Making Signs for Spring!!

I don’t know about you, but I am ready for winter to be over. We have had snow on the ground now since the beginning of November and I am completely fed up with living the majority of my life indoors. I need to be outside. I need sunshine. I need birdsong. I need the smell of earth in my nostrils and bare earth beneath my feet. I NEED SPRING! Unfortunately . . .  it is only the beginning of February. Spring is still several weeks (hopefully not too many more!) away.

Since I can’t be outside playing in the dirt quite yet, I have focused on bringing a feeling of Spring into my shop. It started with painting some bunnies, a duck, and a goose, and moved on to some Spring inspired end tables and a neutral display in my front window complete with some faux white tulips and baby’s breath that I found on Amazon.

This past week, since I was in need of a project to complete for my Tuesday YouTube video, I decided to make some Spring signs using salvaged wood from my pile, some old signs that I had thrifted, and the ends of a magazine rack that I had sitting in my “to do” pile.

I enjoy making signs. But it really is a pretty time-consuming process. I spent the first day (well, the bulk of it anyway), just creating the templates for the stencils I would be printing with my Cricut. Part of the issue I suppose is that I tend to get a little lost in the process and can get sidetracked looking for artwork or fonts to use . . . . I love fonts and can waste inordinate amounts of time just trying to pick one.

Once I had the designs all formatted in Design Space (Cricut’s design platform), it was time to start prepping all of my pieces for paint and eventually their stencils. I had picked out eight different pieces – the two ends of the magazine rack, two pieces salvaged from the sides of an old dresser drawer, two wooden and one metal sign that I had thrifted, and a leftover chunk of board from the shelves we put up a while back.

The “Before” Pile

The first thing I needed to do was fill the holes in the magazine rack from the screws that had kept it all together. Now, I only filled the four holes along the sides of each end piece. I left the hole in the top open so that it can be used to hang it on the wall once it is finished. To fill the holes I used Durham’s water putty, which tends to be my go-to for this process. It’s pretty simple to use – you just put some of the powder in a small dish and then add tiny amounts of water until you get the consistency you want. For this project I mixed it pretty thick, and after covering the holes on the back side with some masking tape, I used my fingers followed by a putty knife to push the putty into the holes. I left a little mound of putty on the front side over each hole because I have found that it tends to shrink just a little, and I wanted a smooth surface when I was done sanding.

Next, I sanded the two drawer sides, and the wood and metal signs. The signs needed to be sanded  to ensure that the old designs didn’t leave a shadow beneath the new paint, and the old drawer sides were just a bit rough (and dirty). Then, when the putty was dry, I sanded the front and back of the two magazine rack ends and gave everything a good wipe down with a damp shop towel.

Sanding time!

Then it was on to paint. I picked out my colors – White Swan, Little Black Dress, Faded Burlap and Farm Fresh – and since I had eight pieces, I painted two in each of the colors, giving each of the pieces two coats on the front side, the two magazine rack ends and one of the wood signs received one coat of paint to their respective back sides. (The other pieces just got cleaned up really well on the back side once they were dry). Then I distressed each piece and sealed them all with one coat of Big Top.

Paint, Distress, Seal

The next step of this process was “printing” the stencils and getting them transferred to their designated painted piece. Once I had measured out the piece of vinyl I needed, cut it out and adhered it to my cutting mat, I “printed” it using my Cricut. Then I weeded, taped, peeled, placed, peeled, smoothed, stenciled, and weeded again each individual sign, fixing any issues that popped up as I went. If you have never stenciled a sign before, it’s not a difficult process. There are just many steps and a few of them (particularly the weeding part) can be a little monotonous. If you’re in need of detailed instructions, there are many YouTube videos available to help. That is how I learned to use my Cricut!

Creating and painting the stencils

Unfortunately this process never seems to go perfectly for me, and these projects were no exception. The first of the stencils was “WELCOME” (without the “O” because I am going to use a small wreath instead of the letter), and the sign was relatively long, which meant the design was going to go right to the edge of my mat when it was cut. And it did. And I should have cut the vinyl just a TAD longer. Thankfully, although it was close, there was enough of the “W” that I just needed to put a piece of masking tape over the very end of it to make it usable. Whew! Then, the “v” in one of the signs didn’t get cut properly because an air bubble popped up in the vinyl as it was being cut. To fix it I cut out a small square of vinyl, copied and pasted the “v” to new canvas, “printed” it, and once I had stenciled the design (with the messed up “v” covered by some masking tape) and weeded it, I added the new “v”, stenciled it, weeded it, and TADA! All fixed!

