September 24, 2012 by Born To Organize

My Beautiful Garden Bench

Our growing collection of pumpkins
(Note the tiny ones at the top. They didn’t turn orange in time, but will make excellent “eye balls” for one of the Jack ‘O Lanterns on Halloween.)

I attended the SummerWinds Nursery fire sale last week, and brought home a beautiful, forged-iron bench. Made in Mexico, it features scroll work along the back and a heart-shaped seat. I’m organized at heart, so it was impossible to resist.

My son was with me at the time, and looked askance at the cold, hard bench. I assured him that I had something else in mind, and it didn’t include seating. Under typical circumstances, I would admire the bench, dream of all the things I could do with it, then move on. It seemed extravagant to buy such a pretty bench as a plant stand.

We walked around the nursery parking lot, looked at what little remained at the fire sale, then worked our way back to the bench. The one-of-a-kind lovely was still there, with a fire sale price of 30% off. Further, 10% of the proceeds would benefit the San Jose Firefighters Burn Foundation. We paid for our purchases and into the car it went.

Coincidentally, we harvested our great pumpkins that same evening, I brought home the perfect seat for our pumpkins. Once harvested and weighed on the Wii Fit, I relocated my beloved coleus to the back porch, creating a place of honor for our great pumpkins. You can view the pumpkins seated on the bench from the street. It will be the perfect place for the Jack O’ Lanterns once carved.

Today we harvested the last five pumpkins, making room for the winter garden. My seeds are calling me. Time to get busy!

Go to the SummerWinds Almaden Nursery Facebook Page for updates on sales and plans to rebuild.

September 23, 2012 by Born To Organize

Boomdeeada: One Lovely Blog Award

If you haven’t stopped by Boomdeeadda, you’re in for a treat. Boomdee’s clever and creative blog covers eclectic topics ranging from animals to vintage. She loves the color aqua and weaves it throughout her posts. I look forward to reading her blog daily. It’s always upbeat, personal and informative.

Among my recent favorites:

Continuing the One Lovely Blog Award Tradition:

Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog in your post.
Share seven things about yourself.
Nominate seven bloggers you admire.
Leave each blogger a comment letting them know they’ve been honored here.

Seven Things

I love dancing. I don’t do it enough.
The spelling of my name Alys dates back to the 1600s.
I love the smell of the earth, the sprout of a seed and the joy of a changing garden.
I never get tired of holding babies.
Things I’ve done in spite of my fears: scuba diving, para-sailing and holding my cat as he slipped away.
I used to cover my short, red, curly hair with my mother’s black slip so I could pretend I was Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet.
I enjoy the sound of a purring cat, fizzy champagne and my husband’s laughter.

Seven Super Bloggers

A Detailed House Blogging about architectural details and design symmetry.
A Nature Mom “Playing outdoors and exploring the wonders of nature…every day.”
As Time Goes…Buy Fashion and fun, all rolled into one.
David Hobson’s Garden Humour “To boldly grow where no man has groan before.”
Pillows-a-la-Mode An education writer who loves to make pillows and crafts in her free time.
The Pyjama Gardner. PJ blogs with humour about her spacious and inspired garden.
Romancing the Bee Making urban beekeeping beautiful.

Thank you, Boomdee. It’s been a joy getting to know you. Thanks to all my readers for making this a special place.

September 18, 2012 by Born To Organize

SummerWinds Nursery Fire Sale Raises Donations for SJFBF

A Happy and Helpful Crew

Summer Winds, a local nursery in the Almaden area of San Jose, burned to the ground a few weeks ago. Formerly the Woolworth Garden Center, the nursery has been in the same spot for 40 years. Since the fire, there has been such an outpouring of support from the community. We’re all very sad at the loss of this nursery, and look forward to its rebirth.

Last Friday they set up shop in front of the former store, a fire sale lasting through the weekend. Large pottery, trees and annuals located outside the garden center survived the flames and were on sale. In addition to selling what remained at a huge discount, 10% of the proceeds went to the San Jose Firefighters Burn Foundation. What an amazing community we have. From there press release:

SummerWinds hosted at our San Jose location a 3 day “Fire Sale” and donation drive for the San Jose Fire Department, Friday through Sunday, September 14 – 16, 2012. Ten percent of the net proceeds from the sale will be donated to the San Jose Firefighters Burn Foundation and the Los Bombers of Northern California Toy Program—resulting in more than $14,000 in donations.

“We truly have the best customers! Their loyalty to SummerWinds and our associates,
combined with their compassion to support the San Jose Fire Department was overwhelming during our Fire Sale,” stated Leo Goria, SummerWinds’ Vice President of Operations. San Jose’s Fire Department had a fire truck on site and fire fighters handed out fire hats to all the children. Customers were helping one another with their carts and purchases, and what could have been grid lock in the parking lot was handled with finesse by SummerWinds’ customers.

Captain Mary Gutierrez of San Jose’s Fire Department expressed her appreciation in
saying, “In a world where so many are struggling, the community of San Jose can feel joy
in that children at the burn center will have some things they need to survive life-changing
injuries. The community can feel pride in that hundreds of families will benefit by receiving toys and food this coming Christmas. San Jose Fire Department can not express the gratitude felt towards the SummerWinds Nursery management and staff that supported two very important fire department community programs that benefit so many children and families in San Jose”.

