Argiope ~ The Writing SpiderWe, and most of our neighbors, had gardens. They were always home to several writing spiders. With this spider being very active during the day, it was not uncommon to encounter a few during any visit to the garden.
The Most Frugal Of All, Free MemoriesWhat is your earliest memory? I will tell you three of mine as I don't know which is earliest. When I was little, the house was not heated past bed time. If the temperature was 10 degrees outside, it was 10 degrees inside, not long after we all went to bed.
Use Your Own Mind When Making PurchasesWhat is a 'benhad'? It's not the lowest soldier rank in Xerxes Persian army, nor is it the latest hair style craze by Lauri Pedaja. A benhad is simply a person who has been had by the system.
Line Small Flower Beds With Concrete Mixing TubsBermuda migrates towards wetter soil. If flower beds are kept wetter than the surrounding lawn, Bermuda will easily invade them. Using sunken concrete mixing tubs as liners for beds can prevent this migration, underground. Keeping above ground migration at bay is much easier.
Wear Gardening Gloves For The UnexpectedSome time back I wrote an article on the importance of wearing gloves while working in areas that might be infested with black widow spiders. One might do well to consider gloves when working in other areas, too.
June Is Plant Rooting MonthJune is the best month for rooting most plants. Now, as to the purpose of this post. It's not a tip nor a bragging post. It is to offer a word of encouragement. To those of you who would say 'I don't have a green thumb, I can't root anything', my reply is, 'Nonsense'!
No Mix Homemade Brown SugarBeing frugal isn't complicated. It tends to be just the opposite. Over the years, I've shown appreciation for tips submitted by littergitter, Sandi/Poor But Proud and others, that make things unbelievable simple. Here's one from me.
The Animals SpeakWhen I was twenty-four, I took a walk through a meadow near my home. Where the meadow ended, a few small trees had cropped up here and there. Some small Dogwoods were in the mix. I thought I spotted a Trillium. As I bent over to get a better look, I braced myself by grabbing on to one of the lower branches of a nearby dogwood.
Thoroughly Cleaning A Cast Iron Fry PanYou can tell me not to use soap on my cast iron pans til the cows come home. I will use it, anyway. I refuse to put away a pan that has only been scraped and wiped. To me, that borders on 'nasty'.
Taking Multiple Cuttings From A Rose BushThis past spring, I bought a floribunda rose named 'Summer Romance'. A $15 rose for $3. It was 1½-2 feet tall. Since that time, it has grown to over 6 feet. It has not bloomed.
My Orphaned Garden FriendI have a small area on my property shaded with old maple trees. It's my summer hangout. I try to make it more pleasant by growing flowers beneath the trees.
Easy Clarified ButterThere is clarified butter, and then there is ghe or ghee. They are not the same. Clarified butter, or 'drawn butter', as it was called in times past, is the simpler to prepare of the two. It can be used many ways. Essentially, it is regular butter with the milk solids and water removed.
Cute Little SquirrelNow there's a nice little rodent. He (?) really seems to be enjoying that apple core I tossed out. Golly, I didn't know squirrels liked apples so much.
Clean Lines For Small LawnI have a good sized piece of property. As I get older, it seems to get even larger when it comes time to mow it with a push mower. Doc says the exercise is good for me. But then, he ain't the one doing the pushing.
Viola At DuskSome of you might like this quasi psychedelic effect. It was purely unintentional. I bought a 6 cell pack of viola, and planted them in a hanging basket. They are quite showy, maybe some are a new breed.
October Blooming Clematis (Elsa Spath)It's been a hard year for all my plants. Things have looked pretty grim all season. I lost so many roses to spores that thrive in the damp. This may be the first year I didn't try something new.
Save Money On Toilet Bowl CleanerIn a recent post, I gave Dollar Tree's brand of household bleach a thumbs down. I'm back with a thumbs up for another of their products, toilet bowl cleaner.
Kordes' Dark Desire RoseAt the risk of being cautioned for submitting too similar pictures, I give you this shot of Dark Desire rose.
