Category Archives: seaonal change

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!

Winter 2025

The Winter season officially began December 21st and will end on March 20th. From cold wintry temperatures, a few snowy days, and even icy morning conditions the winter weather has been season to remember in 2025. Thanks for the beautiful photographic memories Winter!

FYI: Two photos below have active links to more recent blog posts!!!! (New Orleans and Cloud Dancing) Please check those out as well 😊

Winter Solstice Sunrise
New Beginnings… January 1, 2025
Golden Sunrise
Icy morning
Waiting on the Snow
It begins…
A new coat of white… snowy afternoon
Snowy Morning
Snow Day
Snowy Branches
Crunchy!
A Walk into the Woods
Snow on the Mountains
Sunset at Buck Mountain after the Snow
Snow Capped Golden Hour
Looking into the Valley
January Wolf Moon
Winter Beauty
Hello Sunshine
Colorful Sunrise
Pink Sky
Winter Sunrise Glory
Drama in the Sky
Rainbow Sunrise
Winter Days are Lazy Days, JOY
All wrapped up, COOKIE
Winter Blooms
Morning Coffee
New Orleans
Cloud Dancing
Butterfly Sky
March Masterpiece
Magical March Sunrise
Lavender Sky
A Little Floral Volunteer… a prelude to Spring
Ready to emerge
In full bloom
Hello Buttercup!
New Growth

January Days

New Beginnings

The festivities of Christmas and New Year are complete. The decorations are boxed up for another year, and the cold, brisk winter weather looms ahead. Will we have snow to look forward to this month???

The answer is yes! Snow on January 10th, 2025!

January can be a bit of “let down” after the holidays. So how do we celebrate one of the all time coldest months of the year? January is like eating an elephant… you can’t tackle it at once, but you can manage it one bite at a time, as the old saying goes.. January, take it ONE day at a time!

Here’s to celebrating the long, cold, brisk, windy January days, one day at a time, breaking it down into manageable chunks, offering a bit of sunshine on an icy, bitter cold January Day. Have fun this January with a few trips and stops inside Wilkes County Hardware this January, warming by the old-fashioned wood stove. You never know what you might find that you need!

January Days

1st- New Year’s Day– a feast of cornbread, black-eyed peas, greens, and pork, and New Year’s Resolutions. Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to grab a new cast iron skillet this month!!

“A-Maized” by Cornbread

4th- National Spaghetti Day– make a big, heaping bowl of spaghetti today!

“Crocktober” Recipes Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

5th- National Bird Day– Winter is the perfect time to watch and enjoy the birds feeding in your yard. Stop by to pick up a new bird feeder, suet, or bird food

Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to pick up your winter suet, feeders, feed and more!

6th- Epiphany (3 Kings Day)– Celebrating the arrival of the Wise Men, many observe this as the official end of the Christmas season

9th- Static Electricity Day… no one likes this problem during the winter! Bring more humidity into your home, add lotion to hands to help fight it. Carry a coin with you or even a bolt 🔩, pocket knife…. You get the gist to reduce the risk.

These lotions are selling fast during the winter months at Wilkes County Hardware

10th- Houseplant Appreciation Day. Winter is the perfect time to enjoy those green plants!

“Plant Lady”

11th- International Thank You Day- send a note of thanks to someone today!

12th- National Sunday Supper Day– Gather around the table and enjoy family time. Make it a weekly tradition in 2025.

Handcrafted by Keegan… a beautiful piece to add as a centerpiece of your Sunday Supper celebrations… Supper vs. Dinner

13th- Clean Off Your Desk Day– Time to tackle your desk, or any other surface areas that need to be cleaned! Stop by Wilkes County Hardware for some cleaning essentials.

Did you know that Wilkes County Hardware has a great selection of cleaning products???

15th- Hat Day– it’s definitely time for a new Wilkes County Hardware Hat today!

17th- Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day… Don’t give up! It takes time to create a habit (like a few months of consistent practice ) remember the phrase, eating an elephant one bite at a time…

19th- National Popcorn 🍿 Day- Go watch a movie today at our nearby Liberty Theater and eat the famous popcorn!

20th- Blue Monday/Take Walk Outdoors Day- it’s time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine! Check out the blog post for more ideas on how to beat the winter blues

Fighting the Winter Blues

23rd- National Pie Day- Make and eat your favorite pie

24th- National Peanut Butter Day- A lunch staple at Wilkes County Hardware for our staff… what’s your favorite way to eat peanut butter???

26th- Spouse Day- Do something special for your spouse today. Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to pick up something special for them today.

Old Fashioned Candy or picking up hardware essentials…

27th- Chocolate Cake Day- oh boy!

Baking essentials found inside Wilkes County Hardware!

29th- National Puzzle Day- sit down and do a puzzle with the family today

31st- Hot Chocolate Day- What a wonderful way to end the month! Roasting marshmallows for your steaming mug of hot chocolate!!! What could be better!

Need new mugs, try these beauties! Handmade mugs always in stock at Wilkes County Hardware!

December

A brief dusting of snow began December 2024, making me long for a bit more.

December marks the beginnings of the winter season. Winter… a time of perseverance and optimism for spring will come.

December, Christmas is near.

A Light Dusting
Snowy Morning Surprise
Snowy Stack
At Dusk
Winter Solstice Sunrise
Waiting on Sunrise
December 31st… That Touch of Pink

Random Happenings

You never know what you will find in the middle of a grocery store parking lot!
Parking lot golf????

Christmas at Home 2024

Fresh Mistletoe for Christmas! Thanks to Kim Reid for the adventure!
New additions this year to my green plants to add a festive flare, pine cones and berries for the holiday season
Our Christmas clock is a family favorite
Bobbles and Santa
Handmade Christmas
Handmade Christmas
Handmade Christmas
This Christmas was the first year we put our inflatable back out in several years. Our sweet little neighbor has enjoyed it so much this year. Our original “Snowy” the polar bear was injured by heavy rain earlier this month. Santa was our quick find as a replacement.
Cookie watching over her neighborhood

Thank you to everyone who has followed along my year long photographic journey in 2024 exploring the everyday life of #thehardwarelife. I’m excited about new opportunities in 2025! Coming soon, the Favorites of 2024 revisited. Stay posted on the blog.

Wishing y’all a very happy New Year!

November

This November has been a month of contrasts. Warm weather marked the beginning of the month and ended the month with colder than normal temperatures. 

Autumn Glory

I think you will see some definite contrast in some of the photos captured this month. The leaves are beginning to fade away as compared to the glorious autumn colors of last month’s photo gallery. November brings us a time to reflect on our blessings. 

November Beauty

My joy this year has been found in finding Blessings in the simple things we have in our lives, like capturing a sunrise moment. Each day brings unique moments and experiences. 

Glimmering Sunrise

May you be blessed this holiday season with Thanksgiving in your heart each & every day. Happy Holidays! 

First Light
First Fire of the season! About month later than usual.
Glorious Beauty: this old, majestic and mature tree is one of the last ones to lose leaves in our neighborhood.
Golden Hour: I must admit I’m not a fan of the time change but the Sunsets have been glorious at Wilkes County Hardware this month.
Stealing The Rainbow
Morning Love Story
Blooming Beauties Hard to believe that flowers were still blooming in early November
Jack Frost: Heavy frosts set in finally in later November, the sun quickly melts it away
Sunshine Seeker: Joy enjoys a nap in the morning sun
Hometown Holidays: November kicks off the holiday season with Light Up Downtown.