The Slow, Sweltering Days of Summer~

I have been doing very little in the garden lately.  Even in the early morning and late afternoon to evening, it is still very warm and, most days, uncomfortably humid. I prefer to take refuge in the cool of our home.  Those times when I simply must get out to run errands can leave me feeling a bit on the faint and queasy side.  I'm beginning to think it's age but I'm not really sure, as I've never been a fan of the heat. I'm fairly certain that I should be living in an area that is mainly rainy and cool, sheltered by the shade of a thousand trees in the spring and summer. And chilled by brisk autumn winds and icy cold snow in the winter. But...God in His wisdom, that is much greater than mine, saw fit to plant me in an area hot & steamy enough to cook up a mess o' crawdads.  It is well...

I mentioned last week that I took some cuttings from the one & only chartreuse colored coleus that I have, in hopes of making more. That is it pictured above^^^. I love it and think it is just beautiful! It is rooting nicely and is just about ready to spread it's little toes in some soil.  There I will let it grow some before putting it in the ground.

I also transplanted some mina lobata, some well established sage & the big mama chartreuse coleus.  The sage and coleus had been sharing a pot for far too many seasons and were desperately in need of repotting.  It was originally the sage's home and the coleus just popped up out of nowhere, as most of my coleus plants have.  (I may have told this story before, but I tried and tried and tried again to grow coleus from a package of seeds with no luck for the longest time.  I had all but given up when, suddenly, coleus was popping up everywhere!  In spaces between concrete slabs, in craggy rocks...here, there and everywhere!) 

Back to the transplanting business...I always do my transplanting in the cooler temps of the evening, but I always wait with bated breath until I am sure that they are going to manage in their new home.  This has been especially so with the mina lobata since they were very tender new seedlings (a few didn't make it, despite my efforts to baby them by shading them from the harshest rays of the midday sun and keeping them well watered).

I reseeded some things that didn't germinate.  I experimenting with sowing seeds inside this time around.  I still think the seeds may be too old to be viable but hey, it doesn't hurt to try!

my plant haul! (rosemary plants not pictured)

I set out one day on a mission to buy a new rosemary plant since I have really missed having one.  Their scent reminds me of Christmas trees and winter, and because of that, it is probably my favorite herb.  (I love them but apparently they don't love me, as I've never successfully been able to keep one alive.)  Anyway, four stores later, I finally found some! The store also happened to have many plants on a major sale, some as low as fifty cents each! So...two rosemary plants and six other plants later😶, I made my way home, happy as a clam.

I'm going to take a cue from our public library and plant one of the rosemary in a sunny spot on our property that is reminiscent of a tiny Tuscan hillside micro climate. The library has had some swoon worthy rosemary plants out front for as long as I can remember, so they must be doing something right.  I think I may have been loving mine to death...ya know, to mush watering and whatnot.  Wish me luck!

Even though I'm pretty sure it's not the correct time to prune my grapevines, like Edward Scissorhands, I took to snipping "the freeloader".  After doing some reading on grapevine care, I'm thinking that maybe I had let him run amock and take advantage of my good graces for far too long. "It is for the best", I whispered soothingly, "I will use your beautiful vines to make a wreath so that your beauty will be admired for years to come.  Just think!  You will be making a contribution to the home!  And next season, hopefully you will also contribute to our bellies."🍇 He wasn't convinced. I took away all his glorious, flourishing leaves.  He's now embarrassed.  He feels naked.  He'll live.

still pretty skimpy. i will add to it as i get more vines

I hope you had some lovely garden adventures this past week!  I would love to hear about them.  And if you have any rosemary growing tips, PLEASE send them my way!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

A Dancing Orchid?!

Before my hubby suffered his health issues, he took great pride, and spent many happy moments tending his collection of orchids.  He had different sizes, colors and varieties.  It became an easy, no fail winner when it came to buying him a little gift. Sadly, after he became disabled, he was no longer able to care for his beloved orchids as he once did, and they slowly, one by one, all withered away.  Oh, I tried to help him with them, but I don't think they "felt the love" from me.  They simply did not flourish under my care.

I really miss the sight of his happy little orchid family that used to live on the table in our family room that was dedicated solely to those stately, graceful plants.

Enter Commercial Palm Trees, offering to send me one of their beautiful, life like, faux plants in exchange for a neutral review.  I went straight to their website to see what they offered and was immediately bowled over by the wide array of faux plants that even I couldn't kill!  So much to choose from!  But when I spotted this sweet beauty, I felt I had to give it a shot, and see if it would come close to the living, breathing orchids that used to inhabit our abode.

From the moment it arrived at our front door, securely packaged and presented so no damage would occur while in transit...

to the moment when, after unswaddling it and showing it to my husband without any sort of forwarning or explanation, (I had not mentioned any of it to him beforehand) and his face lighting up because he thought it was real,

and even before zhushing it,

this beauty has brought life back to the "orchid table" and smiles to our faces!

