Easy Hummingbird Food

My friend Jan says that April 15 is the date not only to file taxes, but also THE DAY to put out your hummingbird feeders. Taking her advice, we purchased two new feeders and put them out over the weekend.
There was some attractive red liquid available for purchase at the store, but it is quick to make your own (the red color is not necessary).

The hummingbird recipe, from  AllFree Crafts:

1 part sugar/4 parts water

Boil the water first, then measure and add sugar, at the rate of 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water. Let cool and store excess in refrigerator until ready to use. Do not add food coloring, honey (which ferments), or artificial sweetener, which has no nutritional value.

Hummingbirds cannot smell and depend on their eyesight to seek out flowers and food sources. Inexpensive hummingbird feeders are readily available and will attract the busy little birds without the need for coloring the food - the bright red container and easy food source will keep them coming throughout the day. Since hummingbirds are territorial, you may want to hang two feeders - one in the back yard and one in the front, to accommodate as many hummingbirds as you can. Hanging the feeders in a shady spot will discourage fermentation and spoilage of the nectar.

Keeping lookout both Saturday and Sunday, we did not view any hummingbird males scouting out the territory for the females that will arrive a week to ten days later. Maybe the males were just hanging out, watching tv, or doing what hummingbirds do in their spare time.

In the meantime, I'll try to keep the nectar and feeders freshened once or twice a week and keep a lookout for the little critters.

Geraniums: New Plants from Cuttings

Last spring, I wrote about attempting to keep geraniums alive over the winter. Not only did the three plants survive the winter in a pot watered only occasionally, they even blossomed in our non-heated garage. Here is a picture that I took yesterday of the straggly plants fresh out of the garage, a bit chilly but still green.

Now it was time to cut down this pot of geraniums and try to start growing new plants from the year-old stock.

Concise information about geranium propagation was found at Martha Stewart to-the-rescue.

A quick trip to the local gardening supply house would supply the potting medium and growth root stimulator. I still needed some pots for starting the propagation process, and knew there were a few that could be scrounged from prior gardening projects.

I came across a handy article about recycling tin cans for mini container gardening at Craft Stylish. The picture below is courtesy of the same website.

Opting for the packaged container of 2 inch peat moss flats (but alas, not incorporating the clever idea shown at Craft Stylish), here are the 18 geranium starts begun over Easter weekend:

These 18 new starts from the three "winterized" geraniums were transplanted using tips from Martha Stewart to-the-rescue.

Time, sun and water and a little luck should help in making even more viable plants that can be used on the patio this summer. And there will be sixfold the amount of new plants from the three geraniums kept over the winter.

Mud Time: Robert Frost

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You're one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
a cloud come over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you're two months back in the middle of March.

- Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time, 1926

This is just the middle portion of Frost's poem that can be read in its completion here. It seems appropriate for this first week of a cool and wet Colorado April.

Frost's entire work of Two Tramps in Mud Time can be downloaded for your listening pleasure here.

Daffodils, crocuses and grape hyacinths are coming up in our garden patch. It snowed in the mountains just 45 minutes from our town over the past two days, but spring really is in the air.

African Violets - Crowning Problem

In the state of today's economic and emotional downward spiral, let's talk about something positive: plant resuscitation. Case in point, our poor little African violet plant seems to be on its last legs. Its roots are above the soil about three inches, its leaves are drooping, and it looks like maybe this is the end of plant. But, wait! Maybe there is hope. After all, it was still blooming one week ago, so there may be a solution to this crowning problem; maybe it can be revived.

From The African Violet Factsheet, this source gives hope:

Repot violets about once a year, or when the leafless portion of the stem is about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. Gently remove the plant from the pot with a paring knife. Remove all lateral crowns, leaving only the center crown. Trim off one or two rows of leaves, leaving a wheel of leaves around the crown. With the paring knife, scrape the neck as you would a carrot until all the brown plant material is removed and the neck is firm and green. Break or cut off the bottom half of the root. Have a clean pot ready for the pruned violet. Gently firm in new soil around the plant and water well. The pot should be one-third the diameter of the plant; a 4-inch pot is usually adequate.

