orchards part 2

 Our family is almost as crazy for apples as we are (I am) for pumpkins. We eat apples every day,
so when we get the chance in the fall to eat them right off the tree, we go pickin! Our first round of apples
was all honeycrisp, and they didn't last long at the old house.

On another trip, we went with friends to an out of town orchard.
We got the full experience- we ate our warm, cinnamon-sugar bathed apple donuts on the hayride out to the fields. We wore our hoodies and breathed in the crisp, cool air. We picked (and sampled) our apples,
and upon our return, realized we probably had too many. I would never admit it though. We had just enough to eat (for a few weeks) and to make a heaping apple pie.

I can almost smell the apples just by looking at the photos-

- we picked these after we picked raspberries - honeycrisp is our favorite variety -

- the first fall orchard trip was E's class field trip -

- rows and rows of trees filled with apples - aren't they beautiful! -

- these kids were tired when it was time to go - such a fun day -

- this is E, enjoying the hayride -

- best 19.99 i ever spent - old timey apple peeler! -

- dutch apple - and homemade pie crust -

- streuseled and ready for the oven -

- done, and i am happy to report that every piece was enjoyed -

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A note about this pie- I'm not sure if I'm allowed to give out my sister's husband's family recipe, but I will say
it is easy. I think the secret to good pie anyway, is the crust. People get intimidated by pie crust,

but it is so simple. Butter, flour, salt, cold water. I use a food processor, too. Done.

in the details:

check out these two must-haves for apple pie and pie crust:

pastry cloth - i do not wash mine, after use i seal it in a ziplock and store it in the fridge

apple peeler & corer - i purchased mine at a local kitchen store for 19.99

plant friday: orchards part 1

 I've been out to pick apples, raspberries and pumpkins five different times this fall.
Obsessed you say? It's true. I love raspberries for raspberry jam. I love apples for apple pie, apple crisp and keeping the doctor away. But I may love pumpkins most of all. Pumpkins are so friendly and colorful.

They scream fall and cozy! Don't you just want to knock on the person's door who has them beautifully piled up on their front porch and invite yourself in for dinner and a glass of wine?! Or is that just me.

Here are some of our adventures in raspberry picking photos-

- with raspberries, look for low hanging, bent over branches - that's where you find the treasure -

- i had to lay on the ground for this photo - aren't they beautiful -

- koko and his buddy - he ate ten berries for every one i picked -

- this amount of raspberries makes 6 smaller jars of jam -

- canning jam really is easy and makes a great gift during the holidays-

A few notes about raspberry jam-
Jam is made by cooking the whole fruit (chopped or crushed, but using the whole fruit). Jelly is made with the juice from the fruit. In the old house, our favorite is raspberry jam.

I use this recipe to remind myself of the approximate ratios and canning steps.
I do not weigh my berries; I use about eight cups. I use only 3 1/2 cups of sugar. Pectin is not needed in raspberry jam. Pectin is naturally occurring in fruit and when you cook it with sugar at high temperatures,
you get the gel effect. That's how I understand it anyway!

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in the details:

thanks, Kim, for a fun morning with our boys at the orchard

Kylie, you are my jam/canning inspiration

and, yes, sitting on the old house's front porch is a bountiful display of gourds and pumpkins

plant friday: moss rose, part deux

- on the front walk - i believe this to be a scarlet variety -

Portulaca oleracea = purslane.

Did you just read that out loud, slowly trying to figure out the pronunciations? Well, I did.

This is a sequel to my original post about moss rose. I would like to tell you that I knew this other drought-
hardy, annual succulent I have planted at the old house was in the moss rose family, but alas, I did not. And so, I felt compelled to do a little research and provide for you, the nitty gritty on these two plants.

I feel a little silly because the two varieties I have look fairly similar. Moss rose is a common name for a variety of plant in the portulaca family (species). Portulaca grandiflora = moss rose. Portulaca oleracea = purslane. These are the two varieties here at the old house.

Their stems are different, but both have small, vibrant flowers that only open for the sun.

