Oh, November!

These past few days have been absolutely glorious.  Sunshine and 70s in November mean only one thing - get outside and enjoy it!

I spent Monday afternoon raking leaves, not that you would know it now because that same part of the yard is again covered in leaves.  But that doesn't really matter.  I got to be outside.  In the sunshine.  In November.  I'll take it.

Bright leaves and brilliant blue skies.  It would have been a shame to stay inside all day.  I filled up both trash toters and two paper leaf bags and set them out by the street to be picked up Tuesday morning.  Of course, then on Tuesday morning I read something on Facebook that said there are scientific reasons for not raking your leaves.  Oh well.  I may keep that in mind, in case the weather isn't so nice next time the leaves need raked...

There are still a few leaves left on the tree, and they'll end up on the ground soon enough.  Along with those that have already fallen.  After I raked on Monday.

I got outside for a bit Tuesday and today, too.  Because I had to.  I told Jeffrey he should play hooky from work this afternoon and we should go for a ride on the motorcycle, but he couldn't.  Unfortunately.  I almost went walking again just to get out, but I ended up working in the garden instead pulling out the old bean plants and the lettuce that went to seed and dried up.  It will be interesting to see how much lettuce comes up in the spring.  There are still a few peppers on the plants and quite a few tomatoes so those plants will stay until the weather changes drastically.  Which it will.  They (the weathermen) keep saying it will.  We can all choose to ignore that, right?

What did you do with this amazing November weather?

The Coolest Garden Ever

I remember the first time my grandpa came to our first house.  He looked out into the backyard and said, "You've got plenty of room for a garden."  No way!  I was not going to have a garden.  Ever.  I'd had enough of gardening growing up.

Fast forward a few years - we'd moved to a new house, and I decided I'd like to have a garden after all.  Nothing too elaborate, but some fresh tomatoes, green beans, zucchini and other produce would be nice.  My husband built me some raised beds, and I started raising some vegetables. I didn't grow so much that I had lots of produce to can, but we did enjoy fresh veggies from the garden, and I really enjoyed it.  It really is amazing how you can stick some seeds in some dirt and get food!

A couple years ago we moved again, and I left my gardens behind.  Because we moved in the middle of the summer, I didn't really have time to get anything from the old gardens, and I definitely didn't have a chance to plant anything at the new house, even if there had been a garden.  Last summer came and went without a garden either, because we realized that simple beds like I had before just would not work.  Not unless I wanted to share everything with the deer.  Which I don't.

 We never had deer in our yard before.  A simple fence around whichever bed the beans were planted in was enough to keep the bunnies out.  But here we need to keep the bunnies and the deer and the neighborhood cats all out of the garden.

So, my husband designed and built me the coolest garden ever.  This thing ought to keep all those critters out, and look great at the same time. We've got raised beds and fencing all the way around.

And we're gonna have fresh vegetables this year! 

Jason helped me plant tomatoes and peppers, broccoli, beans, and carrots - and some other stuff - when he was here.  After he helped move dirt into the garden.

I'm being amazed all over again watching how seeds in dirt turn into plants and how little plants become big plants.  The only thing the fence can't seem to keep out is the weeds, and those are getting bigger, too.  but I'll get 'em!

For fun we added some hooks and hung my bamboo wind chime and another cool hanging we used to have on the deck at our old house, but with no pergola here we had nowhere for them to go.  We also added a couple solar 'wine bottles' for a cute glow at night

The bigger the plants get, the cooler this garden is going to look.  I can almost taste that zucchini!

Garden Inspiration brought to you by Miracle-Gro

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's springtime, and I'm starting to think about planting the garden again.  I'm also hoping that we'll get more rain this year so that things will actually grow.  Last year was a bit disappointing, though I did get enough jalapenos to make quite a few amazing Poppers!
 
I tend to plant a very basic vegetable garden - tomatoes, peppers, green beans, zucchini, chard -  good stuff to eat.  Nothing too creative, but it's so much fun to watch how little seeds or little plants grow and become food!  This year I got a little creative and planted some cheery marigolds in a pot out front.  I'm also planning to either plant some more of those or some other flowers, or perhaps a combination, in a couple pots out back on the deck.  It's really easy, and it dresses things up so much having that bit of color.