Fixing the “v”

Once the signs were all done it was time to seal them. This step was required because I used my DIY paint for the stencils, and it can be reactivated with water. For the last coat of sealant I took each one outside and used Rustoleum clear matte spray over the entire piece. I tend to use spray sealer for this step because in the past when using a brush on sealant or a wax, it reactivated the stencil paint and ended up smearing it. Spraying ensures that smearing and smudging aren’t a worry.

Final Coat!!

The only thing left to do at that point was add some hangers to the back of one of the signs, add the wreath as the “O” in WELCOME (I used some ivory colored berry garland that I had laying around and simply rolled it into the appropriate size and used hot glue to attach it), embellish the handles of the magazine rack signs with some jute and lace.

Embellishments

And after all of that, I have eight hand stenciled spring signs ready to go out on the floor! It was quite the process, but I am really happy with how they all look, and I am already looking forward to making some more. Now if only they could magically make it Spring . . . .  

All Done!

My One Year Anniversary

Today is the one-year anniversary of the opening of my shop. As I sit here reflecting on the past year I am filled with a sense of gratitude. I am so grateful that I found this little building, and that I had so much support from friends and family who all helped me get it painted and ready to open. I am grateful to the neighborhood and the people in it for their warm welcome and their undying support throughout the past year. I am grateful for every single one of my customers. I am grateful to my husband without whom this dream of mine would still be just that – a dream. I am grateful for friends and family who lend an ear when I’ve had a bad day, who are there when I am in need and who are forever my cheerleaders and help keep me going.

It was a good year. I learned so much. I met so many wonderful people. And I am really looking forward to this next year. I have so many plans and I hope that it will be even better than the past one.

As I sit here drinking my coffee and getting ready to open today, I pray for my business to keep building momentum. I pray more and more people will hear about my shop and come in. I pray that the financial burden of inflation will ease for all of us so that fun little shops like mine can survive. And I pray that you all have a wonderful holiday season filled with friends and family, great memories and much joy.

Tomatoes! (part four)

Well, next week I should finally be able to bring my tomato plants to the Cottage! Yay! Thankfully it looks as though the cold nights might finally be behind us – thank goodness. This is my first year growing a couple of these varieties, but I have grown Micro Tom every year since I started growing tomatoes, and it is always a charmer. The plants are adorable and no one can ever believe that it actually puts out tomatoes with its short stature of only 6 to 8 inches, but it really does!

Amish Paste

This Roma type tomato comes from an Amish community in Wisconsin and is rumored to be the absolute best paste tomato out there, but from what I read they also make a wonderful sauce.

Martino’s Roma

This Italian heirloom is great for just about anything – sauces, paste, salsas or salads – the pear shaped fruit is meaty and richly flavored. The vines are very productive and will produce hundreds of 2 ounce fruits borne in clusters of four to six in a season.

German Lunchbox

Brought to the US by a German family who emigrated here and had been growing this tomato for many years, the German lunchbox tomato is about the size of a small egg and is a perfectly sweet snacking tomato.

Alice’s Dream

Alice’s Dream tomato is one of the prettiest tomatoes that you will ever grow. This beautiful yellow and orange, bi-color fruit turns darker on the top side with blushes of yellow, orange and reds and is bursting with antioxidants and an incredible depth of flavor. The fruits are sweet and earthy with very upfront fruitiness. Vines are relatively hardy, prolific and tall.

Dad’s Sunset

A beautiful golden orange heirloom, dad’s sunset tomatoes are both pretty and delicious. With a round, unblemished, smooth skinned 10 ounce fruit that has a slightly tart yet wonderfully sweet flavor, these gorgeous sunset hued tomatoes are a great for salads or snacking.

Micro Tom

The world’s tiniest tomato plant! If you don’t have the luxury of a garden or you are just looking for a novelty to put in a pot, this adorable tomato plant might be just what you are looking for. At a whopping 6 to 8 inches in height, this little plant manages to produce tons of tiny but flavorful cherry tomatoes all season long. And, given the right conditions, this little cutie can be grown in a windowsill to give you fresh cherry tomatoes to add to your salads all year long!