Similarly, from Gardening Guide:

When it is time to repot, remove all crowns from your African violet except for the central one. Also, trim leaves from the plant, leaving a circle of leaves around the crown. Use a paring knife to scrape through the brown plant matter on the neck of your plant. When you see green, break off half the root and set your pruned African Violet into the pot, placing the crown just above the surface. Press the mixture firmly around the crown and water your plant well.

Alrighty, let's see what happens. Here is a picture of the sickly African Violet before, and after, transplantation into fresh potting soil especially designed for this delicate little guy.


Time will tell if these efforts of paring down the root and repotting the pruned plant will bring it back to better health. More pictures to follow in the future ... let's hope it survives.

The final replanted violet, the crown pruned, its roots tamped into fresh soil, re-watered, but still in need of its bottom leaves pared down to a circle:

Using Blingee Program for Glitter Graphics

Make custom Glitter Graphics

...just stumbled upon a free graphic program found at Blingee. An example of a blinged out picture is shown above. It is a free program and has dozens of graphics from which to choose.

These are the two main photographs shown below (but not blinged out) that I am using as inspiration to create a new oil painting that should be finished before the start of summer.

The lovely close-up picture of the pink and purple lily was taken by Kelly Sheimberg while on the New Zealand/Australia Scrabble cruise trip last month.

Thus far, two coats of underlying orange and yellow primer have been put on the canvas, and I hope to sketch out the lily and foliage by the end of the day. This painting will incorporate some of the newer water based oils readily available on the market. I'm thinking of jewel tones for the petals of the flower with lots of greens/blues for background foliage.

The first painting will be on a 11" x 14" canvas. By the start of summer, I would like to paint a similar lily in varying hues of pinks, reds and purples on a 36" x 48" canvas. Please contact me if you are interested in acquiring either of these original works.

Flowers In New Zealand

Flowers in New Zealand are gorgeous. Everywhere you look, various species showed off their foliage. Most of the photographs of flowers were taken in Auckland, New Zealand at the Wintergarten Horticultural Centre.

Showcased are lily pads in a water garden, begonias, a carnivorous pitcher plant, and the embryonic parts of a fiddle head fern (after blanching, they are a delicacy used in salads). You can easily identify the day lilies and coral berry bush, as well as fuchsias in hanging baskets.

Here are a few flower photographs incorporated into a video:

Sage and Turkey Carving

From a blog on my reading list, I came across an item of interest: Sage Can Kill:

Yes, it has been proven, sage can kill... GERMS. Experts recently discovered that the herb can eliminate 65 types of common germs. It has a potent antioxidant that acts as a natural antibiotic to soothe the pain and inflammation of a sore throat.

Here's what you should do: Simmer 2 tbsp of dried sage in 8 oz of water for 10 minutes. Salt will help ease swelling so stir in 1/4 tsp and let cool. For 30 seconds, gargle with the solution three times daily at the first sign of infection.

I read mlizcochico frequently; she is a savvy mom and shares good tips. This is one I will keep handy.

My father grows prolific amounts of sage and shares it with me. After visiting with my parents in Dallas, I come home well stocked with several of his home grown herbs. Sage is one of my favorite spices and one that grows well in that southern climate with lots of hot sun shining on it in their side yard.

Infusion of Sage can used to treat depression, nervous anxiety and liver disorders; homeopathic preparations can be given for circulation and menopausal problems (from this reference.)

This time of year is a favorite for cooking with this earthy, good smelling herb. And back to sage and its use with turkey, have a look at wikihow for this great tip on turkey carving:

Olive Oil and Oleocanthol: Helpful Link for Inflammation

Olive oil contains oleocanthol; this compound helps in damage and/or inflammation to cells (arthritis, cancer, lupus, any inflammatory disease) . Properties of this ingredient have been linked to those similar to that found in ibuprofen.

Now we have more proof that olive oil is good for us!

Oleocanthol was brought to my attention by listening to the latest podcast (October 3, 2008) of the Splendid Table, found at Splendid Table. Food scientist Harold McGee was interviewed by host Lynne Rosetto Kasper. If you would like to listen to that interview, it is a good 15 minutes of chat.