I soon set about arranging the tiny blossoms' stems and leaves since they are easily manipulated and hold whatever position you desire, and stood back to admire the delicate shape.  Coming in at a little over 2 pounds 6 ounces, (yes, I weighed it, lol!) it is a good weight that will not topple easily.  How big is it you may be asking?  The company's official measurements are: 19" X 15" X 12".

I am enthralled with the pure white flowers that are tinged with the most eye catching chartreuse-y green, and how the plant is nestled in pebbles and realistic looking "water" inside a real glass container!  The glass container, pebbles and "water" are what give this arrangement it's substantial weight.

I can in all honesty say I would recommend this wonderful company if you are in the market for faux greenery and/or flowers.  From beginning to end, I have had the best experience with Commercial Palm Trees!  Even if you aren't looking to bring any new plants into your home or office right now, may I gently suggest you at least do some browsing on their website?  After all, it's a "no sweat" experience, unlike traipsing the rows upon rows of plants at the local nursery in the blazing sun.  And BONUS!  You won't have that nagging feeling in the back of your mind saying, "yeah, it's pretty and I know just where to put it, but will it live once I get it home?"  (Maybe that's just what goes on in my mind...?)

A special thanks to Commercial Palm Trees for reaching out to me and sending us this gorgeous Dancing Orchid!  Our "orchid table" is no longer a barren, sad reminder of what once was!

And an added bonus for my readers!  When you pick out your special plant to bring home from their site, you can take 10% of of your  purchase when you use code: BLOGGER10 (does not apply to custom orders).  What a great opportunity!  Now's the time to add that little "spruce up" touch to your home and save money while doing so!

Have you had a personal experience with Commercial Palm Trees?  I would love to know what plant(s) you brought home and all about your experience!  If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ


*Disclosure: this product was received as a sample in exchange for my neutral, honest opinion and review.  I did not receive monetary compensation for this review and I was not required to give a positive review in exchange for receiving the sample.

It's December!

It is indeed the most wonderful time of the year!  I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful season as much as I am!

each fall and winter I look forward the first cool weather so I can enjoy a baby bonfire

I recently realized that I have been so busy savoring the moments of life, that I have been totally delinquent in recording them here.  So much for the "dailies", lol. Nonetheless, it has still been, (although simply lived) extraordinary.

Christmas day is looming large on the horizon...

I, long ago, decided not to let the pressure of marketing campaigns, and expectations of others, guilt me into spending beyond our budget, whatever it happened to be at the time.  It all began when I was a single mom of three small children.  I did the best I could with what I had and made do.  I've always enjoyed baking and making treats and gifts from the kitchen, so since that can help in keeping gift giving costs low, that was the bulk of gifts I gave to friends, family and co-workers.  I also enjoyed crafting and would occasionally make handmade crafty items to give.  (True, not everyone appreciated a homemade gift.  There are people in the world that feel that if you haven't spent a pretty penny on a gift, that it isn't worthy.  I couldn't allow that to be my problem.)  In all honesty, I do occasionally struggle with this.  But I find my equilibrium again and move forward...and ENJOY the season simply.

These days, all our children are grown and my gift giving list has shrunk to close family and those who perform and provide services for us.  For those, we usually gift them a little cash.  Having come from the service industry ourselves, my hubby and I both know how hard they work, and how much that little bit of extra money can mean, so we plan and budget for it.  Also, we no longer have co-workers and an extensive list of friends that requires me to come up with many, many gifts to give.

As far as decorating goes, in the past I would put out many decorations all around the house.  The past few years I have put out only a few, well chosen decorations that I mostly had on hand.  The Christmas tree, stockings on the hearth, a wreath on the front door and cards that we receive in the mail from friends and family.  This year I framed our front door with a strand of colorful lights, bought two beautiful pink poinsettias to set outside on each side of the front door and also a white narcissus bulb to force in water.  Simple. Cozy. Homey.

So, the theme of our Christmases these past few years has become: "simplify".

a simple breakfast of cinnamon toast on a chilly morning

I'm quite enjoying this newer, quieter season in our lives.  (As much as I love my children, I've never been a morning person and do not miss those crack of dawn, call-to-action-to-see-what-Santa-left, mornings.  GASP!~hey, just being honest.)  In this new season of life, with it's slow, quiet mornings, no pressure afternoons and lazy evenings, I have decided to add another theme along with "simplify".  And that is "savor".

slow cooker bean and ham soup on a winter's eve

Don't get me wrong.  I still have that soft, annoying, nagging voice that likes to remind me of all the things we can't do since my husband has become disabled and is in constant pain.  I struggle with it.  I wrestle with it, sometimes until I feel bruised and bloodied emotionally.  But, I always come back to the fact we still have SO much to be grateful for.  We still have SO much more than many others.  And it could ALWAYS be worse.  And then I find it easier to adjust my attitude from discontent, to gratitude.  And that is a much, much nicer place to dwell!

Wishing you joy and peace in this hustle and bustle holiday season!

Thanks for stopping by! ~TJ

Signs of Spring

A handful of sunny, yellow daffodils!