January 1, 2014 by Born To Organize

Garden Retrospective

When you’re a gardener, the start of the year feels more like the beginning of a countdown. Sure, the calendar year starts anew, but the planting calendar is still a ways off. It’s spring I’m pining for.

In case there was any doubt, two seed catalogs arrived in the mail this week; little teasers to get my heart pumping again.

I had fun putting together some of my favorite garden photos of 2013, set to a little rag time music by Terry Waldo called Maple Leaf Rag. It’s nearly impossible not to tap your foot to the beat.

Did you make any resolutions for the year? I’ve never had any success with mine so I don’t bother anymore. I *like* the idea of eating healthier, sleeping more, and remembering to floss. It’s just that promising myself (or the universe) that I’m really going to do it *this year* really doesn’t work.

Here’s what I will do in 2014: more gardening, more blogging, more reading and more laughing.

Do you make resolutions? Do you keep them?

December 23, 2013 by Born To Organize

Retrospective: My Year of Squirrels

As the year winds down, I’ve decided to create a few retrospectives.

Without further ado I present: My Year of Squirrels

Sure, they can drive you nuts while they dig up your bulbs, but their cuteness more than makes up for it.

December 10, 2013 by Born To Organize

Garden Update: Frosty and Dry

Days of unseasonal frost have left my garden looking desolate. I raced past the dying tomato plant on my way to dump kitchen scraps. I upended them into the compost bin, then raced back inside for warmth.

Tomatoes last stand

Still no rain in sight, other than one brief storm last month. The days are cold and dry.

The leaves have been off the Pistache since mid-November, but the maple is just now turning color. It’s nice that they set color at different times. It gives us a chance to enjoy each one.

View from my living room window

Japanese Maple

Somewhat comically, I won’t need to refrigerate my bulbs this year. Generally speaking, California isn’t cold enough so we have to tease the bulbs with a six-week chill. They’re getting plenty of cold in the garage and should be ready to go soon. I’m not ready, but they are.

The hyacinth bulbs are popping up, happy with the autumn chill. When they finally bloom, the smell is potent and intoxicating. I can’t wait. It evokes a happy childhood memory, so I look forward to breathing that in each year.

hyacinth

I’m off to the craft store to buy some ribbon for the finishing touches on a gift. One last seasonal trip to the post office tomorrow.

What’s happening in your corner of the world? I’m behind on my reading, but look forward to catching up with all your lovely comments, and blogs, soon.

December 6, 2013 by Born To Organize

Make Like a Tree

Shhh…

Don’t say anything, but sometimes I pretend I’m a tree. I stand stock still in the garden and wait to see what happens. I’m a tree with a camera, but lets not argue semantics. I get the best shots when I’m quiet and unmoving, even though I long to call out ‘come look!’ at the cuteness nature serves outdoors.

I ventured out this morning in my warmest coat and watched the ballet. One crow, then two swooped on and off the phone lines. They soared overhead, settled in the neighbors pine, then flew back again. I was so tree-like at that point that I missed the photo-op entirely.

A pair of hummingbirds danced a different dance: low, fast and chit-chit-chitting as they went, They crossed and swooped from tree to tree, feeder to tree, and back.

Hummingbird on guard

A squirrel hopped the fence, stuffed to the gills. It looks like our neighbors have a two-for one offer on peanuts this morning. This little fella looked worried, even though I assured him I was just a tree with a camera. His peanuts were safe.

Two-for-one special

Squirrels don’t have wings, but I swear he flew along the fence. For all his concern, I’ll probably unearth those peanuts in the vegetable garden come June. I can’t imagine his well-padded frame could eat another bite. Of course that never stops me from grazing.

Bums the word (and hopefully not a commentary on the gardener)

If you have a few extra moments this weekend, make like a tree. Let me know how it goes in the comments, below.

Organized at Heart

I’m posting a series of articles featuring organizing around the holidays this week on my blog Organized at Heart. If the subject interests you, please go take a peak. Today’s blog, Reorganizing Traditions, suggests evaluating our holiday traditions. then bringing them in line with our current lifestyles.

December 4, 2013 by Born To Organize

Frosty San Jose

My son’s prized inflatable, pretend snowing in San Jose

Still no rain, and certainly no snow, but we did get some frost last night. This isn’t a big deal for everyone, but it’s a rare occurrence around here. It’s December 4th after all. The tomato plant had to go eventually.

I have lots of frozen peas (and I never stepped foot in the freezer aisle). They look plump and juicy and, well, frozen. Since it’s a winter crop, I’m not sure what to think. The plant doesn’t seem to mind, but it may take a few days for any damage to appear. I’ll let you know.

Frozen peas, available now in your neighborhood garden

Last week I *finally* planted some beats. I soaked the seeds at the same time I planted the peas, but originally planned to put them in the veggie garden out back. The tomato plant hung on and on in one bed, and the strawberries in the other, so I didn’t have room. I planted the beats in the curb garden with the carrots and peas. I hope they’re equally successful, and that I didn’t plant them too late.

Plump and ready

I started my broccoli seeds indoors and all was going well. Somewhat foolishly I started hardening them off, the process of acclimatizing the seeds to their new outdoor home. It would have been better to wait till the holidays were over. I simply forgot about them. They came back inside for water and a rest. Hopefully enough of them will recover so I can make a go of it.

