Category: Pleasures

Pleasure – Tiny Tadpoles/Absolutely the Final Edition

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Yesterday, while watering my herb garden, a flash of movement caught my eye. Oh my! An adorable tiny toad, no bigger than a dime, was jumping away from the splashing droplets of the hose. I knew it had to be one of the toads I had raised from a tadpole. I ran for the house and my camera, praying the toad wouldn’t jump out of sight. He didn’t. I was able to get a good photo of him. His camouflage is amazing. He blends in perfectly with the ground beneath him.

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Can you see him?

toad

Here’s the same photograph with the toad outlined.

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Here’s a close-focus portrait of the tiny little toad.

It was a lot of work raising the toad. I hope a few of his brothers and sisters are somewhere hopping around the garden too.

If you’d like to read the whole story here are the links to each post:

Tiny Tadpoles Part I
Tiny Tadpoles Part II
Tiny Tadpoles The Final Edition

Pleasures – Etsy Treasury/Stone In Love

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I enjoy browsing Etsy when I have a few moment to spare. Creating a treasury of favorite items is an enjoyable pastime. I admire the Etsy artisans who have crafted these handmade works of art out of stones. Click on the individual boxes for more information.

‘Stone In Love’ by AntiquedFaerie

Love these beachy keen rocks and stones.


 11 Piece Stone Cairn – Natur…

$20
STONE HEARTS…7 natural und…

$21
Drilled Beach Stone Pair – f…

$4.95

Lampwork Beads of Passion Gl…

$26
Lake Champlain Beach Stone C…

$24
SALE Slag Glass Jewelry Pend…

$12.75

Sea glass jewelry, Personali…

$35
Michigan Drilled Beach Stone…

$14
Beach Stone Key Ring with Un…

$22

BEACH Stone Stick CHARMS Bea…

$8
Stacked Stone Pendant

$29.98
Newborn – Infant and Parents…

$52

Lighthouse by the sea – Mart…

$24.99
Center Drilled Natural Stone…

$14.5
10 Engraved Stones “Vis…

$100

Stack of Stones – Yard Art, …

$12

Sponsored by send bulk email from excel.

You can visit the Etsy site by clicking here!

Pleasures – Volunteers

On By TimelessladyIn Pleasures2 Comments

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I’ve been wandering the yard with trowel in hand looking for late season volunteers. These are plants that have self-seeded and are sprouting in the damp and hot weather we are having at the present time. I don’t mulch my flower beds and the volunteers are the reason why. I always have a few bare spots in my gardens left by plants that bloom quickly and die back just as fast; the small volunteers are perfect for filling in the bare spaces. Removing them from between the sidewalk cracks is a little dicey, but I know if I don’t they won’t thrive for very long. Onward Volunteers!

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Pleasures – Sea Glass Bottles

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sea glass 1

Several years ago, on a beach bordering the Atlantic Ocean, I found the lovely Coca-Cola bottle on the left. Captured by the surf, and bounced across the sand for dozens of years by ocean currents, one Autumn day the bottle rode a wave and came ashore right at our feet. Beautifully sanded to a translucent gem-like glow, the bottle from the sea is now a treasured item in my home.

This winter, about five years after our first find, I came across another sea glass bottle. This time we were beachcombing on the shores of the Delaware Bay. The darker green bottle is not quite as polished as the first, the bay currents are not quite as strong, but it is still a striking example of sea glass. It even has an extra bonus of a barnacle or two. I love my beautiful bottles from the sea.

Pleasures – Handmade Greeting Cards

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christmas card

I love handmade greeting cards. I received this beautiful Christmas Card signed inside, “Love Mom and Dad.” It’s beautiful…a treasure to keep always.

Pleasures and Projects – Handmade Cards

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My sister Amy created a handmade card for my birthday this year.  She drew leaves, watercolored lightly, then filled in the shape and other areas with an ultra-fine felt tip pen. I love my beautiful card.

