October 21, 2013 by Born To Organize

Nature’s Costumes: All Set for Halloween

Our kitties are all set for Halloween. They’ve gone the simple route with their costumes, unlike yours truly who likes to complicate things. I managed to alter a pattern and cut the pieces to my dress this weekend, but with my husband traveling out of the country and my busier-than-usual work schedule, I’m down to the wire. And speaking of wire, our wireless connection went down as soon as he left town. Nothing makes me feel dumber than trying to trouble shoot modems, routers, wireless connections and the like.

I studied theater arts in college, with an emphasis in costume design, so it’s fun to dust off my sewing skills once a year. Halloween is the perfect time of year. So, I’m sticking to the things I do know (sewing and gardening) and through the magic of mobile phones, our internet is finally up and running.

With that wireless business behind me, I’m back to focusing on costumes.

First up, Mouse the Mighty. I know, I know, he’s not even my cat but try telling him that. Here he is sporting his Inspector Clouseau costume.

Inspector Clouseau

My sweet Lindy is taking the softer approach. Here she dons a head full of strawberry plants for that special Strawberry Shortcake look.

Strawberry Shortcake

Slinky Malinki is all dressed in black. She’s emulating the children’s story book of the same name: Slinky Malinki…

Slinky Malinki

Beijing is a teenager, and a tired one at that. She’s sitting out the whole costume thing this year, preferring instead to monitor the treats. She’s a natural.

Beijing, the teenager

What’s in a name:

Mighty Mouse: He’s named by our neighbor’s daughter.
Lindy: She came home from the Humane Society already named. We also call her Lindy-Lu.
Slinky Malinki: Once a stray. We named her after a slinky black cat in a children’s story book of the same name.
Beijing: Also once a stray. My son named her Beijing, because she’s neither white nor orange, but beige.

Halloween Countdown:

Chocolate pumpkin. This tasty morsel was a gift from my Pilates instructor. Yes, I do see the irony in this.

October 18, 2013 by Born To Organize

Tomatoes: Last Call

Tomato Goodness

It’s hard to say goodbye to summer tomatoes. Unless you buy heirlooms or ‘cherries’, the tomatoes in the store are flavorless. I used to think I was having a streak of bad luck, until I read that farmers have spent nearly 70 years perfecting the look of the tomato, at the expense of flavor. They’ve removed the sweet, wonderful taste.

We grow our own every summer and enjoy the harvest for a few months. This year we had plenty of orange cherry tomatoes, a few red heirlooms, one or two orange ones and a ton of Roma’s.

It’s mid-October now, and the plants are looking tired. Today I finally pruned away the dying branches on most of them. I’m still seeing one or two small tomatoes a day, so it’s hard to let them go.

Spent tomato plants

The Roma plant is still going strong, pumping out at least a dozen or so a day. Even the garden pests can’t keep up, so we’ve had plenty for salads and salsa.

If you’re a salsa fan, here is my husband’s quick and easy recipe:

6 – 12 tomatoes (we’re using the Roma)
1/2 sweet or yellow onion
a few ounces of Jalapeno peppers (or to taste)

Combine and blend. Serve with corn tortilla chips or as a garnish.

Halloween Countdown:

Halloween at our house

October 17, 2013 by Born To Organize

A Camera’s Perspective

Capturing moments with a camera allows us to revisit them at our leisure. Cameras record the things we intended, but often reveal surprises too. It happens to me time and again in the garden. While focused on a flower, I later discover a delicate web, a miniscule bug or an interesting play of light.

Found a peanut

Of course when you take as many pictures as I do, the delete key is your friend. How wonderful it is in this digital age to snap hundreds of photos, knowing you don’t have to trek to your local photo processing store a week later, wondering what, if anything, turned out. It’s liberating.

I was so focused on photographing these California Poppies, that I failed to notice the pretty yellow and purple wildflowers growing in the mix.

Are pictures integral to your blog? Do you write first, then add photos later? Or do you write a story around the photos you have? Since most of my readers are also bloggers, I’m interested in hearing about your approach. If you’re a non-blogging reader, what draws you in? Please join the conversation, below.

Polka dot plant sports a tiny web

Halloween Countdown:

This stylish pumpkin takes re-fashion to a whole new level. Check out her ‘sixy’ mouth and her inquisitive nose. New this year, mismatched eyelashes. The sexy mole is also back. Finally, if you aren’t wearing trash on your head, you’ll have missed the biggest trend of all.

October 16, 2013 by Born To Organize

Hummingbird Songs

Hummer in the orange tree

It’s hard to beat this fall weather. Cool mornings warm up to the low 80s F ( C). Autumn leaves drop slowly around here, but drop they do. The neighborhood maples have a dusting of gold along the top. I’ve seen a few of their leaves carried down by the breeze.

