Author: Timelesslady

Married with children and grandchildren. Reader, writer, painter - maybe a bit of an artist. Gardener... Led by the Spirit.

Plantings – Coleus Sampler

On By TimelessladyIn Planting21 Comments

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Sampler of last year’s coleus leaves.

I’ve been cleaning chaff from my coleus seed harvest, dreaming of next year’s new plants. When I’m finished the tedious task, I’ll place the seeds in the refrigerator or in the garage for a few weeks to give them a dose of coldness. This process is called stratification.

Stratification:  In horticulture, stratification is the process of pre-treating seeds to simulate natural winter conditions a seed must endure before germination.

For tips on stratification for seeds read this article: Making Winter for Seeds: Cold Stratification From Fridge to Snow Sowing.

I start my seeds in early January to have good-sized plants by late April/early May. If you’ve never grown coleus, give them a try. The colors and variety will be sure to please you.

Pot and Pans & Problem-Solving – Avoiding the Fat

On By TimelessladyIn Pots and Pans, Problem-Solving10 Comments

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This jar contains broth/pan drippings I gathered from the last roast chicken I baked. Many people use these drippings for gravy. To do so while they are still hot makes it impossible to remove the fat that you can see gathered at the top of the jar. To save my family’s health, I always use the previous chicken/turkey’s broth and pan drippings in my cooking, enabling me to remove most of the dangerous fat. Refrigeration causes the broth and fat to separate making it very easy to lift the hardened fat away from the broth.

Today, knowing that the Thanksgiving turkey is going to need a lot of gravy, I purchased three turkey legs. Tomorrow I will cook these down in the crockpot with several cups of water. I’ll add celery, onions and garlic for richer flavor, and have a luscious broth to use for a healthy gravy on Thanksgiving Day. I’ll refrigerate the broth after it cooks down, skim off the hardened fat, and freeze the broth for a couple of days. I’ll leave myself a big note on the chalkboard on Wednesday, reminding myself to take it out of the freezer for the big turkey day. It’s good to think ahead when it comes to sauces and gravies and take a few moments to create a healthier alternative to using the fatty and heart clogging drippings straight out of the pan.

Photograph & Poetry – End of Autumn Days

On By TimelessladyIn Photographs, Poetry2 Comments

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A chill in the air,

Skies are leaden gray,

Winter waits in the wings,

   Autumn wanes away…

~

Pleasures – The Stowaway

On By TimelessladyIn Pleasures1 Comment

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Now usually this little guy on a geranium blossom would cause me to inspect the whole plant for any of his brother and sister cabbage worms. But…this guy somehow survived very cold temperatures and stowed-away on my plant when I brought it indoors. So instead of this post being categorized as problem-solving, it is titled “Pleasures.”

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It gave me quite a chuckle when I began watering my geranium and caught sight of the small caterpillar. I will let him live out his lifespan on the geranium. Maybe he will spin a cocoon and overwinter, or maybe even hatch in the house. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had a butterfly or moth flying in the house, taking us by surprise.

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He hasn’t done much damage at all, just a few small holes and some missing geranium florets. Happy feasting little bug! 🙂

Plantings and Pressed Flowers – Growing Snow Peas

On By TimelessladyIn Planting, Pressed FlowersLeave a comment

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This beautiful blossom is not a Sweet Pea blooming in Springtime, it is instead the bloom of a Snow Pea blooming in my Square Foot Garden in mid-November. I planted the peas near the end of August and they are still producing pea pods for me. I love the fact that anything at all is still growing in the rapidly falling temperatures. The flower of the Snow Pea is quite attractive, a beautiful lavender and deep purple combination.

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What a bonus that the flower develops quickly into a tender, delicious peapod. They are such a welcome addition to my salad greens.

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Another bonus: the twirling fronds the snow pea uses for climbing are a perfect foil for my pressed flower compositions. They press within three days inside the pages of a book. They add the perfect delicate touch to a Victorian Pressed Flower Card.

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Pleasure & Planting – Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Catalog

On By TimelessladyIn Planting, PleasuresLeave a comment

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Oh the JOY of receiving this amazing catalog in the mail! It is over 350 pages and full, and I mean FULL of heirloom seeds. There are also hundreds of pictures that prompt an instant, “Ahhhh…” Well, let me stop right now and give you the link to the website and you can order a catalog of your own. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Here is a sampling of the pages in the seed catalog. Truly, it is the best seed catalog I have ever held in my hands. Amazing!

