Backyard Gardener Contributor

I was the Official Backyard Gardener Contributor on Squidoo! The JOY of seeing something grow from seed ... Ah! You know, I wasn't born with a green thumb, but found I had a passion for gardening as a child.

Growing up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, we had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with our grandparents. From my maternal grandfather, I learned to appreciate the satisfaction of tending a beautiful flower garden and the necessity of maintaining a vegetable garden.

We always had a nicely manicured yard with an array of flowers and usually a vegetable garden in the backyard.

In my adult life, I didn't always find the time to manage a backyard garden as I had a professional marketing career all my adult life.

Then, I moved to Jacksonville Florida in the early 90s. Things changed for me as we seriously have more months of nice garden weather than Ohio! I became rather an expert at backyard gardening.

All photos and content copyright JaguarJulie.

Gardening Expertise Poll - We asked our readers previously to rate themselves from newbie to moderately talented to expert. Like stairsteps!

Ah, the JOY of Gardening!

Where do I begin? You know, I always appreciated flowers and blossoms but really never thought about growing them for myself. Then, when I moved to Jacksonville, Florida in the early 90s, I bought a small 1460 sq. ft. townhouse. It had a one-car garage and a little patch of grass in the front and back yards. That was when I first tried my creative hand at exterior yard design.

The backyard design started off with a small privacy shadowbox fence and then a 10 ft. square wooden platform deck. I then painted the concrete slab a teal blue color and erected a spruce green and white striped canopy over the deck. Next, I began digging up the little bit of exposed grass, putting down concrete stepping stones and white stones. Lastly, I added Oleander bushes and a variety of flowers.

After I finished in the backyard, I came to the front yard. I painted the sidewalk teal blue and planted a variety of flowers and plants down the side of the house. At the curb, I put in a colorful floral triangular garden with wooden edging. The flowering crepe myrtle in the little front yard was the show piece.

That was yesterday, so to speak. Now that I have a much larger yard, over 12,000 sq. ft., I have become a bit of a professional at backyard gardening. You can call me the Blonde Backyard Gardener! By the way! I bet you didn’t know that I also am one of the Blondes that DIY! #blondesthatdiy <---- hashtag!

Gardening for Geeks: DIY Tests, Gadgets, and Techniques That Utilize Microbiology, Mathematics, and Ecology to Exponentially Maximize the Yield of Your Garden - Gee, this is a book that seriously appeals to my scientific side!

You know, if I wanted to take my gardening up a notch, it would be with a book like this!

Consider what you learn about : DIY Tests, Gadgets, and Techniques That Utilize Microbiology, Mathematics, and Ecology to Exponentially Maximize the Yield of Your Garden!

Wow, this book will help you work together with Mother Nature to achieve the backyard garden of your dreams!

Have you ever thought about "analyzing meteorological patterns in order to plan productive beds?" I haven't really although I do plan my Scott's Bonus S application around the forecast.

My Backyard & Frontyard Gardening Projects

Allow me to share with you photos of some of the work that I have done. You know a photo is worth a thousand words at the very least and maybe two thousand in my case. You see, I couldn't contain myself in only the backyard(s)!

My Townhouse Backyard Garden - The first larger scale backyard project!

Here is that project I just told you about. In this photo, you get a view of a good part of the townhouse backyard. The oleander were relatively young along with the other flowers and plants. This design looked like it came out of Better Homes & Gardens! I designed it from scratch without using any magazine designs. Once I finished with the yard work, I added a wooden table and chairs to the platform deck.

My Townhouse Backyard Garden With Lights! I always wondered what this looked liked from overhead.

You know, it used to feel like a got a lot of small planes and helicopters buzzing over head, particularly at night when I lit up the lights. The lighting really helped to make my design a bit of a showpiece.

The Front Yard of My Townhouse - View looking out from the front door.

I personally love painting or staining the concrete walkways! Since this townhouse was done in a Jacksonville Jaguars color scheme, I picked teal blue for the front walkway. I added lots of plants and shrubbery to the left and right along with white decorative edging, concrete stepping stones, and mulch. Notice the crepe myrtle in the front yard. At the front curb, in the upper right of the photo, I had the triangle garden area with decorative wooden edging. Talk about curb appeal; this place had loads of it!

A Backyard Project With the Hubby. Have you ever done a joint project with your spouse?

