Who knew cucumbers could do all this!

Image from Wikipedia 

I haven't grown cucumbers for years and this article on FaceBook by Mike Suddaby has sparked my interest in growing some veggies in my garden again. (But did you know that cucumbers are scientifically classified as fruits? Much like tomatoes and squash, however, their sour-bitter flavor contributes to cucumbers being perceived, prepared and eaten as vegetables.) In fact, I haven't grown ANY vegetables for years. I can just imagine picking my own green beans again (one of my favourites!) and tomatoes and green peppers and squash. Absolute bliss!

I'm just wondering if the cucumbers, and any other vegetables, will survive the onslaught of the chickens…

 Doesn't this look just too delicious for words?

"Spice up your 8 glasses per day of water with a slice or two of cucumber. It's wonderfully refreshing, but there are amazing benefits to cucumber as well. Cucumbers are cooler than you think ...

1. Fat busting:
Do you ever wonder why women put cucumbers on their eyes to relieve puffiness? The photochemical in cucumbers makes the collagen in your skin tighten, thus the lack of puffiness. Did you know that you can rub a cucumber on a problematic spot of cellulite anywhere on your body to lessen the visibility of it? Did you also know that it has the same effect on wrinkles? Wow, it makes purchasing those fifty dollar creams seem a little silly, doesn’t it? You can also rub a little bit under your kiddo’s eyes after a long bout of crying to avoid that puffy ‘I cried for an hour straight’ look.

2. Defogger:
Do you get annoyed when you get out of the shower and you have to fight the fog on the mirror? Who has time for that when the kids will be awake at any moment? Try rubbing a slice of cucumber on the mirror before you hop in and not only will you get a fog-free mirror, but you’ll have a nice smell that will boost your mood.

3. Headaches:
If you suffer from headaches from chasing your babies all day (or pets or your husband), or had a little too much wine with dinner and want to avoid a hangover, eat half of a cucumber before bed. Cucumbers are high in B vitamins, sugar, and electrolytes, and they replenish the nutrients missing in your body to help you avoid a hang over or to beat that headache that’s been threatening to take over.

4. WD-40 replacement: 
Did you know you can get rid of a squeak by rubbing a cucumber on the hinge? Wow, now you don’t have to tear your garage apart looking for that little can with the red straw, and the baby won’t wake up when you slowly open the nursery door to check on him.

5. Crayon on the walls:
Take an un-peeled cucumber and rub the crayon off of the walls in the event that your kiddo left you some art. You can also use this technique to erase a pen mistake. .

6. Halitosis killer:
Take a slice of cucumber and put it on the roof of your mouth. Hold it there with your tongue for 30 seconds. The photochemical that you love for cellulite and puff reduction will also kill the bacteria that is causing your bad breath.

7. Tarnish remover:
If you’re finding tarnish on your stainless steel kitchen faucets and appliances? Rub it off with a cucumber slice. Not only will it remove years of tarnish, it will leave it streak free and your hands will thank you, and your kids won’t be put at risk from a dangerous chemical.

8. Energy booster:
If you’re feeling tired in the afternoon, don’t give Starbucks your five bucks. Instead, grab a cucumber. There are just enough carbohydrates and B vitamins to give you a longer-lasting and healthier boost of energy than soda, coffee, or those health hazard energy drinks.

9. Munchy madness:
Did you know that European trappers ate cucumbers for energy and to keep from starving to death? If those big burly manly men can eat a cucumber to keep from starving, you can eat one as a healthy choice when the munchies hit. Slice some up and take them in a small plastic container to the movies if your theater doesn’t offer healthy alternatives to munching on butter soaked popcorn.

10. Frugal facial:
Slice up a cucumber and boil it in a pot of water. The chemicals inside of the cucumber will mix with the steam. Remove the pot from heat and lean over it, letting the steam hit you. Your skin will be more radiant and healthy, and you will feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

11. Shoe polish:
Cut a slice off of your cucumber and rub it on your shoe. It will not only shine it up, but it will repel water.

12. Pest control: 
Put three or four slices of cucumber in a small pie tin and place them in your garden. The chemicals in the cucumber have a reaction that pests hate. You won’t smell it, but it will drive them from your garden all year long. Replace them periodically.

13. Sunburn:
Sometimes sun block doesn’t always protect your little ones from sunburn. If you have burnt little kiddos you don’t have any aloe, rub some cucumber on them. Many doctors even use cucumber to treat patients with irritated skin and sunburns.

