Winners and a White Flag

Here are the winners for my last giveaways:
Theraneem: Teresa T
Tropical Traditions: Jennifer R

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who entered!

Ah, Summer Blog Challenge...
I enjoyed plugging away for about a month but then:

• I went on vacation, got out of the habit, and lost my momentum, 
• It got hot and I didn't want to go near the laptop, 
• I didn't have time to hop around to read other blogs and that's half the fun!

So I raise the white flag to the Challenge and will go back to posting whatever I want to--hopefully a few times a week.

Sunset on Lake Erie

 

How Do you do your laundry? #BlogChallenge Day 28

I like to go pretty crunchy (natural, green, whatever) with my laundry.
Detergent:
To a one gallon container add:

• 1/2 cup Borax
• 1/2 cup Washing Soda

Fill 3/4 full with hot water and shake until powders are mostly dissolved (I use a plastic 1 gallon vinegar jug so that its easier to shake and pour). Add:

• 1/2 cup liquid castile soap (I'm currently using Dr. Bronner's Almond Hemp)

Fill the rest of the way with water and invert to mix. This will separate and become a little lumpy, but I just shake it before each use. This recipe originally called for two gallons of water but I made it more concentrated to save space. More water may equal less lumps. I use two Tablespoons per load in my HE front loader. There are 256 tablespoons in a gallon, so I should get about 128 loads.

I have noticed some fading of dark colored knits when using borax in the laundry. This doesn't bother me too much since most of our cloths come from thrift shops :-)

Fabric Softener:
Distilled white vinegar
4 homemade dryer balls
Myers Green Day Lemon Verbena dryers sheets (not as effective on static as the dryer balls! I only use these 'cause I got them on sale).

For Diaper Laundry:
I'm trying out Eco-Sprout right now and am happy with it so far. 
Dawn Original dish detergent worked well for occasional "stripping" of noxious fumes that accumulated over time. I soaked the diapers with the detergent for a few hours and then washed them without any soap until there were no suds left.
I always add a little vinegar to the fabric softener compartment for diapers too.  

Tip
I do a lot of cleaning with cloths instead of paper towels. I have learned from experience that you should hang wet cloths to dry instead of throwing them in the laundry pile wet. That will prevent stinky gross stuff from growing on it! 

The Dream "Me" Day: #BlogChallenge Day 25

What is your Ideal day of "me time", without thinking of money, time or any of life's other normal stresses?
 I wonder, in thinking about this subject, will I become discontent? No, because it is such a fantasy I don't even long for a day like this. I am so blessed!

I wake up at 8am, eat my oatmeal and drink my tea in peace. I head out into the garden to take pictures, dead-head, and putter. Then I head out for a few hours at the spa with friends--massage, mani-pedi, light lunch. The afternoon is spent at a local yarn store picking out skeins of hand-spun and/or hand-dyed yarn and then a garden tour. Supper is king crab legs--lots of them! Dessert: creme brulee and tiramisu. Then a romantic evening with the hubby includes a Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra concert, dancing (in this dream we both salsa :-), and a walk on the beach (oh, look! Now we're in the Caribbean! I think I'm getting carried away.) Getting home, I snuggle with my sleeping little boy and look forward to being climbed on all during breakfast tomorrow.

Dumbarton Oaks, One of My Faforite Gardens: #BlogChallenge Day 23

Some of my favorite blog posts of the past are from my trip to Dumbarton Oaks Garden in Washington D.C. They were so beautiful to visit and inspiring to photograph! This is my favorite:

Dumbarton Oaks Part 3: From Formal, to Fanciful, to Gardening Pebbles

 

Here are the others:

Dumbarton Oaks part 1

Dumbarton Oaks part 2

Childhood Aspirations: #BlogChallenge Day 22

As a child, what dis you want to be when you grew up?

