2016 - DECEMBER HOLIDIVA DAY

This post, 2016 December – HOLIDIVA DAY, was written by Annie in Austin/ Diva Glinda for the Diva of the Dirt blog, divasofthedirt.blogspot.com

[Wow- this post is about our 2016 Christmas party – a whole year ago! I really got behind on posting but will try to catch up soon.]

The Divas of the Dirt gathered at Karla’s house in 2016 and she was ready for us with the Christmas tree tall and decorated

and the table gilded and elegant. Sugar was Karla’s co-hostess – bringing the entree.

It had been a while since we were all together! Mindy, Sugar and Mattie had a lot of catching up to do.

Sophia, Karla, Glinda and Buffy were glad to be there – but where is DivaAnnie? She was behind the camera for these photos but you’ll see her later!

Drinks and appetizers were first – Mindy has a choice of Smoked Salmon Dip and Love Dip from Costco with assorted crackers (Diva Annie) and Cocktail meatballs with bread rounds (Glinda) and assorted wines from many Divas

 

Sophia is enjoying this day off work surrounded by her friends

Buffy listens intently

Here is the holidiva feast! Clockwise from back: an enormous Glazed Ham with Redeye Gravy (Sugar), Salad of Butter Lettuce, Walnuts, Apples, Cheddar and Pomegranate (Mindy) Super Rich Mashed Potatoes (Sophia), Carrots with Pecans (Buffy), and Addictive Asparagus and Cheese Grits (Karla). 

 

Every single thing was delicious and/or dangerous – if you have ever had Karla’s cheese grits you will know they are as addictive as the asparagus!

We decided to delay dessert and play the stealing-grab bag game, pulling numbers and opening the packages in turn.

Here is Mindy unwrapping a package while Annie looks on.

Mattie likes these chains of metal bluebirds but she won’t have them long… this is a Stealing Grab bag game!

It’s Annie’s turn now… Sugar and Mindy wonder what she’ll get

Uh, oh – game delayed while Annie uses the bow to turn herself into an Old Tyme Carol Singer

Mindy got a decorative plant stake and thinks it’s a winner.

Mattie made the pecan pie with a gluten free crust – topped with vanilla ice cream

There’s something amusing about eating pie made with pecan nuts under the watchful eye of a couple of nutcrackers!

This photo of Sugar, Buffy and Karla reminds me of the best part of our Holidiva Day – laughing with friends.

 

It was a great day – see you next year!

This post, 2016 December – HOLIDIVA DAY, was written by Annie in Austin/ Diva Glinda for the Diva of the Dirt blog, divasofthedirt.blogspot.com

2016 – NOVEMBER MINDY’S GARDEN DAY

This post 2016 November – Mindy’s Garden Day was written by Annie in Austin/Diva Glinda for the Divas of the Dirt blog Divasofthedirt.blogspot.com

November was half over by the time the Divas met at Mindy’s house – in some years the garden work might have included cleaning up frozen plants, but not in 2016! We’d had no frost or freezes and the mild weather continued. Jackets might be needed in the morning but the afternoon would be warm.

Mindy’s priority was the overgrown entrance bed, including pruning back the Barbados cherries, weeding and clipping. 

 

A squad of 5 Divas took on fall cleanup: Mindy, Buffy, Karla, Annie and Mattie were present, while Sugar, Sophia and Glinda were not able to come.  

Those Divas did a lot! Here’s an after photo by Mindy

and here is how Mindy reacted:

“…yesterday was a perfect day to stroll the driveway from the front entrance to the house and marvel at the startling difference a Diva day of work made…I can see MY HOUSE again between the kitchen and the garage! I can see the beautiful Giant Liriope and pathway!”

There are always changes and challenges – here’s hoping the Divas of the Dirt will continue to Grow, Live, Laugh and Love.

This post 2016 November – Mindy’s Garden Day was written by Annie in Austin/Diva Glinda for the Divas of the Dirt blog Divasofthedirt.blogspot.com

2016 – OCTOBER KARLA’S GARDEN DAY

This post 2016 October – Karla’s Garden Day was written by Annie in Austin/ Diva Glinda for the Divas of the Dirt blog Divasofthedirt.blogspot.com

October had not brought cooler weather for Karla’s garden day, but the Divas of the Dirt can take some heat if they get the chance to be together. Sugar, Glinda and Sophia were unable to be there but Buffy, Annie, Mattie, Mindy and Karla got a lot done.

Karla had warned her friends in an email to “bring your tools for cleaning up - bulldozer comes to mind when I look at the yard!”

Well maybe not a bulldozer, but something stronger than a trowel was needed for the corner patio bed – but careful, Divas – that’s Karla’s precious Anacacho Orchid tree in the center!

St. Augustine grass had sent runners all through the Purple Heart/Tradescantia in the entrance border, just inside the gate.

Karla likes Ruellia, but it had gone a little wild in the back border. 

The iris in the bed under the Crepe myrtle will do better once that bed is cleaned up… maybe a little compost and mulch, too? 

Divas Buffy, Karla and Annie survey the entrance border – they know just what to do!

It took awhile, but that back border is much improved!

Sometimes the plants in pots need help, too. Here is Diva Annie with assistant Barbie. 

The table is in lovely Autumn Harvest mode. Karla’s menu thumbed its nose at the warm weather and celebrated fall – soups from an Austin favorite - The Soup Peddler.

Karla sent out a thank you note, “The best thing ever about opening the blinds this morning was NO RUELLIA in sight!! The next was seeing all the cleaned up beds looking like they were ready for a new start!”

This post 2016 October – Karla’s Garden Day was written by Annie in Austin/ Diva Glinda for the Divas of the Dirt blog Divasofthedirt.blogspot.com

2016 – SEPTEMBER BUFFY’S GARDEN DAY

This post, “2016 – September Buffy’s Garden Day”, was written by Annie in Austin/Diva Glinda for the Divas of the Dirt Blog at DivasoftheDirt.blogspot.com

All eight Divas of the Dirt made it to Buffy’s garden day in September – although both Glinda and Mindy were a little late to the taco-fest breakfast.

Buffy had hired professionals for a few really big jobs and her garden was a different place.

New block edging defined the back corner of the garden

Some of Buffy’s plants were in full glory – especially the plants that were in shade. Isn’t this begonia beautiful?

Where uneven ground was once responsible for trips and tumbles, a new decomposed granite path was level and attractive. 

This bed was once stuffed with shrubs of Indian Hawthorn/ Rhaphiolepsis indica. When they were young and the yard was sunnier, these shrubs stayed more compact and bloomed well. But as they aged and surrounding trees grew taller, the hawthorns lost leaves, grew leggy and no longer worked in this space so Buffy had them removed. Oh, boy – a cleared bed, ready for Divas to plant! 

The dappled shade in the middle of the yard suits the St. Augustine grass, and the layers of surrounding trees, shrubs, plants and borders make Buffy’s garden feel like a peaceful haven. 

Out near the front door, more overgrown Indian Hawthorns had been removed, making a another space for the Divas to plant. Buffy’s other wish was for help with composting and mulching.

What a good start to fall!

This post, “2016 – September Buffy’s Garden Day”, was written by Annie in Austin/Diva Glinda for the Divas of the Dirt Blog at DivasoftheDirt.blogspot.com