A merry heart is good medicine…
Proverbs 17:22
I spent most of the day in the garden yesterday so in honor of God’s wonderful handiwork, enjoy the beauty of flowers blooming!
What a Difference a Day Makes!
I was not home much this week, since we are in the middle of UIL Concert and Sightreading season. I spent 2 days at our middle school contest, playing the piano for our 2 choirs plus 4 others, then drove to Houston after the 2nd day, spent the night, and judged a contest the next. I try to walk around my garden and visit my plants every day, but I didn’t get to spend much Time out there. However, after I had been gone a full day and almost 3 inches of rain fell, I could really tell a difference!
English dogwood (mock orange) had exploded.
.
Sugar snap peas and Little Marvel peas grew tall and started blooming.
Louisiana iris began blooming.
.
My potatoes grew way too tall! I’m out of dirt to hill up around them.
And the big news of the day– Hardy gladioli were barely budded out last time I saw them, then I came home to this:
Around the Garden– March 30
Spring is definitely here in Southeast Texas, although we had a slight hiccup and some near-freezing temps early this week! I picked this little bouquet a few weeks ago- daffodils, narcissus, hyacinth, saucer magnolia (tulip tree), camellia, and some rosemary sprigs.
Early this season we visited the farm of a good friend and I got a load of manure and topsoil– if you are a gardener, you know how excited I was! Plus, I got to see several baby cows!
I planted lettuce for the first time– it’s looking beautiful! I planted more in the ground, and some more in a large pot, several weeks apart. I wish I liked radishes– they looks pretty but taste like dirt to me.
I got an apple tree this year. As with any new bed, I like to lay down several layers of newspaper to kill out the grass and weeds. Mr X used a piece of twine as a handy little compass to make the brick border an even circle. Then “we” (there’s the “marital we” again) saturated the newspapers, then topped with a thick layer of leaf mulch, which we also saturated.
I’m afraid the broccoli is about done. From what I’ve read, when the temps get about 70, they begin bolting to flower and seed. I put in some newer ones about a month ago, thinking that it was the age of the plant that made a difference, but they are flowering too.
Basil seedlings coming up. I need to pot them up!
I didn’t know that saucer magnolia would root where it touches the ground, like azaleas do. Here are 3 new ones that took root. I hope they will grow into new trees!
How is your garden growing?
Auntie Em’s Garden-Fresh Broccoli
Springtime is very near here in Southeast Texas!
Camellias,
tulip trees,
and narcissus are blooming,
and hyacinths and even a few brave azaleas are peeking out.
Last spring I planted a few broccoli plants and was amazed at how prolific they were! I didn’t think broccoli would thrive in our hot weather. I did give out by June but had made tons before that. So this year, I got a dozen plants and we have had an abundance! I used it to make my broccoli salad at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but for you veggie purists, this week I made it plain. May I just say how much better broccoli is when it’s fresh from the garden?
Cut your broccoli when the buds are tight. I let some of these go too far– there were even a couple of flowers! If more flowerets are forming, be sure to leave them there. 
There will be one large head– I’ve already cut this one– then the plant will continue to produce side shoots,
unless you let it go to seed. I let this one go too long so decided to sacrifice it for next year’s seed. Notice there are no side shoots because the energy is being used in seed production.
Wash it good. I haven’t used pesticides but we do have animals that run loose in our neighborhood!
Chop it as much as you like. I like fairly big chunks, so I cut the florets off but don’t chop them.
When you cut the broccoli when it’s young, the stems are plenty tender. I used all of this.
I put it in a small glass bowl, added about a tablespoon of water, and covered. Microwave 1 minute and stir. Depending on the amount, you might need to cook another minute. Then, go ahead and add a tablespoon of butter! MMM…. delicious…. and so good for you!
Auntie Em’s Garden-Fresh Broccoli
1 large or several small broccoli florets, chopped
1 TBS water
1 TBS butter, salt and pepper to taste
Combine in microwave-safe bowl. Cover and cook on high 1 or 2 minutes.
A Merry Heart– February 3
A merry heart is good medicine…
Proverbs 17:22
Today I can’t really decide what to share, so I’m sharing a bit of this and a bit of that! (This picture is showing Texas wildflowers in April– I’m sure this is in our Hill Country. Beautiful, yes?
