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Garden · Uncategorized

Start With Seeds

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A List of Seed Catalogs

While the winter winds howl and the snow blows and you are tucked inside a warm house under a warm throw with a warm drink near by….

It is time to crack out those seeds catalogs that have been arriving in the mail.

 

What a welcome sight these catalogs are….with thoughts of great garden dreams as I peruse them.

Some of my past seed order packets…

And some free seeds thrown in!  Yes, I started them, planted them out and they grew well.  I had been wanting to grow some ancho chilis for chili rellanos and here they were!

Here is a list of seed companies to order from;

Park Seed Co-www.parkseed.com

Johnny’s Selected Seeds-www.Johnnyseeds.com

Totally Tomatoes-www.totallytomato.com

Vermont Bean Seed-www.VermontBean.com

Pinetree Garden Seeds-www.superseeds.com

Burpee Seeds-www.burpee.com

Gurney Seeds-www.gurneys.com

Botanical Interests-www.botanicalinterests.com

Jung Quality Garden seeds-www.jungseed.com

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange-www.southernexposure.com

Sow True Seeds-www.sowtrueseed.com

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds-www.rareseeds.com

High Mowing Seeds-wwwhighmowingseeds.com

Harris Seeds-www.harrisseeds.com

R.H. Shumway-www.rhshumway.com

Wild Garden Seeds-www.wildgardenseed.com

Renee’s Garden-www.reneesgarden.com

Territorial Seed Co-www.territorialseed.com

True Leaf Market Seed Co-www.trueleafmarket.com

Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply-www.groworganic.com

Terroir Seeds-www.underwoodgardens.com

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds-www.kitchengardenseeds.com

Just a few comments about some of the above companies-

I order many of my seeds from Pinetree.  I think you get more seeds for the money.

Territorial-I always get in trouble here!  The garden dreams run away with this catalog!

Totally Tomatoes-Any tomato you are looking for!

Vermont Bean Seed-I always like the thought of growing a huge variety of dry beans, but alas, I don’t have the room, so I just keep dreaming!

Baker Creek-This catalog is the the cadillac of seed catalogs and the unusual variety is amazing. It is real eye candy for gardeners.

Burpee, an old reliable company, but a little on the pricey side.

The Burpee seed display is already out in the local Walmart store.

This is just a partial list of all the seed companies that are out there.

Now is the time to start planning that garden!

Yes and No….

Yes it is nice to have a diversion for house cleaning, but No, I still plan on cleaning my house!  Will be deep spring cleaning the living room today. If only it stayed that way!

Do you have a favorite seed catalog to order from?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garden · Uncategorized

A Visit to the Conservatory

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A trip to the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

A Christmas gift to me from one of my children was a trip to the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  It was beautifully arrayed for the Christmas season.

The Conservatory is located in Oakland at Schenley Park on the hill. It is one of America’s leading conservatories and is a historic landmark.  It was built in 1893 and covers 15 acres.  There are 14  Victorian style greenhouses plus adjoining grounds that are all landscaped beautifully.  There are 23 distinct theme gardens, and they are decorated seasonally.  Their Christmas season display was impressive.

And the company was vey delightful.  The grandchildren seemed to enjoy touring the greenhouses as much as I did.

There were a number of train displays in one of the greenhouses.  A boys delight!  I also thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the intricate detail in the train displays.

There were a number of water features, some with live fish.  This one, with a glass viewing area was very entertaining to the littlest one.

Visiting a conservatory or botanical garden is a wonderful way to spend a winter day.  I can’t say that I got many gardening ideas from my visit, but it was so nice to spend time among living, growing things while everything is frozen outside.

http://www.phipps.conservatory.org

 

 

The January sun is climbing imperceptibly higher in the southern sky.  We are gaining 2 additional minutes of daylight each day this month.  Have you noticed the days getting longer already?

Gardening season will be here before you know it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uncategorized

The February Full Moon

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Tonight’s full moon is known as the snow moon,

or snow-blinding moon.

or the boney moon,

or the little famine moon,

or the hunger moon

or the trapper’s moon.

February usually has the heaviest snow fall of  the year…but do not despair!

This is the month that the temperatures are gradually rising, and they will keep rising until they peak in July.

And the days are getting noticeably longer.

There will still be snow, ice and cold to deal with, but Spring really is on the way.

 

Psalm 40:3

“And He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.”

 

Faith · Uncategorized

A New Year

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This Year Is Yours

God built and launched this year for you,

     Upon the bridge you stand,

It is your ship, aye, your own ship,

     And you are in command.

Just what the twelve-month trip will do

     Rest wholly solely, friend, with you.

