Flowers on a Stool

It doesn't take much to make me happy.  I moved things around just a little while putting out Christmas decor.  I needed to move this kalanchoe to a new location.  I put it on this fabulous old stool from my porch.

I have a thing for old stools.  I never can pass them by at yard sales, auctions and such.  I love the blue pot, too.  I even like how it's all crusty towards the bottom.  And that color!  Mmmmmmm.

And the plant - I love kalanchoes.  I haven't had one in ages, but several decades ago, I had one that lasted for years and years.  I'm glad I finally got around to getting another one.

Vintage Caddies - Perfect for Cuttings

I like growing a plant from a cutting.  There's something very satisfying about seeing a pretty plant or bush and knowing you nurtured it along til it was well established.  I haven't rooted anything in a while - not since my rose bushes, which are huge and beautiful now.  This year, I decided to get back into it, mostly because I came across 3 wonderful vintage caddies over the last month.

The first caddy came with 4 pint sized milk bottles.  I couldn't bear to sell it.  To justify keeping it, I had to use it.  Use it or lose it.  A friend gave me some mint cuttings - more than I could possibly use in my tea. They were perfect to stick in those milk bottles.  I left the mint in the bottles til all the cuttings had a few roots and now they  have all been moved to a nice big pot where they will hopefully keep me supplied with fresh mint for a long, long time. There's also one sprig of rosemary in there.  I've never tried rooting rosemary. I have no idea if it will work or not.

About a week after I found the first caddy, I found another.  Also with cute little bottles.  Amazing.  This time, I stuck gardenia bush cuttings in it.  With buds.  Some have already flowered and gone.  Some of the buds are just beginning to open.  I put them on the windowsill in my entry room.  The smell all around them is fantastic.

After I planted the mint, the first caddy needed more cuttings.  My kitchen windowsill seemed lost without it.  So today I snipped some hydrangea cuttings.  I really should cut off the blooms to promote better root growth, but there's no way I'm going to do that right now.  When the cuttings are planted in the dirt, I'll do it, but for now, they are meant to be enjoyed.

Unbelievably, I found a third caddy.  This one came without bottles, but the sections are just perfect for mason jars.  Be still, my heart.  I plan to use my favorites - old blue mason jars.  I haven't decided what cuttings I'll put in them.  I really should sell this caddy.  I even went so far as to put a price tag on it.  After all, does a person really need three caddies?  For me,  the answer is YES!  I NEED them!!!!!!!!  Really I do!  (Am I going to end up on an episode of Hoarders?)

Beautiful Flower from a Friend - Clivia

My neighbor, Pat, gave me this beautiful plant two years ago.  It blooms every spring --- around mid-May.

I had forgotten the name of it and had to really do some serious Googling before find it.

It's called Clivia.

Pat told me to keep it indoors when it gets cold.  When it's warm outside, Clivia is very happy outside, but must be kept out of direct sunlight.  My north-facing front porch is perfect.

This photo is from 2 or 3 weeks ago (which should be a clue on how seriously behind I am on EVERYTHING in my life).   Isn't it a beauty?  I wish I had picked off that little dead bit.  I never seem to notice the flaws til I view my photos. 

Geraniums on the Window Sill

I found three very pretty metal planters at a yard sale a few weeks ago.  They were perfect for a project on my to-do list.  I have thought of having several geraniums on my kitchen window sill for awhile and now I finally have them... in the perfect containers for the space.

Yeah baby!!!  I love them.

Fall Flower Bouquet

I stopped by Bedazzled, my favorite florist in Sharpsburg the other day.  I hadn't been by in a while and the owner is wonderful.  I wanted to say hello.  While I was there, she put together a fantastic fall bouquet for me. 

When I got home and starting playing with the flowers, I got such a boost of happy energy.  The colors were amazing.  The porch doors were open and the air was fresh and clean. The flower colors seemed more vivid than ever.  Do you think flowers trigger the endorphin mechanism in your body?  Dr. Andrew Weil suggests that fresh flowers have health boosting benefits.  I believe him!  I know I sure have been enjoying them!

I've joined in with the following parties:
    * Homemaker Monday at 11th Heaven
    * Mosaic Monday at Little Red House
    * Making the World Cuter Monday at Making the World Cuter

More flowers!

This time I added a little sugar to the water. Martha Stewart says that will help them stay pretty longer. I couldn't find her article on keeping flowers fresh, but I did find this helpful article.

A Little Kitchen Upgrade

I'm spending more time in the kitchen these days. I'm trying to eat more real food, as Michael Pollan recommends. His motto is, "Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much." When he refers to real food, he means not processed. He's all about getting back to cooking from scratch and staying out of the middle aisles of the grocery store.

I decided that I would give myself a little entertainment for the times when I'm in the kitchen by myself. I bought a TV. It has a built in DVD player and I hooked up a VCR as well. Now I can play my favorite movies while I cook.
Don't you just love Moonstruck?

Next, I decided to get back to flowers. I went on a kick a few years back where I kept fresh flowers in the house. Andrew Weil, the health guru, highly recommends them. So does Christiane Northrup - the Dr. who is frequently on Oprah. Check out this article on the health benefits of flowers. There's something about them that makes you feel wonderful.

My inspiration for getting back to them is the blog, Heart of Light. I have become obsessed by this blog. I'm reading my way through all of Rachel's posts. She's young, but so inspiring. Her posts on cooking have connected with my recent discovery of Michael Pollan and thanks to both of them, meals around our house are getting better. Rachel also gets fresh flowers every Friday and posts about them. They are always lovely.

I bought some simple, almost played out tulips for $2.50. I must say, I am enjoying them soooo much. Why did I ever stop keeping fresh flowers on hand. I can't wait to add more flowers to our garden. Is it Spring yet?