My friend got a couple beautiful old tablecloths from her Mom in Ohio, and asked me to make her an apron.  

 

I made 8 aprons out of two tablecloths.  Four out of the pretty yellow flowered one, each with a different lining.  And four out of the navy check, again each one different.  

 

On the most special one:  I used the navy check and added a navy blue pocket with the yellow flowers appliquéd on it.  Sorry I didn’t take its picture.  

 

It was a really fun project for a few wintery days.  And made a bunch of my friends (and me) happy.

 

HAPPY CRAFTING!!!

 

Can you believe this arugula?  We have had a few nights of 30 degrees, and a couple days of rain, and the arugula is still hanging in there.  We just keep harvesting, and using it until it decides that winter is indeed here.

 

Love this bed.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I glanced over at the mushroom logs yesterday, and this is what I saw:  a couple Shiitakes and a big fat unknown mushroom.  So I got out the Seek app, and the mushroom field guide, and positively identified the shiitakes (because we plugged these logs with shiitake spores) but couldn’t identify the other one.

 

These were my thoughts:  first of all:  NEVER eat what you can’t positively identify.  Then:  is it an overripe shiitake?  Is it some other kind of mushroom that we plugged, like oyster, red reishi, or chicken of the woods?  So I looked up all those and saw nothing that looked like this.  Then promptly washed my hands. ;}. Don’t want to start out the new year dead.

 

We saved the shiitakes in a brown paper bag (best way to store mushrooms) and took the other one way out into the woods, far away from our mushroom logs.  

 

Wonder what it was…still unknown.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

Photo: compliments of the Farmers Almanac 

 

 

Can you believe it?  It is 2024!!!  

 

Wishing you ALL:  all the best in the new year.

 

 

HAPPY 2024!!!

 

Yippee!!!  New seed catalogs.  These are my favorites.

 

* Baker Creek sells only heirloom seeds, has the most gorgeous pictures, and free shipping.

 

* Sow True Seed, out of Asheville, NC, has a climate that is similar to ours, and lots of charts to help with garden planning.

 

* Pinetree has the best prices, even though I have to pay for shipping.

 

All three offer growing tips, telling me when to plant, how to plant, and even harvest information, which really helps in the garden.  They are more than just sales catalogs.  I learn a lot from them.  

 

Please notice the picture on the front of the Pinetree catalog.  Do you know this plant?  It is an heirloom PINK celery.  How beautiful!!!  Maybe we will try it this year.  I always like to try something new in the garden.  And what do I have to lose:  They sell 100 seeds for $2.50.  

 

My 2024 garden is still in the dream stage, and this is where I start.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Well, we got our Christmas wish!!!!  Rain, glorious rain!!!

 

It has been three long months with almost no rain.  But yesterday it rained all day, and overnight we got some more, and it is supposed to rain again today.  

 

That means water in the wells, and water for my garden.  Yay!!!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

 

 

I hope Santa comes to your house tonight.  

 

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

 

I love getting out the Christmas decorations, and sprinkling them around the house.  No tree again this year, but lots of snowmen and poinsettias.

 

The Santas will get put away in January, but the snowmen and red silk flowers can stay until spring.

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

Here is another kinetic sculpture by Al Garnto.  Its title is Atoms and Matter.

 

This one is about 10 feet tall, and the curved piece at the top moves with the wind. 

 

I hope you can get to Meeks Park to see these works of art.

 

 

HAPPY DECEMBER!!!

 

 

 

This is another sculpture by Al Garnto.  This one is titled Barn Bell and stands about 15 feet tall.

 

I’ve never heard the bell ring, but since it is another kinetic sculpture, I guess it rings when there is enough wind to make it spin.  Maybe the wind moves that shell shaped piece at the top, and causes the bell to ring.

 

 

THEY MAKE ME HAPPY!!!