Tag: Ragtag Daily Prompt

Phlowers – Rose of Sharon Topiary

On By TimelessladyIn Phlowers21 Comments

Years ago, a blogging friend sent me seeds from her Rose of Sharon. I nurtured one sprout for years and now it stands in our backyard garden border as a Rose of Sharon topiary.

Growing bushes that normally sprawl in many directions as a topiary saves the garden bed beneath the branches for annuals and perennials. In the vicinity of the Rose of Sharon grow vinca, violets, iris, gladiolus, and two Knockout rose bushes; all have enough room and sunlight to thrive.

The color of the flowers is a lovely lavender accented with a band of red in the inner recesses of the petals. The stamen is interesting, and I have seen bees and hummingbirds dip into the center. One of the pests that can attack these flowers is Japanese beetles, but so far this year, the beetles have not appeared.

I love the way the petals glow when the sunlight illuminates them from above. I used this flower as my blog’s August header. Today’s photographs are part of Skywatch Friday and Floral Friday Fotos.

PS Another wonderful aspect of this plant is its ability to self-seed. On either side of the tree, and a bit further down the border, I have identified seedlings that are a year or two old and growing well. When it is time, I will bring them to topiary size too in the coming years.

Programs & Philms – Weekend Matinee/January 17th

On By TimelessladyIn Philm, Programs4 Comments

I had hoped to start a year of Weekend Matinee posts on the first weekend of January, but I didn’t get my act together until today. Most of the films I recommend will be classics; I haven’t gone to many theater movies in the past years.

For television programming, I’m recommending The Way Home. I love time travel shows, and this sweet show on Hallmark+ has not disappointed me. The first five episodes were free, and they entranced me so much that I subscribed to the station. I hope to find more Hallmark programs and movies to enjoy when I finish this series. There was no filth whatsoever in The Way Home. Other than the concept of Time Travel, and I am midway through the second season, I have seen no supernatural scenes or dialogue. Hopefully, the program will continue in the same vein and be suitable for all ages.

I am a bit of an enthusiaist for a classic film released in 1951, The African Queen is a good choice for a weekend matinee. Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart make this movie a favorite of mine, even in my top ten vintage films. During Sunday Morning services, when we sing the hymn, Bread of Heaven, my husband and I will look at each other and smile secretly. Why? Because the song is part of the opening scenes of The African Queen. We always remember the movie when we sing it and, in our mind’s eye, see Katherine Hepburn pumping the organ with her feet. I feel the movie is suitable for all ages.

I didn’t know until researching the movie that a sequel starring Warren Oates and Mariette Hartley had been made in 1977. I’ll have to see if I can find this on cable or through YouTube.

My third choice is a more modern classic, Enchanted April. The first time I saw this movie, I liked it a bit but wasn’t entranced. Now, the total opposite is true, and I revisit the film several times a year. Rose, Lottie, Caroline, Mrs. Fischer, and Melarche have all become so familiar that I almost feel they are my friends. The movie is suitable for all ages.

The three programs/films I’ve listed are available through cable television, Public Libraries, and many online sources.

Perspective – Gobbledygook – Not!

On By TimelessladyIn Perspective20 Comments

The word for today’s Ragtag challenge is Gobbledygook. I looked it up to ensure my take on the definition was correct; I was thinking foolishness, junk, etc. I was not far off. Some synonyms for Gobbledygook are bafflegab, double-talk, gibberish, rigamarole, song and dance. Most of these have to do with the spoken word.

I don’t know about your area, but I live near a major swing state and an important city for the upcoming election. I am across the river from Philadelphia, and our media stations are from the city. The commercials, at this point, are constant political GOBBLEDYGOOK. All of the candidates have gifts, talents, and flaws. Of course, I lean heavily toward one candidate, as most of us do now, but I am tired of ALL the negativity bombarding us.

Only a few more days until the election itself is behind us. To counteract, I hope, the possibility of the rampant fraud in the last election, I voted early this year. It was the first time I took advantage of this type of voting. I am in my 60s and have voted yearly for decades.

