Container Gardens 101

      Nothing brings me greater joy in the garden than the planters I ‘create’ every year. Today’s blog is on the basics. (The plant types I will discuss in a later blog.) The reason they bring me such enjoyment is because of the intimacy they can add to an outdoor space. Planters can be tucked in anywhere & add color to an area that may otherwise be difficult to plant conventionally. I hope these first steps suggestions will get you started.

      Choosing your container is the most important first step. Pick a large enough container for the sun exposure you receive. A very large container in full sun will dry out less quickly than a smaller size. If you are committed to a container garden, then you must be committed to watering every (or almost every) day. The more you allow your containers to completely dry out, the less successful you will be. The second important step is making sure your container has drainage holes or will allow you to drill these holes. It is fun to think outside the box with a planter type, but somehow the water will need to drain out in some way or you will have a challenge controlling the moisture level.

      The third step is to pick a good container potting mix. Many are available at your garden stores. The moisture control mixes are a smart choice for the full sun planters or hanging baskets. The ‘miracle gro’ type mixes are a good choice but realize you will still have to feed/fertilize as the summer goes along. Consider that the larger containers do not need to be filled completely with soil. You really need 7-10 inches of soil to be successful. The largest containers I have are filled with packing peanuts in the bottom half or an inverted plastic pot to fill the space. This will save you money & keep you planters lighter & more portable if you need to move or rotate them.

     I hope this helps with your planter shopping. Thriller, filler & spiller plant ideas to come!

Spring Outdoor Cleanup

     With more & more spring days we are seeing warmer temps, longer days & a time crunch to get the garden ready! Now is the time to get outside & remove any remaining leaves nestled around your trees, shrubs & evergreen perennials. Cut down your remaining perennials that had gone to seed. I’m sure the birds had a winter feast from coneflowers & black-eyed susans that were left to stand! Summer blooming shrubs like butterfly bush & beautyberry can be cut back by two-thirds. Your hydrangeas can be left alone until you figure on what type you have. (Some bloom off old wood & some off new growth). Leave any spring blooming shrubs to prune after the blooms are spent. (i.e. lilac, azalea, rhododendron, viburnum) Weeding will seem easier if you wait for a good rain & the ground is soft. Continue to deadhead your daffodils & spring blooming bulbs that are spent (but leave the greens be until you plant your annuals – these will feed the bulbs for next spring). Iris, late blooming tulips & lily of the valley are soon to come! (Isn’t it wonderful there is always a flowering beauty to look forward to?) Edge your beds when the ground is nice & soft, don’t wait! Don’t forget to clean out your birdfeeders. Get your hummingbird feeders ready to go. (more on that next week!) Don’t forget to take some time to take pictures. Things change from year to year & it’s a great (& beautiful) way to keep a record of your accomplishments!

     Check out the link below for more tips. Get out there, have fun & get dirty!

http://www.my-gardening-and-landscaping-makeover.com/spring-cleaning-the-garden.html

Spring Flowering Ground Covers

    Two ground covers that I have yet to mention are wonderful because of their spring blooms. One that I have mentioned, Lamium, is forming its buds now & a few are popping due to the warmer stretch we’ve had in Zone 7a. The two, pictured at left, are a breath of fresh air and are already blooming this time of year.

    The first, blooming bluish purple, is periwinkle or vinca minor vine. Happy in sun or shade, but doing best in part shade, evergreen vinca is easy to grow. It fills in awkward spots were needed. The ‘rooted’ stems transplant easily anywhere you would like. They also make a nice spiller in your containers. The glossy green leaves stay pretty all summer, the blooms will stop, however. The specimen in the photo was here when I moved in & I would guess it at least 30 years old! This also comes in white.

    The second evergreen groundcover, blooming white at left, is Rock Cress or Aubrieta. This also likes sun & shade & grows in tougher to fill areas like rock wall crevices & the edges of walkways. This one holds a special place in my heart because it was one of the first perennials I ever planted. So this one is about 20 years old! One very snowy winter some years back, we had a seventeen inch March snow. Weeks after that snow finally melted, my rock cress had started blooming already underneath! You have to love a plant like that. A little harder to find, seek this one out. It also comes in purple. Happy planting!

