Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, Oh My!

Thanksgiving is officially over with the exception of all those leftovers in my fridge.  I managed to eat turkey and dressing for like six consecutive meals before the sight of it all turned me green.  Last night I had salad.  It was a pretty boring salad and it was just what I needed.

Tis the Season

Now on to another type of overload: shopping!  That's right it isn't even December yet, but according to the news we better do all our shopping by the close of business Monday or we will just end up paying too much for gifts no one really needs anyway.  Don't be that person.  As it stands you have already missed out on two of these gargantuan sale days. First there was Black Friday the day we trample our fellow man after waiting in line for hours in order to get a 60" flat screen for half of it's usual price only to realize they only had two in stock and you just weren't fast enough because you had that extra helping of turkey and dressing (damn, tryptophan!). Then we are on to the new fad of Small-Business Saturday, an altruistic experience indeed compared to the day before.  I am all for helping out the small-business owner, especially when AmEx is giving me $25 to do so.  Tomorrow we get to experience Cyber-Monday.  Time to get on Amazon and refresh your screen every two seconds.

I've never been this happy shopping

For those of you who haven't completed your shopping I have noticed one or two deals that I thought I would share:

Frontgate:  Spend $100 or more and get $100 off.  http://www.frontgate.com/  Use code XXW62446 good through 11/26/12  You can find lots of really nice items for your home or garden. If you shop just right you can get some items for almost nothing.  Now that is a deal!

Etsy: Type "Cyber Monday" into the search box for lots of great deals.  http://www.etsy.com Etsy is a great way to support the small-business owner/artisan.  Tons of unique items you can't find in any store.

Amazon:  You never know what they will offer, but the deals are always pretty good http://www.amazon.com

Land's End: 30% off everything and free shipping on orders over $50 http://www.landsend.com/

Gap/Banana Republic/Old Navy:  30% off everything http://www.gap.com/

L'Occitane: Stocking stuffers: buy 2, get 1 free: http://usa.loccitane.com  If you've never shopped at L'Occitane they sell very luxurious bath products.  This is where you buy your mom something.  At least this is where I do.

And don't forget, you should almost never have to pay for shipping. Before you buy, Google the name of the store where you are shopping and then add "free shipping codes"  ex: "Gap Free Shipping Codes".  Usually sites like retailmenot come up and show you if there are any current offers.

Well, that should get your started.  Happy shopping and if all fails, buy gift cards.

Pinterest: The good, the bad, and the ugly

This pretty much sums it up

Last year I discovered Pinterest thanks to my friend, Ingrid.  She sent me an invite, since that is how the site works, and I was hooked.  I now am the proud owner of two Pinterest accounts:  my personal account and my landscape account.  Of course there is some overlap since I stole some of my landscape pins from my original account for the landscape account, but I've kept all the kid stuff and recipes out of my "professional" account.  Feel free to follow me!

Personal Account: http://pinterest.com/krafty713/

Seabrook LA Account: https://pinterest.com/seabrookla/

While I love, love, love Pinterest to come up with ideas for what to cook for dinner, garden ideas or clever decorating advice I will say there is a dark side to Pinterest.  Despite the beautiful photos and the fact that a pin has been shared or liked by 1000's of people sometimes the advice or recipe is no good.  There are some very entertaining blogs about Pinterest failures Pinterest Fail or Pinstrosity.  Yep, this is the truth and the truth is hilarious.  Perhaps it is poor technique or maybe the instructions aren't as clear as they should be, but sometimes that which looks so awesome turns out just awful.  

My Pinterest Failures

See, even the OP doesn't look happy

I've had a few Pinterest fails myself.  I saw this pin for do-it-yourself biore pore strips that consisted of smearing your face with a mixture of gelatin and warm milk.  The original poster said that since it makes so much you might as well just smear it all over your face. I figured, why not!  You know those baby fine hairs we women have all over our face?   Well, after pulling my homemade biore mask off my face I now have way fewer of those hairs.  And this stuff does not come off easily.  Never again!  

