Sharing Christmas Finds- Garden gifts

I really hope that everyone had a Very Merry Christmas. Here are just a few really cool things we got that I wanted to share with you.

First is this Vega L rechargeable umbrella light from Treasure Garden. You can buy these at Macy’s online. It comes in three colors to match your pole. Black, Bronze or Champagne. This is the Bronze one. You can get them in 8 inch (4 lights) or 9 inch (6 lights) It’s super easy to use.

It’s simple to open and clamp into place. You can aim the lights up for indirect lighting or down (like the photo) for dining or other activities. The cost is about $110 but use your Macys coupons and you should come out a little better.

The box comes with a battery pack and battery charger. Can’t wait to use this one.

This next one is from Womanswork.com. It’s a 5 pack wheel system perfect for a novice and pretty cool even if you are a confident gardener. You get one of each - Bulb, Herb, Perennial, Shade and Annual Garden Wheel. I’ll just give you the basic use of the shade disc which will give you an idea of how all the wheels work. This pack will cost around $36.

They claim by using the wheel your garden will look like it was designed by a professional. First dial a short, medium and tall plant from the inner, middle and outer disks. Line up the plant choices and you’ll end up with a three tiered garden. You’ll need to factor in bloom time, color and shade requirements using the symbols next to the plant picture. One disc offers 500 different plant combinations. The symbols include USDA Zones, Bloom Times, Shade Requirements and Colors. Turn the disc over and you’ll find more gardening information on the back like soil conditions, definitions and special features and tips to create a wonderful healthy garden. The wheels are water proof so you don’t have to worry about bringing them into the garden and getting them dirty. This looks pretty interesting to me.

Lastly our niece Becky and her husband Jim gave us a Gourmet Chia Herb Garden. I have to admit I’ve wondered how well they grow and I promise to report back to you on this one. This set comes with Curled Parsley, Dill, Chives, Basil, Cilantro and Marjoram. The pots are small and the soil compact so there shouldn’t be any mess or fuss. All we need is a sunny window and away we go.



So these are a few of our gardening gifts. I hope that your Christmas was happy and meaningful and that the spirit and goodwill of the season safely carries you through the New Year.

Christmas Trees- Decorations

I know that Christmas is over but I had to share these photos with you. My neighbor does a wonderful job of decorating during the Christmas season. Here are just a few of the trees that she and her husband put up for the holidays. Enjoy~

This one is in the Foyer:











The Grinch Tree in the Breakfast Room:

The Dining Room:

The Sun Room:





The Guest Room (Love the cage at the top):

Stack of Boxes is Fun!

Bathroom:

The Pickle Tree in another bathroom:

And one for baby:

Odds and Ends Again- Tomatoes on the vine, Yummy Oatmeal, Garden Lettuce

Ever wonder why you can buy tomatoes with the vine attached? I’ve heard that the vine keeps them firm and fresh. Remove the vine and the tomato stops ripening. Ever heard of that? At three times the price...Are they really worth it?

Next time you make oatmeal try using apple juice instead of water. YUM! I mix mine with flax and chia seeds and some dried cranberries. If you make it with water as I did here, you can add some guava syrup if you'd like.

Here are some herb markers my daughter gave me for my birthday. So pretty - Can’t wait to use them next year.

Just went out into the garden and picked some fresh lettuce. It’s washed and all ready to eat. Bibb, Endive and Red Leaf.

The broccoli is almost ready to harvest.

Everything else will have to wait a few more weeks.



That’s a wrap~

Reading the labels will make you want to go GREEN!

Have you ever taken the time to read the label on your toothpaste? "If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, get medical help or contact a poison control center right away." Toothpaste also contain detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate which cause irritation and added glycerin which causes stomach cramps. This is why it’s so important for children under 12 to use a toothpaste without fluoride or better yet ~ something natural.

Most disinfecting wipes warn that if you plan to use the area cleaned with the wipes for food that a potable water rinse is required. So if you use these in the kitchen you’re in for double the work. Unfortunately most people don’t read the label. Try for a natural product or just use soap and water.

