Category Archives: Gardening

Perfect Fall Football Food

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Homemade white chili and salsa

Homemade white chili and salsa

I believe I have found the perfect Fall Football food.  This is good on that cool, Fall day and fairly easy to make.  Here’s all it takes:

White chili

The spices really make this soup great and it makes the house smell wonderful.  Also makes great leftovers.

Homemade salsa with Way Better Black Bean chips

  • 2 pints grape tomatoes
  • garlic to taste
  • cillantro to taste
  • jalapeno papper to taste

Mix in food processor and chill.  Hotness can be adjusted with jalepenos, of course.

Enjoy!!!

Sites to See Potpourri

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Some cool things I have found on my travels . . .

Miniature Artists Books - I love miniatures and books

Elephant with books

Elephant with books

Making paper with seeds - good Spring gift

Yoga sleep pose - from the Yoga Journal

Stereomode site - for whatever mood ails you

Tile Coaster DIY from The Cottage Home

The 99% - not the 1%, but the 99%

feel more better – If you want to feel better go here

the jealous curator – speaks for itself

Lists of Note – lists from all walks of life

Let me know what your favorite “go to” site is right now!

Emerald Ash Borer and Pottery Barn

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I have been educated in the last several days.  I had heard of the Emerald Ash Borer before, but did not realize we had Ash trees (I know.  Who doesn’t know what kind of trees are in their back yard?) and I certainly didn’t know the Ash trees in our area are being and need to be inoculated.  Yes, shots are being given to trees.  I am all for taking care of nature, but I had no idea trees could and should be inoculated against particular larvae.  Gross.  Do you have any idea how much it is to inoculate against the emerald ash borer?  Let me just say it’s not cheap.  Any arborists out there who want to weigh in on this?

See emerald ash borer and emerald ash borer Kentucky

Pottery Barn kids is on my sh*t list right now.  My daughter is starting Kindergarten on August 15th.  I have ordered a backpack and a lunch bag for my daughter that is special and monogrammed with her name on them.  The original order was made one month before school was to start on July 14, 2012.  On July 20, 2012 I received a backpack and lunch bag with the name Lucy Grac on them.  Yes, really, Lucy Grac.  I was livid because I went through half an hour of a “paper order” since the name was so long.  When I chatted with Ron on a live chat on the Pottery Barn Kids web site I was assured a new backpack and lunch bag were ordered.  I followed directions and sent back the Lucy Grac merchandise.  Two days after Ron told me our correct backpack and lunch bag were to arrive, I did live chat again with Charlotte this time.  When I gave my order number she told me the order I placed with Ron was cancelled by the supplier due to the name being too long.  She also told me the first “paper” order I made was done incorrectly.  Charlotte began chatting about the unknown “A-batch” special order.  I was about to ask for my money back, but my stubbornness took over and I gave Charlotte another try.  If I don’t have my backpack and lunch bag by next Thursday I am getting my credit and moving on.  Am I crazy?

dandy dandelions

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Lucy and I gathered dandelion greens last night to add with some baby lettuces and other vegetables for a nice salad.

Marvelous salad

Marvelous salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Parmesan Chicken didn’t turn out too badly either. Can’t wait to start getting things from the garden (i.e. tomatoes).

Parmesan Chicken

Parmesan Chicken

From postcard to garden

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Postcard Garden

Postcard Garden

What a lovely gift.  I love the written word and believe letters and postcards should be used more than ever in this age of technology.  Don’t get me wrong, I love technology, but nothing says personal like a handwritten note or postcard.  Check out the Postcarden from Uncommon Goods.  This is a gift someone can share for a long time.  Not sure if you can transplant them or not.

Make your own garden cards and postcards here.

See my post Resurrect the Lost Art of Letter Writing for more cute ways to correspond.

Happy letter posting!  Let the ink flow from your own hand.

Love This Time of Year

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Gardening just makes me feel better.  I know I’m not the only one who feels this way.  Gardening has long been a pastime for managing stress and giving people a sense of being.  The gardens I plant each year are just that – therapy.

Side view of front porch

Side view of front porch

This year I planted everything later than usual due to busy schedules.  Here’s what we have?

Two tomatoes already!

Two tomatoes already!