There are a lot of recipes that I have tried on Pinterest and while many have been very good (see below) some have been inedible.  When they tell you that you can make a muffin in your microwave using oatmeal, eggs and blueberries, don't believe it.  You can certainly put these ingredients together and cook them in the microwave, but you don't get a muffin, you get a blueberry brick.  

My Pinterest Successes!

For starters I have found a ton of recipes that I love which have led me to a bunch of great blogs.  This lasagna recipe is so great, fresh and easy.  Even my husband who feels a meal is not a meal without meat loves this lasagna: Here is the link:  Little Lasagnas

Here are a few other recipes I really like: 

Easiest Salmon Ever: Broiled Salmon with Marmalade-Dijon Glaze

Make your own Ricotta cheese.  I swear it is so easy: How to make fresh ricotta

Easiest Chicken and Dumplings ever: Chicken and Dumplings 

Young House Love

I've even attempted a pretty challenging craft project of making a lamp shade out of clothes pins for my laundry room. This is originally from Young House Love and if you have never read their blog before they have a ton of great home improvement ideas and ways to save as you do it.  We call all use that sort of inspiration!  Here is their version>>>>>>> 

My version

<<<<<<And here is mine.  Ok, so some of the clothespins are a little crooked, but considering it lives in the laundry room, I am quite happy with the result.  

Snacks!

Because I am a lazy mom I liked this idea from Real Simple that I found on Pinterest.  It says you should group healthy snacks together in your fridge at kid level so that your kids can grab a healthy snack whenever they want.  My snack container isn't as organized as this, but I do keep it stocked and my 2.5 year old really loves being able to pick something out whenever she wants something.  I just wish I could find a pin that tells me how to actually get her to eat the food once she has pulled it out of the fridge.  If I find one more string cheese stick with only one bite taken out of it I'm going to scream.  

There is a lot to love about Pinterest.  It is amazing to see just how creative people can be.  I love that I am finding new recipes, ideas on how to entertain my toddler, great organizing ideas, and endless inspiration for my home and garden.  And the best part, for me, is that I am doing all of this electronically as opposed to tearing out pages from magazines and then having to store those somewhere (which I still do as well).  If you are not already on Pinterest, I encourage you to get started.  Happy pinning!

Need to relax? Take an electronic time-out in your garden

As I write this particular blog entry on my computer I find that I am as guilty as anyone of spending too much time plugged in.  If I leave my house without my phone I feel anxious. If I lose my internet connection then surely I am missing out on something.  If my power goes out I am completely lost.  But most of the time I feel overwhelmed with calls and e-mails and other distractions.  And when do I actually feel calm?  When I am outside weeding or planting something.  No TV, no computer, no cell phone (well, the cell phone is a few feet away, but I'm not checking Facebook or e-mails with my dirty hands).  

Check out this article about digital overload: Avoid the Dangers of Digital Overload

Perhaps we all need to get away from all that electronic junk for a little while.  Here are a few things you can do to get you out in the garden:

1. Weed-Even a few minutes of weeding is progress
2. Plant some annuals to add seasonal color for an instant pick-me up in the garden
3. Plant and tend to an herb garden-I usually plant these in containers for easy maintenance
4. Prune something- Roses, small trees, shrubs and flowering plants can all use a haircut here and there.
5. Fertilize-Plants need the occasional dose of nutrients too.  Spend a few minutes applying fertilizer for more vigorous growth and more blooms.  
6. Experiment-Plant something new and see if it will grow
7. Plant bulbs that will bloom in spring 
8. Rake leaves-boring, but it needs to be done
9. Mulch-this can be a lot of work, but fresh mulch keeps weeds away, so that is one less chore
10. Replace sodded areas with groundcovers or other plants in order to reduce the amount of water your garden requires.  Just think, you can get a whole new look and save money.  Now that it calming!