Initially I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, but that didn't last much past kindergarten. When we did mash-ups as tweens I think the three most commonly picked professions among my friends and I were

1.  Homemaker
2. Photo Journalist
3. Interior Designer

Interior designer is such a laugh for me since I've always had a horrible time making any type of decorating decision, and I find so many styles appealing that I have no style of my own. I don't know why we always picked interior designer--too many episodes of Designing Women, I guess!

Hey, I also wanted to let you know that there is an awesome yarn giveaway going on at Not Your Average Crochet! Its open until 6/26/12.

Words of Wisdom: #BlogChallenge Day 21

I saw this on the white board at my pediatrician's office:

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.

Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Well, I'm sure now I will hear about people putting tomatoes in a fruit salad! What I like about the saying is the simple illustration of wisdom--simple enough that I remembered it!

I am proud of...Sweeping: #BlogChallenge Day 19

Before our son was born, my husband swept the house once a week. I love that man! Now, with a toddler, a cat, a dog, and babysitting, it needs more attention than that. A lot more. I struggle with housecleaning. I am working on growing the desire want  a clean house, rather than just ignoring dirt because I don't want to clean. For the past week I have swept the kitchen and dining room at least every other day! I'm quite proud of myself :-)

Am I a Couch Potato? [#BlogChallenge] Day 16

Uh, yes, I really am. I grew up loving to read and hating the sun. I love staying at home and doing "nothing". Reading, cruising the internet, watching sports--I am very good at sitting still. That's one reason I was surprised by falling in love with flower gardening. Its active and it takes place outside! But it is just so fulfilling.

This week, Caleb had roseola. He had a fever of 102 for 4 days and just cried and slept the whole time. I did very little as I tried to mother him through this most miserable time so far in his little life. He feels better, thank God! Now I have to wrench my lazy brain out of the do-nothing rut its is in. So I forced myself outside into the garden for a few hours--and I feel so much better. I like to spend three or four hours gardening in a week. We also take some short walks a few time a week. Short because our old Great Dane starts to drag after just a little ways.

I'm looking forward to the two vacations that we are taking this summer, since they will involve a lot of outdoor activities. Its good to put ourselves in the position to be active. I really do enjoy it! As long as there is shade :-)

A Humble Photo of a Proud Knitting Accomplishment [#BlogChallenge Day 15]

Today's prompt is: Post a photo I've taken that I'm proud of.

Goodness, isn't that what I do all the time? I am unjustifiable proud of my photography since its my camera (point and shoot, no less) that's doing all the work. I highly recommend the Canon Powershot A590IS (there are newer models out). Moving children are not its forte, but its great for still life!

So I'll change things up a bit--no flowers! I'm proud of this humble picture because this is the bootie that taught me how to knit. I knew Caleb needed something to keep his feet warm and I thought this pattern was so cute. It was way beyond me though, so I watched youtube and knittinghelp.com videos over and over again. I pursued this project obsessively and ended up with two slightly-imperfect but workable booties that I was very proud of.

Afraid of Giving Advice: BlogChallenge Day 14

I have always been afraid of giving advice, as well as of making decisions or taking the lead, because I don't want to be the one responsible for the results! Also, I hate to disagree with people, so its easier to keep quiet and not risk stepping on toes. I have been trying to change this mindset, though. I realize that I do have wisdom sometimes and its good to share it. The results are not in my control and that's ok. So here are 15 things I have learned from experience that will help you in life.

1. That voice you hear that says "you suck" is a lie. Everyone hears it and you are not alone.
2. Accepting God's love changes everything.
3. Most people are struggling with their own insecurities while you're worrying about yours.
4. Giving in to fits of anger only leads to more. If I punch the wall, I am not satisfied and am more likely to throw something.
5. Cursing only makes me angrier.
6. Prayer, gratitude, and words of blessing help diffuse my anger.
7. Praying for people on the roads has helped me overcome my fear of semi-trucks and my quick temper (anyone see a theme? :-)
8. Depression is a sucking black hole that feeds on itself. When you see the first signs, fight it! Identify lying thoughts and face them with the Truth.
9. If your the forgetful type like me, write things down, set an alarm, and ask someone to remind you (I so need to work on this one).
10. Don't be shy, you have something to give.
11. Judgmental people are wrong, but we are not their judges either.
12. Seasons of the year and of life will pass. Find what you can to enjoy and treasure in each of them
13. Children are a blessing from the Lord. Not an easy blessing, but not a curse.
14. Get enough sleep whenever possible--you'll feel better
15. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Beware the Teeter-Totter: #BlogChallenge Day 12

