Never Enough Flowers
Colors and gardens.
There's no such thing as too many posts that celebrate nature.
You cannot share too many pictures of the pollinator posse.
The world has far too little sunshine and flowers.
Inject a ray of light on your community whenever the opportunity!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Bee A Bright Flower
Celebrating flowers.
Poems, paintings and music have been written about the flower garden.
Imagine being a bee in this garden. Did you know that petals change color to a bee?
It's called "iridescence", within the "UV Spectrum".
Bees can see petals just turns colors. Humans cannot!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Radiate Your Friday
Recharging yourself!
Nature is about finding the balance.
How does a tender of nature seek balance in a world of chaos?
Good question and complicated answer.
First, tend to yourself. Exercise and self-care are vital to your needs. Tend to yourself, as you care for nature.
Then, in your small ways. Put forth beauty back into the world. Anything positive is beneficial.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
They Were Called “Humblebees”
How did the bumblebee get it’s name?
Did you know they were called “Humblebees” until around 1910.
A woman named Beatrix Potter and “The Tale Of Mrs. Tittlemouse”.
That’s right “Peter Rabbit” changed humblebees with the introduction of “Babbity Bumble”.
This bumble caused mischief in Mrs’ Tittlemouse’s backyard gardens. By making mossy nests. She said, Naughty Bumble!”
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Victoria’s V-Day Bouquet
Five Victorian Zinnia meanings.
A member of the aster family. It was common for people to wear and gift zinnias in the Victorian era.
But what made the perfect Valentine’s Day bouquet for your love?
These are only 5 of the zinnias available during the era and their meaning.
“Violet Queen” meant everlasting affection.
“Orange King” meant friendship.
“White Purity” meant the receiver was a truly good person.
“Purple Zinnia” meant absent friend.
“Canary Yellow” meant daily remembrance.
Until Tomorrow! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Oh Rosie
Rose of Sharon for pollinators.
Rose of Sharon.
Popular with the pollinator posse!
In my yard it fills up space. Offers me extra privacy. A teaser for all the pollinators to visit, before my gardens.
Each bush is a different color. You can cut them down and manicure for your needs. Their blooms are quite whimsical.
I don't have a substitute plant for the pollinators
Even with all their own problems. It fills a need of nature!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Great Expectations
Researching your garden.
What we picture in our minds and what actually grows, are going to look very different.
Start seeing those gardens in your imagination.
Research 3 things you want to grow. As simple as Wikipedia.
Can it grow in your region? If yes, add it to your seed/seedling list.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Seeds Bloom Best
The benefits of starting by seeds.
To get a garden like mine. Everything possible is planted by seed.
The idea of seeds can be daunting. Don’t worry
We'll work it out together.
Start planning flowers/plants/veggie and herbs that you'd like to grow.
Together we will figure out the best option for your garden. Not everything is possible from seeds.
I promise you'll have a good time learning about your garden!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Garden Thyming
The ups and downs of gardening
A garden never grows as you plan.
You will fail as much as you succeed.
Nothing will seem like it is growing. A storm can destroy your Sunflower Patch. Vine borers will eat your pumpkin vines. The deer or other creature always finds your garden.
On the other side.
You're going to have big wins in the garden. Catch that beautiful pollinator sipping nectar from blooms you grew from seeds. Eat a salad you grew!
Life is filled with ups and downs!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Plant Radishes
Using radishes as a cover and companion crop.
In order to have a thriving backyard garden. You must protect it.
How do you keep away the bad bugs and attract the beneficial?
Plants radishes.
How do you break up the soil at the root level?
Plant radishes.
How do you prevent erosion and create better water paths in your garden soil?
Plant radishes.
Some you eat. Others you allow to flower and protect. A backyard garden needs the radish.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Spilling Lettuce Secrets
Growing garden lettuce in Ohio.
There isn’t anything better than fresh garden lettuce.
A member of the cool crop season. Lettuce is less tolerant of cooler temps and can withstand up to 80F. In my observation of the plants.
I always plant by mid-April. Selecting lettuce tape your 1st year is suggested. All you must do is follow the directions. The lettuce is already spaced out for you in the tape.
You pair with sweet alyssum. I prefer the purple or white. The yellow sweet alyssum had an unappealing scent in comparison to the sweet given by the others.
Buttercrunch and Black Seeded Simpson are fantastic green leafy choices for Ohio gardens.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Popeye’s Grub
When to plant spinach.
Spinach is a “cool crop”.
Meaning it thrives when the daytime temp doesn’t rise above 65F.
Once the spring weather warms, a spinach plant will “bolt”.
Bolting is when the spinach plant recognizes the rising temps. So the plant will “bolt”. Which is the growth of spinach seeds and their spread. The plant’s instinct to continue is to make seeds.
Spinach is best planted 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost. A little freeze or frost does not hurt spinach. It is meant to be grown in early spring.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Pea Weather
When to plant peas
If you live in Ohio. You want to plant the seeds on the 1st day of spring. No matter the forecast.
It's Ohio, so check back. I don't suggest a "polar vortex" type of bizarre weather situation.
However, I have planted in snow.
Peas thrive in cool weather.
Don't sweat the freeze warnings or threats of spring.
A pea is conditioned to thrive in these predicaments.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Flight of The Phoenix
The legend of the Phoenix
The Phoenix is a symbol of February.
Legends say they possess the ability to rise back up from adversity.
Tenuous
Sensitive
Incredible Strength
You are a remarkable person if you were born in shortest month of the year.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Cardinals Eat Pokeweed
Birds enjoy pokeweed.
That’s what I wrote.
The cardinal. Ohio’s state bird loves pokeweed.
These berries blooms tiny white flowers from July to September.
Bringing insects and birds of prey.
These juicy purple berries are a fall feast to the cardinals.
Along with the American Robin and blue birds!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Once in a Blue Moon
Moon folklore or math?
First, a blue moon has nothing to do with the coloring of the moon.
It’s an occurrence every 2-3 years where the sun calendar and moon calender balance out their differing days.
Skipping the mathematics. The next blue moon is on August 19, 2024.
Where did “once in a blue moon” come from? Good question. Many claims going back to the 15th century. It’s hard to give a definitive recording of the origin. I suppose it’s a mystery!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Miss Hummingbird
Mating of hummingbirds.
Sometimes it’s hard to be a female.
Even if you are a bird.
Hummingbird males are cads of nature.
Mating and abandoning the female for the next hummingbird on the block.
The females builds the nest, monitors incubation and feeding of her young.
This mating process might appear cruel, but it’s to ensure the hummingbird population.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Yellow Classic
A yellow sunflower’s symbolic meaning
You can never go wrong planting sunflowers.
The yellow sunflower is a classic of the blooms.
Goodness
Truth
Timelessness
A bright yellow sunflower brings your garden postitivity and joy!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Wish You Well
Orange flowers for health.
Orange plays a large role in my garden for what it represents.
Long-term health and wellness.
Adding pops of orange is opening your garden to healing.
Welcoming the positive vitality orange radiates in their blooms!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
A White Squirrel
A white squirrel’s symbolic meaning
What does it mean when you see a white squirrel?
A change is coming.
Prepare for anew.
Or, good luck is coming your way.
May good fortune fill you day!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