Some fabric softener sheets have this warning.
WARNING: Do Not Use This Product: On garments made with fluffier fabrics (such as fleece, velour, chenille, and terry cloth) Why? One reason is it could goof up the fire-resistant quality of a fabric. So never use this product on children’s sleepwear or garments labeled as flame resistant.
You can use a 1/4 cup of baking soda or vinegar in the wash to make your clothes softer and less clingy.

There are lots more health reasons for not using fabric softener that I didn’t realize before I started researching for this blog.
Benzyl acetate: linked to pancreatic cancer
Benzyl alcohol: upper respiratory tract irritant
Camphor: Central nervous system disorders.


Go to~

http://shop.sixwise.com/thetoxicdangeroffabricsofteneranddryersheets2805.aspx
for more information.

And when using fabric sheets you'll need to take your lint trap out and wash it with warm soapy water and a stiff brush every couple of months. The fabric softener sticks to everything and will clog your lint trap making it more susceptible to fires.

So take the time to read the warnings on the back of the products that you use. Maybe you'll be as surprised as I was.

For safe effective cleaning tools go to settersrun360@gmail.com -  From there I can direct you on laundry detergent and essential oils that will work to clean your home and are safe to use.

Community Gardening-

While I was out walking the dogs I met Carol digging out some old concrete in a section of her front yard. While we were talking she mentioned a community garden that I might be interested in seeing. On the corner of Allgood Road and Pine Street right behind Allgood Elementary School.

So Charlie, Kaylee and I started off down the road. Charlie and Kaylee are my son and daughters' dogs and they do have a Facebook page. (The Adventures of Kaylee and Charlie).


Here behind the playground was a well manicured and decorated community garden. Seems Jim Morris, retired chief judge of the Juvenile Court of Cobb County and his wife Jo-Evelyn got together with The Master Gardeners of Cobb County to establish this community garden.

The North Marietta Neighborhood Association, Harry’s Farmers Market,The city of Marietta, Keep Marietta Beautiful Inc. and Marietta Tree Service worked together along with about 50 volunteers to make it what it is today. This is also a great learning opportunity for the children who attend the school. They learn about gardening, plants and insects as well.

The area is considered a “food desert” by the USDA. This is an area composed of predominantly lower-income neighborhoods. Within the boundaries of this neighborhood, there is no nearby grocery store, no source of fresh and healthy food. The closest food is available at a gas station. The community garden helps with that by having 22 raised beds, 6 4X4 beds and 9 “pollinator and demonstration beds.” The pollinator beds will have plants that will attract bees and other insects to make the vegetable beds more productive, and the demonstration beds will be planted to show neighbors how to grow and care for vegetable plants in their own gardens.

People in the neighborhood can rent a bed for $35 (the cost of water) and do whatever they want with what they grow. They can keep it, share it or donate it to the local food bank. They can also take what they’ve learned by watching the demonstrations and plant their own garden at home.
This was all done with a plot of unused overgrown land behind the playground of a school in a poor neighborhood. Just goes to show you what a vision and good help can do for a community.
I learn so much from my walks with the girls and meet such nice people. This was a good day.

Hostess Gift for the Holidays- Taking a clear glass vase and making it special!

I once heard Kathie Lee Gifford complain about people bringing flowers to a dinner party and how she would have to stop everything to look for a vase, cut the stems and arrange the flowers. I have to admit that I never viewed a gift of flowers in this way but I can see how it could cause some folks stress.
This is a wonderful way to bring flowers to a dinner party and not cause pressure or tension to your host. Present your flowers in a custom vase that she can keep forever! This is a great idea for teacher gifts as well.

First you get a clear glass vase. I got mine from the Dollar Store. Everyone knows how much I appreciate the Dollar Store.
Next, wash it out with warm soapy water and dry it thoroughly. Now choose a basic design and get the colors you will need. The paint type needs to be acrylic enamel. For this project I used white, red, burnt umber, yellow, green and orange.

