Garden Pic Wednesday: Gardenia Arrangement

-
Yesterday I hedged one of the Azalea's that edge my sidewalk--I use hand hedge sheers, so it's a good arm workout! Today I just picked blackberries.
It's Gardenia time! My huge bush out front is thick with them and the air is fragrance with their clove-like scent!

Whatever's blooming outside goes into my vase, so
today's garden pick is a mixed vase that includes Gardenias, Agapanthus, Hydrangea and Black-eyed Susan's:
 
 
As a vase flower, Gardenia's are short-lived. Maybe 2 or 3 days, though it's worth it for the smell.
 Their head's are heavy, too, so they tend to droop over the side of the vase.
I had to reposition these after they'd been in the vase water an hour, flipping them around and putting some in the middle of the arrangement where other flowers will hold them up.
Tricky.
Also, when cutting Gardenia's, just choose ripe white buds or barely open flowers, give a quick rinse under cold water, shake off gently and arrange.
I say that because fully open blossoms usually have mites. (teeny-tiny insects.)
Just choosing buds is a quick and easy way to beat this problem.
 
Hydrangea's, on the other hand, are an excellent vase flower and last well. Should they appear droopy, just give their stems a fresh slanted cut and fresh, hot tap water. They'll perk right back up.
********
Apparently my husband forgot to renew his car registration in May, since that's his birthday month and here it is well into June!
Luckily, we noticed it ourselves this past weekend. He was washing his KIA (a rare event in itself) and suddenly realized he still had last years sticker on the license plate.
"Where's my new sticker?" he exclaimed, convinced he'd gone and renewed it, since he has never forgotten before.
Well, long story short: he did forget. And it only took checking the county website to confirm it hadn't been done.
Fortunately, he could do it right on-line--including that hefty late charge. *gag*The form also warned that receiving the new sticker might take 7 to 10 business days, which I could hardly believe, since local mail can go from here to Pensacola and back again within 2 to 3 days max.
My husband printed off the form that said the renewal was paid to carry around with him--just in case.
Amazingly---his outdated sticker has gone unnoticed! Even the security guys at the base gate haven't noticed.
Happily, guess what came in mail today? Yup. The new sticker!

Comments

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment!

Popular posts from this blog

Good Eating Monday: Apple Cranberry Sausage Stuffing!

-
Image
Now this some wicked good dressing!  I tried it for Thanksgiving this year and everyone loved it! I've been looking for just the right dressing and I may have finally found it!  It's also healthy with a tasty combo of fruit, veggies and a mix of white & whole wheat bakery breads. It will fill a  fill a 9 x 13 pan.  You can use fresh or dried herbs. I've included the measurements for both. Just remember dried seasoning is more concentrated in flavor because it is dried, so you need less of it then fresh herbs. I have fresh Parsley growing outside and this was a great use for it! I found leftover over stuffing wonderful heated up and topped with a over-easy egg for lunch!  Apple Cranberry Sausage Stuffing Ingredients:  5 1/2 cups fresh European style or sourdough bread, white, sliced and cubed 2 1/2 cups wheat bread, whole grain sliced and cubed 1 lb ground pork or turkey ( I used Jimmy Dean's Turkey Crumbles, which was 8 oz and that worked great! ) 1 1/2
Read more

Good Eating Monday: Peach Cobbler Dump Cake!

-
Image
Yes, I tried another new Pinterest recipe and this one is a winner! The primary dictionary definition of a "Dump Cake," is an easily made cobbler in which cake mix is dumped over canned fruit or pie filling.  This recipe was pinned from Del Monte, which means it's been a recipe that's been created & tested in a corporate test kitchen. That's one benefit of all those label, can & box recipes provided by manufacturers on their product packaging. You can even buy cookbooks featuring nothing, but package & label recipes of which many are vintage. The only changes I'd suggest is add one more 15 oz can of fruit. It can be more peaches, cherry fruit cocktail, regular fruit cocktail or whatever you want. (So, I've noted 4 cans of peaches in the recipe.)   It just needs a little more volume on the fruit quantity.  And stir a teaspoon or two of cinnamon into the fruit! Otherwise, this is an excellent, quick dessert you can serve hot with v
Read more

Good Eating Monday: Old Fashioned Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding!

-
Image
Welcome to the first week of February! It's supposed to be 31 degrees tonight, so after cleaning up the front walk beds, I went around covering various things that either are blooming, about to bloom or that have sensitive leaf buds, like my hydrangea's.  I picked all the yellow daffodils and brought them inside for a cheerful vase on my counter. For Garden Pic Wednesday this week I have an excellent photo of a pine tree flower! You didn't know pine trees flower?  Well, you'll have to stop back for a look! Today's Good Eating Recipe is a family favorite my Mother used to make often for us as kids: Old Fashioned Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding! What Old Fashioned Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding Looks Like This is just your basic wholesome old fashioned bread pudding made with just eggs, bread, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar & raisins! No sauces to make. Just simple bread pudding. We'd eat it hot with a little evaporated milk poured over the top.
Read more

Garden Pic Wednesday: Ajuga & Lettuce Crop

-
Image
T oday's Garden Pic is a nice January shot of some Common Ajuga draping over the edge of a large container out front & my bumper crop of lettuce Ajuga: It's a ground cover with a burgundy tinge to it's leaves. It reaches it's best color in shade, but can tolerate light sun. This Ajuga just gets morning sun. It throws runners like a strawberry does, spreading along the ground. It's reaching for the ground and will establish once it touches around the shady side of the stump the container sits on. It's a member of the mint family.  My Winter Crop of Lettuce: This is a french head lettuce I got ordered from Seed Savers for spring 2021. It went to seed in May 2021, then dozens popped up around Sept. I separated them, this whole 4 x 8 raised bed with them. I dined on fresh crisp lettuce all winter! I've left 2 to go to seed on one end of the raised bed, so can have lettuce all winter again!  I've joined a group a ladies in a Book Club that meets once a mo
Read more