Hoppy World Frog Day!

🐸 Hoppy World Frog Day! 🐸 Here are some photos I took of a Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacris regilla) on one of my Dahlias last year. Get more info. here... worldfrogday.org

Japanese Gardens at Lake Sacajawea Park

Japanese Gardens at Lake Sacajawea Park.

I love discovering new places to see and experience. On March 16th my good friend and I went with her kids to Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview, Washington, just across the river from us. We had all been there before, but this time we went to a part of the park that we hadn't been to, the Japanese Gardens.

The Japanese Garden's Weyerhaeuser Centennial Bridge at Lake Sacajawea Park.

Lake Sacajawea Park is an expansive, well maintained park of 67 acres in the heart of Longview Washington with 3.5 miles of trails that go around the whole lake. There are lovely old growth trees and other plants along with wildlife like ducks, geese, herons, and other water fowl, birds of prey and other birds, frogs, turtles, fish, otters, beavers, weasels, racoons, opossums, squirrels, chipmunks, and deer. You can enjoy biking, walking, and running, jogging, fishing, picnicking, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boating, birding, wildlife viewing, and taking your kids to play on the playgrounds. There are picnic tables, sitting benches, covered picnic areas, playgrounds, 2 spectacular lake fountains, botanical gardens, an arboretum, restroom facilities, trash receptacles, drinking fountains, bridges, and event spaces. Events held there include Summer Concerts at the Lake, Go 4th Festival, Annual Fishing Derby for kids, and Summer Movies at the Lake. You can enjoy the Frank Willis Arboretum, Japanese Gardens, Rhododendron Gardens, and the Solar System Walk while you are there. The park is designed to be accessible, with paved paths suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. Pets are allowed, but need to be leashed. To get there you have easy street parking all around the perimeter of the park. The park is open from dawn until dusk.

A Japanese Garden Lantern in the Japanese Garden at Lake Sacajawea Park.

The tranquil Japanese Gardens are nestled on an island in the Lake Sacajawea Park. They are gorgeous year-round to view especially in the fall when the leaves of some of the Japanese maples have changed. The Japanese Gardens were meticulously built to mimic the beautiful gardens of Japan. Accessible by the Weyerhaeuser Centennial Bridge, these gardens are a gorgeous haven to Japanese and Asian flora. Within the gardens there are a number of neat structures like pagodas, arbors, statues, and sitting benches. There is also a bubbling brook that I enjoyed listening to while I took in the scenery. It is a lovely, peaceful place to go and get away from it all. I highly recommend visiting if you are ever in the area.

A Pagoda structure in the Japanese Garden at Lake Sacajawea Park.

Location of the Japanese Gardens at Lake Sacajawea Park.

Japanese Gardens at Lake Sacajawea Park

Address: 3223 NE Nichols Blvd, Longview, WA 98632

Phone: (360) 442-5421

Hours:

Monday	7 AM–3 PM
Tuesday	7 AM–3 PM
Wednesday	7 AM–3 PM
Thursday	7 AM–3 PM
Friday	7 AM–1 PM
Saturday	7 AM–1 PM
Sunday	7 AM–3 PM

Give a Novica Gift for Christmas, Review and $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway #ComplimentaryProductReceived

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary $50 GC to get something for myself for posting this provided information and the opportunity to give another away to my readers. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this post.

NOVICA helps change the lives of artisans in developing nations, while offering us extraordinary handmade gifts, jewelry, apparel, and home decor. There are so many talented artists and artisans around the world. NOVICA provides these unique, hard-to-find items on their internet website at great prices. These services are all fair trade, meaning that they don't charge the artists and artisans any listing fees and the artists and artisans remain fully independent. They are free to raise their prices, lower their prices, or remove their items from their website whenever they please. This website is great to buy something from for your special someone for Christmas, just remember since these items are coming all the way from the country they are made in, the shipping might take longer than expected. 

 

This is a review I wrote about the artisan who made my metal wall sculptures.