14. Blood pressure:
Cucumber has been long used to treat high blood pressure. If you have it, add cucumbers to your daily diet. There is also ongoing research into the use of cucumbers for lowering cholesterol.

15. Constipation remedy: 
The seeds of a cucumber are a diuretic. If you’re constipated, try eating a cucumber. If you suffer from chronic constipation, add cucumber to your daily diet."
- Mike Suddaby 

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Ripe, red Chillies!

There's nothing more appealing than ripe red chillies!

What is so satisfying about growing chillies is their fruit can be used to make sauces, salsas, sambals, rubs, vinegars and oils, as well as just being chopped up and served fresh as an extra spice with a meal.

HARVESTING CHILLIES
To maximise the production of fruit, pinch off the growing tips of young plants. This encourages the formation of more branches and thus more fruit. Water frequently, especially when they are in flower. When chillies wilt, they tend to drop their flowers and that means no fruit. The area should also be sheltered from the wind so that the flowers don't get blown off. Regular feeding will also increase the yield. You can feed twice a month with a liquid pot plant food at half the strength or just once a month.

Another way to increase the yield is to do a staggered harvest. Start picking fruit when half of the crop is still green and don't wait for all the fruit to ripen. This tricks the bush into producing more flowers and fruit. When the mature fruit is ready for harvesting, there will still be another flush developing.

Green fruit is just as edible as the mature fruit, but is not as pungent. However, it is higher in Vitamin C, while the mature fruit is higher in Vitamin A (beta carotene) and is sweeter.

SALSA FRESCA
This is a very simple, quick and easy to make salsa that goes with absolutely everything - even bacon and eggs at breakfast.

4 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped Coriander or herb of your choice
Half a small onion, chopped
2 Fresh chillies, chopped
Juice of half a lemon
Half teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all the ingredients together and leave for 15 minutes before serving. Serve as an accompaniment to any bean, rice, egg or meat dish. Just remember that this salsa does not keep long not even in the fridge.

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Green tip #1 : Letting in the view

Why put up ugly blinds to darken your room and block out the light and the view? Why not plant a deciduous tree in the sun line outside your window? That way you can have shade and protection in the summer and sunlight in the winter and, at the same time, awesome colour in Autumn!

Planting a tree in front of a West-facing bedroom window cuts down on glaring sunlight in the afternoons and at the same time protects curtains from the scorching sun.

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For the love of English Ivy

The rugged trees are mingling

Their flowery sprays in love;

The ivy climbs the laurel

To clasp the boughs above.

Author: William Cullen Bryant

Hedera helix 'Hibernica', common ivy

I've always loved having Ivy in my garden, there's nothing like Hedera helix to quickly fill an empty spot or cover a fallen-down tree. I had a couple of patches of English Ivy in my previous garden as this species is very invasive and, if not kept in check, can take over the whole garden.

I had a gorgeous hedera helix climbing up my wall between my two kitchen windows and which was home to a pair of Wagtails. Opposite this was a dead tree totally covered in ivy and which was home to a pair of Robins. The close proximity of these two nests caused endless war between the Robins and the Wagtails, with the robins always coming out tops as the Wagtails are timid and shy birds. I used to hear the noise and screeching as the Robins terrorised the Wagtails from the kitchen, and rushing out to break up the raucous.

The dead tree covered in the ivy eventually toppled under the weight, leaving the Robins homeless, after which they, thankfully, moved to another part of the garden, leaving the Wagtails in peace.

FOLKLORE AND FACTS
It is said that Ivy is the goddess who carries life through the winter. Holly was her god. Ivy was in high esteem among the ancients and its leaves formed the poet's crown. It was dedicated to the Roman god Bacchus, the God of Intoxication who is often depicted wearing a wreath of ivy and grapevines. He is also depicted holding a chalice and carrying a wand which was entwined with ivy and vine leaves. Wearing a wreath of ivy leaves around the brow is supposed to prevent intoxication.

Ivy has been regarded as the emblem of fidelity and Greek priests would present a wreath of ivy to newly married persons. Women carried ivy to aid fertility and bring good luck. They also carried it to ensure fidelity and from this came the custom of brides carrying ivy.

The custom of decorating houses and churches with ivy at Christmas is sometimes seen as the Christian Church adopting pagan associations.

