THE FIRST MONTH COMES TO A CLOSE

A Word for the Day 

I asked my friend Joan to be the blog's "Guest of the month". And this is her word for us:

Have you talked to your plants today?

Well, to answer the question straight out - 

I say "yes" with no hesitation.  

As talking to plants is a rather telepathic activity, 

I can talk without geography getting in the way.  

I feel that since Robyn and I are soulmates 

(and I hope that she feels that way too) 

our plants also share that connection. 

I find solace through nature and plants and through reading the Houseandgardenplus Blog to see what tidbits Robyn has added. I also get to admire the wonderful photos that she includes.  

I winter in Arizona where I relish each and every cactus - particularly the huge Saguaros that stand stately against the horizon.

They are such sentinals, often standing at attention,
lonely but content as they outstretch their arms to the healing sun.

I am gradually learning about the flora and fauna here and the medicinal properties of several varieties. 

When I return to Canada in the spring,

it will be time for planting and tending my own plants

and perhaps when that time comes 

I will be given the honour of giving those far away babies 

some honourable mention on the blog.   

The world is filled with wonders if we just pay attention.

from Joan

Home January’s Challenge: BE TIDY

The last day of a month-long tidyness challenge. 

I asked hubby if he had noticed that the house had been tidier over the past month. He said, "Yes!" but he didn't elaborate.  

However,  in reality, I know that there is a lot more tidying up to do. Bit-by-bit will be my motto! 

The best thing I did last month was find an easily accessible home for my camera. I am excited to be able to reach it quickly if there is something in our garden to photograph.  

Garden  RECAPPING

It was a pleasure to re-read the words which I wrote a month ago, in my introduction to the new blog: 

"Our garden is a treasure. 

It holds within it my hope of a greater degree of self-sufficiency; 

It is a place where I can think and not feel pressured -

 it does not even pressure me to tidy it up! 

It is a place where our grand-children play.  

It is the place that constantly amazes me 

with its very own ability for renewal, rebirth and survival. 

It is a place where I never seem to take my worries or concerns, not by any intent - 

I just don't seem to take negativity into the garden. 

Our garden is the living space that is teaching me to stand on my own two feet in a culture where one can easily suffer from depression, ill health and a lack of knowing a Heavenly Father who clothes the grass of the field and who will also feed and clothe us as we learn to trust Him."

During the month of January, our garden has been a source of some of our food as well as being a place of activity, solace and peace. 

I have had the joy of being surrounded by plants which pass on to my soul a degree of their energy and vitality. 

May your garden be as treasure to you
as my garden is to me!

from Robyn                                                                                            

 Robin in a flowering gum

Painted by Brenda, Robyn’s mum

 

MOON PLANTING

Word for the Day  
Welcoming each new day 

could become part of our routine.

                                                                                 Robyn's photo and poetry! 
Home  January's challenge: BE TIDY

I woke early this morning, not because I was eager to tidy my home - but for another reason. We have 2 extra adults and 2 extra little children in the house for a few days due to local flooding, and I wanted to get up at 5:30 am with the little ones, just to enjoy their amazing energy and vitality. Their mother, Liisa, wonders how her children can rise from their sleep with such enthusiasm!  Because of the early rise, I got to enjoy the bird-life in the garden, the freshness of dew on the plants, and the clear blue sky - a welcome change after Cyclone Oswald spent its fury on Queensland before moving out to sea.  

I found my camera easily, in its new place. I eventually decided to keep my camera and accessories in a lovely basket which sits on the kitchen dresser.  With camera in hand, I became more aware of the beauty around me, and even noticed a  full moon smiling at me in the morning light. I managed to photograph it with a bird - possibly a magpie - in view. 

What very small "be tidy" job can I do today? The garden took a bit of a battering from wind and rain, so some raking up and cleaning outside pots and bits and bobs will keep me busy for half an hour.  Then I want to play with the little children! 
  
Garden   MOON PLANTING

I looked up "Traditional Moon Planting" on the internet, and discovered that right now is :  FULL MOON PHASE – the best time to sow or plant out root crops and all fruiting and decorative perennials. Also sow lawns or lay turf, harvest for storage, take cuttings, divide plants, prune dormant plants and apply solid fertilisers. Mow lawns to slow growth. (INFO FROM AUSSIEORGANICGARDENING)
  
click on this link for more info about moon planting.    http://aussieorganicgardening.com/?p=32  
We have some grass seed that hubby has not used, and I have a bare patch of earth near the vege garden, so with the soil wet from the cyclone, and with the moon shining it's morning light on my gardening effort, I will be outside, planting some grass seed, doing what my "moon planting guide" suggests. 

But on the way, I will stop and smile at two gnomes who hide behind some garden plants. I brought these gnomes home from my mother's garden when  she went into a nursing home last year, and I will be thinking of my mum as I plant grass seed, as right now, she is on the operating table, receiving a pacemaker to help her heart along. 

