Times Past but not Forgotten...

Yesterday I came across a blog of an old acquaintance from years ago. She is a wonderful gardener, but more so a Beautiful Artist. Many years ago in Leesburg, Virginia I was blessed to be able to take a class from her. I was in heaven to just sit there in her prescence. Soaking in everything she taught us!! She was just one of those teachers that could explain things so you would understand just how to do what she wanted you to. Even the books she wrote were written in a way you just knew exactly what to do and do it right!!!

But it brought back so many memories of times past! For those of you that only know me on this Blog as a gardener and not a painter, I painted for years. I began at age 12 when I took my first class at the YWCA. It went on from there... I taught painting classes in my home studio to hundreds of students for 27 years. It seems like a life time ago...
So I picked up my camera and started taking pictures of just some of the things I have around the house that my girls insist I put up every year at Christmas I haven't painted in 4 years, I really need to start again.
I guess life has it's way of just taking you in different directions. I miss my students, but have made some wonderful friends over the years. I am working full time now and love my work. I have learned how to do stained glass and of course I am really gardening like crazy. Working in the summer at a Garden Center and volunteering at West Virginia University Greenhouse in the winter. I love to play in the soil and plant my many seeds.

Well I hope you enjoy the pictures..
Just click on image at top of Christmas Stockings...

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~H. Fred Ale

You can tell it is the first of the year almost...
The seed catalogues are coming in the mail everyday!!!
Tom swears he is going to hide them, but I am one step ahead of him. My daughter already ordered lots of seeds and gave them to me for Christmas. She swore she wouldn't get me seeds for Christmas since she got me dirt for Mothers Day!!! But she knows what I like!!! Thank Goodness...So with some of the seeds I have collected from last summer I am ready to start planting. I may just have to start a few next week.. JUST BECAUSE.
The grow light has been going since fall with lots of things I propagated to save for this summer.
I just can't wait to set up the portable greenhouses and start some planting. But that is another 8 weeks away at least. The Profusion Zinnias are waiting...

The Butterfly Weed is waiting...

Now I have a new Christmas Present to read, and it is a good one too! I'm going to make my own Hummingbird feeders and maybe even a few Orchard Bee houses.

As I have always said "Spring can't come too soon for me"...

This book came from a collection

of beautiful spring things

at Cracker Barrel...

Have a Good One,

Lynn

PS see the little thing below this that says Coments???

Say hi so I know who has been here.....

Merry Christmas too all.....

The Poinsettia are still alive contrary to all belief that I can't do this.. But I am determined to keep them alive this year...Tis the season... Just a little under an hour til the big day.

Am I ready??? Well as ready as I'm going to be. Most of the food is cooked,Cakes are baked,the annual Onion bread is ready!! Everyone has their own traditions. Ours is dinner here on Christmas day, and it is not dinner without that bread.. When I was 19-20 and first married I found a recipe book and thought I would try my hand at baking bread. We liked it so much we have been making this every year since...

It is Onion Filled Braided Loaf....

This is a new recipe this year... One that anyone can make. Just pick your favorite cake recipe or cake mix. Then make a bunt cake...

Top with butter frosting add a little more milk so it is just a little thinner, this was it will pour right over the sided...

Sprinkle with clear sprinkles to look like show. Make snow flakes out of white chocolate, Just melt and put in a baggie and cut tip off . Make on a piece of waxed paper. Let set and add to cake. They will stick to frosting...

Just a cute way to decorate that plain cake!
The Tables are set and ready to go...

Now it is time for bed, SANTA WILL BE HERE SOON...

Have a Very Merry Christmas...

Lynn

Poinsettias-Poinsettias-Poinsettias...

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~Burton Hillis

This Is Beautiful...

What a beautiful day at the greenhouse at WVU... It was cold and snowy outside and toasty warm inside...

I remember the day the little Poinsettia plugs came in, they were so small...

Now they are big and beautiful and in full color...

In fact all different colors! Thirty different Varieties...

There is a lot of work that go into those tiny plants that came in last July,before they are ready to sell for the Christmas season. But those who take care of them on a daily basis are wonderful, and also patient...

But while I was there for just 4 hours they made lots of sales to many that were in the Christmas Spirit... Getting ready for parties and the Holidays with family and friends . Some buying for friends and family, just glad they had stopped by to see all the varieties of the beautiful flower.

Here is a little video telling you how to care for your plant and how to get them to flower next year...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChCN2dm2DCQ

They have so many beautiful cultivars of this wonderful Plant!!!
This one was one of my favorites.