McGee's best suggestion was to look for newly processed olive oils and to buy olive oils at your local farmers’ market since the oleocanthol would be more beneficial in its fresher state.

From The Olive Source:

Gary Beauchamp and other chemists published a September 1, 2005 article in Nature which links the compound in olive oil which causes throat irritation with anti-inflammatory compounds such as ibuprofen. Anti-inflammatory medications inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes in the prostaglandin pathway. Oleocanthol, the pungent compound in some oils which creates a stinging sensation in the throat seems to work on the same pathway.Gary noticed the similar effect of ibuprofen, which he had been studying, and olive oil while on an olive oil and wine tasting vacation. Studies later showed that oleocanthol has anti-inflammatory properties.

The amount of oleocanthol in different olive oils varies. Eating an oil with much oleocanthol would not amount to as much prevention of inflammation as taking an aspirin. Many studies have shown that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs prevent recurrent stroke, heart attacks and maybe even some cancers. The fact that olive oil has these same anti-inflammatory properties may be one contributor to the salubrious effect of the "Mediterranean Diet".

What's For Dinner says that substituting olive oil, a monounsaturated fat, for saturated fats or polyunsaturated fats can: reduce blood pressure; inhibit the growth of some cancers; benefit people at risk for or with diabetes; lessen the severity of asthma and arthritis and actually help your body maintain a lower weight.

Luckily, our resident chef (DH) agrees with all this research, and uses virgin olive oil liberally in his kitchen. Here is a picture of the fish he caught up on the Grand Mesa, and which he will cook in sweet virgin olive oil.

Enteric coated aspirin is still stockpiled in the larder.

Spade Foot Toads - Wee!

We have tiny toads in our backyard. A Google search came up with this picture from Yahoo showing this tree frog sitting on the finger of a German zookeeper:

This site says

Tree frogs are very interesting creatures that can be found throughout the world. The most distinguishing characteristic of this frog is the tiny suction cups on the tip of each toe. In the family of tree frogs there are hundreds of species with over thirty genera. While most prefer to make their homes in trees there are two known species, chorus frogs and cricket frogs, that have evolved to a ground living life-style. These somewhat small frogs tend to have a rather contorted appearance that is caused by the fusion of the skin on the head to their skulls.

One of the amazing facts about the tree frog is the wide variety of habitats they are often found in. These small creatures are known to be very developed in the manner used to raise their young with some even building nests and other species carrying the young with them on their backs.

Here are two pictures snapped yesterday of a little frog from our garden:

It might not be a tree frog, but it surely was cute!

From KCTV 5 News in Florida:

-- There has been a whole lot of hopping going on in a Jacksonville, Fla., subdivision -- it was recently invaded by throngs of tiny toads. While one toad is kind of cute, when thousands started hoping around in the Hampton Glenn subdivision, residents told WJCT News 4 that they began to wonder what's going on. "There was probably -- at least -- 100-plus covering my driveway," said one resident. "Probably hundreds in one square yard," said another.Some neighbors said it seems like the toad population tripled overnight. "(They're) just covering my driveway, my garage, my front door. I couldn't get into my house without them getting in," said one neighbor.

University of North Florida biology professor Dr. Joe Butler said what residents are likely seeing are spade foot toads. He said the adults live underground, and the amphibians came out to lay their eggs in the puddles and standing water left behind after Tropical Storm Fay. The eggs have since hatched, and apparent increased toad population is the result. "The strategy being to avoid having to lay their eggs in areas where fish are going to eat them," Butler said. He said if the toads survive the birds and other small animals that will try to eat them, they will grow to be full size toads. "People should very happy to have them," said Butler. "It's great for the mosquito control -- the more the better ."

How To Grow Garlic: Sow in Fall for Next Summer's Harvest

This household LOVES garlic. We cook with it daily. And we are always buying garlic from the supermarket. So why not grow this herb ourselves so we will have it fresh and available in the garden next season?

I figured it could not be too difficult to grow, but was surprised to learn that if I simply put garlic cloves into an area of the garden which receives good sun exposure, it could be planted in September or October.