This was the last joint project that I worked on with the hubby before the divorce. After all that work, I felt I had to leave the Deercreek Country Club house to the ex. I didn’t have the heart to make him sell it.

So, in this project, I provided the labor by hauling all the patio stone and materials from the front driveway to the backyard. I was with the hubby as he progressed through the work, offering my artistic eye and snapping lots of photos so that we could do our DIY tutorial. It was a weekend project that came together fairly quickly. Talking with the ex recently, he has acknowledged that his back wouldn’t be up to another project like this one!

That Patio Paver Backyard Project! This was a little job I did with the hubby!

If you have ever contemplated a patio paver project of your own, you will learn all the steps on how to accomplish one. This is the type of weekend job that any homeowner, male or female, can do. You can scale it up or down depending upon how much space you have. What are you waiting for; let's get it started already!!

Another Patio Paver Project. A little less artistic, but very functional.

Out of necessity, I did a patio of twelve inch red patio stones along with Holland brick pavers to edge it. This was an area in my backyard that didn’t seem to be growing grass very well. When the rain would come off the roof, it would create a marshy area here. Putting down the stones was the best thing I ever did for that area of yard.

Pruning the Nine Crepe Myrtle Trees. Enjoying the changing of the leaves!

In the early Spring of 2012, I started to prune the nine crepe myrtle trees that lined my backyard. Those limbs were from thirty to fifty feet high! Armed with a Corona 18 inch hand saw, I went to work. I started at the left back and worked on just one tree at a time. Each time I brought down one of those massively long limbs, I tried to be as careful as possible not to hurt myself. Then, I would take time to saw the limbs into five foot lengths and then bag the leaves and put the tiny limb pieces into a 55-gallon trash container.

It took me fourteen weeks to complete this job! Each Friday I hauled the cut limbs and leaf debris to my curb for pickup. The yard guys swore that I couldn’t have done it all by myself. How about that?

In the end, I only hurt myself about three or four times. One time, the new saw came off the limb and hit me in my right shin. That was pretty gory … I ran inside, applied pressure, put on a large bandage, and decided to lie down until I stopped feeling dizzy. Then, I came back outside and continued working. Another time, I slammed the nail on my left finger up against a tree when I swung one of the cut limbs, trying to knock over another limb that landed upright in the ground. I was sure I broke it!

Bottomline, I never would have been able to experience the beautiful changing of the leaves if I hadn’t pruned those crepe myrtles in the first place. Now, the job only takes a few hours each year to prune the growth at the end of the year! Who needs a chainsaw and a man???

I Trimmed All Those Crepe Myrtles! One by one by one by one ...

Honestly, there was not motorized equipment used in this project. It was all about the Corona 18 inch hand saw. I was so impressed how this little hand saw, with a bit of girl power from me, handled all those fifty foot limbs on the overgrown crepe myrtles. You'll have to check out my product review to see MORE pictures from my backyard gardening project!! Girl Power!

My Seven-Eight Foot DIY Garden of Sunflowers. What is up with all that red mulch?

You know, it was tough trying to pick just one photo from that first sunflower garden. I opted to use this one because it feels like yesterday when I came home from Lowe’s with several bags of red mulch. What was up with quality control that day back at the mulch factory? I think somebody must have flipped the switch on the dye or got that chemical formula wrong. I couldn’t believe how there were three different colors going on. Anyways, you’ll note that I had three rows of tall sunflower plants. This was obviously near the end of the season for that first crop.

There are lots and lots of photos of the garden, charting its growth and then sharing the rest of the journey through all the lovely and colorful blossoms to actually harvesting the seeds for that second garden of 2014! I did many blog posts … be sure to check those out!

Come along and experience this inspirational journey with me. From start to finish:

• Planting a Flower Garden From Scratch
• Starting Sunflower Seeds for a Flower Garden
• Nurturing Sunflower Seedlings for a Flower Garden
• Planting Sunflower Seedlings in the Ground
• Sunflower Plants Prospering in the Ground
• My Sunflower Blossoms are Blooming
• Celebrate the Sunflower Buds and Backs
• Colorful Autumn Beauty Sunflower Pictures
• Insects and Critters in my Sunflower Garden
• Drying Sunflower Heads for Seeds
• Harvesting Sunflower Seeds from the Heads
• My 7 Foot Sunflower Garden
• The Sunflower Project : Free Seeds and Paying it Forward
• Hummingbird in My Sunflower Garden
• Autumn Beauty Sunflower Pictures
• Pretty Yellow Sunflower Blossoms
• Dance of the Dragonfly
• Sunflowers in a Vase
• Final Sunflowers of Summer
• The Last Sunflower of Summer

My DIY Garden of Sunflowers #1!

