Perspective & Phavorites – Don’t Worry

On By TimelessladyIn Perspective, Phavorites6 Comments

“Don’t worry about a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright
Singing’ don’t worry about a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright.”~ Bob Marley

As young as they are, my grandchildren already talk about memories they have of ‘Nanny’s house.’ My middle grandchild said to me recently, “When I was a baby, I came here, and I would sing.” It turns out this singing was Bob Marley’s song, ‘Three Little Birds.’ When my grandson was a toddler, I watched him several days throughout the week, we’d play Reggae and when our favorite, ‘Three Little Birds,’ filled the living room with its lilting notes, I’d pick him up and we’d dance together. He remembers these moments.

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I came to love Reggae music later in life. I’d definitely say ‘Three Little Birds’ is one of my favorite songs. I’ve said before in these posts, the wisdom in the song, echoes Jesus’ words in the Bible.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

                                                                  ~ Matthew 6:25-27

Today I read an article with a little more proof that Reggae music will make you smile. Dogs prefer Reggae.

Another Reggae group that fills me with joy is Christafari Band.

The dreariness of winter can put a blight on your happiness…take a few moments to listen to some upbeat music and smile.

People – Mary Tyler Moore

On By TimelessladyIn People2 Comments
Photograph courtesy of Morguefile.com
Photograph courtesy of Morguefile.com

Mary Tyler Moore 1936 – 2017

I don’t know of anyone who didn’t love Mary Tyler Moore or her work. Our world lost a little bit of its sunshine today. Thank you Mary.

Plants – Graceful Orchids

On By TimelessladyIn Plants7 Comments

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Orchid Days have begun at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. I know I mention the conservatories and gardens at Longwood quite often, but truly, it is one of my favorite places to visit in my area. If you have a chance to travel to the Delaware Valley, please try to visit Longwood.

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The orchids bloom in so many colors and shapes; I wish I could capture the fragrance that greets you when you enter the orchid room. I think orchids resemble dancers with their long stems stretched high and curved in a graceful ballerina’s pose.

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Plant & Pharmacy – Tea Tree Oil – Benefits and Dangers

On By TimelessladyIn Pharmacy, Plants17 Comments

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In our last excursion to Longwood Gardens we noticed this shrubby bush growing in the conservatory. The marker beneath it identified the plant as Leptospermum laevigatumas, or as it is better known, Australian Tea Tree.

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Essential oil from the Melaleuca alternifoliae species of tea tree, is a well-known remedy for many kinds of skin conditions, ( Always diluted with a carrier oil or products such as Witch Hazel) and also a good addition to organic cleaning recipes. Care must be taken when using tea tree oil, as with any essential oil. Mayo Clinic Tea Tree Oil Warnings

Caution:  If you have cats, many essential oils can build up in their system and become toxic. Tea tree oil is one of these oils. More information on essential oils that are dangerous if you have pets can be found here:
30 Essential Oils Toxic to Pets

As with all essential oils care must be taken when using tea tree oil.

“Pure tea tree oil should not be ingested, and should be kept out of the reach of children; several cases of tea tree oil poisoning have been recorded. The oil can also cause contact dermatitis.” ~ Kew Royal Botanic Gardens

Reader’s Digest has a good article and list of some of the uses of tea tree oil: Tea Tree Oil Uses

Pressed Flowers – Blue Monday

On By TimelessladyIn Pressed Flowers8 Comments

fleuriful-heart

Pressed Blue Hydrangeas – The secret to capturing these lovely shades of watercolor-like blues and greens is letting the flowers begin to age before you pick them for pressing. When the petals are streaked with many shades of blue and green, and have a papery feel, they are ready to press. Blossoms of hydrangea pressed too soon will quickly brown. I don’t use microwave heat to press hydrangeas, pressing between the pages of older books works best. These beautiful hydrangeas are a little preview of Spring in the midst of Winter.

Phun & Philm – Sleepovers, Scavenger Hunts and Dragons

On By TimelessladyIn Philm, Phun5 Comments

This post is for all the wonderful people who create fun for the little people in their lives. My grandsons love scavenger hunts. It’s been awhile since they have slept over so I wanted to have a special movie night for them. First we’ll barbecue some shish kabob on the grill, then we’ll have a scavenger hunt all around the house. I’ve hidden quite a stash of items in various hiding spots, all with a movie night theme.

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I’ll give each of them a basket, the first clue, and there will be some wild scampering around the house to find the treasures and the next clue.

