HOW TO's: Fall Pumpkin Center Piece THAT LASTS! Great "MAKE AHEAD"....

GLENMOORE GARDEN CLUB VISITS NURSING HOME     Prepared with cleaned out pumpkins, flowers and greens from our own yards and smiling faces, the Glenmoore Garden Club next Tues., October 13th will help residents decorate their own fall centerpieces. Photos of residents are not included for privacy reasons.This is one our most favorite activities and the residents really enjoy it as well.
NEED: one small or medium pumpkin, carved out, lid and contents discarded.

          water/clorox solution 10/1 (enough to rinse out shell of pumpkin)*
          one small or medium sized piece of ''oasis'' (purchased at craft supply store)
          flowers, greens (be sure to think about width and height)**
  * Water/clorox solution will prevent rotting up to two weeks at least or more, often 3. Great to make  for dinner parties. I have made them from teeny pumpkins as individual gifts for women's events/personal tea parties/children's craft for birthday parties, etc.
** Recommendations for any container arrangements:
The container is 1/3 of the total height with the arrangement of flowers/greens the remaining 2/3's. Width of flowers/greens should not extend more than 1/3 to 1/2 the width of the container. I find that 1/2 is too much but this is personal taste.

HOW TO: Soak the oasis in a small bowl of water till thoroughly saturated. Meanwhile clean and prepare pumpkin as outlined in the "NEED" section above. Pour enough water/clorox solution to fill the cavity of the pumpkin. While pouring the liquid out roll pumpkin one revolution to be sure the top inside edges or ''lip" of the pumpkin are treated as well. Place the oasis in the pumpkin and decorate!!

I included the close-up photo as I am not happy with any of the photos of the arrangement. Secondly, the choice of flowers/greens in the yard this fall are not plentiful for some reason. And lastly, I chose for fun the one with the best kitty cat picture in it keeping the arrangement far out of site..ha ha ha!!! (Grace is on the left and Maggie is hidden in the back of the picture; where is Rufus??)

PROPAGATING AFRICAN VIOLETS (now is the time if you want to give them as gifts for Christmas

           My mother taught me how to propagate African Violets when I was about 8 years old. THE PLANT IS POISONOUS. NEVER PUT THE STEM IN YOUR MOUTH! Now, this may sound silly but my Aunt Hannah did; she had no where to lay the leaf so she held it in her mouth before planting it.  Her lips did swell rather rapidly with no other side effects.

NEED: *small pyrex bowl or a glass container 

                   with a narrow neck/opening

             *rubber band    *scissors   *wax paper 

                                                                                              

HOW TO: Fill the container with water. Prepare a piece of wax paper large enough to fit over the top and somewhat over the side of the pyrex bowl. Use the rubberband to hold the wax paper in place. Using a pencil, pierce several holes in the wax paper. DO NOT MAKE THE HOLES LARGER THAN THE PENCIL HOLE. If the leaf gets wet it will rot before rooting sufficiently for planting!I have made tons of holes; the leaves can stand up straight and do not need to lie down. (see picture #2)

Cut the larger leaves at the base of the parent plant being sure the stem is long enough that it will protude down into the water at least 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch. Stand all leaves in the holes of the wax paper. Place the container in a window that receives indirect lighting. My violets do well on the northwest side of the house.
 WATERING: keep the stems wet at all times. When the water gets low I make another little hole somewhere in the wax paper and pour water through it; or, it's no big deal to take a leaf or two out, pour water in the holes and blot up remaining water with a paper towel.

 NOTICE THE LEAF I AM HOLDING. (see picture #3) There are already two tiny violet leaves formed at the base of the stem and some roots. NOW IS THE TIME TO PLANT; yipee! I have never counted the days but I would guess it will take about 2-3 weeks for the tiny leaves to form. Also notice the picture at the top of the page (see picture #1). The two stems left in the wax paper fit perfectly in the pencil hole so no water will come up and get the leaf wet.