It all started with some Burpee Sunflower Seeds and a vision! Whenever I start a project, there has always been a lot of contemplation behind it. With my very first DIY Sunflower Garden, I really wanted to start with a singular plant. That was in the Summer of 2012; however, no plants could be found. I knew that I would have to be patient and wait until the next growing season. August in Jacksonville, Florida is SO HOT and HUMID! Around came February 2013, a piece of land, some seeds and a little muscle. Voila! Sunflowers!!

This Is My Second DIY Garden of Sunflowers. The 2014 edition that was a work in progress!

As of May 4, 2014, some of the plants had attained a height surpassing 36 inches! This year’s garden is much more involved than 2013′s in that there are four rows rather than three and there are many more plants. Every single plant has come from seeds harvested from the previous garden! That’s quite something.

This DIY journey is just getting started … here is that journey thus far:

• Planting My Second Sunflower Garden
• Sunflower Seedlings Emerging in Six Days
• Critters Digging Up My Sunflower Seedlings
• Protecting Sunflower Seedlings From Digging Critters
• Sunflower Seedlings at Twenty-Three Days
• Sunflower Seedlings at Thirty Days
• Cat in My Sunflower Garden
• Sunflower Plants at Thirty Seven Days
• Sunflower Plants at 24 Inches Tall
• Pink Slime Mold in Sunflower Garden
• Yellow Slime Mold in Sunflower Garden
• Sunflower Plants at 36 Inches Tall

My Mexican Petunia Garden Project #1. A side yard project that still looks fabulous!

This was actually the first large gardening project that I undertook in my current home. I had quite a large area that I was digging up and knew that I wanted to plant Mexican Petunias because they grow quite well and are drought-resistant. I was first captured by their beauty with the daily showers of purple flowers. The house across the street from me had a mailbox decorated with these flowers. That was my inspiration!

My Second Mexican Petunia Garden. The neighbors were really talking about this!

Yes indeed … after I finished my first similar project in my side yard to the right of my house, I came to the front of the house, on the left side. To be cool with my next door neighbor, I asked her opinion on what I planned to do. I had some stakes and put them in the ground to consult on the property line. Then, another neighbor came by. Both of those gals were “consulting” on my planned gardening project.

One thing led to another and soon I was digging up the ground. As I went, I made sure to fill in the area with mulch and plants rather than leaving exposed dirt. Before you knew it, I had down patio stones and brick pavers along with red mulch and more Mexican Petunias! I was thrilled with how good this job actually looked and how easy it is to maintain year-to-year.

Then, a neighbor down the street came by, “how much would you charge to do one of those for me?” Thinking it over, I said, “Ah, it all depends …”

A Massive Side Yard Gardening Project. My biggest square footage job yet!

When I started working on this side yard, the weather was already pretty hot! It was July-August 2013. I had been researching Florida-Friendly Landscaping to get some ideas on how I could make my one side yard more friendly. It was only a couple of days into the project where I was digging with a shovel and then picking out the grass pieces to put in the trash bag. I kept hitting roots from the large water oaks that had been removed from the backyard. The sweat was rolling off me and I was covered in dirt with lots of dirt up my nose. It got to be quite an emotional project and I was having a difficult time seeing its completion.

Blood, sweat and a lot of tears went into this project. And, you have no idea how many trips back and forth to Lowe’s I made on a daily basis with my sports car with the white leather interior! I have no trunk, so everything that you see here was brought home in my front seat.

My Daisy Garden Out Back. Right outside my back door ...

There have been a lot of different daisies which have cycled through this garden. At the moment, you can see gerbera daisies and some daisy bushes along with gaillardia pulchella. I’ve previously grown echinacea daisies. I’ve kept the color scheme going with the red brick edging and patio stones. Recently, I added some solar patio lights which add a lot of cool touches in the evening and night. I really think it must look pretty special from the sky when all those little planes and helicopters fly over!

Whew!!! Are We DONE Yet?? You know, I did it all myself. I forgot to mention that I also put down about 80 pieces of sod in the front yard by myself. I hauled every piece of stone, bag of mulch, soil, plants, whatever, in the front seat of my Chrysler Crossfire sports car!

