Journal Entries – Page 54 – Tribute Journal

Garden Therapy! Superstar Plants And Flowers!

Garden Therapy! Superstar Plants And Flowers…That Don’t Require Diva Treatment!

Whether you’re into gardening or not, it’s probably safe to say that most everyone loves this time of year! Even as much as I enjoy working in my yard, I still want (and need) time to kick back and relax with a cold drink and enjoy the fruits of my labors!

In earning superstar status, here’s a few things that I consider before putting any plants or flowers in my yard.

They must be heat tolerant! The weather in Utah can be a bit finicky in the spring season, but once it heats up-it can get good and hot! Also, depending on the previous winter season water run-off, being able to use our sprinklers as much as we’d like isn’t always an option.

They must be relatively bug resistant! A funny worker at a garden center I like, once told me that if I wanted a maintenance free yard, then I shouldn’t plant anything! That being said, there are some plants that are more prone to seasonal pests.

They must bloom most of the season! I know, that’s like saying you have to be dolled up with make-up on and hair done all summer long–but the prime summer season where I live is about three months long, so I like to buy flowers that will give me the most bang for my buck!

Here then, are my Oscar worthy contenders in the plant and flower categories that don’t require the diva treatment of most superstars!

Gro-Low Sumac

Lo-grow Sumac trees.

These scalloped-leaf bushes are native to Utah and as the name implies, don’t grow too tall and do well in our local climate.

Canadian Hemlock

This pretty pine tree grows slow and has fine, velvety needles. When planning our landscaping, my husband and I like a mix of some of the less conventional plants with a few more traditional ones that you’d commonly see at any local garden center.

Bristle Cone Pine

This is another variety of pine tree that withstands a wide range of weather conditions and adds a fun, woodsy element to any yard design.

I like more of the wild flower look for my yard. Some of my favorite “diva free” flowers are Lantana and Moss Rose, also known as Yuba Portulaca, they thrive in heat and don’t need to be watered a lot or have their old blooms dead-headed in order for them to keep flowering all summer!

Gazania’s are like brilliant, wild daisies. I buy all the different colors and bunch them together when I plant them in my flowerbeds. Although Gazania blooms last a long time, eventually the old blossoms will need to be cut off–these are also pretty to bring inside and put in vases! In areas where the climate is warmer all year-long, these flowers are perennials, but for places that experience all four seasons, ice plants are the only ones that will come back year after year. Ice plants also spread a little each spring like a pretty, mulitcolored carpet in your gardens!

I hope some of this information helps give you a few ideas to incorporate in your gardens and most of all, allows you more patio time…

…while drinking a cold one of these!

If your yard is like mine, it’s ever evolving! What are some of the superstar plants and flowers you love?

Next time in “Garden Therapy”, I’ll tell you about some of the unusual gardening tools I use that you might find come in handy too!

–Mary

Cinderella Days! Little Bakers!

Cinderella Days! Little Bakers And A Secret Ingredient Cookie Recipe!

I remember baking bread and cookies with my grandma on occasion, but for the most part, my most fond memories are of those times spent together while we worked in her garden.

My granddaughters love helping me in my yard and are the best little worker bees when I’m working outside, but we also have some really fun times baking together too. I have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe that I clipped out of a magazine years ago, ( I know, everybody always says that, but with the secret ingredient in this recipe, it IS the best!) and since the weather was rainy and blustery on a recent Cinderella Day, the girls were excited when I decided it was the perfect day to make a batch of cookies. I had to chuckle when Makena said with her deep five year-old conviction, “No stinkin’ rain can stop our fun!”

And yes, the secret ingredient is (drum roll)…Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding!

There’s just something about adding the Jello Instant Pudding mix that makes these cookies so light with a cake-like texture! Delicious!

Always include a little light-hearted “spoon karaoke” while waiting for your cookies to bake!

Don’t over bake, I bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes–just until the edges are golden brown.

We all know that eating the cookies is the best part! (Although the girls and I are partial to the dough too!) Eating cookies with my granddaughters is simply the most fun ever!

Makena and Marli were delighted to make up a plate to take home to share with their mom and dad!

Grandpa was surprised when he came home to see a plate full of cookies left for him too!

I probably won’t inspire any great culinary prowess in my granddaughters, but I try to do a wide variety of activities with them on our Cinderella Days, and we always have fun…I suppose when all is said and done, that’s what really matters most!

If you end up trying this recipe, let me know how you like it? Do you have any recipes with an unusual ingredient in them?

–Mary

Oh, Baby! Ideas For Personalized Baby Gifts!

Oh, Baby! Ideas For Personalized Baby Gifts!

One fun part of my job as a maternity nurse is seeing all the unique gifts that family members and friends bring to a new mom as they celebrate the joyful arrival of her precious, little baby! I’m especially inspired by the talents of so many of you creative grandma’s out there, to always be on the look-out for the perfect personalized baby gift!

These are a few of my favorite…

♥Personalized Baby Book Gifts

Any personalized gift that helps a new mom save special memories and keep pictures and other odds and ends organized from her baby’s first years will be a cherished item for many years to come. I buy these Stepping Stone Baby Books at the hospital gift shop where I work, but the gal who purchases the merchandise for our little store told me she’s also seen them at a few local department/drug stores like Shopko and Rite Aid. I love these particular baby books because of their simple layout and the pocket storage pages included for all the loose items you tend to collect like the birth certificate, baby bands, gift cards, etc. If you really want to go the extra mile at personalizing this gift, you could get a picture of the new baby and have it already inserted in the front cover along with a brief, personal note. Seeing how much my own children once loved browsing through their baby books, and now my granddaughters, these books will always be a very special personalized gift!

♥ Personalized Nursery Décor Gifts

I love giving this vintage “Hello World” map print from the OpusandVerse Etsy Shop. The neat thing about this fun gift that gives it a personalized touch is you can specify the state you want behind the greeting (ie. the state the baby was born in) when filling out your order. I even like to personalize the maps a little more by adding the baby’s name and birth date in small vinyl letter in the lower corner of the map. There are also a variety of different ways you could give this gift for displaying it in the baby’s nursery, from decorative masking tape to fun painted wood frames–I often include variegated twine and small craft store clothes pins with the map for a unique way to hang it on a wall.

The world/map themed nurseries also inspired a personalized gift I’ve created recently for some special mom’s and their sweet little babies!

Find a unique frame that matches the color of the nursery décor–don’t be afraid to ask, most mom’s are happy to tell you! Find a map of the city the baby will be born in–phone book maps or ones from the local city offices are free. You will also need a metal or wood initial of the first letter of the baby’s name.

Center the map behind the glass of the frame–you can also add other paper word embellishments. Super glue the letter on the glass, making sure that the name of the city where the baby was born is visible.

Even if the newborn’s nursery doesn’t have a world/map theme, I think this gift would be a fun addition to any baby’s room!

♥Personalized Initial Jewelry Gifts

I imagine any mom would love getting some hand stamped initial jewelry that represented the initials of her children’s names. I like to give initial jewelry because it has such a timeless quality and it’s something mother’s will no doubt, always enjoy wearing. Locally, I’ve found the best variety of initial necklaces can be found at Jolley’s Gifts. Online, The Vintage Pearl is a good source for a wide assortment of initial jewelry. Unique, personalized jewelry like this is especially fun to give since you could also add the dad’s initial and those of other babies that come later. I also think they’d be perfect for a Mother’s Day gift for any amazing mom you have on your gift list!