Fairies and Gnomes Welcome

At the beginning of the summer I began a 'Summer Bucket List' (for lack of a better name). With Chris expected to be gone for the first three weeks I wanted to have a collection of ideas for what to do with the kids. When it is spur of the moment, my mind is always blank. My list includes daily activities (exercise, read, etc), weekly fun (experiments, art, geocaching), and general ideas (blow bubbles, fly kites, bowling). I kept this list together with flyers for various activities for the library and local events. My goal isn't to complete the list but just to have ideas. It has been a lifesaver, especially since Chris's travel time was extended and has totaled nearly eight weeks.

On the general list was 'Make a Fairy Garden' which I added for Josie's benefit. I planned on using one of the garden boxes Chris made a few years ago. Josie helped me pick out some plants at a couple local stores. I found a little fence to put along the edges. I have bags of decorative glass pebbles that we put down as a path.

I figure this is trial and error with the plants. I'm not sure what will work well together or will do well in this fine Ohio weather. 

The funny part was that Josie kept wanting to buy a little fairy statue to put in the garden. She doesn't seem to believe that a fairy will really come live in it. Since we put it out, little wooden flowers have appeared as decoration. We've bought a bench and a little 'house' to put out, but there isn't enough room for the house. We'll figure it out.

Of course Josie having a fairy garden meant that Xander wanted one also. There was a second garden box, so that wasn't a problem. I did want it to be different so I suggested Xander make a Gnome Garden which he readily agreed to. We picked out his plants but two of them died before we planted them. Surprisingly, they were the same that were planted in Josie's garden. I'm guessing being in the back of the house instead of the front made a difference. 

Xander used red glass beads for his path, which I think makes a world of difference in appearance. We planted the dead plants with the rest just to see if they'd come back. 

Xander also has a bench to put out and a turtle to put up as decoration. We'll see what else comes of it.