Hummingbirds migrate south this time of year, though it’s never clear to me if the hummers in our neighborhood stay put, or if our birds move even further south, while their northern counterparts fly here. It’s a mystery, but a pleasant one. I don’t feel compelled to solve it.

We keep our feeders going year round and I’ve heard that they help the migratory birds passing through. Our Salvia remains in full bloom and should flower for another month. The hummers are big fans. We like to do our part to help our tiny visitors on their way.

This gorgeous fellow rested in our orange tree this afternoon. He seemed happy with the dappled sun on his back. I wonder if hummingbirds can actually drink from an orange or if the skin is too thick?

Sure, I can Google all these answers but for now I’m just writing from the heart. These little hummers make my heart sing.

Looking up

Halloween Countdown:

Birthday pumpkin from a dear friend

October 15, 2013 by Born To Organize

Three Dogs: Clever, Sweet and Knotty

This is Titus. He’s a Doberman Pinscher by breed, but clearly a retriever at heart. I fell in love with him on the trail last week when he ran by carrying…a log!

Titus the Clever

He’s still a puppy, just a month away from his first birthday. According to his companion, Monique, Titus is quite fond of sticks. He carried this one around like a twig amazing all passersby.

Isn’t he clever?

Titus drops his stick

I meet plenty of dogs along the trail, especially when I’m walking with my friend, Karen and her dog, Dylan. Dylan is number one, but it doesn’t hurt to flirt now and again. No worries, Dylan. You’re still the apple of my eye.

Isn’t he sweet?

Dylan the Sweet

Last week I encountered the most unusual dog of all. You might even say he’s knotty. We stood eying each other for quite some time. I even snapped a picture to be sure I wasn’t imaging things. Back home, pictures downloaded, there he was clear as day.

Isn’t he knotty?

Knotty Dog?

Never a dull moment on the Almaden Quicksilver trail. That place has gone to the dogs.

Halloween Countdown:

Blog Love: A beautiful piece of embroidery from the talented Marlene Herself at In Search of it All.

October 14, 2013 by Born To Organize

It Takes a Village: Wee Little Carrots Under Wraps

Baby Carrot

If you’ve been reading along, you’ll know of my recent garden misstep: failing to thin carrots. I’ve always thinned the plants I grow from seed, but incorrectly assumed that the starter plants were pre-thinned. (They weren’t).

I’ve been getting wonderful advice (from The Contented Crafter)…

Oh dear Alys! Carrots need thinning, Boomdee was right. If you are concerned about the size of them [and you can always check with another dead of night forage] I wonder if you might suggest to the tiny gardeners that the garden fairy has whispered in your ear that the carrots need a little longer to grow a bit bigger …. … Whatever the outcome I’m confident that provided the tiny gardeners get to eat a carrot, no matter what size, it will have been a successful introduction. Can’t wait to hear how it goes :-)

moral support (from LB)…

I look forward to hearing about the tiny gardeners and their excitement over the harvest! (good thing it was Boomdee there and not me; I had no idea that carrots needed to be thinned)

and a fit of giggles from Boomdeeadda:

As for the carrots…..I only know that ONE thing about vegetable gardens because I grew a whole row of mutants and misfits myself, LOL.

Attention Gardening Nirvana readers: Boomdee knows basically nada about vegetable gardens!!! LOL.

I planted abundantly to ensure wee gardener success, so it was safe to unearth one of the plants when the coast was clear. Sure enough I uncovered half a dozen tiny carrots, clustered snugly together. They looked cozy, like a litter of tiny kittens intertwined. Carrots and kittens eventually grow up, though, and need their own space.

I quickly divided the plants, replanting within minutes hoping they wouldn’t mind the brief interruption. I patted the earth and walked away. Nothing to see folks, nothing to see.

By day two, carrot greens rested on the soil. I refused to give up hope. Day three, still on the droopy side. It’s now been a week and no real sign of recovery. So…

Today I decided to leave the rest of the carrots undisturbed. I’ll let them grow for one more week (it’s a 50 – 70 day crop). Then the wee gardeners can harvest and take home tiny carrots to share with their family.

One of the best parts of documenting your garden in a blog: lessons learned for next year. Thanks for supporting me on the journey.

Halloween Countdown:

Purple monkey on a pumpkin (This sweet little monkey was a birthday gift from my talented friend, Laura. She dyed him this color, then added all the beautiful details. Isn’t he cute). Dharma Trading Co.

