kidskastleplans

 
 My Dad is 83 and he designed a darling "kids kastle" for my grandson, Blake. Blakes' Great Grandpa, Popo, and Daddy
built the kids kastle and Blake just loves to play in his own special  playhouse with all of his friends even his Nona. Dad  just created four  new special playhouse plans for other families to build and enjoy.

 If you ever dreamed of building a  "kids kastle"  this is the way to go!

http://www.kidskastleplans.com/

Aug. Flowers

Here it is the end of August and I wanted to share my gardening highlights. We planted Sunflowers from seeds and they are towering at ten feet. Some face the morning sun and others the west depending where they are located in the garden. The "Touch-Me-Nots" Impatiens Balsamii have performed like troopers. Our Hummingbirds visit the flowers every morning and evening. The Morning Glory seeds from last year that I replanted this Spring are doing great. I have tried many varieties but this is the best one to germinate and grow so lushly. I think its a Mixed Giants but I have to check. My purple Dahlia is blooming and all the Coleus are very showy. I have made up some tasty Spagetti Sauce with fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, oregano, onions, parsley, assorted meats, and olive oil. Yum!.

Arbor Day and the Dogwood

Arbor Day is April 24th this year and what a great time to plant a dream tree from your garden wishes list. There are a few I would love but number one is a Dogwood. These trees are dressed up with elegant pink or white blooms covering the entire tree. In front of St. Michael's Parish in Boulder Creek is an amazing Dogwood that blooms with both colors and seems to be in bloom right around Easter time.
According to Wikipedia, "there is a Christian legend of unknown origin that proclaims that the cross used to crucify Jesus was constructed of dogwood. As the story goes, during the time of Jesus, the dogwood was larger and stronger than it is today and was the largest tree in the area of Jerusalem. After his crucifixion, Jesus changed the plant to its current form: he shortened it and twisted its branches to assure an end to its use for the construction of crosses. He also transformed its inflorescence into a representation of the crucifixion itself, with the four white bracts cross-shaped, which represent the four corners of the cross, each bearing a rusty indentation as of a nail and the red stamens of the flower, represents Jesus' crown of thorns, and the clustered red fruit represent his blood ."

Feb. Dream Gardens

My dear gardening friend, Sunshine, and I picked our dream plants today over coffee. They are Forsythia, Lilacs in pink, purple, and white, the Snowball Bush, and lots of Wysteria draping through the lath house. These are all plants that remind us of our youth and other gardens in long ago time. Aye we were a wee bit wistful for those days of yore and the special people who tended our dream gardens so lovingly. Jesus thanks for all the flowers you let us enjoy. I forgot to add cherry trees to the dream garden.The cherry buds are almost ready to burst into bloom - so enjoy this picture of last year's glory and the blessings of the flowers of Spring.

Native Plants

Have you ever planted native plants? Some good choices for the central coast of California are the Beach Strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), the Bush Monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus) and the Scarlet Pimpernal (Anagallis arvenis). Pretty flowers and drought-tolerant: what a perfect addition to the garden. Another favorite of mine is the Ribes Speciosium! Let me know if you have others to add.

Sept. Flowers

Ahh the Fairy Flowers! This is the special name my daughter, Colleen, and I gave to the flowers when we first grew them in our garden. An English lady, Mrs. Batcabe, gave some plants to my husband, Trace, to plant in our garden. The next spring they were popping up everywhere. Bees, butterflies and the joyful hummingbirds loved the nectar. What a delightful treat to watch the tiny dances of the hummingbirds. Shimmering, green feathers and whirring wings!
This plant is known as a "Touch -me -not" because the seeds explode when ripe, scattering in all directions. I have also heard the flower called an "English Impatiens " but the true name is Impatiens Balfourri hook. Here's a great picture created by Paul Berry for the Wisconsin State Herbarium.

Autumn Joy

Aug. 21st marks the beginning of the last month of "official" summer. What a wonderful time to plant for Fall's flowers. One of my top favorites is "Autumn Joy" Sedum from the genus Stonecrop. No, the plants don't literally grow out of the stone but you will often see them in the rock garden and used for border plantings. If you want to attract butterflies and bees, plant in partial shade to full sun and savor the warm colors of pink, red orange and yellow when the Sedum blossoms. The leaves are succulent and you may break off a piece and plant it right in the soil to grow more plants. One additional benefit is it dies back in the cold of winter only to emerge again in Spring. So try this plant as you begin thinking about Fall flowers. Truly it will live up to the name " Autumn Joy!"

Heat Wave and Trout

Central California is experiencing a heat wave: 106 degrees in the shade. Living in the Santa Cruz Mountains this kind of heat means many gardening chores simmer for another day. The gardens were watered in the cool of the evening and we've checked to make sure no plant was forgotten. It's just too hot to do much of anything but sit by a fan. Here's a great way to get out and enjoy the sweltering weather. We like to go to Henry Cowell Park in Felton and take a leisurely walk to the river. We all get in the river and go river walking in the cool water. After awhile the shore beckons and we sit on the beach and squish our toes into the damp sand. Ahh relaxation! There's fishing, hiking, and exploring to add to our fun. We wanted to share a picture of the first fish our grandson, Blake ever caught. It was a trout caught in Loch Lomond, fishing with his Mama. They breaded the fish, fried it and Blake really loved the flavor. Any good fish stories out there?

