What did I do?

Well, you all know what Gizzy did when it rained, but don't feel too sorry for him, we managed to get a few short walks in between rain showers! My plants have been suffering the most because some of the smaller ones are turning yellow from either lack of sun or too much water. I've been bringing the bigger lettuce inside because I didn't want them ruined by the rain and it looks as if I will be enjoying a salad pretty soon:

There are 7" leaves on my bigger plants. I'm just waiting for them to get fuller before I cut them.

I've been keeping all the lights on for the plants to get as much light as possible during this week due to the lack of sunshine.

Some folks have houseplants on their window sills and I keep lettuce - and I think "them is perty" LOL

So how do I do this harvesting? I've never done this before. Do you cut some leaves off from each plant or do I rip out the entire plant and stick another one in it's place? I almost hate to butcher them, but I have tasted a leaf or two and they are so tender and delicious - I want a Salad soon!

Here I have "Salad Greens" and they are a different variety - will probably need to thin them out and definitely need more light!

I also crocheted a soap bottle dishcloth dress for my neighbor's daughter:

The pattern suggest to wash your dishes with it and afterwards, instead of draping it over your faucet (or wherever) to dry, you simply slip it over your soap bottle. It has elastic in the top and waist, so it slips easily over the top. It irritates me that I can't find the pattern for you right now, because I too would like to make a few more of these. I had crocheted the white dress a while ago and added the red trim only yesterday to match my neighbor's daughter's kitchen. If anyone wants to find  the pattern, try looking at the Crochet Pattern Central site, because that's where I found it. I'm just not sure if it was under dish cloths or soap bottle dress. They have so many nice free patterns there. I use that site all the time for patterns and highly recommend it. There's also a Knitting Pattern Central for knitting patterns.

In any case, my neighbor was very happy to have it to give to her daughter the next time she visits:

I also got a request for crocheting a couple of Swiffer Socks from a Facebook friend. She does not crochet and asked me to make her two in her favorite colors (pink, blue, purple.) I finished them this morning, look:

They are reversible, so you can use the ruffled side as a duster and the smooth side as a mop:

I also made another in lavender/lilac (I don't have purple right now) and sky blue:

Here is the top side:

Here's the link for this pattern in case you want to make your own. I will also list some in my Etsy shop in case someone else wants to buy them.

I'd best go and walk Gizzy since it's not raining right now and he's been sleeping so much that he needs more fuel for his dreams!

Rainy Day Blues...

Woe is me, 

rainy-day Gizzy

Nothing to do

but sleep and dream

of things I can't see...

Poor me!

Azaleas, Dogwoods and more...

Yesterday, Gizzy and I had a nice walk around the lake. I hope you like the photos:

My Azalea boy!

White and pink Azaleas in foreground of Lake Irma

Gizzy's familiar stomping ground

Duck Attack!

Fearless ducks eat while Gizzy barks

...and barks

...until he loses interest

..and walks away to investigate

.. with persistent duckies in pursuit

Does anybody know what plant that is? It looks like a Christmas cactus to me, but I've never seen that fruit (or whatever it is) on them before.

Fragrant blossoms - might be a Honeysuckle?

Passing the Nature Trail, I love to look at all the fern growing in the woods

Down the steps to the Nature Trail are bridges and walkways along the winding brook for a nice little scenic walk.

I call this photo "Heaven and Earth"

Azaleas and Dogwoods in bloom

Great White Egret sitting at the left side of the small peninsula in Lake Irma

(a closer look)

On the other end of the lake, a Great Blue Heron stalks his breakfast near the Boardwalk

(a closer look)

A busy sky is brewing up rain showers

Meeting some friends along the way (Gizzy is on top of the table looking down)

Pretty Clematis growing next to a mail box

I don't know what it is, but I like it!

Spanish Moss covered Dogwood trees

Ok, mom, I'm done walking now - come and get me!

Lastly, I want to show you the snuggle blankie bear I crocheted yesterday for my neighbor who needs it for a family member's baby: I found this pattern in a Crochet World magazine, dated April 2008. You might be able to find it on their website at Crochet-World.com.

Betty liked it very much and now I'm going to finish up a hoodie for another neighbor's baby boy.

It's raining off and on today, so it's a good time to stay inside and crochet. Stay well!

How to help Japan

I subscribe to the Lion Brand Yarn Notebook and want to share this article with my fellow crocheters and knitters:

How to Help Japan

March 21st, 2011 by Jess

In response to the devastating tsunami and earthquake in Japan, many crafters have asked us how they can help. As crocheters and knitters, it is our natural inclination to want to donate handmade goods. However, I want to encourage you not to try to donate your goods directly to Japan at this time. As pointed out by this article, the country’s infrastructure has been severely damaged, making it virtually impossible to ship donations and have them distributed.