We thought we’d be one of a few voting early. Oh my! I knew that was a wrong assumption as soon as we pulled into the parking lot of the voting center. Inside, there were long lines, but the atmosphere was wonderful. Doesn’t that sound odd? Everyone seemed happy and lively, and no one complained, campaigned to, or criticized the person near them.

I felt happy to be utilizing my civic right and duty. I voted. I am glad to support the candidates I think are the best choice for the country, county, town, and school board. VOTE! Vote early or on election day. But for those in my country, please vote. Thanks!

Phlowers – Cardinal Climber Vine/FOTD

On By TimelessladyIn Phlowers8 Comments

Cardinal Climber Vine ((Ipomoea × multifida) is my post for Cee’s Flower of the Day. These vines and the beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers blooming on them are some of the best flowers for a hummingbird garden.

Most of my garden plants have blooms that are waning. I don’t obsess over the lack of bloom because I see few bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds in October. The Cardinal Climber Vines bloomed late for me this year. I thought they were in a slump until a few weeks ago when they burst into dozens of blossoms. There is nothing timid about these flowers when they bloom; they are brilliant in color, and the stamen almost seems to glow like a spotlight beckoning hummingbirds to dive in for the nectar they contain.

Yesterday, I had an experience that I hope will stay a treasure in my spirit forever. I was bent down, turning off the hose nozzle, and when I stood, inches from me, a hummingbird was sipping nectar from the Cardinal Climber blooms. It seemed unaware of me, or perhaps in fueling up to return to warmer climates, was willing to risk my presence. I stood for several minutes, holding my breath, wanting to jump for joy as I listened to the buzz of the small bird’s wings and had the closest view ever of a hummingbird sipping nectar. I will never forget that magical moment in the garden.

The Spruce has information on how to grow Cardinal Climber Vines.

Phlowers – What’s In My Garden?

On By TimelessladyIn Phlowers14 Comments

In spring, my garden is a blank slate as the daffodils push above the soil’s surface, where they have slept away in the summer, winter, and autumn. It’s never unexpected, but always still amazing when August displays a thick jungle of flowers in the place where blooming began sparsely in March.

I haven’t taken part in the Lens-Artist Challenge for quite a while. I was drawn in by the title of the challenge. I am a bit late, but still happy to take part in Challenge #311.

Today as I was photographing the flowers I was surrounded by Black Swallowtails sipping from the Butterfly Bush and other flowers in the yard. I decided, since they use my fennel as host plants, and I help them out by raising them in butterfly houses on the porch, they too are growing in my garden.

Phlowers – Echinacea

On By TimelessladyIn Phlowers4 Comments

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge for this week is a Single Flower. I chose this beautiful white Echinacea that grows in full sun near my patio. The identity of the seed source is Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Since I planted the seeds indoors sometime in Spring of 2022, it took two years for the plant to flower outside. As soon as I finish writing this post, I will follow the link to Baker Creek and purchase another packet. I plan to start the echinacea seeds now, in late summer, and grow them to blooming size by Spring.

I had many unusual colors grow from this variety: peach, deep coral, the typical pink, and this white flower. If you love the sturdy stems and reliable bloom of Echinacea plants, try growing this unique mixture.

Echinacea Paradiso Mix

Paradiso Echinacea loaded down with blooms in late July.

(Later) I did purchase the seeds and they are already shipped. At this slower time of the growing season Baker Creek Seed company is very fast with order fulfillment. Baker Creek is definitely in the upper echelon of best heirloom seed companies.

The Farmer’s Almanac has an excellent article on how to grow echinacea.

Phlutters & Phloral – IAVOM/Queen Anne’s Lace

On By TimelessladyIn Phloral Arrangements, Phlutters10 Comments

In my part of Southern New Jersey, the temperature is in the 90s. AccuWeather says the real-feel temperature is around 104°. The hot weather is helping the caterpillars thrive. I have an abundance of them in the Butterfly House and each is born with a ravenous appetite.