Choose and simple design and don’t be discouraged if your pattern isn’t perfect. I used simple white lines as branches and have a few cardinals placed here and there. They look fine so don’t try to make them too precise. A splash of green, yellow and orange finishes the painting part of this project.
Once you are happy with your design just put the vase into a cold oven. Set the temperature to 325 degrees. When the oven is ready, set the timer to one hour then turn off the oven. Leave the vase until cool. Overnight is best. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN UNTIL IT IS COOL-You don’t want to shock the glass with a burst of cold outside air.
Once the oven is cool your paint is baked onto the vase. You can wash it gently with warm soapy water when needed and the paint won’t come off.

Fill with your favorite flowers and it’s ready to become a special hostess gift. This vase is a great conversation starter and your flowers will be welcomed at any gathering.
It’s always fun to be creative and this hand painted vase may even result in another dinner invitation!

Chili Time

Making chili doesn’t have to come out of a can or box. This is an easy recipe that you can bend and shape to fit your taste.

First I start out with some onion and pepper cooked through. You can use olive or coconut oil to saute them but I just go naked with this step.

Then I add some beans. I use black, red kidney, navy beans and pinto beans. Use whichever beans you like. I add some diced tomatoes and some tomato puree. You can use beef or chicken broth if you don’t like tomatoes. Some people like to add some sliced carrots, whatever floats your boat.

Next I add some green Anaheim pepper and Jalapeños chopped. I brown some ground beef and rinse it before adding it to the chili. I do this to make sure all the excess fat is rinsed off the meat. You can use chicken, turkey or sausage if you don’t like beef or just go vegetarian. Now for the spices. I add chili powder, salt and garlic a half teaspoon at a time, tasting as I go. Once you add it to the pot you can take it out so take your time and add spices slowly and carefully.



Lastly I add some Masa Flour. You can find organic Masa in white, blue or yellow. Again, add this slowly to thicken your chili.

Now it’s time to serve. A little cheese, some sour cream and cilantro and we are ready to eat. Plain yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream and the cheese and cilantro are optional. Cook from your heart and not by the book and you’ll end up with a great meal.

Stickers on Fruit and Vegetables- What do they mean?

Ever wonder what the codes on the stickers that adorn your fruit really mean?
I went to snopes.com to find out.  Here is what I’ve learned.

PLU is the name of the code which means “Price Look Up”. The codes are meant for suppliers and grocers and not really for the public.

Codes that begin with 4 and have 4 numerals in the code means that they were conventionally grown. This means that pesticides and fertilizers were used to produce a higher yield and bigger fruit.

Codes that begin with 8 and have 5 numerals in the code means that they are a genetically modified organism (GMO).

Codes starting with number 9 and have 5 numerals means they were organically grown.

You can go to: http://plucodes.com/search_wizard.aspx?s=1

Once there you can enter the code on your fruit to have it identified. Not all produce is labeled - especially the GMO kind. These labels are not mandatory so this may not give you enough information or the information you are looking for.

So the best number to look for starts with a 9 and means it’s been organically grown.  The ones to stay away from start with an 8 because these are GMO products.

No one knows the long term effects of GMO products. It’s estimated that 40 to 70 percent of all food products (fresh and packaged) contain some GMO products.  

Here is a good website that will help you avoid GMOs.

http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com

You can get this as an iPhone app at ShopNoGMO and the price is free.
A great reason to give growing your own fruits and vegetables a try. Happy Eating-

To Front Load or Not- That is the question.

Now I know this has nothing to do with gardening other than washing your work clothes and gloves but when I find out new things I just have to tell you about it.
I got my front load washer and dryer because they were pretty, the latest thing and I thought that it might be easier to take clothes in and out of. I bought my special “he” (high efficiency) detergent and I was on my way.

I have a maintenance contract on my front loaders and when the service guy arrived he let me in on some of the monthly maintenance chores involved.
Before we get to that, you must know that you should keep the front door open when it’s not in use and not only that but you should keep the detergent door open as well. It’s really best to take the whole drawer out. This helps keep everything dry and free of moldy smells.  See the thumb print at the top of the drawer? Press that and it will release the drawer.