For this project:

• You will need - a pot or container with a drain hole, annuals from your garden store, potting mix.
• Fill pot about 1/2 full with Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix. 
• Arrange plants in pot.  Add or take away Potting Mix to bring plants up to the level you want them.
• Once you've got all the plants where you want them, fill in with Potting Mix between and around the plants, covering the roots completely.  Press down lightly.
• Water thoroughly, and enjoy your new flowers.

Since they're in a container, they will need watered occasionally, but the Potting Mix absorbs 33% more water than ordinary soil, so it won't dry out as fast, and therefore won't need watered as often.  I love that, because I do tend to forget.

If you're interested in some creative and fun gardening projects, please check out The Gro Project from Miracle-Gro.  You will find many more great gardening ideas, all of them a lot more creative than mine, like the Toyarium, Ukulele Garden, Origami Garden, G.Y.O.B. or Thrown Down.  Even the names are creative! The Miracle-Gro website is also a great resource for gardeners and growers.  They have an expansive library of articles and videos full of expert gardening tips for beginners and professionals alike as well as online tools to help growers solve common garden problems.

Since I've branched out a bit from just planting vegetables - which I would highly recommend, by the way - I'm thinking of looking through the Gro Project ideas and seeing what else I can do.  See what happens when you start playing in the dirt?  You want to keep doing it!

Also be sure to share your projects on the Miracle-Gro Facebook page or on your social networks with the hashtag #MiracleGroProject and follow the Miracle-Gro Pinterest page for ideas on all kinds of fun garden projects and to share stories and projects with other gardeners.

Spring Landscaping with Scotts Mulch

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Spring is finally here!  For those of us who live in the northern parts of the United States, that means we are starting to see buds on the trees and a few early flowers, the grass is turning green, and we can finally turn the furnace off and open the windows.  At least for a day or two before it cools down again.  The grass will continue to grow, along with the plants and flowers, and it's time to start thinking about gardening supplies and taking advantage of the nice weather to get the yard and garden ready for spring and summer.
Now is the time to start thinking about what you'll need to jumpstart your yard and garden so you can enjoy it all summer.

Some essential items to have include:

• Garden tools and gloves for working in the dirt.
• Compost and/or plant food
• Seeds and plants for planting
• Mulch to spread around bushes, trees, and plants.
  In Florida, that means Scotts Florida Select Natural Eucalyptus Mulch which is 100% Florida-grown and sustainably-harvested and plantation grown Eucalyptus.  It re-grows up to 4-times faster than Cypress, making it a great option for those interested in sustainable gardening , as well as being a great way to support the local economy.

I was noticing this weekend that we will need to spread some Scotts Nature Scapes mulch in our flower beds and around the trees and bushes, because it's getting quite thin in places.  Made from natural forest products, this mulch comes in a variety of colors and textures and helps to maintain moisture, prevent weeds, and create a groomed landscape all year long.  What that means is - put down the mulch now and save yourself a lot of work later.  Your plants and flowers will really appreciate it when the hot, dry days of summer come because the mulch helps keep the moisture in the ground and keeps the weeds down.

We'll also need to decide what we want to plant in our front flower bed this year.  It had gotten quite overgrown, so we tore everything out, and we're starting over again.  Sadly, that means I won't get these nice purple flowers this year, but I'm sure we'll find something nice.  Maybe something like these  yellow flowers?  They're certainly sunny and bright.  I don't really know yet, but I'm sure we'll figure it out.

What kind of plans do you have for your yard and garden this year?

Whitney Farms® 100% Natural Plant Foods

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Whitney Farms for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
 
Growing up we always had a huge vegetable garden, and we spent a lot of time working in that garden - planting, weeding,  picking, and then processing the food we got from it.  When I finally grew up, got married, and moved out, I said I was never going to have a garden! But, that changed several years ago.  There just isn't anything like fresh vegetables from the garden!  I plant tomatoes and peppers and zucchini and chard and green beans and several other things every summer now.  My garden is nowhere as big as what we had growing up, but it's enough that I get to enjoy having those fresh veggies all summer and even freeze some to use throughout the winter.

