First signs of spring

Spring is here! This year it came for me with a first fragrant lemon Meyer bloom. Welcome, March and sunshine!

Our 15 years anniversary

Just a short 2 hour drive trip up north made my week. In just 24 hours we've seen a snow, a blooming trees, a beautiful spring flowers and wildlife.

 

A Kaibab squirrel came to our balcony in the morning hoping to find some nuts and a large robin was sitting on a tree branch outside of our hotel's window. 

We spotted a herd of about 12 deer in the woods on the way down from the mountains. 

What a great day!

It was cold in Flagstaff, the lowest I noticed was 31'F. The wind was harsh but Flagstaff has a lot of  great places to eat and shop so the windy day became fun and cozy. 

We stopped by Beaver street brewery for some warmth and a quick bite (I love their woodfired pizzas!), then went to shop downtown. 

Simple pleasures but so much fun!

We celebrated our 15 year anniversary that night with champagne and delicious dinner. 

A perfect  day among the ponderosa pine forest!   

Happy Easter!

It was a beautiful day today. Happy Easter, everyone!

Blooming orchid tree

I planted 3 seeds of an orchid tree in the spring of 2009. I used simple white plastic cups for planting and wrote on each: "Please grow". Well, it listened! We've got 3 perfect little seedlings. We left 2 in the pot and planted the third one right in the garden.

Over the years the 2 potted ones died but the one in the ground survived the heat, the frost, several transplants and became a beautiful little tree. Today it's about 7 feet tall and this is the first spring when our tree made some flowers and there are so many of them!

I am very happy about it - big smiles :) I just took a picture of the massive planting of these trees by Harrah's Hotel in Laughlin, NV so here is how it will hopefully look one day: 

Free cross stitch pattern Spring heart with flower and butterfly

With our warm weather I am in a spring mood right now. We are not just getting gorgeous blossoms in our garden but also a lot of birds are appearing. Love their morning songs right outside our window!

I was looking for a quick to stitch spring cross stitch project and I found this Spring Heart pattern from Maria Chaplygina (LaMariacha shop on Etsy). This was a free pattern that she was so kind to share it with me. So with her permission I am sharing it on my blog.

I just got it and I have not stitched it yet but I am going to. If you stitch it I would love to see your finished project, so please share!

 

Happy spring, everyone. It's almost here!

Spring in the garden

Springtime in Phoenix is so different. Mornings and nights are nice and cool and the afternoons are hot.

We spend a lot of time in the garden right now trying to prepare it for the hot summer. I planted so much heat resistance plants so I hope we will have some greens through the summer.

I also became obsessed with herbs this spring. We planted some dill, parsley, sage, thyme and oregano. I am freezing or drying the bunches of herbs, adding them to the salads and main dishes and I am thinking about making some herb infused vinegars or oils.

A cup of mint tea is great while I am enjoying my quiet time in the garden.

If you want to make a cup of fresh mint tea just wash some mint leaves and add them to a teapot. 

Pour some boiling water over them, cover with lid and a tea pot cozy or a clean towel. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Pour your fragrant tea in your favorite cup and enjoy! 

Good Morning

If you wake up early in a morning and explore, you might see some pretty cool things. The ones you normally can not see during the day.

We wake up at 4 AM (or even earlier) every day but most of the time we are starring at the computer screen sipping tons of coffee. For a difference, we decided to take a walk in a desert yesterday and I am very happy we did!

What we saw on our way:

- lots of huge trucks full of carrots and the whole carrot field full of people working at gathering them. They were not for public sale sadly.

- gorgeous red wing blackbirds hiding in a barley field. I don't see them around our neighborhood.

 

 

- blooming cactuses. They are simply gorgeous...

... and very thorny, by the way!

DIY Spring flower earrings

This pair of earrings will be a lovely addition to your spring outfit! Make it with Albina Manning in no time and you give it as a gift for Easter, Mother's Day or just because! 

To make a pair of earrings like these, you will need:

- 6mm Swarovski bicone crystals - 2

- 4mm Swarovski bicone crystals - 2
- 10mm Swarovski filigree flower -2
- 2" eyepins - 2
- Earwires -1 pair
- Chain nose pliers, round nose pliers, wire cutters

1. Slide one 6mm and one 4m Swarovski crystals onto an eyepin. Make a loop just above a 4mm crystal. Make sure that both loops are in the perpendicular planes.