October 11, 2013 by Born To Organize

Fairy Garden Additions and The Great White Terror

Good thing I took photos when I did. As soon as I turned my back, a neighborhood squirrel dug a hole in the center of the fairy garden. I guess he wanted to put his own mark on the place, casting aside the pistachio walkway and planting a peanut in its place. Rabble rouser! He could have asked first.

I added a small fence and a ladder to the garden, both courtesy of my son’s art project cast-offs.

Spooky fence

This way

When I bent down to take pictures, curiosity overwhelmed the cat. Mouse that is. He’s never far from the action, and the fairy garden is no exception. So, up he went. Good thing the fairies weren’t about. Imagine how frightening.

They must have left in a hurry, as I found a tiny shopping bag at the foot of the stairs. I’ll hang on to it for them. I’m sure they’ll be back to collect once the great white behemoth leaves town.

Shopping for peas

If you’re reading this Friday, I hope you have a terrific weekend. For my friends in the Southern Hemisphere, I’m so happy to know that Spring is under way. Enjoy!

Halloween Countdown:

Pumpkin Mischief Maker

October 10, 2013 by Born To Organize

If Fences Could Talk

We’re finally seeing some fall action here in San Jose, which for us means cloudy skies and temperatures south of 50 F (10C). It also means perfect hiking weather!

Almaden Quicksilver trail view

My walking partner cancelled this week, so I took myself up to the Quicksilver trail for a ninety-minute hike. I love social hikes, but now and again, it’s great to go alone. I’m able to tune in more to the nature around me, to see things that I might have missed.

On my recent hike, I noticed the number of fences running along the trail head and into the hills as I climbed. Wooden fence posts seemed to be re-joining the landscape. Once tall trees, whittled into fence posts, forgot all about formalities. They were gradually returning to a natural state.

Like the understudy in a play waiting in the wings, here was their chance to shine. Each fence post took on shape and character, gathering moss, lichen and weathered decay. Fences meant to keep trespassers out quietly invited small guests in. Signs of a woodpecker, insects and moss were everywhere. I had the sense that if i lingered awhile, those fences would tell me a story. That perhaps I wasn’t alone after all.

If those fences could talk, what do you think they would say?
crossing fence posts fence with barbed wire fence with lichen

Halloween Countdown:

All dressed up: Lacy pumpkin

October 9, 2013 by Born To Organize

Vintage Style Makes You Smile

I feel like Marlo Thomas in That Girl! This charming vintage suitcase, lovingly refashioned and restored into a one-of-a-kind traveling case made its way from Alberta, Canada. As a girl I dreamed of having one of these suitcases. I can barely believe the circumstances that brought both the gift and the giver into my life. If you’re not already following her blog, be sure to take a look. Thank you, Boomdee for pop-popping the suitcase hinges of my world.

Boomdeeadda

As you may know, I have a thing for vintage luggage. A while back, I bought a set of three, ugly, vintage suitcases for $5.00 on Kijiji, an on-line classified site in Canada.

If only the seller could see them now! They’re all renovated with a fab aqua Sunbrella fabric. I also nixed the bland grey exterior with a fresh coat of vanilla. You might have seen my original post here . It was actually one of my most popular posts ever (thank you everyone) !

It’s always fun to incorporate vintage into the craft room. I keep my die cuts and Big Shot in them. All tidy and out of sight.

When I knew I’d be able to celebrate with my dear friend Alys (of Gardening Nirvana) on her birthday, I started thinking, “what can I make?” That’s when I spotted this vintage train case at…

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October 8, 2013 by Born To Organize

Carrot Countdown

If you look to the right (in the sidebar) you’ll see that we only have seven more days till the carrot harvest. I bought cell pack starter plants at the nursery in late August and planted them with the wee ones next door (aka Jassy’s day-care kids).

Cell packs of carrots (bottom, right)

Newly planted carrots (Jassy made each of them a place-holder)

I’ve kept a sharp eye on them in case they faltered. I didn’t want someone’s first gardening experience to be a dud. So…when one of the small plants drooped and then dropped, I sprung into action. In the dead of night (well…late afternoon anyway), I swapped out one of the healthier carrots on the other side of the curb garden. I want each of the tiny gardeners to harvest a carrot of their own.

Healthy carrot tops, seven days till harvest

When Boomdee was here last week, she wondered aloud if we should have thinned them. Hmmmm…I have no idea. I’ve always thinned plants that I planted from seed, but for some reason assumed these were one-carrot-per-cell pack. This morning I scraped away a small amount of soil at the root line, and sure enough, several tiny carrots are growing together.

It’s too late to do much about it now. Chalk it up to another lesson learned at gardening nirvana.

Meanwhile, stay tuned for harvest day. I’m pretty excited.