Gardening

Lawn Art for Everyone!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / Leave a comment

I miss the summer arts festivals!

These are two examples of lawn art in my yard. The kitty could use a fresh coat of paint, but he’s still cute. A few pieces placed among the flowers makes the yard fun. They are also good spots to leave clues for the grandkids’ treasure hunts. Of course if the clue mentions a mushroom, they have a problem because there are two in my yard.

I certainly don’t need any more items, but my husband would disagree. I know it’s unusual for the wife to tell the husband no, but that’s how it is. I do love looking and admiring the pieces. So much talent is on display at the art festivals. Pottery, glass, leather, weavings and metal are amazing creations to admire and buy.

The first art festivals were music festivals and they date back to the early 1700s in England. Athens, Greece held the first drama festival in 543 BC. Playwrights and poets competed to have their work performed. Auditoriums were created by cutting into the hillsides and 10,000 to 20,000 people could be seated.

Like most people, I love summer and this one is unlike any I have experienced. There are no outdoor concerts and no arts festivals. When they return next summer, I anticipate large crowds in attendance. I think it’s true that we don’t appreciate something until it’s gone.

Lungwort, not just a pretty plant!

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Lung shaped leaves?

I don’t see it, but apparently people in the Middle Ages thought lungwort leaves looked like a lung. Under the Doctrine of Signatures, medicinal uses of plants were determined by their appearances. What is interesting is that Native Americans did the same thing and they were on a different continent!

I have enjoyed lungwort in my garden for years. It likes shade and has a long blooming time. I suspected the name meant it was used in the past to treat lung problems. I was surprised to learn it is still used. One can buy 4 ounces of lungwort extract for $35.00 to treat a variety of ailments.

The extract is used in tea to treat not only lung problems but diarrhea and hemorrhoids. I think hemorrhoid suffers would prefer using a cream. Poultices can also be made from the plant to treat burns, reduce swelling, and to treat an enlarged thyroid. Talk about being versatile!

I love my plants and a perfect day includes working outside. I find herbal medicine fascinating, and I know many women were accused of witchcraft for using these amazing concoctions. For me, I just want to enjoy their beauty.

Tulips in Turbans?

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 1 Comment

Tulips originated in Turkey

The Ottoman sultans wore a tulip in their turbans as a sign of wealth and power. In fact the Persian word tulipan means turban. The tulip became popular in the Netherlands in the 1600’s. In fact, the popularity drove the price so high in that time period that one bulb equaled the price of an expensive Amsterdam home along the canal.

The history of tulips is interesting. One surprising thing was a tulip virus caused the prized pure red tulip to have white in it. This became extremely expensive because it was different and everyone wanted it. You’ll notice in the picture I have red and yellow tulips and then the variegated ones. I have difficulty keeping any pure colors. The purple have stayed pure. That’s because they represent royalty I guess!

The tulip craze was astonishing. Some very wealthy people went broke because of their need to buy more and more tulip bulbs. It is believed that the bubonic plague may have influenced the ending of the craze. I would think so!

There are 3000 varieties of tulips. One woman wrote she has 2000 in her garden. Like the rose, the red tulip is the most popular color and it also represents love. Blue tulips have been the most challenging to cultivate. They still don’t have a pure blue, but are close. They are said to represent tranquility and peace. I am mentally sending you bouquets of tulips in all colors and hope you can all get outside to enjoy them before they are gone!

Versatile Vinegar!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 2 Comments

Vinegar is amazing!

There aren’t many things we clean with and use in cooking, but vinegar is one and most likely the most popular. I love researching common things and vinegar is truly amazing.

The word vinegar means sour wine and was once known as the poor man’s wine. It has been found in ancient Egyptian urns and is mentioned in Babylonian scrolls that date back to 5000 B.C. The Roman soldiers were known to carry vinegar and the Bible even tells of a soldier offering Jesus vinegar.

I was surprised to learn all the things vinegar can be made from. The most unusual item was dates. White vinegar is made from grains and is the most popular. I used it last week to kill moss on the patio. I couldn’t believe how quickly it worked! The recipe was 4 cups vinegar, 1/4 cup salt, 2 tsp. dish detergent. It worked better than a product I bought last year.

