Thursday, April 29, 2010

"Green" Arrangements

People are so hung up on flowers.  I like them too, I really do but lets not loose sight of the fact that the flowers wouldn't be there if it wasn't for the fabulous food-makers, the foliage!  And we get so excited to see the vibrant colors and frills and swelling buds that the the green that cradles them often go un-noticed.  Even when we are arranging our cut beauties, what is left on the table but a sad pile of leaves stripped from the stem...discarded....rejected.
I'm just as guilty as another but today was a new day and I arose with a vision, a vision of vases full of spice bush, comfrey, yarrow, maple, ferns, plum, locust, old man's beard and lambs ear and what an incredible blend of not only color and texture but aroma!!! Heavenly!
They all stood up and and answered the call of being the focal point of the harvest table.
Flowers provide a seemingly endless season of beauty but let's also celebrate the green!!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Happy Earth Day!

SOURCE:  http://www.greendaily.com/2007/12/28/21-ways-to-use-old-coffee-grounds/

Tips for using old coffee grounds

Soften and add shine to hair. When washing your hair, rub coffee grounds through wet hair and rinse. For brown hair, coffee grounds add highlights.

Use coffee grounds as an exfoliant for skin. Pat on skin, massage over skin, rinse.

Add coffee grounds to your skin mask beauty routine.

Make homemade tattoos (temporary) with henna and coffee grounds.

Fertilize plants. Old coffee grounds are nutrient-rich for plants that thrive in an acidic soil.

Add used coffee grounds to the pots of indoor plants.

Work used coffee grounds into your garden soil before seed planting. After your plants start to emerge, work in coffee grounds near the plants. Used coffee grounds are said to repel snails and slugs as well as adding nutrients to the soil.

Increase your carrot and radish harvest by mixing seeds with dry coffee grounds before planting the seeds.

Use coffee grounds to repel ants.

Keep cats from using your garden as a kitty box by spreading used coffee grounds and orange peels throughout flower beds.

Deodorize a freezer. Place a bowl with used coffee grounds in the freezer to remove unwanted odors. Add a few drops of vanilla to coffee grounds.

Rub coffee grounds on hands to get rid of smells from chopping or cutting up pungent foods.

Make a used coffee grounds sachet. Fill old nylons or cheescloth with dry used coffee grounds. Hang in closets to absorb odors.

When you need an abrasive cleaner, coffee grounds can be used. Be careful of any surfaces that might stain.

Remove furniture scratches with wet coffee grounds.

Got a fireplace? Sprinkle wet coffee grounds over the ashes to keep from becoming engulfed in the plume of dust ashes create when you need to remove them.

Dye fabric, paper or Easter eggs. Simply add used coffee grounds to warm water and let sit a bit to create a dye.

After you give your dog a bath, rub coffee grounds through the coat of your pet. Coffee grounds are said to repel fleas.

Keep bait worms alive by mixing coffee grounds into the soil before you add worms.

Grow mushrooms on old coffee grounds.

Growing Like Crazy

growing

like crazy

someone please tell me what this is...

comfrey

columbine


speedwell

true geranium