In fact, they both love the sun. You can plant portulaca in just about any soil. The moss rose I have on the front porch is planted in clay pots and takes a full day of sun; it is thriving. I stuck my purslane plant in a small section of landscaping that I had no idea what to do with. The four inch plant went crazy this summer! It has sprawled out onto the front walk, which I just love.

Now that I know what this family of plants is capable of, I can (and will) better use it in my landscaping
next season. Do you have portulaca in your landscaping? Please share your pictures!

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in the details:

this link is a seed website- i like it for pictures of different portulaca colors and varieties

i also think bhg.com is always a great source for so many things, including plants!

plant friday: shrub roses

- sunrise sunset variety, in vintage ball jars -

 Okay, I know I should not technically be pruning in late summer, but my three shrub roses were

getting a bit leggy. The few branches that needed to be cut had large clusters of blooms. I did not have the heart to just toss them in the yard waste, so I trimmed them up and put them in the house.

Not only are they beautiful, but they were super fragrant and lasted over a week.

There are almost endless varieties of shrub roses. Many do well in most climates or zones (click here to

find out which zone you're in). The sunrise-sunset variety I have is low maintenance, and mine have been

full of the vibrant blooms they are known for since June.

 I purchased and planted the roses last fall. Late summer to fall is the best time to buy shrubs like this.

You will get a great deal, and next spring your work is already done. They did look dead in the ground

when planted, but it was so great to watch them green up and bloom this summer.

One last thing, get out in your yard and clip what you think is beautiful. You don't have to have garden beds full of cutting flowers to make fresh, floral displays for your house. You might be surprised at how much cheer a small vase or jar full of one or many clippings can bring to your day.

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 some of my summer clippings:

- from our lilac shrub -

- confession:  this is from AZ last summer -

- peonies clipped from my friend's back yard -

 

in the details:

this site has good information for pruning and fertilizing your shrub roses

plant friday: hydrangea

 I have always wanted hydrangeas in the yard; they are the quintessential summer flower.

And now, I find myself living in a climate they love.

With the garage and patio complete, we are slowly working on landscaping. Perhaps, I have said this before- if you can stand to, wait until fall to purchase your perennials and shrubs. You will get a great deal, and come spring, well, your planting work will be done.

In this case, I couldn't stand to wait. I wanted hydrangeas in this spot since the day we moved in.

Two nights ago, hubby helped me plant them. It was only nine (okay, that's late). We have been working

late nights outside all summer, so what's another.

Hydrangeas do well with some sun, even a few hours of filtered sun should be enough.

The dense blooms last a long time and pruning is easy. The variety we planted is called limelight. They can get quite tall and hedgy, which is exactly what we want for this space. When pruning next spring,

we will only trim dead branches/stems and clip off the dead blooms. When we planted ours, I used a plant starter. This stuff works! Click here for more info and pick it up at your local nursery.

I found this blog. Check out the beautiful pictures of limelights and the helpful info.

This website: (click here) also has good information to get you started with your hydrangeas.

- our limelights after an early morning thunderstorm -

 

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plant friday: moss rose

I am not sure why, but I never planted moss rose in AZ.

Funny, because I think it would thrive there. The moss rose is durable; it will suffer through blistering,

full-sun heat and still present beautiful and vibrant flowers. I grabbed several multi-colored packs and filled

a few clay pots on the front porch. They do not disappoint and can be purchased in many, many colors.

Moss rose does well in the ground, too. I am always looking for ideas when I walk and run in the old neighborhood, and I see a lot of it planted in beds. It will fill-out and spread, but I see evidence of bunnies snacking on the leaves. There are ways to prevent this, but after all my planting this season, I decided that from now on (she says until next spring), I will only plant perennials in the ground. Annuals in pots.

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plant friday: flowers and finds

Now is a good time to get out and pick up any last annuals you want to plant.

Some may be getting a little overgrown, but they are still workable! Plus, many local places are and will be having sales. Perennials are starting to go on sale too, but I think the best time to purchase and plant trees, shrubs and other perennials, is during the fall. They won't be much to look at in September,

but next spring they will be beautiful. Plus, they will have only cost you half of the spring season price.

Happy planting! And don't forget to sit back and enjoy your hard work and lovely flowers.

As promised, here are just a few of my friend's flowers, as well as her shed sale finds!