Early Spring Flowering Trees

   You are seeing the most beautiful display right now of early spring flowering trees. These ‘ornamental’ fruit trees are breathtaking this time of year. There are two links below on choosing trees & how to plant trees below. I have some personal favorites, of course, everyone does. Pictured at left are the Yoshino Cherry (blooming pale whitish/pink) & Thundercloud Plum (blooming pink). Both are fast growing stand alone trees. The purple deciduous foliage of the plum makes it unique for your landscape. The beautiful foliage & fall color of the Yoshino make it a complete 3 season deciduous tree. The flowers of the Yoshino remind me of cotton candy at this time of year. The beautiful shape of both trees makes them a striking addition to any garden.

     The Redbud is another favorite; it works best as an understory tree but is beautiful as a stand-alone specimen. It’s purple blooms, heart-shaped leaves & yellow fall color are spectacular. The tree’s seed pods become ‘volunteers’ & become a nice saplings to share.

     Whatever tree you may think about planting this spring, check out the planting guide link below. Guidelines have changed over the years & it’s best to give your investment its best chance!

http://www.arborday.org/treeguide/

http://forestry.about.com/cs/treeplanting/a/plant_guide.htm

Cool Weather Vegetables

    Planting a vegetable garden I will admit can be quite a bit of work. You need to choose a location, fence it to prevent total critter domination, weed & water. The rewards, however, are GREAT!! I’ve begun to realize that not a lot of gardeners plant vegetables. The Teenage Tester’s health class a few years back was asked if anyone grew vegetables. She was just one of just a couple students that raised their hand. When she replied with what we grow, a student asked her if she lived on a farm! Our small but ample veggie plot is hardly farm-like, but we get pounds & pounds of produce for our time & very little money.

    I will say a great place to start to slowly ease into this idea is to plant in a container or plant some cold weather veggies (or plant a cold weather veggie like lettuce in a container – see photo to the left). The Better Homes & Gardens link below can give you plenty of choices. Lettuce, spinach, peas, snow peas, radishes, pansies (see below) broccoli & cabbage are some wonderful choices. Planting lettuce or spinach in a container can give you the control of keeping it off the ground away from bunnies, etc. This time of year, full sun will get them growing. Once the hot summer sun comes, however, the plants tend to fizzle. You can always replant for fall! Your garden stores will have inexpensive starter plants or you can plant from seed. Either way it will be delicious. I can’t take credit for the colander filled with lettuce in the photo. This was taken on a garden tour I went on last year. I’d like to try it; how clever & easy!

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/cold-weather-vegetable-gardening/

       Don’t forget about your cool weather pansies! They are edible & make wonderful decorations on your baked goods or as a garnish. See the link below on how to crystallize them in sugar.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4695755_coat-pansies-other-edible-flowers.html

House Wren

     It truly is so hard for me to choose a favorite bird. I would have to say this time of year, though, that the House Wren would get my vote. They are the quintessential songbird ounce for ounce. This tiny 5 inch songbird is very entertaining. Luckily, year after year, they return to my yard & raise a family.

     When they arrive in spring, you will usually hear them first. Their brown coloring blends rather than stands out. But boy can they sing! They are easily the loudest & most vocal bird in my yard. The male will take twigs to any and all available bird houses or cavities in his breeding territory. Then he will perch & sing for hours & days on end. When he finally attracts the female, she will decide on which ‘home’ to raise her young. Then she will ‘redecorate’ & make it her own. (Does this sound familiar at all?) You just have to love it & them! They are so fun to watch, especially when feeding time comes for the nestlings. My birdhouse to the left (built by my teenage tester for Mother’s Day), has a family there every year. It is, however, at the one corner of my main perennial garden. I do get some ‘noise’ from the parents when I am out weeding or deadheading too close. It is extremely entertaining, though, and I usually have a pretty nice dialogue with them!

    So listen next time you are outside & see if they are nearby. This may be the perfect excuse for you to hang a house!

The End To Multi-tasking - Results

     I began my ‘experiment’ of putting to rest the constant multi-tasking in my life on Monday and Tuesday. Rest being the operative word here, because it takes a restful mind to stay on task & get through the day with this experiment.

     First, I have to admit that I “practiced” a bit over the weekend with my cup of coffee. Both days I drank clear to the bottom without microwaving it once! So, I felt prepared, but why did I have such butterflies Sunday night? I made sure the teenage tester read that blog on Sunday so she would understand what exactly was going on with her Mom. She said I’d never be able to do it. (She was really concerned that meals wouldn’t get made in a timely fashion!) She did, however, love the graphic. (It’s never too early for them to truly understand how men & women think!)

