Category Archives: gardening

Spring 2025

New Growth

Spring officially began on March 20th. It’s absolutely amazing to see the changes that surround our world each and everyday during the Spring season. If you blink, you could absolutely miss it! From the tiny, first buds, early flowers, greening of grass, to trees achieving full leaf maturity once again. The Earth is vibrant with the colors of Spring.

The days become longer in this season, bringing us closer to nature as we spend more time outdoors. The entire Spring process is a gradual progression of warming our outer environment all the while, warming and feeding our souls for renewal. Spring… a time of rebirth in nature and also for me. I hope you will enjoy the evolution of Spring of 2025 through my camera lens.

Floral Spring, A Peak Inside The Garden

From the earliest of blooms to the heartiest flowers beginning to emerge as the warmth begins to encompass the outdoors…

First Blooms of Spring, Forsythia
Field of Color…Tulips
Dancing with the Sun
Snap!!! The colors of Spring
Yellow Beauty
Iris Glory
Double White Amaryllis in Bloom
Peonies are almost ready…
In Full Glory…Peony
Strawberries 🍓 growing
Lettuce!
I’m personally experimenting with growing Microgreens for the first time!!! These gems offer a BIG nutritional boost!!!
When ready to harvest… Cut, rinse, and dry … store in refrigerator after drying thoroughly
Cabbage growing along the Greenway

Landscape Captures of Spring

As the early days of Spring begins… the leaves were noticeably absent, but as Spring temperatures rise, the changes begin to slowly emerge. How many slight variations can you find from beginning to end of this sequence???

Hues of Blue
Cloud Action
Crisp Sunrise
Light Frost… the greening of grass begins
Monday Sunrise… it’s the simple things
Contrail Sunrise
Breaking Through
Dark Clouds, April Rain
Quiet April Morning Sunrise
Sunset Hues and a different view
Foggy Morning in the Garden
Golden Sunrise
That Touch of Pink Evening Sunset

Spring Mountain Time…

A Spring trip back to Buck Mountain to watch these beautiful mountains grow into Spring, and oh my goodness… I’m in awe…

Mountain Laurel in Bloom

Cicadas…

The arrival of Cicadas in our neighborhood this year is a first. My initial, first memories of these bugs dates back to my childhood playing in my grandparents front yard listening to the consistent, noisy music of these creatures in Elkin, oblivious to their impact on the surrounding landscape.

Now, in present day, each time I go out my back door, those childhood memories come flooding back to the forefront, of those past, playful days, and now, in the process of adding new memories of cicadas in my garden.

I completed a of research about how cicadas life cycle to learn more about the impact of these creatures. My poor little dog, Cookie is so intent on hunting these critters each trip outside that it has become almost impossible for her to accomplish her “natural business”because she gets so distracted by them.

Finding Bigfoot

The legend is strong, about the wandering Sasquatch, in our foothills… Can you believe that he has been spotted at our local grocery store this Spring??? I simply couldn’t resist taking a moment to grab a quick peek for myself and a couple of pics.

Happy Springtime everyone!!! Hope it has been an adventure filled season for you as well!

Spring Gardening Essentials

First signs of Spring… Daffodils are blooming

The weather this week is warming up nicely. It’s time to take a quick inventory of some of the essentials that you might need to replace or upgrade this Spring to make your outdoor gardening experience go smoothly. Nothing is more annoying to go look for a needed garden tool to find it is gone and or completely out of sight… leaving you to think where on earth did I put that???? 😬

With 10 Gardening Seasons now under our belt, here’s a quick guide of some of Wilkes County Hardware’s BEST SPRING SELLERS… year after year.

Thanks Susan for the picture!

Spring Gardening Essentials

1. Water hose/replacement sprayer nozzle – Yes, this has happened to us too! We quickly realized that our old water hose nozzle needed to be replaced in the middle of a project. Luckily, we knew where to go get one…

If you water frequently during the spring and summer months, you need to evaluate the wear and tear on your water hose AND also consider the consistent sun exposure on your water hose! Did you accidentally leave your water hose outside during the winter season??? It might be a good idea to replace the old worn hose or stop by to pick up a new hose washers, or replacement sprayer.

Wilkes County Hardware also has a good selection of replacement parts for hose ends, washers etc.

2. Pair of new Gardening gloves-Can’t find your trusty gardening gloves??? 🧤 Why should you replace those old, dirty, grungy gloves??? First of all, the wear and tear factor of your old gloves, notice any holes??? You probably need to get rid of them. Then you must consider the dirt itself… soil does what is does… soil has bacteria and fungi that are constantly breaking down organic matter, wearing gloves just makes good sense as you garden. Been fighting in the weeds already??? Notice a patch of poison ivy? Definitely replace your gloves after the exposure. It’s definitely a good idea to get rid of those old ones for a new pair. I must admit I’m guilty about this one!!!