Spending time in your garden can help enhance your life.  Nature is always bringing you something new to see.  By planting a garden you can see your efforts grow and change, attract wildlife, produce fruit, vegetables, or flowers. Sometimes something you plant will not thrive or perhaps it may die, but that offers a lesson as well.  

Gardening is beneficial to your mental heath.  You can read more about those benefits here: 4-mental-health-benefits-gardening

Working in the garden may make your back hurt, but it will also make you stronger.  You can work at whatever pace makes you comfortable and you can always hire someone or enlist a friend to help do the big work if necessary.  So take a few minutes and head outside.  I swear you won't miss anything; that is why we have voicemail, e-mail and DVR's.  

Curb-appeal: 17 tips to prepare your home and sell it faster

Last weekend I was reading the paper and stumbled upon an article that talked about keywords in real estate listings and which words related to houses that sold faster and which words related to houses that took a longer time to sell.  Here are those words:

Words That Resulted in a Faster Sale

• Curb Appeal
• Move-in Condition
• Landscaping
• Granite
• Gourmet
• Golf
• Must See

Words that Slow Down a Sale

• Motivated Seller
• Good Value
• As-is

While 

This was my ugly house in Portland without curb appeal

many of these words do relate to the interior of the home, curb appeal and landscaping are all about the exterior of the home. Your home may be a showplace on the inside, but how will your potential buyers feel if they drive up to your home and see an overgrown or tired landscape.  Your yard is an extension of your home.  Think of the exterior of your home as bonus square footage, especially if you live in a location where the weather is mild and outdoor spaces can be used for much of the year.  

If you are thinking about selling your home I recommend you take the following steps to assess the exterior condition and landscape and make it more appealing to potential buyers.

Front Exterior Assessment

Much better after the reno, don't you think?

1. Drive up to your house just like a potential buyer would drive up.  This may mean you park on the street and approach from this location.
2. Walk up to your front door.  Is the walk in good condition?  Is your front porch tidy? Look up. Are there any cobwebs that need to be cleared away?    
3. Are there any trees or shrubs that are blocking the view to your front entry?  If so you need to start trimming.  The buyer needs to be able to have a clear view of the front door as it makes the home look more approachable. 
4. How does your lawn look?  Make sure you keep it properly mowed and edged as long as that for sale sign is in your yard.  If you have bare spots, fill them.  If you have weeds, call in a lawn service to treat the yard.  This usually costs less that $50 and is well worth it.  
5. Are those windows clean?  We all hate to wash windows, but the home will sparkle from the outside and be brighter on the inside if you wash the windows. 
6. When is the last time you mulched your planting beds?  Mulch cleans up planting beds making them look fresh and they keep weeds out which saves you from having to pull them.
7. Is the paint in good condition on your home?  Is the trim around your door freshly painted and clean? If not, break out the paintbrush.  
8. When was the last time you selected the color palette for your home's exterior?  If it has been more than ten years the colors may be dating your home and this could turn off potential buyers.  A quick update to trim and shutters could be all that is needed to make you home appealing to today's buyer.
9. Does you front porch light work?  I know you think buyers only look during the day, but they drive by at night too.  Make sure your porch light is in good working order and turn it on so your home glows at night.  (Bonus tip: Clean the glass on your porch light too).  
10. Finally, go inside your home and look out the windows.  Do you like what you see?  If you don't, do what you can to make it acceptable.  This may mean trimming limbs from trees, adding some screening plants to hide the view of your neighbor's garbage cans or adding a few more plants to add visual interest. 

Back Yard Assessment

In front of our sold sign.  

