I enjoy going on various house tours in the area and then writing about them for all to get a glimpse of the beauty found on each tour. A few weeks ago I went on the Boyertown Holiday House Tour with some family members and we had so much fun! Since Boyertown Area Senior High School is where I graduated from, I always run into someone I know and haven't seen for ages. This was a great tour and you should consider going on it next year. I hope you enjoy this article. Merry Christmas!
(Click on the title above to read the article.)
The Garden Wayfarer: Boyertown Holiday House Tour - Community Connection - Berks-Mont News
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Local author fulfills search for identity - Community Connection - Berksmont News
Suzanne Geiss has a beautiful garden. I love all of the Impatiens she has growing all around her home. She tells me most of them grew where they are, on their own from last year. She truly has a green thumb. But that's not all she is good at....she is a product designer, a children's book author, a speaker, and an encourager. To read more about her click on the article title below.
Local author fulfills search for identity - Community Connection - Berksmont News
Local author fulfills search for identity - Community Connection - Berksmont News
Monday, October 4, 2010
Fall Recipe
At a garden club luncheon last week one of the dishes served was this delicious salad with apples. I asked my friend Doreen Duncan if I could share her wonderful recipe on my blog and she agreed. As I ate this salad it made me think of my friend Toni Myers and her wonderful apple orchard. She has all kinds of apple varieties available for purchase and her store supports missionaries around the world. The name of her orchard is Faith Orchard. Friends are a blessing from God. :)
Thanks for sharing this recipe with us Doreen!
APPLE SPINACH SALAD
1 bunch Romaine lettuce
1 lb fresh spinach
1/2 C cashews
1/2 - 3/4 C dried cranberries (Pat, this is my addition)
2 tart Granny Smith apples - diced and unskinned
Dressing:
1/3 C granulated sugar
1/3 C vinegar - balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 C salad oil
1 t salt
1 t garlic salt
1 t celery salt
1 T poppy seeds
Toss together the Romaine lettuce, spinach, cashews. Mix well the dressing ingredients and add only enough to coat lightly. Add apples and serve immediately as once dressing is applied, leaves begin to get soggy.
Thanks for sharing this recipe with us Doreen!
APPLE SPINACH SALAD
1 bunch Romaine lettuce
1 lb fresh spinach
1/2 C cashews
1/2 - 3/4 C dried cranberries (Pat, this is my addition)
2 tart Granny Smith apples - diced and unskinned
Dressing:
1/3 C granulated sugar
1/3 C vinegar - balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 C salad oil
1 t salt
1 t garlic salt
1 t celery salt
1 T poppy seeds
Toss together the Romaine lettuce, spinach, cashews. Mix well the dressing ingredients and add only enough to coat lightly. Add apples and serve immediately as once dressing is applied, leaves begin to get soggy.
Friday, October 1, 2010
The Dogwood
Outside my window is a divine dogwood tree. It is already starting to turn its leaves into some wonderful warm red tones. The tree is filled with tiny red berries. I’ve always heard that birds love the red berries and use them as food. But I had never actually seen any birds feeding from my tree.
Today changed all that. I don’t have a photograph, as it all happened too fast, and I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. But there are many, many birds feeding from my dogwood tree this morning! I was very surprised and happy to sit here and enjoy the view. It makes me think about God and how He feeds us. He enjoys the view, too. He relishes giving us good things and then watching us enjoy them. He especially enjoys seeing us use all that He gives us for His own honor and glory. Thank you, God, for my food and for the beautiful birds you are feeding in my garden.
Today changed all that. I don’t have a photograph, as it all happened too fast, and I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. But there are many, many birds feeding from my dogwood tree this morning! I was very surprised and happy to sit here and enjoy the view. It makes me think about God and how He feeds us. He enjoys the view, too. He relishes giving us good things and then watching us enjoy them. He especially enjoys seeing us use all that He gives us for His own honor and glory. Thank you, God, for my food and for the beautiful birds you are feeding in my garden.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sage Advice
A visit to a delightful garden brought me some "sage" advice. Howard and Ann Sage shared their artistic impressions with some fellow gardners on a hot day in August. In spite of the drought and heat their garden was green and fruitful. I found tomatoes, beans, squash, and herbs growing in well mulched and watered beds. The plants all looked healthy and happy and ......deliciously Yummy!