If you haven't stopped by to get a few of these beauties now it the time!!! Check out your nearest greenhouse...

While I was there I got a surprise!!! One of the Bonsai Trees were in full bloom. It was the Jade Bonsai. I don't think I have ever seen a Jade plant in bloom. I just wanted to take lots of pictures. I am always amazed at what I will find at the greenhouse each time I go. I had no idea 4 weeks ago this plant would be in full bloom...

WOW!!!

This is why I enjoy going to the greenhouse so much. I get to see all the blooming flowers all year long. For those who know me I am not a WINTER PERSON... Anything but... I hate to be cold and I hate to be inside. So you don't see me outside much in this cold weather. But I make up for that with my many inside winter projects... This winter it will be a one hundred year old couch I am going to refinish and reupholster.. I can't wait til spring is here!!! I'm ready to plant some seeds.

Well it is time to go back and decorate a little more. I will try to post at least once a week for the next few weeks. I do need to do some shopping since I only have a few gifts ready!

Have a Good One,

Lynn

Wild Wonderful West Virginia...

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. ~John Muir

The Beauty of

West Virginia... First I'm sorry I haven't written in so long... Between me being sick and my mother being in the hospital things have just been crazy. But we made it through the holiday and everyone did just wonderful...

Thanks to a husband being gone for almost a week... I got a lot done!!!

Why is it we can get so much done when there is no one home to get in the way... Not that he is in the way, but when he isn't here I can clean or run the sweeper and not interrupt the TV show he is watching or a business phone call and I can even eat cereal for dinner if I want and nobody cares!!!

When he left we already knew it was snowing in the mountains. We just had no idea how much.

When he showed up at camp the other guys that had been there for a few days, were surprised he even made it there....

The snow was beautiful, but it is hard to walk that mountain with snow up to your knees. Not to mention how hard it is to drag a deer out of the woods. They only drug 2 out, and looked for another, one of the guys shot but they never found it.

He got there on Saturday and on Monday it rained, sleeted, and finally snowed again... So he was Tired...Wet...and Cold...

Really Cold ! It got down in the low teens that night and stayed there..

He came home with lots of pictures, but not a deer. He just didn't want to drag it out of the woods in all that snow. I can't much blame him. He can get one right here and it is a lot warmer and won't have to drag it far!!!

Just visiting, but not an antler in the bunch...

Now I'm going to show you the Natural Beauty of the West Virginia Mountains...

This Turkey got lucky this Thanksgiving... LOL
Trying to clean the cars to go make a phone call... on a pay phone.. No cell service in these mountains....

Well everyone is home now and we aren't expecting any snow here until Sunday. I'm sure it won't be snow like this but a little will be nice.

Have A Good One...

Lynn

Kindergarten.....

I have decided that Kindergarten is not the place for adults...

There are 22 beautiful 5 year old children in the class that I am in...

This is the first time in along time I have been in a Kindergarten Class!

I have found out they LOVE TO SHARE!!!

ALL OF THEIR GERMS, LOTS OF THEM!!!

I have been sick since Sept. and I am sick and tired of being SICK AND TIRED!!!

I missed 2 more days of school this week, with another sinus infection and double ear infections, the Dr. says I'm just on the verge of pneumonia. It was a good thing I got there when I did...

Of course I am on another round of antibiotics the third since Sept 9th. She even gave me a refill on this one.

Since my mom just got out of the hospital with pneumonia, I am staying away from her, but I'm still cooking for them and calling everyday...

I have so much to do in my house, and no energy to do it. The holidays will be here before we know it ! SO I WILL GET BETTER, "COME HELL OR HIGH WATER" (as my father would say- LOL)

"So I will dream of Summer Days and beautiful Flowers"

I hope to post something interesting in a few days. So have a good weekend and I'll see you later!

Lynn

Wordless Wednesday.... KEEGAN

MIA

CLAUDIA

My biggest babies...

Have a Good One...

Lynn

Catching a few sales....

"How silently they tumble down

And come to rest upon the ground

To lay a carpet, rich and rare,

Beneath the trees without a care,

Content to sleep, their work well done,

Colors gleaming in the sun.
At other times, they wildly fly

Until they nearly reach the sky.

Twisting, turning through the air

Till all the trees stand stark and bare.

Exhausted, drop to earth below

To wait, like children, for the snow."

- Elsie N. Brady, Leaves

What a great time to catch some sales on Garden "STUFF"

Yesterday while I was out shopping I found some great Hummingbird feeders.