     So drumroll please… the result is I truly enjoy this! I know that we are hardwired a certain way & that it takes time and energy to brake a habit or a way of doing things. But, it takes more energy to go back & forth & sideways… all day long. So, I firmly believe there is something to this.  My workday ran pretty similar to other days & I was really trying my best to stay the course. I realize this will take some time (& I have coworkers to answer to.) I will keep trying though! After work, I loved the fact that I didn’t think about what I was making for dinner until I actually got home & that everyone understood that it would be this way. I actually enjoyed making dinner on a workday because I did not empty the dishwasher, fill the dishwasher, read the mail, take the recyclables out, answer the phone, make lunches, or watch the news while making albeit an easy meal. During the lull time, I closed my eyes, heard the birds chirping outside & simply enjoyed my quiet thoughts for a few minutes! Imagine that! So after dinner, one tiny chore at a time, the rest was accomplished. It took a tiny bit more time, but I like it this way. (Is this why men seem happy & we seem miserable? – lol) So, yes, I may burn a few less calories around the house, and things may take a bit more time in the long run. But, I do think I will be more productive & less harried at the end of the day. I used to worry that if I didn’t do something as soon as I thought of it that I would forget completely. Well, this is true but making a list (on pretty paper) will help with that I’m sure. So, give it a try! I’d love to hear some feedback.

Foundations 101

   Now that we have beautiful skin, we still need to talk foundations. I know there are some that avoid this step altogether. We do need a product to even out the complexion & we need sunscreen. Most foundations will do both in addition to improving the quality of your skin. Remember, the skin is the largest organ & we need to take special care! There are 3 types to mention here: liquid, mineral powders & other. I use all three types, usually at different times of the year. These brands are all wonderful & will not break the bank!

Here are my picks:

L’Oreal Visible Lift Serum Absolute- SPF 17

This is a wonderfully light feeling liquid foundation. If you need more coverage (usually in the winter months), this is one for you. It claims to make your skin feel better by the end of the day & it does! The serum gives it a unique feel. You can buy this at your favorite drug store for around $12.00. You can always find it on sale & there are always coupons for L’Oreal products in the paper. You can use the Ulta coupon too. If you buy at a drug store, most have a return policy (if you don’t like the color, etc.). Just save your receipt.

bareMinerals Mineral Foundation – SPF 15

When going with a mineral foundation, pay the extra & go with the one that started it all. For around $28.00 at Ulta you will have a mineral powder makeup that will last you a very long time & is truly amazing. The coverage is great, although you wouldn’t think it could be for a powder. A fav for me in the summer months. Ulta has a special running through March 31^st. It’s a starter kit with the foundation, mineral veil (finishing powder), brush, mascara, foundation primer & lip gloss, all for $38.00! I have only seem a price like this at one of the few outlets bareMinerals has around the country. Their staff will help you find your shade which is a real bonus. You cannot use the Ulta coupon, however.

Garnier BB Cream – Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector – SPF 15

This is the newest of the three & has the most buzz going for it. BB stands for blemish balm & these are all the rage in Asia. It is sold with Garnier’s skin care products (they don’t sell cosmetics). There are only two shades. It is a fluffy consistency & simply disappears over your skin. It hydrates, evens, brightens & gives you a slight glow. I love this stuff. The teenage tester has only tried it twice (she says I’ve been hogging the tube!). Her opinion is yet to come. But for $12.00 for a large two-oz. tube, it’s a no-brainer. Since I started using this a few weeks ago, it’s the only ‘foundation’ I use. I still moisturizer with it this time of year, but come summer I have a feeling it will be all I need. This is definitely the sunscreen (UVA/UVB) I will use on my face at the pool & on the beach! Again, look for the sales & there’s always a Garnier coupon. Here’s a link below to find out more & read some reviews.

http://www.garnierusa.com/_en/_us/our_products/product.aspx?tpcode=OUR_PRODUCTS^PRD_SKINCARE^SKIN_RENEW^SKIN_RENEW_DISCOVER^SKIN_RENEW_RTN1&prdcode=P19001

The End To Multi-Tasking?