SummerWinds Nursery Fire Sale

I wasn’t able to shop till late Saturday afternoon, so most of the plants were gone. I did, however, buy a charming garden bench, which will make its debut shortly in a future post.

Additional Resources:

SummerWinds San Jose Facebook Page

San Jose Firefighters Foundation

September 11, 2012 by Born To Organize

9/11 Memorial & Museum

Simplicity Rose

For reasons unclear to me, I’ve avoided more than a superficial look at the 9/11 Memorial. It seems we went from tragedy to fear to bickering about the sites, and then the politics came in to play. At some point, I shut it down.

I didn’t lose a loved one that day, but like millions of others I experienced the collective grief and loss as well as a paradigm shift into a different sense of the world.

As I explored the online guide to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, of particular interest to me were the unique arrangements of the names on the plaques, based on input from family and friends. They weren’t linear or alphabetical, but meaningfully grouped as friends or coworkers. The site helped me explore lingering grief within myself, an unexplored loss from that terrible day.

It’s hard not to be moved by the gaping holes where life once bustled, serene fountains eerily reflecting the sky and the engraved names, each one a loss so profound for their loved ones; for us all.

If you’ve been avoiding it, like me, I encourage you to take a look.

If you suffered a personal loss that day, my heart goes out to you as you travel that long and painful journey of sorrow and grief.

The Memorial Mission

Remember and honor the thousands of innocent men, women, and children murdered by terrorists in the horrific attacks of February 26, 1993 and September 11, 2001.

Respect this place made sacred through tragic loss.

Recognize the endurance of those who survived, the courage of those who risked their lives to save others, and the compassion of all who supported us in our darkest hours.

May the lives remembered, the deeds recognized, and the spirit reawakened be eternal beacons, which reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom, and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance.

National September 11 Memorial official site.

September 10, 2012 by Born To Organize

SummerWinds Fire Update

An electrical fire destroyed the Almaden Valley SummerWinds Nursery about a week ago. Although firefighters were quickly on the scene, they made the unusual decision to allow the building to burn, given the number of chemical fertilizers and pesticides inside. It was better from an environmental standpoint to avoid contaminated water runoff into a nearby creek.

Fire-Damaged SummerWinds Nursery

Plans to Rebuild

I drove by the site yesterday on my way to a fabric store, and noticed workers outside. Once I got over the ghastly sight of the burned structure, it surprised me to see so many of the outdoor plants and pottery unharmed. I stopped by and spoke to Joey, an employee of SummerWinds, who said they are planning to rebuild, and soon. In preparation for that, they are selling the surviving plants and pottery starting this Friday, September 14th.

Joey C. of SummerWinds

Fire Sale

If you live in the area, and are so inclined, please stop by. You can find regular updates about the nursery, the sale and plans to rebuild by “liking” the SummerWinds San Jose Facebook Page.

Planted at the nursery entrance.I love the resiliency of plants.

Recent updates from SummerWinds website:

September 10, 2012 We’re having a FIRE SALE! – Save the Date! It will start this Friday, September 14th at 9am. Special rules will apply. We’ll get you more details in the next few days.

September 07, 2012 Big News! We will be having a Fire Sale to liquidate all the remaining healthy plants and products. The logistics and permits are all still being worked out. It should happen in the next 2 weeks. We’ll keep you posted! As soon as we hear more… we’ll share.

SummerWinds Plants and Pottery
Fire Sale Starts Friday, 9/14

September 6, 2012 by Born To Organize

Blooming Thursday: Garden Friendships

My friend Liz has been back in the States for several months, but it took her imminent departure for us to finally get together. Our friendship is such that we can simply pick up where we left off, regardless of time passed. Liz is also a gardener I admire and look up to.

Liz has the unique distinction of gardening through one spring and two summers. She spends part of her year in California, the rest in beautiful New Zealand. She taught me and some friends how to felt on one of her trips home. I hope to learn how to eco-dye from her one day, too.

On her visit today, she came bearing gifts…and lunch! So much for my hosting skills. We enjoyed delicious, home-made, vegetarian burritos while sitting on the patio talking shop.

You probably need to be a gardener to fully appreciate the first gift: a bag of worms and worm castings. I feel like a real gardener. I have a worm bin, a kitchen scrap container, and soon my tumbling composter will arrive at my door. I’ll be brewing garden goodness all winter long.

Worm Bin

In addition to worms, I am also the lucky recipient of several eco-dyed pieces, one-of-a kind art made with natural dyes, leaves and flowers. The small pouch is made from reclaimed materials, printed with leaves, dyed, then hand-stitched.

Eco-dyed Pouch

The three pieces pictured below use a similar technique, but with paper. I love the artistry.

Eco-dyed Art Print

Eco-dyed Paper

My dear friend is not a fan of pictures, but she did let me take a closeup of her t-shirt. She bought the shirt at a thrift store, wrapped it around rose leaves, and dipped it in a natural dye. It’s exquisite.