For your spirit
If you have never had the opportunity to be blessed by Thelma Wells, you have missed out! She used to be a regular speaker with the Women of Faith team and I got to hear her speak several times; she tended to be my favorite. She has quite a lot of material available on Youtube– here is just a teaser.
For your ears
Billy Joel performing “Piano Man” live in 1975. Many artists rely so much on studio manipulation that live performances are awful– but he is such a good musician, it’s still really good.
For your eyes
I’ve seen pictures of Butchart Gardens on Pinterest– this is really pretty and for you poor folks in the snow this will give you some hope of Spring!
For your funny bone
Don’t be put off by the length of this one– it’s a medley of short clips.
The Birds and the Bees…
GOTCHA!
Sis and Sunshine, you can start breathing again. I’m talking about REAL birds, and REAL bees. And butterflies, and caterpillars (Sorry Sunshine), and squirrels, and other critters that I love looking at in our yard. We are fortunate to have a large neighborhood lot, with lots of trees and flowers, and God’s handiwork is evident. I love “porching,” as one of our cousins calls it, and enjoying the sights and sounds! If you need a little glimpse of nature, come on!
Our cat, Max. He thinks all this belongs to him.
Bumblebee happily buzzing in a squash flower this spring
Hummers at the back porch feeder
We had lots of these this summer– red admiral, maybe?
I think a pipevine swallowtail– do you know for sure?
Top view of the butterfly in question– beautiful!
We had so many giant swallowtails this year!
This scary looking critter is actually a friend– called a wasp killer!
The doves loved our messy sparrows, because there were lots of seeds on the ground!
Gulf fritillary– we had tons of these this year!
I have no idea who these occasional visitors were– anyone?
I had to zoom a lot on the camera to get close enough, so it’s not as clear as I’d like.. but I couldn’t resist this little guy!
The small birds really like our new feeder.
Beautiful giant swallowtail. Many of these visited, but none was more striking than this one.
My personal favorite. For two days, two of these girls visited.
Just saw this beauty a few times.
I realized that, while my lantana is a nectaring jackpot, parsley is one of the few larval feeders that I had this summer. Next spring I will add lots more!
- Geckos for the first time this year! (Especially INSIDE the house)
- Do you have skinks where you live? They look like a cross between a lizard and snake, but somehow, I like them anyway! Probably because of their beautiful blue tails.
Dinnerplate Hibiscus- and a Ridiculously Excited Auntie Em
I know you’re not supposed to play favorites, but I think of all the beautiful flowers in my garden, I love this dinnerplate hibicus best! A friend gave it to me when I was teaching her son, about 10 years ago; it had sprouted up beside hers. She told me that these are very persnickety about propagation and rarely make babies.
So last spring when I saw this little baby peeking up near the big bush, I held my breath and waited…
When it reached about a foot tall, I dug it up, potted it to grow a bigger root system, kept it over the winter, then gave it to Sis this spring for her garden. She kept me updated and we were so excited when it finally bloomed! Here it is:
And another unusual thing happened last summer- Since I will reuse potting soil if a plant “bites the dust” (HA- usually that’s exactly what happens; I don’t water enough and it dies of thirst!), sometimes random plants come up in newly-potted plants. I sometimes recognize what they are; sometimes I debate whether they are weeds or something desirable, and wait it out; and sometimes I have no idea! Last summer I had 2 babies which looked like hibiscus come up in a pot. I posted the picture to Facebook and asked friends what they thought it could be– hibiscus? Watermelon? I hadn’t planted any dinnerplate seeds in a long time… a few years back I had, but they never germinated.
What do you think?
I put them in separate pots and kept them alive all through our horrible drought last summer, then this spring planted them in the ground.
One died. But one thrived. I kept watching, holding my breath, and hoping it would be a dinnerplate… and finally… TADAAA! I was so excited you would have thought I’d have bred a Kentucky Derby winning horse!
Such is the life of a frugal gardener!
Gardening on the Cheap– Passalong Plants
One of Auntie Em’s Guides to Life is to BE FRUGAL. If you love having a beautiful garden it can get expensive, but it doesn’t have to! I like low-maintenance plants… the law of the jungle applies in Auntie Em’s garden– the survival of the fittest. No divas here!