I know I'm not alone in saying that I've been hurt on a teeter-totter (or see-saw if you prefer). I've heard many stories from friends, but no one quite like mine. More than once I was up in the air when the other rider decided to get off.
Thud.
This was much worse than that.
I don't remember how old I was --maybe 7. I decided to sit in the middle of the teeter-totter while my friends rode up and down. I sat on some plastic thing that covered the bar and gripped it with my fingers. As the see sawed, the metal of the the teeter-totter crushed my pinky against the metal of the support bar. It is said that my dad could hear me scream 4 baseball fields away.
A chipped bone and a bunch of stitches later, I was doing ok. But I will always have an inch-long valley through my right pinky fingertip.

I am actually very grateful that that was the worst injury of my 30-odd years.

Slugs, Art, and Best Day: #BlogChallenge Days 10 and 11

I sat down this evening to write and it took less than a minute for me to realize it wasn't good timing. The room was hot, the computer was hot, and there was still a half-hour of daylight to spend in the cool outdoors. So I bolted for the door to do some weeding and dead-heading. Ahhhh. That felt good. Except...
Slugs.
So many slugs.
It was probably the combination of the weather and the timing, but I have never seen so many slugs in the garden. On one campanula alone, there were 26 easily-visible slimy devils. I guess I know what has completely defoliated my golden creeping jenny :-(
Its bad here, but its probably worse in the UK.

Sunday's Question: What piece of art would you love to have in your home?
How could I possibly decide? So many beautiful works in so many styles, How could I narrow it down to even 5? I might as well just move in to the art gallery!

I like Gustav Klimdt's use of color and gold leaf overlay. He has some really beautiful garden and nature paintings too.

...And I just spent 30 minutes trying to pick one landscape painting. I cannot. Lets just say that  I love the feeling of open space in a big landscape.

Speaking of space, I love the Hubble Telescope images. This is the Orion Nebula.

Monday's Question: What was the best day of your life?

The day that we experienced the fulfillment of God's promise to my husband and I that if we lay down our selfishness and fear, He would bring something far better.

#BlogChallenge Day 9: Cooking Disasters of the Past

I'll keep this short and sweet in order not to relive the angst, shame, and fits of cursing/throwing things caused by cooking disasters. I always seem to get persnickety ovens and if I follow the directions for temp and time, it is rarely (heh) completely done. This happened a lot in the first months of marriage and was especially irksome once when we had company over and a casserole took 2 hours to cook. Actually, I served them a still-pretty-doughy biscuit pizza casserole. Yuck! That oven really was broken. I have learned from experience that my current oven oven needs 25 degrees hotter and 10 minutes longer than stated in a recipe. I really should get a thermometer in that thing.

Now to cleanse the palate...Verbascum 'Southern Charm' is blooming.

#Blog Challenge Day 8: Favorite Guilty Pleasure

Quality dark chocolate is my favorite guilty pleasure and I eat it almost every day. I don't feel all that guilty about it since its full of antioxidants, mood boosters, and stimulants for tired mamas. I do feel bad about the price though. I try to only spend $3-$4 a week on chocolate and usually buy the bars that range from $11-$14 per pound. There are some that are $20+ per pound! See, I'm exercising restraint :-)

My guiltier, even embarrassing, guilty pleasure is eating out at buffets. No need to choose between this or that, you can have it all! Salt and pepper chicken, Mongolian BBQ, "sushi", crablegs (if you are willing to stand in line and fight for the tongs). Real sushi buffets are amazing (and just a little scary). And Golden Corral? Well that's almost too many choices, because if I try everything I want to, I will actually die.

