Time to implement your plans!

What to do with all that Basil?

The first thing you need to know is that you cannot keep your plant indoors. There is NOT enough light and you will get bugs. So, let's skip that nightmare and get to the better solution. 

Before the first frost....no matter how cold, Basil can't tolerate it and will turn black. That day is creeping up soon. Here are some solutions..........

1. Cut some basil and put it into a vase with water and use it for the week

2. Wash, dry and hang your basil for about 2 weeks. Harvest the dried leaves and place them into a jar. 

3. Freeze your basil.

•  Remove the leaves, wash, dry leaves in a salad spinner, if they are still wet, pat them dry with a paper towel. 
• Place leaves into a food processor and puree them
• Place basil into a ziplock bag, be sure that the air is removed and freeze. break off the portion you'll need for the next 6 months. 
• OR use small ice cube trays/candy trays (regular Ice cube trays may be too large)

When January comes around and you're making your favorite pasta sauce, you'll have the fresh taste of your summer basil!

Opa!

My Orchid wall is exploding! 

They are loving the high humidity....but oh! the morning rain was awesome!

Prairie Fire Crabtree in bloom

      Ta-da!
Prairie Fire crabapple!!

Creeping phlox!!

Creeping phlox rock! 

Great mat of color in the spring. Plant on bed edges and give them room. They prefer full sun....which isn't a problem in spring when trees are beginning to leaf out. The flowers last long enough to introduce the next round of perennial color. Consider switching up your plant pallet to have a color rotation throughout the summer. As one fades another is beginning! 

Crabapple 'Prairie Fire' disease resistant variety! One or 2 more weeks and we'll have tons of pink blooms!!!

My sour cherry tree has a flower....small white cluster near center of the photo!! Cherries are coming!

 Hostas are emerging ....get your mulch down now.....

Jacobs ladder is beginning to bloom....my favorite shade perenial! 

The quite calm of the design room 

I love the drawing table my husband built for me! He is so creative...thank you Schmoopy!!

OH NO~SNOW!

I didn't cut my hostas back before the freeze now...I've got a bunch of mush in the garden. 

IF you get a chance, now is a great time to clean up your hostas and other perennial plants!

Keep off the frosty grass!

Any activity on the lawn while it is frosty, like walking on it or mowing it, will "break" the grass blade and damage the lawn. ... Scientifically, when a heavy object presses down onto the blades, the expanded water molecules slice through the grass and cause significant cellular damage.

Do your lawn a favor and "Keep off the grass!"

Many years ago I was dating a young man who loved sports. I was thrilled when the baseball season finally ended. All of our dates revolved around what game was on, and when the game should end. As the season was ending, my dreams of long romantic walks, spontaneous dinners and the courtship of the century, filled my mind. I delightfully stated, "Thank God baseball has ended!" to which he replied, "Yup! now basketball season!"

Everything in life has a season. Some longer than others and some seemingly longer than they actually are, (like that baseball season). However, there is always the next season to look forward to. 

Much like the season of baseball, that relationship didn't last, but the valuable lesson of looking forward to what's next did. 

Although the weather is changing outside and our desire for a warm cup of tea, a hot bowl of soup and a warm soft blanket beckons us; we still want the beauty of nature. But the clematis are done blooming, the Hosta plants need cutting back and the garden needs to be put to sleep for the winter. Dormant season is creeping in fast. 

 That's why I love orchids!

Their blooming cycle here in the Northern Hemisphere is during our winters. Perfect! When everything else is dying back, they are thrilling us with a spectacular bloom show. Don't grow impatient, they too have a season, but what a season it is!

Leave the Leaves...They Feed the soil which feeds your plants and Trees!

Leave the Leaves! Leaves are a great source of nutrition for the soil! 

 Mulch your leaves with a mower and return them to the soil! Great organic material

So stop bagging your leaves and spread them in your gardens!

The worms and other microbes will love it and help your garden grow!

Cooler temps are an indication to get moving in the garden!