Ann shared with visitors her love of collecting unusual art work to hang in the garden. Howard shared how a visit to the Morris Arboretum sparked his interest in outdoor G trains. His passion chugs along through all the plants and garden ornamentation. I found their home a great place to gather "sage" advice for one's gardening journey. Choo, choo!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
The Garden Wayfarer: Transport to discovering zoos - Community Connection - Berksmont News
It's been a hot, humid,incredibly dry summer. Many gardens are feeling the heat and just don't look so good even with heavy watering. So, I decided to take a break from gardening and go visit the zoo instead. I thought I might find some nice gardens at one of the zoos but that didn't happen. Their gardens were feeling the heat as well!
But we gardeners enjoy all of nature's beauty. Wildlife and ecology go along with gardening. So here's a look at what I found at the zoo! Click on the link below.
The Garden Wayfarer: Transport to discovering zoos - Community Connection - Berksmont News
But we gardeners enjoy all of nature's beauty. Wildlife and ecology go along with gardening. So here's a look at what I found at the zoo! Click on the link below.
The Garden Wayfarer: Transport to discovering zoos - Community Connection - Berksmont News
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Cleaning Out the Potting Shed
My potting shed was a disaster! It was filled with junk from one end to the other. There wasn't even a path to walk through to get to anything. I felt like I was a candidate for the tv program Clean House. Neicy Nash would have given me a scolding.
My 18 month old grandson, Austin, looked in the door and said "Trash!" Trash is his favorite word and he revels in looking at any book with trash in it. He was mesmerized by what seemed like a dump load of a disgusting mess.
I was desperate. I bribed my 5 year old grandson, Aiden, into helping me. A special surprise and a whole dollar sealed the deal. We carted out all the trash that littered every nook and cranny. Even little Austin wanted to have a hand in it. I paid him a whole quarter.
We made a huge pile of all kinds of dried plant material. The boys looked for treasures among the discards. It was so bad it took me days to finally get it all cleared out. When it was transformed from trash to holding only my best treasures I was all smiles.
My wonderful husband was about to perform a special job for me (it was his own idea, too). He had the good fortune to come across some free ceramic tiles and had promised me to tile the workbench in the potting shed. The bare plywood was impossible to clean up and seemed to attract and hold every piece of dirt. He spent the equivalent of whole day just to spruce up my potting shed. What a dear!
As I contemplated what a job this all had been, I thought about my relationship with Jesus Christ. The potting shed reminded me of my heart. At one time my heart had been dusty and dirty and a horrible mess. Once I confessed my sin and asked Jesus to be my Savior, he came into my heart and cleaned it all up. He came into every room of my life and cleaned every nook and corner. He produced in me what I could never attain myself...a right relationship with God. Just like my husband who loves me and helps me, Jesus is like a husband who comes along side of me and helps me with my loads and burdens. He wants me to continue to depend on him for all my needs. I am so thankful that I have this special relationship with Jesus Christ. He has made me his own special treasure.
The flowers are done blooming already. This high heat coming so early and the high humidity was not favorable for garden plants. But my little potting shed is wonderful place to contemplate my creations for the garden and for floral designs.
My 18 month old grandson, Austin, looked in the door and said "Trash!" Trash is his favorite word and he revels in looking at any book with trash in it. He was mesmerized by what seemed like a dump load of a disgusting mess.
I was desperate. I bribed my 5 year old grandson, Aiden, into helping me. A special surprise and a whole dollar sealed the deal. We carted out all the trash that littered every nook and cranny. Even little Austin wanted to have a hand in it. I paid him a whole quarter.
We made a huge pile of all kinds of dried plant material. The boys looked for treasures among the discards. It was so bad it took me days to finally get it all cleared out. When it was transformed from trash to holding only my best treasures I was all smiles.
My wonderful husband was about to perform a special job for me (it was his own idea, too). He had the good fortune to come across some free ceramic tiles and had promised me to tile the workbench in the potting shed. The bare plywood was impossible to clean up and seemed to attract and hold every piece of dirt. He spent the equivalent of whole day just to spruce up my potting shed. What a dear!
As I contemplated what a job this all had been, I thought about my relationship with Jesus Christ. The potting shed reminded me of my heart. At one time my heart had been dusty and dirty and a horrible mess. Once I confessed my sin and asked Jesus to be my Savior, he came into my heart and cleaned it all up. He came into every room of my life and cleaned every nook and corner. He produced in me what I could never attain myself...a right relationship with God. Just like my husband who loves me and helps me, Jesus is like a husband who comes along side of me and helps me with my loads and burdens. He wants me to continue to depend on him for all my needs. I am so thankful that I have this special relationship with Jesus Christ. He has made me his own special treasure.
The newly tiled work bench in the potting shed.
The flowers are done blooming already. This high heat coming so early and the high humidity was not favorable for garden plants. But my little potting shed is wonderful place to contemplate my creations for the garden and for floral designs.
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