Tomatoes! (part three)

We are quickly sneaking up on May already, and my tomatoes are still safely tucked away from the weather since it is still dipping down below freezing on occasion. I am hoping that by next week I will be able to start bringing them to the nursery, as my poor little greenhouse is bursting at the seams!! Here are six more tomato varieties that you will find at the nursery – hopefully soon!! 🙂

Brandywine

Brandywine is the standard by which other heirloom beefsteak tomato varieties are usually measured. It dates all the way back to 1885 and has been cherished for many years for its large, perfectly flavored fruit. It does require a little extra care, and I found a good article with lots of information on growing them here.

Yellow Brandywine

A big, beautiful yellow/orange heirloom tomato with a rich, creamy texture and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The fruits can get up to two pounds on potato leafed vines that are heavy producers. They are perfect in salads, appetizers, and make a great slicing tomato – many of the reviews I read said that it even had a better flavor than the pink brandywine variety!

Cherokee Purple

Another lovely heirloom tomato, Cherokee purple is renowned for its delicious balanced flavor that is sweet, acidic, and savory with a hint of smoke. It is a beefsteak style tomato with dusky purplish pink color on the outside and beautiful dark red flesh that is rumored to have been passed down by the Cherokee tribe. I found a good video on the Cherokee purple tomato here. It is definitely a tomato worth planting!

Black Beauty

An abundant beefsteak heirloom style tomato, black beauty is the world’s darkest tomato. The antioxidant anthocyanin is what gives it the dark coloring and is the same antioxidant found in blackberries and blueberries. It is a striking fruit whose flesh is a nice red color with an earthy, somewhat sweet and tangy flavor that from what I read in one article, deepens deliciously if you let them sit on your counter for a few days before eating.

Dr. Wyche’s Yellow

Another gorgeous yellow heirloom beefsteak tomato, Dr. Whyche’s yellow is a large tomato – often up to a pound in size, with a slightly flattened globe shape. The flavor is sweet and tropical – perfect for slicing and eating right out of the garden.

White Beauty (Snowball)

An heirloom variety that reportedly dates all the way back to 1850, these tomatoes are one of the prettiest tomatoes you can grow and their flavor is sweet, juicy, balanced and delicious. The prolific plants produce large tomatoes that average 8 to 12 ounces and blush slightly pink as they ripen.

Tomatoes! (part two)

The weather this past week was so crazy! Thankfully all of my babies are in heated spaces, but it got so cold a couple of nights ago that some of the the plants that were closest to the walls in the greenhouse got zapped! The losses weren’t huge, but still very frustrating. I have also been dealing with internet issues at home, and since home in the early mornings is when I have time to sit and write, I haven’t been able to work on this post – which has also been frustrating! So here – finally – is the second set of six varieties of tomato that I have growing!!

Mortgage Lifter

Developed in the 1930’s by an inexperienced tomato breeder who simply wanted a “big” tomato, Charlie Byles bred these beauties and reportedly sold enough of them for $1 apiece to pay off his $6000 mortgage – which is where they got their name. Mortgage lifter tends to be a very prolific tomato plant and the fruits are large, smooth, and have a mild tomato flavor with few seeds. They are great for tomato sandwiches!

Missouri Love Apple

This pink potato leaved variety has been around since the Civil War and was grown during that time as an ornamental because people believed that “love apples” as they were called then were poisonous. They are a flavorful beefsteak style heirloom with large fruit that is slightly sweet with just the right amount of acidity.

German Pink

One of the tomatoes that originally ignited the heirloom movement in America, this variety originated in Bavaria and made its U.S. debut in 1883. The luxuriant potato-leaf plants give high yields of 1- to 2-lb, nearly seedless meaty fruit with a full sweet flavor. This gorgeous pink fruit is extremely versatile, excellent for canning and freezing but also for slicing and juicing.

Solar Flare

A large beefsteak tomato that is not only beautiful, but delicious! The eye-catching red and gold striped fruits are meaty and flavorful, offering good scab resistance and a great yield. A real work horse!

Yellow Pear

A fantastic smaller pear shaped tomato with a mild sweet taste and a slight citrus tang, they are the perfect addition to summer recipes. The vines can reach up to 8 feet or longer, so make sure to give it adequate room and support.

Pineapple

Pineapple tomato is as pretty as it is delicious. The large fruits were named pineapple not because of their flavor, but because its appearance when sliced is reminiscent of its namesake. The skin is a beautiful yellow with red highlights, but the beauty continues to the flesh which is a rainbow of red, pink, orange and yellow. It has a mild, relatively sweet and slightly fruity flavor with a lower acidity than many, and the tomatoes themselves are quite large – often up to two pounds.

