My First Acrylic Abstract Painting

My paint brushes are sitting in a corner, and they have been staring at me for months. Today I decided to put them to use. I looked at a youtube video about abstract painting techniques. It looked so easy, so I thought I'd try it.

1. Place painter's tape over the canvas.

2. Drop acrylic paint inside the different sections. Use the brush to dab and blend the colors together.

3. Remove the tape, There's the abstract painting.

HOWEVER, I did not like the finished product. So I added step 4.

4. Fill in the unpainted canvas with paint, dabbing and blending. 

And there it is! 

"Acrylic Abstract Number One"

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Thank you!)

How to Grow a Coleus Garden

Last year I planted a Coleus. To my amazement, it thrived and became a huge, very attractive plant. I decided I wanted a whole garden of coleus.

This past winter I started Coleus plants in an aerogarden. Coleus seeds come pre-planted in pods that are placed in the aerogarden container filled with water. A grow light is on a timer. Just keep the container filled with water and watch the plants grow.

This becomes...

This!

Here one of the plants is flowering and going to seed. (Behind it is dill I am growing in the same Aerogarden.)

When the plants are fully grown, (reluctantly - because they are so pretty) I cut them down to root the stems in water. I will continue clipping them and rooting them so I will have many plants.

All my new plants that have grown roots in the water will go into my new Coleus garden. Hopefully they will be as beautiful as the one plant I had last year.

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Happy Gardening!

The Lipstick Plant

A few years ago I was in a neighbor's home when I noticed a vibrant plant inside near the entrance. It had red blossoms. I had never seen a plant like that before, so I asked my neighbor about it.

"That's a lipstick plant. It's easy to grow. Would you like a few cuttings?"

She offered to root a few cuttings in water for me and bring them over when they were ready to plant. A few weeks later she was at my home with the cuttings.

I planted and then watered them lightly. She had said to me, "They don't like their feet wet," meaning, "Do not over-water."

My few cuttings grew quickly into a full-size plant. It's one of my most attractive houseplants.

I sometimes cut a few vines and put them in water, just to have live plants in other places of the home where we do not have as much light. Much to my surprise, even the cuttings had started to blossom.

I have since shared cuttings with another neighbor. The lipstick plant is  becoming the "Official Houseplant of the Neighborhood."

It's botanical name is: Aeschynanthus Radicans.  

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Thank you!

A Bouquet of Sunshine

Flowers arrived for me today, a gift from the family. So beautiful - Receiving this bouquet really made my day.

Included with the flowers are three budding apple tree branches.

The assortment of yellow and white flowers bring a lot
of sunshine into our home on this gray day in March.

Thank you, J, S, C, and L for thinking of me today!

Maple Sugaring Time

It's maple sugaring season in Vermont. We took a drive to one of the local sugarhouses where sap is being collected from the trees and boiled down to make maple syrup.

We could see the steam from the evaporators as we were getting near.

Traditionally, sap is collected from the maple trees in buckets, but producers now use miles of tubing from the trees to the sugarhouses.

Here is one of the evaporators boiling down the sap for syrup.

It's open house weekend, so pancakes are being served, with lots of syrup, of course.

And there are always products to buy to take home.

  

Vermont Maple Syrup is the best!

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Maple Cream Pie

We took a drive today to Poor House Pies in Underhill,
Vermont. It is a go-to place for pie lovers.

It was not even noon and there were only a few pies
left. Fortunately, one of them was a maple cream!
That's the one we chose.

Rich and creamy. A wonderful treat!

We are already
planning to go 
again.
For our
next visit, it's
going to be a
chicken pot pie.

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Eat more pie!

Brisk Bleak Beautiful Walk

On the rec path today. A typical bleak March 
almost-Spring day. Every season has its beauty.

There are many birch trees along the path.

The ice has melted and the brook is flowing.
Counting down the days to Spring,
after a long Covid-winter.

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Happy Soon-to-be-Spring!

Ice and Snow

It's the end of February and I'm looking outside to see the snow continuing to come down. It's almost like a white-out out there!

Every season has its beauty. I looked back on some photos, and here are a few favorite snow photos.

                                                                                 

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On the Trail at Niquette State Park in Vermont

Today I found a video that I thought I had lost! It was of a wonderful time with my daughter, discovering one of the trails in a Vermont state park. 

Watching it, I now really look forward to more hikes with Addie.

 

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Thank you for following!

Yellow Roses

Roses from Geo and Addie. They are so beautiful, I just wanted to share them here. 

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Olives and Sundried Tomatoes and Feta

I was looking for a very different appetizer for Super Bowl Sunday. I found it on Pinterest: Baked Feta with Olives. I adapted the recipe posted by midwestfoodieblog.com.

Assemble the ingredients and the appetizer comes together in minutes. It bakes for 20 minutes.

Chopped parsley for garnish (Optional, but a nice addition)
1 cup pitted olives (I used ripe black olives)
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
8 oz. feta cheese (mine was crumbled)
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1/3 scant cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. thyme
dash of black pepper

Spread feta in small baking dish. Top with olives, then sundried tomatoes.
Mix together the other 6 ingredients and pour over olive mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then for broil for 1-2 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm with crusty white bread. 

Enjoy!

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Cool Running

I'll admit it - I've been a "couch potato" for the last few months. Blame Covid, blame the cold weather. I haven't been to the gym. I haven't been running outside. And I've been feeling sluggish.

Yesterday was a brilliantly sunny day. The temperature was 38 degrees. (That's above freezing, right?) So I dug into my closet to find my sneakers and layers of clothing I could wear. (I wanted to be warm, but still look the part of "a runner.")

I started with a brisk walk from our house and headed toward the rec path. I decided, no goals. No time, no distance, no pace, no intervals. I'd be out here just to have fun. I brought my phone camera with me.

Once I started jogging, it was even better than I had expected. Sure, I'm out of shape, but I was doing it. Honestly, it was exhilarating. I recalled the many times I've been out here in warmer weather - yes, even in hot weather. This felt refreshing, although challenging. I watched my step so as not to slip on ice. Even though above freezing, the air was bracing.

I stopped to take photos. I loved seeing the blue tones of the shadows on the whiteness of the snow. I loved seeing the paw prints of dogs and of other animals I could not identify. I loved looking up and seeing the patterns of the white clouds in the blue sky. I truly loved being in a familiar place that did not look as familiar. And I loved greeting people I passed along the way.

I don't think I will ever become a cold weather runner, but when the day invites me, I will do it again. I'll not put off the opportunity. Covid and cold weather shall no longer be my excuses.

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Thank you!