Category: Nature

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Baby Spiders

Recently I inherited some baby spider plants. I have always wanted spider plants in my house. They are just so unique looking!  At first I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with these gorgeous specimens. I have a green and white striped one and a solid green one.

Then one morning I woke up and while I was enjoying my morning cup of chai tea I spotted the perfect location for these plants to live. My large picture window will be their new homes.

Tomorrow I shall march down to the local hardware store and purchase a couple of plant hangers for the wall. I can then hang one plant up on each end of the window and the mixture and light and shade should be just right. These plants do not like bright sunlight all day.

If they receive this then they have a chance of burning. While I am at the hardware store I will also pick up matching pots. I can’t wait to put this project together. They are going to look fabulous!

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Green Printing

Companies all over the world are jumping on the green bandwagon. Green printing is one of those as well. Printing companies are worried about their impact on the world just like everyone else. This is a really good thing because it is our responsibility to make sure that we preserve our environment for future generations.

There are all kinds of green products and services out there in today’s world. There are cleaning products that are green, as well as, everyday things that we use. Plastic bottles, toilet paper, news paper and many more are made from recycled products. This helps keep a lot of waste out of the land fills. Do your part and recycle too.

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Flower Care

This year was pretty much a disaster as far as my back yard. Usually I would be reaping the rewards of a small backyard garden and giving extra produce to friends, neighbors, family and co workers. Between the weather being crazy and my lack of interest and energy this year, it just didn’t work out.

I did manage to get a few tomato plants that are producing although usually there are plenty of red ones on the vine by now. But they are taking their time in ripening. It is actually a bit better for me because I can only use and give so many tomatoes in the first week of August.

This year’s month August is being call Autumn in August, even some of the bushes and trees are totally confused at to what time of the year it is. There has been several mornings that I have gone outside, the wind is blowing and it’s overcast, that I have witnessed a good amount of leaves on the ground as well a a bunch of leaves being tossed around in the cool breeze.

I think I will back off on some of the food items in the garden next year. A nice break from this yearly chore. I would love to start planting some nicer plants and buses around the yard.

I have all winter to learn what I need to know and do for caring for orchids and all the other beautiful and colorful flowers that I am looking forward to tend to next spring and summer. I can’t wait to start getting all the seeds and flower catalogs that I always find in my mailbox right before the up and coming spring plantings.

In the mean time I’ll be looking around online to do a bit of research which will make all the decisions as an educated consumer.

 

 

 

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No A/C

Now that it has gotten real hot and humid, the air conditioning on my Tahoe has decided to go out. I am not sure how much it will cost to get fixed but I have to get it in the shop to find out.

None of our vehicles right now has working air conditioning and that is a bad deal all the way around. It was 95 degrees today and they say that it is going to be even hotter tomorrow, I have to get the air conditioning fixed in one of our vehicles soon.

Each summer we hear stories about people leaving their kids or their pets in their cars during the extreme heat. It breaks my heart. I don’t understand why anyone would think that this would be acceptable. I think that those who are found guilty of this type of behavior should be punished in the same manner as the victim was treated.

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Animal Voiceovers

I couldn’t stop laughing at this. I have always loved watching nature videos but when you add a human context to them it makes it ten times more enjoyable! I guarantee that anyone watching this will laugh at some point. If they don’t then they must not have any sense of humor. The large white birds laughing are my absolute favorite!

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Am I Old

The biggest question that I have been asked this week is do you feel old now that you have turned 50? The most correct response is YES. I do not really feel any different than I did on Saturday, but when you hit a  milestone in your life you are bound to be a little different, and I guess that makes me feel a little old.

I do not see a huge change in my life at this stage but I am open to all possibilities at this point. Now I have set my sights on the second half of my life and look out world, here comes Abby!

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Diffusers

I love the new Expressions look. I can take the wrappers off of the spray bottles and leave them out, and you can’t really tell right away that it is a spray can. The different user looks really good sitting on the table as opposed to a plug in stuck in the wall. The Starlit Evening fragrance is my favorite for now, but I have so many to try yet.

I am going back to Walmart next week when I do the grocery shopping and see what others I can try. One of the best parts is that it helps significantly with the smell of the dogs when they come in from the outdoors. I am always trying to get rid of the dog smell in the house and this makes it much easier.