Tomatoes! (part one)

I have been working on getting my tomato babies potted up and in to trays. I planted around 25 varieties of heirloom type tomatoes this year – it was so hard to narrow down my list to just these, but I am still a bit limited on space since my greenhouse is only 8 feet by 12 feet and beyond that I have to become a little “inventive” in finding room for things, haha. I think the varieties I have chosen offer a lot of great choices though, and since I know many of their names aren’t really familiar I thought I would post a little more information about each of them!

The following are the first six of the twenty-something varieties that I planted, so there will be more to come!

Pantano Romanesco

A beautiful red heirloom tomato from Italy with deep, rich tomato flavor. Wonderful slicer and great for sauces pastes and drying, this rare stunner will produce tons of flavorful tomatoes on large vines. Indeterminate.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green

A gorgeous green heirloom beefsteak with an outstanding spicy sweet flavor. The flesh is a pretty chartreuse and they are very meaty. From everything I read, these are really tasty tomatoes! Here is a link to a video review that I thought was helpful!

Tappy’s Heritage

This one has smooth, large red, globe-shaped fruit with good disease resistance, great yields, perfect shape, and wonderful flavor. It’s superb for market growers.

Green Doctors

This is a delicious cherry tomato variety that is sweet with just the right amount of tart. A beautiful lime green tomato with kiwi green flesh, the large vines will produce tons of these awesome little snackers all summer long! Here is a link to a video with more information about just how delectable this little tomato is!

Pink Boar

Gorgeous wine colored fruit with metallic green stripes, pink boar is a little smaller tomato that really packs a punch of delicious flavor. It is a great producer and will give you tons of tomatoes throughout the season. From what I read it is a delicious variety for a simple summer caprese!

Green Zebra

Great for salads or salsas, green zebras are a beautiful newer variety that has been deemed an “heirloom by descent”. It is a medium sized tomato that is chartreuse with deep lime-green stripes. It is a good producer and has a rich, sweet flavor with just the right amount of bite. Here is a link to a video that gives a great description.

Houseplants 101 – Crassula

Crassula is a hugely diverse group of succulent plants that includes around 350 different species, most of which come from the cape of South Africa. They come in many forms – from creepers and ground covers to small trees and even some that have adapted to become aquatic, they vary in shape, size, texture and color, but they are almost all relatively slow growers and make good candidates as houseplants.

Being a succulent, crassula is a relatively easy plant to grow. So what, exactly, IS a succulent? As defined by Britannica, a succulent is any plant with thick fleshy tissues adapted to water storage. These plants have adapted to survive drought not only by retaining water but by how they capture and use water.

Currently in the shop I have two varieties of crassula – Crassula ovata ‘Hobbit’ (Hobbit Jade) and Crassula ovata ‘Variegata’ and I will be receiving a third – Crassula pellucida ‘Variegata’ (Calico Kitten) later this week. So far I am in love with how different each species is, and I can’t wait to keep trying new varieties!

Hobbit Jade is an interesting plant. To me it almost doesn’t look real. The leaves themselves don’t resemble a traditional leaf at all – they are basically round tubes – some with red at the tip. These guys are slow growers but can eventually reach three feet in height. Their slow growth and woody, well branched stems make them a great candidate for bonsai, and they also fare well as a terrarium specimen.

Variegated Jade is a pretty crassula with leaves that are pale green with creamy variegation and pink tips if grown with enough sunlight. It is a little smaller variety that will probably reach about a foot tall, and like its cousin is a slow grower.

Calico Kitten is a beautiful little trailing crassula with heart-shaped leaves that are pink, white and green. It will only reach around 6 inches in height, but its stems can be as long as 12 inches, so it is a great plant to place on a stand or pedestal.

As crassula are succulents, they want well draining soil and not a lot of water – especially if they are in a closed pot, and like most house plants they will need a little more water during the spring and summer months than during the fall and winter. They will typically need water every two to three weeks. Fertilize your crassula two to three times a year with a water soluble fertilizer, making sure to water the plant first and then water with the fertilizer. They like plenty of light, so near a western or south facing window would be optimal, and some direct light will help to keep their colors vibrant. As they grow you will want to “pot up” your crassula, but keep in mind that it likes its roots to be relatively confined, so a large roomy pot is not ideal. They like a warm environment with relatively low humidity but from what I’ve read they can tolerate a little higher humidity as well. The rule of crassula is that of all succulents – do NOT over love them. They need to dry out between waterings, and they will let you know with wrinkled leaves if they aren’t getting enough. They are also toxic to pets, so if you have a dog or cat who likes to munch on leaves, these are one variety of plant that needs to be kept out of their reach.