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I have several movies on hand for them to choose from tonight. One of those is Pete’s Dragon. We all saw it together a few months ago in the theater. It is now available on DVD, and because I loved the story as much as they did, I bought a copy for all of us to share. Disney Films, Robert Redford, Bryce Dallas Howard, the children who play the leading roles, along with Pete the Dragon, do a wonderful job in making this story magical.

 

Pots & Pans – Pork Chops in Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce

On By TimelessladyIn Pots and Pans6 Comments

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Two days ago I cooked a panful of pork chops in fire-roasted tomato sauce. They were delicious. I spoke with my sister about the recipe the next day and told her it was one of my favorites. She asked me to email it to her. I told her I would, and that I thought it would be a good blog post. Since I was serving the leftovers again, I knew I would have a good photograph to include. Hmmmm…as you can see we ate the leftovers before I remembered to take that photo. So, for now, all I have to show for the recipe is an empty plate. That’s the good news though. This recipe is scrumptious and very economical.

PORK CHOPS IN FIRE-ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients

1 tbs butter
1- 2 tbs olive oil or vegetable oil
6 -9 Thinly sliced pork chops (The thinner the better, I use boneless)
1/2 C purple/red juice, wine, etc. (I use whatever I have on hand)
1 14.5 – 15 oz. can of fire roasted tomatoes
1 Cup tomato sauce. (I’ve used ketchup in a pinch)
1/4 C water
3 tbs chopped parsley or 1 tbs dried
2 cloves garlic (I use 1 tsp garlic powder)
1/2 tsp minced rosemary
1/2 tsp dried basil or more if you use fresh

(At this point I add anything else that I have a whim to add)

Heat butter and oil in heavy skillet. Add pork chops. Cook uncovered until sides are nicely seared. Pour off all but 1 tbs of drippings (I usually don’t have much in the way of juices in the pan and don’t pour off, especially if I’ve used olive oil.) Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer lightly for 30 – 40 minutes. Enjoy.

The recipe can be made with larger pork chops, but perhaps simmer a little longer if you do use the larger chop. I’ve also easily doubled it and cooked it in a big cast iron Dutch Oven. We like it over rice, but you can serve it over noodles too. Sprinkle with cheese if you like, but we usually don’t need the cheese. Add a touch of water if the sauce seems to thick.

Photographs & Postcards – Throwback Thursday/Teaberry Gum & Photo Tweaking

On By TimelessladyIn Photographs, Postcards12 Comments

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Does anyone remember the flavor of Teaberry Gum?

“Clark’s Teaberry is a brand of chewing gum which the D. L. Clark Company of Pittsburgh’s north side purchased the patent from Charles Burke, who experimented with various flavors of chewing gum in the basement of 533 McClintock Ave, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Teaberry is currently marketed by Clark Gum Company in Buffalo, New York, and made in Mexico. The gum dates to 1900” ~ Wikipedia

I haven’t seen Teaberry Gum in any large grocers or box stores for many years, but it is still sold in my local Amish Market dry goods store. The flavor is distinctive and so is the aroma.

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I searched in vain for a copyright free photograph of someone blowing a bubble. I finally resorted to two favorite sites I use for photo tweaking: Adobe Photoshop (Paint, a free computer application also works well for cutting away backgrounds) and the free photo editing site PicMonkey. Most of the applications on PicMonkey are free. The image I used was a postcard stamped with a 1920 postmark.

I cut away the background in Adobe, and used PicMonkey to add the transparent pink bubble.

For those of you who are not sure about images you can use for your blog, look up public domain image laws. I can rest assured that I can use this postcard because it was created and sent before 1920, and the copy I use for my art is owned by me.

“A great source of true public domain images that are available to you are old books and postcards. Look inside the book at the publishing details, if the date of publishing is before 1923, you can legally scan or photograph these images and use at your leisure. The same applies to old photographs and postcards, if the original pre-dates 1923, you can use the image for your purposes without permission or payment.” ~Ebay

Plants – Atomic Tangerines

On By TimelessladyIn Plants4 Comments

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Winter doldrums were certainly sent scurrying as we walked through the Longwood Gardens Conservatory on Saturday. Today’s Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola/Atomic Tangerine perfectly matches what we found within the glass walls. These Red Hot Pokers (Kniphofia Uvaria) were stunning from a distance, and up close. I immediately knew I had to try to grow this brilliant variety of the plant in my 2017 gardens.