• Cut back those perennials
• Cut back the ornamental grasses
• Seed your lawns
• Fertilize your lawn
• Aerate your lawn, I prefer core-aeration
• Water your landscape, especially your trees and shrubs
• Bring in your tender plants/house plants

Now is also a good time to get your snowblower ready! It wont be long before we have that to contend with!

WHY???????? 

Choose a tree that will be appropriate under power lines. 

 Pumpkins, Straw, Cabbage and Mums=FALL ! 

360 view

 

And so it begins!

Centennial Pool renovation

The last day of Summer like weather. I was strolling around the nature center, it was completely empty of people, and that was odd to me. As I walked the shore line, "inspecting" the grounds, bullfrogs were jumping under water for cover, turtles were floating by and I surprised about a dozen ducks sunbathing on the fishing rocks, they too were enjoying the pre-fall weather and didn't even budge. 

Go out and enjoy the day! 

Duck Dynasty!

    My family and I have fallen in love, as most of America has, with this wonderful band of Rednecks! Duck Dynasty makes this Chicago girl want to be a redneck, up to the point of eating squirrels. I think the reason why we are so into this fun family is that we can relate! Phil, the matriarch wants his family and especially his grandchildren to remember their roots. Uncle Si is well, crazy. Who of us hasn't said something so off that everyone says "Hugh?" then there is Willie, he is the most sensible, trying to get the job done in order to support his family. Finally, our favorite, Jas! He is a redneck Peter Pan. He has NEVER grown up. His only mission in life is to enjoy it and does so without exception. My favorite part is that they are all Christians and that the episode always closes at the family dinner table with a simple, humble prayer to our Lord! Heaven is gonna be so much fun with these guys there too :)

The Bag!

Using this green "gator" bag is great for newly planted trees. However, you need to fill them daily with water! I would guess that 70% of the bags I see do NOT have water in them, 20% don't even need to still be on the trees. 

It takes everything in me not to pull over and "un-zip" the bags and let the tree breath. 

If you happen to be one of those faithful fillers of water, remember to stop filling when the tree goes completely dormant and do the tree a favor and remove the bag for the winter. The bag makes a great hiding spot for mice who will enjoy a winter of soft tree bark to dine on. This in turn, will only create more problems for your tree in future years. I personally don't use the bag. I simply water my trees. 

Starved Rock State Park

August 2013

My week long vacation was coming to a close and my sons 6 week school break was too. His only desire this entire summer was to camp. I set out to fulfill his wish and was blown away by the beauty which existed only an hour and a half away from my home! Camping at Starved Rock and Hiking the amazing trails of the; Illinois Canyon, LaSalle Canyon,and Starved Rockhttp://www.starvedrockstatepark.org/activity/shopping/ we also went to Matthiessen State Park http://www.stateparks.com/matthiessen.html which is "kiddie-corner" from Starved Rock. 
We soaked in, breath taking landscapes while hiking along the Illinois river. We ascended into the forest where, we were captivated by the lush beauty and the refreshing waterfalls! 
We camped at the Starved Rock site which was clean and  more than accommodating! It was fabulous! They have electric at every site, a stove/bbq and a fire pit. We could have pitched 2 other tents and fit another vehicle with no problem! Our site was located in the timber area and we were more than satisfied in our 25$ home site or our $1.04 an hour :)
We will definitely be going back again! 

Feel free to comment or email me if you have any questions! 

Illinois River at LaSalle canyon trail 

Dragon flies sunning themselves

Illinois River

Illinois Canyon

Crossing the creek at the Illinois Canyon

He's ready to explore!

Adding color to everyday items for yard art

choose complimentary colors of lilac and yellow
Nature will help you decide

my once brown dull broken chair
now with a new look
excited to see this when my Baptisia is established!

the view from my window "love it!"

My son found the bench in the trash, he said it was worth 200$ so I kept it.
We spray painted it Yellow and now I find it priceless!

pretty and functional, it helps hide the electric pipe on the wall

Not sure yet what I am going to do with this, but it's a keeper!

I just can't believe this is my yard!
Thanks God for the Blessings!