Chapter 18 Warm Blanket of Snow

Iris are snug in their bed for a long winters nap

Mother nature dumped about 19 inches of snow on our neighborhood recently and the accumulation has created a perfect 'feather blanket' to cover my iris bed. This blanket should last quite sometime; with no real warming expected for the near future.

I was thinking of how the 'blanket' metaphor really works because the snow insulates the iris roots from the cold air temperature. It would be informative to have a thermometer in the ground to see how warm it is.

I also have tree seedlings, Rose of Sharon seedlings, Chrysanthemums, Hosta and Blanket flowers in this garden bed. It is so easy to take for granted how Mother Nature takes care of her business; whether we are aware of it or not. See you by the fireplace.

Chapter 17 A Teddy Bear Christmas

Some years it has taken me quite a while to get into the 'Christmas Spirit'. Not this year. I got my Christmas cards done today; about 25 of them to family.My wife is baking weekly; Swedish rye bread, Lucia buns, Christmas bread yesterday. We do our Advent wreath ceremony each night. The Kitchen has great smells, (all day long on the week-ends) and since I don't have a corporate job anymore, my time is mine with my new business Achieve & Grow LLC. I'm definitely in the Christmas spirit; three weeks early. I love it.

Teddy Bear Bread
This morning I helped Nancy mix the dough (man that's work)for the Teddy Bear bread. Nancy kneaded the dough and later created the shapes that would become Teddy's and put them in the oven to bake. Late afternoon the Teddy Bears came out of the oven. I knew I had to take pictures.


Aren't they darling? Nancy has some pre-schoolers that asked her a few days ago "when are the Teddy Bears coming"? These little five year olds remembered her Teddy Bears. She makes miniature ones for the kids; that means about 8 inches tall. The kids will never forget Nancy's Teddy's. It's her way of bringing real excitement and joy to the little one's. It brings me joy to watch her.

What are your Christmas baking traditions? Send them to me. I'd love to hear from you. See you by the Fireplace.

Chapter 16 Petunias in December

It has been a few months since my last post; busy with autumn leaves, cleaning the beds and planting all my potted Iris.

I thought you would enjoy seeing the Petunias that started by themselves in some of my Iris planting pots. I transplanted them and they held up fine in the greenhouse all the way to the 15th of November. I moved them into the house where they bloomed a few days ago. The average person does not realize how you can have winter blooms like this. What a treat. Nice surprise; I honestly did not plan this. That is the beauty of having a greenhouse. It extends the season. See you by the fireplace.

Chapter 15 Who Cultivates His Own

Thought for the Day

“A gardener who cultivates his own garden with his own hands, unites in his own
person the three different characters of landlord, farmer, and labourer. His
produce, therefore, should pay him the rent of the first, the profit of the
second, and the wages of the third."

This quotation is from Adam Smith, and is taken from his book "The Wealth of Nations". He lived from 1723 to 1790. Isn't it amazing that words of wisdom are often timeless in their truth and power?

I came across this quotation today and thought I would share it with you; especially if you are a gardener who enjoys the 'fruit of your labor'. At some point I hope to add a feature where you can download pictures of your flowers or produce. I would enjoy seeing the highlights of your gardening experience. In the meantime, See you in the Garden.

Chapter 14 'Jiffy Cake' Blueberry Fruit Dessert

A Blueberry Dessert that is easy and scrumptious

Autumn is nearly in the air (at least in the evenings) and Nancy seems to be drawn to more baking. She made the dessert you see below yesterday morning. I wanted some last night but she made me wait until tonight. She wanted it to cool completely. We each had a piece tonight and it was sublime. The crust was fabulous and of course the Blueberries were simply divine. She asked me if I wanted a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Can you believe I said “no, I want the complete taste of the Blueberries”? I made the right choice. Maybe I will have the ice cream on my next piece, tomorrow night.


If you would like to try the recipe I have printed it below. You can use whatever fruit you like; blueberry, blackberry, cherry, raspberry, apple, or peach.


Jiffy Cake Fruit Dessert

1 can fruit pie filling 1 package Jiffy Cake Mix; White or Yellow. 1 stick melted butter. Spread Cake mix over fruit and add melted butter, over all. Bake 350-400 about 45 minutes

Nancy said this dessert was out of her late Mothers recipe collection; so it goes way back. It is easy to make and so enjoyable. Please let us know if you try it and how you like it. I am sure Nancy would enjoy seeing your comments. See you in the Garden.

Chapter 13 Cockscomb Perennial: A Brilliant Scarlet

A New Perennial: Just what the Doctor ordered

Last summer I was going for a walk in the neighborhood. As usual I was admiring all the flower gardens I came upon. One of the gardens had an unusual flower that I was not familiar with. I wondered what it was.

Finally, on another day the lady of the house happened to be in her yard and I inquired " May I ask what you call this bright red flower?" She replied "It's called Cockscomb". I told her it was quite beautiful and I had never seen it before. I asked if I might be able to get some of the seeds when they are ready. She told me "Take some right now; there are plenty". So I got some seeds. This February I planted at least a dozen seeds. Virtually every seed germinated. What you see above is a first year bloom. The other flowers next to it are called Cone flowers.

Cockscomb is an old, old perennial that seems to be a bit of a secret. You don't see it offered in the greenhouses very often. You may want to consider growing it sometime. The color is so vivid and bright. Deegan in the Garden will have a supply available next year. Just check for Special Offers on my blog. See you in the Garden.

Chapter 12 Bouquet of Purple and Yellow Asters

The Asters are in Bloom

We returned home today after a week of Family vacationing in Ontario Canada. I could not wait to see if Mother Nature had watered my garden while I was away. Noticing how green the grass appeared in the front yard I was confident all the flowers were in great shape. When I reached the back gardens I was greeted by a delightful array of purple and yellow asters.


I mentioned to Nancy how gratifying it was to "let go and let Mother Nature do the watering this year". The day before our departure I waited until the last minute to ask my neighbor if she would keep an eye on my plants. Of course I never got the chance to ask since she was out for the afternoon and evening. So it was sort of "Well, that takes care of that; it's now up to the whims of nature". It is nice to know you don't always have to be in control of everything; sometimes things just take care of themselves, when you let go. I hope you enjoy the bouquet of asters picked today. See you in the Garden.