1. Take a look at your lawn furniture.  Is it clean and fresh looking?  Does it fit well in the space or does it make the space look cluttered or too small?  If your outdoor furniture isn't in good shape or makes your patio/deck look small or cluttered place it in your garage or remove extra furniture; after all the furniture does not come with the home.
2. How many pots do you have on your patio? You want to make sure that any garden containers are in the right scale to your deck/patio and that they are full of healthy vegetation.  If you have too many pots or pots with dead material, you need to move these into the garage as well.  Clutter does not sell a house.
3. Do you have dogs?  If so make sure you are cleaning up after them.  Nothing turns a potential buyer off faster than a shoe full of poo.  
4. Is the patio/deck area free of debris.  We all know that trees lose leaves and branches, but while your home is on the market you need to go outside every day or two and sweep off the area.
5. Is your deck or patio in good condition?  You may need to consider repairs or re-staining.
6. Do you have a pool or any other water feature?  Make sure both are clean and in working order.  Also, remove and put away any pool toys.  It just adds clutter.
7. Do you have kids that have a million outdoor toys?  I do too.  Try to contain these toys as best as possible to one area. And if you have a old swing-set or trampoline that is no longer in good use, place an ad on Craigslist and get it out of your yard.  

I hope this helps any of you who are thinking about selling your home or have a home that has been on the market for a while.  If you do not feel comfortable about doing an assessment on your own, talk to your realtor and/or call a landscape architect for a consultation.  Most residential designers, like myself, would be happy to help you get your house ready to sell.  

The Landscape Show

Minion topiary! 

The FNGLA Landscape Show was in town this past week and Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the expo.  There was a ton to see, but I guess I was so busy looking that I didn't bother to take very many photos.  Once I decided that taking photos would be a good idea, my feet were too tired to walk all the way back to the beginning.  Anyway, here are a few photos of some of the beautiful plants I saw:

Medinilla Magnifica

The plant above appeared to be the star of the show.  Everyone was taking photos of this thing.  This is when I got the idea I too should be taking photos.  This photo doesn't really do this plant justice, but it is so exotic and the blooms were just gorgeous.  Now if I can just find a spot in my garden.....

Pretty display using old windows and tropical plants

So you think your tree may be dying; what you should know

Branch has broken away at the trunk

Yesterday morning I looked outside and noticed something strange over at my neighbor's house.  Apparently a large branch from his Laurel Oak had decided to break away from the rest of the tree. As of today the large branch is still hanging there as I am assuming that they will need to hire someone to remove the branch and perhaps the tree.  So this got me thinking; is it time for this tree to go or can they simply remove the branch and move on?   

So how do you know when it is time to remove a tree?    Sometimes it is hard to say goodbye to an old tree.  Some of us see a big tree as part of the family.  We value these trees for their beauty and appreciate them for shading our homes during the hot summer months.  But like all living things, trees die. Here are a few ways you can tell if the time has come:

• Your tree has lost a large percentage of its canopy.  If you have a storm and your tree loses a bunch of limbs, it may be stressed beyond repair
• If it has lost all of its leaves (and it is not the time of year for the tree to be without leaves) or if the leaves are all brown when they should be green, then your tree has died.  It is time for you to have it removed
• Large limbs are falling off for no apparent reason.  This usually indicates there is something wrong from the inside and the tree is no longer strong enough to hold on to these branches. 
• There has been a storm and now your tree is leaning towards your home.  This can mean that some of the roots have been damaged and if so the tree could die and fall on your home.  Better the tree go than you.
• Consult an arborist.  Most tree companies have arborists on staff and they can help you determine if the tree can be saved, and if so, what treatment is necessary.  If the tree cannot be saved they will let you know that as well. 

Four Quick and Easy Landscape Projects for Fall

Halloween-Disney Style

Last week I went with my family to Disney World to attend Mickey's Not-So-Spooky Halloween Party.  When we got there I noticed that the park had been enhanced with Halloween themed elements such as Mickey pumpkins and displays of autumnal foliage.

Now most of us do not have access to the manpower or money that Disney has to change out our homes seasonally, but there are small changes that we can all make to keep our landscapes looking fresh and seasonally appropriate.  Here are a few suggestions for fall that should take about an hour to complete.

