Christmas Poinsettia

 

Merry Christmas from my garden to your garden. ♥

Hello Friends,

Today I am sharing the December article I wrote for our village newspaper, Cameron Chronicle, The Little Paper with Personality.

 

 

Christmas Poinsettia

By Carla TePaske of Cameron WI ~ The Little Garden That Could

Merry Christmas from The Little Garden That Could.

How many of you get excited when you see that lovely red and green plant at the supermarket? Oh, I just must have a poinsettia. We bring it home all lovely, only to struggle to keep it alive. Here are a few tips.

Don’t leave your plant in the car. Bring it home wrapped up cozy in paper or a plastic bag.

Poinsettia like a bright spot, but not direct sunlight.

Used to drought, poinsettia hate being over-watered so don’t leave them sitting in water, but instead let the soil dry out a little before watering again (usually every 3-4 days).

A few more jobs for the month of December.

Organize your seed bin. Sort out any leftover or half empty seed packets. Make an inventory of the seeds you will need to purchase.

Check summer flowering bulbs and tubers that are being stored over winter. If any show signs of mold or rot, remove the affected one or separate to prevent it spreading.

Check stored squash, pumpkins, and apples. If any signs of mold or rot, remove to prevent it from spreading.

Merry Christmas

"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?" – Bob Hope

Merry Christmas to You! And it is the Hodgepodge!!

 

An early Christmas gift. ♥

Happy Christmas Friends

This is the last Hodgepodge of the year. 

Joyce asks the questions.

We answer the questions.

Here we go!

Click here to join the fun! 

 1. Did you do more talking or more listening yesterday? Was it by choice or by necessity? 

I did more listening. My husband had a fun party at work during the lunch hour. He shared all about it during our ride into town to do some errands.

 2. Are you a tea drinker? Yes!! Hot, cold, or both? Both!! Flavored? Black, herbal and I have just gotten into drinking green tea. What do you like in your tea? I will take a little honey. Do you make Christmas tea this time of year? I do not.  What time of day do you like to sip your tea? After lunch and after dinner.

 3. What's an activity you won't try, an event you won't attend, or an athletic challenge you won't take part in not even for 'all the tea in China'? 

I do not plan to participate in a Polar Plunge. I cannot even think of what it feels like to have your bare feet on ice.

Yes... people do this sort of stuff in my state of Wisconsin. The lakes are frozen and they have to cut a hole in it for people to jump in and swim!!!

 4. What's something most people seem to love but is not 'your cup of tea'? 

Several friends watch the T.V. series Yellowstone. I only watched a little of it, and realized it was not my 'cup of tea.'

 5. How does your family celebrate New Year's Eve? 

The past few have just been us, my husband and me. We will ring in the New Year when we are ready for bed. Ha!

For the past several years we celebrate the New Year with a New Years hike, ski or snowshoe.

 6. Insert your own random thought here. 

 

 Merry Christmas!!!

 

 

12 Photos of This and That

 

Hello Friends,

A little of this and that today featuring 12 photos. Did you know 12 is my favorite number? You might wonder why? Well, I have a 12/12 birthday, that makes my favorite number 12!

So here we go.. 12 photos of this and that.. the one above is of a house I traveled by and had to turn around to take a photo of the giant nutcrackers.

I love nutcrackers. In the below photos you will see my 'Boys in the Band' nutcrackers.

 

 

 The above nutcrackers are stamped on the bottom 'Made in Germany'.

 

 

 Our greenhouse decked out for Christmas. I have fleece in the greenhouse this year covering carrots. I am experimenting with extending our growing season. It does look like snow. You will also see the moon in this photo.

 

 

Our Christmas Cactus bloom is just about ready to pop open.

 

 

I am wintering over our Fuchsia and it also has blooms ready to pop open.

 

 

A fresh batch of Chex Mix... one of our favorite holiday treats.

 

 

Chicken Noodle Soup simmering on the stove top.

 

Homemade Sourdough Focaccia... it takes two days... but so worth it.

 

 

I created a simple evergreen swag.

 

And our little pop of winter cheer as you come to our door.

♥

Carla

 

Welcome to the Farm

 

Welcome Lucy and Ethel to our little farm at The Little Garden That Could.

Lucy and Ethel are Muscovy Ducks. I began to research adding ducks to our little garden during the winter months. I read how several gardeners added ducks to the garden because they eat pests. Muscovy are a fantastic breed for pest control.

Lucy and Ethel will also provide us with eggs. They will start to lay in February.

My husband built a larger run so we could add the ducks to our little farm.

 

Lucy and Ethel and the Olly girls... Lolly, Polly, Dolly and Holly.

 

 Wanting eggs during the winter months, and with our hens taking a seasonal break, my dad gifted me two young hens that just started to lay eggs.

 

The white hen is Wilma.

The brown hen Betty.

 

New friends on the farm.

 

 

 ♥

Love from your Crazy Chicken Lady with two ducks.