 

Your log-book, kept from day to day-

     My friend, what will it show?

Have you on your appointed way

     Made progress-yes or no?

The log will tell you, like guiding star,

     The sort of captain that you are.

 

For weal or woe, this year is yours,

     Your ship is on life’s sea,

Your acts as captain, must decide

     Whichever it shall be;

So now in starting on your trip,

          Ask God to help you sail your ship.

Alfred Lord Tennyson

 

As we start into a new year, I am looking forward to good things, knowing that if I let God help me it will all be good.  Each day, month, and year hold unknown things that we all have to go through, but with God as our guide we can rest in Him.

Are you making any New Year’s resolutions?

Psalm 27:1

 

Praying for a blessed year to you!

Love,

Margie

 

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February’s Moon

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and you are

just like the moon

…….alone……

but you shine bright

at the darkest

of times

savspoetry

The full moon of February arrives tonight.

This months full moon is known as the snow moon due to the snow that falls in February.  It has also been known as the hunger moon, so named by eastern American Indians as food was scarce this time of year.

This full moon will also be a ‘super’ moon, meaning that the moon is closet to earth in it’s annual orbit and will appear bigger on the horizon as it rises.

With the snow covered ground, it should make for a ‘bright’ night.

Here is hoping that the night is clear!

*

Acts 24:16

“And herein do I exercise myself, 

to have always a conscience void of offence toward God,

and toward men.”

Garden · Uncategorized

In Concern of Spring

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In Concern of Spring

I wonder if the sap is stirring yet,

If wintery birds are dreaming of a mate,

If frozen snowdrops feel as yet the sun

And crocus fires are kindling one by one:

Sing Robin, Sing!

I still am sore in doubt concerning Spring!

Christina Rossetti

*

Winter still has a grip on us-cold, snowy, windy, icy, all the things that accompany these winter months.

Spring seems so far away, though, in reality, I know that spring will ‘spring’ upon us before we know it….

and I will be behind, as usual.

The ground outside is dead and lifeless, or so it seems,

though I know the growing things are stirring underneath this snow and ice.

(See my winter surprise HERE)

And just because I am missing the wonderful color

and the growing of the spring and summer months….

I am so enjoying the growing of Amaryllis indoors.

Do you grow anything indoors during the winter?

*

Romans 8:14

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

 

 

Uncategorized

Philosophy of Abraham Lincoln

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Image result for abraham lincoln

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence

You cannot help men permanently by doing for then what they could and should do for themselves.

Faith · Uncategorized

Christmas Bibles

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My husband and I are not much into giving each other gifts at Christmas time.  During the Christmas season we concentrate more on our children and grandchildren, and that is a big enough chore in and of itself to find appropriate gifts for each of them.

We never feel left out-our children gift us with way too many lovely gifts.  I do not need gifts from him to feel much loved, and the same with him. We try to be loving and giving all through the year to each other.   I do get bothered when useless, frivolous, unneeded gifts are given. I would rather that the gift giver saved the money.  I do not need a gift to feel a persons love, and I hope that others feel my love for them without the giving of gifts.

But this year we each got a gift…It really wasn’t a gift from me, as he purchased them both, and surprised me with the gift.  But we used them as our Christmas gifts to each other!

Our Christmas gifts to each other this year were new Bibles.  These are New Living Translations, from Tyndale House Publishers.

I am loving my new Bible!

Happy is the man who possess a Bible!

Happier still is he who reads it!

Happiest of all is he who reads it and obeys it!

J.C. Ryle

 

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A Christmas Prayer

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Loving Father,

Help us remember

The birth of Jesus,

That we may share

In the song of angels,

The gladness of the shepherds,

And the worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate

And open the door of love

All over the world.

Let kindness come

With every gift

And good desires

With every greeting.

Deliver us from evil

By the blessing which Christ brings,

And teach us to be merry

With clean hearts.

May the Christmas morning

Make us happy to be Thy children,

And the Christmas evening

Bring us to our beds

With grateful thoughts

Forgiving and forgiven,

For Jesus sake,

Amen

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Welcome Winter

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WINTER….a lingering season.

It’s a time to gather golden moments,

Embark on a sentimental journey,

And enjoy every idle hour.

John Boswell

We have arrived at the winter of the year.

The winter solstice-and the beginning of winter- is here.

It is the longest night of the year. and the shortest day of the year.

The sun is at it’s lowest point, and our shadows are at their longest.

I wonder, what is our long shadow casting in our world?

May we cast the joy and happiness of our Lord on others in this season of the year.

And God is with us in this season time.

*

Psalm 121:3

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved;

He that keepeth thee will not slumber.

PS; Enjoy all your idle time!