Painting A Concrete Porch

Life has been a little crazy around here... Prom, Graduation (oldest got her Masters), Party....   Now, TODAY is the DAY that our youngest Graduates from High School.  OM goodness, what will I do! Then her party is on Sunday.  You know....A party will put your butt in gear to refresh and clean up! 

The front porch was starting to need a new paint job last year, but we were so busy with the Vacation house, I guess that I just didn't do it.  But, We are having a party and people are coming over, so I knocked it out!

IT didn't Look this BAD!  First, I cleaned it with some soap and water.  Then, I used a scraper to knock the loose paint off.  But, when I took the water hose to it with some pressure the paint started coming off every where. 

See, it only flaked in a couple of areas.

                  If you are painting concrete, Make sure you get concrete paint.

Update 1/2018 I think I have painted this porch again since this!  The paint held up really well on the back patio.  It is a rougher finish and in full sun.  I have since painted this porch again, several years ago and It has bubbles all over it this winter!  I don't know if it is the high water table, or the fact it has condensation.  I can tell you this, I am sick of it!!!  I may need to clean it and put a sealer on it......I really do not know, but this is not working.  Last time I painted a border a cute Rust/Red star in the middle.  I think I would really, really like outdoor tile.


Fresh! But now I couldn't put these tables back on my porch, looking like this!  I know....they look pretty bad.  Amazing that they look so weathered, being under a porch.

I decided to only paint the top.  I didn't have any red paint....can't believe that, but I did have some White Exterior.  First, sand the tops and get dirt and loose paint off.

This one was fun, Not really.

I like them!

Sanded around the edges a bit, to let the red show thru.

In this picture, you can see the rope tying the tree to a post on the porch.  I talked about this in my post, To Much Rain".   That tree and another one had started leaning really bad, so I tied both of them off.  I hope that they are going to be ok!

I think the front porch is ready for the Party!  Now, I have to finish cleaning up the Garage.... - Game Room.  It has a Ping-Pong table in it.  I will be posting pictures!

Do YOU need help with some projects that you really don't want or have the time to do?  Call me!  After all....What will I do...now that our youngest is graduating?

To Much Rain!

Here in TN, We have had a LOT of rain.  In the ten years that we have lived here, I have only seen the water like this a couple of times.  One of those being when we had the 100 year flood. This year, 3 times we have had flash flooding.  I just pray that we get some in July, but not like this!

Have you experienced extreme weather this year? These are taken from my front porch.

Making me think about sand bags.....

We have had plenty of rain, now we need some sunshine and warm temperatures.  In two weeks, a year ago, we were cutting our first hay of the season.  This year, Not.  Bermuda likes warm temperatures, so maybe mid June.

But my garden is waking up, the flowers that is....The tomatoes look horrible, they haven't grown one bit.

My beds at the road.  I am glad that I had not mulched this spring, because a lot of stuff washed out!  I had just pulled all that dirt back off the driveway.  I guess that I will be doing that again.

 

Top picture 2007, below picture 2013

Succulents planted 2012.  Only started with a cutting/

Lots of little cornflowers coming up

Too much rain.  See the rope tied from tree to porch...:(

This tree is tied too!

I need to thin these Every Year!

Working in a Friends Yard

I have been helping out a friend in her yard this past week.  Whew, I thought that I am overwhelmed with everything going on here.....Someone always has it worse.  She saw my post about, Do you need an extra hand, and took me up on it. This is a Do IT Yourself, except she doesn't have time.  She was lucky and all the new plants came from my house, so no nursery expense there.

So, on the note Of Plants...... I belong to a Gardeners Swap Club on Facebook, so do a search and see if there is one in your area.  It is a great way to get new plants and get rid of some of the plants that you have that multiply.

This is some of what I did.

Before

Added a Crepe Mrytle and Mongo grass

Pulled about 12 wild bushes up out of this bed

Before

After, I rearranged, blew the leaves off.

Now, it looks like a place to have a glass of wine!

 This is a pretty bed out by the driveway.  I cleaned out the leaves and divided some plants and moved them around.

Actually, I didn't take a picture of the real before, before I started pruning.  I decided I better check with the home owner before I cut them way back.  She trusted me.....I butchered them, but they will fill back out full.
The little yellow bushes were hidden behind the Hollies.

Front Porch, she wanted the Hydrangeas moved the back flower bed.

 I filled the bed back up with Bee Balm, Black Eyed Susans & Corn Flowers.

They looked good today! :)

Before! This is behind the patio.

I added the Hydrangeas from the front bed, Cannas, Yellow Iris, Spider Wort, Bee Balm, Hostas, Day Lilies, Black-eyed Susans and today some Horse Manure.  It makes your flowers grow!  I can't wait to get a picture of everything in bloom. It will be Fabulous!

 

I am excited to see it when every thing starts blooming!

DO YOU need a Helping Hand?  I am available for many things!