Inside the houses, I have Rue, a host plant, and a few sprigs of parsley. The dill in the garden is still only in the small sprout stage since I planted it late. The fennel is suffering a bit in the heat, and since that is where most of the eggs for the Black Swallowtail Butterflies are laid, I don’t want to use it all. My goal is to concoct the perfect caterpillar feast for strong butterflies.

Queen Anne’s Lace, a host plant, is in bloom now, and the tall umbrella spires grow in hedgerows near my home. I took a walk with my cutting sheers in the hottest part of the day in hopes of collecting the wildflowers.

Unfortunately, the Queen Anne’s lace was not where I expected it to be. The sprigs I had seen a week or two earlier had bloomed and gone, and my walk became longer than I had planned. I did find more growing along the edge of the woods and cut several stems. By the time I got home, they were significantly wilted, and I wondered if I could use them as I had planned for the IAVOM challenge and afterward as food for the caterpillars. The Queen Anne’s Lace stems drew up water and eventually recovered. I used a Coca-Cola bottle as a vase.

Butterfly tip: The Queen Anne’s Lace, though the blossoms become frail, has stems that stay firm even after drying out. They are perfect for a caterpillar to use to form its chrysalis.

Phlutters – A Tragic Tale/Butterflies Part I

On By TimelessladyIn Phlutters7 Comments

I had a rude awakening to one of the perils butterflies and caterpillars face. In mid-spring, expecting the butterfly chrysalis to hatch at some point, I brought the butterfly houses out to the porch and hung them from the ceiling. One day, checking them, I saw a delicate wasp of some sort had gotten inside the house and was trapped. Being a bit of a bleeding heart, I shooed the wasp out and felt I had done my good deed for the day. Wrong.

Two more wasps, surprisingly to me, also found a way into the house. I let these out also. Afterwards, I looked at the seven chrysalis on the sides. What! There was some type of hole in the sides of a few. I knew some parasite had attacked them.

When another wasp suddenly appeared in the house, I knew that it would not appeal to my softheartedness; I squashed it.

Trogus Pennator Wasps eat the swallowtail caterpillars from the inside out and emerge from the chrysalis. I can attest to the truth of this remark. Three overwintered chrysalis have opened in the past week or two, and beautiful Black Swallowtails have taken wing after the long wait. I have seen them fluttering over the fennel plants, and sure enough, I found several of the tiny eggs on inspection.

This weekend, small caterpillars appeared. I have twelve safely in one of two, new butterfly houses. I have also kept the older one from last year. Now that I have seen one of the parasitical threats they face firsthand, I will redouble my efforts and save as many as I can manage.

I will be keeping a 2024 Butterfly Diary. The link is here: Butterfly Diary 2024. It can also be found at the top of the blog page in the bar beneath the title. I will try to create a sidebar link too. Thanks so much for following the butterflies with me.

Phlowers – Macro Monday/Torenia

On By TimelessladyIn Phlowers9 Comments

This beautiful Torenia is also known as the Wishbone Flower. I have an easy time growing them. Plop them in the earth or a hanging basket, keep them watered when dry, and you will have blooms all summer. Once every few weeks, I cut away stems forming seeds. They don’t need as much deadheading as many other annuals. I’ve never been disappointed in my Torenia plants. I made one mistake last year: I put one plant in full afternoon sun. The flowers did fine, but the foliage burnt a bit.  

The poem complements the plucky sunshine yellow of the flowers. Isaac Watts, (1674 -1748) is the author of this and hundreds of hymns still being sung around the world.

Torenia is part of Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge.

Phloral – IAVOM Lilacs, Wisteria, Periwinkle Vinca Vine, and Iris Buds

On By TimelessladyIn Phloral Arrangements14 Comments

It’s a purple kind of day. It is not a gloomy deep purple mood, but instead, the bright lavender of the Boomerang Lilac that has put on quite a display in the side-yard. This is not a sprawling bush, but I hope it grows a few feet taller than the 3.5 to 4 feet it is now. 

The flowers smell slightly of Lilac but do not envelop you in scent when you approach as I had hoped when I purchased it. This variety’s charm is that it is supposed to rebloom in the summer.  