The most important way you can help right now is through monetary donations. If you still want to support relief efforts with crafting, consider raffling or selling your goods and donating the proceeds. There are so many fantastic organizations currently accepting donations. Here are just a few of them:

• The American Red Cross is assisting the Japanese Red Cross Society. Click here to donate to the cause on their website, or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10.
• Save the Children is operating the first child-friendly space in an evacuation center. You can support their efforts by donating here.
• AmeriCares is working to provide life-saving medical care and supplies to the region. You can submit your donation here.

In addition, the group Handmade for Japan will be auctioning handmade goods on eBay from March 24th-27th. Started by Japanese-American ceramic artist Ayumi Horie, the auction will donate 100% of proceeds to Global Giving. You can check out the auction here on March 24th, and you can view more details about the project here.


There's always something we can do, even with little or next to little money. It's good to know there are other ways to give.

Gardening Fever

Hello my friends - I've not forgotten you and feel appropriately guilty for not stopping by more often, but apparently my obsession with gardening is overpowering. (I can get so obsessive at times!)

Anyhow, I wanted to share a few photos from my "garden" that is really just strips of dirt around my apartment, but since I live in a corner unit, I have a bit more than most...I finally got all my Mammoth sunflowers in the ground. They'll grow to be 12' tall.

I planted the rose bushes along the side of my unit when I first moved in here (about 5-6 yrs. ago) because there was nothing but pine straw and weeds..

Last week, I placed some bricks (that a neighbor gave me) on the ground to make a border. I think it looks more manicured and loved. I planted about ten mammoth sunflowers behind the roses. They should look striking towering against that brick wall. When they start to get taller, I will plant my morning glories next to each stem for them to climb up for a lovely contrast.

This morning I scratched my arms bloody when transplanting my potted lemon bush (left) in the place of the paper whites that I dug up. I will relocate them around the Bradford pear tree in the back

I have two potted lilacs and they are producing some small blossoms:

I purchased them about the same time I did the lemon bush and they too would probably do a whole lot better in the ground, but I'm running out of space. My thought was to take them with me when I move, but I'll probably be here for another six years the way time and money slips away.

One of my hanging baskets containing mixed salad greens

Containers on my back porch with leaf lettuce and Kohlrabi (center) - the oblong planter to the left has peas.

The pink azaleas are blooming in the front

I added another oblong planter box containing herbs on the ledge out front.

One of the potted Jade plants keeps blooming and growing like mad so that I'll have to transplant it AGAIN this year. (leaf lettuce in the small, square pot)

On my front porch, I have a rubber tree and a monkey plant that has fuzzy leaves and tiny lavender blossoms when it blooms.

My next big ordeal will be to separate my huge Aloe Vera plant that blooms yellow every year...I'm going to need help because it must weigh about 100 lbs. and I don't want to break it...the other big pot behind the Aloe has evening primrose and tuber roses...

The Amaryllis flowers are popping out everywhere - they grow wild around here and when they are all at once in full bloom it's quite impressive a sight to see!

I recently purchased some passion flower vine seeds (and more herbs) that I will plant in a pot and in the ground next to the pillar on my front porch so that it can twist around that...I have several other flower seeds growing, that I'm going to plant all throughout my available garden space and around some of the trees once the seedlings get bigger. 

The ones I look forward to the most (besides my sunflowers and morning glories) is the snapdragons, bachelor buttons and forget-me-nots....I'm still waiting on my tomato seedlings to grow big enough for me to transplant them. I think maybe next year I'll buy the tomato plants instead or start the seeds earlier.

Poor Gizzy has been coughing a lot lately and on Saturday I called the Vet who suggested Children's Robitussin, but every time Gizzy sees me coming with that stuff, he clamps down like a pit bull, so needless to say he never gets the recommended dosage. He's slowly improving, but if it gets bad again, I'll have to take him back for an allergy injection. The last one he had was back in November and the Vet thinks that is not too much (because you have to be careful with steroids.) Meanwhile, I'll give him a 1/2 Benadryl twice a day and his cough syrup when/if I can manage without upsetting him too much - after all, he's got an enlarged hart and a heart murmur, poor little fella!

To make things even worse for the ole boy, the weather has been quite warm lately (88-90 F) and that cuts significantly into our outdoors time and there's not much to do than sleep:

But, as long as he's sleeping, he's not coughing - so it's all good!