One grape tomato plant and one cherry tomato plant, cucumbers, red bell pepper plant, watermelon, onions and lettuces

One other area I have is herbs where there is:

Peppermint, Basil, Cilantro, Stevia, Oregano and Thyme

Herb Garden

Herb Garden

On the porch we have  two flower boxes we put out and a basket with ferns.  I like to experiment with different types of ferns:

Flower box with Caladium varieties, pink Verbena and Argentine Ivy

Flower box with Caladium varieties, pink Verbena, sweet potato vine and neon Argentine Ivy

Flower box with Caladium varieties, pink Verbena and Argentine Ivy

Flower box with Caladium varieties, pink Verbena, sweet potato vine and neon Argentine Ivy

Maiden Hair fern, Silver Ribbon fern and

Maiden Hair fern, Silver Ribbon fern and Lemon Button fern

Here are my crazy cacti:

Cacti

My Crazy Cacti

nature vs. nurture

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Nurture your child with these nature crafts.  As they grow, these crafts transform into collections.  The transformation continues as they become keepsakes they will treasure.  Curiosity and interest in the environment gives children a greater understanding of where we live.  Understanding the environment shows us how to protect our precious natural resources.

Specimen Collector’s Box

Materials:

• Box divided into compartments (a box for screws and nails from the hardware store is perfect; we used the 15-piece Aluminum Display Box by SE, available on Amazon for $12)

• Small round sticker labels (found at office supply stores)

• Pocket-sized notepad

1. Collect specimens, such as rocks and flower petals, from your yard or a nearby park. Place each in a separate compartment. (You can also use small plastic insect and animal toys to symbolize live creatures you come across.)

2. Place a label on each compartment and number it. In your notepad, write about each numbered specimen you’ve collected.

Specimen Box

Specimen Box

Nature Dioramas

Materials:

• Jars (thick glass or plastic)

• Sand, soil, cotton, or moss

• Twigs, pinecones, shells, leaves, or pebbles

• Small plastic animal figures

Arrange in jar and learn about individual ecosystems.  Place on a shelf in their room for further examination and, of course, to admire.

Diorama

Diorama

Go to Scholastic for other great ideas for children of all ages.

A couple of earth friendly things you can do to educate your little ones about water is look up your local watershed.  You can do this by clicking here and entering your zip code.  Next, visit your watershed and familiarize yourself with it.  Lastly, get involved.  Go to the Water Keeper Alliance to find out how.  Good luck and happy conservation!

The Virtuous Mother

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Mother's Day card

Mother’s Day card

Mother's Day card and plant

Mother’s Day card and Cockscomb flower

My daughter did three things at school in preparation for Mother’s Day.  I got a wonderful card, a beautiful Cockscomb flower  (I will hopefully not kill it.) and the best of all  - fill in the blank answers to v. 10-28 of The Virtuous Woman/Mother.  See below.

Most of you are familiar with the popular Proverbs 31:10-31 verses:

The Virtuous Woman

10 An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.

11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack of gain.

12 She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

13 She seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

14 She is like the ships of the merchant;

she brings her food from afar.

15 She rises while it is yet night

and provides food for her household

and portions for her maidens.

16 She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

17 She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong.

18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

19 She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

20 She opens her hand to the poor

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,

for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

22 She makes bed coverings for herself;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates

when he sits among the elders of the land.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them;

she delivers sashes to the merchant.

25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

27 She looks well to the ways of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all.”

30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the gates.

Now for the Lucy Grace version:

The Virtuous Mother

My mom is better than toys.  (v.10)

My mom’s favorite chore is mopping. (v.13)

My mom cooks hamburgers for me. (v.14)

My mom gets up at 12:30.  (v. 15) (Not sure where this came from, but I definitely don’t get up before dawn.)

My mom shops for popsicles for me.  (v.16)

My mom helps me by cleaning up my toys.  (v. 20)

My mom wears pink. (v. 25)

My mom always says I love you.  (v. 26)

I call my mom Mommy.  (v. 28)

“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”  Proverbs 31:29 NIV

I love the gifts I received.  They are so special and the Cockscomb is a plant that re-seeds itself and their teacher has continued to use the seeds from a former student for years.  This makes the plant even more special.  Don’t you think?

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone out there!

seed saving

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Seed saving kit

Seed saving kit

I would love to do this with Lucy.  She loves saving seeds from fruit and is always asking how things grow.  The kit is on backorder right now – everything I want is on backorder or not being made anymore.  They also have kits for growing a Butterfly Habitat, Vegetables, a Bird Habitat and Organic herbs.  Really neat product idea I originally saw in Whole Living magazine.  These little kits are great learning tools for all ages and could be made with a little of your own creativity and traveling to both a craft and garden store.  What’s more fun that taking your toddler to hardware?

Butterfly garden kit

Butterfly garden kit

I’m expanding our garden this year.  Let me know which of you have gardens and what you grow.  How does your garden grow?  I’m a little bit better with vegetables and herbs than I am with flowers.  Post me your pictures.  Happy gardening!