The good thing about passalong plants is that they usually propagate (make new plants) easily. The other fun thing is that then you have a plant with story! I’ll share some that I’ve had success with, and how I did it. Most of the time I cut a tender stem (not a hard woody one) and put it in regular potting soil. Sis usually roots in water; experiment to see what works best! Some really hardy plants can go directly into the ground, especially if you water regularly.
I took a snip off the top of Sunshine’s coleus. I stuck the stem in a pot, but there were some big leaves too. I pulled this one off and tucked it in among a hibiscus, not knowing whether or not it would root that way. It did.
Here is the pot where I put all the little babies. It will grow into a beautiful accent; then I can pinch off more! Coleus is a wonderful, versatile plant that is available in many different colors, and does will in pots or in the ground, in sun or in shade.
This althea (Rose of Sharon, in the mallow family) came from a cutting from 
my mother-in-law (Granny of Granny’s cornbread). I actually thought it was a hibiscus (They are cousins.) and put it in a pot, and by the time I realized it was althea, it was too late to put it in the ground. I’ll do that this fall after the weather cools off.
This exotic-looking trumpet shaped flower is called alstromeria, or Peruvian lily. It has a fancy cousin 
that is often used in cut arrangements, but this is anything but fancy! I got this one from Granny too, and have given away tons of it. If it’s planted in a happy place, it can become invasive, spreading by seed on top and tubers below ground. Be sure to cut the seedpods off to slow it down.
I got this hardy gladiola from a lady that went to our church for much longer than I have. She was there when Granny and PawPaw took Mr X and his brother and sister as children, and she has passed now. But every spring, when these come up again, I remember Miss Freddie and how she shared what she had with whoever needed it!
I got this gorgeous angel wing begonia from my friend Nedra. We’ve shared lots of cuttings and snips over the years. This one actually started life at Granny’s house, then Nedra got a snip, so mine is sort of like a grandchild!
I discovered Persian shield this year, and I LOVE it! I bought 4 overgrown, leggy, 4 inch pots; put 3 in the ground and one in a pot to see where it was happiest. The ones in the ground died quickly. I pinched off several pieces from the one in the pot (here is one; it rooted almost overnight!) and it was a good thing, because I let the pot dry out and it died! Fortunately, I still have the new one.
The lantana was a seedling from my piano teacher. He always keeps a beautiful, well-manicured lawn, and I love the way the lantana looks like a party! The butterflies love it. Seedlings come up easlity, but they aren’t invasive.
Here are some more that I’ve shared, or that reseed easily and come back year after year. Sometimes, flower colors will change from one year to the next (as with the vinca, which started life 3 generations ago as lavendar) but that’s just part of the fun.
Don’t let frugality keep you from having beautiful flowers!
Portulaca- reseed easily, and root from cuttings.
I wish I knew what this was called. Granny gave me some from a plant from her mother’s funeral. I love it!
Sis got me an Easter lily one year at her church.
Miss Winnie has shared daylillies with many people from our church.
Crinum lillies are old-timey because they are dependable, no-care flowers! Their pink or white blooms come in late summer.
AHHH agapanthas, or Lily of the Nile. A lady at school gave me some.
These are 3rd or 4th generation vinca. I bought a flat one year and have had them every year since. If I were a better gardener, I’d move them to optimum places, but I just let them come up where they will! They began life lavendar, but are usually pink. These white ones are the first I’ve seen!
In Auntie Em’s Garden
I read a quote on the WordPress site yesterday from Gloria Steinem saying, “I don’t like to write. I like to have written.” That’s sort of like me with gardening. I do like to get my hands in the dirt, but it’s so hot, and my knees hurt with all the squatting, and I’ve pulled muscles in my back from tugging… But I so love the results! Bright colors, and especially blues, make me happy! (pinks follow a close second.)
Flowers are just part of the method of propagation that God designed for plants. I’m so thankful for His beautiful creativity! He could have designed a nuts and bolts, practical way, but He added all this beauty too.
Psalm 19:1– The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth His handiwork.
Mr X is off today, so we are taking a little day trip. I’ll leave you, Dearies, with some pretty sights from my garden to start your weekend on a happy note!