A few Iris buds, some Vinca Vine in a lovely shade of Periwinkle, and sprigs of Wisteria are included. The vase is a small watering can I bought years ago because I loved the sparrows on the front.  

This post is part of this week’s In A Vase of Monday (IAVOM) hosted by Rambling in the Garden.

Phloral Arrangement – IAVOM Spring Blooms

On By TimelessladyIn Phloral Arrangements20 Comments

The antidote to the windy weather of yesterday was to take a morning walk around the yard and gather Spring flowers for IAVOM.

I have placed a few of the flowers blooming in my garden inside the vase. The inner petals of the tulip are gorgeous. What a sanctuary for a bee! If I were small and had wings, I would dive in after the pollen and buzz in delight. There is nothing ho-hum about these beautiful colors and forms.

Other flowers in the vase are Iris, Bleeding Heart, and Vinca.

I keep hearing the children’s chorus, This Little Light of Mine, as I gaze at the bright area around the tulip’s stigma and anthers.

Phlower & Planting – Geranium

On By TimelessladyIn Phlowers, Planting16 Comments

Yesterday, I was able to text my son a photo of this beautiful puff of salmon. I told him it was a cutting grown from a Geranium he gave me on Mother’s Day two years ago. Plants given as gifts are especially dear to me.

Before frost arrived last year, I dipped a cutting of the geranium in honey and placed it in loose soil with a Ziplock bag over the plant to keep it humid. Not every cutting works, so I usually grow three for every plant I want to save.

I also tried bagging/boxing up a few bare-root geraniums, and the photo shows what I found just an hour ago when I opened the bag. I will continue to grow cuttings and, in the future, leave bare root storage to the experts.

The geranium is part of Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Quick Tip & Pests – Oh No….Spider Mites

On By TimelessladyIn Pests, Quick Tip12 Comments


I have some lavender plants on a windowsill near my desk. I love to stop what I am doing and brush them with my hands. The lovely, fresh scent of lavender fills the air and gives me a boost of energy amid mid-winter doldrums. 

You can imagine my outcry when, out of the corner of my eye, I  spotted movement on my lavender—spider mites. The tiny pests were fearless and having a marvelous time, creating webbing, feasting on the juices, and multiplying by the minute. 

Running the plant under a heavy stream of water is always my first course of action. The spider mites are small and are quickly swept away by the deluge. So far, my initial treatment is working, and I’ve only seen one or two stray mites.

One of the problems with diagnosing spider mites on a houseplant is their size. The webbing and drying leaves are a clue to an infestation. Sometimes, as in my case, you can see them moving along their webs. To be sure I was aware of all the infested spots, I sprayed the lavender with water before washing the mites away. The side-by-side photo shows how much easier it is to see an infestation after spraying.

Unfortunately, I must be realistic; removing every spider mite from the lavender will most likely take several sessions under the faucet. This pest spreads quickly in the dry air of a heated house. I will check all my houseplants for infestation with water sprays throughout the week. 

Phlowers – Friday Flowers/Nigella

On By TimelessladyIn Phlowers8 Comments

I have good luck with my white and blue nigella plants self-seeding in the front of the butterfly border. Each year, the initial sowing of plants brings forth a new generation. Today, at half price, I was thrilled to find seeds for a pink variety called Mulberry Rose. It’s always exciting to procure a new variety of a plant you love.

This small flower creates quite a dynamic seedpod. It blooms the size of a quarter, is low-growing, and has delicate foliage. Beautifully rounded and loaded with seeds, the pod dries beautifully for indoor winter arrangements.

The seed packet suggests making successive sowings for continuous bloom. My new Nigella seeds are from Renee’s Garden. I am content in the knowledge that this small blossom will grace my garden for years to come.

Plants and Photo Challenge – Cosmic Photo Challenge/What’s Flowering

On By TimelessladyIn photo challenges, Plants14 Comments

The beautiful moss spores are my choice for The Cosmic Photo Challenge/What’s Flowering Where You Are? Before the recent snowstorm, I grabbed my camera and took a woodland walk. I was amazed at the vivid green of the mosses and lichens. In places where the sun shone through the branches, I noticed some of the mosses had already sent up spore capsules. I’m going to stretch and say these are a type of bloom.