Project & Pleasures – Paper Snowflakes

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TIME TO CUT THE SNOWFLAKES

PART 2 SHOWS HOW TO ADD A LAYER OF WAX TO THE SNOWFLAKES TO REPEL MOISTURE FROM THE WINDOWS.

I posted these last year, but they are worth repeating.

Pleasures and Pinterest -Natural and safe aromatherapy

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Yesterday my grandson was baptized. Afterwards family and friends gathered at our home. Since the weather is cooler, and there has been so much moisture in the past weeks, the house smelled a little musty. It was the perfect opportunity to use an idea for naturally freshening the air I found on the Pinterest site.

Fill an aromatherapy pot, a small crockpot, or a pot on the stove with water. Add a capful of pure vanilla extract, some fresh lemon peel and snips of rosemary. I used fresh Rosemary, but I think dried would work just as well. Heat to a simmer. This fragrance is soft and natural and doesn’t seem to cause anyone, even those with allergies, any breathing or headache problems.

Be watchful of heating elements and be aware of possible fire hazards when in use.

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Plants and Pleasures – Scarbourough Fair Part II

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Culinary Herbs grow well on a kitchen windowsill. I like to use antique planters as étagères for my herbs. The steam that rises from my water faucet helps keep their environment humid. The herbs grow well in their small pots. I have found I need to water them in five-day intervals.

I use my fresh herbs to whip together a delicious and healthy salad dressing.  The bright green color reminds me of Springtime, and somehow the light taste captures a bit of sunshine too.

Spring Salad Dressing

4 tbs of olive oil

1 tbs vinegar

Dash of Dijon Mustard

1/2 tsp Adobo Seasoning

Varying amounts of oregano, dill, thyme, parsley and basil.

Whip until combined with fork or whisk, or even better, use food processor to combine ingredients. Refrigerate. Use within a week.

The salad dressing thickens in the fridge, but when spooned onto salad greens immediately liquifies once more.

Plants and Pleasures – Scarbourough Fair Part I

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I love fresh herbs. They grow very well on my kitchen windowsill. I feel blessed to have them. They infuse health into many of the foods I serve my family. My local supermarket offers these herbs, organically grown, at a reasonable price. They cost less than buying a bottle of dried herbs.

Pictured from left to right: dill, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, mint and sage. I call this my Scarborough Fair windowsill. When I gaze upon this lush display of plants the Simon and Garfunkel song, “Scarborough Fair,” plays in my mind.

The original ballad is probably over a 1000 years old. I’ve included the full set of lyrics at the end of this post. More information can be found at these two sites:

Scarborough Fair
and
Scarborough Fair Songfacts

Scarborough Faire

Are you going to Scarborough Faire?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Remember me to one who lived there.
She once was a true love of mine.

Have her make me a cambric shirt
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Without no seams, nor fine needle work.
Then she’ll be a true love of mine.

Tell her to weave it in a sycamore wood lane.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Gather it up in a basket of flowers
Then she’ll be a true love of mine

Have her wash it in yonder dry well
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Where water ne’er sprung, nor drop of rain fell.
Then she’ll be a true love of mine

Tell her to to find me an acre of land.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Between the sea foam and over the sand.
Then she’ll be a true love of mine

Plow the land with the horn of a lamb.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Then sow some seeds from north of the dam.
Then she’ll be a true love of mine

Have her reap it with a sickle of leather.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Gather it up in a bunch of heather.
Then she’ll be a true love of mine

If she tells me she can’t, then I’ll reply.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Let me know, that at least she will try.
Then she’ll be a true love of mine

Love imposes impossible tasks
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Though not more than any heart asks.
And I must know she’s true love of mine

When thou has finished thy task.
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
Come to me my hand for to ask.
For then you’ll be a true love of mine

Additional verses:

Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born,
And then she’ll be a true love of mine.

Ask her to do me this courtesy,
Parsely, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
And ask for a like favor from me,
And then she’ll be a true love of mine.