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I’m having fun… and an award
I have been reading blogs for a couple of years- I started out with Pioneer Woman, then added The Reluctant Entertainer, The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor, To Love, Honor, and Vacuum, Hoe and Shovel, and of course the spiritual wisdom from my old longtime friend, Juliana at SimplyJuliana.
Juliana was a strong Christian even back in high school. Now I was a Christian- but a strong one? Did everyone I meet see Christ in my life? I’m not so sure. It’s easy for a mature woman to take a stand, but the older I get, (I seem to be saying that a lot lately *sigh*) the more I admire Juliana for her strong Christian witness for as long as I’ve known her.
Even though we both live in the town where we graduated, we did not stay in touch regularly until Facebook, but since then, we’ve made up for lost time, sharing prayers and requests. She even says I was instrumental in her starting her blog! She just has always been able to pull out Scripture and wisdom in any situation I needed, at the drop of a hat. So I’m really glad she’s writing and sharing it with a larger audience. She also encouraged me to start Auntie Em, and she’s nominated me for a Reader Appreciation Award! It’s sort of like an Academy Award *rolls eyes*, nominated by your peers- and then I get to nominate the blogs that I particularly love. Thank you Juliana!
It’s been really fun (all 3 days of it lol) because, as you know, one of Auntie Em’s rules in the guide for life is to EXAMINE YOURSELF. When you write, you have to really think things out, and come up with things you might not have in normal life. For instance: My younger daughter, whom Auntie Em calls “Sunshine”, has always brightened rooms whenever she walks in. People have always said it- it’s just that obvious. She is strikingly beautiful (may I say that?), with dark blue eyes, blonde hair, and very fair skin. We always say Sunshine brings the party with her. She was very easy to name.
My older girl, Sis, is much more subdued than Sunshine. Auntie Em was trying to come up with an appropriate name for her so I began thinking- what has she been in my life? Help. Calmness. Stability. Joy. She was the child that I learned to mother with. I thought, “What a wonderful mother I must be!” when she rarely cried, and was so sweet-natured and easy to care for. (Then I had another child and realized that it was more about HER than ME!) Her teachers always said what a wonderful student she was. I find myself using the word “always” to describe her often- always a hard worker, always self-motivated, always helpful, always dependable. She lived at home until she got married, after college for bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and while many times I would advise against that, I was happy to have her here because she made my life so much easier. (She too is very beautiful!)
Therefore (as the Apostle Paul so eloquently says when summing up what he’s said before, to come to the point), because of writing Auntie Em, I talked to Sis about her blog name, and said all these things to her, which otherwise I might not have. It was a good conversation to have.
So your assignment for today, my dears: Think about someone who has made a positive difference in your life– a teacher? Child, parent, sibling? Friend? Think about HOW, and be specific. Then tell them. You know- give them their flowers while they’re alive, instead of waiting to send them to the funeral.
So here are my award nominees.
1. The Pioneer Woman - recipes, funny and heartfelt “confessions”, beautiful photography, and now a show on the Food Network.
2. The Reluctant Entertainer - Sandy writes about overcoming your perfectionism, getting over your excuses and reasons not to get together with friends, and to JUST DO IT! To someone who thinks things to death, and is much better at PLANNING than DOING, her blog really hits home.
3. The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor – In case you don’t know, “sartorial” has to do with clothes and dressing. I have always loved the royal highnesses and majesties, especially the British ones, but I’ve discovered the Belgian, Dutch, Spanish, Swedish, and Norwegian ones too, as well as other “serenes”. And did I mention the JEWELS??
4. To Love, Honor, and Vacuum - Shelia writes about marriage and — dare I say it?– sex, from a Christian perspective. She is forthright but tasteful and talks about a lot of things that SHOULD be being taught in churches, but many times are not. Christians need to hear this message in the right context, not leave it to network TV.
5. Hoe and Shovel - Meems writes about her garden in Florida. Oh. My. Goodness. Such beauty. And and environment similar to mine, so I draw a lot of inspiration from her.
Please accept this award with my thanks for the inspiration you have given me! And follow these directions.
1. Add a picture of the award to your blog post.
2. Thank the blogger who nominated you and include a link to their blog.
3. Nominate 5-10 other Bloggers and inform those selected that they have been nominated.
And don’t forget your homework! Turn it in, right in the comments section!
