The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1
Plant, Pressed Flowers and Preparedness – Wild Cress
I have pressed flowers for years. I usually begin pressing in late winter or very early spring. One of the first pieces of foliage I press is a feathery little weed, which for years I have called, “My favorite weed.” Imagine my surprise and delight when it suddenly began to grow in the terrarium I created months ago. Recently my happiness was doubled when I found “my favorite weed” on a preparedness site and learned its proper name, Wild Cress. It turns out this little gem of a plant is not only perfect for pressing, but also is a wild edible, full of vitamins and nutrients.
Here are a few examples of my pressed flower cards using “My favorite weed,” Wild Cress
Wild Cress was eaten by early settlers to ward off scurvy in the winter. It has a peppery taste and makes a great salad green.
Wild Cress is a natural home remedy for many ailments. You can read more about it’s medicinal properties here: Wild Cress in Home Remedies
Wild Cress gone to seed will pop into your eye. I’ve pulled it out of my flower beds and closed my eyes while I’ve done so many a time. Read about this fact along with how to feed wild cress to rabbits here: Wild Cress/Popping Seeds
Wild Cress is easy to identify and is one of the most edible weeds. I doubt I would ever mistake anything else for Wild Cress after handling it for over twenty years. Great caution must be taken when eating anything growing wild. Some wild plants are deadly poison. Don’t eat anything wild unless you are absolutely sure it is edible. Here are a few other edible weeds: Edible Weeds
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Pleasures and Pinterest -Natural and safe aromatherapy
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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Phun and Play – Scattering Paint with a Straw
Once again, I made good use of the Pinterest Boards and found a “phun” project for the grandsons. Materials: paper, googly eyes and other lightweight decorations, markers, washable paints (we used Crayola brand) and a straw.
Using a measuring spoon I doled out about 1/4 tsp of two paint colors onto the paper, fairly close together. The boys then blew on the paint through the straws to move the paint in every direction. The colors blended together forming a third color. Because wet paint acts as a glue when it dries, we added our decorations: pompoms, googly eyes, foam stickers while the paint was wet.
When the “creatures”were dried we drew arms and legs. The boys had a great time making this project. It was challenging enough to keep the six year old interested and easy enough for the three year old to do without feeling frustrated. SO MUCH PHUN!!!
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Plants and Pleasures – Scarbourough Fair Part II
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.
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Plants and Pleasures – Scarbourough Fair Part I
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.
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Psalms and Proverbs – Wisdom on Wednesday/Psalm 65
Karen’s Desert Trees in Autumn
PSALM 65
What mighty praise, O God,
belongs to you in Zion.
We will fulfill our vows to you,
for you answer our prayers.
All of us must come to you.
Though we are overwhelmed by our sins,
you forgive them all.
What joy for those you choose to bring near,
those who live in your holy courts.
What festivities await us
inside your holy Temple.
You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds,
O God our savior.
You are the hope of everyone on earth,
even those who sail on distant seas.
You formed the mountains by your power
and armed yourself with mighty strength.
You quieted the raging oceans
with their pounding waves
and silenced the shouting of the nations.
Those who live at the ends of the earth
stand in awe of your wonders.
From where the sun rises to where it sets,
you inspire shouts of joy.
You take care of the earth and water it,
making it rich and fertile.
The river of God has plenty of water;
it provides a bountiful harvest of grain,
for you have ordered it so.
You drench the plowed ground with rain,
melting the clods and leveling the ridges.
You soften the earth with showers
and bless its abundant crops.
You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;
even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture,
and the hillsides blossom with joy.
The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep,
and the valleys are carpeted with grain.
They all shout and sing for joy!
Thank you to my cousin Karen for the use of her beautiful photograph of the Nevada desert.
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Purpose – Every Vote Counts
If Godly values haven’t guided your decision on Election Day…you are making the wrong choice!