Have you been to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Remember me from one who lives there,
For he once was a true love of mine.

When he has done and finished his work,
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme,
Ask him to come for his cambric shirt,
For then he’ll be a true love of mine.

Pleasure & Purpose – Joy

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My heart swells every time I see this note posted on my refrigerator. I hope I remember to tell my friends, family and most of all my Father in Heaven, “I love you SO MUCH!” Amen.
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”  Matthew 22:37

 

Project and Pleasure – Sunflowers or Defeating the Critters

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Finally, I seem to have hit upon a way to grow sunflowers. My big problem…relentless foraging by chipmunks and squirrels. They dig the seed out of the ground, or if they somehow miss a seed or two, they nip off the top of the newly sprouted plant. Another trick that worked for me has been planting later in the season when other food is more abundant.

I planted the sunflower seeds in my Square Foot Garden. This area is enclosed by chicken wire. For some reason the squirrels stay out of this…perhaps it is the CD’s I have hanging from hooks that swing in the breeze and maybe scare them away.

My best deterrent has been to plant the seeds and then enclose the area in a gallon size ziplock bag. To do this, I cut the bottom of the bag away, then tape bamboo skewers inside the bag with duct tape. I make sure the sharp end of the skewers extends beyond the bottom of the bag about an inch or two. One problem with this method…the skewers are very sharp, even on the blunt top end. To remedy this I stick a clove of garlic on each top. I am pretty sure this also helped repel those bad chipmunks and squirrels.

I’m not sure if I planted early enough to enjoy blooms this year, but the plant is beginning to bud so I have high hopes.

Pleasure – Big Miracle

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I loved this sweet and true story about whales trapped under ice in Alaska. The story is true. Watch the ending credits to see pictures and clips of the “real” stars of the show.

Pleasure and Product – Pap-Pap’s Sugar

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My sister Susan’s honeybees often visit my yard. Bees can fly up to four miles from their hives to collect pollen, and I live only a mile away from my sister’s home and hives.

The honeybees love my spearmint, which happily is grown organically, as are all of my sister’s vegetables and flowers.

Here’s a jar of Susan’s honey. She calls it “Pap-pap’s Sugar” in honor of our grandfather who also loved bees and had many hives during his lifetime. The honey is so beautiful. I love the way the sunshine illuminates it’s golden and pure goodness. My favorite way to use it is in tea…a bit of heaven in a cup.

Plants and Pleasures – Harvesting and Storing “Tea” Herbs

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Hopefully, this will be the start of a daily cup of tea this winter. I’ve been picking my spearmint and lemon balm and freezing it in ice-cube trays. I had a test run last week, and found that if I left the herbal ice cubes in a cup for an hour or two they thawed out. I then strained away the water, fired up the tea kettle, and within ten minutes was drinking a cup of spearmint/lemon balm tea that tasted as if it was picked fresh out of the garden. I’m thrilled to know I’ll be able to continue drinking the tea throughout the winter.

Pleasure – Flash Mob Concerts

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I was recently sent a link to this terrific flash-mob concert video. I love it…especially the exuberance of the children who enter in the joy of the moment by dancing. Enjoy.

Phascination and Pleasure – Western Scrub Jay

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This is Blue. He is a Western Scrub Jay. Blue is a frequent visitor to the yard of my Aunt Myrna. Blue likes to land on top of heads, especially if a peanut is awaiting him. He also will land on the chest of a person sitting in a recliner if there are peanuts to be found. I have bluejays in my yard, but they are not as friendly, or quite so brilliantly azure blue as a scrub jay. I hope to be able to travel out west one day and meet Blue.

Pleasures – Dragonfly

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There were quite a few dragonflies in the yard yesterday. This fellow, or gal, seemed to like being in my proximity. I decided to try and put into practice my “Dragonfly Whisperer” abilities. Sure enough when I offered my index finger and slowly nudged his feet, he climbed aboard. Fun!!!

There is a good article here about Dragonfly Whispering: Dragonfly Whisperer