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My goal this year is to grow most of my plants from seed. It will be a challenge to bring this plant into flower its first year. To get a jump-start on possible bloom this year I am going to try growing the seeds in two ways, Winter-sowing involves placing sown seeds outdoors in a milk carton. More info can be found on winter-sowing here: Winter-Sowing Seeds.

I will also try growing some of the seeds by following the directions on a website called Outside Pride. Their directions call for giving the seeds a period of cold before sowing.

Dampen a paper towel, wring out excess moisture and carefully place the flower seeds on the damp towel. Roll up the towel, place it in a Ziploc bag and place in refrigerator for 4 weeks. ~Outside Pride/Red Hot Poker

Red Hot Poker plants come in a variety of ‘hot’ colors. An added bonus: Red Hot Poker flowers draw hummingbirds to your yard.

Here are a few additional examples of ‘Atomic Tangerines’ growing in the Conservatory.

Flame Vine
Flame Vine
Lily with Atomic Orange Stamens
Lily with Atomic Orange Stamens
Bird of Paradise
Bird of Paradise

Quote – Continued Resolutions

On By TimelessladyIn Quotes2 Comments

the-solution

The dawn of the New Year might be two weeks in the past, but every day, the whole year through, holds the potential for forming a resolution that can do much to improve your life. Yesterday, on the hour’s drive to Longwood Gardens, a church sign caught my eye with its wise quote. I resolved immediately to trust the wisdom it imparted and have faith in God that he knows the solution to every problem. A perfect reminder for me to relinquish the ‘accumulation’ of difficulties, large and small, into his care and keeping.

“There are no worries like little worries, particularly if there is an accumulation of them.” ~ George Matheson

GIVE IT ALL TO GOD!

 

 

Quick Tip – Easy Translation

On By TimelessladyIn Quick Tip7 Comments

 

Hello, My Friend – English
Helo, fy ffrind – Welsh
Hallo, Mein Freund – German

There are times I will visit a blog and find the post is written in another language. Google Translate is a great tool for detecting languages and translating the words into your own. I’ve also used the translator to compose a comment when a blog is written in another language. In the box above I’ve used the translator to say hello in a few of my ancestral languages.

Painting – Throwback Thursday/Bob Ross & Sepia

On By TimelessladyIn Painting12 Comments

Today’s Throwback Thursday is a tribute to Bob Ross and his ‘Happy Little Trees.’ Bob Ross had a magnetic, upbeat personality that came right out of the television and touched your heart. I watched his show many times, and my youngest son, in his pre-teen years, painted using Bob’s techniques a few times too.

Robert Norman “Bob” Ross (October 29, 1942 – July 4, 1995) was an American painter, art instructor, and television host. He was widely known as the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, an instructional television program that aired from 1983 to 1994 on PBS in the United States, and also aired in Canada, Latin America and Europe. With a soft voice and a permed afro, Ross went from being a television personality in the ’80s and ’90s to an Internet celebrity popular with fans on YouTube and many other websites. ~ Wikipedia

Many of Bob’s videos can still be viewed on YouTube. During these long winter days and snowed-in weekends, break out some old paints and try his technique. You might amaze yourself at what you can do.
* Thanks to a comment on this post I can also add Netflix and Amazon Prime as two sources of Bob Ross Videos.

Sepia is today’s Crayola color in Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola.

“Sepia is a reddish-brown color, named after the rich brown pigment derived from the ink sac of the common cuttlefish Sepia. The word sepia is the Latinized form of the Greek σηπία, sēpía, cuttlefish.” ~ Wikipedia

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I have a few Sepia tones in this unfinished watercolor. The watercolor, a painting of the creek that runs near my home, has been untouched for months. Why? This might sound strange, or perhaps you can totally relate, but I am so pleased with the form and colors to this point, I am terrified to touch it again in case I mess it up. This came about because the last thing I attempted to paint, or should I say, fix in the painting, was the reflections of the tree trunks in the water, and they gave me a devil of a time. Now, I am afraid to go back into it with my brushes because I don’t want to risk losing what I have done thus far. How silly you are probably saying, and I am saying it too. Perhaps this confession will lift the fear, I’ll laugh at myself and continue on. I wonder if this is why some paintings in museums tend to look not quite finished. Perhaps the artist was afraid he was going to mess it up if he continued. I’ll update…one of these days…when the painting is finished. Sigh….