A Helpful How-to Book!

Gardening for Geeks: DIY Tests, Gadgets, and Techniques That Utilize Microbiology, Mathematics, and Ecology to Exponentially Maximize the Yield of Your Garden

Are YOU ready to try your hand at a little backyard gardening? Have you found my article and do it yourself projects inspiring?

We've all got to start some place. For me, I have really been a single gal most of my life. It was out of necessity that I learned how to do these type of DIY projects. I never wanted to burden someone else to help me. Even those times I might have been dating a guy! With the exception of that one backyard paver project with my hubby [now the ex], I did everything by myself. Even to the point that I picked up and delivered all the materials needede for my do-it-yourself projects.

Whew! I think I'm a little tired now ... ah, retirement!

History: I'm the Backyard Gardener Contributor on Squidoo was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on May 5, 2014 by JaguarJulie. On May 6, 2014 this lens earned the Purple Star Award for quality content.

Corona 18 inch Razor Tooth Saw

Ah! Not only a saw, but the Corona 18 inch Razor Tooth Saw and My 14 Week DIY Project. Yes, a 14 week do it yourself project. Probably took that long because I am a blonde. One of those blondes that do it yourself DIY!!

Corona RS 7500 Razor Tooth Saw with D Handle, 18" Curved Blade

I bought the Corona RS 7500 Razor Tooth Saw with D Handle, 18" Curved Blade because I wanted to trim some of the bushes around my house. I didn’t realize that this hand saw would become my go-to tool for a fourteen week project I undertook in my backyard after I finished up with my initial trimming.

You see, In all my life, I can’t remember that I ever used such a tool. I think I surprised myself with how easy it was to cut those limbs.

THAT FOURTEEN WEEK PROJECT!

Across the back of my property are nine crepe myrtles. Years ago, in my townhouse front yard I had the most beautiful crepe myrtle. It had the prettiest pink blossoms that you could actually see. Those crepe myrtles in my backyard were over 50 feet high! I couldn’t see the blossoms if there were any. And, it wasn’t until after I had pruned the trees that I got to appreciate the changing of the leaves come Fall.

I was pretty sure that the previous owners never pruned those trees!

One day I decided I was going to cut those limbs … once I put my mind to a project, I will not stop! And, that’s a good thing, because this turned out to be quite the job!!

The changing of the leaves! Thanks to my 14 DIY project!

The Corona RS 7500 Razor Tooth Saw with D Handle, 18" Curved Blade handled the job pretty well. Only one time did that saw slip off the limb and hit me in my right shin, causing quite an interesting jagged cut! You want to be careful to keep your hands, arms, and legs out of the way. That’s why I wouldn’t use a chainsaw … I’d be afraid that I’d seriously hurt myself. You really can’t hurt yourself too much with this kind of hand saw. In my case, I came inside, applied some pressure and then cleaned the wound, added a bandage and went to lie down for a bit. Then, I was outside working with that saw again!

I used that Corona saw to cut the limbs into about five feet sections and then piled them up in the backyard until Fridays. Every Thursday afternoon for the fourteen weeks, I would carry the cut limbs to my curb for the yard pickup. Over the course of those fourteen weeks, I impressed the living heck out of the yard pickup guys! More than once, they both told me that there was no way I did all that work.

THE BEST DEVELOPED FOREARM!

A benefit of using this type of saw is that you get the most toned biceps along with a well-developed forearm. I was just showing Nelson at Bailey’s Powerhouse Gym my forearm the other day. It’s been several months since I last used it to cut the trees, but I still have definition in my muscles.

P.S. I don’t guarantee that you will achieve the same toning that I did, but you will surprise yourself on how well you can trim your own trees; crepe myrtles or otherwise! Plus, you will get the yard pickup guys talking … along with the neighbors. I did have one of my neighbors come by to tell me that I was the hardest working gal on our street. Yeah, and I’m blonde too!! And, I am one of those #blondesthatDIY !! Hear, hear. Last, but not the least, I was the Official Squidoo Backyard Gardener Contributor … maybe you had heard?

THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING!

Photo gallery mosaic of my 14 week DIY project

Do check out my photo gallery mosaic which gives you an overall view of the project. Just imagine, that these show a small part of the job. But, you should be able to see just how well that Corona hand saw worked. That’s a lot of bang for the buck, you know? Are you ready to tackle your own trees?