The last picture shows a fun little holder I found in a rather serendipity manner. Ocassionally I collect little containers so I can give away flowers from the garden when someone needs some cheer or when a congratulations is in order. This one, however, I am keeping currently for propagation until another neat little nugget comes along.


FEEDING VIOLETS: (optional) I use Miracle Grow's little sticks to encourage continous bloom; and, it works!!!
Year round blooms.

CHECK OUT www.ebird.org JOIN AND REGISTER WHAT BIRDS YOU OBSERVE

Walked along Struble Trail located in Downingtown, PA today with my good friend Carol (see picture below). She is the one who knows all about birds, not me! I like taking photos. Following is the list of what she says we saw:
(1) Osprey; (2) Belted Kingfisher; (1) Great Blue Heron; (1) Turkey Vulture-"big wup"!! 
(2) Red-bellied Woodpecker; (2) Downy Woodpecker; (1) Red-eyed Vireo; (1) Blue Jay;
(1) American Crow; (6) Carolina x Black-capped Chickadee (hybrid); (4) Tufted Titmouse;
(2) White-breasted Nuthatch; (12) American Robin; (5) Gray Catbird; (2) Blackpoll Warbler;
(1) Song Sparrow and (2) Northern Cardinal.

     NOW YOU DECIDE WHICH OF THE FOUR BELOW IS THE ''RAREST'' BIRD:

            

                   Be sure to check out http://ebird.org/content/ebird/.org

FALL IN PENNSYLVANIA

GLENMOORE PROPERTY A BIRD SANCTUARY

What a spectacle of birds viewed on our 5.5 acre property. Here are a few: will post more as I catch up with past photos. The EASTERN SCREECH OWL, in a poplar more than 100 yards away/70 feet up from my deck, taken Nov. 30th, 2008. Beautiful.The peacock appeared one fine day in 2006. Our son, Michael, was attempting to nap in a hammock and ''thought he saw a peacock fly over his head onto the roof!" Well, he was right. After finding the lowest spot on the roof the peacock flew to the ground and Frisk (or aptly named cat,"Tubbs") pounced; the peacock took flight to a nearby poplar approx. 60 feet up remaining through sunset. His colors became most radiant with the setting sun!!! This is our second peacock come to visit.The nest below was found by our daughter Johanna; it is on the ground among Solomon Seal. All the babies survived and we had one cat at the time. Had all four cats still been with us I don't think they would have made it.

The nest to the right I found in a Japanese Pine in the Pinetum below eye level early spring 08'.
The pot below is home to 3 baby Vireo's. The hilarious part of this story: We placed a pot hoping that birds would not build a nest on the ledge to avoid bird doo on the deck. So, my husband placed the pot but did not put it upside down, voila, baby birds; and, we watched them take wing. This has been for two summers now, three sets of fledglings. I know I have a better pic somewhere: will exchange this one when its found.

BEFORE THE FROST-an EYE CUP as a Vase!!!

This time of year I particularly enjoy cutting individual flowers, fern, hosta leaves and arranging them in a variety of vases, etc. as most will soon be gone!

The Garden Club has a contest/challenge each year;
submit a flower arrangement no larger than 4"x6" including the container. Two winners are selected. They actually chose my arrangement as a winner! The photo is a little blurry. Arranging it was a challenge. I was kneeling on the ground and Rufus, a kitty cat, kept crawling up on my shoulders to sit a spell. He likes being up high. Sometimes he sits on the back rim of my hat when I am weeding or plays with the my hands and the weeds. Isn't that fun; there is lots of laughter that takes place during these escapades!

The last 3 photos are other arrangements I made for fun...they are ok to me; the plant material was heavy because of all the rain we have been having so they do not stand upright as I would like. The hosta leaves in the yard are already drooping, browning out and filled with holes so it was difficult to find great leaves; and, I have tons and tons of hosta! Oh well, got to get to them earlier next year. The other two arrangements are very small water gardens; I love water. I love being anywhere near, in or on water!!!