 

clockwise from top left:

green, wooden bench - $3 (this was actually a garage sale find)

love the naturally worn pots that came with her house (lucky!) and impatiens

cabinet with vintage door - $175 shed sale find - perfect patio storage

vintage red, metal lawn chair - $25 (i think) shed sale find

old wire basket - $15 shed sale find - i love how she incorporated this into the landscaping

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plant friday: coleus (and vinca)

I always wanted coleus in my garden, but it is not a plant that thrives in AZ.

I tried to stick with plants and flowers that could withstand the AZ summer and winter (desert winter). Most of my pots there were filled with perennials. I did have several pots with annual vinca, though, (read about
vinca here) and it was six years old! I would cut it back every spring, along with my perennials, and it would come back and look amazing. These pots were gifted to friends when we moved away.

 Just a side note; there is a perennial vinca, but it is more of a vine and ground cover. We have quite a bit

of it here at the old house. Okay, so back to my original topic:  coleus. I am, perhaps, a little bit

obsessed with it. There are many beautiful variations of color and leaves. I prefer the trailing kind; it looks great in pots. I have worked this fun plant into most of my summer pots this year.

From what I know, it will do best if it is grown in partially shaded or mostly shaded areas.

Summer conditions in the new city are tropical; it is humid, and the old house is shaded by tall, lush trees and landscaping. So yes, the plants are doing well. I also learned recently, that some coleus plants bloom purple flowers, but if you want seasonal longevity from your plant, pinch the flowers off. Read here and here for
good, quick info about this attractive, fit-in-anywhere plant.

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- our back patio - two varieties shown here -

- found this pot at a yard sale, $2 -

- planter on patio railing - trailing coleus (two varieties) and begonias -

- love this! - i found the photo here -

- perennial vine vinca, annual potted vinca (white) -

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p.s.  more of my flower photos can be seen in previous posts here and here

- please send me photos of your garden, flowers and/or pots- i would love to share them! -

plant friday

 It was a long Friday. I am sure you have these days too.

This is the first time I am sitting down today and I am exhausted. So, I would just like to share with you a few pictures. I had so much fun this week, planting the pots on the front porch. Many varieties of flowers that thrive here, would not live through summer in the desert. And so, I went a little flower crazy.

I blame this partly on my friend. She and I run on Saturday mornings, and after our run, we hit the

farmers market. Of course the cobblestone streets are filled with tables of freshly baked pastries, beautiful and crisp local produce, and flowers. Flowers. How can you pass up flowers from the local farms?

Imagine strolling through the aisles, in the glorious morning sunshine, coffee in hand (purchased, of course, from your favorite local coffee shop right there in the market). The owner of your favorite restaurant is pulling his wagon full of produce purchases for his evening's menu. Then, there are tables filled with flowers ready for you to plant in those pots on the porch.

Many purchases have been made. Luckily, my friend knows all the flowers that do well here, so I listened, asked questions and got to work. Her porch is so cute and perfect for just sitting. I will take pictures and share them with you. Thanks for the inspiration, friend.

- our farmers market flowers from last saturday -

- petunias smell so good -

- i forgot this one's name, but i will ask the gal tomorrow morning -

- this variety:  dreamsicle superbells -

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p.s.  purchases in my market bag:  two dozen fresh brown eggs (yum), honey (for my granola),

romaine, and asparagus

plant friday: orchid

- phalaenopsis or moth orchid-

The friends we had over for dinner last weekend brought yummy cupcakes for dessert and
this lovely orchid. This is my first orchid. I think I have always been intimidated by them. So, I do not have much advice to give you, personally, regarding orchid care. I will say though, like most house plants, water only as needed. I really believe if you over care for your house plants, they are not likely to do well.

And, do a little research. I did and I can tell you that this guy is one of the most common orchids.
In fact, I am pretty sure this guy came from Trader Joe's! Another reason to love TJ's! Click here for further information on orchid care and varieties.

Rick and Kate, thank you!

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plant friday: may day

May Day was a big deal when I was a kid.