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Plantings – Last Minute Planting

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Today I emptied out a summer pot and filled the back side with a mixture of early tulips and daffodils. In the front of these I planted a dozen winter pansies. I have not decided if I will let the pansies rough it through the winter months, or if I will coddle them a bit by covering on frigid and snowy nights…still deciding…will update in the coming cold months. Brrrrrr…………

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Quirkiness & Pressed Flowers – Mailings

On By TimelessladyIn Pressed Flowers, QuirkinessLeave a comment

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An interesting and very secure way to mail pressed flowers or pressed leaves through the mail is in a children’s board book. I usually can pick them up for a quarter or less at the public library donation table. A paperback novel or hardback book will also work, but will usually weigh a bit more. I enclose the leaves or foliage within the book, wrap in some type of paper to hold it flat and taut, slide package into a padded envelope, and mail. One of the perils of pressed flowers traveling through the mail is careless handlers. When I send flowers or leaves in a book I can be assured that no amount of bending will break or shatter what is inside. The bonus: pressed flowers store best inside a book.

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Happy mailing!

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Plantings – Wintering-Over Geraniums

On By TimelessladyIn QuirkinessLeave a comment

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I’m beginning to bring in my geranium plants in the hope of overwintering them. Last year I pulled several out of the ground and stored them in my garage. The garage doesn’t freeze, but it gets very cold. Half of the geraniums I attempted to overwinter made it, the others never showed new signs of life. I think I would have saved them all if I had kept the boxed geraniums in the basement instead of the garage. I also wish I had labeled my plants last year. When it came time to plant them again I couldn’t remember which one was pink, red or magenta. This year I added a label and attached it with a pipe cleaner.

Here’s a video tutorial from Garden Gate magazine with good advice on keeping your geraniums alive. This short video has excellent tips on storing your geraniums and when to replant for new growth. Happy gardening!
How to Overwinter Geraniums

Project – Rock & Wire Display

On By TimelessladyIn ProjectsLeave a comment

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This is a fun and easy project for children or adults. If you have a favorite rock on hand use it to display photographs, postcards, a favorite quote, or as I did above, craft a few letters to celebrate the season.

Directions:

Cut a piece of wire to about 12 to 15 inches.  I used some copper wire I had on hand. Remember the end of wire is sharp and can easily puncture your skin, take it as fact from someone who has done so many times. 😦

Choose your rock. I had several beach rocks on hand, I sprayed them with a glossy layer first, and then wrapped the wire around the bottom and twisted to secure. When I was sure the wire would hold on, I twirled the remaining wire around a pencil. When I reached the end I turned the last two swirls upwards and pinched them together. Voila, a perfect photo display holder. This is easy enough for children to do. A pipe cleaner would also work for very young children. Fun!

Phavorites – A Walk in the Park and a Quote

On By TimelessladyIn Phavorites2 Comments

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I thought I would share two of my favorites today, a lovely place to walk, Alcyon Lake Park, and a quote on doing good by John Wesley (1703 – 1791)

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”

Projects – Pressed Leaves

On By TimelessladyIn ProjectsLeave a comment

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It’s not too late to press a few Autumn leaves for crafts and Thanksgiving table scatter. They look lovely hung from mantels or chandeliers. They make great place cards. Write the names of your guests on them with metallic felt-tipped markers. Encase within pieces of glass, seal edges with copper tape or decorative duct tape and use as trivets for your holiday table. Have fun!

Perspective – Raking Leaves

On By TimelessladyIn PerspectiveLeave a comment

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My oak tree is dropping its leaves. This adds up to a huge amount of raking…hours upon hours. My state of mind can become overwhelmed even thinking about the leaf removal job ahead. For me, body and spirit do better if I break the job up into small increments. Each day I try to rake up three to four loads of leaves. It sounds silly, and possibly ineffectual, but it works for me. Little by little those piles of leaves I rake clear the yard and gardens of Autumn’s debris. For those of you facing mountains of leaves…happy raking.

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Pleasures – I’m Happy to Say, “I’m Back!”

On By TimelessladyIn Pleasures8 Comments

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It’s fitting to begin blogging once more with the same image that I used to announce a hiatus from writing a daily post. It was good to take a break, recharge, and best of all receive a laptop/notebook that allows me to work in any room of the house instead of sitting in the basement at the old computer. Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed using that old computer, but since I watch grandchildren four days a week, this new computer allows me to watch them and also compose a blog post. Thank you to everyone who still follows this blog and thank you to my children for giving me this brand new “TOY!” Stay tuned for more posts…

Perspective & Problem-Solving – Rivers of Difficulty

On By TimelessladyIn Perspective, Problem-SolvingLeave a comment

“When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown” Isaiah 43:2

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I didn’t plan on this post in advance, heavy storms arrived, and the problems they caused seemed like a good subject to blog about today. In some areas of Maryland this morning the rain was falling at a rate of near 12 inches an hour. This type of rainfall can create the danger of flash flooding. Here in South Jersey the heavy rains happened early in the day before people left for work, and although many are now stuck in standstill traffic due to rain-drenched and flooded roads, many more opted to go into work a bit later today.