So simple and just right for fall

                                                    





1-Pumpkins: Head to the grocery store and pick up some of those pumpkins they have on sale in the big bins. Place a grouping of pumpkins out next to your front door.  Uncarved pumpkins can last for weeks, and if you like, you can use the same pumpkins for your Halloween Jack-o-lanterns.

Elegant look that cannot be any easier.  

2-Mums:  Here's another no-planting-required upgrade. While you are at the grocery store pick up a couple of mums.  You can use these to place in a planter next to your door or just place them wherever you like.  Keep in mind that mums don't re-bloom (or they never have for me) so buy one that is about to bloom and toss them when the blooms are spent.  If I buy mums I typically buy a set a few days before Halloween and another set right before Thanksgiving (but only if I'm hosting).

Purple fountain grass and pansies

Camellias: Beautiful blooms for fall and winter

Camellia covered path

While I was playing with my daughter in our backyard yesterday evening, I noticed something; a single bloom on my camellia.  It seems a bit early in the season, but it looks like the blooming has begun.

First bloom of the season

My camellias are very large and for all I know may have been planted when the house was built back in the 1950's.  Before we moved in they were the focal point of the backyard, but then my husband had to build a garage and that pretty much blocked the plants.   Growing up in Memphis you didn't see too many camellias as the climate is a bit too cool, so I am thrilled to have my own camellias, even if they are hidden behind the garage.

Bring inside and enjoy!

Camellias are an old-fashioned plant, but they are so beautiful and I wish they were used more.  Camellias bloom in white, pink and red and are often the only thing blooming in the winter.  How nice would it be to go out on a crisp morning, cut a few blooms and place them in a vase for your home or just float a few blooms in a shallow bowl.

Camellia espalier

For those interested in growing your own camellias there are two types of  camellias that are commonly used in the landscape: Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua.  Did you know that tea comes from a camellia?  It comes from the Camellia sinensis (which you don't want to grow).  Camellias can be used in various ways: as an accent shrub, in a mass planting, in a container, as a hedge or espaliered on a wall.  Camellias prefer light shade, but sasanquas can tolerate sun as well.  Camellias are evergreen and have beautiful, glossy leaves which are attractive even when it is not the blooming season.

If you are in the Orlando area you should visit Leu Gardens as they have one of the largest collections of camellias in the US on display with over 200 cultivars. Leu Gardens 

Singapore's Botanic Gardens; Worthy of a royal visit

This week the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge aka Will and Kate traveled to Singapore as part of their tour of Southeast Asia.  One stop on their trip was to the Singapore Botanic Gardens to view an orchid that was named for William's mother, Diana.  An orchid was also named for Will and Kate.

Three years ago I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work in Singapore and I too visited the botanic gardens.  Despite my profession, I have not been to very many botanic gardens, but I will say that it will be hard to top the gardens in Singapore.  With Singapore being so close to the equator the vegetation is lush and exotic. If I recall correctly entrance into the gardens is free, but you must pay a small fee to visit the National Orchid Garden. It is worth your five dollars (which is really more like $3.50 USD) to go see this outstanding exhibit.  

 The gardens were founded in 1859 as a place where the residents of Singapore could go to relax.  In the 1920's the director of the gardens started a program that bred and hybridized orchids.  This research, along with all of the new varieties of orchids produced, became the basis for the orchid industry we know today.  The botanic gardens have also led the way in the greening of Singapore by providing a variety of plant materials to be used in roadside plantings and in Singapore's parks.  In my personal opinion these efforts were successful as every road and Singapore is absolutely beautiful.  

To see more about Will and Kate's trip : William and Kate in Singapore  To read more about Singapore's Botanic Gardens: Singapore Botanic Gardens

In LA they'll trade you 400 trees for a space shuttle

Discovery-April 2010

If you never saw a space shuttle launch then you missed out on a truly unique experience.  The first time I saw the space shuttle hurling towards space was early morning the day after Easter 2010.  I was reluctant to wake up early to see Atlantis take off as I had a new baby and I really needed all the sleep I could get,  yet I mustered up the energy to walk out of my house before the dawn broke to see shuttle take off carrying astronauts into space.  