From Kitchen Conservatory:

Most people have never tasted freshly dug garlic -- the difference is as dramatic as a freshly picked vine-ripened tomato compared to a tasteless commercial tomato. The papery garlic in the supermarket was harvested last July and kept in storage. Fresh garlic is juicy, not dry. Use fresh garlic the same as you normally do: eat it raw, cooked, roasted, minced, or whole-- fresh garlic is delicious any way it is prepared. But do know that yes, a little fresh garlic goes a long way.

The fall is the right time to plan garlic, says this article:

Garlic is a member of the allium family which also includes leeks, shallots and onions. Individual cloves act as seeds. The bulbs grow underground and the leaves shoot in to the air. Although garlic is traditionally thought of as a Mediterranean ingredient garlic is also grown successfully in colder more Northern climates.

At home says:

To grow your own garlic, plant cloves in the fall. Cut off the scapes when they appear in the spring. A month or more later, pull a test garlic out of the dirt to see if it's ready for harvest. If it is, carefully dig up the heads. Wipe clean the heads with a paper towel (a very thin papery layer will come off), cut off the roots, store in a dry dark spot. Cook/eat as normal but use less until you understand its potency.

Here is my little corner of the world planted with garlic cloves.

We'll see what happens next July!

Dogs and a Bewildered Toad; Cosmos

A little video from me to you, with music by Iris Dement

this is how we spent our weekend (on the lookout for snakes and toads)...

Relating to nature, above is a picture of one of our cosmos plants that is over 60 inches tall! The usual height for a cosmos plant is between 2-4 feet. A bit of information about these plants from Texas A&M says:

Spanish priests grew cosmos in their mission gardens in Mexico. The evenly placed petals led them to christen the flower "Cosmos," the Greek word for harmony or ordered universe. Cosmos, like many of our warm weather annuals such as marigolds, originated in Mexico and South America.

Have a nice Monday!

Mutant Mushroom Still Alive Despite Heat

KREX TV yesterday reported

It's been more than a century since Grand Junction hit 90 degrees over 50 days in a row, but it happened again today. At just about 1 o'clock this afternoon... thermometers in Grand Junction pushed past 90 degrees for the 52nd day in a row. With that push, 2008 was officially thrust into the weather record books.

Remember my post yesterday about that spontaneous mushroom among the succulents? It must like hot weather because this morning it is still alive and looks like this:

Garden Produce and A REAL Mushroom

Neighbor Ronda brings her gorgeous produce around the neighborhood on early weekend mornings.

What colorful, tasty organic vegetables! I went back later and picked up 8 cups (packed!) of basil and arugula leaves and made four more batches of pesto sauce to freeze. Ronda suggested making some arugula pesto with added lemon juice, and it was delicious!

Ronda also inspired me to try painting some purple eggplant with her successful gardening efforts.

This is a picture of our back patio Sunday evening.

Is this some amazing mushroom?

Actually, the one on the left sprung up spontaneously from a potted plant of succulents and petunias. The one on the the right is ceramic and was purchased from a local nursery.

Can anyone tell me the variety of the little brown mushroom?

Hummingbirds and Honeysuckle

Gardenhelper says

Honeysuckle (Lonicera) vines are easy to grow, vigorous, heat-tolerant, and nearly indestructible. The flashy and fragrant flowers will attract hummingbirds and butterflies all summer long. The resulting fruit of the Honeysuckle flower will provide a fall treat for your local songbirds as well.

Our back arbor is full of honeysuckle blooms now. The photo on the right was taken on June 21, Summer Solstice. This delightful blog from kviltstina in Sweden shows the author in her backyard at 1:30 AM (scroll down about halfway on the June 22 posting to see her on her deck with needlework).

And yesterday, I happened to snap a photo of this butterfly (below) that was among the blooms.

Is it a monarch?

Why, yes, I believe it is, according to Science Daily. It is on its 3000 mile journey from Mexico. Maybe it will decide to settle here in our Colorado backyard. Too bad my hapless gardener husband cut down our butterfly bush a few years ago in his zeal for cleaning up debris (he thought it was dead).