 

I received $50 to spend on Novica. I wanted something that could decorate the side of my farm's well house. I needed something bright and cheery so that when guests come up our driveway they would notice it. I found a gorgeous steel wall sculpture of a Violet Hummingbird by J. Blas from Mexico. It was the perfect price because it was just a cent less than the GC I received and since I am a Novica Ambassador I received free shipping. It is shaped by hand and has cutout motifs on its wings and tail feathers. It is the perfect size too at just 21.25 inches high x 15 inches wide x 2.4 inches deep you can still tell from the road coming to our home that it is a hummingbird. I also learned that in Mexico when someone sees a hummingbird in flight, they make a wish. I love this sentiment so much!

I had purchased a different wall sculpture from the same artist a number of years back called 'Cave Art Pony' which is hung on a wall in my living room and I love it too. These metal wall sculptures are so unique and wonderful! I highly recommend J. Blas and his artwork!

 

Assorted face masks from Novica.

 

Be sure to check out Novica's selection of beautiful face masks. They will keep you safe during COVID times and your purchase will help the artisans too. These are all unique and there is sure to be one that fits your style.

WIN IT

• Prize: Win a $50 Gift Certificate from NOVICA (This GC Expires 1/31/2021).

I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday August 23rd, 2019...Morning Thoughts

Balloons are bad for the environment! BalloonsBlow.org

Things I’m thinking this morning in no special order....

I hate balloons 🎈. I didn't as a child, but now that I know how much they are bad for the environment and that some balloons are even made by children in 3rd world countries, I despise them. They are supposed to be a symbol of happiness, but how can I be happy when they do so much damage. I recently saw a documentary about the children that work in balloon factories. They do not get to know the joy that balloons usually bring. They breathe chemicals all day from the fumes and latex. People are also so careless and let them go into the heavens because they think it is fun to watch, but it is detrimental to animals and pollutes the earth. Wildlife gets entangled in them, chokes on them, and dies from getting strangled by them. Balloons whether made of Mylar or latex are not biodegradable and contribute to our litter problem as well. This is why I do not buy balloons any more for parties. It is all so very sad and certainly nothing to celebrate.

I want to make some things for my garden and orchard. Here is the list:

• Compost tea maker
• Worm Vermiculture Bin
• Rain collection system off the roof 🌧️
• Bat House(s) 🦇
• Better Chicken Coop 🐔
• Aquaponics with home grown Tilapia 🐟

I would also love to get my garden and orchard up to specifications so that I can have certification with:

• Monarch Waystations 🦋
• The National Widlife Foundation "Certified Wildlife Habitat 
• Pollinator Partnership for "Million Pollinator Garden Challenge & S.H.A.R.E." 🐝

Friday August 16th, 2019...Morning Thoughts

My photography of one of my zinnias with a lovely moth on it.

Things I’m thinking this morning in no special order....

I should really start doing more art. I used to draw a lot in high school and art was and still is my favorite subject.

I wish I still had a violin to play. Delbin, my son, will rarely let me play on his. I used to play in 6th-12th grades. I miss it so very much. On that note 🎵 I want to someday be able to read music. I have a gift of being able to play by ear.

My garden is looking better and better all the time. Although I would like to plant more flowers and next year I need to start earlier with the veggies. Here is a photo I took of one of my zinnias with a lovely moth on it.

I love the art that my friends have made me. I also love all my artistic friends that I have made recently. I hope to someday fill my home with gorgeous art.

I am craving zucchini 🥒, and since I neglected to plant any this year I hope some of my local friends see this and have some extra for me 😀.

My kitchen still isn't done and I have been without a kitchen sink since April. On the bright side I am supposed to get my new kitchen cabinets in sometime this month...and then hopefully they can be installed.

The Hepa filter I have is always so very loud and it is right next to me when I am sitting at my desk.

Thank you to my friend, Amber Bryce, who inspired me to do this today. I hope I can keep it up.

Precious Moments Frog Bird Feeder Review & 20% Off Garden Gifts

I received this garden decor free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Precious Moments has some new Home and Garden products that would be great for gifts this summer! These include some lovely garden decorations that would be perfect for making your space or someone else's brighter and cheerier.

I received their new Frog Bird Feeder. This is made of resin, stands approximately 9 inches high, and is super cute! I love its adorable grin and wide eyes. It has a whimsical way it is holding a large lily pad leaf on its head to put bird seed in. The leaf bowl has an almost copper look to it. It is perfect to put on a patio or in a garden. I placed it beneath my Tulip Tree in my fairy rock garden. It looks right at home among the succulents, moss, violets and crystals. I filled it with bird seed and the next day the treat was all gone. The birds, chipmunks, and squirrels from my landscape must have liked their little taste. I love this bird feeder and I know you will too!

