Bittersweet and the little soap company

bittersweets...

French clay is ideal for all skin types. It draws out impurities in the skin, leaving  it soft and clean.

Having fun with the beautiful pink peonies. Next to bloom, hydrangeas. I can't wait to take product shots with the blooms!

I started pressing some of the flowers for the fleur journal. Mock orange, red clover and violets were the first early spring blooms this season.   

I did not use a large book or weight to press the blooms. The blooms were placed in a small notebook. The main objective is to dehydrate the bloom so you really don't need a big heavy book to do the job.

I thought I'd press the flowers and reserve their blooms and then this fall and winter work on the illustrations and the descriptions. I'll be keeping a journal on their unique plant progress. Some secrets and planting tips. Some of which  I've recently discovered..

This spring, summer I have planted more than ever before! It will almost be a full time job to keep up with their progress, but a job I'm looking forward to!

Bee balm, moon flowers, baby's breath, cone flowers, roses, larkspur, straw flowers, corn flowers, aster, zinnia, fever few, spearmint, lemon balm, and the list goes on.

I am on the hunt for a small lemon verbena plant and want to pick up a lemon grass starter at our local farmers market. The Amish family always have healthy little lemon grass plants. Whenyou plant it, watch out! Start with an over-sized pot as it grows by lengths and bounds! I had to transplant last years lemon grass several times and even that wasn't enough! The roots grow rapidly.  I'm highly allergic to the herb! That doesn't mean I don't like it! I cut and dry the stems at the end of the season and the fragrant stalks are used for filler in baskets and such. You could easily dry the foliage to use for cooking the same way. By the way, citronella is the same family. It's not uncommon to be allergic to this herb. Use caution with any herb. There are more than several that can cause allergic reactions.

I hope you're enjoying spring!

Jill 00

 

 

digging in the dirt

Lennis took the day off yesterday and we spent the entire morning and late afternoon tidying up outside and cutting the grass.  I managed to get some of my seeds planted. We had a recent rain so some areas were still wet. No fun digging in wet soil. Takes all the fun out of gardening I believe. Hence the phrase, "mudding it in!" You'll be hard pressed to be successful with your planting, especially if you're sowing seeds. Wait until the soil gets warm and dry and fine. That's the ideal time to plant!

Isn't she a pretty shade of pink? An early Mother's day gift from Lennis!

We visited the garden department of our local home improvement store yesterday and it was love at first sight!

While walking around admiring the many plants a man walked by. I could not help myself by asking him, "is that jasmine you have in your cart?" Yes, it is, he replied. I hope you don't mind, as I leaned over to sniff the aromatic white blossom's. He had honeysuckle too. Our conversation quickly turned to garden topics.

As Lennis and I were standing by the oak leaf hydrangeas two women walked up and began admiring the colorful blooms of an endless summer hydrangea. One of the ladies asked me if I had a lot of flowers and if I liked gardening. I replied, yes I did to both. We struck up a lovely conversation. I mentioned how I wish I'd had some of my Bittersweet business cards to give them, but had left them at home. They both handed my their cards. One of the ladies asked me if I owned Bittersweet Soap. Why yes, I do! She used to come in the shop on her visits back from CA. She said she always brought her mom and sister. Joy, joy to my ears!

Note to self.... Always have a few business cards on hand even if you have to stick them in your pocket!

I planted some Calendula seeds yesterday. If ever there were a fast easy to sow seed, it would be the Calendula. Really an herb in the plant world and related to the marigold. I dry the petals and put them in French clay mask as they are a wonderful healing herb to add to skin care or baby products.

I also planted fever-few seeds, another herb. I have a mature plant in the rock garden, but liked it so much I wanted to have more! The blooms resemble a brown eye susan, kind of. They last a long time.

Then pushed down the dirt with my thumb and stuck in nasturtium seeds. I planted the seeds close to the end of our brick steps so they should cascade down the sides.

Tossed out a few butterfly and hummingbird seeds. If you purchase those big bags of seeds it's quite economical. If you were to sow the entire bag you'd have tons of wildflowers. I like watching the seeds transform into flowers because you get a variety of blooms.

The trick to successful seed planting is the preparation of the soil. Sometime you need to add a few bags of top soil to the existing landscape.

Then the second trick is to keep them moist. A tiny little seed needs moisture to sprout!