I cook with apple cider vinegar. It is a great meat tenderizer and brings a nice tang to sauces. Balsamic vinegar is sweetest of all vinegar and makes a nice glaze to serve over chicken. It is made from grapes and aged in oak barrels. Like wine and olive oil it varies in price. The most expensive balsamic vinegar has been aged the longest. I just checked the price for a bottle that had been aged 25 years and it cost $179.99. That was a shock!

I am a fan of vinegar for it’s incredible versatility. I know that some people are drinking it as a way to lose weight. I don’t know if that works, but if it does, chalk that up to another attribute of vinegar!

Witch Hazel Blooms First!

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Witch Hazel has Angelic Qualities!

Seeing blossoms in February is a treat, and that is what our witch hazel tree provides. If you have one, prune after it blossoms and before the leaves come out. (Little gardening advice!)

I grew up with my mom and grandmother both using witch hazel on insect bites. It burned less than alcohol and it worked as well. Until I researched witch hazel, I didn’t know it came in a bar and is recommended to help with poison ivy itching and burning. It is also used to treat acne.

Native Americans boiled the bark and used it to treat a variety of skin irritations. The colonists learned how to use herbs, bark and roots from the natives in making teas to treat many ailments.. My grandmother talked about making poultices from onions and other natural ingredients in treating pneumonia. She wanted my mother to make one for me, but my mother used Vicks instead. If you read the Vicks ingredients you’ll see eucalyptus oil is listed along with other natural ingredients.

I have a bottle of witch hazel in my cupboard and still use it on insect bites. I read some of the things people use it for and was surprised. One person claims it removed the dark circles under her eyes and another said it lightened the dark spots on her hands and face. It can also be used on hemorrhoids if you’re interested. Amazing stuff!

When our witch hazel blooms, I know it won’t be too long until spring. For you gardeners, you can now sow grass seed until mid-March. The freezing and thawing of the soil works the seed into the soil until it germinates. Apparently it works, so I’m trying it this year. I’ll let you know the results!

Scarecrows Don’t Scare!

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Too Cute to Scare!

People have smiling scarecrows in their yards which I love to see. This one is in my yard and a big black crow actually landed on its head! I read to be effective, a scarecrow should have tin pans tied on it so the sound and shine will scare the birds away.

I wondered what the crow was saying to my scarecrow while sitting on its head. Maybe the crow would ask why the scarecrow was hanging around my yard. I like to think the answer would be because she enjoys the flowers that are still blooming, the bubbling fountain, and the birds that eat at the feeder. It is quite lovely and my scarecrow gets to enjoy it in the warmth of the sun!

October days are the best! The cold nights and warm days with the addition of the leaves changing color makes it a a perfect month. I hope you all make time to be outside and enjoy this season, and give a scarecrow a smile as you pass. They really aren’t scary!

Squirrel Entertains!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 1 Comment

Gardeners become well acquainted with the critters who visit their yards. Deer, chipmunks, voles, groundhogs, rabbits and squirrels all enjoy my garden.

Last week I watched a cute little squirrel turning, twisting and chattering on the top of my split rail fence. A rabbit was sitting in the grass watching. The rabbit never moved. It just sat and watched. Its ears did twitch a time or two. The squirrel entertained for ten minutes and then a loud noise scared both the entertainer and audience away. It was unbelievably cute!

Picture books are filled with cute, smart animals that talk and say cute things. I can imagine what the squirrel said to the rabbit. The squirrel asked what the rabbit had enjoyed for breakfast (petunias) and the rabbit asked the same of the squirrel (tulip bulbs). The squirrel then asked if rabbit wanted to see his new routine. He told her a few jokes and then did his fluffy tail dance. All very cute, except they had once again eaten my flowers!

The ground hog likes my green peppers, the deer devours my lilies, Victor Vole eats bulbs and digs tunnels. The chipmunks won in the battle over my strawberry patch, so I no longer have strawberries.

My dad was a farmer and years ago when I complained about all the critters in my yard, he just smiled and said, Plant more, they need to eat too. Besides, they’ll win every time! So I plant more!