Photo gallery mosaic of my 14 week DIY project BOO-BOOS!

Disclosure: I felt it was equal time for the boo-boos I acquired whilst working this job. Let this be a lesson to you to be vigilant when working with DIY tools. You’re probably safer with non-electric and non-gas-powered tools. Hey, DO IT YOURSELF tools!!

Hey there DIY people! Have you ever taken on a project like this one? I mean with up to fifty foot limbs to cut by hand? You know, where there is a will … there is a way!

A Hot Toddy

What is a hot toddy? No, it isn't necessarily a striking blonde that does it herself. It is basically a mixed drink that is served hot. Something hot for anything that ails you! I used to have a lot more hot toddies when I lived in Northeastern Ohio. It seemed I was always coming down with a cold or the flu.

Hot toddies are traditionally considered appropriate for relaxing in the evening before retiring, or following exposure to severe weather.

The ingredients can vary but usually include an alcohol to start like brandy, rum or whiskey; hot liquid such as water, cider, tea, coffee, cocoa; sweetener such as honey, syrup, sugar, artificial sweetener; spices like cinnamon sticks or cloves; and something citrus -- either a lemon or orange slice.

I wish I could convey the aroma of this drink as I think smelling it helps to relieve your ails!

They were traditionally believed to have a curative effect on colds or flu, although the American Lung Association now recommends avoiding alcoholic beverages as a remedy for the cold, as they can cause dehydration.

Quick, cast your vote - A bit of Christmas cheer for you? Is a Hot Toddy your 'cup of tea?'

• Well yes as a matter of fact it is!
• Not had one.
• Thinking about it.
• Nope!

A Simple Hot Toddy Recipe
1 teaspoon sugar syrup
1 stick cinnamon
Boiling water
1 jigger whiskey, rum, or brandy
1/2 lemon slice
3 cloves

Place sugar, cinnamon and rum in an 8-ounce mug. Fill mug with very hot water and impale the edge of the mug with lemon slice and stud with cloves. --1st Traveler's Choice Internet Cookbook.

Looking for another recipe for a hot toddy? You might want to check out Scotch Whisky Cocktails where you'll find that recipe and more drink recipes.

Hot Toddy Books:

From the scent of nutmeg-laced hot buttered rum to the fizz of a poinsettia cocktail ... from spiced cider to champagne punch!

Hot Toddies will make any holiday party shine.

A collection of 27 quick and easy recipes!

Not only hot toddies, but cocoas and hot chocolates, mulled wines and ciders, steamed and flavoured milk, wassails, punches, and grogs.


What's your Christmas Cheer? Got a good recipe to share? Let me know!
P.S. Remember to be responsible: Don’t drink and drive. Name a designated driver!

History: A Hot Toddy was originally created on Squidoo by JaguarJulie on December 4, 2007. Highest lensrank ever achieved: #984 overall. Lens #180 in the quest for Giant Squid 200 Club.

Cuisinart Grind Central Coffee Grinder

Blondes that DIY love to grind their own coffee beans! I know a lot about using my coffee grinder. This morning, I just ground some beans for my morning coffee. You know, for a couple of years, I gave up the stuff, but found I was really missing it.

This is a product review of my morning grind. Ever tried the Cuisinart DCG-12BC Grind Central Coffee Grinder? Well I have ... over and over again. It is my morning grind! I had to stop for a moment today, before I ground that next batch of coffee beans, to tell you about this great product. The first one that I used takes me back several years. The ex-husband got custody of that one! Luckily, the price is quite affordable, so I bought me another one.

THE SOUNDS OF LOVE

During our marriage, I got accustomed to hearing the whirring and grinding sounds of the Cuisinart DCG-12BC Grind Central Coffee Grinder many mornings. The husband was usually the first to arise. He loved his coffee and loved to make it with freshly-ground coffee beans. We were both particular in that we didn't like to buy our coffee already ground. Heck, you never knew when those bags were prepared, or for that matter, what went into them.

Once I got divorced and was setting up my new digs, I knew I had to buy another one of these grinders pronto! It was with no hesitation that I got the same model. Check out my photos below for the proof!

HOW TO USE

It is so simple to use! You simply pour your coffee beans into the silver cup. Be sure not to fill it to the top! Insert the cup back into the base and turn to lock into place. I think my ex-husband didn't always lock it! Place the plastic domed lid on top. Press the top downwards to engage. I generally listen until the sounds of grinding get smoother. I will release and then press downwards for a brief couple of seconds.

