Red Neck Gardening

The weather channel may be calling for 20-25cm of snow tonight, but I'm making plans for my gardens.

I've got gardening on my mind.

I'm thinking of adding some ornaments to my garden. Red Neck ornaments at that, too.

I haven't had garden ornaments for quite a few years, since some kid in the old neighbourhood got creative and started swapping ornaments on the street. I'd come outside to find my faeries three doors down, my solar lights lining the entrance to the house on the corner or neighbours' wind chimes hanging in my trees. It was a bit annoying, but I had to give the kids points for creativity. Plus, it kind of brought the neighbourhood together because we kept having to meet in the middle of the street to swap lawn chotchkies.



But all bets were off when my CAT sign went missing.

That window was Winter's favorite hangout. He spent so much time lying there and watching the world go by, I was asked all the time if he was a stuffed animal. Then, when I got Cotton and started walking him around, people started asking if Cotton was the white animal who spent so much time sitting in the window.
I made that sign to clear up any confusion, and it sat propped up on the window sill for a few years.
Luckily, Winter continued to hang out there so that it continued to make sense.

Then, somebody stole my sign and the ornament swapping stopped being fun. I packed up the faeries, put away the wind chimes and even moved some of the decorative boulders to the back yard.

I've been a wee bit bitter ever since.

However, I've been presented with a bit of a challenge and I think that it might force me to give up holding the grudge.

My funky argyle boots have split beyond repair, and I'm not ready to give them up entirely. I can't wear them anymore, and all attempts at patching have failed miserably. And yet, they still sit in my front closet, calling out to be used.

The other day it occurred me that they might be fun garden ornaments. I was thinking that I could poke holes in the sole of one of them, fill it with dirt and plant something hardy and trailing in the top. The other one - the one with the split on the arch - I might cut a hole out of the side of it, lay it down flat and fill it up with pansies.

I'm still waffling if this idea is great or beyond tacky. I think I might try it out in the back yard (with limited exposure) this year. If I like it, then I can move the boots out front and hope they don't walk away.