August 19, 2013 by Born To Organize

Pumpkin Pests (Uninvited Guests)

The pumpkin vines are looking a bit tired and who can blame them? They’ve been producing lemony-yellow flowers, luxurious vines and fruit since April.

Pumpkin vines, going strong since April

Pumpkins are usually a 90 day crop, so clearly they’re past their prime. Guess what? I found two, beautifully formed yellow fruits, basking in the late-season heat.

Pumpkin Newbie

I also found pumpkin pests. Are you sensing a theme here?

Pumpkin pests come in all colors and sizes

Harvest now, before it is too late!!!

I’ve seen these little grey creepers before, but they came late in the season and didn’t seem to hurt the pumpkins. I’ve not been so lucky this year. Since two of the smaller pumpkins were already collapsing, I decided to leave them there, thinking the pests would leave the hardier pumpkins alone.

Well!

Within a few days I found them on my biggest pumpkin, so I decided then and there to harvest the one large fruit. I twisted the pumpkin from the vine, and set it out-of-the-way on the path. When I went back to get it and bring it in the house, I failed to give it the respect it deserved. Ms. Overachiever here tucked the pumpkin under one arm, the kitchen scrap bin under the other and, if you were reading last Friday, you know what happened.

Thud!!!

Splat!!!

Sad, sad gardener.

Split clean through

Anyhoo…I’ll be sure to include this one in my 31 days of pumpkins in October.

Now, about those pests…

Andrea Meyers identifies these as Squash Bugs (aka Stink Bugs). You can read more on her beautiful site.

August 15, 2013 by Born To Organize

Fairy Garden Treasure

Look what arrived in my mailbox last week? Isn’t it a treasure? It flew all the way from Edmonton, Canada via the effervescent Boomdee of Boomdeeada. I love it!

The cover features a one-dimensional cut-out of the 3D version, above. Once open, you’re treated to this. I love fairy gardening, so my mind has been spinning ever since this arrived. I carried my Boomdee card around the garden today and snapped a few shots.

What are you doing down there?

Here…

Fairies and birds at the fountain

and here.

Kissing near the roses

I’m planning on color-copying the front of the card, but reducing it in size. Then I’ll figure a way to use the miniaturized copy in the fairy garden. I’ll be tickled pink, and I know that Jazzy’s day care kids will too. I wonder what the fairies will think?

Do you know what I think? I’m the luckiest gardener in the world. ♥♥♥

Have you discovered the joy of fairy gardening?

August 9, 2013 by Born To Organize

Ladies in Red

The ladybug entourage seems to be moving on, but darn it, I’m not ready to see them go. They still have aphids to eat, people to see. It’s too soon! I’ve being watching intently, but I don’t see a lot of bug noshing. I guess their time has come.

I’ll be making another trip to the garden center for another batch this weekend. Meanwhile, here are a few candid shots before they fly away home.

Happy Friday! I’ll be back with more ladies in red next week.

August 2, 2013 by Born To Organize

Two Letters

Alys

Dear Reader,

We create a ‘contract’ of sorts when we publish a regular blog. My unwritten contract with you says that when you log on, you can expect to find a post about gardening, crafting, crafty gardening and cats, delivered with a mostly light heart. So, the following letter, written to my dad who died when I was 9 has a more somber tone and I wanted to let you know that upfront. If this is not your thing, please read no further. Stop by next week for the usual garden antics.

With love and gratitude for your readership and support.

Alys

Dear Daddy,

This is one of those letters you never actually send, though I would if I could. You left an unimaginable void in our hearts when you died on a day just like today. It was hot, strangely still and ultimately surreal. How could you have been here one minute, then gone the next? I walked in on mom the day you died and I knew. She was kneeling on the floor tearing up your letters though I never fully understood why. She had her reasons and in the end it doesn’t really matter.

You would be amazed what can happen to a letter these days. When I hit a button on an electronic box called a computer, this letter will travel through something called the internet. Once sent, you can’t tear it up, burn it, or control it in any way. Lovers and politicians learned this the hard way. It’s what they called a double-edged sword in your day.

I love you so much, and was really, really, really sad when you died. As you know, I was only 9 so I didn’t have the resources to understand what was going on. Mom did her best, but she struggled too. We all missed you terribly. I’m crying now as I write this, all these years later, as at times I remain stuck in the painful past.

Please know, that you would be proud of your legacy. Your girls grew up and got college degrees, something that was really important to you. It was your reason for moving the family to California in the first place. We all love and nurture animals as you did, and yours-truly is a gardener! Can you believe it?