    So I recently glazed over at a magazine article about how we women don’t need to multi-task in order to get it all done. I did not read the entire article & I can’t find the mag to refresh my memory. What was going through my head was “yeah, right!” I mean us women multi-task 24/7 (or at least every waking moment, well sometimes even sleeping!). Remember the very funny & true e-mail cartoon of how a woman’s brain works? – See link below. How was I supposed to accomplish all I need to in a day & not do many things at once? Impossible, right? The premise of the article was that if we focus on each task at hand & then move on to the next, we can accomplish all we need to with less stress & craziness.

    Then, I started thinking about how many times I go to cook dinner in the evening & find my coffee in the microwave from that morning. (after I nuked it 3 or 4 times, only to forget it – again!) Why can’t I sit & enjoy, savor every drop until it’s finished? Can I taste every morsel of my meals without reading the mail, watching the news, etc.? Could I do it all without the “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie” syndrome? I practice yoga, so I know I can stay centered & in the moment for some time. Therfore, I am going to challenge myself this Monday & Tuesday to stay on task & prove to you & myself that it can all get done without the self-pulling-in-all-directions.  One is a work day & one is not, two totally different situations to experiment with. Will it work for me? Could it work for you? We shall see…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud6liZL0CCM

Philadelphia International Flower Show 2012 Photos

    I visited the Philadelphia International Flower Show on Sunday with my gardening-loving friend. As usual it did not disappoint. The displays have a way of transporting you to a different place, a different season year after year. We marvel at the creativity & admire the effort it takes every year to put on such spectacular exhibits. Here is a link to some photos I took on Sunday of Hawaii: Islands of Aloha. Enjoy!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77860913@N03/sets/72157629200816414/

Hair Care Products 101

    Face it, we ALL want gorgeous hair. We also all can’t afford to pay a lot for hair products that give us the beautiful locks we want. Yes, Pureology brand has been rated #1 in many polls, but at the cost of a car payment (well, not really, but close!) how much are we willing to spend?

    I am here to blog you the best of the drugstore brands that I have tested & of course, at a fraction of the cost. You can find all these on sale at some time or another.

    The latest L’Oreal has to offer is the Evercreme sulfate-free moisture system. I had been using Everpure which I thought was wonderful. The Evercreme super hydrates & smells like vanilla (yum). When you lather up it feels like your hair has doubled in volume. (no lie) Perfect for color-treated hair & at $5-$7 a real bargain!

    The Organix line of hair care at the same price point boasts the Moroccan argan oil which I’ve blogged about numerous times. I can’t say enough about the penetrating oil except – BUY THIS PRODUCT! The teenage tester & I are trying the shampoo & conditioner of the same name. It is wonderful with one drawback for her. The conditioner does a great job but does not detangle her longer hair well. Good thing she has the Organix Cherry Pomegranate Shine Spray to do that! We will be testing more from this line soon.

   The John Frieda line has so many customized products for your hair needs that you can’t go wrong here either. Again, same price and amazing quality. I have a young adult tester who swears by these products too. I have used many over the years, especially for color-treated hair & have never been disappointed.

   The last shampoo that everyone needs in their arsenal is a clarifier. The teenage tester & I have been using TRESemme Deep Cleaning shampoo for years. Wonderful for handling buildup from stylers & chlorine damage, it’s price of under $4.00 for 32-oz. is a steal!

   Check out the link below for hair care tips!

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/hair/

Awesome Health & Beauty Products under $3.00

    Great health & beauty products need not cost a lot of money. Over time I’ve come across some of the best for under $3.00! (All pricing is from Walmart)

1)   Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream $2.97 – 2-oz. of ultra concentrated protective hand cream. This time of year this one means serious business, even through hand washing!

2)  Burt’s Bees Lip Balm $2.97 – with flavors like honey, mango butter & pink grapefruit you can’t go wrong here. At night, swipe over the lip line to help with lines.

3)  Revlon Crazy Shine Nail Buffer $2.88 - Easy to use two-sided buffer. When there no time for polish, this makes you appear to have a clear coat!

4)  Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Polish $2.48 – Great trendy colors at a great price. Xtreme shine & protection. My 3 week pedi is still going strong!

5)  Equate Sterile Redness Relief Eye Drops $1.50 – Face it, most mornings we are in need of the ‘wake up’ look eye drops can give us & they feel wonderful.

6)  Last but not least – chocolate – food for the soul. Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate $2.48. This is also delicious & heart healthy!

