My friend's lovely succulent arrangement!

Over at my friend, Karens house today to check out her garden, and taste some Hungarian peppers we had brought over to her (we weren't sure if they were hot or not). Turns out they are mild heat if there are no seeds or ribs/membranes...if these things are included, they are too hot to heat raw. At least for us!!!
Anyway, she pointed out her succulent pot that has grown so prettily... sort of up and down and sideways! It looks like jade and something else I cannot ID at this time...but just wanted to show it to you...sorry about quality...taken with my junky cell phone. One day I will have a decent cell phone camera and not have to carry a separate camera. Great Scott...I will be so happy when that day comes!!!

What growing and showing on this New Years morning?

Happy 2010 everybody!

I woke up at 8am, started the coffee, and decided to take a few early morning pics for you from my little plot in the world...my little homestead (I like to call it)! Hee hee hee!

I realized when I got outside to my strawberry pot full of kalenchoe...that it has to take the first place ribbon for the plant that has been a continual source of joy for me throughout 2009 and beyond! It is entertaining...changes colors from green, to red, to purple, to blue. It makes new little leaves on the edges of it's own leaves, which is always a delight to see! It is a very invasive plant and still speads like the dickens, if not contained properly. Even after I moved it into the pot here, I still have to weed more of this stuff out of my succulent tires constantly. Sometimes I will leave it in with my other sux, because it will be at a size and state of lovliness, that it will compliment the tire, but when they get too large, generally, I have to go in and pull them all out (they start to get on my last nerves)! I throw the stuff I pull out, over along the fence, and it will not root over there ...too much shade and not the right soil, I suppose. That is fine with me!!! Anyway...it just occured to me that I believe if I could have just one succulent plant, this would be my choice, which is really saying something for this fella!!!


The collards are about ready to transplant now! Maybe I can get that done this weekend.

This little aloe sits outside on one of my tables with Buddha! Buddha will not give up his Mardi Gras beads...they make him very happy!

My succulent bowl I planted up about 1 year ago looks like a vision of perfection right now! I always dread when they start to outgrow and the pruning must begin! I need to take a few to the greensmarket to sell one day!

Two flowers are starting to open on the Christmas Cactus. I have a few sort of peachy/beige buds on the white one, and one of those is opening first, along with a pink! Nice show for the first day of the year, guys!!! LOL!

And last, but certainly not least...I decided to try and grow a pineapple from a top. I read online that you can trim it down and get all of the pineapple fruit off and place the stalk in a glass of water and in two weeks you will have an abundance of roots. I know, I think MOST people lay them out to dry for a week, and then plant in soil...but I decided to try this method and see what happens...plus I have the added bonus of having it in my windowsill to watch up close!

I hope you all will find so much happiness, love, hope, stress relief, and just plain JOY for this year just being around your plants!!!
xoxo- Julie

The beginning of my Saturday!

I went outside to clean my car out, and I kept hearing this little splashing sound (and it was not raining). Finally I investigated, because I thought I might be going nuts...and here is what I found...a little lizard who had fallen into a pitcher I keep out on my front step to collect rain water in to water the plants by my front door. Poor guy!


Well, I "poured" him out onlo a new arrangement I had just made (the red pot), of some of my succulent plants...and guess what he did...he sat a good while and posed for my camera!!!


Then my Mom, my daughter and I went to a doll show (my daughter is a collector)...and look at one of the dolls suitcases! She had been to Death Valley, California! Boy, was I JEALOUS!!!

My Mom bought me this book which shows pages of toys for girls from out of Sears Catalog Wishbooks from 1950-1969! My main period of time for looking at the Wishbooks as a child would have been during the 60's. This is nothing but a trip down memory lane! I am amazed at the amount and variety of toys we had during that time! I found a few in there that we actually owned (my sister and I)! By the way...I did not get a real Barbie...I had to have the fake one...because REAL Barbies cost 3 dollars, and it was out of the budget for my parents at that time. I have since found out that this was true of many girls in my age range...Did you have a real Barbie??? I was fortunate enough to have recieved a real Barbie case, to store my doll and her clothes, shoes and hangers in! I was happy! My sister and I really played with our dolls! My Mom made many of our dolls clothes...and guess who owns them now? My daughter! How cool is that?

Happy Easter!

These are cute!

I have been admiring these succulents for a few months now. They reside in an office where I go to do work...people know the gal who works here, and they buy her succulents! I believe the top ones are in their original dish from the store...and amazingly they are all still looking well, even the one with the fake flower! I know from experience that that pot has no hole underneath, and the pebbles on top let in no water...or very little...I am watching to see how it goes. That tall green plant with red leaves coming out all around it is so adorable! I have never seen anything like it. I think I want one for myself, but am wondering if I will begin to be overflowing with too many...something I need to watch, for sure! I wanted all my succulents to be in my tire gardens, but now my front porch is overflowing, and I am starting with my picnic table in the backyard...AND have considered filling up my screenroom as well. Now, we all know this will never do. I must start to stop...it is hard...don't want to...help me...arrrghhhh.......