    

Wouldn't it be good if more of us rise early in the morning and enjoy our world in its freshness! 

from Robyn                                                                                            

 Robin in a flowering gum

Painted by Brenda, Robyn’s mum

P.S. I have just heard from my older sister who is faithfully keeping by Mum's side, that our mum is doing well!  Good job, Mum.  

 

DO YOU HAVE A FEVER?

Word for the Day The I in illness

The I in illness is isolation, 

and the crucial letters in wellness are we. 

Author unknown 

Home January’s Challenge: BE TIDY

Today is the day to tackle that overflowing First Aid box. I have actually tidied it several times over the past year, but sadly, my family are not trained to leave things in a tidy condition, even if that is how they found something - and they leave paracetamol not in its labeled cardboard box and inside its labeled zip lock plastic bag!  It is too late to train them now. 

When my friend, Nicky, had her children at home, I surprisingly noted how tidy they were, seemingly always putting away things after they used them, without her even asking! But that was not the way in my family, and to this day, I still put away someone else's butter, jam, sea-salt-grinder etc. and paracetamol.  Never mind, so long as I don't get cranky when I tidy up after them. 
So it is off to the First Aid Box.   

Garden Plus  Do you have a fever?
Having raised a few children, I am trying to "think back" in relation to what I did when any of them had a fever. Probably I let them ride it out, which according to current research, was a good thing. They weren't given any asprin for fever (most definitely a no-no for any child, but I didn't know that then!) and the children weren't given paracatemol in those days, as I probably thought it was only for adults who had a headache, such was my lack of knowledge!  

But I do remember two occasions of fever, and I think that when a child is really sick, that a parent's instinct and observation tell them.  On one occasion, I pushed my baby in his Steelcraft pram the one hour journey to a doctor, who instantly gave him an injection in his backside. On the other occasion, I stayed up all night with a toddler, waiting for 9 am when the doctor's surgery opened. I had not realised that the toddler should have been taken to the hospital many hours earlier and that her fever needed urgent medical attention.  Now I do not hesitate to seek medical advice for a sick child. 

FEVER by Raising Children Network

Your child’s average body temperature is about 37°C. If your child’s temperature is higher than 38°C for 24 hours or more, she probably has a fever. A fever is a sign of illness.

Causes

Fever is not an illness in itself, but is the sign of an illness. Children get fevers for all kinds of reasons. Most fevers, and the illnesses that cause them, last only a few days. But sometimes a fever will last much longer, and might be the sign of an underlying chronic or long-term illness or disease.

Infections are by far the most common cause of fever in children. Most of these are caused by viruses, which are responsible for colds, upper respiratory infections, and the common infectious diseases of childhood, such as chickenpox. These infections don’t last long and usually don’t need to be treated.

In general, fever is nature’s response to infection, and can actually help the body fight infection.

Some infections are caused by bacteria, and need treatment with antibiotics. These include certain ear and throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, blood infections and meningitis. For example, a very sore throat with a fever can be caused by streptococcus. If it isn’t treated with antibiotics, this infection can lead to rheumatic fever or heart damage.

There are other, relatively uncommon, causes of fever. These include allergic reactions to drugs or vaccines, chronic joint inflammation, some tumours and gastrointestinal diseases.

Symptoms

During the course of each day, body temperature goes up and down by a degree or two. It’s usually lowest in the early hours of the morning, and highest in the late afternoon and early evening.

A fever might come on slowly and rise over a few days, or it might rise very quickly. The height of a fever, and how quickly it comes on, usually doesn’t have anything to do with the illness that causes it.

Fever in itself is rarely harmful. But the high temperature might make your child feel uncomfortable – he might have chills or shivering when his temperature is rising, and might sweat when it’s falling. Sometimes he might become mildlydehydrated if he’s losing a lot of fluid from the fever and not replacing it.

Febrile convulsions are seizures that happen because of fever. They occur in about 4% of children between the ages of six months and five years. Children outgrow febrile convulsions by the age of 4-5 years. Febrile convulsions have no long-term consequences, but talk to your doctor about them.

Sometimes your child might appear flushed, and her skin might feel warm, but her core (inner body) temperature will be quite normal. This can happen when your child has a cold or has engaged in vigorous pyysical exercise. It can also happen on a very hot day.

When to see your doctor

Seek medical attention if your child:

• looks sicker than before (more pale, lethargic and weak)
• has trouble breathing
• becomes drowsy
• refuses to drink, and is weeing less often (if your baby has fewer than half the usual number of wet nappies, see a doctor)
• complains of a stiff neck, persistent headache or light hurting his eyes
• vomits persistently, or has frequent bouts of diarrhoea
• doesn’t improve in 48 hours
• is aged less than 12 months and has a fever
• suffers pain
• has a fever above 40°C
• is causing you to worry for any other reason.