Planting larkspur and straw-flowers today. Then I'm going to see if the garden is dry enough for planting. It was too wet yesterday. Where did I stash those garden boots!

Spring time in Bittersweet land is oh so grand!

Enjoy caring and sharing spring days.

Warmly,

Jill 00

How does your garden grow?

This little alcove sits in our back yard next.. Most of the areas in our yard are shaded so the flowers that choose need to be shade loving plants. We do have a few small sunny spots. That's where my rose bushes and zinnias grow. That's one reason I'm planting flowers in my garden. I love being able to walk through my yard and pick fresh bouquets throughout the warm seasons.

Lennis built the cub-by planting nooks along side the wall and steps. The nooks are filled with herbs. Bee balm flourishes during the hot summer months and the bees love it! It's fragrance resembles honey and the blossoms are pretty in a bouquet. I also have spearmint, thyme and chives that come up every season in the spot.

 The hostas transplanted well. They were droopy for a couple of days and then popped up as though they'd been in there new spot forever. Once they fill in the alcove they'll be ready to seperate once again and I can fill another shady spot with their hos-ta beauty.

There are several varieties of plants that benefit from being condensed and dug up every now and then. Peonies, lilys, iris and lily of the valley all flourish when their roots are cloned. Ground cover like English ivy and periwinkle also enjoy a short jaunt. The idee of having more plants at no cost is appealing to me!

Speaking of peonies! Mine will be blooming in the next couple of weeks! They're in a shaded area and bloom later than ones that are sitting in the sun. Their blooming time is short lived, but thoroughly enjoyed. I'm planning on cherishing their blooming beauty through some peon-ie pictures.

Do you remember the small pansy plant my friend Julie gave me a month or so ago?

Julie popped by on Saturday and could not believe how big and plump the pansy was now.   

The stone stepping stones that sweet Lennis created to make it easier and handy to walk up the hill. The hostas planted in that spot will fill the sides of the stones within a couple of years.

I can't wait to share some peon-ie images!

Enjoy a caring and sharing spring.

Warmly,

Jill 00

 

fleurs

 

It's hard to believe the tiny black seeds I planted in the spring morphed into these colorful blooms! 

Introducing the GIANT ZINNIA.  

Starting fleurs from seeds is rewarding and soul nurturing, I believe.

That favorite (a) word comes to mind once again.  

The instant fleur gratification of planting a mature flower, is replaced with ANTICIPATION!   

I've been photographing as many summer blooms as time allows this summer. The blooming photo's are being transformed into colorful summer postcards like the one above. 

 
Remember the spring blooming mock orange and peonies?

 
And the shabby hydrangea.  

If I weren't a soap maker I'd be a flower shop girl!

 
Those flower loving feelings were planted at a young age.

Enjoy caring and sharing summer days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)

fleurs d'été

 
The cone-flower is a native plant that blooms freely along Missouri roadways and country meadows. If you frequent Bittersweet blog then you know it's also one of my favorite flowers. Two summers ago I planted several varieties in the garden. This season I rejoiced in their blooms!

My aunt sent me an e-mail the other day saying how she was admiring the Queen Anne's Lace blooming in New Mexico. In the letter she reminisced on how abundent the beautiful lacy flower was in Missouri. A few days prior to receiving her letter I noticed a large patch of Queen Anne's Lace growing in a vacant lot during a morning walk. I made a note to come back later and pick a bouquet to sit in my freshly painted living room.

 
Years ago while on a train ride in south missouri I admired the rural landscapes that were covered with shades of cream in every direction. I made the comment about how beautiful they were and the train conductor began to tell me her family prepared and ate the large white blossoms. She said they dipped the blossom in egg batter and deep fried it until it was crispy.

Although I did not indicate to her how freaky I thought that was, I did indeed freak out privately as she told me that story. All I could think of was how at a very young age  my mom always said, "never eat a white flower!" Thinking to myself, could this white flower be an exception to my mother's rule? 

After researching the wild flower I learned it is in the parsley family. In fact, the plant is sometime referred to as "wild carrot" plant. I do declare! I did not know this.

Honestly, even after I learned the plant was in the carrot family, I would NOT eat it!

However....

All declaring aside, while on the road of researching the summer flower I also stumbled upon this fun summer project that the kids will love.

 
Check it out here. 

Your future botanist will remember this project for many years to come. 

