Well, hi! How are you all doing? Does it not feel like we should be farther into the year than the 12th of January?
I am finally feeling better. Finally, feeling like I am going to be able to remain breathing for the first time since Boxing Day. It has been a thing, a very scary thing. From what I understand, RSV is really making it’s rounds. I’m thinking that we probably all caught it while shopping for the holidays – whether for groceries (a must do) or for gifts, eh? If you happen to also have asthma, please stay away from people!
Anyway… finally. I can start blogging again for real, and get in my seed orders. It is happening!
How are you all making out with your seed ordering? Have you gone through your stash and made a list of what you actually need/want, and what you have enough seeds for to last you for the next 5 years? I seem to have 5 packets of calendula seeds. I mean… I love calendula, but that seems a little bit excessive, even for me.
Here are the gardening bits of inspo that I found this past week. So many great reads and beautiful pictures for ideas in our own yards.
I shared a gardening trends article with you last week that I thought was a really good one. Here is a longer, more in depth one… not sure that I agree about all the trends, but I sure do love those garden photos. That vegetable garden is gorgeous.
And, one last garden trends post. I love this article, especially the pictures. These are bang on, imho. Lovely ideas on how to achieve these 2025 trends (goals?).
Seed sources from Floret Flower Farms. Mostly American companies, but also several international ones, including Canada.
These 10 flowers are easy to start from seed.
How to grow sweet peas. If you are reading this in a mild winter gardening zone, pick up your seeds soon and plant them outside in February. I used to sow them in the fall (November), after garden clean up was finished for the year. They would then start to sprout when the days were long enough and warm enough, sometime in March usually. If I missed out on that date for some reason (did not have the seeds on hand), I would sow the seeds on a warm and sunny day in February. Here on the prairies, soak and sow your seeds in early April. As soon as the soil is workable.
These cherry red ‘nasties’ are my favourites. I get the seeds from Renee’s Garden Seeds. Aren’t they just the prettiest things you ever have seen?
These 5 invasive perennials to not plant in your garden. We have those lilies at this house and it is a forever job to keep removing them as they pop through everywhere in the yard.
How to create a food forest. This kind of planting is also practical with ornamental plants to create a privacy barrier, an attractive flower garden.
How to grow January King Cabbage. this is a good one for my west coast readers. You can direct sow the seeds next month. Sow and basically forget about them till late spring!
How to chose paving and decking for your patio.
Home & Decor Type Inspiration
We’re going to be heading off for a tropical holiday at the end of January, a break from this wintery weather. This will will be our first time ever to take a winter holiday some place warm.
My daughter bought a house in Panama so we are off to hang out with the grandkids for a wee bit. Though the two flights are short, it will take us 2.5 days to get to their house. So we need shoes that will take us through snow on this end, through the airports in comfort, and through summery weather, too. Sketchers to the rescue, of course. They really are the most comfortable shoes and come in so many styles to suit every taste. They even have boat shoes (back in style, btw).
As soon as we get there, I will live in flip flops, as I do here all summer long. Looking forward to that, I must say! The weather will be in the low 30’s (high 80’s °F) so a swimsuit, cover up, and linen or cotton clothes will be the mainstay.
Psst, let me tell you a secret… if you have a 20 year old bathing suit that you have barely ever used, still sitting in your drawer, that you are counting on taking with you, you may need to rethink that thought. It appears that even though it has not been used in over a decade, has not seen chlorine more than a dozen times, the elastics will still disintegrate from plain old age! I am aghast! Now I am off and running to find a swimsuit that I like (not an easy task)
I bought this lovely cross body bag to carry the passports and whatnots, too.
We didn’t do gifts for each other this Christmas, but did buy ourselves new luggage as we found some on sale while out doing our running around. Spur of the moment purchase, so glad we got it when we did. We chose forest green, thinking it might stick out more on the conveyer belt.
Free floral prints. I printed out the first one, it almost looks velvety. Also love the jars of blooms.
My Health and Weight Loss Journey – Bless’er House – read about the author’s inspiring 2.5 year fitness journey.
These 6 gorgeous Benjamin Moore colours. I absolutely adore all of these. I’d love to paint the exterior of my house in that blue!
This Swedish house, kitchen, and greenhouse.
Make this super cute wooden flag banner.
Reclaimed wood Valentine’s Day banner – Funky Junk InteriorsFunky Junk Interiors
Recipe Inspiration
I have not been baking lately, having been so sick. So, no new sourdough recipes that I have made, no cakes, no treats. These are things that have caught my eye this week though, things I am hoping to make. That seeded bread… oh, yummy!
Make your own marmalade. This is a good recipe and article. She goes far more in depth than I do in my own super quick and easy marmalade. recipe.
This dense seeded oat bread looks like the perfect toast bread. You know I am looking at it and trying to decide whether to make it as is, or turn it into a sourdough ; )
How to make homemade sweetened condensed milk. Yum!
Add umami to your soups by adding vinegar.
The Marigold Potager - A Zone 3 Prairie Garden 
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