 

Sleeping through history 

Several months later we went to Cape Canaveral to watch another launch in person.  As the shuttle program was coming to a close, the atmosphere was both festive and a bit depressed.  I was happy that we were able to take our then three month old daughter with us to witness such an event even if she would never remember the experience (but that is why we take photos).  

Atlantis takes off

Today the space shuttle program has ended and the space shuttles have gone to find homes at museums all over the country.  Endeavour, will be going to the California Science Center in Los Angeles.  While I am sure the people of LA will be happy to have the Endeavor on exhibit, it comes with a price.  In order to get Endeavour to the museum, 400 trees along the route to the museum must be cut down so that this oversized load can pass.   You can read more about it here: Tree removal for space shuttle arrival tempers excitement.  

While I commend the city for their plans to replace the removed trees 2:1, the negative effects of removing these large trees will be felt for years, even decades to come as the newer, much smaller trees grow.  I have a feeling that the trees that must be removed provide some of the nicer scenery along the 12 miles of road where the space shuttle must pass.  These same trees shade homes and lower energy bills where money may be limited.  The space shuttle is certainly part of history, but so too are the trees.  As the article states "Taking the massive shuttle apart would have damaged the delicate tiles that acted as heat sensors".  That may be true, but seeing as the Endeavour is retired and will never fly again, I don't see why the integrity of the heat sensors is so important.  It appears to me that the removal of 400 trees that are still thriving and people who live and work along this route should have been given a higher priority.  

Mmmmm...Mojitos

Today is Tuesday, but thanks to Labor Day yesterday it feels a lot like Monday.  On the other hand I know it is Tuesday because it is taco day in my house.  We don't eat tacos every Tuesday, but for some reason we always make tacos on Tuesday.  Although I don't like to drink on a week night (this is mainly a calorie thing for me) I am making an exception today because I want a mojito with my tacos.

I love mojitos, but I often notice that they won't make them for you at bars because they never have any mint.  I have solved this little dilemma at home by growing my own.  As my last post illustrates I have not had the best luck with my kitchen garden, but when it come to herbs, I excel.  In the case of mint it is worth noting that it will spread like a weed (yeah, it's that easy to grow) so I have planted mine in a pot.  Not only does planting it in a pot keep my mint from taking over, but it also keeps my dogs from lifting a leg on it (as they do with the flowers that I would love to cut and bring in, but cannot due to their odor).  For those who have never enjoyed a mojito or have not attempted to make one at home, here is my basic recipe:

Mojito
1-2 springs of mint (by sprig I mean the stem and the leaves, about 3 inches long)
1/2 lime-cut into wedges
1-2oz of rum (light or dark)
2 teaspoons sugar
ice
club soda

In a tall glass place lime wedges, mint (I add the stems too, but you can just use the leaves), sugar and rum.  Muddle with a muddler or crush with a wooden spoon until the lime is juiced and the mint is well bruised.  Add ice to the top of the glass and then fill with club soda.  Stir.  Garnish with some mint (if you like being fancy) and enjoy!

Our Kitchen Gardens: Then and Now

Gardening: A family tradition. My Grandma Brook with her brother in 1940 

As a child I remember my father taking me to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings.  This was a true farmer's market and not the type of urban farmer's market we go to today.  There stood stall after stall of fruits and vegetables.  The backs of trucks were brimming with produce. These were real farmers who sat there chewing tobacco and speaking in thick country accents that I struggled to understand.  You didn't go to buy one or two tomatoes or a pint of blueberries; you purchased a bushel at a time. We would buy Ripley tomatoes or sweet corn in the summer, in the fall we'd go select pumpkins for Halloween.  While I never saw the farms themselves I knew where fruits and veggies came from and it wasn't a can or a jar.  