The whimsical Frog Bird Feeder from Precious Moments is wonderful for the garden or patio!

BUY IT

Brighten up your day and your garden with 20% off garden gifts at PreciousMoments.com! Use code GARDEN20%. Sale ends 7/15.

Here is another lovely bird feeder from Precious Moments.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Precious Moments for sending me this garden decor for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

#PreciousMoments #FrogBirdFeeder #GardenGifts #GardenDecor

How To Window Box: Small-Space Plants to Grow Indoors or Out Book Review

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Chantal Aida Gordon & Ryan Benoit are authors of the popular garden blog, The Horticult. It chronicles their learning experience about gardening and design. I personally love their blog and want to incorporate more of a "plant-infused lifestyle" into my everyday existence.

You don't have to have a lot of space to garden and window boxes create the perfect space for plants both outside and inside your window sill. Chantal Aida Gordon & Ryan Benoit's new book, How To Window Box: Small-Space Plants to Grow Indoors or Out, is a nod towards traditional container gardening, but with some exuberant flair. The book takes window boxes and breaths new life into them.

Book Contents.

This small hardback book is just under 6 x 9 – and less than 180 pages, but has a tremendous amount of  information. There are 16 total designs that this tiny book features: from herbs to succulents to carnivorous plants, to jungle plants to woodland plants and other plants in between. This book has a window box for everyone. Projects range from super simple to challenging. This book shows how to: choose plants, know where to purchase them, arrange them, cultivate them, make window boxes for them, use lighting, know how much to water them, know where these plants will likely thrive, fertilize them, prune them, do other fun projects to maximize your space, etc. The photos are colorful and inviting and help give reference to the plants and completed window box projects.

Inside Sneak Peek.

I am loving this gardening book! I highly recommend it to others that: don't have a lot of space to garden, need more ideas for container gardening, want to bring more plants indoors, want to brighten your window spaces, or just love gardening. I can't wait to try out the projects in this book!

BE SOCIAL
Official Website: https://thehorticult.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHorticult/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/thehorticult @thehorticult
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/chantalgordon/the-horticult/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehorticult/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Thehorticult

BUY IT
You can purchase How To Window Box on Amazon for $10.52 (at time of post).



DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Blogging For Books for sending me this book for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Free Botanical Interests Coloring Book Offer

Botanical Interests provided me with this promotional information and offer to share with my readers. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Botanical Interests loves art! Gardening is both science and art, resulting in endless, colorful possibilities. To keep your artistic side inspired, they create beautiful coloring books based on their seed packet art. This is their way of saying “thank you” for continually inspiring us and making their lives so colorful these past 20 years!



Share your final images on Facebook or Instagram using #sowcreative. They would love to see where your imagination takes you!

Creative tip: Give your creation a stained glass effect! Using a cotton ball, apply a small amount of oil (e.g., baby or vegetable) to the backside of the paper. This technique can make a regular piece of paper translucent.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Botanical Interests for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Benji & The 24 Pound Banana Squash Book Review and Giveaway

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Benji & The 24 Pound Banana Squash is a hardcover children's book that is by bestselling author Alan C. Fox with illustrations by Eefje Kuijl. This adorable book is the story of a child named Benji's experience of growing a banana squash from start to finish. Benji & the 24 Pound Banana Squash is based on a real-life event that happened when Alan Fox was eight. It teaches kids about patience, love, dedication, and perseverance and how much fun it is to grow their own foods.

My kids enjoying our harvests.

Our Thoughts:
Benji & The 24 Pound Banana Squash is a wonderful story of garden-to-table. I love how Benji is so patient even though he sees nothing come from the seed he plants at first. After a while he reaps the reward of his determination and nurturing.

We loved this cute book and its lovely illustrations. The book starts from the beginning where Benji picks the perfect spot in the ground and plants the seed to his family sitting around the table eating the cooked squash with butter and brown sugar. The pictures are fun to look at too. One picture shows Benji trying to dig the hole himself with the shovel and he fell over on his back flinging dirt and earth worms into the air. Another shows his dog bouncing a ball on a small trampoline as Benji carries the large squash inside the house. My kids will treasure this book.