I have special memories of our beautiful London garden. You hauled rocks in a wheelbarrow to build a small ‘creek’ down the middle of the yard. It gathered run-off from rain and melting snow and filled my imagination with happy moments. Your grew snapdragons near the back door, and tomatoes during the hot days of summer. Sometimes people would meet you at the nursery where you worked and ask to come by to see your garden. I was so proud of you.

When we left Canada for what you hoped would be a better life for your girls, the new homeowners weren’t interested in keeping up your garden. You were hugely disappointed. I certainly would be. Of course the plan was a new home and a new garden in sunny California. We arrived in November of 1966 to less than favorable circumstances. The man who hired you to run his nursery had since filed bankruptcy. You supported our family with your savings, then sold your beloved coin collection to make ends meet. It was a difficult time for all of us. I can’t imagine as a parent how hard that must have been for you.

By the end of 1967 things were finally turning around. Our family moved to Millbrae where you landed a job at a local garden nursery. We lived in a rental, but at last could put down roots. The following Christmas, what we thought was the flu turned out to be lung cancer. The holidays were never the same.

I turn 54 this October, the same age you were when a cruel and ravishing cancer stripped you of your life. Your physical suffering was finally at an end on that hot, August day, but my struggles had just begun. Life doesn’t come with guarantees.

I want to thank you for your gifts of life and affection. Each of your daughters carries you in her own way. I think you would be proud of us, as we are of you.

My wish today as I hit the ‘send button’ would be for you to know that we all grew up, lived productive lives and that we carry you in our hearts, always. When I reach toward the earth, to tumble a seed or pull out a weed, I think of you.

Your loving daughter,

Alys Ann

Mom and Dad on their wedding day

July 25, 2013 by Born To Organize

A Pumpkin We Will Grow

First Pumpkin

We’ve grown pumpkins every summer for a decade. Our first crop was a happy accident when my then four-year-old spilled a bag of squirrel food. We swept up most of it, then kicked the rest off the path into the dirt. Before you can say ‘boo!!!’ we ended up with five pumpkins.

To celebrate that tenth anniversary, we’re growing an all-volunteer crop this year too. I feel a bit guilty when I walk by our little patch and realize I had next to nothing to do with it.

Earlier this year I popped the lid off of one of my composting bins and spied a pair of pumpkin seedlings. I smiled, put the lid back on and went about my business. The next time I checked the bin was full of seedlings! Clearly they enjoyed the impromptu greenhouse effect, though the lack of light was a concern. I left the lid ajar and before I could even think of transplanting them, the crop took off.

pumpkin plants in compost 3-15-2013 7-56-04 AM

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I prepared the garden bed intended for the crop and simply eased the entire contents of the compost bin over on its side, then into the bed. I held my breath for a few days, hoping the trauma of being upended didn’t finish them off. Instead, they continued to grow.

At last count, there are 11 little pumpkins growing on the various vines. I’ve lost a few to snails and a critter with sharp teeth, but the remaining pumpkins look good.

2013, 07-03 4th of july fairy garden2

I’m a huge fan of all things Halloween, so growing pumpkins in the back yard brings me great joy. After all these years I’m still in awe that one little seed can produce a vine that runs half the length of the house in three short months. Beautiful yellow flowers give way to bountiful fruit. Days shorten, vines brown and left standing is a bounty of orange goodness.

Do you have a summer tradition that brings you great joy?

You can check out my page Passionate about Pumpkins to see a decade of growing, displaying and my husband’s awesome carving.

July 23, 2013 by Born To Organize

Muselet Cafe Chairs Fit for a Garden Fairy

I’ve learned all sorts of things this week, including the proper name for the ‘cage’ on champagne bottles: muselet. I’m dusting off my high school French and letting the word roll off my tongue. It’s also been great fun fashioning tiny cafe chairs from what we heretofore referred to as ‘that wire thingy that holds the cork in place.’

Here’s how it all started. I fell in love with the idea of fairy gardens when volunteering at my son’s school. The idea is to fashion a miniature garden using bits of this and that, along with rocks, twigs, flowers and leaves. Originality is key to attracting mythical fairies. I try to fashion my fairy garden with living plants, rocks and twigs, as well as items I would otherwise toss or recycle.

Fairy tables throughout the years include wine corks, an empty spool of thread, rocks and a muselet. My neighbor and fellow gardener, Ruth stopped by, took one look at the fairy birthday garden table, and told me about the cafe chairs. Be still my heart!

