Finally

The garden is growing

and here is proof

Swiss Chard Bright Lights showing off. 

 Kale, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Basil, Collards, Tomato and Onions Quiche.

Beat eggs with cream and pour over steamed vegetables. Add tomato slices, crisp bacon pieces.  Add a little cheese on top and bake @ 325 until lightly browned on edges (about an hour) 

No recipe necessary, just add ingredients in the order in which you like them and in the amounts you like. 

Our geese have been on midnight raids.  Had to cover the Italian Parsley with chicken wire. 

Makes me wonder why they like only the Italian Parsley. 
A couple of weeks ago they went after the newly planted sage.

My neighbor, "Kissin Kate" would like to have a stomp through my garden.  
She is the one who abandoned her newborn.  
I'm still bottle feeding her calf Liesel who is doing splendidly.  

Did you know that female cows also have horns? 

These Tuberous Begonias are amazing. They are more than 10 years old.  

Just before a severe frost they go under a bench in the greenhouse where they go completely dormant. 

They have never been out of their clay pots and they have never been fertilized. 
Go figure.  

The flower pots are doing well. 

My rose bushes are a most pitiful sight. 

But I have been able to coax a few bouquets out of them...no one else can grow roses in this high desert climate.  

What we do have, are the bluest of skies. 

Have a great remainder of the week dear friends,

Gina 

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Mon Bouquet du jour

After many cold days and freezing nights, 

Spring has come.

Maybe it will stay.

Have a great remainder of the week my dear friends. 

Gina 

joininghttp://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Also joining  http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2014/05/

Mon Bouquet du Jour

Daisies, simple Daisies.

They're not particular.  Daisies will grow anywhere.

Growing in profusion at the back of our house.

Inside or outside, always welcome.

Daisies are so obliging.  Scatter their spent flower heads (whole) wherever you want them to grow.  

Thank you for stopping by. Your friendship is so appreciated.

Have a wonderful week my dear 

Blogging Friends. 

Gina 

https://normandylife.blogspot.com/

What's in a Name

A Daffodil by any other name is still a Daffodil

All Daffodils belong to the genus Narcissus.

In some areas Daffodils are  known as Jonquils.

Narcissus Jonquilla, from the Greek. 

Narcissus, was smitten by his own reflection in a pool of water,

and after dying of unrequited love, the gods turned him into a flower as beautiful as he had been. 

If there were no Daffodils, winter would be much too long.  

Once planted,  Daffodils should not be divided and their foliage not cut until the leaves turn yellow (mid June to early July).  They need full sunlight to supply them with enough energy for next year's display.  

In a vase do not mix Daffodils with other flowers. 

Chemicals in their sap prevent other flowers from taking up water. 

 A Fall application of slow release potassium-rich fertilizer
(10:10:20) will do wonders.  

Most animals will not bother them,  Daffodils are poisonous.  

Have a great weekend my dear 

Blogging Friends.

Thank you for stopping by.  I appreciate your visits.  

Gina 

Mein Sonntagstrauss and a small brain teaser

Very small, but sincere Sunday Bouquet

And, it's from MY GARDEN.

Look closely; what is NOT included in this bouquet that you will see in the next photo.

Have you found it?  

Have a wonderful week my dear Blogging Friends and thank you so much for stopping by.  I always enjoy hearing from you.  

Gina

Sandwich Bag Flower Arrangement

Have you heard of the Sandwich Bag Flower Arrangement?

Of course you haven't.  I made it up.

I needed something low and colorful for my St. Patrick's Day Dinner table.

My garden is still asleep. 

Your grocery store or garden center always has a few blooming plants in small containers.

Take the plants out of their containers, give them a good drink of water and place one or two plants into each plastic sandwich bag.

Add a little water to your centerpiece container, add the flower sandwich bags. 

Hide plastic bags by filling open areas with trailing greens or left over cut flowers

  This is the one arrangement you can plant into your garden once the flowers have faded. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day my dear

Blogging Friends

Gina

Mein Temperament Vogel

My Temperament Bird

You will see why he is called Temperament Vogel



No words needed.

Now we're not sure.

My Father was a very fine woodcarver

http://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-father-was-different.html

My Father believed that something simple is just as beautiful as something fine.

He carved the bird for my office so my clients could tell what kind of mood I was in.  I'm now retired but the bird still sits on my chamber door.

...For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door,

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

with such a name a "Nevermore"...

Edgar Allan Poe

Gina

 

The Chicken Wire Bouquet

Make it easy on yourself

Hollyhocks make long-lasting cut flowers if you first SINGE THEIR STEMS OVER A FLAME FOR 20 SECONDS

Thick-stemmed flowers only need one layer of chicken wire.

Add another layer of chicken wire for thin-stemmed flowers and roll wire into ball before placing into container.

And speaking of containers, do not place chicken wire into valuable vases or containers... the wire will leave rust marks. (there is a florist chicken wire which is coated with green plastic that you can use).

Rust marks will also show up on crystal vases.

Most flowers can be arranged naturally but chicken wire comes in handy now and then and is re-usable unlike florist foam which is difficult to reconstitute.

There are many gadgets available to help you arrange your flower bouquets, but chicken wire is my favorite.  It works well, is easily available and can be re-used

Do you have a flower arranging secret you would like to share?

Gina

There are many reason why I love my Alfalfa Field

Unlike my Garden...

Where I spend hours and hours weeding

I don't have to weed, water, cut or fertilize my Alfalfa Field

The field beyond my garden is tended by a young and conscientious Farmer...he makes me look good

Poppies, Daisies and cornflowers (these are perennial Bachelor Buttons) remind me of wheat fields in central Europe

Simple Flowers and one of my hand painted Jugs are always welcome in my House

Gina

Art in Bloom

An event held at the Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, Salt Lake City

I was invited to interpret a painting with flowers

The rose you see attached to the sword had to last for the duration of the Exhibit.  I dried many a red rose in sand from the Great Salt Lake to match the exact color of the ribbon on his chest.

Only a few Floral Designers were invited to participate from our Salt Lake City area.  I was one of them.

Making these exotic flowers last for an entire week was a challenge.  They had to be "conditioned" properly.

The German Officer's  sword was given to Gene from a very dear Friend.

The antique French Urn was purchased many years ago.

Floral Designers, Rob W. McFarland and Jerry Stanger

Floral Designer, Amy Lewis, Diane Donahue, Peggy McLean, Carrol Mitchel, Lake Roland Garden Club

Floral Designers, Barbara Baldwin, Georgia Grey, Garden Club of Denver

Floral Designer, Holly Clark Wright

Gina

From the book entitled "Art in Bloom" by Victoria Jane Ream

Photography by Sjur Fedje

Publisher-Deseret Equity