Teela and Zari enjoying the Benji & the 24 Pound Banana Squash book.

I recommend this sweet and endearing story to anyone. It is perfect for those who want to teach their children about where their food comes from or even help them grasp the concepts of being more patient...because it will certainly pay off in the end. It is wonderful for those city folk that want to give a piece of country life to their kids.

BUY IT
Purchase The Benji & the 24 Pound Banana Squash book for $17.95 on Amazon.




WIN IT
Prize: Win a copy of Benji & The 24 Pound Banana Squash Book {US ONLY}

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for Rafflecopter below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this book for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links can be found in this post. Thank you for your support of this blog!

Wordless Wednesday Garlic and Potato Harvest

Elephant Garlic harvest this year was awesome!

This was my first time growing and harvesting potatoes.

Wordless Wednesday Coleus Bloom

My Coleus plant bloomed.

Wordless Wednesday Pretty Rose

Pretty rose in my garden.

Wordless Wednesday Pretty Peony

Pretty Peony in my garden.

Lawn Jaws: Fool-Proof Weed Puller Review

I received the Lawn Jaws free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Weeds, bad grasses, and invasive plants have a way of taking over a property, lawn, or garden and growing in places that are undesired if not dealt with properly. Lawn Jaws have serrated shark-like teeth that grip weeds by their roots and pulls them out of the ground. This handy weeding tool helps you get to the root of the problem with its back slanted shark-like teeth and 40X larger teeth coverage (52 large teeth covering the whole length of the garden pliers's jaws) than needle-nose pliers. It also has custom slots for dirt and debris to pass through and rounded, ergonomic rubberized handles to make sure you get a firm hand hold that will not pinch fingers. These will last too because they are rust resistant and are made with a stainless steel durable alloy with a chrome finish.

My favorite use for Lawn Jaws, pulling unwanted spiny, thorny, or prickly plants!

I have found that in my organic gardening toolkit Lawn Jaws are very convenient. Since I do not want to use toxic chemicals in my garden or property I use integrated pest and weed management which means using the least harmful method around to garden or landscape. Lawn Jaws helps me be free of weeds without a lot of work and without having to use the more damaging herbicides like Roundup. I found that most of the weeds I pulled with the Lawn Jaws completely came out of the ground root and all. I love that these were especially helpful at getting out unwanted spiny, thorny, or prickly plants that were hard to pull by hand. Lawn Jaws make pulling weeds so much easier than pulling weeds by hand because you really do get a better grip.

BUY IT
Purchase Lawn Jaws for $15.99.



DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Fluffy Layers Farm Queen Tote Review

Fluffy Layers is a wonderful company that was developed by Tara Grier. She and her team at Fluffy Layers are the creators of The Egg Collecting Apron®, The Egg Gathering Apron® & The Harvest Apron®. They also have some other cute, fashionable products for the farm lover in us all.

Fluffy Layers Farm Queen Tote.

I received The Farm Queen Tote from Fluffy Layers. It is a canvas type bag with handles that is great for holding groceries, farmers market goodies, or just about anything worth toting around. I love that this tote is eco-friendly and reusable. It has a fabulous design on the front of a rooster, a crown, and a partial circlet of flowers with the words "Fluffy Layers Farm Queen". I will love using this around the farm to hold my harvest from my garden to my home.

BUY IT
You can purchase Fluffy Layers Farm Queen Tote in their Fluffy Layers' online shop.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received these products for free to facilitate this review. As a Fluffy Layers Brand Ambassador I get occasional products to share with my readers for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Precious Moments 35 Days of Loving, Caring, and Sharing: Summer Fun Energy Offer and Review

I received these figurines free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Precious Moments is having its 35th Anniversary and they are celebrating with “35 Days of Loving, Caring and Sharing” – an event celebrating their wonderful fans. Over the years, the fans have given so much through their love of all things Precious Moments. Now Precious Moments is delighted to give back to the fans! Beginning May 22 through June 25th, on their Facebook they will announce a new way to save on some of the fan favorite Precious Moments gifts and collectibles each day. Plus, opportunities to enter giveaways for your chance to win Precious Moments gifts and more! It’s going to be fun! The "35 Days of Loving, Caring and Sharing" event also all leads up to their unveiling of a very special figurine. So stay tuned! The theme of today, day 34, is Energy.