Crassula’s easy care nature and slow growth rate makes them ideal for a beginning plant collector, and with the diversity of the genus and the stark differences between species you could base an entire collection around this one type of plant. I look forward to trying out many different varieties in my shop!

Houseplants 101 – Alocasia

I am definitely new to Alocasias. I simply thought they were pretty, and since I want to offer a good variety of plants here at the shop, I thought it would be fun to try a couple different varieties. The two that I ordered are Polly and Low Rider.

Alocasias are native to the temperate forests of Asia and eastern Australia. There are somewhere close to 80 species of Alocasia, all of them boasting the same large pointy leaves, many with striking coloring and veining. The leaves of some varieties can get up to three feet long and some alocasias get as tall as 12 – 13 feet. Varieties of alocasia are actually consumed as a food source in places, where the root is used as a substitute for starchy foods like potatoes and the leaves are cooked and used as a source for vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, iron, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin C, niacin, potassium, copper, and manganese.

Alocasia Polly is a beautiful plant. It has striking cream colored veins set against dark glossy green leaves that tend to point downward. Polly can eventually reach a size of 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide, with its leaves reaching an impressive size of almost 2 feet long. Polly is a hybrid and it’s horticultural name is Alocasia Amazonica. What is interesting about this particular hybrid is that no one seems to agree as to where it actually came from and who its parents are. The one thing that is known is that it isn’t from the Amazon, since alocasias don’t grow there. I read an article on exoticrainforest.com that seems to solve this mystery and offers a lot of detailed information on this particular plant see the link here if you’d like to read it!

Alocasia Low Rider doesn’t have the same sordid past as its cousin Polly, and it doesn’t share the striking coloration either. Low Rider is a dwarf form of another alocasia called portora. It’s stature as a dwarf is what makes it a great candidate as a house plant since unlike its parent that can reach 6 to 8 feet in height, Low Rider tends to be a bit more demure at around two to three feet. It has beautiful large glossy green heart shaped wavy leaves that are born on a thick stock and would make a wonderful addition to any plant collection.

As for caring for these guys – they are a true tropical and would love it if you could replicate that environment for them in your home (or as close to it as you can get anyway!) This means warmth and light – but not direct sun. They grow naturally on the forest floor so close to a window but not in the sun’s direct path is optimal. They like it warm, so keep them out of areas with cold drafts (around here that would definitely include anywhere near a doorway – especially during the winter). They like humidity, so if your house tends to be dry you may want to have a small humidifier for them, or you can try placing their pot in a pebble filled tray (making sure the pot isn’t sitting in the water). Misting them is also recommended. They like their soil to be a little damp but not soaking wet. Rotate them regularly so that all sides of the plant benefit from the light source and it grows evenly, and keep the leaves free from dust and debris by gently wiping them with a damp cloth occasionally. Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer at half strength monthly through the spring and summer, making sure the soil is damp before you apply to avoid burning its roots. No fertilizer is required during the fall and winter months.

The leaves of Alocasias contain tiny oxalate crystals that are shaped like little needles which makes them toxic if ingested. If eaten raw these crystals can cause irritation to lips, mouth and throat. Cooking the leaves remedies the issue, but since your cat or dog might not wait until you cook one for them, you definitely want to keep your Alocasia away from your feline and canine companions.

One fact that I found interesting about this group of plants is that they can go dormant for a period of time. If they aren’t given their ideal environment, they can drop all of their leaves and basically go to sleep for some time until conditions change enough to wake them back up. So if your Alocasia does this, don’t despair! Try to figure out which of its needs aren’t being met and adjust accordingly.

Alocasias are definitely a must have for any plant collection, and there are many varieties out there to choose from. I look forward to having at least one or two varieties of Alocasia in my shop going forward, and I will be on the lookout for different and interesting specimens!

Houseplants 101 – Coffee Arabica

I love coffee. I was intrigued when I saw that you could grow coffee plants indoors, so I ordered some for the shop. Honestly I didn’t do any research beforehand so I really had no idea what to expect when they arrived. They were definitely not the flashiest plants in my delivery, but they do have lush, dark green leaves that are a bit glossy and the plant itself has a decent shape and structure, so I was happy that I had ordered them and I feel they would be a great addition to any collection.