Two of our best sellers!

3. Hand clippers- I cannot tell you how many times I have misplaced my handheld clippers that I frequently carry around as I’m working in the garden. It’s always good to have an extra pair!

Good stock of garden trowels, and stop by to pick up a new tool, the Hori, Hori. A fantastic addition to your garden tool collection

4. Grass seed- Need to fill in a small area with grass seed? Wilkes County Hardware stocks 1 pound to 5 pound bags.

5. Weed Eater String – Check your storage cabinet to make sure you have enough weed eater string to finish your garden chores. No one wants to stop halfway through a garden weeding eating task and have to run out to the hardware store to grab another roll. But if you need us, we will be there!

A variety of different types and lengths are available for purchase

6. Pump Up Garden Sprayer- Two sizes are readily available… 1 gallon and 2 gallon pump sprayer are our best sellers at Wilkes County Hardware.

7. Potting soil– Get growing with a fantastic growing medium. Baccto is definitely in order to refill your pots this Spring. Our repeat gardening customers love this potting soil AND it is a fantastic value!!! Other potting soils price their bags per quart or by Cubic foot(based on volume of product and additives) but not this brand! It’s priced by the gallon, making this a very affordable option and a much better value for quality potting soil! As a FULL service hardware store, we load these heavy bags into your vehicle for you!

8. Weed control sprays and concentrates– As the weather warms up the weeds seem to grow better than flowers 😳enough said right ??? Wilkes County Hardware has a variety of different type of ready to go sprays and concentrate weed killers suitable for your specific needs. Stop by to chat with us about your garden care needs soon!

9. “Critter Control”- Many questions arise in the Spring about how to deal with pests in the lawn or garden. Moles, grubs, deer, slugs, snakes, and other insects… the list is long but Wilkes County Hardware has a few product solutions that are readily available.

Critter Riddle

Deer repellent- This is a vigilant and necessary action in our area. It is also very frustrating for homeowners who have a high deer population in their areas to work so diligently for months on creating a beautiful landscape to wake up the next morning to find their hard work all eaten up by 🦌 deer. Ugh!!!

In order for this product to work Effectively , you MUST reapply after a rain storm, or weekly to keep those pesky deer out of growing gardens.

FYI: On a personal note, I have had to switch methods from using pods to sprays/ granular to keep deer activity to a minimum in my yard. If one method doesn’t seem to work well, don’t feel guilty about moving to another method to see if you can minimize the damage to your plants.

Moles– Tunnel networks visible in your yard??? The food source for a mole is the GRUB. If you can get rid of the grubs, the moles will go away. Wilkes County Hardware has options available for mole control or grub treatment.

A variety of options are available at Wilkes County Hardware

Snakes– Ugh! I definitely don’t want to come face to face with these critters in my backyard! Repellent options are available in store.

10. “Wheels”- That’s right… when working in the garden or lawn you need a good set wheels to get the job done. A wheelbarrow or a garden cart can help you move debris, mulch, or even load it up with tools to work efficiently.

Our team at Wilkes County Hardware is ready to assist you with your lawn and garden maintenance this Spring. Let’s get growing!

Forsythia, Spring is Here!

August

August… the sizzling summer heat lingers, foggy mornings equate to snowy days in the winter, rolling thunderstorms, and the quest for those cooler days and nights will slowly become our reality. August IS the “Sunday of Summer”. Once it arrives, it seems to go by quickly and a new month is upon you. Sharing a few of my everyday photo favorites to summarize a small portion of this “Sunday of Summer, August 2024. I hope you will enjoy. Thanks for sharing my blog with friends and family and sending your comments to me. Looking forward to September!

Sky Watch

Storm Looming
Hanging Out, August Fog
Fog Hug… August Mornings can bring fog and it is hanging in the trees tightly this morning
Morning Glory
Double Rainbow Skies
High Drama in the Clouds
Golden Evening Sky
September Hues in August

After The Storm

After The Rain
Color Show of the Crepe Myrtle
Color Show of the Crepe Myrtle

Tree Study

I love to photograph a good tree, so when the opportunity presents itself, I will stop and take a moment to take a few pictures. Sometimes they turn out pretty well, sometimes not so much. But, I have learned that multiple shots of the image can make all the difference. Here’s a few of my favorites from this month …

Filtered Light
Double Tree
Same Tree Different View…
Hidden Beauty

Hand building projects completed

Instant gratification isn’t the goal with hand building pottery. Slow and gradual progress is what you see when you begin with raw clay. The processes of creating with clay from shaping/making your piece, which could could take hours or even days… to the first bisque fire, then glazing, going through the kiln again… all take time but the end result is worth the wait! These pieces have been in the works for a while, glad to see them finally finished and grateful for an amazing teacher!!