I received two figurines to celebrate this special anniversary and day: Decorative Birdbath Rotating Figurine, Music Box and “Girl With Tulip Flower” Perpetual Calendar Figurine. The Decorative Birdbath Rotating Figurine, Music Box has three adorable feathered friends perched on a birdbath. When you wind this up it plays “In The Garden” while the top turns around and around. This is a great gift for a garden lover or bird enthusiast. I love this beautiful music player! It plays lovely music. The “Girl With Tulip Flower” Perpetual Calendar Figurine is perfect to decorate my desk as it lets me know exactly what month and day it is. With the words, “Every Day Is A Blessing” it reminds us of this everyday as we change the date. This sweet figurine has a girl dressed like her favorite tulip flower with a small ladybug meandering nearby. These match my other garden themed Precious Moments figurines perfectly. I love them and know you will too! They all have sweet messages and will bring Summer Fun to anyone's home.

Day 34 of 35 deal: Save 15% on Summer Fun gifts with Coupon Code: FUNINTHESUN at PreciousMoments. *Offer is valid today only, June 24th, 2016 through 11:59 p.m. CDT.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Precious Moments for sending me these figurines for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

#35DaysOfLovingCaringAndSharing #PreciousMoments #MyPreciousMoments #LifesPreciousMoments #PreciousMomentsSale #Summer #FunInTheSun #SummerFun #Camping

Precious Moments 35 Days of Loving, Caring, and Sharing: Beautiful Wishes Humility Offer and Review

I received these figurines free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Precious Moments is having its 35th Anniversary and they are celebrating with “35 Days of Loving, Caring and Sharing” – an event celebrating their wonderful fans. Over the years, the fans have given so much through their love of all things Precious Moments. Now Precious Moments is delighted to give back to the fans! Beginning May 22 through June 25th, on their Facebook they will announce a new way to save on some of the fan favorite Precious Moments gifts and collectibles each day. Plus, opportunities to enter giveaways for your chance to win Precious Moments gifts and more! It’s going to be fun! The "35 Days of Loving, Caring and Sharing" event also all leads up to their unveiling of a very special figurine. So stay tuned! The theme of today, day 26, is Humility.

I received three figurines to celebrate this special anniversary and day: You Are My Joy, “You Make Everyday Brighter” Figurine, and You Are My Sunshine. The You Are My Joy figurine is a sweet little flower girl with a peach poppy and a glittering dress to match sends a lovely message of joy and garden bliss. The “You Make Everyday Brighter” Figurine is a very cute flower girl dressed in a yellow shirt and petal skirt to match the daisy flower she stands with. Daisies make me so happy when I see them. They are such a wonderful perennial! The You Are My Sunshine figurine is a cheerful little flower girl hugging a sunflower. She is dressed to match in a shimmering yellow dress. I love sunflowers! They always brighten my day when I see them and this figurine does too. These figurines are so adorable! Each one has a glittering skirt, a ladybug, and a jewel in the center of the flower. I love all of the items on sale today! They have sweet messages and will bring Beautiful Wishes to anyone's home.

Day 26 of 35 deal: Save 15% on Beautiful Wishes gifts with Coupon Code: BEAUTIFULWISHES at PreciousMoments. *Offer is valid only on today, June 16th, 2016 through 11:59 p.m. CDT.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Precious Moments for sending me these figurines for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

#‎35DaysOfLovingCaringAndSharing‬ ‪#‎PreciousMoments‬ ‪#‎MyPreciousMoments‬ ‪#‎LifesPreciousMoments‬ ‪#‎PreciousMomentsSale‬ ‪#‎YouAreMySunshine‬ ‪#‎Flowers‬ ‪#‎BeautifulWishes‬

The Bee-Friendly Garden: Design an Abundant, Flower-Filled Yard that Nurtures Bees and Supports Biodiversity Book Review

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

The Bee-Friendly Garden: Design an Abundant, Flower-Filled Yard that Nurtures Bees and Supports Biodiversity by Kate Frey and Gretchen LeBuhn is a gorgeous book filled with pretty pictures and useful advice to help anyone create a yard or garden filled with flowers that bees love. This book creates a great conversational piece. It would also be a lovely little coffee table book.

The layout of the book is fairly straightforward. This 224 page softcover book starts out with a preface to why the authors made this book and an introduction that tells us the benefits of a bee-friendly garden. There are 6 chapters that talk about bees, plants for pollinators, what bees require in a garden and how to make your garden safer for them, bee garden design, and how to help the bees by protecting and promoting. After the chapters there is a resource list, plant lists divided by region, photography credits, and an index to help you find things easier within the book.

Here is the chapter layout:

• Chapter 1: Our Friends, the Bees
• Chapter 2: Plants For Your Bee-Friendly Garden
• Chapter 3: Bee-Friendly Plants for Edible Gardens
• Chapter 4: Bee Garden Basics
• Chapter 5: Designing Your Bee Garden
• Chapter 6: Beyond Your Own Backyard - Becoming a Bee Activist

I love pollinators! Not just bees, but some species of ants, bats, beetles, birds, butterflies, flies, moths, wasps, as well as other unusual animals are also essential and beneficial to flowering plants. If we didn't have these creatures then there wouldn't be much to eat or look at. Unfortunately bees and some of these other creatures need our help to survive. With the rise in colony collapse disorder (CCD) in honeybee populations and decline in native bees we need to be vigilant in protecting them, promoting ways to help them, educating the public, and creating a safer, more inviting world for them to live in.

National Pollinator Week is June 20 - 26, 2016 and even though I believe that pollinators should be celebrated, protected, and promoted every day, this week is special. It is a time that we all should put aside to help these creatures out. I will be incorporating lessons in my homeschooling about pollinators during that week. My children have already been assisting me in the garden. I believe we have an obligation to teach our children when they are young about what good they can do to help out in the world.

On my own property I have started to invite more species of pollinators to my garden and yard. I spent two weeks ripping out English ivy to procure the way for flowering plants that bees love, like ajuga and columbine. I have planted a large pot of violas for my porch and am slowly adding more and more flowering plants to my landscape. Little by little I see more dancing, buzzing bees around my garden and not just honeybees, but native bumblebees, sweat bees, miner bees, and mason bees too. I have also noticed another pollinator, the hummingbirds, loving some of my flowers. Pollinators do so much good in my gardens that I want to give back to them and plant even more nourishment so they will thrive.

I have learned that planting flowering plants for the pollinators will also benefit me and if you do the same it will benefit you as well. Some benefits include: increasing and improving the quantity, quality, flavor, size of produce for food producing plants; your landscape being more abundantly beautiful throughout the seasons, learning how to have organic and pesticide free plants, your plants helping enrich the soil and bringing in beneficial insects, birds, and butterflies; and being healthier and happier as you reconnect with the outdoors making your gardens grow. I love how this wonderful cycle helps with our threatened food security and the very well being of this planet!

This book is a wonderful addition to my collection. It has helped me better understand how I can make a difference in my own landscape and in turn help some of the 4,000+ species of native bees in North America as well as the honeybees too. It helps us become ever more mindful of the plants we should (and should not!) plant to help the precious bees flourish. By purchasing, reading, and implementing the words in this book you will be taking one more step in preserving these wonderful pollinators and sustaining the world. Even a tiny change for the better is better than no change at all.

BUY IT


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Blogging For Books for sending me this book for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Trudeau Mother's and Father's Day Gifts Review

I received these products free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Mother's Day and Father's Day is coming up and Trudeau has some fabulous products that I love and they are great gifts for mothers and fathers of all sorts. I have picked some of my three favorites from their innovative kitchen tools, gadgets and other houseware products that would be perfect to wrap up for mom or dad on their special day. Their products are perfect to gift to those that love cooking, baking, and entertaining guests as well.

Trudeau Silicone Tea Infuser With Lid. Comes in Red, Orange, and Yellow randomly picked colors.

Silicone Tea Infuser With Lid: This cheerful Silicone Tea Infuser from Trudeau is in the shape of a cute strawberry. The inside of the "berry" infuser basket holds the loose leaf tea. After filling and sealing, drop the "berry" infuser into the hot water hooking the leaf and stem over the side of the cup. Place the included silicone lid over the top of the cup to let the tea steep and keep it hot while brewing. You can also use the lid as a saucer to rest the infuser after the tea has finished steeping and to catch drips. The flexible stem and leaf doubles as a handle so you can lift the tea out of the cup after infusing is completed. It is heat resistant to 428°F/220°C. It is microwave and dishwasher safe. Comes in three randomly chosen colors: orange, yellow, and red. I received the orange one and even though I was hoping for the red one because it looks more like a strawberry it is the perfect infuser for my individual cups of loose leaf tea. The orange one reminds my girls of a oddly shaped pumpkin. I love how portable this is and that it can go with me traveling. Just be sure to use high quality loose leaf tea in this infuser because if you use more powdery stuff it will leave tea bits in your water because the holes are a bit big. It is wonderful to use this with my loose leaf tea to wind down after a long day. Great for a tea enthusiast! 5-year warranty. MSRP $6.99

Trudeau Herb and Garden Snips, Great for Rosemary!

Herb and Garden Snips: These herb scissors are wonderful for cutting twine, trimming flowers, herbs, vegetables and stripping the leaves/needles from herbs with tough stems. These have both a stainless steel scissor with micro-serrated blades and an herb stripper integrated in. These kitchen and garden shears are ergonomic with green soft grip handles made of polypropylene for a nice fit in the hand. Blades can be taken apart for effortless cleaning and never need sharpening. These are also dishwasher safe. I love using these both in and out of the kitchen. They are an essential implement for an herb garden, making floral arrangements, or a recipe that incorporates the savory flavors of herbs. I love using the Herb and Garden Snips in my herb garden to cut sprigs of herbs. They are very sharp and I have found that the herb stripper is fabulous for rosemary as well as thyme. 5-year warranty. MSRP $12.99

Trudeau Strawberry Huller at work.

Strawberry Huller: In one swift motion you can eliminate the bitter core and stem of the strawberry to enhance the natural sweet flavors of this yummy spring fruit. The easy, innovative design effectively removes the unwanted parts. Just insert from the base of the strawberry and press upwards through the center towards the stem, popping it out the top. This wonderful kitchen tool is indispensable in my kitchen when I have harvested my strawberries out of my garden and works splendidly for when I am making jam, freezing them, or using them to make yummy recipes. The strawberries really do taste better and this gadget is an easier and safer alternative to using a knife for hulling and coring. Made of BPA free silicone and stainless steel that is built to last. The red bulb comes off for easy cleaning. 5-year warranty. MSRP $8.99

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You can purchase the Strawberry Huller and other items from Trudeau.  Or you can help me out this season by purchasing on Amazon with my affiliate links. Thanks...



DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received these products for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Localish Plant Sales on Saturday - One in St. Helen's and One in Portland Oregon

Spring Garden Fair

The 20th Annual Spring Garden Fair is happening on Saturday, April 30, 2016. It will be held at the St. Helen's High School Commons located at 2375 Gable Road, St. Helen's Oregon, 97051.

Dozens of local vendors will offer annuals, trees, shrubs, perennials, vegetables, ceramics, trellises, garden art, herbs, containers, hanging baskets and more.

Certified Master Gardener's will offer 5,000 tomatoes in over 30 varieties for only $1.50 per plant; tomato and general gardening information, raffle tickets, hourly prizes and displays.

Raffle tickets are on sale now for $1 each from many Master Gardener's.

Free parking - please carpool

Free admission - ATM on site - shop indoors and out 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Brought to you by the Columbia County Master Gardener Association.

Incredible Edibles Plant Sale

The Incredible Edibles Plant Sale is also happening Saturday, April 30, 2016 from 10am til 4pm. It will be held at the Westminster Presbyterian Church on 1624 NE Hancock Street, Portland Oregon, 97212 (between 16th and 17th Avenue).

This FREE event is a great opportunity to buy organic herb and veggie starts for your home garden so you can harvest nutritious, fresh-picked goodness for your table! You’ll find both heirlooms and hybrids among our proven varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, squash, greens, lettuces, herbs and more.

‘Get the Real Dirt’ from OSU Extension trained Master Gardener Volunteers who will be on site to answer your gardening questions.

Plant. Grow. Eat. workshops (Scheduled throughout the day)....