So now I have the door open and the drawer out.  Not so pretty!
Next are the monthly chores. You have to go to the bottom compartment where the drainage hose and catch is located.  First unstop the hose and drain the water out into a pan or bucket.  This will take a few minutes.  Next, unscrew the catch and remove anything that has gotten caught. I had a trash bag twist tie and a couple of pieces of pine straw in mine.

Now you buy some “washer cleaner.”  If you use the powder kind you’ll have to put it directly into the barrel of the machine otherwise it will just gunk up in the detergent drawer and you’ll have to run it a second time. I got this liquid cleaner from the Sears scratch and dent store for around $10.
I have a tub cleaner setting on my washer so I set it to that and filled my detergent tray up to maximum with the cleaner. If you don’t have a tub clean setting just use a quick wash cycle. I let it run on tub clean for about a minute then paused the washer and opened the door.

Next I took a clean cloth and using the soapy water in the barrel I wiped the rubber seal around the door and on the inside of the window.  I also took my finger and cleaned around the crevasses in the gasket. Do this very carefully because you could break the seal and then you’ll have to have the thing replaced. I started the machine up again and let it run its course. The best way to keep the tub smelling fresh every week is to put a couple of drops of lemon essential oil into it and let it run a short wash. You can buy high quality essential oil by emailing me at https://www.doterra.com/US/en/site/growit


I was also told that around the third year of owning my dryer it would be wise to have a technician come out take the top and front off the dryer and vacuum off the coils. This would eliminate the build up of lint and prevent a possible fire.
So am I happy with the front load washer? Well, I can see that during the wash cycle the clothes inside are brought up to the top and kind of folded over.  Because of this I keep my loads small. You just can beat that swishy agitation of a top load washer and front loaders don't have that. For the maintenance and having to leave everything open - I wouldn’t buy another front load washer.

I’d love your opinion. How do you get along with your front load washer?

To find out how you can get Purify Essential Oil to add to your washing machine email me at https://www.doterra.com/US/en/site/growit

Just add 3 drops of Purify to the load before you wash.

Fall Plants- Compact Strawberry Bush, Snow N Jasmine, Encore Azaleas and more.

I thought I’d show you my fall plantings. We planted all around the property fence line.

First up is the Snow N Summer Jasmine. It’s a ground-cover, is an evergreen and flowers white. It grows about 5 inches tall and spreads about 3 feet out. I’m told it has a nice fragrance so I'm excited about that.

Further down in it's own little corner we planted an Emerald Blueberry. This is supposed to get 18 to 24 inches high and should bear fruit next July. Again, I’ll let you know.

Next is an Orange Rocket Barberry. I quickly found out that this plant has thorns when I grabbed the first one and pulled it out of the pot! It’s deciduous (the leaves fall off the plant in the winter) and will grow about 4 feet tall. This is perfect because I don’t want the holly plants which are behind the Barberry to be hidden from view. It will give a nice step effect. The leaves start out coral orange in the spring, turn green in the summer and ruby red in autumn. These are deer resistant plants so if you have problems with deer you may want to try planting it.

Encore azaleas in red and white are planted in front of the others along the driveway. I think we planted 8 of these.

Purple Diamond Compact Loropetalum. These are evergreen and are deer resistant as well. This shrub gets pretty pink flowers in the spring and the deep purple foliage lasts all season long.

Lastly and the most exciting plant for me is this Compact Strawberry Bush. Starts out with white flowers followed by red and yellow strawberry like fruit. (If you look closely you can see the berries starting to form). This is a drought tolerant plant and can be used as a single plant like this one or as a hedge. It’s an evergreen. It will attract hummingbirds and butterflies. This blooms fall through late winter. And, if your dogs like berries as much as mine do, they aren't poisonous. That was my number one concern.


That’s it for the fall. I can’t wait to see all this grow up and fill out. What have you planted lately?