Bird Bath Complete!! The absolute largest piece made to date! A HUGE thank you to Kim Anderson Reid for her guidance and patience in making this large piece and excellent advice on how to glaze!
Froggy
Aug-tober begins! That’s right, I heard this phrase for the first time this month. I didn’t know it was an actual thing, but it is! All the fall feels in August! Longing for Autumn… well in the world of pottery, the processes of hand building takes a bit of time, and producing fall pieces begins in August and September.

A Pup Interlude

Our son has been traveling for work over the last month or so. When he’s gone from home for an extended period of time, I always try to send him a few pictures of his two favorite pups everyday. He really enjoys seeing them in all of their quirky little daily adventures. Here’s two captured moments from August.

A Bit of Joy
Our Little Cookie Monster

The Greenway

Critters in the Corn
Wildflowers Line the Path
Kudzu Blossoms

Sweet Surprises and Finds

This next group of pictures are interesting finds from August… from trimming bushes and finding a little bird nest inside, to a long walk around the neighborhood at Mom and Dad’s house… you just never know what you will encounter!

Nestled In
Dug In
Muscadines hanging in the trees

Ahoy Mate!

Tied Up
Going Fishing
Gilligan’s Island

July

A bit of magic of the summer season integrated into my photographic lens from this past month. I have truly enjoyed the simplicity of the photographic blog posts each month that I began earlier this year. Photos do tell their own story. July, it’s been a warm month… in memories and temperatures. Thanks for tagging along with me!

I have linked a few other blog posts from this month in here as well. Take your time with this one folks and find all the other blog posts within, coming back to them as you can. I so appreciate your continued support! I hope you enjoy these special July memories in photographic form.

A Walk Around Kerr Scott

Reflections
Peaking Through
A Walk By the Lake … If you didn’t get a chance to read Rooted in Wilkes yet, I hope you will get a chance to do so soon!

Home

Contradictions in the Sky
Time to Blossom
Blue Skies and Blooms
Young Blooms
Just Like Lace
Busy Bee 🐝
In Full Bloom
Angel Trumpet
A peak inside a blooming Crepe Myrtle
Simplicity of a trailing vine
Peaceful, Easy Feeling… Morning Sunrise
Barely There
Rising to the Occasion
Night sky
Seeking Raindrops

Friday Flower Fun at Wilkes County Hardware

First Flower Friday… success! See you again August 9th!!!

North Wilkesboro Greenway

Growing Field of Dreams
Wildflower Dreams

Blue Ridge Parkway

Where the Wildflowers Grow
Blue Ridge Horizon
Blue Ridge Skyline

In The Kitchen

Southern Sides for the BBQ Grilling Season
Watermelon season is here!
Fresh local peaches 🍑 are the best!
Sonker Summers
Sampling Recipes for 🐟 Fish Fry

June Memories Photographed

The month of June is the gateway to Summer. Here’s a glimpse of summer so far in the hardware life.

A bit of sunshine and color… totem pole is complete! A huge Thank You going out to Kim Reid for her patience and expertise, this came together beautifully! And yes, your local hardware store can help you with this project! More to come on this later!!
Peeking through
Same view… different day 💕
Home sweet home sunrise

The Mountains are calling and I must go….

Sun peaking through the clouds
Golden hour approaches
Hello Blue Ridge!
Magical Sunset
Sunset over the Blue Ridge
Good morning Blue Ridge Mountains Sunrise in progress
Sunny Sunday
Evening storm rolling in

Other June Favorites

Hay There!
Sunflowers 🌻
Colorful Black-eyed Susan
A little bit of Fall colors in June
Oyster Shells

An Overview of Hardware Store Happenings in June

New summer t-shirts are selling fast!
New pottery by Lisa Pruitt!
Spicy sauce!
Anyone ready for some homemade ice cream??? Southern Summer… Making Homemade Ice Cream
Restock of Goat Milk Soap! This product is an amazing seller!!!
Blue Door Houses and more, by Kim Reid… these are selling quickly!
New pieces by Keegan Watson
Mid June brought drought like conditions… Summer Watering Tips
Ready for canning season??? We got y’all covered!
Reset complete! Wow!!! What a job that was… moving cleaning, canning, outdoor grilling… but well worth it!!!
Pools are big part of summer season inside Wilkes County Hardware Family Splashing Fun-Pool Days of Summer
Saturday morning bunny visitor. He had escaped from his cage from his home nearby the pool that we do daily maintenance for. After a few uncertain hours, we found his home! Thanks to all who reached out to help him get back home safely!
This month has been a busy month in the garden/yard! Thanks for stopping by to pick up weed control, pest control options… and much more! Thanks for shopping local!
Here’s to splashing into Summer!