But then the regret: "I thought I wanted to live a healthy lifestyle. I am so dehydrated. I thought I had more self-control. I think I going to pop. I spent all that money and have no left-overs!"

In a few months the guilt fades away and the buffet longings come back. Now I have bared my soul...

#BlogChallenge Day 7: This makes me happy

So much makes me happy that I am overwhelmed with gratitude in this season of life. Here is my son playing in water with Gran on Memorial Day.

#BlogChallenge Day 5: Short Term Goals for June

I tend to float through days and weeks without setting goals. I'm guessing this is not a good thing. I admire people who know what they want and have a plan to get it. I'm still stuck on step one--knowing what I want to accomplish. Its not too hard to set short term goals though. Here are a few for June:

• Write a blog post every day for some blog challenge you may have heard of ;-)
• Learn to make kombucha with my friend Jane.
• Finish knitting projects (all giftts, so very hush-hush).
• Take Caleb to the beach (Lake Ontario) at least once.
• Finish the garden project I'm working on for a friend.

Mock Orange, Digitalis ambigua, and Lady's Mantle all blooming now

#BlogChallenge Day 4: Why the blog name Garden Me

My very first blog post was about why I chose the name Garden Me. The intensity of my passion for designing, planting, and maintain flower gardens surprised me. I was so grateful to find that I loved something that is so good for the body, mind, and spirit. I found that many of the things I was learning about gardening were also true about spiritual growth and life in general. I want to be willing to let my Creator garden me.

The Pool Garden in Summer

#BlogChallenge Day 3: 15 Interesting Facts About Me

Hmm, "interesting" is pretty subjective. Here are some facts in no particular order. Interesting or not--you be the judge!

1.  I have a B.S. in biology and worked as a research technician for 8 years.
2. Until recently I would have told you that I hate writing. Its growing on me :-)
3. I'm 32.
4. My first baby steps into flower gardening was buying  Iris and  daylily collections by mail-order.
5. I love to travel and have been to Mexico, Scotland, and Hong Kong.
6. I don't read much these days, but my favorite genre is sci-fi. My favorite sci-fi author is C.J.Cherryh.
7. All my pictures are taken with a Canon Powershot A590IS set on automatic. I turn macro on and flash off but that's about it.
8. I started knitting last year and quickly became addicted to yarn.
9. I met my husband the first day of college orientation in 1998 and we have been married for 9 years.
10. We waited to have children because we were scared and self-centered (in a nutshell), but after putting our trust wholly in the goodness and faithfulness of God, he gave us a son last year. What an amazing blessing!
11. I like to be brief. 15 facts? Really?
12. When going out, I prefer Asian restaurants
13. I love pickled things!!! Last week I ate a whole jar of pickled okra in a day. 
14. I just knitted my first pair of socks!
15. I used to hate myself, but Jesus set me free. His life in me is my favorite fact. 

Siberian Iris 'Caesar's Brother'

The Summer #BlogChallenge: What is it and why am I doing it?

I was inspired by some blogging friends to join the Summer Blog Challenge. The challenge is to have a blog post every day for two months with topic prompts to help with ideas. I decided to participate for the following reasons:

• The other blogs participating are really cool women I have met through the Green Moms Network on Facebook. In other words--positive peer pressure :-) Thanks especially to Going Green with the Grizls for all her hard work starting us up!
•  I can feel the outdoors calling to me (a good thing!) but I don't want my writing to taper off after these few months of diligence.
• I have never even tried writing a post for every day, so its both daunting and exciting. I won't put undue pressure on myself, but I hope to at least give a valiant effort.

Since I'm still getting used to the concept of sharing my thoughts with the blogosphere, I see myself sticking with the Garden Me theme while throwing in some (hopefully interesting) personal details. Tomorrow's big hurdle? Post a picture of me smiling.  *trepidation*

Gratuitous flowers--Irises are blooming!

Iris 'Mother Earth'

 My fellow challengers are linked below: