Cactus/Succulent Monday (a slight adaptation, approved by our Cactus Monday leader, Teri)!

After breakfast with my brother and his MIL, I was inspired to take apart my strawberry pot, clean up my Kalanchoe, and re-pot with fresh Miracle Gro.  I did not use cactus soil because I believe this succulent seems to like more water, and it only gets rainwater, which is fairly scarce most of the time anyway.  We shall see how it fairs.

A few close ups of my favorite succulent of all times, for some strange reason.

Is it the cheery green coloration?

Is it the rosebud configuration of the leaves?

Is it the way the leaves turn red in the sun?

Is it the constant self propagation of the cutest little babies?

Is it the way the babies seem to peep out saying "hello world"???

I believe it must be a combination of all.  I just adore these gorgeous plants.  Oh, I forgot to mention that they are impossible to kill (unless you over water, or keep in full shade).  Keep them dry and in full sun and you've got a winner!

Hello to all my blogger pals!  The weather here is stunningly gorgeous...no clouds, sunny, bright, temp around 80 or so.  The warmest winter in years this year.  Yeah.

Love to you all...

Julie

My linked double chain cactus in bloom!

I'm running late with my stitch for TAST, so will go ahead and post my free-form cactus in bloom, to show my example of a linked double chain embroidery stitch. This thing just evolved, as I am also a member of Teri's Cactus Monday and would have posted this on a Monday, but am behind schedule. So...here it is anyway.

In regard to this stitch, I myself am hard pressed to find any good use for it. I do have to say that I think it sort of looks like raffia to me, and also that it is a good fill-in stitch, and that it can end up looking amazing at times, as evidenced by all the other wonderful stitchers who show their stuff over at Pin Tangle!

My final thought on this project is that even though I really had a time with this stitch, and harbored bad feelings toward it, my cactus ended up looking kind neat (to me). I'm just sure it is done all wrong, but I hope you all enjoy it!
xoxo- Julie

Crassula clavata!!!

I did a post already featuring my new succulent (found at Walmart)...Crassula clavata! It has red edges, and much more delicate leaves than Jade Plant. I love it!
HAPpY cACTUS MONDAY everyone!!
Xoxo-Julie
To join Cactus Monday, please visit our leader, Teri over at www.painteddaisies.blogspot.com

A Blast From The Past on Cactus Monday!

I got a very pleasant surprise when I sync'd my new phone to Google, and it brought all the photos, even from my past blogs that had been deleted long ago, into my gallery! The photos from my first blog, which had been called "Succulents By J", showed up...and I was so amazed at the beautiful succulent photos I had back then! I had my pretty succulent tires all arranged with shiny glass pebbles or shells...and they just looked so colorful and fun. Now, they are all looking frazzled, worn and tired. I need to make a commitment to update them when the weather cools down here, for sure...

In honor of CACTUS MONDAY...here is a little look back at the past (I believe it was approx. 2008):

Hello...it's finally Cactus Monday! (Late)

(NOTE: I though this posted Sunday night for Cactus Monday, but alas, today on Tuesday morning it is just getting posted...sorry)

Well, I thought I would update you on my happening world here! First, on Friday night I conked the 4th toe on my right foot onto a chair leg and it hurt like a --- of a -----!!!!! I curled over the chair and let out a scream I'm sure could be heard in California!!! LOL. It turned all black and blue and swelled up to where I figure I had broken it. I worked all weekend, and it is looking 75% better already...so I think I will live now! :) You know, work is good for anything that ails you! I am convinced that it's true. If I don't have time to sit around and think about my problems, they disappear when I'm not looking!!! :)

I haven't been out to see my garden since my last post, and guess what? I still haven't gotten the dogs toenails cut!!! I promise myself it will be done by Tuesday (my next day off).

I wanted to share a super simple recipe with you all. The gal I work with (all of 28 years old) told me she is addicted to this! It is the crunchy French's Fried Onion baked chicken! I bought the can of onions today and we are going to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cause that is what we like). I think that will be part of Tuesdays dinner, for sure! The recipe is also on the French's Onion can!

Well, for Cactus Monday, I will show you some new pics of Rex, the Euphorbia in my screenroom! He rarely gets water, and still he keeps on growing...tall, wavy and handsome!


OK...so I suppose that is all I can say for today! Hope everyone has a wonderful week!
xoxo- Julie

Happy Cactus Monday!!!!!!!!!

Yes...I finally made it here for CACTUS MONDAY!!!!! I will be having this auto-post on Sunday night, since I will have to work all day Monday. I finally forced myself to sit down today and do a little fun art! What inspired me was my near dead Christmas Cactus. I'm afraid it is just plain on it's last legs. It has been doing a slow death for a year already. I guess it will be time for some new ones this year. I can't even think about trying to root cuttings from these two...it just saddens me too much!

So, I decided to make an artistic version of a happy, fun-loving new girl...and here she is:

She was made from hearts cut out of the Sunday clothes ads, mostly. There is one heart made from picture of chocolate cake up on the upper left! Everything cut from the Sunday ads though. I added a few dots to the ends of the "branches", and had a good time not only using the little hearts I cut, but also the pieces that I had cut them out of.

I hope you enjoy seeing my Cactus Monday contribution this week, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone elses as well after I get home from work (and after America's Got Talent, as well...if it's on)!!! Hello to Teri, over at Painted Daisies (our fearless leader)...click on the link to say hi to her and if you should wish to join us, tell her you want to join Cactus Monday, where any sort of cactus or succulent contribution is appreciated and loved!
xoxo- Julie

Happy Cactus Monday!!!!!!!!!

Yes...I finally made it here for CACTUS MONDAY!!!!! I will be having this auto-post on Sunday night, since I will have to work all day Monday. I finally forced myself to sit down today and do a little fun art! What inspired me was my near dead Christmas Cactus. I'm afraid it is just plain on it's last legs. It has been doing a slow death for a year already. I guess it will be time for some new ones this year. I can't even think about trying to root cuttings from these two...it just saddens me too much!

So, I decided to make an artistic version of a happy, fun-loving new girl...and here she is:

She was made from hearts cut out of the Sunday clothes ads, mostly. There is one heart made from picture of chocolate cake up on the upper left! Everything cut from the Sunday ads though. I added a few dots to the ends of the "branches", and had a good time not only using the little hearts I cut, but also the pieces that I had cut them out of.

I hope you enjoy seeing my Cactus Monday contribution this week, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone elses as well after I get home from work (and after America's Got Talent, as well...if it's on)!!! Hello to Teri, over at Painted Daisies (our fearless leader)...click on the link to say hi to her and if you should wish to join us, tell her you want to join Cactus Monday, where any sort of cactus or succulent contribution is appreciated and loved!
xoxo- Julie

Cactus Monday

This looks like a neat book: Cactus Poems, by Frank Asch and Ted Levin!

Cactus Monday Giveaway!

Sorry I am getting here just in time this evening (9:30pm, my time), on Cactus Monday to do a little giveaway! Open to anyone, wherever you live. If you can name what succulent leaf is in the picture below (this contest is open to the one that gave it to me as well, because, well...what the heck)....you will have your name entered in a chance to win a copy of The Prickly Pear Cookbook, by Carolyn Niethammer.


It contains 60 recipes from accomplished professional chefs from New York, California, Texas, Arizona, and even a few recipes from Israel. With full-color photos of each dish, this volume shows with mouth-watering detail how each dish is presented by it's creator.


I will leave this open until March 30., and then the names will be put in a bowl, hat, or other useful shape, and one winner will be drawn by the little kid of my choice. (One who lives in my house). It will be supervised by the JUDGE in my house...my very own daughter...to be sure of NO CHEATING!

If you are wondering why I am SOOOO late in posting this, I was at work all day today, and when I had meant to post was last night (Sunday evening), but I was too worn out after a day at a Ft Lauderdale beach park (actually Hollywood Beach, I believe), and taking my daughter and DIL to ride a wooden rollercoaster in Dania Beach (all in close proximity) on Sunday. It was so much fun...the kids LOVED the beach...it was mid 70's sunny, clear and perfect! We were very lucky to have all gotten to go at the last minute we were all available! Below are a few pics!





We were right next to the port, and at a certain hour, about 8 of these large cruise boats left for sea! I like this pic because it shows the size in relation to the huge buildings there!!!

For more Cactus Monday posts, visit Teri's Painted Daisies!!!

Birthday fun, and Happy Cactus Monday!!!

Well, today polished off another great day here in south Florida. A little chilly, but invigorating...and it warmed up a bit by afternoon, so I went out and took white lights off all my front bushes. I got out my electric bush trimmer and gave them a haircut...and then guess what I did??? I put the lights back on the bushes!!! I figure they can't say they are necessarily Christmas lights, my bushes are well trimmed, and I like having the extra light right there by the door, plus they are pretty! I was enjoying it so much that when Donovan came outside, I decided to pull a Tom Sawyer on him, and show him how much fun it is to pull up weeds by the roots! Oh, yes, he was enthralled for , ummm, oh, maybe 6 minutes!!! I don't think he ever mastered the technique though...hehehe...but it was a fun moment in time!!! :)

Oh, I did do something else out in that front garden.....remember when I had mentioned that the wind had blown over my prickly pear cactus??? Well, I wanted to straighten it up and stake it, but when I tried to pull it upright it just cracked, and I did not have the help or energy to try and right it. So...I just started cracking it up and finally got to the bottom where I was able to pull out the roots. I bagged it, so it wouldn't take root anywhere else, and put it out for the trashman. How bad am I??? Do you hate me??? I will tell you that I was walking around the neighborhood tonight looking for a missing Sheltie, and I saw the original prickly pear tree the cuttings had come from, and it was covered with blooms!!! It is a gorgeous specimen all tall and stately...in tree form.


Today was my DIL's birthday, so we decided to make chocolate cupcakes (her choice), and frost with white, then we made up bags of different colors of frosting to decorate with. I never saw people have so much fun!!! Carolyn (daughter), and Donovan (grandson) really had a good time, as you can see by the photos below.












Yes, that is ACTUAL BLACK icing we made up that she has applied to her face!!! Goodness.
Hope everyone has a great week.

Cactus Monday!!!!!!!!! I'm here!!!!!!!

I am finally here for Cactus Monday, Teri! To see other Cactus Monday fun, visit Teri's blog at, Painted Daisies!
My grandson drew this cactus a few days ago, and announced he had made it for me for Cactus Monday! What a sweetheart! It is the cutest cactus I've ever seen! Well, if you saw my previous post, daughter and I have spent last late evening and today making these little felt cuties. The last one to be made tonight (both of us worked on this little monkey)...and he got to swinging in the cactus.

This little monkey is designed to be able to have other monkeys hang in a long chain by each others tails! He turned out to be quite mischievious...the spines in the cactus don't seem to bother him at all, and therefore we have a lot of trouble trying to catch the little rascal!

Happy Cactus Monday to you all!

An artist's date, this morning...for Cactus Monday!

With me, myself and I. It was wonderful. I made my coffee (note to self: bigger mug next time)...took my sketch pad, pens, pencil, and my copy of The Artist's Way, and sat in my little seating area I arranged on the side of the house, overlooking my flower/vegie garden. I'm not sure if I've ever had such a luxurious space all to myself before. There's not much to it...but there is just something about it. It is a place I can go all alone, and not be seen by anyone inside, or out. I can stare at the plants, bees, lizards, and birds and butterflies...all by myself. WOW. Oh, and not to mention, in silence as well. Are you feeling it??? Oh, yes, it is sweet.

Here are the views I saw from my adirondack chair, focusing on floral views.
ONE OF MY NEW GERANIUMS

THE BLOOMING TOP OF THE MEXICAN SUNFLOWER

BUDDHA WATCHING OVER EVERYTHING IN THE TIRES







AND 2 OF THE SUCCULENT TIRES FOR CACTUS MONDAY!



I read up to chapter 5 in the book. Tomorrow morning will be my first Morning Pages. I am looking forward to it. THere are fun activities to do along the way...some are hard, for sure, and others just really get you thinking. The author is amazing. I need to look for her other books.

I did do a little sketch but it was fairly lame...I want to have a series of three and maybe I will show them later, we shall see. My timid self says no, but in my trying to be gutsy and self confidant artsy way, I want to say yes. Hmmmmm. Thankyou, Messyfish for your comments regarding the Artist's Way...it is encouraging. I think it would be fun to do with an artist friend, but I guess I need to make a few (locally)! Nobody I know will own up to it!!! Hehehehe.

Happy Cactus Monday to all, and a marvelous start to the week ahead!!!
xoxo- Julie