The Marigold Potager – A Zone 3 Prairie Garden

Sunday Bits is now (back to being) a palaver from the potager… just a nice chat between us friends about all the goings on.

Palaver=to talk profusely or idly (hahaha, as one tends to do ; )

Gardening Ideas

These 10 types of lilies. I love all the different types, but Martagons and Turk’s Caps are my most favourite of them all. Something about those upside down nodding flowers just talks to me.

I have had no luck at this new house with any of the lilies that I planted in the fall. I have planted several varieties each year, in September or October, but not even has popped up. I decided against planting any this year… seemed like a lesson in futility, eh? I will instead plant some lilies (martagons) in spring, giving them all summer to gather energy into the bulbs. I absolutely know that we can grow lilies here, in our cold zone 3, so perhaps they were eaten? Rotted? Crossing fingers for spring planted bulbs to thrive!

How to grow amaryllis.

I liked this read. Good pictures, easy to implement ideas that look nice and make sense. These 7 Easy Ways To Make Your Yard Sustainable. Not pricey to do either.

You must check out this read about ‘Edimentals’. This is what we organic potager gardeners love to do! I would add garlic chives to this list for their late summer blooms.

How to grow dill in your potager. My tip to you is that if you can get even just one dill stalk to grow, whether from seed or plant, you will have it forever. Sow/plant dill in an area of the garden that has great drainage, lots of sun, and where you want it to grow forever more. Do not harvest all the seed heads at pickling time, make sure to leave at least one on the plant till late in the year when it is nice and dry. Leave it standing to self sow, or give the head a shake so that the seeds drop into your garden. You will have a wonderful dill patch for all your pickling and salad making recipes that just comes up year after year.

How to take care of a Jade plant and these 8 Easy Houseplants for Your Home. I would add monstera to this list.

How to make Seed Bombs! Great gardener gift idea!

Homey Ideas & DIY’S

15 Things to do on a cosy weekend at home. These are such great ideas. I would also add knitting, crafting, painting, reading a good book by the fire…

115 DIY Gift Ideas. There is something for everyone on this list! I will admit that I tend to get a bit overwhelmed when I have to scroll through this many ideas. Prefer to peruse shorter lists, but some of these are really good, so try to give it a go.

How to sew a simple garden apron. I love this idea a lot. Make one for the gardener on your list! One year, long ago when the kids were little, I made us all aprons for our Christmas baking and crafting. I had forgotten! This is a fun idea to make for my granddaughter, her mom, and me!

How to make a Christmas wreath. I had never thought of putting moss on the wreath first, but think that would make if floofier and give you a sturdy green base to work on.

These safety measures to take if you are feeding the birds this winter.

We bought 2 of these paper star lights last year, one for the dining room and one for the living room. They are my favourite Christmas decorations. I don’t even need a tree if I have my lights, hahaha! We picked ours up at Ikea, but you can also order them from Wayfair (comes with light cord) or from Amazon (order the cord separately).

How to hang wreaths in your window for the holidays.

Recipe Ideas

Mushroom barley soup.

Festive Gingerbread House Cakes – Finding Silver Pennies

*As an Amazon affiliate, if you buy an item(s) from one of the links, I get a small commission to support my blog. It does not cost you any more to purchase through my link than if you went to the link on your own : )

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These fancy cake pans make a big wow of a statement on your dessert table. I like to sprinkle my bundt cakes with icing sugar so that it looks like snow, keeping it simple.

The year before my dad passed away, my mother had been dreaming about getting one of these cake pans. She had been making the same coffee cake for my dad for the past 40 plus years, maybe longer (let me know if you want her yummy Finnish spiced coffee cake recipe) and wanted to make him one in this fancy pan. I found a lovely cathedral cake pan, similar to this one, to give her as a Christmas gift.

My mom loved it so much, but sadly, did not get to use it even once. Dad passed away just 2 weeks after Christmas that year and mom never baked anything ever again. That cake pan has now been passed on to my daughter. She requested it after mom passed away, in memory of all those cakes she had grown up with. I borrow the pan from her now and then and we both think about my parents (and that cake on the kitchen counter) whenever we use it. The sad memory of her not using it has long since faded, while the happy memories of her cakes, baked with love for my dad, live on.

I have had a super busy past few weeks, but things are finally settling down now so I will have time to share some of my super easy craft ideas with you all! And the potting shed, and my ideas… Honestly, I am ready to get into spring planting mode already, so need to figure out how to calm myself down!

Question for you all. My daughter and her family are leaving for their holiday house in Panama in just a day or two, so no grandkids here for the holidays. My son and his wife are not able to come this year as she has a new job, is the low man on the totem pole with no seniority as they just moved there in September. So neither kid, no spouses, and no grandkids for the holidays this year. For the first time ever. My brother and his kids will be here for the big dinner on Christmas Eve, and then… nothing.

What do you do when this happens to you? I am not even wanting to put up a tree, not wanting to do anything at all (except those paper stars in the window). I need ideas. We cannot go away at this time either as our passports have expired, hope to go see them in Panama in February instead. So… how to get past this bah, humbug for the holidays?

Happy Sunday~ Tanja