Author: Timelesslady

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

Planting – Looking Ahead/Creating a Garden Bed

On By TimelessladyIn Planting2 Comments

IMG_8882

The removal of our large oak tree has broadened the area of sunshine in the back yard. I want to expand my herb garden in the Spring. Now is the time to take action to clear away the grass. I placed some packing paper( black and white newspaper works fine too) on the ground in the shape I want, and covered it over with a few inches of garden soil. The grass, shielded from the sunlight, will yellow and begin to decompose into the soil. If there are any remains of the lawn when I am ready to plant my garden, I can easily turn the sod over with a shovel or garden rake.

Praise – Mary’s Song

On By TimelessladyIn Praise8 Comments

Mary’s Song – Written by Wellington E. Watts/Soloist Nancy Watts
The beautiful photographs in the video, several photos of the National Cathedral, were taken by Lyons Photography. The link below leads to an e-card of the video that can be sent to family and friends.

Send “Mary’s Song” as a Christmas E-Card

Place – Under the Boardwalk/Transition

On By TimelessladyIn Quirkiness4 Comments

IMG_8729

I ran into another example of transition on my weekend getaway to Ocean City. The boardwalk is under construction, transitioning to a brand new set of boards for several blocks in front of Gillian’s Wonderland Pier. It was eye-opening to see the thick concrete grid that supports the steps of hundreds of walkers and the wheels of bicycles and surreys.

IMG_8731

Quick Tip – Repelling Fruit Flies

On By TimelessladyIn Quick Tip19 Comments

fruit bowl with rosemary

This year, the usual horde of fruit flies swarming our fruit bowl seemed non-existent. I realized this is probably due to the herbs we have on our kitchen windowsill. Strong-smelling herbs, oregano, rosemary and others, repel fruit flies. Even in winter months a few stray fruit flies make their winter abode in our home. To keep them out of the fruit bowl I’ve placed a piece of rosemary amidst the fruits.

Herbs that Repel Insects

Pots & Pans – Creating Rainbows/Sanding Sugars

On By TimelessladyIn Pots and Pans9 Comments

It’s Christmas Cookie Time! Hooray! Time to unpack my cookie cutters and whip up  a new batch of sanding sugars. Creating your own colorful sugars is easy to do, even better, homemade sugars cost a fraction of what you pay at the grocer or specialty store.

IMG_8833

Ingredients & Supplies:

1/4 C of sugar

Food Coloring – Gel or Liquid

Jar or Plastic Bag

Toothpick if using gel

  • Cornstarch (sometimes needed if using liquid food color)

IMG_8834

Measure out your sugar into a jar or plastic bag. Add gel with a toothpick or drip 12 -24 drops of liquid food coloring into sugar. Start small, more color can  be added later. I found with the gel food coloring, mashing the colorant into the sugar through the baggie combined it quicker than shaking it in a jar. Liquid food coloring might work better with the shaking technique.

IMG_8841

Let the  sugar dry for a few hours. I spread mine on a piece of parchment paper. The flexibility of the parchment made it very easy to lift and pour the sugar into a jar. You can also use a plate or bowl. A funnel is a good tool for pouring the sugar into the jar without mess. If you used liquid food coloring, you  might need a 1/4 tsp of cornstarch worked into the mix  for dryness. I didn’t need any cornstarch in my sugars.

IMG_8842

I think the finished sugars have a brighter appearance than many of the decorative sugars available in the supermarket.

IMG_8847

 

 

 

Photographs – Riding the Waves

On By TimelessladyIn Photo Challenge at Wordpress, Photographs9 Comments

IMG_8703

Today was the perfect day to put our bicycles in the back of the truck and head for Ocean City, NJ. Quite a few people took advantage of the warm temperatures, and although the sky was overcast, the boardwalk had a good crowd walking its length. In the distance you can see Atlantic City in a haze of foggy mist.

IMG_8690

The surf was rough today…according to the Ocean City Surf Report the waves were 7 to 7.5 feet, and the water temperature was between 52-55 degrees. Dozens of wetsuit-clad surfers were gathered in the water waiting for the perfect wave.

IMG_8741

I’ve never seen the waves so large in Ocean City.

IMG_8764

It’s mesmerizing to watch the surfers “TRANSITION” from calmly waiting to flying across the face of the wave.

water spin

At times the transition means wiping out.

IMG_8770

No big deal, the surfer paddles back out and begins again.

 

Photograph – Foggy Enchanted Trio

On By TimelessladyIn Photo Challenge at Wordpress, photograph5 Comments

IMG_8640

IMG_8642

“Trio”

“What comes in threes? Submit an image for this week’s photo theme, Trio.”