She loaned me the charming red chair pictured here so I could create one of my own. It was easy and fun. Since I’m Organized at Heart, I twisted the back of mine into an organic heart shape, but really, the skies the limit.

Next time you’re at a party, you can wow your host by leaving behind a tiny chair at the end of the evening. You could also put a bug in the ear of the caterer at a wedding and offer to take the muselet off their hands. Once home, you can fashion a pair of chairs for the bride and groom as an unexpected anniversary gift. These would make cute gift toppers as well. Who needs a bow when you can attach a cafe chair instead?

Specials thanks to Ruth for the inspiration and the loan of her chair.

Here’s a quick visual tutorial:

Muselet Cafe Chair tutorial: 1. Remove from bottle, 2. untwist and lay flat; 3. remove the long steel wire piece from the base; and 4. twist into shape and attach along the back of the chair legs.

Muselet Cafe Chairs

I found this great blog on all things muselet. (Sorry…I can’t stop saying that…muselet, muselet, muselet). Did you know about the six turns? Check it out!
Fellow blogger Greenhousing is making Elderflower Champagne in her garden. You can follow along here. Doesn’t that look tasty?
For the truly inspired, check out L’art du muselet. These are stunning artisan miniatures.

Please drink responsibly.

July 8, 2013 by Born To Organize

Craft it Forward: Secret Garden in the Round

This month’s Craft it Forward creation will soon be flying over the pond to The Pyjama Gardener. PJ’s always witty and entertaining blog features ‘simple organic gardening and seasonal living.’ No need to take my word for it. You can go have a look here. According to PJ:

A Pyjama Gardener is anyone who is too impatient to get dressed before venturing outside to check the plants… it was only meant to be a quick look (honestly)… but before you know it an hour or more has passed and you’re still wearing your pyjamas!

What a thrill it was to find this beautiful paper on the shelf of Scrapbook Island! Graphic 45 has an entire line of Secret Garden paper, featuring a PJ-clad girl on the cover! Kismet.

This tiny ‘album’ pops open to reveal several panels. I’ve added photo mats and stickers inside, with bits of ribbon here and there. The circular book is now ready for small photos and memorabilia.

Cover (and view of closed album)

Clam Shell Folds

Album, top view

Inside pages featuring Secret Garden

Panel View 1 of 4

Panel View 2 of 4

I made a similar version of this album in early March. It has a Valentine’s Day theme, so I plan to feature it in a give-away closer to the time.

I hope PJ loves this little pop-up book as much as I loved making it.

Circle Explosion Album

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?

Grab the button for your own Craft it Forward

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 one going.

Craft it Forward #1: Living Journal
Craft it Forward #2: Flowers and Oscar Wilde
Craft it Forward #3: Three’s a Charm
What is Craft it Forward?

July 1, 2013 by Born To Organize

Mad Dogs and Redheads, Get Out of the Midday Sun

As temperatures heat up across the country this week, I marvel at the good common sense of our felines. I continue to plow through work and household chores, miserable in this 100 degree heat. They on the other hand seek the cooler ground.

Early in the day they stretch out on the damp concrete patio. As the sun rises, they come indoors and sleep away the hottest part of the day under a ceiling fan or in the cool recesses of a closet.

Lindy, made in the shade

Beijing, looking frail but still hanging in there

The garden, too, knows exactly what to do on these over-heated days. Sinewy roots reach down to capture the cool water below, letting blooms open wide for the sun. Then they pack up shop as the sun sets and store their energy for the following day.

Helianthus, Sunflower

Cosmos and Forget-me-nots, happy in the heat

Even our native ancestors had more sense than we do. I see posts on Facebook of people running in the mid-day heat. Several spectators arrived in Las Vegas area hospitals after suffering from heat stroke while sitting in an outdoor amphitheater in the mid-day sun! And who do you suppose was offering the tomatoes a mid-day drink in the blaring sun? Guilty!!!

So…today I’m taking a page from the common sense manual. I ate an early breakfast with my husband outdoors in the patio shade. I finished my garden chores before 9 and now I’m writing with my feet propped up on the paper shredder under my desk, ceiling fan whirring overhead. My afternoon client has A/C (hooray).

Once back home I’ll try avoiding my natural tendencies to go, go, go by referring once again to that common sense manual. If you need me I’ll be doing (almost) nothing, until the blaring sun recedes for another day.

Hey…nobodies perfect.