I've never put any chemicals or artificial plant foods on the soil, because it's important to me to grow my vegetables in organic soil. I don't always buy organic in the grocery store - even though I probably should - but if I'm going to grow it, then I want it to be organic.  I usually just add some compost in the spring before I plant.  This year I'm going to look for organic plant food  from Whitney Farms®.  They have a full line of 100% natural plant foods and soils with no additives, nothing artificial, just ingredients from the Earth, designed to give you big, beautiful flowers and veggies. 

Whitney Farms® has 25+ years of leading gardening experience and has improved their products to have:

• low to no dust (love that!)
• no manure odor (that too!)
• easy to apply (yep - I like my garden, but I want it to be easy)
• beneficial microbes (sounds good)
• specially designed protein-based blends to provide your plants with both macro and micronutrients they need to grow and thrive. (I have no idea if the compost I use has all that)

I know the compost I usually use helps, but I'd love to see if using the Whitney Farms® products makes a difference.  Bigger, better, more beautiful veggies - I'm all for that!   But not if that means using chemicals or artificial ingredients, which is why I'm glad natural products like this are available.
 
I guess I haven't taken any  pictures of my garden for a while, because I couldn't find any on my computer - but I did find some of my produce from a couple years ago.  Don't those peppers and that zucchini look good?  I'm getting hungry for some of that fresh garden produce!
 
If you want to use all natural and organic products on your garden, be sure to check out Whitney Farms®.  They're even offering a $3 coupon right now.  Just click the link and follow the instructions to print yours.
 

Lawn Care is a Snap with Scotts®

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
 
I never really thought about the yard much when I was growing up.  It was (mostly) green and needed mowed periodically.  I thought dandelions belonged there.  Then I grew up, got married, and we moved into our first house...
 
That's when my husband informed me that those pretty yellow flowers are really weeds, and they don't belong in his yard.  The goal is to have a healthy, green lawn without all those extra weeds.  He's been using Scotts® Weed & Feed® for years now - to kill the weeds and help the grass to build strong, deep roots.  Those roots are important because, while the grass is lush and green right now while there's plenty of moisture, it's challenged during the dry periods of summer.  Also, the stronger the grass is, the less opportunity the weeds have to grow.  And that's about all I understand about it - except that it's a constant battle, especially with those dandelions, because no matter how well he takes care of the yard, if the neighbors don't do the same, those dandelions are bound to spread back into our yard.
 
With the new Scotts® Snap® Spreader System there's really no excuse for not taking care of their yards.  It looks easy enough for anybody to use - even me.  Not that I plan to do it, since I have a husband who takes care of that stuff, but...  What's really cool about this system is that there's no cutting, opening, or pouring from heavy bags.  Just connect the Snap Pac to the Snap Spreader, and you're ready to go.  There are no settings to mess with either - the Spreader auto-sets the proper flow rate.  And when you're done, just remove the Snap Pac from the Spreader, and it auto-seals, making it easy to store.  How cool is that?
 
Watch how easy it is:
 

Is that guy's garage too clean, or what?  Anyway, I especially love that the Spreader System has that EdgeGuard feature that keeps product where you want it…. on the lawn! 
 Walking every morning, I can always tell when people have treated their lawns, because there's always a line of it out in the street, and I always try to avoid it.  This EdgeGuard should eliminate that problem.
 
For a super easy way to take care of your lawn, be sure to check out the new  Scotts® Snap® Spreader System - they'll even tell you which product your lawn needs and when.  For us, the first feeding should be about now.  Also, be sure to like Snap perks on Facebook to learn about promotions and contests from Scotts.  They've got some amazing prizes to give away.  This month the grand prize is a trip for two to the 2012 All Star Game and World Series, or you could win an outdoor patio set or a $25 Walmart gift card.  Get started now to have more chances to win.   

Potted Bulbs - They Look Great in the House

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of iBulb for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
 
The warm weather we had the last couple weeks means that it's definitely starting to look a lot like Spring out there.  There are some gorgeous flowers up and blooming.  Not in my yard or my flower beds - but those people who planted bulbs have lots of gorgeous flowers to show for it.
 