Next up, spring bulbs. My back just hasn’t been up to the task this year, so bags of bulbs sit in the garage waiting for my next move.

I think I’ll go make myself a hot cup of tea while I give this more thought. I hope you’re enjoying your day.

Frosty paw prints

Organized at Heart

I’m posting a series of articles featuring organizing around the holidays this week on my blog Organized at Heart. If the subject interests you, please go take a peak. Today’s blog has a few filing tips (boring) along with beautiful file folders (sweet) to inspire this mundane task.

November 14, 2013 by Born To Organize

Craft if Forward: Garden Journal

This month’s craft it forward goes to Emma at Greenhousing. Emma is a fellow gardener, helping things grow in her own special garden in the UK.

She started Greenhousing: Big Plans for a Small Garden with her husband to:

plan and keep a record of our hard and not-so-hard work.

Luckily we have been hoarding lots of plant pots of various sizes, seed and drip trays, pot trays, seeds, weed suppressant fabric, vegetable and tomato fertiliser, etc. so we can make big plans without having to spend a lot of money.

The garden is an odd shape at the back of the house, with fencing on three sides and a corner of a neighbour’s garage jutting into it. The big plan is to work around any obstacles and grow some tasty food and lovely flowers and plants.

She hasn’t posted for a while, so I’m hoping life simply got busy and that all is okay.

Garden Memories

I started by gathering garden-inspired paper and embellishments. Oh how I tax myself [wink-wink]). I assembled an 8 x 8 book/album, small enough to carry into the garden to record notes on garden progress. It can also be used to save photos of her garden successes or remembrances of her first year with a lovely greenhouse.

Here are a few sample pages:

What is Craft it Forward?

Here’s how it works. The first five people to comment on the original post receive a handmade item with the gardening nirvana touch. In return, they agree to pay it forward, crafting their own unique item for the first five people on their list. Craft it Forward encourages community, creative spirit and camaraderie. It also encourages flexibility, so I expanded my list from five to seven based on interest in the project. Isn’t it fun making your own rules?

Further, in the era of the internet, who doesn’t like ‘real’ mail? If you haven’t started your own Craft it Forward, today is a good day to get going.

Craft it Forward #1: Living Journal
Craft it Forward #2: Flowers and Oscar Wilde
Craft it Forward #3: Three’s a Charm
Craft it Forward #4: Secret Garden in The Round
Craft it Forward #5: Tiny Album, Big Heart
Craft it Forward #6: Garden Journal

November 12, 2013 by Born To Organize

Reclaimed Fences, Birdhouse Charm

My friend, Michele and her family get together every year and make birdhouses. They reclaim wood from broken fences and other old materials, then craft them into unique designs. I’m the lucky recipient of this charming model, below.

Reclaimed fencing

I love their family tradition of gathering and creating together. I’m also a huge fan of reclaiming materials and giving them a new life.

Back of birdhouse

They attached the back of the birdhouse with screws for easy removal and cleaning. Weathered wood blends beautifully into the landscape.

Ceramic or porcelain “chimney”

The birdhouse “chimney” is a vintage ceramic or porcelain insulator. Once used as old telephone wire insulation, the markings indicate manufacturing by WP or Wisconsin Porcelain. The top of the insulator reminds me of a peppermint Lifesaver. I’m never far from my sugar-loving roots. Ha!

Even the rusty nail is re-purposed, artfully bent into a perch.**

Do you have gift-making family traditions?

**I plan to display this lovely birdhouse as a piece of art. If you want to attract nesting birds to your yard, here are a few safety tips.

November 4, 2013 by Born To Organize

How to Braid A Carrot

Note: I’ll have to put some thought into tagging this post. I’m not sure anyone ever did a Google search using the term “braid carrot.” Here goes:

Step one:

Purchase nursery six-packs of small, leafy carrot starters. Make the following assumption: each cell contains one carrot plant.

Step two:

Plant accordingly. Be sure to gather the neighbor’s day-care kids. Turn tiny people into future gardeners.

Step three:

Wait 50 – 70 days. Publicize your countdown in your blog sidebar. This is an important step for those of us with “menopause brain.”

Step four:

Take the sage advice of a couple of bloggers who inquire “did you thin the plants?” (Note: In my gardening defense, I know about thinning seeds. I just ASSumed they were pre-thinned before I bought them.)

Step five:

Dig up a few ‘spare carrots’, in this case, the carrots planted on the other side of the curb garden as back ups in case the tiny gardener’s crop fails. (One or two did and I was able to fill in accordingly) Realize, oh-oh…I didn’t thin the plants. Thin one or two and watch them droop. They didn’t like waking up early.

Step six:

Reset the countdown in the side-bar from 50 to 70 days and wait some more.

Step seven:

The most important step of all: Watch the tiny gardeners cute, wondrous faces as they dig up a carrot and realize what they’ve grown. Picture me smiling from ear to ear.

Tiny gardener harvesting carrots

Carrot unearthed

And if you’ve read this far, here is the tutorial I promised.

How to braid a carrot:

Refer to steps one through seven.

Braided Carrots

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 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.