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Welcome

Welcome to my little corner of the world. I am so honored by your visit today. My name is Kristi and I am married to my college sweetheart(I refer to him here as "Mr. Incredible"), momma to my 2 beautiful girls who are growing much too quickly, a high school computer teacher, photographer, and a gardener (at times~right now I'm growing weeds). I love to laugh, drink strong Starbucks coffee, take pictures, and be anywhere my family is. Jesus is my Savior and I try so hard to be the wife and momma that He has called me to be. I often fail but He lovingly picks me up, dusts me off, and encourages me that with Him all things are possible. Feel free to join me on this journey of faith, stop in and say hello, look around, and leave a comment~I love comments. Why "Kiki's Corner?" My nephews call me Aunt Kiki and I love that too.

Tackling the Giant Lantanas!

I did it! I tackled my Lantanas. Rumor has it that they can grow to be 6 feet tall. Guess what? Mine were well on their way. I really like Lantana. They are hardy in our Texas summers, have beautiful yellow blooms, and well....they just look nice in my garden. Trouble with Lantana is that they will become wildly out of control when you aren't paying attention. (I think this could be a spiritual analogy, don't you?)

I have had so much fun with my vegetable garden that I neglected the plants in my front flower beds. They were getting so tall, that I expected them to ring the doorbell and say, "Remember us? We have taken over the outside of your house and we need more room. May we come in?"

This time of year my allergies get the best of me whenever I work in the yard. Since I didn't have to sing a solo in church or anything I was willing to risk a few 100 hives.

I started pruning, and pruning, and pruning. I pruned back my Lantanas, hawthorns, mums, salvia, and my palm tree. I pruned until way after dark. I tried to bag what I could, but then I gave up and filled the back of Mr. Incredible, I mean Buzz's, truck. He was out of town, yet again, and missed all of the excitement. I completely filled the dumpster with all of my hard work. Here are a few pictures. (I'm sorry that they are not the greatest. Apparently, I lost all feeling in my arms and couldn't hold the camera steady but it was worth it!)

Here are my enormous Lantana plants:


Look! There is a large boulder in my flower bed that I hadn't seen since last year!




Look at the truck!






And now for the afters:


There really is a boulder! I just adore pansies! They are my favorite flowers to plant. They bloom under the harsh temperatures of winter and they look so cheerful despite their surroundings. (Hmm, another spiritual analogy, I think.)




Even the guard cats like the new look! What are you tackling today?


Tackle It Tuesday Meme

16 comments:

Karen M said...

Wow! You really worked hard on that project. The results look great. I had thought about getting some Lantana because I see it lots of places and it seems so pretty. I'm not the most attentive gardener. As a matter of fact my family calls me a plant murderer because I buy plants and they typically don't last for too long. So the Lantana's hardiness might just work for me. But then again I wouldn't want it to take over.

Good going girl!

Kim @ Homesteader's Heart said...

Wow my friend. Great tackle. We have lantanas in front of our deck and I can see that they are starting to reach new heights lol. They do well in hot weather that's for sure. Your flowers look wonderful!
Hugs.

Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet said...

Great tackle! Your yard and garden look beautiful! :D

earthlingorgeous said...

Wow! That is really hard work you tackled! Lovely lantanas and flowers on your garden! I adore your fall decorations and look at your guard cats they make the decorations more lively!

Susie said...

That was a HUGE tackle!! But, it was well worth it! The results are beautiful!!

heidi said...

WOW!!!!! I am SERIOUSLY impressed!

Frugal Finds said...

Big tackle!! Looks very nice though!! Love the fall decor at the front door!

Erica said...

Gorgeous! So many of my local friends will ask me about my "friend with the beautiful gardens." You are famous in our circle. You are awesome and so efficiant with your time!

Addicted to Beadz said...

Kristi,

My neighbors and my Mom also have lantanas. They are beautiful, and in fact my neighbor has cut theirs back in the middle of summer and it is already back almost 6 feet. My Mom's are well on their way as well.

It didn't look like the same flower bed, once you finished your hard work. It was beautiful before and after. I loved the Texas sunset in that one photo.

We love Pansies too. When my Dad had cancer and was going to doctor's appointments (in the winter) he saw pansies in the flower beds at this doc's office, along with snow. We had never heard him say this and don't have a clue where he got it, but he called them "Monkey faces." Pansies are especially dear to my Mom, as well as to me and my sisters. Something special to remember about someone we love so much, but is no longer here.

Thanks for sharing your Tackling Tuesday.

Love,
Cheryl

bp said...

That is a lot of hard work! Good job! Your flower beds look very nice.

Anonymous said...

Great job!! I used to live in Texas and miss it!! I live in Michigan now and am bracing for a very non-Texas winter.

I have a bush in my front "flower beds" that grows like crazy during the summer. I need to get out there and "tackle" it, too.

Debra Kaye said...

Kristi,

No wonder you couldn't hold the camera! What a great job...truly, it is beautiful!

Blessings to you this evening!

Anonymous said...

Wow, great tackle! Your beds look awesome! Great job!
Toni

L2L said...

I hope to have a front yard some day. All I can say is wow. I can't believe you did all that in one day, It looks so much better, great job, now go get a massage, he-he.

Kathy Schwanke said...

wow, blogging is so educational! I had never heard of a lantana until today and I am very amazed that your fall looks like summer & fall at the same time. I always wondered what things were like closer to the equator!!

Controlling My Chaos said...

Wow, great tackle. That was A LOT of work.