I never thought about it before, but I could plant some bulbs inside - for home decor.  I've always thought flowers were a waste of money.  You know, the kind you get from the florist and send for special occasions.  I mean, they cost so much, and then they just die, and they're gone forever.  But potted bulbs sound like a great idea.  They're pretty, and they last longer than those old cut flowers!  Also, they're the perfect solution for people like me who didn't plant bulbs in the Fall!  They can be enjoyed now, and then when the flowers have expired, you plant them in your garden - so they'll be ready for next Spring.
 
They can be lots of fun.  You can buy them like this - they can be purchased at grocery stores, garden centers, and flower shops:
 

and then repot them into your favorite pot or something that matches your decor, like this:
 

 
How fun is that?  No, that doesn't match my decor, but I love them potted in that steel bowl.  I never would have thought of that.  For even more information, look up Dig Drop Done on Pinterest.  There are ideas for home decor, wedding decorations, Easter projects and bulb planting how-to information.
 
From everything I'm seeing about planting bulbs, I'm finding absolutely no excuse for not planting some.  It looks so easy.  I'm especially liking the idea of these potted bulbs and then planting them outside when the flowers are done.  Then I wouldn't have to remember come Fall.
 

Miracle-Gro® Expand ‘n Gro™

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am going to need to get me some of this.  Seriously, I watched the video, and said, "Whoa!" like five times!

Did you see how it expands up to 3 times when mixed with water?  That means a bag of this will be a whole lot easier to get home than those heavy, messy bags of traditional garden soil and amendments.  If I don't have one of my guys with me, I don't buy that stuff!  This I could bring home myself.

I'm not totally positive that I'd use this in my vegetable garden, though I love the idea of better plants and vegetables. I definitely need to add some kind of compost or something to the soil this year to help things grow better.  The years I don't do it, I notice - things just don't grow as well.  Mixing this into the soil can make it up to 40% lighter, and create up to 90% more air space meaning the soil is more workable, with better water holding ability, moisture distribution, and drainage, all of which means a better environment for plants.  I need to find out what's in the Miracle‐Gro plant food that's in it before I use it for the vegetables, because I love the idea of everything it can do for the soil.
 
Expand ‘n Gro™ is a unique blend of Miracle‐Gro plant food and coconut coir fiber.  Coir is a lightweight, all‐natural material derived from coconut husk.  The sponge‐like cell structure of compressed coir pith re‐expands when water is added and retains up to 50% more moisture than basic potting soils and then releases water as plants need it.  I think it would be especially nice for potted plants - maybe some nice flowers for the deck? - because I always seem to forget to water them!  It would also be great for flower beds, because I wouldn't have to worry about watering if it doesn't rain for a while.  The coir contains a slowly decomposing organic polymer called lignin which means that it will continue to benefit the soil for many years.
 
Benefits of Miracle-Gro® Expand ‘n Gro™ Concentrated Planting Mix:

• Up to 3 times the Flowers and Vegetables! (versus native soil)
• Significantly improves soil for multiple years
• Concentrated planting mix expands up to 3 times when water is added
• Feeds for up to 6 months
• All natural fibers hold up to 50% more water than basic potting soil

It sounds like a great way to prep your gardens and pots for Spring and Summer planting.  Be sure to check out Miracle-Gro® Expand ‘n Gro™ Concentrated Planting Mix to learn more, and get a $3 coupon while you're there.  I'm looking forward to some beautiful potted plants on my deck this summer!  What will you grow?

Dig, Drop, Done - Can It Be That Simple?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I would really like to have some pretty flower beds out in front of my house, but I have absolutely no idea where to start.  I planted some perennials several years ago and then pretty much left them to their own devices.  That was not a good idea. Some of the plants took over and choked out the others, and everything was just wild and didn't look good at all.  I just pulled everything I could out this fall and piled it up.  I'd really like to dig everything up and start from scratch - and maybe make better decisions this time.
 
I was just checking out digdropdone.com and reading some of the information there.  I've never planted bulbs of any kind, but they make it sound really easy.  I think I'm pretty much like Marcy on that site.  She's super busy and needs something really, really easy to bring a little beauty and color to her life.  Bulbs are pretty much complete flowers in a little package, and all you have to do is dig a hole, drop them in, and you're done!  Just sit back and wait for the plants and the flowers and the colors.  I'm thinking they may be exactly what I need.  There is certainly enough information on the site to help me figure it out!  When to plant, how to plant, etc.  I especially like the tip that says, "For a natural look throw out handfuls of bulbs and plant them where they fall."  I definitely think I can handle that!  They say that bulbs can be used in anything from interior and exterior design, to creative gift giving and decoration, to entertaining activities for children and families.  I think I'll start with the flower beds, see how that goes, and then go from there.
 
What would be incredibly helpful would be if I could win the $5,000 yard makeover.  “Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done" is an educational effort designed to excite women about the surprisingly simple beauty of flower bulbs, but it's also a contest that will give one lucky winner a yard makeover and a visit from Taniya Nayak. (@TaniyaNayak on Twitter) She'll go through and give you tips on the best way to update your yard along with creative ideas for incorporating flower bulbs into your landscape..  To enter, all you need to do is submit a photo of your yard at Curbside Chaos.  Also, be sure to share on twitter, because for every share, "Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done" will donate $1.00 to Rebuilding Together - the nation’s leading nonprofit, working to preserve affordable home ownership and revitalize communities.
 
While you're there on the Curbside Chaos site, be sure to check out the garden guru tool to help you figure out which bulb is perfect for your home depending upon where you live!  (You know, just in case you don't win) All you have to do is:

• Step 1 – Pick your Country
• Step 2 – Pick your location within that Country
• Step 3 – Choose the type of bulb you want to grow
• Step 4 – Check out the Planting Guide that shows you how to plant your bulbs.

I printed one out - but it looks like it's too late to think about planting to have pretty flowers this spring.  Maybe next year...

  

If you'd like to find out more about bulbs and how simple they can be to add to your life, be sure to visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more.

Tuesday Tidbits

It's Tuesday, the first of November.  November!  And I spent time outside today without socks or a sweatshirt.  It was so warm.  I was thinking about getting some ironing done, but since that's a job I always do in the basement, I decided to put it off and do something outside.  I did a bit of clean-up in the garden, taking down tomato cages and pulling some of the dead plants.  Then I attacked some of the plants out front.  I planted some perennials years ago and then basically ignored them, and they've pretty much taken over.  So I hacked at them, and I'm thinking it's time to dig the whole bed up and start over - or see what we get when we dig it all up.  Anyway, I cut everything back quite a bit.  Then I cut some mint and brought it inside to dry.  I'm thinking I can have my own mint tea this winter.

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I changed the sheets yesterday.  I wondered if it might be time for flannel sheets, but we decided not yet.  I did, however, put the electric blanket back on the bed.  I hope we don't have to actually turn it on anytime soon, but for now it's an extra layer.  Like every year, I had to go looking for my old post so I could put the electric blanket on the bed properly.  So, when we do have to turn it on, I'll be in control of my side and Jeffrey will be in control of his.

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I'm trying to figure out how the ShopAtHome toolbar got installed on my browser.  I never downloaded anything from their site or installed the toolbar.  I haven't even been there for ages - because I haven't done any online shopping.  And then today I notice this new toolbar.  Not that it's probably a bad thing for me to have it, because I've gotten plenty of cash back credited to my account since I signed up, but there have been other times I bought stuff only to remember later that I should have checked first - and been extremely frustrated when I realized I could have gotten quite a bit of cash back.  Maybe the toolbar will remind me...

Still, I really really hate that it got installed without my permission.  How do they do that?

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We're watching Dancing with the Stars the results show.  Derek Hough is smokin'!  We missed the show last night because we went out - to see Derek's sister Julianne in Footloose - so I'm not sure how things are going to go tonight.  I did vote a couple times for J.R. and Karina when we got home last night, just because, though I usually like to vote based on who I think deserves the votes because of their dancing.  Based on what I'm seeing, I think it's time for Nancy Grace to go home.  Now I'm going to have to go read my DWTS prediction post and see who I expected to go home this week.  Also, I wish they'd sent Justin Beiber home at the beginning of the show.  In what world does this kid have any talent whatsoever?

Related articles

• My Predictions - Dancing with the Stars (justgottasharethis.info)

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I think that's enough for this Tuesday.  Tune in next week...

Garden Planted

Image via Wikipedia

I bought some tomato plants last week when Cory and I went shopping and got those planted on Friday.  I really wanted to get some pepper plants, too, but all they had was the larger plants that cost $3 each.  In the end they're probably worth it, but I'd really rather buy a pack of several smaller plants for the same price or less.  Like the tomato plants which were $1.50 for 4 plants.

So last night Jeffrey and I went to Home Depot and found just that - packs of 6 pepper plants for around $3.  So we got 3 packs.  We really don't need that many pepper plants, but they were mixed packs.  One was all hot peppers that Cory wanted to try, and the other two packs were a mix of hot peppers and bell peppers.  I really wanted the bell peppers, but I think there are only two plants per pack since there are 2 kinds of hot peppers, and I wanted more of the bell peppers.  So that's why I bought two.  That's a lot of pepper plants!  And I had to plant them all, because all the plants look pretty much the same, and I had no idea which ones were which.

I worked on pulling weeds and turning up the soil and then planting those peppers, and the rest of the garden, all afternoon.  I planted zucchini, green beans, radishes, cucumbers, lettuce, basil, cilantro, and probably more stuff that I can't remember right now.  I planted some lettuce, spinach and chard a couple weeks ago, and there are little chard and spinach plants now.  I'm not sure what's going on with the lettuce, because I'm not seeing it - so I might have to plant that again.  I think something is eating the chard, too.  Hopefully some of it will survive.

Anyway, I'm feeling a bit tired and sore from all the gardening today, but it does feel good to have it all planted.  Now we can look forward to SALSA!

Summer's Holding On

It's been feeling a bit like Fall recently - until today, the last full day of Summer.  Today the heat is back, and it seems that summer won't be giving up without a fight.  I'm pretty sure the fight is futile, though.  I've seen trees that are already starting to change, and my garden definitely believes summer is over.  All the tomato plants are dried up and dead.  They gave me lots of tomatoes first, though!  I've been getting quite a few green beans, but they're all about done, too, and the zucchini gave up a while back.  I've still got some peppers on the plants, and the chard is growing like crazy.  Chard doesn't seem to mind the end of summer, and keeps on growing through the Fall.

It really is amazing to see how tiny seeds and little plants can grow so much and produce food.  All in the space of one summer.  Really.  Amazing.  All the wrinkle creams mentioned at http://www.consumerpricewatch.org may claim to be amazing, but they've got nothing on my garden.  It does have me wondering - fight the natural order of things with wrinkle creams and anti-aging lotions, or age gracefully like the garden?

If Only the House Would Clean Itself

When I was growing up it seemed that there was always something to do during the summer.  We had a huge garden, not only at our house, but at my grandparents' house, too.  We had animals.  There were chores aplenty, and we all had to help.  When my dad wasn't at work, he always had something needing done in the garden or in the barn.  Mom was busy with canning and cleaning and laundry and all the other stuff moms are always busy with.

I'm not saying we never had fun.  There were a few times we went to the park for the 4th of July carnival and to watch the fireworks, and we went to the local lake to swim once in a while.  However, there were also plenty of times when we would've liked to go do something, but home and garden came first.  So, when I had kids I decided that I would make a real effort to do things with my kids.  I would take them to the beach on warm summer days, roller blade with them around the neighborhood, take them roller skating, to the library and the park, and just have fun and spend time together.

Image via Wikipedia

I didn't have a huge garden or any animals to take care of, so I know it was easier for me than it was for my mom.  Still, sometimes the house didn't get straightened up, because sometimes you just have to choose between having fun and cleaning the house.  The ideal solution would be to find affordable cleaning that would have someone else coming in to do the dusting, vacuuming, straightening up, and cleaning bathrooms, so you don't have to choose between doing fun things with the kids or having a clean house.  As it is, I just got as much done as I could in the mornings, so we could go out and play in the afternoons, or I'd take the kids to the park and let them play on the playground while I wrote my grocery list.  Then, after a picnic lunch, we'd do our shopping in the afternoon.  Not as nice as it would have been to have someone else doing the work, but it worked for us.

Did everything always get done?  No, but that's OK.  The most important thing was to spend that time with the kids, because before you know it they're all grown up and they don't want to do fun things with Mom anymore.  The park is a place to hang out with their friends.  It's no longer fun to go to the lake.  They no longer want to roller blade with mom because she doesn't want to go down the hills, etc.  You get the idea.