FRESH GROUND COFFEE BEANS

Once my coffee beans have been finely ground, I will usually leave them in the cup and cover them with the furnished brown plastic lid. If I am switching off between my two favorite coffees, Starbucks Dark French Roast, Ground Coffee, 12-Ounce Bags (Pack of 3) and Coffee Bean Direct Costa Rican Tarrazu, Whole Bean Coffee, 5-Pound Bag, I will put the ground beans into a plastic covered bowl.

I brew my coffee in a Bella 13782 One Scoop One Cup Coffee Maker, Turquoise! Check out my equipment in the product photos I have included. Can you smell something delicious brewing?

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CHECK OUT MY PRODUCT PHOTOS BELOW

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If you want to kick it up a notch, this would be the way to go! Maybe you don't have time to stop in the morning to start the pot. Set this up to automatically do your thing and wake you up to the aroma of freshly-brewed coffee!

Since I am a single gal, I don't have the need for a 12-cup. However, if you enjoy the aroma first thing in the morning, this is for you. Heck, it is better than an alarm clock!

Hello all you coffee lovers out there! Have you got one of these? Perhaps you use another brand?

Thanks for taking time to stop and smell the aroma. You know, it is important that you can depend upon something that really works when you want to grind it and produce something with really great fresh taste! I am a blonde that believes in doing it myself. No offense Starbucks; but I do bring your beans home!

Introducing Blondes that DIY

Hello! I am JaguarJulie, one of the #blondesthatDIY
http://blondesthatdiy.blogspot.com

Welcome to our new blog, Blondes that DIY. You know that you've probably heard all those dumb blonde jokes throughout the years. And, probably laughed at a good many. I can admit that maybe I chuckled at a few, but it occurred to me that there were and are a lot of us blondes who are pretty smart!

BLONDES ARE SMART!

There are also many blondes that do it yourself seriously enough to compete with the big boys.

To describe me you would need to know that I am tenacious ... I am:

te·na·cious \tə-ˈnā-shəs\ adjective : not easily stopped or pulled apart : firm or strong : continuing for a long time : very determined to do something

The Origin of #blondesthatDIY

Twitter, Wednesday, May 7, 2014, 5:51pm: I tweeted about my DIY project:

@bdkz Hey! Corona 18 inch Razor Tooth Saw and My 14 Week #DIY Project http://t.co/89zmXjUrQq #blondes have more fun they say!
— JaguarJulie A. Brady (@jaguarjulie) May 7, 2014

At 6:12pm, I received a twitter reply:

@jaguarjulie I really need one of those! Blondes with saws are cool. #blondesthatDIY
— Bonnie Diczhazy (@bdkz) May 7, 2014

First the hashtag then the blog!

There was a little conversation about #blondesthatDIY pulling in Susan Deppner (@susan52). Then that hashtag rested until the morning of May 9th.

Friday, May 9, 2014, 10:23am: In my email to Bonnie: Subject: IDEA! #blondesthatDIY - Bonnie!!! We need to do something with this ...

Friday, May 9, 2014, 10:27am: Reply email from Bonnie:  You should start a blog called "Blondes That DIY" too, it could combine humor and tips and fun stuff and you could use your expertise as the Squidoo back yard garden contributor! Might be a fun niche that takes off! I just started "That DIY Lady" for fun: http://www.thatdiylady.com/ We could share each others stuff : )

Friday, May 9, 2014, 10:35am: My reply to Bonnie: Hmmm ... another blog! Well, that is a thought since I am comfortable with blogging! Gosh, I don't have enough hours in the day ... I was just laughing to myself about ideas I have but require being on the computer ... and taking me away from my actual gardening!! News at 11.

THE BLOG, THE BLOG!

Friday, May 9, 2014, 10:42am: My reply to Bonnie: I have "booked" the url ... http://blondesthatdiy.blogspot.com/ ... but have to clear my head on all the set-up and stuff. ribbit: news at 11.

So, this gives you a little idea of how this blog came to be. Between us blonde gals, there was a germ of an idea that set this all into motion.

Are YOU one of the #blondesthatDIY or maybe you are a guy married to one of the #blondesthatDIY. Hey there, don't be shy ... reach out and become a part of this #DIY project. Got some ideas or suggestions - hey, we are all ears. Blondes are very open-minded and make great listeners.