On sale of course. I was so excited, I had decided, after seeing some beautiful hummers this summer at a friends, that is what I wanted next summer. There were so many Hummingbirds there, I just couldn't believe it!!! Flying everywhere, they could care less that we were sitting right beside their feeders. Whipping in and out so quickly.

The feeders I found are blown glass globes that glow in the dark. I think they will be beautiful hanging in the flower beds. I just wish I could put them out right now. But as quickly as fall has come, spring will be here before we know it.

Check out this site it shows the nest of the Hummingbird and those tiny babies: http://community-2.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM/

Have a good one,

Lynn

Some beautiful Black & Whites

My daughter Colleen took some beautiful pictures she turned into Black & White. I thought I would share a few with you...

Some she took in WV and some she took in Hatteras...

Some cool pictures I think...

Have a Good One,

Lynn

Quiet Weekend.... Thank God

It has been a quiet weekend so far...
A day to sleep in a little, got to have a nice breakfast with the hubby.
Than a little greatly needed cleaning. It was a beautiful day outside, but I made myself stay inside and get something done. The outside is put to bed for the winter !! Even the Vegetable garden. Now is the time to get things done inside before all the holidays. Thanksgiving will be here before we know it, and we will be decorating for Xmas... I am not ready for that. I didn't even get anything out for Halloween...
That is why I added the Christmas Countdown to the blog....
Maybe now I will be aware of the time we have left til Xmas !!!
This weekend is all about Xmas Open Houses around town. I hope I get out to some of them. It really gets you in the spirit of the holidays!!!

Here is a picture of one of the floral arrangements the WVU students put together for Parents Weekend. All of the arrangements were just beautiful, and so unique!!! I had a wonderful time working at the Greenhouse that weekend...



Have a good one,
Lynn

Update

Mom is doing lots better, She is home from the hospital, on oxygen and meds. Her breathing is getting better. she is along way from being on the arobics floor,but I'm sure she will be back as soon as she can... She is loving all the cards and phone calls, she just gives me that big smile as she tells me who she got cards from today!!! THANKS!!!

Have a great Halloween !!! More later...

Moms 80th Birthday when she got her new dog!!! "Blondie"

Have a good one,

Lynn

Not much to report !

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. ~Adabella Radici



My mother has been the hospital for a week with pneumonia. She is 82 going on 62... This is the first time she has been in the hospital since she was 21. She is not happy to be there but she realizes she has to be there. A few more days and I think she will get to come home... Please say a prayer for her... and me when she gets home... LOL


We had some little snow flurries today ... I HATE SNOW AND I HATE TO BE COLD!!!


The yard and flower beds are put to bed for the winter. So I will have to rely on the greenhouse for my flower FIX...

Have a good one,

Lynn

A fun day at the WVU Greenhouse !!!

Gardens... should be like lovely, well-shaped girls: all curves, secret corners, unexpected deviations, seductive surprises and then still more curves. ~H.E. Bates, A Love of Flowers



On my way to Morgantown the leaves were beautiful, I just had to snap a few shots...
Now with all the frost this week the leaves are almost gone. I'm glad I got to see them at their best ! The mums were wonderful in front of the Creative Arts Center, all different colors of fall on such a beautiful morning...

As I pulled up in front of the Greenhouse I thought of the pointsetta's that I remember the day the little plugs came UPS. They were so tiny and just a few weeks ago they had gotten so much bigger and were well on their to blooming. In just a little over a month they will have the big sale and I'm quite sure they will be beautiful...

Here they are still pretty green but they will be slowly changing that beautiful Red!!!

I will try to send some more Greenhouse Pictures in a few days...

Have a Great One,

Lynn

WHERE TO PUT ALL OF THIS STUFF???

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.~George Cooper, "October's Party"


Yesterday was a day of ...OK WHERE TO PUT ALL OF THIS STUFF???
It was the first day of hunting season so I had the weekend all to myself. Life is good...
It is a beautiful weekend to work and get some things off my dinning room table and under the lights in the basement. Only one problem ... That table was full of things that needed cleared off. So I had to start inside. But here are some of my little starts in their new home for the winter...
I sure hope they make it through the winter.

Now I have my dinning room table back. Of course I still have a few things to take to school for the windows there...

Then to the outside for some more seed searching.. Profusion Zinnias are full of seeds right now.

BUT which ones are the seeds. I have always saved the little seed at the end of the petal. Right that is it... Isn't It??? So what are these??? While picking off the blooms I discovered all of the seed looking things inside the center of each flower. Of course I went straight to my Dave's Garden experts. (http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/)Posted the pictures and found the answer...What a place I love it, there is always someone that knows just exactly what you need to know...