June's Tune

Today marks the end of June plantings. I wanted to share the bountiful blessings of having a garden. Some of the plants growing in my garden now are Strawberries, Tomatoes, Sweet Peas, Morning Glories, Marigolds, Trombochini Squash, and one Zucchini. The herbs are Lavender, Parsley, (Italian and Curly), Cilantro, Basil, Oregano, Sage, Dill and Chives. I am disappointed that the Moon Flower seeds did not survive the cold evenings but everything else has flourished! Some highlights are the Blue Storm Petunias, red Fibrous Begonias, violet and pink Impatiens, purple and red Snapdragons, and white, pink and lavender Dianthus from six-packs. The native Iris are done blooming but were so spectacular. My daughter Aurora gave me two Tuberous Begonias and my other daughter, Colleen, gave me some Sages. I can't wait until the three-day week-end to garden! What is growing in your garden?

Mighty Bee's Great Escape

Mighty Bee, the tiniest of baby bees, flew into the Big House and landed on the window screen. The window was open and the Jasmine vine was full of lovely scented flowers, wafting into the room. Mighty buzzed around trying to make his escape but alas! little Mighty was stuck and scared. He tried to make a Big Buzz but quiet baby bee buzzing is all he could muster.Trace heard the soft buzzing and came over to the window to investigate. There was Mighty, trying to be brave but starting to lose his courage. Trace understood his plight, put out his finger, and little Mighty Bee crawled to safety. Steady Mighty Bee soon you'll be free and sure enough Trace opened the door and gingerly set Mighty down. He scampered onto the flower and felt the soft velvet petunia blossum underneath his baby bee feet. Soon he was sipping the sweet nectar and the dark memory of the Big House dimmed. Mighty Bee was finally safe!

Magical Midsummer's Eve

Midsummer Day was celebrated on June 24th in honor of St. John the Baptist who baptized our dear Lord Jesus Christ. Festivals were held to enjoy the warmer days and nights. Some whispered that if women plucked seven different varieties of wildflowers and tucked them under their soft pillows, visions of future loves would color their dreams. Young people would dress up in folk costumes and go out dancing, drinking, and singing until the wee hours of the evening. It was a night when water was turned into wine and the angels watched over the faithful. Religious folks might visit a holy spring to give praise to St. John the Baptist. Many considered Midsummer's Day Eve an auspicious time to wed. Do you have plans to acknowledge this special day?

Blue Native Flowers

Have you ever seen the Phlox divaricata "London Grove Blue?' The lovely, violet-blue, sweet smelling flowers beckon the bees and butterflies to 'have a little nip" and enjoy their nectar. Remember the gorgeous Tiger Swallowtail butterflies that flew around you as you lay on the cool grass on a broiling hot summer's day? Butterflies love this native plants flowers! Hummingbirds and Bees are also drawn to this wildland native. Sometimes called Wild Sweet William think about adding this spreading groundcover in semi-shady areas of your garden and plant it in rich humus. Lay back and dream on a sunny day and delight in God's handiwork.

Spiders: the Wonder Workers

Cleaning twenty-three windows on our two-story home in the Santa Cruz Mountains got me thinking about the winter storms and spiders. Spiders created wonderous webs to catch all manner of insects in the corners of each window. Inside and out there were silky threads woven in many delicate patterns. Please remember that our spiders kill many damaging insects and be careful before wiping out their homes. Slow down, observe their magic, and lightly escort them to an outdoor space that needs a defender. They work!

Back to Bees

Last month I mentioned that the bee population is diminishing. Today I read an article by Juliana Burbassa and learned over 30% of commercially managed hives have been lost this year. Gardeners, our bees are so important for pollination that we can not afford to lose anymore. Plant a bee loving plant this May and help keep our bees buzzing around the yard. Ceonothus ( Mountain Lilac) is covering the hillsides now and is a native, drought-resistant plant to add to your garden. There are many varieties to choose from such as "Julia Phelps" that can attract bees and offer a hazy mist of flowers for your gazing pleasure.

May Day

May Day was always a time for flowers. We would gather flowers, ribbons, and candy and make May Baskets to give to friends and family. There was an old tradition to leave a May Basket on someone's doorstep, run away, and if caught exchange a kiss. Nowadays many people have forgotten about the May Baskets. If you would like to make one for your sweetie, check out the following website: http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/ Happy May Day!

Herbs and Blurbs

Heres my "little froggy "grandson, Blake, getting ready to hop into bed. Last weekend he visited and he helped his Nona plant tomatoes and water the Lavenders. We had so much fun working in the garden and playing outside! Just wait until he see the herbs I planted....

Planting herbs in the Spring garden such as Dill, Cilantro, and Basil and my mouth waters for some of the yummy foods we create from their bounty. Think Salmon and Dill lends its flavor to the sweet taste, Cilantro and spicy Salsas, Basil and the old stand by-Pesto. What's your favorite herb to grow in your garden and do you have a favorite recipe that incorporates its flavor?

April Blooms

It's been cool here in the Santa Cruz Mountains but the garden is growing and little treasures keep popping up. Sweet pea and Moonflower seeds are boldly pushing their way into the cool Spring air. The Wysteria is unfurling soft, velvety leaves, tentatively stretching towards the sun. Wild onions have emerged with their white flowers dancing among the orange Montbretia. The Japanese Maples are clothed in new leaves and spreading their limbs. Sunday Trace noticed our squirrel wind chime softly singing the wind's tune. Weather people say warmth is on it's way and Saturday may bring us an 80 degree sitting-out- on- the-patio- listening-to-the-birds-afternoon.