"Ivy - Hedera helix" watercolour - Maree©

Common names
Common English Ivy

Botanical name
Hedera helix

Poisonous parts
Leaves

Poisonous component
didehydrofalcarinol, falcarinol, hederasaponins

This vine is grown both as an indoor and outdoor ornamental and it has caused poisoning in cattle, dogs, sheep, and humans. Symptoms of ingestion are difficulty in breathing, convulsions, vomiting, paralysis and coma.

Dermatitis is rare but can be severe with weeping blisters which respond slowly to treatment. The berries are bitter so it's unlikely children will consume them in large quantities.

Hedera helix originates from Europe and in it's native habitat it is an important food source for a large number of insects and birds. English ivy is very popular as ornamental plant but this ivy is extremely invasive and is considered noxious in parts of the world where it has escaped into the wild. Ivy can become so dense as to exclude other native species creating ivy "deserts", even becoming so heavy as to topple trees - something which does not occur in its native habitat.

Cares melt when you kneel in your garden

Soil . . . scoop up a handful of the magic stuff. Look at it closely. What wonders it holds as it lies there in your palm. Tiny sharp grains of sand, little faggots of wood and leaf fiber, infinitely small round pieces of marble, fragments of shell, specks of black carbon, a section of vertebrae from some minute creature. And mingling with it all the dust of countless generations of plants and flowers, trees, animals and – yes – our own, age-long forgotten forebears, gardeners of long ago. Can this incredible composition be the common soil?

 - Stuart Maddox Masters, The Seasons Through 

It's that magic stuff, the soil, that keeps me gardening, and then it is watching each little seedling I planted growing stronger and more beautiful every day, responding to my little chats and watering, feeding and touching - I am convinced that plants respond to attention and affection the same way we humans do, with radiance and a smile! 

Plump, 2 or 3-lobed Nasturtium seeds - I've got a thing for them! I can spend hours sifting through nasturtium plants in search of these little beauties. Just a glimpse of them through the leaves sends me scurrying for a little container. I'm addicted to it. And then the planting of them. It is totally relaxing sitting flat on the freshly-turned ground, poking holes into the soft ground with your finger and dropping the seeds in one by one, knowing that, in just a couple of days, little plants will be popping through. 

Nasturtium seeds peeping through! 

Pure joy as the little plants start appearing! 

 

Naturtiums in the garden, nasturtiums in pots, nasturtiums everywhere! 

Every winter I bring some of my most prized potted cacti inside for over-wintering and this year I have also included a nasturtium to see of I could perhaps prolong the flowering season and have some colour inside.

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Connecting with your bliss

The above pic is my 'Money plant' (as I know it), intertwined with some ivy, hanging from a patio beam. The story goes that, if it dies, so does all your wealth. It's hanging outside on my patio and every winter I panic as I slowly see it die down but then, each spring, I rejoice as it springs back to life, thick and abundant, needing to be trimmed back every now and then.

This winter I brought it inside, just in case.... (smile!)

Deepak Chopra said, "Nothing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real." For me connecting with my bliss means pottering in the garden, feeling the rich soil between my fingers and nothing beats the feeling of actually holding the garden hose and watering the plants in stead of relying on an automated sprinkler system.

It's while you're watering that you notice all sorts of things - a dead plant, a mound of topsoil indicating the the mole is back in the garden again, aphids on the roses or red spider on the aloes. It also delights my senses to be "washing" the garden, removing dust from the leaves and giving the foliage a thorough cleansing.

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Another shelf in my garden shed

"The trouble with gardening is that is does not remain an avocation. It becomes an obsession."
-- Phyllis McGinley

Tools lined up in satisfying rows, scissors and twine within arm’s reach, a sink just for arranging flowers—the potting area ranks up there with the mudroom and flower room as the ultimate country fantasy. Don’t think you have space for one? You may want to think again.

My potting shed consists of an old carport, walled on two sides, with shelves on the walls and a couple of old tables and benches to make life comfortable. Wheelbarrows, hats, watering cans, terracotta pots and all sorts of paraphernalia to use in the garden is stored here. All you need is a little corner, partially protected from the elements, and Bob's your uncle!

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But, as you can see, my potting shed changes with the seasons. At the moment I have about 20 bales of grass (for the chicken coop) stored in there and half of Solly's chickens have moved in, so I daren't even take a picture!

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Vintages - An Old-fashioned Flower room

For the pleasure of puttering bouquets, any little alcove with a sink could turn out to be the happiest space in your house.