Photographs courtesy of Morgue File
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Phavorites – Manic Monday
Hurricane Sandy postponed our Halloween and Trick or Treating here in New Jersey. Today children will wear their costumes and ring doorbells. I discovered this amazing Jack O’Lantern choir while bike-riding Saturday. I couldn’t resist driving by again on Sunday, this time with camera in tow, to take a picture. I love this!
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Pleasure & Purpose – Joy
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
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Plants – Pineapple Sage
I planted Pineapple Sage in my herb garden this past Spring. I expected it to bloom earlier in the year and draw butterflies and hummingbirds, but it chose to bloom now…late October and early November in my Middle-Atlantic state of New Jersey. I am on the border line for this half-hardy perennial to survive the low temperatures of winter. Perhaps if I cover it with three to four inches of protective mulch, it might make it through the cold season.
My Pineapple Sage grew from a sprout of six inches into a gangly bushy plant of about three feet. The leaves have a delicious fragrance and the flowers are lovely. I need to cut a few sprigs to enjoy before cold weather sends it into dormancy. The leaves are a gorgeous lime green color. I’m a bit disappointed that the attractive scarlet flowers waited until late Autumn to appear, but they do look pretty against the brown of the fallen leaves. I will definitely try to save this lovely bush. If I lose it, I will plant the cuttings that have rooted in my basement. Perhaps they will have a head start and bloom just a little earlier in my late-summer garden.
Here is a great article on Pineapple Sage: Pineapple Sage
Pineapple Sage sprigs create a perfect Autumn Bouquet…Lovely! As an added bonus, the cuttings might root and I’ll have even more plants for next Spring.
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Preparedness and Pinterest – Gathering Knowledge
I’m using a cropped section of the sky before Hurricane Sandy struck to remind everyone to take stock of what you have and what you would do in the event of a crisis. On my Pinterest site I have gathered together quite a few good information sites. Click on the link below to be taken to this section of my Pinterest boards. To use the site, click on an block of interest. This will take you to another block, click on this block too. You should be taken to a blog or Internet site with the information you are seeking.
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Painting – Mixing Tip for Soft-Bodied Acrylics
I am using soft-bodied acrylic paints at the present time. I have noticed they tend to separate leaving an oily layer on top. Shaking them will eventually incorporate them once again, but an even quicker way to blend them together is to drop a few tiny pebbles into the bottle before shaking. The pebbles rock and roll inside the paint container as you shake, mixing the paint together much quicker.
So far it has worked very well for me, and I haven’t had the bottle become clogged with the pebbles…at least not yet.
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Planting and Projects – Upcycled Mini-Greenhouse
A month or two ago my son brought me several empty yogurt containers and clear lids. I was touched that he thought of me and took the time to clean each one. (Thanks to his sweet wife too, who probably cleaned quite a few too.) He correctly guessed that they would make a perfect nursery for sprouting seeds. I planted six varieties of herbs in them. Five of them have sprouted within a week: cress, thyme, cilantro, basil, marjoram…I’m only waiting on the parsley to sprout now. Upcycling trash into treasure is one of my favorite pastimes.
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Project – Birthday Terrarium in Five Steps
1. Select Container/Add a layer of pebbles.
2. Add a layer of charcoal.
3. Add a layer of humus/soil.
4. Add plants and mosses.
5. Add lichens, rocks, and small statues. (Mine are elephants from Red Rose Teabag boxes) Water sparingly, rinse excess dirt off of sides. Cover with lid of some type. Enjoy your beautiful terrarium.
Care of terrariums: Mosses like gentle sun, morning light exposure is best for a terrarium. Try to lift lid each day to give terrarium fresh air. Your terrarium will self-water, if it develops a look of dryness water sparingly once again.
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Photograph – Wisdom on Wednesday/The Son and the Sun
Hebrews 1:1-4 (NIV)
God’s Final Word: His Son
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
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Photograph – Cannon Beach Oregon
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 (NIV)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:13 (Niv)
Thank you to Aunt Myrna and Kelly for permission to use their stunning photograph on my blog today…Thanks!