What I did learn right off the bat (the hard way) is that the larger plant that I ordered needs a fairly decent amount of water to keep it happy. I know this because it showed me what it looks like when it is NOT happy, and I have been much more attentive to its watering needs since. I ended up having to snip a couple of smaller branches from the top of it because they refused to recover – even after lots of water and pep talks. But it is back to good form now and seems to be thriving once again . . . whew!!!

I have done a little bit of reading on Coffee Arabica since they arrived, and I have learned quite a bit! Apparently Arabica accounts for about 60% of all coffee in the world. It is one of two primary species of coffee plant and is hailed for it’s flavor complexity and tends to be the smoother and sweeter of the two main species (the other is called Robusta).

Arabica coffee has quite the history. According to Judy Fleisher’s article The History of Coffee, Part One, legend has it that its benefits were first discovered by goats on the southern fringe of the Arabian peninsula. Apparently a goatherd noticed how much more energy his flock had when they nibbled on the red cherries of the plant, so he brought them to a local imam who boiled them and drank the liquid. The imam noticed that he felt more alert during his evening prayers, and word spread quickly of his discovery.

Commercial production of coffee began in Yemen, and as it became embedded as an integral piece of Mulsim culture, news of this new beverage spread around the world. The Arabians were very protective of their beans though, and although they would ship them outside of the country, they would first boil them to make them infertile so that no one else could grow the plant. That was, however, until an Indian holy man strapped 7 fertile beans to his stomach and smuggled them to India. Soon coffee was growing all over the world.

One of the interesting things about coffee is that its taste changes depending on where it’s grown. Differences in soil, microclimates, and how the bean itself is processed can influence the flavor of the coffee produced. So regionality actually makes a difference in many of the qualities of your morning cup of joe!

As far as caring for your own coffee plant, it sounds relatively simple. Firstly, keep in mind that they do get relatively large – up to 6 feet – so make sure that you have enough space to dedicate to it. They like light, but not direct sunlight, so place it next to a window rather than in the window. They like consistent moisture, so water frequently – just make sure it has well drained soil and that it doesn’t get soggy. They prefer indoor temperatures at around 65 degrees, so if you’re like me and enjoy a toasty house during the winter, you might want to move this baby to a room that stays just a bit cooler. They also like humidity. Apparently setting the plant’s pot in a saucer filled with pebbles and water can help with that. I would suggest that you make sure the pebbles keep the bottom of the pot out of the water, though – sitting in a tray of water could definitely make for some soggy soil. And as far as fertilizer, coffee plants do best if fertilized with a balanced fertilizer once every two or three months.

Will you ever be able to brew yourself a pot of coffee with beans from your carefully tended coffee plant? Probably not. However – if you are lucky enough to have one flower (this can take 3-5 years and the flowers apparently smell a bit like jasmine – bonus!!) and you hand pollinate them, you may get a few beans – and of course – bragging rights!!

Learning Curve

I really don’t know a lot about house plants. With limited exception, my knowledge where they are concerned is very google based. I do have some at home that I have managed to keep alive for a few years now, and since I have killed more than a few in my lifetime I consider that an accomplishment. Although I don’t have a lot of practical experience with house plants, I knew when I started planning the items I wanted to carry here at the Cottage that they would definitely be high on my list.

Unfortunately the timing of my opening didn’t really allow me the time to completely prepare, but thanks to a friend I was able to at least have some plants to get me through the winter, and I managed to come up with some shelving to display them. That all changes in the coming week though. I finally ordered a shelving unit to go in one of the windows at the shop and it should be arriving in a couple of days, and the plants that I ordered should follow shortly after that.

Ah, the plants . . . . all of them dependent on me to keep them alive until they find their forever homes. No pressure. (haha) Luckily, there is the internet. And for every plant that I googled I found tons of information. How to water, light needs, fertilization, pests – all of the things. But it is a LOT to know and too much to remember all at once.

So I came up with a plan. Every Thursday I am going to pick a plant (or two . . . or three . . . ) that I have in house and I will post a “plant highlight” on it. I will try to include its origin along with all the pertinent care information and the answer to one of the important questions that people ask – is it toxic to my children or pets. And of course – there will be pictures. I know this will help me learn about them so that hopefully I don’t have to go running for my phone every time I am asked a question about one of my plants. Hopefully someone out there finds it helpful as well!