Planting Zone Changes

    Before making the investment this spring in perennials, shrubs & trees, it is wise to check your plant hardiness zone for your area. This is especially important this year because revisions have been made. Due to warming climate changes you may be able to plant specimens that never fell in your zone wheel house before! Also, we will be seeing plants, shrubs & trees that never made it to colder zone garden centers before. Check out the link below to find your new USDA zone.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

    Understanding the number of days your plants are exposed to certain heat conditions is another consideration for the gardener. The plantings & annuals we purchase each year are an expense & it helps to get it right. The website below from the American Horticultural Society explains very well the effects heat can have on plantings in the wrong zone.  Click on the heat zone map or heat zone finder to find the AHS zone for your area. Many plantings are being coded now to include these findings.

http://www.ahs.org/publications/heat_zone_map.htm

Spaving 101

    So I consider myself a spaver, a spender who saves. Face it ladies, we need to spend some money on all sorts of things. (food does not count for today’s blog) The type of spending I am referring to is the retail therapy, good for the soul type of shopping. It does not need to cost much in order to ‘feed’ the soul, get the ‘rush’. Some of this spavers best deals are found at garage sales. These start early spring in full force & run through fall here on the EC. The hunt, the prospect & never quite knowing what you will find that (early) morning is what provides the rush. (More on garage sales in a later blog)

    The retail therapy that I may enjoy most this time of year, is for a few new wardrobe items. I’ve mentioned before my fondness for Ross, Marshalls, & TJ Maxx. Kohl’s is another department type store where you can take advantage of amazing coupon deals (if you have a charge). I guarantee if you take the time for yourself & shop these stores you can outfit yourself for a fraction of the cost.

   The beauty finds can be found at drug stores (CVS has the best deals I’ve seen) & at Ulta. I bring this up because Ulta has many of the products I’ve mentioned in previous blogs on sale until March 31^st. Boot’s No7 skincare is 15% off. The Olay ProX Starter Kit is also 15% off. Some of the haircare lines, John Frieda & Organix are buy one, get one 50% off. All of the above can be used with the $3.50 off coupon in Ulta’s circular & with any manufacturer’s coupon too.

   Happy Spaving!!!

Philadelphia International Flower Show 2012

    The 2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show began on Sunday & runs through this Sunday, March 11^th. It is one of the most acclaimed flower shows in the world. This year’s theme, “Hawaii: Islands of Aloha”, looks especially lush & beautiful. I am fortunate every year to have an opportunity to see the show with a gardening-loving friend. It is such a treat to take it all in this east coast wintry time of year. The show is always a magical escape for us. Some themes over the years that have whisked us away have been Ireland, Paris, Italy, New Orleans & Passport to the World. The show sees 300 thousand visitors & takes 5,000 volunteers to make it happen. I will post some photos of my visit next week. Check out the links below for info & video. Enjoy!

http://www.theflowershow.com/ShowInfo/index.html

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8567619

Cool Weather Annuals

     It is getting harder & harder to say out of the garden right now. On the EC, we will experience some 70 degree temps this week! If you have bulbs, they are inches above the soil right now thanks to some warmer weather & in some cases ready to flower! If you can’t wait, however, there are cool weather annuals that are appearing at the garden centers shortly! It’s not just pansies anymore. Put that wish list together. Remember, temps in the teens & 20’s are still too cold. (You can move planters into a shed or garage until it warms.)

    Happy planting:

- Lobelia                          -  Stock

- Osteospermum              -  Nemesia

- Dianthus (Pinks)             -  Cineraria

-  Sweet alyssum              -  Snapdragon

-  Pansy                            -  Primrose

-  Viola                             -  Dusty Miller

-  Diascia                          -  Bacopa

Remember a cool weather vegetable like lettuce can make a great ‘filler’ too. Think red leaf or curly leaf for some real interest. Check out the Better Homes & Garden link below for photos & more ideas.

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/

PS. I wanted to extend a thank you to all my blog supporters these past few months. The blog reached a milestone this weekend reaching 1,000 pageviews! I have had wonderful, positive feedback from you all & I appreciate the loving support. I am having fun writing & I hope you have as much fun reading! Many different countries have checked in these past two months, among them Russia, Ukraine, Germany, UK, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, Ireland and Latvia! Along with the US, Russia has the most ardent readers! Thanks again & keep reading!

Beauty Lines 101

     There are many ‘top finds’ of face, hair & body products mentioned in many a magazine, tv show or website. I enjoy sharing with you the best of the inexpensive; to try some of the newest of the inexpensive & blog reviews on those products. This fun for me, but I have found there to be product ‘lines’ that stand out for sure. With so many cosmetics & hair products sometimes you just need a place to start.