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Projects – Jack O’ Lantern Tree/Part II
The next step in the project is to attach a green floral wire to the back of each Jack O’ Lantern with a glue gun or other strong-bodied glue. First, I twirled the wire into a tight circle to give it more gripping area for gluing. Wire has more stability than string, and you can twist and manipulate the object you are hanging into the perfect position. I think I am going to cut away all the strings from my Christmas ornaments this year and replace them with green wire.
At this point I went outside and chose a nice branch from my crabapple tree. Any tree branch will do, but I especially liked the crabapple twig. It is sturdy, yet it has many little outcroppings of branchlets to hang the ornaments upon. A decorative, neutral colored urn was my container of choice. Any medium-sized pot will work, a large coffee can, a beach bucket, etc. I filled the urn with potting soil, inserted my branch, firmed up the soil around it, and added a few decorative glass pebbles from the dollar store just for aesthetic appeal.
Now comes the fun part! I twisted each Jack O’ Lantern’s wire around a branch, and twirled the excess around a pencil to give it the look of a vining tendril.
I think the oyster shells look very happy in their new role of Jack O’ Lanterns.
Ta-da! My Jack O’ Lantern Halloween tree is finished. I can’t wait for my grandsons to see it today. One word of caution, find a place for the tree where it won’t jab or catch on someone’s clothing as they pass by…be especially careful not to put the tree at eye level when it is near a walkway. The only surprise in the project-making was the time involved. It took much longer to paint the oysters than I had estimated at the start of the project. Part I of this project can be found by clicking this link: Jack O’ Lantern Oysters/Part I
Happy October to you and yours!
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Projects – Jack O’ Lantern Tree/Part I
I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I am an incurable beachcomber. Recently, part of my shell collection has become a project for Halloween. I’ve seen oyster shells fashioned into Santa Claus ornaments with a bit of paint, and I imagined turning my shells into Jack O’ Lanterns. The shells are oblong and oval, much like a real pumpkin. They have a bumpy, lumpy, wavy surface, another commonality with a pumpkin.
I broke out my Folkart acrylic paints and a brush and began to paint my shells.
I needed two coats of the paint, front and back.
After the orange paints were completely dry, I mixed two greens together on the same brush and painted a stem and some twirly vines down the side. I followed the curves and indentations in the shell to give the oyster Jack O’ Lantern a more natural look.
Here’s a photograph showing several of the pumpkins with stems and vines painted on.
I painted black eyes on one, and realized they looked flat and had no depth. To give the illusion of carving, I painted a raw sienna paint in the face pattern first. This gave an illusion of the inner color of the pumpkins. I wanted to have happy faces, rather than scary or spooky.
I found some happy faced pumpkin patterns to use as inspiration at this site. Happy-faced Jack O’ Lanterns
I added the black paint, being very careful to leave a bit of the raw sienna showing for the depth I wanted. The last touch was a white highlight on each Jack or Jill’s eyes.
The next step was a coat of glossy mod podge. Part II will be tomorrow’s post. Check back for the finished Jack O’ Lantern Halloween tree.
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Peculiarities – Update/Growing Romaine from Stump
A quick update to last year’s post on growing romaine from the cut stump. This has been a very popular post. Take a moment to visit the link below or the one listed at the bottom of the page. Many new ideas and comments of those who have tried the technique are in the comment section. I’ve included six shots of my newest batch of regenerating romaine stumps. By the seventh day the sprouting leaves are ready to eat out of hand or in a salad. They have a mildly bitter taste, but this pairs well with sandwiches and sweet lettuces. Enjoy!
Regrowing Romaine Lettuce 2011
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five
Day Six
Within a week I found the sprouting romaine leaves large enough to eat. To read the original article please click on this link: Original Post on Re-growing Romaine Lettuce