• 10:30 am - “Kale-palooza!” Learn some great tasty, simple ways to use the nutritional iron horse of the garden…kale! Plus see a chiffonade demo so you too can master the technique at home. Presenter: Greg Sweeting, Chef, OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer.
• 11:30 am - “Tips for the Beginning Veggie Gardener” A great workshop for those you know who are beginning gardeners. They will learn tips and tricks on how to “get growing” with their very own vegetable garden. They will learn just how easy it is to have nutritious veggies to harvest. Presenter: Susan Ristau, OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer. 
• 12:30 pm - “Eat What You Grow” The joy of simple preparations for your homegrown edibles. When your produce and herbs are this fresh it’s a delight to create simple meals with them at the center of the plate. Presenter: Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have.
• 1:30 pm - “Bountiful Berries” Learn all the steps needed to harvest a bounty of berries in your garden from an expert home grower. Strawberries, blues, Marion, and raspberries! Oh my! Presenter: Bob Deultgen, OSU Extension Master Gardener.
• 2:30 pm - “Delectable Ways to Enjoy Your Bounty” Get inspiration on how to utilize your bountiful veggie harvest with quick, delectable preparations. Presenter: Joe Hickey, Chef, Noble Rot.

Kids Grow...
Drop by the Kids Grow station and discover incredible garden science with hands-on activities for the kids.

Feed Your Soul with a Variety of Food Vendors...
Thrive Sauce and Bowls, Salvador Molly's, Nossa Familia Coffee

Garden Inspired Art...
A Little Sun!, Victory Garden of Tomorrow

Great Music...

• 10am      Sellwood Marimba Band a festive kick-off! 
• 11 am      Brian McEvoy, Jesse Robinson, Bret Malmquist, country and folk—with a little bit of honky-tonk! 
• 12 pm     Rick McNutt Quartet, Latin-jazz to move to! 
• 1 pm       Possum Six Pack, old time, traditional, toe-tapping tunes!  
• 2 pm      Arco PDX, classical orchestral and chamber music with a contemporary attitude! 
• 3 pm      Bill LaCroix and Dan Kimbro, serendipitous old-timey music!

Check out the veggie varieties they have on order!

Also enter their raffle while you are there! There are over 100 donors and tickets are just $5! You pick which prizes to try your luck on.

RSVP to the event e-vite on Facebook and like them on their Facebook page too.

Brought to you by the Multnomah County Master Gardeners.

OTHER PLANT SALES COMING UP IN OREGON BY COUNTY & DATE:

• Lane: April 30th, 9am - 3pm, Lane County Fairgrounds (Eugene)
• Jackson: April 30th, 9am - 5pm and May 1st, 10am - 4pm (many plant vendors), Jackson County Expo (Central Point)
• Clackamas: April 30th, 9am - 5pm and May 1, 9am - 4pm (lots of plant vendors), Clackamas County Event Center (Canby)
• Polk: May 6th and 7th, 9am - 4pm, Polk County Fairgrounds (Rickreall)
• Hood River: May 7th, 9am - 1pm, OSU Extension Service Office at 2990 Experiment Station Drive (Hood River)
• Wasco: May 7th, 9am - 2pm, City Park (The Dalles)
• Douglas: May 7th, 9am - 4pm (many plant vendors), Douglas County Fairgrounds (Roseburg)
• Benton: May 7th, 9am - 2pm, Benton County Fairgrounds (Corvallis)
• Tillamook: May 7th, 9am - 2pm, Tillamook County Fairgrounds (Tillamook)
• Curry: May 14th, 10am-7pm at the High School (Gold Beach)
• Clatsop: May 14th, 8:30am - 2pm (garden vendors and seminar), Clatsop County Fairgrounds (Astoria)
• Lincoln: May 31, 9am-2pm, Newport National Guard Armory (Newport)

  
OF NOTE: If these are too far from you, try your local Master Gardeners and see if there is a plant sale in your area. Many of them are happening this weekend! Just do a search by county and state or call your local  Department of Agriculture Extension Office for more information. You might also find a website or newsletter you can join for your county chapter to get information on other plant sales, events, and classes.

You too can become a Master Gardener, just call your local extension office to find out more information. Also if you live in Oregon, here is the Oregon Master Gardeners Website to look up the chapter in your neck of the woods. The chapter meetings are open to all, not just members, and they usually have an interesting speaker to listen to and learn from.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this information and images for this post. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I am a OSU Columbia County Master Gardener and wanted to share this information with my readers.