THE EENSY WEENSY SPIDER......

I was fortunate to get three photos of this spider web! The headlights of my car happened to illuminate the web as I was entering my home.  Although it is not evident in this photo, the web is a complete upside bowl shape with the spider top center waiting for its prey. It was fun trying to capture the shot; shutterspeed, aperature and all that goes along with my Canon digital SLR is a challenge at this point in time. But, the night was warm, breezy and beautiful. No full moon though, rats!

CROAK THERE IS CHANGE IN THE AIR

0/02/09 Rich colors of autumn, dew on the leaves, how I'll miss large hostas, teeny birds taking 'wing'; and, will all this green disappear, go to sleep? Bee's visit picnics, sunset's more intense; and, a chance for new paintings, walks alone in the leaves. Oh how I love autumn, the chill in the air, pots of thick chili and to be snuggled, all warm!

8/26/08
I had hoped to work on this blog over the summer but time just ''leapt'' before me. This guy is chilling during the dogs days of summer; and, the katydids are going wild! The waterpond has had a number of beautiful scintillating waterlilies. The three new kitty cats are having a blast trying to catch frogs and bugs. Does anyone want free plants? I have tons of waterlilies and lotus to give away; and, tons of shade perennials!!
If not now, contact me in the spring by email or phone!!
9/18/09 strange: 3 pictures just disappeared on this post and I can't figure out why. They were there since the 26th and now gone..why is that??? If anyone knows how this can occur let me know!!!

GLENMOORE GARDEN CLUB: Glenmoore, PA

Chuck & MaryAnn Zeider's home: old log cabin with addition: if you are 5' 10'' you need to bend to go through the doorways. (Foreground: Chuck with Verna DeGazelle; background: MaryAnn in blue with Shirley Albert)


The second Tuesday of each month the Glenmoore Garden Club meets at a member's home. As you will notice from the photos food is a priority! Meetings and programs vary depending on the season. Some examples include: a tour of a member's gardens or public/private gardens, community service, speakers arranged/chosen ahead by the Club, exchanging plants. We are considering getting involved in the Philadelphia Flower Show. In October the Garden Club goes to a nursing home and helps each resident make a flower arrangement in a small pumpkin. Recently the Club has established the giving of a monetary award to a high school student who is interested in enviornmental studies.
May's meeting was at the home of Chuck and Dr. MaryAnn Zeiders. The speaker was Pam Baxter regarding organic gardening; and, how to grow vegetables in pots. Pam is a journalist for the Daily Local News out of West Chester, PA. and an avid gardener. Phyllis Giunta's birthday was celebrated as well.

EDITH

Years ago I established a White Garden. Spring is the best time to enjoy this garden with its profuse ephemerals. The statuary water feature is placed in honor of my mother, Mary Edith Heritage. Edith is graced by maiden-hair fern, jack-in-the pulpits, miniature hosta, ostrich ferns, astilbe's, etc. The gate leading into the garden is an old door to a tobacco barn placed between two tall poplars. White coral bells grace the path at the entrance as well as foam flower, lily of the valley, japanese fern, hostas, creeping phlox, hellebores and other ephemerals.
A bench rests near Edith to provide rest for the traveler before strolling further into the forest along a welcoming path that meanders through the woods.
Framing the white garden are two trees that have been laced together to form an arch. The arch serves as a ''looking glass'' into the white garden; autumn clematis are currently being trained to climb both arms of the arch. Overhead rises a beautiful white dogwood. An unusual bush deep in the garden is a Helesia: Fairy Bells. The bush blooms white mid-spring with flower bells at the end of each new branch. Shrubs planted late spring include: Cinnamon clethera, Virginia sweetspire and Mapleleaf Viburnum, all of which bloom white! Now we will watch for the deer and see what they choose to nibble on.