering our sweet dog.

Our sweet boy, Rain, passed away last week.

He was 16 years old.

It's been so difficult without him here.  I miss him so much.

He was the best dog we've ever had.

Since he was an older dog, I tried to prepare myself for his passing.  I was still a total mess.  No amount of thoughts beforehand could prepare me for his loss.

He would have made such an amazing big 'brother' to our foster children.


I hope we'll be able to meet again someday, sweet boy.




Monday, June 15, 2020

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A solar powered chandelier for the pergola!

When we built the pergola a couple months ago, I knew I wanted to add a chandelier.

It took a while to find a chandelier but I finally found one over the weekend at a yard sale.

It was also super cheap which is a win every time!

I wanted to give it just a little makeover before I put it outside.  I wanted to keep the rustic look, so I did very little in the makeover department.







Friday, June 12, 2020

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'Fresh Cut Flowers' handmade sign with Cricut | On The Creek Blog // www.onthecreekblog.com
A vintage inspired 'Fresh Cut Flowers'  sign.

I'm back with another sign!

After seeing how easy it was to create my 'Tomatoes' sign, I wanted to make another sign!

I took a slightly different approach with this sign.

I originally wanted to make another sign that looked like the 'tomatoes' sign but I didn't have any more of the old boards.

What I did have was a piece of thick pine board, so I decided to use that.  Because I wanted a square sign, I had my husband cut it down to size.

Once the board was cut, it was time to create the sign!


Thursday, June 04, 2020

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vintage inspired DIY tomatoes sign | On The Creek Blog // www.onthecreekblog.com
A vintage inspired 'tomatoes' produce sign.

After planting so many tomatoes this year, I felt like I needed a sign to go with them!

I saw some vintage produce signs & wanted to make my own!

Sign making is something I want to start doing more.  It's a huge learning curve for me, though!  Because I have no artistic skills whatsoever, I can't just paint the lettering on!  I have to use a cutting machine to cut the letters out for me!

I bought a Cricut a few years ago & have used it maybe a handful of times.  The Cricut is also another huge learning experience!  I really need to just sit down & read the million tutorials there are on it!  So far, I've only used i
t to create basic things, like this sign! 








Wednesday, June 03, 2020

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Here's what we planted in the garden this year!

We planted a lot this year in the garden & I wanted to make a post to document everything!

We didn't intend on having a big garden this year but it just worked out that way!  Our old tomato seeds did really well & we ended up with a lot of tomato plants!

The old seeds took a while to grow, so thinking nothing was happening, I went & bought more tomato seeds.  Then everything started growing all at once!  I did notice that the new seeds matured a lot faster than the older seeds, but everything seems to be doing alright.





Tuesday, June 02, 2020

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Planting tomatoes in the garden | On The Creek Blog

Planting the 2020 garden!

We went big with this year's garden!

After the success of our tomato seedlings, we ended up with our largest garden to date!

This year, we planted a little bit of everything.  Because we planted so many things, I'm working on another post that lists everything.

The only plants we bought this year for the garden were the pepper plants.  Everything else we started from seeds.

We've never started this may veggies from seeds before, so I'm excited to see how they'll turn out!







Monday, June 01, 2020

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We built a Little Free Library®!

Having a Little Free Library has been a dream of mine & it finally came true!

We actually completed this project in January but it took a while to get this little library in our yard!

Since we have harsh winters in our area, I wanted to wait until spring before we brought the library outside.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit & I was unsure if it would be the right time to open.

Finally, I decided to open (with precautions) a few weekends ago!

I love Little Free Libraries & I think they're just the cutest!  

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