I remember Mom helping me fill tiny baskets with popcorn and treats. We left them on the porches of our

neighbors and friends, pushed the doorbell and ran! I think in some cities and neighborhoods this day is a big deal and others, not so much. It was not something we ever did in AZ, but I learned this week that it is a big deal here. After school, the doorbell at the old house rang several times.

That brings me to plant Friday- were you wondering where I was going with all this?

S brought home from school, fresh and cute baskets from his buddies. One Mom and her son planted impatiens in those biodegradable pots that many starter plants come in now in your local nurseries. Follow the directions, but basically you just tear off the bottom of the pot, loosen the roots as you normally would and plant it. I have done this with my pepper plants every year. I could go on now about gardens, but for now
I will just ask:  do you have a garden this year? What's in it?

- if/when it warms up, we will move this guy outside -

Enjoy your weekend, dear readers, and Happy May Day!

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plant friday: in the kitchen

Don't you think kitchen windows are the best place for plants?
We spend so much time in our kitchens. Cooking, eating, cleaning, entertaining and spending time with our family and dear friends. The kitchen is full of life and I think our plants respond to that.

 * * * * *

Also lovely in kitchen windows, are fresh-cut flowers. I use vases, jars (old and new) and anything else
I can find. Here are a few ideas from the old house.

- tulips in one vintage jar, the other jar held green olives -

- on the dining room built-ins, talavera pottery -

- old jars i have picked-up antiquing over the years -

* * * * *

on the weekend agenda:
paint at least one wall blue in the master bedroom
organize the basement work room
touch up paint in both bathrooms and install new cabinet hinges in upstairs bath
enjoy the spring weather outside with the children

plant friday: begonia

 Happy plant Friday!

This picture is from a friend here in the new city. Jessica has a cute house not too far from us.
She says I inspired her to purchase the begonia sitting in the window above her kitchen sink. She says she cannot keep plants alive. I, of course, disagree. Her begonia is lovely and blooming!

- i believe this is a red tuberous begonia -

Why I like begonias:  They are low maintenance, forgiving and beautiful indoors and out.
Inside care:  They like humidity, so if your house is dry, you may want to set the pot in a tray with pebbles and water. To avoid root rot, let the soil dry out some before watering.
Place your begonia in a place that gets much indirect sun. While begonias do not require removal of
dead flowers, I think it's important to remove them along with any dead leaves. You can fertilize- just follow the package directions+. And, they respond well to replanting if and when needed.
Outdoor care:  Plant your begonias after risk of spring freeze. They do well in partial to mostly shaded areas. Keep the outdoor soil moist. Follow inside care for fertilizing and dead foliage removal.

There are many varieties of begonias, and they are widely available at local hardware stores and nurseries. Now is the perfect time to think about planting them in your garden or in that empty pot on the porch!

+ a note about fertilizing- i am bad at it. there are fertilizers you can add to your watering can at every
water or you can mix up a weak batch and fertilize once a week. i would say i only fertilize once every two to three months, but i do more during any plants growing season.

* * * * *


p.s.  jessica recently crafted the mason jar pendant (shown above). it's on my project list, too. i even have the materials, so i will let you know how it goes. if you want to make one before me, follow the steps on
this gal's fabulous blog.

 in the details:

want your plant featured on plant friday, send me a pic!

plant friday: succulent

 Have I mentioned I do not love grocery shopping?

Koko and I shop most Friday mornings, so our hours are not spent on this task over the weekend. Trader Joe's is always our first stop. When I walk in, I feel like I am in one of our favorite small, city markets. For the moments inside, I pretend I am. We called Seattle home before we lived in AZ, and there are days I ache for our northwest city life as much as I do for the desert.

And so, walking into TJ's, welcomed by the wall of fresh-cut flowers and lovely plants and herbs, is comforting. Next time you are in your local TJ's or other favorite market, treat yourself to a cute succulent or a bouquet of tulips or daises. Either (or both!) will fit right in on your kitchen counter, and I believe

they will make your day happier.

 

- echeveria glauca, also known as hen and chickens -

- tj's tulips, vintage jar, new butcher block counter top -

 

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in the details:

succulents tend to prefer a sandy soil mix

they like lots of indirect sun and make sure the soil drys out a bit before watering

 instead of a vase, try your fresh-cut flowers in a jar or pitcher