      For cosmetics & face care, I find L’Oreal to be the most consistent. I have already mentioned the Revitalift Deep Set Wrinkle Repair Night in an earlier blog. Fabulous for your night time moisturizer. The Visible Lift Serum Absolute Concealer is new & wonderful too. I have yet to mention my favorite liquid foundation. This is also the Visible Lift Serum Absolute. I will discuss some foundations in a later blog. Their Everpure haircare products are amazing for color-treated hair as well. So if you need something quickly because you are out, L’Oreal is one good place to start. (trying right now the Lumi line)

     For all your skincare needs, the Boot’s No 7 line is the perfect starting point too. Found at Ulta & Target exclusively, this is the skincare choice for Princess Kate. Hailing from England, I mentioned a few products in my Beautiful Skin blog. So inexpensive & great for your skin. Two products I also use consistently is the Radiance Revealed Exfoliator & the Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner. Both under $9.00 (& that’s without coupons) they are wonderful product choice.

     Lastly, along with Boots & L’Oreal I’d have to say is the Organix line of hair care products. What I have used so far (Moroccan Argan Oil & Cherry Pomegranate Shine Spray) have been wonderful & my teenage tester is ready to try more. We have the Argan Oil poo & conditoner in the house, along with the deep penetrating conditioner. I will keep you posted. (I can say right now, my hair has never looked or felt this good in 50 years!)

     So use these lines as a starting point if you are ever stuck & I will review all kinds of products as we go along.

Teenage Tester

    As these blogs have been composed, very few have interested my teenage daughter. She’s lived with this avid gardener/birder her entire life (and would deny having any knowledge of bird species, but something’s had to have rubbed off?!). Now blogs on shoes, shopping (she has picked up on the spaver way of shopping) & beauty products are more in her wheel house of interest. It wasn’t until I saw products missing from my bathroom into hers that I decided (with her approval) to bring her into the tester mix.

      The first product that she is sold on is the organix Moroccan argan oil for hair mentioned in previous blogs. I mentioned it to her a few times & she did finally try it & was hooked. She now has her own bottle. And we have since learned that the argan nut from which the oil is harvested, only grows in Morocco. It is only grown & harvested by a co-op of woman there & it supports their entire co-op economy. She, being socially conscious, likes this back story. We are in the process of testing together, the shampoo, conditioner & intense moisturizing treatment. Their cherry blossom ginseng shine finish spray is now her favorite detangler. Actually, organix entire line of hair care smells so yummy to her that I’m sure we’ll have more info on these products in future blogs.

      The second product that disappeared is the Olay Professional advanced cleaning system with the spin brush. Mentioned in blog Beautiful Skin 2, this less expensive version of Clarisonic’s cleansing brush is wonderful. Admittedly, my daughter & I do not share similar skin care needs (except to use sunscreen!). But this works so well to exfoliate the skin that whatever the products we do use, work even better for us. Again, we now each have our own.

      We are now also testing a B.B. cream (blemish balm cream – the phenomenon in Asia). More on this in a future blog when I cover foundations!

Magnificant March

      Okay, I’ll say it first. March is not my favorite month of the year. It can be torturous for an east coast gardener – in like a lion, out like a lamb type weather. It has thirty one days so it seems to drag on & on. It often has only one holiday, St. Patrick’s Day, which isn’t even a work holiday. That being said, this glass half full blogger is here to remind herself & you why we should be celebrating.

        J St. Patrick’s Day is on a Saturday so we can party like we used to. (if you choose)

        J Cold-weather vegetables are just itching to be planted. You have to grow some lettuce – at the very least – yumm.

        J Daylight savings time is March 11^th this year – embrace the new found light!

        J The first official day of spring is only 18 days away!

        J March is the perfect month to bring in budding branches of forsythia, quince, cherry, Bradford pear & magnolia into the house to force the bloom. Cut branches on an angle & place in tepid water.

        J The warm ‘gift’ days that come along with the unique smell of spring.

        J Bird songs that start early in the morning when you are just waking up. (or trying to stay asleep!)

        J We are in the homestretch & this sometimes unbearable anticipation happens only one month a year!

PS. Best-Dressed Oscar dress winner – Penelope Cruz. Worst – Sandra Bullock (sorry girl, we love ya but what were you thinking?!)