It has been a crazy busy week over here, and I don’t think we will have a whole lot of down time till sometime after the holidays…
That said, much of the busy-ness is fun stuff. Attending diy holiday workshops, going to physio and exercise classes, baking for the holidays, making homemade gifts and Christmas cards.. just over 4 weeks till the big day is here. See above for easy watercolour cards that you can make yourself. So much fun to do, puts the fun back into the holidays.
Made with just 4 ingredients. You can use your own homegrown or pick up organic garlic powder and rosemary leaves.
Use rosemary salt for steak, chicken, pork, vegetables, or even french fries and homemade breads. It pairs especially well with potatoes.
I usually give everyone 3 bulbs of my organically grown garlic bulbs, but my bulbs were smaller than usual this year, though had nice, fat, large cloves (head scratcher). Instead, I peeled and dehydrated them to make this spice blend to give as gifts to my coffee group ladies and the foodies on my list. (I think any homemade herb and spice blend is a welcome gift – my foodie son agrees). Here are some more recipe ideas.
I grew lots of rosemary last summer, knowing that I would want it for the holiday season and gift giving (sadly, it does not overwinter in our frigid prairie gardens). You can also find fresh rosemary in the fruit and veggie aisle at the grocers.
If you are using your own garlic, note that it takes a few days in the dehydrator. You need to dry it low and slow to keep it white. If you go too fast, too hot, the garlic will go yellow. Not the end of the world if that happens! Rosemary, on the other hand, dries in just a couple of hours.
Homey Bits & Things
Have you seen ‘The Lululemon Uniforms for Team Canada at 2026 Winter Olympics? what do you think? They sure got a lot of flak last winter Olympics, eh?
Have you all been re-watching the first 4 seasons of Stranger Things? Hubby and I have been bingeing them for the past two weeks as season 5 starts on the 26th. It was kind of nice to watch them together, as we rarely like/watch the same movies or series.
I picked up a few books at Indigo last week. I always like Susan Mallory, that is a safe bet, but I also picked up a book by a new-to-me author, Louise Douglas. Her Toussaints Detective Agency Books are very entertaining, and easy read, but I quite like her writing style.
Gardening Bits & Things
444-Home Permaculture: Turn Your Yard Into a Thriving Ecosystem – practical, pretty, and wise advice that is easy to do.
How to Get the Most From Your Landscape Renovation – good tips for your landscape planning. Best of all, they tell you what to focus on now so that you can do your renovation in stages… which, let’s face it, is what most of us have to do. My last landscape renovation took 8 years! This one is in 3 years, so far, and still one year of renos to do, at the very least.
A Darling Little Driveway Garden in New Mexico – Well, this is the prettiest driveway idea that I have ever seen!
Sage: Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Sage Herb
How and When to Use Liquid Organic Fertilizer – I am, as you know, a huge proponent of liquid seaweed/kelp fertiliser. I use it to gently feed seedlings and houseplants, to foliar feed everything from seedlings to roses, tomatoes, and lemon trees, plus to help plants root in better when transplanting. A gentle and organic feed that works for everything.
These liquid plant foods are ones that I highly recommend. They are Canadian, too. OR, If you prefer to wait till spring, I will be taking orders for anyone wanting my personal favourite liquid seaweed in one and four liter bottles If you are interested, let me know in the comments below the post.
*Disclaimer. As an Amazon affiliate, if you were to purchase any items from one of these links, I earn a wee small commission to support my blog. Rest assured, it does not cost you any extra to purchase through my link than if you went to that item on your own
Adding aged or vintage items makes your potting shed look curated and gives it character. Give as gifts, or ask Santa to put them in your stocking.
The Holidays Are Coming…
You will be seeing amaryllis, hyacinth and paperwhite bulbs in most all of the box stores now. If you want them to bloom for the holidays, you need to pick them up now and get them started. Here is a how-to for growing paperwhites in pebbles. These make fantastic gifts, too. Find old cake pans and plates at the thrift store.
- DIY Burlap and Drop Cloth Gift Bag
- (2686) $5 DIY Christmas Gifts, Handmade, Thrifted and Homemade – YouTube – a short video with easy diy’s for gifting. The toffee recipe is yum!
- 8 Ways To Have A Scandinavian Christmas
Are these bags not the cutest things ever? Fill with wee gifts like dinky cars, barrettes, bows, and candy for littles/ Sephora minis, lip balms, eye shadows, hair care minis, gloves, hat, for teens and moms/pet supplies/foodie things…. well, you know. Cutest hostess idea, too. Here are the supply links for us Canadians : )
- burlap roll
- drop cloth or I like these flour sack tea towels (great for baking and crafting). Or, if you live in town, zip off to Jysk and pick up some of their inexpensive teatowel packs.
- Letter stamps to make your own message on the front. (I have these and use them for gift tags, seed packages, cards, fabric stamping…)
- StazOn fabric ink pad. (you need this for fabrics, it stays on in the wash)
- Jute twine (handy for crafting and in the garden, too)
Recipes & Foodie Things
- Ever Lose Something at a Restaurant? Here’s Where It Actually Ends Up
- 8 Nutrition Myths Dietitians Want You to Stop Believing
- Is Oat Milk Healthier Than Regular Milk?
From Martha…. How to Make Lasagna Soup
- gingerbread apple upside-down cake
- apple slab pie (yummy!)
- No Bake Key Lime Pie with Condensed Milk (anything citrusy is always a hit, eh?)
- Warm Harvest Salad
- Ravioli in a Sage and Brown-Butter Sauce (this makes me think of the butternut squash ravioli at the Cactus Club Cafe. Yum!)
The Marigold Potager - A Zone 3 Prairie Garden 
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