30 Days of Gratitude - November 5th

I am grateful for the friends that haven't let me forget that deep down my artistic talent is still there.  "It will come back in time" Well the time has come my friends.  I making time for art again. I'm planning again and coming up with ideas for new projects again.  There's no doubt it will take time, I'm not going to like everything I create right now, but I am trusting in the process.  I love you for believing in me.

A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails. Donna Roberts

Spring Fever?

Illinois Snow - March 12 - ©CindyRippe2014

I'm warm and cozy in the studio today working on new designs but thought I'd share a few pictures of one of our snow storms.  I am SO grateful for our neighbor, Adolph, On days like this he clears our sidewalks with the snow plow.  This is one of those really wet and heavy snows.  It's pretty but not easy to clean up!  Also thankful for all the times that Lee cuts Adolph's grass in the summer.  Lee likes the heat and Adolph doesn't mind the cold so it works out for all of us.  Speaking of work.  It's back to work for me as I long for some beautiful Spring weather for the garden.

It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!  Mark Twain

Winter Snow - Blessings and Exhaustion

Snow on the Garden Shed - photo ©CindyRippe2014 - quote by Aristotle

Last night I was in awe as I watched the snow fall in the back yard at midnight.  I knew it would lead to work today, and boy oh boy, was I right!  After 3 hours of shoveling out cars and clearing paths for two houses we decided to shop for groceries too!  You know how it goes, "while we are out we might as well do it"....

As we pulled up to the front of the house we realized that we needed to start all over again because the snow just hasn't stopped yet.  We did the work, then I dealt with all the wet clothes while Lee put groceries away and both grumbled about being exhausted.

By the time I made it from the front of the house to the back door with the clothes my mood changed in an instant.  There I was again ... marveling at the beauty just outside my own back door!  I love how the snow is piled high on the bird feeder and twig wreath.  It's even hanging on to the edge of the little trowels that we used to make the door handles.  So.. right now I'm feeling blessed with this pretty view of my garden shed, and lucky to be inside our cozy little house drying out those boots and coats.

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.  Aristotle

Tomatoes and a Trying Day

Heirloom Tomatoes in our Garden ©CindyRippe2013 - quote by Robert Louis Stevenson

Had a few moments of that "feeling of failure" today.  Just couldn't seem to make the right decisions as a caregiver. Thankfully, I took a few minutes to walk out to the garden and picked some tomatoes.  We chose to plant only heirloom vegetables, not knowing what to expect, and are having fun tasting each one as it ripens. They aren't as large or as "pretty" as the hybrid plants but they are delicious!

The quote above by Robert Louis Stevenson said it all for me this afternoon.  Just as our choice of using heirloom vegetables in the spring gave us a wonderful variety of foods to eat now, my choice to keep trying, have patience, and to do my best as a caregiver will create a better day for us all...... I hope!!  :)

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  2 Corinthians 9:6

Have you ever tried to grow tulip bulbs from seeds?

Tulip Seeds - ©CindyRippe2013

The rain finally stopped long enough for me to get into the Tulip Bed and clean it up.  There are many different plants in here and we have something blooming most of the year but the bed started out with over a hundred tulip bulbs.  The name just stuck.

I was surprised to see this seed pod tucked in among the iris leaves.  When I got close enough I could see that it was part of a tulip plant.  Cool... I've never had seed pods before on the tulips.  I guess we must have had "tulip" bees busy in the garden.  I did the research and I may be able to grow more bulbs.  It would be fun if it worked but just having this unexpected surprise is enough for me right now.

Have you ever tried to grow tulip bulbs from seeds?

Hoe while it is spring, and enjoy the best anticipations.  It is not much matter if things do not turn out well.  Charles Dudley Warner

Wondering about Bunnies in the Garden today.

As I walked through Mom's yard this morning I startled a rabbit that was hiding in the hosta bed. It made me wonder why we don't have rabbits in our garden. I certainly have enough plants and flowers. Maybe they don't like the trains that are a block away. Can't say that I blamed them. The whistles are really loud!

Here's a flashback post from my Art in Entertaining blog showing the only kind of bunnies we have around here. Enjoy!

Using my calendar as part of a centerpiece ©CindyRippe2013

I moved my miniature daffodil plant into a terrarium style vase with terra cotta bunnies from my garden and moss.  The little vintage planter and my Marjolein Bastin calendar propped on an easel and placed on a vintage yellow dinner napkin.  Voila! I have a tablescape that makes me smile as I walk in the door each day.

Vintage Marjolein Weekly planner - photo ©CindyRippe2013

I've been using this calendar/datebook on my kitchen counter for 9 years. I love the Nature's Sketchbook artwork by Marjolein Bastin and there's a picture for each week of the year in this book. It's a little worn out and has been splashed many times but I still look forward to changing the page each week (or two if I really like an image).  Do you have a "well loved" decoration for your tablescape or kitchen decor?