Between five and six this morning, I ventured outdoors with my camera to take some photographs of the gorgeous moon illuminating the sky. My moon shots were blurry, but while I was attempting to photograph its luminous face, my camera flash bounced off the moisture in the air and captured a sense of the magical within the foggy skyscape.

IMG_8646

Pages – Thanksgiving Journal Page

On By TimelessladyIn Pages5 Comments

Thanksgiving

I’ve begun a new blog called, “Whatjadoing?” The blog posts will contain more involved instructions for several different art/craft techniques. My first entry in the new blog is posted today.

Take a Look – “Whatjadoing” Blog at WordPress

Quick Tip – Mossy Pots and Collections Spotlighted

On By TimelessladyIn Quick Tip6 Comments

IMG_8633

The natural route is the path I’m taking for my Christmas decorating this year. I don’t want to spend money on glitzy junk that I will use for a year or two, and then give away, or deposit in the trash. Instead, I am using a few of my collections, combined with treasured Christmas heirlooms, and adding a bit of nature to the mix.

IMG_8626

My Willow figurines are displayed on a shelf year-round. Why not give them a place of honor beneath the tree for Christmas?

IMG_8629

A few clay pots scattered throughout the grouping added just the right touch of “natural” to the collection.

IMG_8632

You can use many different types of moss in one pot, or, if you are lucky, you might find a rounded hillock of green that fits perfectly within the rim’s diameter.

If, perchance, a figurine is knocked off a table or shelf, a quick repair can be made using bread dough. Repairing Willow Figurines

Praise – Dandelions

On By TimelessladyIn Praise2 Comments

dandelions

Dandelions are resilient flowers. They are one of the first blossoms to show themselves in the Spring. Often, in the middle of our New Jersey winters, I will find a blossom or two reflecting the gold of the sun.

The poem included in the photograph of the dandelion, “My Jesus I Love Thee,” was written by William R. Featherston when he was sixteen. In 1876 Adoniram Gordon put the poem to music. “My Jesus I Love Thee,” is still sung in churches all around the world, just like the dandelions the hymn is resilient and will surely be sung many years in the future too.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ’tis now.

I love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus ’tis now.

In Mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Perspective – World Affairs

On By TimelessladyIn Perspective2 Comments

Friends, I try for the most part to keep my blog light, infusing posts with my daily experiences of ordinary living combined with the extraordinary experience of loving and worshipping the Lord God Almighty. Do I have the normal high and low moments peculiar to all mankind? You betcha. Do I accomplish anything good? Well, I try and sometimes succeed, but there are bad moments when I fall flat on my face. Do I make mistakes? Of course. Do you know who is always there to forgive, steady and point me back in the right direction? Yes…my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will always be my Helper and Friend.

There is an old game doing new damage in the media, blogs, and everyday conversation…it is the blame game. The new twist is deeming UnChristlike anyone who expresses a cautionary attitude about opening borders to refugees without protocol in place to properly help them once they are here. Masterful spin doctors are picking and choosing Bible verses condemning anyone who urges some caution.

It is very easy to enter into the fray as Christians to prove our point by picking and choosing our own Bible Verses in response. Today in “My Utmost for his Highest,” by Oswald Chambers, the daily devotional spoke about being consumed by the “cares of this world.” I took the words to heart and decided to bring to an end any posts I might make on world affairs. Instead of adding one more voice to the cacophony of spoken and written opinion, an area where I am prone to make mistakes, I will “intercede” in prayer, leave it on the altar, and give the consequences to God.

“Beware of ‘the cares of this world,’ because they are the things that produce a wrong temper of soul. It is extraordinary what an enormous power there is in simple things to distract our attention from God. Refuse to be swamped with the cares of this life.”

“God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.” ~ Oswald Chambers”

My Utmost For His Highest – Daily Post

Quote – A.J. Gossip

On By TimelessladyIn QuirkinessLeave a comment

block island sunset

A.J. Gossip – (Arthur John Gossip) was Professor of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology at the University of Glasgow from 1939 until 1945.