Growing Indian Rope or Hindu Hoya

For over twenty-five years, I have had this Indian Rope Hoya (or Hindu Hoya) in my home. It was given to me by a friend around 1983 when she was moving away from Colorado. The hoya is in the original container, and its potting soil has been changed a couple of times. Other than that, it remains pretty much like is was years ago except for its additional growth downwards.

It has grown many times its original size, and it has been divided and pieces given to other friends along the way. It requires very little water, not much light, and thrives on benign neglect.

Then last year, it bloomed. To my amazement and out of the clear blue, it actually bloomed. Shock upon shock, it is blooming again right now.

So I took a picture of the hoya it and did a little research on this plant.

Dave says it can get 4-6 feet in height. This elderly plant has never grown over about 3 inches tall, but its weight does cause it to drape attractively.

Below is a close-up of the little blooms that look like small ceramic flowers. If I had not touched them myself and known it was actually growing out of soil, I would have thought them to be pasted-on porcelain or clay molded blooms.

I've grown quite attached to this well behaved house plant. And it NEVER talks back.

Recipe Using Mint

Yesterday morning I spent what SEEMED like a long time weeding out mint in a small garden area in our back yard. It had overgrown its boundary (or lack thereof). As you know, mint is a spreader and takes over any available non-toxic surface. If there were to be nutrients of any sort on the moon, I'll bet a great crop of mint would surface, given one sown seed.

GardenGuides says:

The common types of mint are peppermint, pennyroyal, crinkle-leafed spearmint, spearmint, and applemint. Never eat pennyroyal, as it is toxic.

Mint is a perennial herb that is propagated by root division or rooting cuttings in water. The plant is invasive and should be grown in pots or in lengths of plastic pipe buried in the ground. It enjoys a damp location, shaded from strong afternoon sun, and rich soil. Pennyroyal is an attractive addition to hanging baskets. Mint planted outdoors should be mulched heavily to protect against frost.

Well, given that information, why does my spearmint still prosper in soil that is not rich and is virtually unshaded?

The good thing about having all that green herb is that it smells tangy, and it tastes great in iced tea. And it is a key ingredient in a delicious main dish recipe which requires copious amounts of mint.

"Thai Beef-Mint Salad" recipe is from a book authored by Harry Kaiserian, a fellow traveler on a trip to Italy in 2001. He and his wife are from Maine and are excellent chefs. His book is entitled "The Best of K's Kwisine," published in 2001 by Penobscot Books, Stonington, ME.

This recipe can be made as "bar food" or as a main dish, which is light and filling during hot summer days. It is also nutritious and flavorful. The following page was copied from page 63 of Kaiserian's cookbook:

Hint: I make enough rice powder to be used for several recipes (stirring up about 1/2 cup at a time.) Also remember to buy large leaf lettuce, wash and dry before filling with this meat mixture.

And here is a picture of iced tea and mint I am currently enjoying. See the mint in the background?..wish you were here!

Growing Geraniums (Or Not)

Geraniums are one of my fav flowers in backyard pots. Mixed with perennial groundcover, the splashes of vivid colors brighten up the entire area.

Each year, I have tried to “save” my geraniums over the winter. I have tried wintering the plants by hanging the bare roots in an outdoor shed (no luck). And I have tried several times trying to save the plants in the garage (also no luck). Maybe they did not get enough water, light or heat out there, or maybe they just did not want to survive.

But this year, lo and behold, one pot of roots that was relegated to our garage for the winter FINALLY made it! And it is large enough to make a visual impact this week in our potted plant area of the patio.

Gardeners often like to experiment and keep over their geraniums from year to year. This is possible by taking cuttings in late August and rooting them … Plants can also be dug, trimmed back to one half their original height, repotted and placed in a sunny window for the winter months. Some people also save geraniums by digging them, removing soil and hanging from the rafters in the basement on hooks. In general this method will work under high humidity, 85 to 90 percent and cool temperatures of 50 to 55 degrees F, but modern homes are too dry, thus causing dehydration of the plant. Because there is no sure way of knowing if this method will work in your home, try it and if successful you will have plants next spring.

This information is from Ohio State University.

We put out about a dozen new geraniums this spring. We’ll see if they can survive the summer of 2008 and into the winter of 2009!