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.  ~John Muir

Lots of little things to do Today

Little raindrops on Hostas - ©CindyRippe2013

We celebrated Memorial Day yesterday by honoring those who've served in the Military, remembering those who built our church 150 years ago, and with a family picnic.  We've set aside the day today to get started on our giant list of chores.  The choice of working outside or inside was made for us by the rain.  I did work out there for a little while, and checked two jobs off the list, but my shoes were soaked and it's chilly, so I headed back inside.

Before I came in I noticed all the sparkly raindrops on the hosta leaves. They reminded me that our large list consists of many little jobs.  If we can focus on one thing at a time it will make a difference.  So, with this post I can check number 3 off my list and get started on the next project.

I hope that you're able to enjoy your day today. Whether you are resting, or working on chores, try to break them down into a list of little things.  I believe in you...you CAN make a difference!

It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.  John Wooden 

The Heirloom Tomato Project

Planting Heirloom Tomatoes this year ©CindyRippe2013

It all started when I read about a local fundraiser.  Several gardeners, that grow heirloom tomatoes from the seeds they've saved, donated plants to raise money for the Community Garden project this year.  The announcement said all plants would be $1.00 each.  Sounded like a good idea.  I've been worried about chemicals and GMO foods in our diet and it's been about 10 years since we've had a vegetable garden.  Couldn't hurt to grow a few tomatoes...right?  I spent $5.00 and started planning.

Well, if you've read my blog before you know how much I love my flowers in the yard.  So, there had to be a plan to add the vegetables.  We don't have much land that gets full sun but I managed to find a perfect spot.  I thought it would be best to frame out a slightly raised bed to make it easier for Lee to cut the grass around it. (well, yes... I figured it would look nicer too).  I mentioned this to Lee and we decided on an 8 X 4 foot bed.  It would only cost about $15.00 to build it.  Then I asked him to build a frame to tie the plants onto instead of those metal cages that never work.  He added 5 - 2 X 2 inch boards that were 8 ft long to the pile.  More money... Once we set things up it didn't take him long to build the raised bed the ladder-like trellis down the center of the frame.

It was at that point we had to dig up the grass inside the frame.  Of course, it's in one of the sunniest areas of the yard and is the best patch of grass we probably own.  Lots of patience on his part as he sat and shook the dirt off of pieces of the sod after we dug them up.  I used those pieces to fill in a few bare spots around the rest of the yard as he worked.  Finally, I started emptying the soil from 5 really large flower pots I had saved from last year.  (the pots were falling apart and so big I had to use a dolly to move them around) I emptied two huge bags of organic garden soil (oops, a little more money spent here) that I bought into the bed and found a few half empty bags from earlier projects in the shed.  Dang!  We still needed more soil for the plants.  One more trip to the garden center (2 more bags of soil and two patio tomatoes that they had on sale) and I finished the project the next day.  I'm so thankful for Lee's support and patience.  I don't think I could have done this project without him!

Those $5.00 plants from the fundraiser sure added up to an expensive project, but I'm sure it will be worth it when we taste those delicious tomatoes!  I still have room for a few pepper plants and want to add marigolds around the edge of that garden if I can ....   my Grandpa would be so proud!

The best place to seek God is in a garden.  You can dig for him there. George Bernard Shaw

Goodbye for Now my Tulip friends

Goodbye Tulips - See you next Spring! ©CindyRippe2013

The perennial bed in the center of my yard is filled with flowers from early Spring through Autumn.  It started out as a Tulip bed many years ago.  An 8 foot oval dug quickly the last day of November one year when my Mom announced she had purchased two sets of those mail order Tulip collections.  She had forgotten about them and gave them to me.  The new bed was dug, the bulbs planted and covered, and the snow that fell the next day covered it snugly until Spring.  Over the years the size of the bed has grown, I've added a variety of perennials (and a few annuals each year), but I still keep calling it "The Tulip Bed".

This time of year in that part of the garden is difficult for me.  The tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and crocus have finished blooming.  The leaves need to grow for a while to feed the bulbs for next year's blooms and it's not so pretty.  The Irises peek out between the dying leaves and the oriental lilies reach for the sky.  It's messy.

There are always a few late blooming tulips that seem to hang on as long as they can.  This year they are pink. It's hard to say goodbye but I'm grateful for those 5 tulips today.  They remind me that the messy stage is worth waiting for.  I'll see the early Spring flowers again next year.

Saying goodbye is the hardest part but the hope to see you soon makes it better. Ritu Ghatourey 

What are you Grateful for Today?

