Today is the first day of a rainy spell that will last several days, and I decided to utilize the extra moisture to plant a few things and to fertilize and/or treat my roses. Bayer Rose & Flower Care 3-in-1 – Fertilize, Prevent & Treat Diseases, and Protect from Insect Damage I have been using…
Down My Garden Path – Elements of a Cottage Garden
Better Homes and Gardens online has a great article that details the elements of a cottage garden, and one of those elements is that of curved, natural pathways. My garden is a veritable maze of curved pathways: “Create soft meandering pathways instead of those that follow a straight, structured line. Many paving materials work in…
How I Created My Wisteria and Climbing Rose Garden Room – Without Any Nails or Boards
During early spring of 2024, I created an L-Shaped Arbor and Garden Fence along the left side of my garden and perpendicular to that–across the back. At first, the area looked terrible. The structure is crude, and before it was covered in vines, it did not look good. The left side of my garden on…
Varieties of Sunflowers Planted in July — in My Mississippi Garden – Gambling on a Long Growing Season
About a month ago, I ordered a set of sunflower seeds, but my beds were not ready to plant them until now. Image Credit: Survival Seed Company On July 2022, 2024, I planted the following seeds in my garden. Mississippi has a long growing season, and I already had the seed. I decided to take…
The Long Autumn Nap but April Come, She Will — Surviving the Seasons of My Mind
Morning Has Broken — Again! This morning, as soon as I awoke, I could hear Cat Stevens singing inside me: “Morning has broken – Like the Frst Moning!” – Cat Stevens I painted the above image after a long nap — otherwise know as a creative block — I couldn’t paint — I couldn’t write,…
Portable Greenhouses
Outsunny 8′ x 6′ x 7′ Greenhouse with 18 Shelves [6 sets of 3] Regular Price $147 – I paid $88 – The shelves are worth more than I paid. I plan to use this as an outdoor storage system — I place to house all the empty pots and trays and garden tools that…
Make Art about the Things that Bring You Joy — Create with Passion
A few days ago, I wrote about the challenges I face as an older writer and painter. Today, I want to flip that coin. I can honestly say that now that I am older, I don’t feel the same pressure that I faced when I was younger– the pressure to please some faceless mass, to…
What Ray Bradbury Says about Writing Morning Pages
“Ray Bradbury (born August 22, 1920, Waukegan, Illinois, U.S.—died June 5, 2012, Los Angeles, California) was an American author best known for his highly imaginative short stories and novels that blend a poetic style, nostalgia for childhood, social criticism, and an awareness of the hazards of runaway technology.” Google ai I’m not exactly when it…
Birds in My Mississippi Backyard – Includes Calls & Songs of Each Bird
Because my mockingbird has been my most faithful backyard bird, I’ll begin with him. I lived in this house for almost a year before I had any backyard birds other than my mockingbird. The Carolina chickadee’s bird call is a fast, high pitched “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” (Photo from Canva Pro “If you hear a bird call that…
How to Build a Metal Raised Bed for Your Garden – Step by Step
Supplies: Aador Metal Raised Bed Open Bottom – Amazon Cardboard to place beneath the metal bed. STEP 1: ASSEMBLE THE BED Select the spot to place the bed Be sure that a water source is available. Set the bed on top of the cardboard pad. Level the bed