Once that happens, there will be plenty of time to clean the house.

Kitties and Stuff

I accomplished a lot today - folding towels, washing dishes, snuggling a little kitty, all kinds of important things. I entered a couple giveaways, searched some web directories, picked tomatoes from the garden, and made zucchini bread. There are a couple more zucchini out in the garden that will need picked before too long. The tomatoes taste good, but they're all cracked, and I have to cut a lot off of them because they get bad around the cracks.

There was quite a bit of the kitty snuggling going on. Weasley is still kind of skittish, but he's settling in well. He's getting used to us and loves to be petted, as long as we don't move too fast. I'll sit down next to him, and he'll just flop down on his side and purr and purr. Then he'll get up, walk around and rub on me and finally climb into my lap and settle down. I can't exactly get up and go do anything when he does that, can I? I figure if we give him lots of love and attention he'll settle right in and maybe even decide to be a snuggly lap kitty. Tillie's been pretty loving today, too - maybe trying to be sure we don't forget her. She was also less timid toward him, following him around while watching his every move and growling at him. The growling and hissing doesn't seem to bother Weasley since he was the runt of the litter and all the other kitties used to growl at him. He's used to it, and he's determined to be her friend anyway.

Fiskars Wants to Help Your Community Garden Grow

A couple years ago our Library Director decided that we needed some flowers out in front of the library. She got a local business to donate the plants, and she got a group of community residents together one Saturday morning. Together, they planted a beautiful flower garden in front of the library building. Now, instead of dirt and a few bushes, visitors to the library are greeted by colorful blooms. I don't think anyone realized what we were missing until we had it.

A community garden, whether to grow flowers or vegetables, is a great way to bring your community together. That's why Fiskars has created the Project Orange Thumb grant. They are going to award up to $1,500 in Fiskar's garden tools and up to $800.00 in gardening-related materials to 20 groups or organizations in the US and Canada. The grant is available to groups like schools, youth groups, clubs, and, I'm sure, libraries. You have to submit an application in two parts, an electronic submission to answer some questions about yourself and your organization, and a creative portion that can be about anything. You get to use pictures, words, video, whatever you can think of to help an alien understand how gardening makes you feel. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

So, if your group is interested in starting or maintaining your own garden, be sure to check out Fiskars Project Orange Thumb. The deadline for submitting your application is February 17, 2009 and recipients will be notified by March 25th.

Hope For Warm Weather

Cory has a band trip to Noah's Ark on Monday. That's Noah's Ark - the world's largest outdoor waterpark (or something like that - actually America's largest waterpark.). The thing is, we live in Wisconsin. Monday the temperature got up to about 80°, and then dropped 40° within 20 minutes that evening. Last night we had frost advisories all over the state. That would be why they say not to plant the garden until after Memorial Day, and even then it might not be safe. I never get my garden planted until mid-June or so, since I'm usually working on the calendar and don't have time to mess with it. Often, when I do get a break, like when we print the calendar out for editing, the weather turns cold and rainy, and I can't do anything outdoors.

So, planning a trip to a waterpark this early in the year? Iffy. Who decided the Wisconsin Dells would be the waterpark capital of America, anyway? Wouldn't it make more sense to build all those waterparks in a warm state somewhere?

Here's hoping for a warm, sunny day on Monday - and that no one forgets to use sunscreen.

Time to Start Thinking About the Garden?

With all the snow and cold weather, I really haven't thought about gardening. Seriously, you can hardly even tell I have gardens out there - except for the old tomato cages that I didn't remove in the Fall. Mostly, when it comes to gardening, I plant some seeds, hope they come up, pull weeds occasionally, and hope I get some good vegetables. I really don't know anything about hydroponics, but it sounds interesting. It's a whole system of gardening that is supposed to save work, provide higher yields, and eliminate the need for pesticides. I know I hate when the bugs eat my beans, but I really do not want to use any kinds of pesticides on them. I also don't particularly like pulling weeds, so if I can avoid that, I'm interested. Cory used to like helping me with the gardening, but then he got older and lost interest. I guess he didn't like pulling weeds, either.

HID Hut is a source of discount gardening supplies. They have everything you'd need to get started with hydroponics, and the best prices online. The list of hydroponic gardening tips and articles looks really helpful, too.

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