Enjoy caring and sharing summer days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)

Vintage Gardening

 
In the olden days most gardens and flower beds were grown and started by seed. There were very few nurseries during those times. Most of the species of plants had been discovered during Lewis & Clark's journey and brought back to our nature loving founding father, plant enthusiast,  Thomas Jefferson.

The exchanging of seed varieties with friends and family stirred up excitement  for the long awaited spring planting. 

A few years back I participated in a seed swap with a fellow blogger. All of the seeds she sent me came from her garden. She sent me old fashioned seeds like milk weed  and angelica.  

By the way, if you want oodles of butterflies, grow milkweed!

 

The past four days I've spent outdoors planting seeds. Minus the 95 degree temperatures, it's been delighfully rewarding and evoked some happy memories. Those fond recollections include my mother's beautiful rich garden trimmed in colorful zinnias and petunias. Her favorite flowering shrub, "angel trumpet" with it's aromatic soft billowing shade loving blooms.

 
I too am fond of this unique plant. Maybe more so because as a child I remember an elderly friend of my moms, Mildred, sharing the seeds with her. I can still see and feel the excitement and the smile on moms face as she held in her hand the treasured seeds. Then I remember her planting a row of them along our split rail fence that surrounded our front yard. It seemed as though she had chosen and marked the perfect spot for the beautiful bloom! After they grew and became part of the landscape it seemed as though too they had always been there.   Each summer I remember admiring them even more as their aromatique scent filled the entire front yard.     

More blooming memories as I'm taken back to my weekend visits at Grandma Lola's. It seems like only yesterday as I remember her asking me if I wanted to pick sweet-pea bouquets from her backyard.

As I get older those memories whisper back more frequently.

As I toss the packets of allysum, calendula, cosmo's, nasturtium's and zinnias I smile.  

That moment nothing else matters and I am surrounded by peace, tranquility and happiness.

Enjoy caring and sharing spring planting days.

Happily,

Jill 00

Winter Rebel

Every year about this time I begin to have an overwhelming yearning for Spring.

Since I live in the Midwest, I believe that yearning grows much deeper than those who live in warmer climates.

Simply put and no offense warm climate girls and boys, but after a few rounds of ice, snow, extremely cold north winds and bitter cold morning walks, I believe your appreciation for Spring grows much deeper.

Don't get me wrong, I love the winter, even those cold winter walks,  although I know that sounds crazy and you probably don't believe me, but I really do.

You know how I love snow and sled riding and walks in the freshly fallen precipitation. I guess I'd be considered a winter rebel.  

I admire the hibernating effect winter has on me. It reminds me of the olden days, staying indoors, sewing, baking, crocheting, reading several good books while piles of magazines sit on the bed awaiting an all day marathon. 

Winter allows me time to do those favorite indoor nesting activities and I'm perfectly content doing them because I know it's too cold outside to plant flowers or sit on the patio. In brief, Winter kindly permits me to have some down time without feeling any guilt.    

This winter so far has been mild compared to winters past, although we still have a considerable amount of winter left, so I should probably just zip it!

I do however need some Spring Therapy and what better way but to bring a bit of Spring indoors. I dug through my tulip bulb stash and grabbed a few cans out of the recycle bin and, soon I will have a tiny glimpse of Spring sitting on my kitchen windowsill.

I used what I had. Usually I plant the bulbs in small pebbles in a shallow glass container, but I was out of pebbles, and my pledge to go green influenced me to utilize the three r's.

I left the label on the tomato can. I liked its bright red and yellow jacket.

Enjoy caring and sharing winter days.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

 

Pretty Paper

Digging around again into some archives of vintage postcards and what not. I stumbled upon these. With thoughts of Spring constantly on my mind I think what better than these little seed packet templates.

You can either purchase the little envelopes already made, and then decoupage the images onto the envelopes, or make your own. Just simply print onto a piece of paper, and then cut around image allowing extra around the edges, and glue together. You will need to cut a matching one for the back.

These would make cute little Valentine packets too, and then you could put candy or tea or maybe tuck a gift certificate inside.

I'm making Valentine cupcakes this morning. White cake with pink fluffy icing piled high atop each one. Here are some yummy looking ideas too.

Yesterday around mid afternoon I had an over-powering urge to run to the grocery store and get one of these. I sat at my computer and slowly devoured each delectable bite of chocolate and warm gooey caramel.

Chocolate guru I am indeed.

Stay warm, and enjoy a caring and sharing day!

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)