Perspective – Refugee Crisis

On By TimelessladyIn Perspective15 Comments

The refugee crisis is building. People have escaped the wars and persecution in their homeland and have nowhere to go. Countries are forced into opening their borders for those in need of help and sanctuary. Yet…as we all know…wolves in sheep’s clothing are also entering in with the refugees. I don’t know the answer. As a Christian I want to help my fellow man, following Jesus’ example of the good Samaritan, but on the other hand I also have read extensively in the Old Testament and know Israel was brought to ruin many times by letting refugees settle in their land bringing their own customs and religion with them. Today I read an article with an excellent perspective on the situation and Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. I’ve included a quote and link to the full article below:

“But it’s important to recognize a couple of things. First, the Samaritan did not take the man into his own home. He paid the bill, but he did not in any way put himself at risk of harm from the man. Even more importantly, the Samaritan made a free choice of his own will to help the man.

What the left wants to do in the case of the Syrian refugees is use the power of the state to force an entire nation to welcome people into their midst without any effort to ensure that members of ISIS with evil intentions were filtered out. That’s not compassion. That’s national suicide. And if you think God wants nations to commit suicide, just skim through the Old Testament and consider the many instructions He gave to Israelite kings to attack foreign armies – even killing and plundering those they conquered. When it came to warfare, God instructed the kings of Israel to be pretty ruthless in dealing with their enemies.”

~ What does the Bible really say about taking in Syrian refugees-Dan Calabrese/Canadian Free Press

Phlowers & Phloral Arrangements – Alstroemeria

On By TimelessladyIn Phloral Arrangements, Phlowers4 Comments

alstromeria jpg

“Alstroemeria, commonly called the Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Alstroemeriaceae. They are all native to South America although some have become naturalized in the United States, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Madeira and the Canary Islands.” ~ Wikipedia

Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily) are one of my favorite flowers for floral arrangements. When I trained to become a floral designer, I learned a few tips about this plant. The first step in floral arranging is to remove all the foliage that is below the water line. Alstroemeria has an abundance of leaves. One odd fact about alstroemeria is the foliage along the stem will yellow and die before the flower petals begin to fall. Most floral stems lose their flowers first. When I prepare alstroemeria for vases I remove ALL the foliage BELOW the blossoms. I keep the leaves intact that are attached to the blossoming offshoots. Your flowers will stay fresh longer if you remove the lower leaves. Alstroemeria are available anywhere you buy flower bunches and come in an amazing array of colors. They are very thirsty so check your vase and arrangement water daily to keep them hydrated and fresh.

Postscript: Thanks to Lulu for reminding me about the very best characteristic of Alstroemeria…they are one of the longest-lasting flowers to use in arrangements. 🙂

Pheathers – Creating Crystalline for Birds in Winter

On By TimelessladyIn Pheathers4 Comments

IMG_8583

I am in the midst of creating layers of crystalline on a stump in the backyard. Placed near the border of ivy and pines, I am hoping the birds will flock to the stump and enjoy the salt crystals as they form. The crystalline should help ease their craving for salt and keep them from ingesting rock salt and ice melt when the ground is covered in snow.

Recipe for Crystalline
Salt
Wood ashes*
Mix salt and ashes with enough water to dissolve and pour over a large rock, stump or wood block. As the water evaporates, crystals form that attract mineral-hungry birds. (Be sure to keep the salt water away from areas that are planted with shrubs or near gardens ? salinating the soil can create problems for plant growth.) *These can be fireplace ashes as long as they do not contain residues from colored (especially red) or slick paper
~ Mother Earth News & “Country Wisdom and Know-How

First I burned some small sticks and oak shavings. I used only natural wood and newspaper without colored ink to give it a quick start.

IMG_8576

I let the ashes cool down and then used a large tin can filled with a 1/4 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of water. I added all the small pieces of ashes I could scoop out of the fire pit. The recipe doesn’t give exact measurements so I am just guessing about quantities.

IMG_8584

I poured the crystalline over the stump and  used the trowel I mixed with to batter down any lumps. The consistency resembled cement and easily stuck to the stump.

IMG_8585

I will continue mixing up the crystalline after campfires, and build up layers on the stump. In a few weeks, if the birds don’t notice the stump, I will scatter some bird seed and hopefully they will come and dine.

Crystals can also be formed by using mixing up plain saltwater.

SALT

“Many birds crave salt as an essential mineral, particularly in the winter when roads are regularly salted. Unfortunately, feeding on the side of the road can be deadly for birds, and offering salt crystals at your feeders will help keep them safe. Create a strong saltwater solution and let it evaporate in a shallow dish to make larger crystals, or pour it over a log or stump if there is no danger of freezing.

TIP: Salt can kill grass and make it difficult to grow plants, so keep the salt you’re offering the birds well away from gardens and other plantings.” ~ About Home / Birding

Providing bird grit (available in pet sections) in cleared out areas also helps with digestion when ground is covered with snow. As always, a water source is vital for birds in all weather.