Queen of Sweden rose January is one of the busiest months in my garden. Our winter is short and very spring-like (our first frost came December 18th and the last official frost date is February 15th) and there is much to do in January. I’ll spend a great number of afternoons and every Saturday physically…
I enjoyed plenty of fresh air this week as I worked in the garden, planting the bulbs that I ordered back in June that have been prechilling in my refrigerator since October. I trimmed some bushes and used some of the clipped pieces to (hopefully!) start some new bushes by pulling off the bottom leaves…
Here’s what we did to save money this past week: I bought two beautiful poinsettias marked down to $0.99 each. I gave one to a neighbor and put one on our table. I sewed some more gifts for the children while my husband watched the children. I used fabric I had on hand, including fabric…
This was a sewing the inherited stash project. The plaid came from my mother-in-law’s stash (a heavy fabric that was a home decorating scrap) and the pinwale corduroy came from grandmother’s stash. Both women have passed away (my grandmother this year and my mother-in-law 3 years ago) and I am happy to be using the fabric that…
My sweet little baby sidetracked my Christmas sewing completely. I had forgotten how hard it is to accomplish one’s goals when there’s a baby in the house! But this week, I’ve got a chance to get in several hours of sewing each morning while my husband watches the children for a few dedicated sewing hours….
Iceberg Rose in the white garden at sunrise The weather has been beautiful and warmer than usual. I enjoyed being out in the garden. I planted seeds in the garden for spinach, radishes, and lettuce. I picked up the free nuts and candy that I had loaded to my grocery store card last week. I…
I hosted a baby shower last week for a soon to be first-time mom who is a huge Harry Potter fan. Since I seem to have a Harry Potter birthday party for at least one of my children every year (and have for the last few years) this meant I already had several items that…
I’ve been trying a mixture of annuals and perennials in my urns in the white garden, but it seems the only way to have something growing in them year-round is to do annuals, as even my perennials have died. The pots by the front door are particularly challenging; they are in full shade all day…
I hosted a Harry Potter themed baby shower this past week. I had several people ask me if they could bring anything or help in any way, so I assigned out several things: paper plates, cups, and bowls; salad; soda (and she went the extra mile and made butterbeer, which was delicious!), and a banner….
I cut Thai basil, euonymus, and lavender branches from the garden to enjoy indoors. We collected pinecones to use as Christmas decorations. We harvested basil, tomatoes, chives, oregano, and Thai peppers from the garden. I heard there was going to be a freeze and so we harvested all of the tomatoes and brought in most of…
Feeling a pinch in your finances this week? If you’re feeling the need to save even more this week, but wondering what else you can do, here are some ideas to keep money in your pocket. (I’m planning to do all of them!) 1. Eat all meals at home Don’t go out to eat…
If you didn’t know I had a stocked pantry and freezers, my list this month would certainly seem like it isn’t enough food, and certainly not well-balanced! I never did end up finding a good sale on frozen peas or on cream cheese last month. I ended up buying broccoli instead of peas last month,…