Garden News

This is a row of our Gourmet Mix Lettuce. We thinned them out last week and had our first salad from the garden this year...so tender!

We have a big flower bed in the front yard that, among other things, has Purple Coneflowers in it. These are two of the first blooms this year. I transplanted about 20 seedlings this weekend. I'll probably plant them along the back fence line with the Bearded Iris in our border garden.

A close up of the same young blooms. I love the way that the blooms begin their life with the petals standing straight up towards the sun, then begin to hang downward as time passes. One bloom we have has its' petals so far down they are almost touching the stem.

This is a strawberry pot that I have sitting on the front steps.

I have three that are in graduated sizes, large to small. They all have Hen & Chicks and small ferns in them. I usually plant an annual or Lemon Thyme in the top of each one in the summer. I haven't found Lemon Thyme yet but did find Lime Thyme. They stay green all year on my steps.

This is a close up of one of the Hen & Chicks.

We have so many beautiful container plants on our front porch and patio. We manage to keep a lot of things all year on the porch, I guess there is an awesome micro climate there.

I'll try to remember to take pictures of the topiary that I made a few years ago. It turned out quite nice.

I also have a Dahlia bed, a smaller bed with Gardenias in it and a "good sized" flower bed at the side bank...can you tell that I love flower gardening? I actually am a certified Master Gardener. I haven't volunteered at anything in a few years though. You should check out the program at your local Extension Office and get involved if you love gardening.

My husband is really the "Master" at gardening...vegetable gardening, that is. We have a huge garden every year. Some how it keeps growing...We live beside a church and when our harvest out-grows our ability to eat, to freeze or give to friends, we leave bags at the side church door for the members. We have the garden right along the fence next to the entrance and we love to watch people stop and point and look. Several friendships have been made at that fence because of the garden.

The Master himself...nice arms Farmer Sloan.

Kimwipes

I listed several boxes of Kimwipes on eBay if anyone is interested in trying them.

I can't figure out how to publish a link to the auction so I'll just post the auction number. It's #300222357257. Let me know if you can't find it for some reason.

This morning I tried ironing fusible webbing to them and adhering them to another fabric as well as paper and it worked wonderfully! I'll try to get a picture or scan up of that experiment.

This is really exciting to find something so versatile right on my kitchen counter top!

My husband and I plant lettuce in our garden every year and the Kimwipes are what we usually use after we have rinsed it. We layer lettuce leaves and kimwipes and put all that inside a plastic grocery bag. We then place that bag into another grocery bag and put it all into the crisper drawer. You wouldn't believe how long the fresh lettuce lasts when stored that way...

two to three WEEKS !

Can you believe that?! We are spoiled during the "lettuce season" at our house.

We planted a gourmet mix and it was the best lettuce I've ever eaten. They sell the same thing at a local grocery store for 7.00 a pound! And ours is all natural , no chemicals at all.

Last year we had lettuce all the way through May or June.

Anyway, I do hope that there are people out there that either will read this about the Kimwipes or that those who I have shared the info with will tell other people.

I am sure that they will come up with new ways to use them.

Just like Tyvek...look at how popular that is now!

And Paintsticks! Weren't they originally markers for live stock?

Let me kow if you like them , or find a new way to use them.

I'm off to make some small quilt sandwiches so I can practice with my new Patsy Thompson DVD.

Thanks Patsy for an awesome time last Saturday...I am looking forward to sitting down with you in my studio this afternoon!

Oh, speaking of Tyvek I have to send out another big warm fuzzy to my wonderful husband. He also supplies me with Tyvek in the form of Tyvek suits used in industry...He is better than having an art store right in my own home! Not to mention what an awesome cook he is...thanks Baby!