If I had to rate these moss spores for beauty between 1-10, they would receive a 10+ from me.

Skunk cabbage has also emerged in the dead of winter. Here are some of the ‘knobs’ before the snow covered them. I read an amazing fact on the PFEIFFER NATURE CENTER site: some skunk cabbage plants can be over 100 years old. Wow, I will feel a bit more awe over them when I take my next woods walk.

Next time when I become a bit winter-worn and weary over the cold weather, I’ll remind myself of those skunk cabbages never giving up.

As always, lichen on fallen branches are a welcome touch of green.

Whatsoever is Lovely? Definitely the small and delicate bits of green I found in the woods. I wish I could have a large garden plot filled with mosses and lichens in the winter.

Phloral Arrangment – IAVOM/Snowfall Bouquet

On By TimelessladyIn Phloral Arrangements26 Comments

Seven hundred days…that is how long the weather forecasters told us our area had not seen accumulating snowfall. This week, when the skies greyed and beautiful snowflakes began to descend, it created a swell of joy in many, especially children with new sleds and toboggans. It was a superb snowstorm, not so much as to cause a complete standstill, but enough to have a bit of fun in. Even the most winter-weary could not feel hostility toward it when they gazed at a landscape frosted with white.

There is little left in my yard to vase. I took advantage of an amaryllis that had grown so top-heavy it had to spend its last days in the garage. I found a basket instead of a vase. Anything glass or porcelain might have cracked in the freezing temperatures. I plucked a few stems of sedum that still had some dried flowers and placed them in the spring-green basket. The amaryllis mirrored the brilliant snow. It is a fun way to celebrate IAVOM (In a Vase on Monday) and the glorious snowfall.

Rambling in the Garden IAVOM

Phloral Arrangement – IAVOM McCoy Vases

On By TimelessladyIn Phloral Arrangements32 Comments

The Farmer’s Almanac counts down how many days of winter are left. As of today, there are 63 days left until Spring. Whoo-hoo! I have some sprigs of daffodils showing above ground, and this week, when storms knocked over pots planted with tulip bulbs, I saw that beneath the soil, the bulbs had rooted and were beginning to send up shoots. I hope being overturned won’t stunt the growth.

I have no flowers or interesting dried-out sprigs left to display in a vase for Rambling in the Garden – IAVOM. Happily, I do have a few evergreen plants growing in the gardens. I have gathered sprigs of Nandina, English Ivy, Barberry, and Vinca vine inside today’s vase. I also added a dried-out tassels of a Bald Cypress. To add some interest, I plucked Wisteria pods off the bush and added those into the mix.

The bouquet is so-so, but the vase is a treasure I found this week. Searching for unique containers to craft into hanging planters, I stopped at the local Goodwill. Usually, I find junk, and a caution for other treasure hunters; I often have seen Dollar Store items in the Goodwill store marked at $1.99. To be blunt, this always annoys me. I am often tempted to point it out to the manager, but the earnings from Goodwill Industries go to non-profit groups. Many of the stores have very high rents to pay in the shopping centers they are located in. For this reason, I don’t say a word.

Back to the find in the Goodwill, though. I found treasure—two beautiful McCoy Swan Vases. One is pink, and the other is blue. I used the blue vase for today’s arrangement. I do not have an eye for antiques as some do, but I love McCoy pottery, and I am good at spotting that variety.

My beautiful McCoy vase twins are, Whatsoever is Lovely to me—a perfect choice for Xingfu Mama’s Week Two Challenge.

Planting – Ginger Rhizomes

On By TimelessladyIn Planting6 Comments

Gathering in the green is one way to crawl out of the brain sludge of dreary winter weather. By green, I mean plants, green dreams of gardens to come, and green thoughts of using what is usually thrown away.