2. Open the loop by the 4mm crystal and slide an ear wire on. Close the loop.

3. Open the second loop, by 6mm crystal. Slide a filigree flower on and close the loop.

Your first earring is done!

4. Make the second earring in the same manner. 

 If you would like to see these instructions step by step follow this link:

Have fun making earrings!

How to grow an African Violet

One of the best gifts for the Mother's Day is a potted plant. Of course, if your mother likes houseplants.

My mother likes African violets and grew them in her apartment as long as I can remember. I guess I caught that green thumb bug from her since for the last 10 years I have been propagating them.

I'd like to share how to propagate them but lets start with care.

Start with just one plant. Purchase the one you really like in bloom. When you bring it home, place it near the sunny window sill, they hate direct sun light. Mine are blooming all year round on the north window sill protected by the blinds.

Rule 1: bright and even light condition.

Rule 2: regular watering with room temperature water.

Regular watering is very important. I am doing this 1 time a week, lets say, every Monday. Do not over water! Pour the water on the soil and avoid to wet the leaves. Let the soil soak all the water completely and in about 15 minutes turn your pot slightly over the sink to get rid of extra water from the saucer.

Rule 3: fertilize.

African violets love fertilizer. You can either purchase a liquid one and add it in a water every time you water the plant or you can purchase a stick fertilizer. Follow the instruction on a package and your plant will bloom.

Rule 4: choose the right pot.

In my opinion, the best are simple plastic pots with a saucer which allows you to collect the extra water. They are not as pretty as the glazed ceramic ones but African violets do great in them! You can always put a plastic pot to a ceramic one to make it look better. I would decorate a top with a pretty decorative peat moss.

Rule 5: the right temperature, humidity and ventilation

Other important issues are the right air temperature, ventilation and humidity. It's easy with temperature: if it is comfortable for you, it will be comfortable for your African violet. Avoid the sudden changes in temperature and try to keep it in a range of 70 to 78'F.

Ventilation is very important. The plant does not like drafts but loves indirect air circulation. So do not let air blow directly on them and do not place 2 pots with 2 African violets too close together. This will prevent diseases. 

They love when the air is humid. The best level is 70 to 80% humidity but they will thrive at slightly lower levels also.

Keep your plant healthy and happy and it will return your care with non stop blooming all year around!

Welcome Spring!

The spring is here, no matter what our local groundhog said. I even saw a little lizard on a fence sunbathing in a warm rays.

It was not a long cold winter for us, no. But it was still slightly cold. So I am really happy to see the first signs of desert spring.

 I even worked in a garden a little yesterday and enjoyed our first crop. 5 radishes, some green onions and bell peppers. Some greens from a local store and we'll have a salad!

The time for comfort food has passed!

Our babies are also enjoying their greens. 

I planted some grass seeds in a planter last fall and they found it very useful now :)

Spring garden

Time is flying and I did not notice that out spring has almost become summer. The roses are blooming like there is no tomorrow, and we already have our nectarines ripening. The pomegranate tree is blooming wonderful. I have never had one so I am not too experienced with this one. We are preparing to move to another house so I have slightly sad feeling about not be able to see my garden anymore. I hope the new owners will love it.

Good gifts for your Mom

Have you thought of gift for your Mother yet? Mother’s day is almost here!

We are grateful to our moms for love, care and the sweetness which they give us during our whole lives. So there is no doubt they deserve the most elegant and thoughtful gifts and actually not just for a holiday but every day!

While I was looking for a gift for my mother on Etsy I came across with this lovely little shop BelleCoccinelle. There is so many little treasures here!

Each item in the shop is carefully embroidered by Lana, the shop owner or done on her Singer, her old time sewing machine.

I love her framed embroideries and I thought it might be especially nice as a Mother's Day gift.

You can hang them on a wall or right next to your needlework box. It looks great anywhere and it will remind her of you!

Please take a look at her work, I am sure you will find something here for your Mom, too!