If you've ever trailed apple blossoms across the carpet as you hunted up the right vase, you might well have envied those grand Victorians who devoted one room exclusively to the arranging of flowers. Here, everything was at hand to shape beautiful bouquets - scissors, moss, pebbles, vases.

I like keeping all my flowering arrangement tools in one place and dedicated a cupboard with glass doors to this task, so that I can see everything at a glance. Available vases, secateurs, scissors, string, oasis, baskets to put the flowers into while cutting them in the garden, plastic liners, vase flower food, and all the necessary display items like pebbles, marbles, etc.

Today, one might dedicate a pantry, wet bar, half bath, or even a plumbed shed to the same creative purpose. Imagine all your favourite containers lined up on open shelves, and drawers for tools, foam and wire. Efficiency, after all, is the mother of the muse.

Call it your flower nook and paint the walls apple green or sunshine yellow. An old ladder or laundry drying rack makes a great space for hanging dried bouquets of lavender, hydrangeas or rosemary. Then let the snippets fly.

(All the above pics scanned from a 1970's "Victoria" magazine)

Now, what to put with these tulips? Ivy, or Ferns?

 Image from Pinterest

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Along the herbal path

I've always found herb-strewn stone paths and terraces incredibly appealing. Herbs tucked amid the stones seem to give a path, no matter how new, a sense of history and romance. There are several plants that thrive in these restricted spaces, ignoring the trauma of being trod upon, and when the Slasto path was being laid, I asked the gardener to leave s space here and there where I could tuck in some creeping thyme.

I bought several different varieties at the local nursery, dug them in the small pockets that had been left, watered them well and waited. Before long, the path had lost its harsh, just-finished look, and tiny purple and white flowers covered the little clumps of thyme that grew here and there, releasing their fresh fragrance whenever anyone walked by. Soon other plants joined the thyme. A few springs of mint escaped from the culinary garden, chamomile seeded itself here and there and even savory, yarrow and fennel popped up between the cracks. I pulled out most of the trespassers, with the exception of the chamomile with its tiny white flowers.

Eventually, the thyme threatened to cover the entire path, so several times a year I must harden my heart and ruthlessly lift great mats of it off the stones and cut them back. For a day or two, the plants look ungainly, but shortly they begin to spread out again, the edges of the patches softening once more. Through it all, the bees continue to buzz joyously among the thyme flowers, relishing this herbal path as much as I do.

A new stepping stone path taking shape leading to the cottage at the bottom of the garden planted with Nasturtiums, Rosemary and Wild Garlic. This area was surprisingly free of harmful insects, probably due to the Wild Garlic planted at intervals.

I find that any spot that's doing poorly in the garden,  especially shady spots under trees, benefit from laying a couple of paving slabs or adding some crushed stone and with a garden ornament or two, can be turned into a really stunning area.

 

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Staying inspired

I don't know about you, but it can be hard to stay inspired this time of the year. It's cold outside. It gets dark really early. And gets light really late. I'm an early riser and, as much as I love winter, the cold and long darkness can put a damper on creativity. Especially out in the garden.

Image from Pinterest

So each day I spend a couple of hours searching for inspiration on the internet or scratching around in my store room, trying to find something that I can use in the garden. Isn't the image above absolutely adorable?! I've even gravitated towards my husband's workshop, looking for an old car body that I can utilise like this.

But one needs quite a bit of space to utilise an old car body like that, not very practical or so easy to execute, I mean, who is going to carry it to the garden for me? So in the meantime, all I've come up with is an old wooden wheelbarrow, which I can visualise filled with pansies,  and an old vintage seed planter, which is badly in need of some wood protection for the handles and a coat of paint on the metal parts.

I placed them in the garden and now contemplate the next move. Pansies first and then out with the paint. I can't wait to tackle these two (small) projects and maybe follow up on some other ideas I came across, like this old door and frame somewhere in a corner of the garden.

Pinterest

Or a whole lot of terracotta pots (I'm just MAD about terracotta pots!) placed on top of the wall surrounding my garden. But who will be getting up the ladder to be watering them...?

 Pinterest

But first, I'm going inside to warm up with a nice cup of hot coffee! Enjoy your Saturday!

Pinterest

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“May I a small house and large garden have;
And a few friends,
And many books, both true.” 

― Abraham Cowley

Come to tea!

"Let each and all then grateful be

And hail a welcome guest in tea."