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Amazing Artwork

This is just an amazing picture. I can just imagine walking along and then coming across this. It is totally awesome. The dedication to creating such a piece of work that will only be washed away with the next rain is simply astounding. You can tell that the artist has nothing but pure love for his craft. Street art has become incredible.

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More Thoughts On Gardening

So you want to build a pond in your garden? There is a right way and a wrong way to go about it. First you have to pick the area in your yard that you want to build it. In order to do that, you have to know where all of the underground utility pipes are located. Whether it is water, electrical or cable, you don’t want to hit any of them when you start digging. You utility companies will be happy to come out and mark the locations to prevent any mishaps.

Next you want to decide how large you want the pond and make sure it is not near a lot of trees. The leaves will clog it up and make a lot of extra work for you. An average pond is two to three feet deep, unless you plan to put Koi in it, then it will need to be three to four feet deep. Even if you decide against the Koi, it is always best to make sure you have running water to keep the mosquito population down. A simple pond pump will help ensure that the water is always moving. A few gold fish wouldn’t hurt either, as they will eat the mosquito larvae.

Now comes the time to go get your supplies. You can buy either a preformed or flexible liner for your pond. A flexible one allows you to determine the shape and size and are relatively easy to work with. You can build your pond with common garden tools, there is really no need to have heavy machinery, unless it is going to be a really large pond. You will also need sand to spread around before you put down your liner. This prevents tears from happening due to rocks and roots. Just spread it evenly and as thick as you can to be safe.

Make sure you get the rocks you need to line around the outside and to build a waterfall should you decide you want one. Most hardware store will deliver them, so you shouldn’t need a truck. Don’t forget your water plants and decorative plants for around the pond either.

Not everyone has a yard or the space to build a pond. However, do not be discouraged, because you can still have a water garden by using a sealed decorative container. Just put rocks on the bottom and choose what water plants you would like to have. Once again, you will have to do something to prevent mosquito’s, even if it is only a small water garden. They will breed in any standing water. Either the water has to move, or you need gold fish or something to kill the larvae.

A pond can bring a lot of joy to you and your family. They are very calming and soothing to sit next to after a hard day at work. Especially those with the gentle sounds of water flowing over rocks. It is amazing how relaxed you will be when you can enjoy it at the end of the day.

 

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Gardens

Everyone loves a water garden. Whether it is a small one in a pot, or a large one in your yard, people are just fascinated by the ecosystem you can create with water and plants. Not only are they beautiful but they add a serenity to your garden that you will appreciate.

Making your own water garden in a pot is relatively easy and inexpensive. You have to find the proper container or pot first. It must be sturdy enough to hold a lot of water without collapsing or leaking. Glass, copper or galvanized metal are usually the best. Ceramic will work as well, but you want to stay away from terracotta. Terracotta will leak or just plain give out as it is not strong enough.

Next you will need to choose where you want it (making sure it has plenty of sun) and buy your plants and water garden soil and gravel. Make sure to buy a blooming plant as well, because it will make your water garden really look nice. The water in the garden needs to move to keep mosquito’s from breeding as well. You can click here to see water pumps that are available for just that.

If you are doing a large water garden, there are several things you must take into account. First figure out where in your yard it is safe to dig (ie no underground utility pipes) and then decide how large you want the garden to be. Some can actually be built above ground with wood and flexible liners, these are relatively easy to put together.

You can also make a floating garden, within your water garden, by building floating “decks” to plant your regular garden on. Of course you have to make sure they are wired to stay in one place so they wont damage your water plants, but it makes for a two in one garden and is very beautiful and takes up less space in your yard. That is a bonus for those who have small yards. If you build one of those above ground, it can be drained and moved later one, if you ever change residences as well. Double bonus, because after all that hard work in building and maintaining your garden, you really wouldn’t want to leave it behind if you don’t have to.

Choosing the plants in your water garden is very important. You don’t want to over crowd it and it will need “weeding” or “thinning” from time to time.  Make sure to remove any dead leave or flowers as well on a regular basis. If you don’t you will get too much “compost” at the bottom of the water and it will get choked and can clog the pump.

Most of all, enjoy the work as you do it and the rewards will be well worth it. If you plan everything ahead of time and have all of your supplies handy, you will be finished in no time at all. Good Luck !