Perspective – Wisdom on Wednesday – HALT

On By TimelessladyIn PerspectiveLeave a comment

halt

“We are wise to be aware of our mental state as we approach decisions. The acronym “H.A.L.T.” stands for hungry, angry, lonely, and tired—four states in which we will likely make poor choices. When considering options, it is well worth waiting until a better time.” ~ Dr. Charles Stanley – In Touch Ministries

This is wonderful advice to follow all year through, but in the wintertime, when many of us spend every day in close contact with others, it can save us from countless problems and broken relationships. I sometimes add an S to this acronym, and make it HALTS. It reminds me to also be still and silent, and to make no quick decisions when I am stressed or sick.

I enjoy listening to Dr. Stanley’s daily devotionals while I am working on the computer or creating art and pressed flowercraft. His word from God is heartfelt and biblical, and always turns my eyes toward the Lord and away from myself. In Touch Ministries

I used the color brown for the word Halt. Brown seems to me a color of strength and determination. It often is in the background, highlighting the brilliance of the other colors in the box. Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola

Phun & Photographs – Color Your World – 120 of Crayola

On By TimelessladyIn Photographs, Phun7 Comments

Today I discovered that Jennifer Nichole Wells is running her Color Your World – 120 Days of Crayola challenge again. I enjoyed taking part in this last year, and hope to create several posts that fit in with many of the Crayola color themes.

The color of the day is Burnt Sienna. This is one of my favorite colors to use when painting in watercolor. Burnt Sienna brings an earthiness to any color it is mixed into.

A good example of burnt sienna in nature is fallen leaves, much like these my backyard squirrels have woven into their winter nest.

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Seen from a distance, this nest appears precarious. Perched on the end of a trimmed branch it seems likely to fall.

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When I zoom in with my camera though, I see it is a masterful design, the leaves held in place by dozens of small twigs that have sprouted from the cut end. What a great squirrel condo, and also a good example of the many tones of burnt sienna. I would love to take a peek inside at the interior of the nest.

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I’m also adding another photo of our friendly neighborhood biscuit-loving dog. He is definitely blessed with a heavy coat of burnt sienna…many tones of brown and orange make up his fur. My blogging friend SusieShy asked me if he was a stray. I was able to say no, with surety, since he is wearing a Christmas kerchief around his neck.

Pheathers – Bird Biscuits

On By TimelessladyIn Pheathers10 Comments

I’ve been wanting to create a ‘bird biscuit’ of some kind to feed the birds this winter. Our snowy weather is the perfect time to try; the ground and many other food sources are covered under six inches of the snow.

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I searched through some recipes, and found a few I liked, but didn’t have the exact ingredients on hand. I fiddled around and came up with my own mix of ingredients. The biscuits baked up nicely. Give this recipe a try, adapting it to your own easily available ingredients.

1 1/2 Cups White Cornmeal (Yellow is called for in most bird recipes, but I had white on hand.)
1 Cup bird seed, dried fruits, etc. (I used dried cranberries, hulled sunflower seeds and mixed bird seed.)
1/3 Cup Vegetable Shortening. (Other recipes use bacon fat.)
1 Cup Water

Mix cornmeal, seeds, fruits with shortening.

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Add the water and mix well. Dough will be very stiff.

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I used an ice cream scoop to place dough on silicon pans. A cookie sheet would work also.

Bake in a 400 degree pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. While the biscuits were still hot I punched a hole in the center with a plastic straw. Most held up fine to this…a few crumbled.

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I strung the most intact biscuit with a string. I gathered up a broken biscuit, a piece with good form, and the strung biscuit and took them outside to the bird and suet feeders.

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I put the firm biscuit in the suet feeder. Before I even went indoors a woodpecker visited the feeder. I don’t know if he touched the bird biscuit, but I think not.

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Within minutes a small flock of grackles found the biscuit, they pecked away, and the crumbles fell to the ground…to the delight of the grackles waiting below. The fallen crumbs were quickly eaten.

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I placed the crumbles on the bird swing, and tied the strung biscuit to the rope. An hour later all the crumbles are gone, but the biscuit on a string seems untouched. I predict this treat will disappear in a few hours when evening draws near.

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This dove quickly made use of the fresh water I placed outdoors. A reminder to change it daily, maybe even twice, while the freeze continues.

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This bear of a dog is one of the reasons I tried to place all the biscuits off the ground. Yesterday I threw some stale English Muffins out for the birds only to see this smart beast hunting and scooping them out with his snout. He’s visited the yard on other occasions when I’ve thrown bread out. I don’t mind, but he is definitely well-fed and the birds need all the sustenance they can get in this weather. I’m hoping the birds eat the biscuits before the hungry dog is tempted to visit our yard again.