Ways to beat the heat:

1. Drink plenty of cool water.

Slinky Malinki has a cool drink

2. Take a refreshing bath.

Mighty Mouse thinks a bath might cool me down

3. Enjoy an afternoon nap.

Shine On

Special thanks to Tamara of Botanical Gardens for including me in her list of Shine On Awards. It’s so nice to be appreciated. Tamara writes:

I am passionate art and nature lover. As I work for the third age university I got the opportunity to develop a new field of education for our seniors-my idea was to start the senior garden volunteers program. I find it intriguing for this program is not only a bond between education and nature, but it mirrors connections between society, ecology, development, individuality. My wish is to start an inter generational project with our senior garden volunteers. So this blog is also about topics dealing with importance of botany education, senior learning,inter generational learning, ecology,garden volunteers, art. Because, as I have mentioned before-it is blog about My Botanical Garden.

June 22, 2013 by Born To Organize

A Mighty Wind: Bending and Breaking

Sunflower Save

I guess the downside to planting a small garden is that ever single plant seems precious. Farmers, especially organic ones, expect to lose 20% of their crop. They simply take it in stride. Not me! So when I pulled into the driveway last week, greeted by heavy winds and leaning sunflowers, I knew I had to act.

Earlier this season, I planted several sunflowers from seed, for a near-perfect garden fail. One sunflower survived. To be fair, we do have a thriving squirrel population, so it’s important they don’t go without. ;-)

I hit the nursery for a second go and bought a cell pack of (6) six-inch plants instead. I planted the second batch of sunflowers during an early season heat-wave and they all survived. Thrived even! Within a month they had tripled in height with flowers everywhere. Ironically the one plant started from seed continues to grow in height. It’s the big sister to all the other plants.

I digress.

So…I’m driving up the road bemused at the crazy weather, only to see my precious plants bending in the wind. No one else was home to help, so I dragged the heavy wooden garden bench across the yard and the walkway so the plants could lean into the back for support. I grabbed some garden twine and laced up the stalks to the slats in the bench. I’m sure the neighbors thought I had lost it, placing a garden bench at the curb facing the driveway, but I’m past worrying about that.

Garden bench and a card table to the rescue

Relieved that my impromptu support was working, I turned to go inside, only to find the glass hummingbird feeder smashed to pieces. Again with the mighty wind. The wind snapped the tree branch holding the feeder, sending sticky glass crashing to the ground. I found parts of the feeder on the patio step, across the lawn and in the shrubs along the walkway.

Once there was a hummingbird feeder…

“Cleanup on aisle….” Oh right. I guess I’m on my own with this one, too. Ten minutes and one pair of worn out gloves later, the broken glass was up. While I tidied the sharp and sugary mess, hummers buzzed overhead. They couldn’t figure out why dinner had suddenly disappeared. They seemed to think I was responsible.

It was tempting to redirect them to the aforementioned sunflowers for a drink. “Hey…look over there!” Since we’re in the business of spoiling our local wildlife, however, I headed indoors to unearth our backup feeder. I mixed up a quart of sugar-water and we were back in business.

The mighty wind is fierce and strong; the resident gardener, resourceful.

Win or lose?

I think we’ll call this one a draw.

April 19, 2013 by Born To Organize

Ladybug, Ladybug, Char-donn-ay!

Sterling Vineyard Napa Valley 2010 Chardonnay
Ladybugs, ready for dinner at dusk. What’s on the menu? Aphids.

I’m repeating this soothing mantra as I reach for inner calm after this tragic week. Ladybug, ladybug, chardonnay; ladybug, ladybug, chardonnay. Professionals warn that viewing too many violent images will only confound our sense of loss, sadness and grief. As we honor and grieve for the people of Boston, MA and West, TX, may the sun shine in their lives again soon.

Wont you come with me?

You can lighten your load at:

Marking Our Territory. Meet Will and Eko, a man and his Rhodesian Ridge-back. Will writes with wit and sensitivity. Wise and silly and full of unconditional love. Today’s entry: One Minute of Pure Joy. You’ll be grinning in no time.

Boomdeeadda blogs about art, life and other bits. Her posts are light-hearted and often whimsical. She holds a special place in my heart and makes the dark days brighter. Boomdee has something for everyone: a bit of history about her home town of Edmonton, beautiful crafts (and tutorials) and a pair of sweet kitties. Go take a look. You know you want to!) You’re welcome. :-)

Teddy and Tottie is a recent follow. I enjoy her posts, and think you will too. Today, she published a recipe of comfort food: Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins. Yum! Let me know if you give the recipe a try.

Peace.