- Samuel Pepys

The pleasures of a cup of tea is known the world over. Find a comfy chair and pour yourself a spot of tea, preferably near a sun drenched open window, and revel in the sweet cakes and pastries to go with it.

Take a friend out for Afternoon Tea this week! It will be good for both of you! Nothing beats a cup of tea to promote good health and mental well being. Imagine that a little cup of tea can bring a smile to your face, warming your spirit and keeping your mind and body happy! We've all heard of the antioxidant benefits now consider the fact that going out to tea will boost your immune system by relieving stress! When was the last time you went to a quiet enjoyable lunch with a friend and really took time to listen?

The Preparation of tea is an elaborate affair and taken very seriously in tea drinkers' circles. The perfect cup or pot of tea is determined by the following factors:

• Type of tea

• Amount of tea leaves

• Water quality

• Water temperature

• Steep time

Type of Tea

The amount of tea leaves, water temperature and steep time depend on the type of tea to be infused, whether it is black tea, green tea, oolong, white tea, fruit blend, or an herbal infusion.

Amount of Tea Leaves

Using a teaspoon in your utensil drawer may result in tea that is too weak or too strong, since these teaspoons are not necessarily a standard teaspoon measure. Be sure to use a standard measure to measure your tea leaves, such as a Tea Measure Spoon. When making tea you haven't tried before, start by following the package directions and adjust the amount of tea leaves to taste the next time you make it. A rule of thumb is that fluffy teas, such as white teas, will require more of the leaves for making your infusion.

Water quality

Always be sure to use fresh water that is either filtered from the tap or bottled.

Water temperature

Black teas, herbal infusions, and fruit blends are hearty enough to stand up to boiling water. Oolongs, green teas, and white teas will be scalded if boiling water is used, which results in an infusion that is bitter and un-drinkable.

Steep Time

Black teas, herbal infusions, and fruit blends take longer to infuse and for the flavor to fully develop. Oolongs, green teas, and white teas are more delicate and will get bitter if steeped too long.

And, of course, the crockery and cutlery are of major importance. Drinking tea out of fine porcelain is one of the world's great pleasures. Drinking tea out of a thick mug or tin can only be tolerated under the most dire circumstances, like being on a camping trip and even then, preferably, it would have to be coffee, and not tea!

Throwing a tea bag into just any old cup and quickly pouring on boiling water and then filling up with milk is total sacrilege. Most English people I know have this ritual of steeping the tea (leaves) in a tea pot, and after the customary amount of time, pouring the milk first and then the tea.

Afternoon Tea at the Ritz in London is certainly a grand affair, for which you have to make a reservation. They have Afternoon Tea menus, absolutely scrumptious, Chocolate Afternoon Tea and Celebration Afternoon Tea and they are a member of the Tea Council's prestigious Tea Guild.

Tea at the Ritz, London

The pastries and accompaniments to serving tea are equally important and part of the ritual. Setting your tea table with your best tea pot and cutlery can be an exciting and fulfilling exercise and baking the pastries and biscuits yourself gives it a special, unique touch.

Exquisite cutlery for the perfect tea party


3-Tier biscuit tray

And, of course, a special tea towel is a must, embroidered or appliquéd (by yourself, naturally!) with vintage 19th Century French tea towels being at the top of the list.

Tea towel embroidered with a sprig of Lavender

SOME TEA PARTY RECIPES :

Royal Tea

Beginning with a glass of Pear Sparkler,

Freshly baked Scone with

Clotted Cream & Lemon Curd,

Petit Soup du Jour,

A selection of Seasonal Tea Sandwiches

with Assorted Savouries & Sweet Delights

Tea of your choice

Cream Tea

Freshly baked Scones with

Clotted Cream & Lemon Curd,

Strawberry Preserves &

Tea of your choice

Full Tea

Beginning with a

Freshly baked Scone with

Clotted Cream & Lemon Curd,

Petit Soup du Jour,

A selection of Tea Sandwiches

with Assorted Savories & Sweet Delights

Tea of your choice

Child's Tea

~ 10 and under ~

Peanut Butter & Jam Sandwich

with fresh fruit, home baked Cookies,

Lemonade or Chocolate Milk

Call your girlfriend this week and take care of each other's mind and spirit over a good cup of tea!

(Some pics scanned from a 1979 'Victoria' magazine)

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Go confidently

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Every day is a gift

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In regte vulpenwoorde

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Earth first

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