They are both seeds. But how much easier to collect them from the center. I just hadn't waited

long enough for the centers to dry out... I learn something every time I go into the garden... There is just so much to learn!!! I did find a little something still trying to hold onto it's bloom... The lobillia is still really spectacular. I think that is why I plant it each year. That great color lasts forever...

Have a Good One..

Lynn

Thrifty Gardening...

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

If you haven't already thought about it, now is the time to gather all your seeds for next year. Almost everything is going to seed. Just start looking at all those plants that are starting to put out those hundreds of seeds. Why buy all those Marigolds again next year when you have thousands of seeds sitting right there. They are one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed. Your kids will really enjoy growing a few for themselves...

Look at all those impatiens that are still holding on. You will be amazed at the amount of seeds they put on.

See that little green pod...

Yep that's the one, it is almost ready to pop with seeds.

When it is ready , put one hand under it and pop it.

Be careful seeds will go everywhere...
The Nigella you can just save the seed or put them where you want them for next year right how. Just drop them on top the soil and you will see them start to come up in the very early spring.
Look inside you will find all the seeds you need for next year...

All those little cuttings you can take to propagate for next year. I have cut back all the Geranium's and dipped in rooting hormone and have them potted up and ready to come inside for the winter. Just keep them pinched back and water a little add a little sun and you will have plenty to start off the summer...

Lantana, Heliotrope, Begonias, Strawberry Begonias, Bridal Vail, Sweet Potato Vine, Coleus and so many more can be over wintered, just a couple cuttings off of each and you will be amazed at what you have saved in the spring....

Don't forget in the spring visit all your garden friends early, there isn't a gardener I know that doesn't love to give things away in the spring. There are always new things coming up that we will either have to dig up and give away or they will go to the compost pile if you can't find a home for them. I know I would much rather share then see them go to compost!!!

Remember check to see what time of the year you can divide the things that are big enough to divide. Some you can divide now, if you are going to divide things in the spring make sure you do it early so you won't bother their blooming time...

I hope some of this has helped you...

Try a few of those seeds you will be amazed at what you can grow at home and save yourself some money this spring by do it!!!

The Monarch Butterfly....

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." ~Hans Christian Anderson


My Monarch Butterfly was a success with our Kindergarten Class. I found another Caterpillar (Katie the Caterpillar) on my Butterfly Weed, took it to school in a nice big jar...

Of course we didn't catch it tuning into a cocoon,(Cris the Chrysalis) but the kids thought it was cool...

This picture was taken just before it opened. It was so neat to see those wings so clear. How small they looked...
Until it opened up and they all unfolded in front of us...

We counted down the days til it turned into our beautiful Butterfly..(Betty the Butterfly)

Thank goodness we caught it on video...

So here you go, watch how cute it is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioT3eeoSniM

Now it was time to let her go (her of course because she was so BEAUTIFUL)

She flew up into the tree just high enough that we could see her one more time...

The kids loved it, then she took off one more time making a loop all the way around us and away she went.

It was amazing to watch the whole process and I was so glad to have been able to share it with the kids...

Hope you ENJOYED!!!

Have a good one...

Lynn

Nothing says Fall like a Scarecrow!!!

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn. ~Elizabeth Lawrence

Fall is NOT my favorite time of the year, because I know Winter is not far behind.

I hate it when I have to start cleaning up all the flowerbeds and getting things ready to come inside.

I hate to be Cold so I know I won't be spending much time

outside..

I guess that is why I spend so much time outside in the summer...

I just don't want to come inside in the summer...

I did get to do one of my favorite things this weekend...

I went to the Greenhouse to work on Saturday..

I was so excited... I spent the morning listening to Sue tell me about all kinds of things, she started some coleus topiaries they looked so great, I had just started some at home, I hope mine will do ok in the house this winter.

I got my hands in the soil, I got to water lots of plants and I got to transplant some Coleus. Coleus of all things only one of my favorites. I'm looking forward to going back all winter to help with whatever I can..

Than I came home and got started doing that fall decorating...

If I can't get out there and plant I have to decorate..

I got my "FUNKY FLOWER POTS" back out. I knew I could find something to use them for again

Well here it is...

I went to the garden to pick a few Gourds from the

garden. I think I'm going to have plenty to decorate with...

So things are starting to really look like "FALL"

Have A Good One,

Lynn