Quite a few pieces of ginger you buy in the supermarket are sprayed with a sprouting inhibitor. I recently found, in Produce Junction, a large ginger rhizome with swollen joints. They looked like they wanted to grow. Of course, to me, the sight of that ginger was irresistible. I let it lay undisturbed in my basement, and the swelling grew larger.

Yesterday, I planted it in a large 10″ pot. I hope to see sprouting above the soil’s surface in just a few weeks. I will update on the progress.

Planting indoors in such a large pot might have created havoc with dirt and debris everywhere, but I recently read an excellent tip in Martha Stewart’s Very Good Things: use an under-the-bed storage bin for planting indoors. This tip worked great for me. So much easier to close the lid when I was through and roll it under my plant table until needed again.

The online Farmer’s Almanac has an in-depth article on growing ginger from supermarket rhizomes.

Phlowers – Six on Saturday/Sowing Pansies and Johnny-Jump-Ups

On By TimelessladyIn Phlowers6 Comments
A few of the many shades of blue pansies and violas I have grown in my gardens over the years.


Pansy and Johnny-Jump-Up are a variety of seeds I will be sowing this week. It seems early, but I should have sown them four weeks sooner. I don’t follow the recommended dates on the back of the packets. Earlier is always better if I want to have larger-sized plants for the Spring Garden. If my seedlings are pitifully small, I fall victim to the lure of lusher-appearing plants in the local nurseries.

I purchased several interesting varieties from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds at the end of Autumn, and I can’t wait to see if they are as lovely as the photograph on the package. (Dilemma: I don’t remember the ‘safe’ spot I stored them in.)

The seeds of Pansy and Johnny-Jump-Ups sprout with some bottom warmth and humidity but also have one crucial requirement: they must have total darkness. I will put a plastic tray over the top of my flat and also cover that with a dark, wet washcloth. This will seal out any light rays that might interfere with sprouting.

Organic seed starter and sterile organic potting soil are what I use to start my seeds. The plants develop robustly if I fill the bottom 3/4 of the flats or pots with soil and the top quarter with seed starter. The foliage sits against the quick-draining starter, and the roots reach down into the richer soil. Two types of grow-lights work well for me: overhead and adjustable surround wands. A sunny window provides natural light and is also a good choice. 

One variety I loved, purchased from Baker Creek last year, was Laeta Fire, a viola with dime-sized blooms perfect for flower pressing. I have a few seeds left in the packet and will grow them again. You can see how small this flower is in comparison to the normal-sized geranium leaf alongside it. When I persevere in my gardening throughout the winter, the process brings me a sense of peace and renewal.

My Laeta Fire Viola is part of Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Phlowers & Perspective & Project – The Year of the Dandelion

On By TimelessladyIn Perspective, Phlowers, Projects5 Comments


I enjoyed a quick walk on this second morning in January. The air, crisp with cold, was stimulating, waking me up and opening my eyes to the beauty in the winter landscape. The limbs and twigs of the trees against the chilly sky are God’s sculptures raising their arms toward the heavens. I could almost imagine them beginning to sing.

I searched for dandelion cones with fluff emerging from their tips. I am partial to dandelions; in fact, I have named 2024 my year of the dandelion. I want to be as productive and as resilient as this beautiful plant.

What do I love about dandelions? Perhaps it’s the color and shape. The flower reflects the Sun. I admire the resilience of dandelions. They will bloom wherever they can and grow lushly, even within the cracks of the street and sidewalks. Just today, I photographed this determined plant thriving in the smallest of spaces between the curb and the blacktop. I have read recently that one dandelion plant can produce up to 2,000 seeds. I hope to be as productive as the dandelion and spread as much GOOD NEWS as possible.

Here’s a fun project to do with children. You can string the unopened pods of dandelion seeds onto a piece of thread, and within 24 hours, they change and open up into perfect spheres. It’s so easy, and if you choose the right place, they will reflect the sunshine and glow and bring a touch of magic into the room. The photos below show the process. So much fun!

The candy is light enough not to break the string but heavy enough to give it a bit of weight. I love bringing a touch of whimsy to winter days.