My dad watering the yard and my little brother c. 1993

At home my dad had a garden that he planted every year.  Every year we had tomatoes, Better Boys being his favorite to grow.  We also grew eggplant, squash, peppers or whatever else he thought might grow.  This was not an elegant garden.  He did eventually fence it off, but that was due to the fact that the dogs kept getting in and eating his tomatoes. Although I wasn't really into gardening at this time (after all I was probably eight years old) I did like to grow strawberries and dad made me my own little patch flanked by miniature rose bushes that I also selected.  I remember not understanding why my strawberries weren't as big as the strawberries we bought at the store and I also remember being so mad when slugs ate the strawberries that I was waiting on patiently to ripen.  

Trial and error:  Happy basil, but no tomatoes

We also grew peaches-that never turned out all that well and got attacked by worms, we had blackberry bushes that I'm pretty sure planted themselves and tore up my hands when I would go pick the fruit.  We had a big plum tree in the back yard that made more plums than anyone would ever want to eat and we experimented with raspberries and blueberries.  Most of the time these plants thrived and we got a decent amount of produce out our (OK, my dad's) efforts.  All of this was done without any irrigation, special planting beds or compost. On the other hand I don't think the garden was all that organic as I remember dad spraying the trees or plants while wearing a mask.  Regardless, the fruits and veggies grew and we ate them. 

It looks like the backyard/kitchen garden is really seeing a revival these days and it is being done with a lot more style than when I was growing up. We are now planting kitchen gardens because we want to grow food, not necessarily because we need to.  In the past people grew their own food or many reasons: the depression,  food shortages during WWII or just plain need.  Now we grow because we want eat organic (without paying Whole Foods prices) or we want a hobby that is rewarding. Many of the newer gardens have beautiful raised beds, rain barrels or a drip irrigation system to provide proper irrigation and a compost heap used to amend the soil.   I love that people want to grow some of their own food.  It will teach you patience and teach your children to appreciate the land and understand the origins of their food.  It can also be a bit show-offish which I suppose is OK, but come on we are talking about farming!  Growing your own food, even on a small scale, is hard and dirty work. I recently became acquainted with Williams-Somoma's Agarian line and it could inspire anyone to pick up trowel and get to planting.  Everything is so beautiful and inviting. It's even made me consider setting up a chicken coop, but I don't think the chickens and the dogs will get along.  If you haven't had a chance to see these products here is the link: williams-sonoma agrarian 

So I say, whatever your motivation, may it be healthier eating or showing off your green thumb I encourage everyone to try a few plants and enjoy the fruits (or veggies) of your labor.  

31st Street Harbor Chicago-Best Playground Ever!

The Roller Slide. Weeeeeee!

While on a recent trip to Chicago we had a few hours to kill before heading to the airport. Once upon a time, my husband and I would have just gone to a bar, but now we have a child. We had already been to two zoos during this trip, including the beautiful and free Lincoln Park Zoo,  in an effort to entertain both our child and ourselves and now we needed to find another family friendly activity that would wear out our highly active two year old.  Not really knowing what to do we decided to just start driving south along Lakeshore Drive as this was the general direction we needed to go to get to Midway Airport.  We saw a playground so we decided to stop.

How do you work this thing?

As soon as my daughter saw the playground she was off and running.  What immediately struck me was the quality of the playground, the unique play equipment and the beautiful setting right on Lake Michigan with views of the skyline.  We simply don't have it this good at home!  I know I should consider myself lucky that we have a large backyard where my child can play anytime, but Chicago has really done right by their residents by providing so many wonderful parks.  The 31st Street Harbor Marina and Park is no exception.  By far the most popular piece of equipment was a slide that instead of being your typical piece of molded plastic was instead a set of rollers.  My daughter loved hearing her voice vibrate as she slid down. What was also different is that the slide was wide enough to accommodate two kids at once.  Double the fun!  There were several other other unique slides as well.  One was your typical plastic slide, except it was very long and formed into a hill so you need not worry about your child falling over the side and cracking open their head.  The other slide was simply two rails in parallel.  Kids drape a leg over each rail and slide down.  This kind of equipment allows a child to experience things in a different way and makes them think about how it should be used as opposed to just going through the usual motions.  I'll be honest, had there not been a ton of kids and adults there I would have been trying out all of this equipment myself.  In addition to the slides there were swings, a rock climbing wall, an area of stacked rocks for climbing (that looked a bit dangerous, but I appreciate this kind of design), and lots of equipment to climb on. Plenty to do for kids of all ages and abilities.  