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My Square Foot Gardens are now Square Foot pools of water. I’m thankful all the new seeds I planted last week already sprouted, and hopefully are rooted deep enough to withstand the heavy downpours.

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Horrors! As I was sitting in the living room, sipping coffee and watching the rain pour down, I became aware of a drip, drip, drip. NO!!!!!!!! Oh yes, the rain fell so fast and blew so hard it somehow managed to get into my house around the fireplace brick and mantel. A good tip to remember when this happens is to mark the area with tape. I positioned a piece in exactly the spot the drip was occurring and also marked where the drip hit the ground, or hearth in this case.

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Stay safe, and stay dry everyone! Happy Tuesday!

Phairy – Alec & Derek Build a Fairy House

On By TimelessladyIn Phairy10 Comments

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Here is the fairy house my grandson Alec built in the back yard.  I told him he needed to build it without the help of an adult and only include things that were natural. He thought a few moments, studied the contents of a container of woodland and seashore treasures I’ve collected over the years, and began to build an amazing fairy house. Building a fairy house is a perfect late summer activity. Find a shady spot beneath the shade of a tree, use the roots for stabilizing the frame of the house, and build. So much fun! 🙂

 

 

Praise – Monarch Butterfly

On By TimelessladyIn PraiseLeave a comment

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“…May all who search for you
    be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
    repeatedly shout, “God is great!”

Psalm 70:4

Plant – Verbena bonariensis

On By TimelessladyIn PlantsLeave a comment

blog 028Last year I wrote about a plant I loved by the name of Verbena bonariensis. Well, this year I love the plant and its flowers even more! The plant self-seeded and now I have dozens of this tall and beautiful perennial adorning my mid-summer garden. The flowers draw honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies.

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I get a lift each time I walk by and see the blossoms swaying in the breeze or playing host to a hungry bee or butterfly.

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Some great information about verbena bonariensis can be found here: Verbena bonariensis

Phairy, Phun and Phascination – Fairy Houses/Part I

On By TimelessladyIn Phairy, Phascination, Phun2 Comments

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I have been fascinated by the creation of fairy houses since…well…since forever I guess. I remember creating tiny homes at the edge of a woodland when I was a young child. Looking back I realize I was creating fairy houses. My maternal grandmother delighted in stories of dolls coming alive and leprechauns and fairies hiding behind trees. I know her stories and imagination still live on in me. I am a grandmother of four amazing grandchildren, the oldest is seven, the youngest grandchild is seven months. I try to bring a little of the magical into their lives. This week the older two became very interested in the books and video I had on Fairy Houses.  Both of the books pictured in this blog post are excellent. “Fairy Houses of the Maine Coast,” by Maureen Heffernan, and “Fairy Houses…Everywhere,” by Barry and Tracy Kane, are filled with beautiful photographs and ideas for creating your own Fairy House.

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The DVD, “Kristen’s Fairy House,” was fun to watch with the grandchildren. It shows how a little girl and her aunt create and illustrate the story of building a fairy house. The video is only forty minutes long and a joy to watch. The videography is just beautiful. Family Fun magazine says of the DVD, “It has the timeless, transporting feel of a great storybook.”
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Alec and Derek, my oldest grandsons, created their own fairy house after looking at the books and watching the DVD. Tomorrow I’ll post their step by step progress.

Also…take a look at the post I reblogged today from “becreativemary.”

Problem Solving – Over the Top Success/Worm Farm/Final Chapter

On By TimelessladyIn Problem-SolvingLeave a comment

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This is the new home of my red wiggler worms. No, my worm farm didn’t fail. The reality is it was too successful. Suddenly, there was a population explosion in the worm bin. This meant more feedings, more liquid to drain off, in short more maintenance, and in one heartbeat I decided I had had enough of the worm bin. Thankfully, I have a compost bin outdoors and it was easy to act on my impulse and carry the whole bucket outside and dump it. I have not regretted it for a moment. The worm bin was a fun experiment, but I will stick to the outdoor composter now. Moral of the tale: Try new things, but when you have had enough…get rid of it! 🙂