"Working" in the Garden today - ©CindyRippe2013

Working in the Garden had a different meaning for me today.  I sat on the deck sorting paperwork for a few hours and this was my view.  It's a portion of my "Tulip Bed".  It's actually a perennial bed now and blooms from spring though late fall, ever changing, and always interesting.  I'm really glad that Mom ordered way too many tulips one year and I dug up a portion of the grass right before the first snow.  Back in those days Lee didn't believe in planting flowers in the middle of the yard but it was the only place I knew that there would be enough sun.  The plan was to get them planted before he got home from work and then if he was really unhappy I would move them after they bloomed in the Spring.  He teased me a bit at the time but we have both enjoyed the flowers year after year.

So today, I'm grateful for that garden, the lovely weather and the opportunity to work in these beautiful surroundings.  What are you grateful for?


This is the Day that the LORD has Made; Let us REJOICE and Be Glad in it.  Psalm 118:24

The Sweetness of Broken Flowers

Saving the daffodils ©CindyRippe2013

The flowers are really doing well this spring.  In fact the double daffodils have flowers that are too large for their stems.  I thought by giving them extra nutrients with compost last fall they would be stronger.  It did help the flowers, there are more than ever, but the stems are still really fragile.  After cutting the flowers with the stems that were bent the most I was able to tie the rest up with string.

The up-side to this was that I could save the broken ones to enjoy inside.  The flower heads are resting on the top edge of the vase.  They're so lush and beautiful!  I had enough to share with a neighbor and we are both enjoying their delicate sweet scent.

Arranging a bowl of flowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day - like writing a poem or saying a prayer.  Anne Morrow Lindbergh

From the Ground Up at the Antiques and Garden Fair

Organic Gardening Display at the Antiques and Garden Fair - photo ©CindyRippe2013

This charming display by The Organic Gardener reminds me of the way my Grandfather would garden.  He was very proud of the natural materials that he used.  We've been going through old family pictures this week and even found one of him standing next to a pile of compost bigger than he was.  Maybe it was manure, I'm not sure. But the point is that he took care of the earth, didn't use chemicals, and had the most delicious vegetables I can ever remember eating.  There were flowers mixed in and they worked well together.

Throughout the Antiques and Garden Fair there were displays that combined leaf lettuce, herbs and flowers. I like the thought of enjoying the view as you gather the ingredients for your lunch.  All the while, your are making good use of the soil, enriching it for future generations, and all that healthy food is good for you!


When we heal the earth, we heal ourselves.  David Orr

Visiting Botanic Gardens and a walk with Nature

Walking with Nature ©CindyRippe2013 - quote by John Muir

Time to reconnect with nature.  I have gardens to see, flowers to plant, and memories to capture. Yes, there are the usual household chores that need to be done each Spring, but I'm grateful that I get to balance the work with visits to Botanic Gardens, work in my own garden and have time to seek out the changes that happen each day as nature celebrates new life.

The gardens I visit most often are Morton Arboretum, Chicago Botanic Gardens, Fernwood Gardens, Pilcher Park and Lake Katherine.  As a member of Morton Arboretum I have reciprocal privileges at botanical gardens across the county.  Many times when we plan a trip we work around a visit to one of these gardens.  Entry or parking is usually free with my Morton Arb membership card which really adds up by the end of the year.  The walking paths are great for exercise, the fresh air and beauty is soul restoring, and there are great ideas for planning your own garden. Search for a garden near you on the American Horticultural Society Reciprocal Admissions Program site.

Which garden can you recommend that we visit on our next trip?

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in. George Washington Carver

Creativity in the Garden - Repurposing a Vintage Watering Can

Reuse that leaky vintage watering can as a garden hose rack ©CindyRippe2013

I'm a collector of vintage garden tools.  Not for the antique value but for the charm that it adds to our garden.  This idea of hanging the watering can on it's side and re-purposing it as a garden hose rack really gets me excited to start working in the garden.  (from the Victory Garden Display at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show designed by the Peterson Garden Project.) It will be fun to think of ways to use them in new ways.  I past summers I've used them as planters, had them hanging along the fence, and tucked in among the flowers. 

What can you re-purpose for your garden or deck this year?

Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things. Theodore Levitt

Upcycling Windows for the Garden

I really liked this entrance display at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show.  A collection of old windows, with the original hardware and rough finish, gathered together with chains.  White vinyl die-cuts with different, yet similar, designs tied everything together to make one large garden screen.  It's so different! The fact that it's all white is perfect for my design style.

 

 My friend, Cindy, and SIL, Elena, have been decorating their gardens for years using this technique on old windows.  They've also created specific holiday themed designs.  I know that Cindy has been saving windows like this for a long time.  I wonder how many she has left?  I just might have to start searching for some of my own!

I know! I could paint the designs with DecoArt's Gloss Enamel paint instead of using the vinyl. I have some of that already.  Of course, with my focus on "clearing out" the clutter in my life, this might not be such a great idea right now.

But I can keep it in my design files for "some day" projects can't I?  It would be fun ......... 

Have you made anything like this for your own garden? 

Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun. Mary Lou Cook