Can anyone spot the trees that don't quite fit?

While I have only good things to say about the playground itself there was one thing that struck me as odd.  The brightly painted trees.  I know that some designer thought this was a great idea, something different, perhaps a landmark of sorts, but I found that they added little to the area other than making you wonder why they are there. The other thing I really liked about this park is that it is part of a trail system along Lake Michigan. For those of us who like to walk or run it is always nice to have a place to stop or something new to look at as you jog. Apparently, when Chicago failed in their bid for the summer 2016 Olympics they still decided to build this park which would have been where the sailing events would have been held.  The marina contains 1,000 boat slips which I'm sure were needed and provided a significant economic reason for going ahead with the construction of this $130M marina and park.  

Falling asleep in the swing=time to go

After about an hour we decided it was time to leave and of course our child was in tears as she still had more to explore. I agree, there is so much more to explore and I hope to be able to return to Chicago to revisit not only the 31st Street Harbor Park, but perhaps check out some of the Chicago's other parks.  I have yet to be disappointed   

Take that Mosquitoes!

I am popular.  Very popular.  With mosquitoes.  It has been this way since I was a little girl and to this day if you don't want to get bitten then just stand next to me and you will be fine.  When I came across this article on the Garden Design website I thought I needed to share it with all the other popular people out there.  Here's the link:  Mosquito Repellent Plants

Most of these plants are easy to find and easy to grow.  I currently have rosemary and basil growing in my garden.  I planted these mostly for their culinary uses, but if they could possibly repel mosquitoes that is even better!  I will also say, that even though I do have some of these plants in my yard I also still have an overabundance of mosquitoes.  Perhaps I need to conduct a little experiment where I stand next to the rosemary and see if I can walk away ten minutes later without a bite. 

Goodbye August, Hello Planting Time

August in almost any location in the US is the hottest month; Orlando is no exception. The sad thing is that in the rest of the country you get to look forward to cooler fall-like weather, but here in Florida the only thing we get to look forward to is less humidity.  In and of itself this is a huge thing.  As they say, 'It's not the heat, it's the humidity!', and this is so true.  While slightly more comfortable weather is welcome what I really want is a real fall.  I want to wear jeans, boots and sweaters, but instead I will be wearing flip flops and tank tops with those jeans until about November (heck, it was 80 degrees on Christmas Day this past year).

Make sure you enlist help 

The best part about the onset of "fall" means I can get back out into the yard and start planting again.  Fall is the best time of year to plant.  Since most plants do the majority of their growing when the soil is warm, by planting in fall they get to familiarize themselves with their new surroundings before they have to expend any energy.  This compounded by the (slightly) cooler temperatures lessens the chance of transplantation shock and gives your new plants the best chance of thriving.  While you can still plant in the hottest part of the summer (and I have) you end up having put in a lot less effort and worry to keep your plants alive if you plant in the fall.

My plan for this fall is to replace the five or so azaleas that died for no apparent reason, plant a new magnolia outside of the breakfast room window to provide a little privacy from the street (even if my husband insists that no one looks in, though what else do they have to look at) and I want to start the front beds.  In addition to all of this I will also replace the annuals in my beds and replant my containers with fall plants.  There is a lot of work to do and the hardest part will be dragging my husband away from football in order to help me. So I say to everyone: get off that couch, get outside in the beautiful weather and plant something!