Treatment

A fever will run its course regardless of treatment. Fever is one of the ways the body fights infection. Your child’s temperature will return to normal when the infection or other cause of the fever has completely gone.

In children under 12 months, fever might be a sign of a more significant illness, and you do need to seek medical advice.

Babies under three months of age who develop a fever must be seen by a doctor immediately, because it’s harder to tell if they have a serious underlying illness.

In older children, treat the fever only if you feel it’s making your child uncomfortable, irritable or so lethargic she’s not drinking enough fluids.

Generally, children handle fever well. If your child has a fever, here are some ways that you can make him more comfortable:

1. Dress him in light clothing.
2. Give him small quantities of clear fluids such as water, weak tea or diluted soda water, lemonade or juice to drink. (Lemonade and juice are too strong for a child with gastroenteritis with diarrhoea – they must be diluted.) Do this often. If your child isn’t hungry, that’s OK. The most important thing is to make sure he’s drinking enough to avoid dehydration.
3. Give liquid paracetamol in the correct and recommended dose, with no more than five or six doses every 24 hours. Exceeding the recommended dose can cause liver damage. It’s important not to give fever-lowering medication too often or for prolonged periods, because it can cause side-effects.

Cool baths, sponging and fans can actually make your child more uncomfortable.

Never give a child aspirin for any reason. Aspirin can make a child susceptible to Reye's syndrome,  a rare but potentially fatal illness. It can also cause serious illness or even death in children with chicken pox or flu symptoms.

You might want to take your child’s temperature if your child is:

• unwell and feels warmer than usual
• irritable and crying
• more sleepy than usual
• in pain
• refusing to drink, or vomiting.

Using a thermometer is the best way to check your child’s temperature. Feeling your child’s skin temperature (for example, by putting your hand to her forehead) isn’t always a reliable way of diagnosing a fever. Your local doctor, maternal and child health nurse nurse can show you how to take temperature with a thermometer.

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/fever_a.html

TREATING A FEVER NATURALLY  by Dherbs
 

Contrary to what you may believe based upon what you may have been told-a fever is not sickness, but healing. A fever is the body's attempt to heal itself using heat for purposes of elimination via perspiration.

Medically speaking, a fever is elevation of body temperature. The natural human body temperature is 98.6 degrees. A body temperature over 100.4 is considered pathological.

Most fevers bring with them a natural fasting period, which is why the appetite usually disappears when a fever is on the scene.

Metaphysically speaking, a fever denotes anger. Anger causes heat and heat is present during a fever; this is why the body temperature rises.



Natural Healing Solutions

Cool baths are ideal when fever is present. Always bathe in cool to lukewarm water. Add a box of sea salt as sea salt helps to dissolve negative energy (which is rele


You can add essential oils of Peppermint and/or Ginger to the bath to facilitate the fever. Whole Ginger root or tea bags of Ginger root can also be added to the bath. Ginger is the best thing you can use to facilitate a fever.

You can also take a warm to hot bath as well, which will expedite the breaking of a fever due to the heat involved. It's still a good idea to add Ginger root to the bath.

An ice pack or cold towel can be applied to the head during a fever.

Good herbs to take (in tea form) include:

• Ginger root
• Cayenne
• Cinnamon
• Cloves

When a fever is present, make sure to sleep with the window open so the natural cool breeze of the night can enter into the window and help cool you down.

Should you wear a lot of thick clothing to bed so as to help induce heat so as to break the fever? Answer: you can if you choose to. Or, you can let it break on its own. It's really up to you as all methods help. Whether you naturally cool the body down or warm it up, you are working with the fever and not against it.


Breaking a fever with medication can set you up for having the fever come back at another time. It's better to ride it out, let the fever do the work of healing.
http://dherbs.com/articles/fever.html



NOTE FROM ROBYN: 
TO FOLLOW THE ABOVE PROCEDURE FOR MY TODDLER WITH THE FEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALLY WRONG, AS SHE NEEDED MEDICAL TREATMENT AND A DOUBLE DOSE OF ANTIBIOTICS TO TREAT THE POISON THAT HAD ENTERED HER BODY FROM EITHER AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT OR SPIDER BITE. 

One of the best herbs for fever: Yarrow

Have you ever wondered if would be possible to take your family’s health care into your own hands?  
 

What would it be like if healing yourself and your family was as easy as picking plants right around your house and using them to help keep you healthy?

Well, over the past several years, my husband John and I have been doing just that. We’ve been building our herbal knowledge one experience at a time. As our relationship with the green world grows, we find we rarely visit doctors. It’s been an empowering and inspiring journey, and I am absolutely delighted by this opportunity to share some if it with you, and help you to build your own family herbal medicine chest.

This month, I will introduce you to one of my very good friends and allies: Yarrow. It's one of the best herbs for fevers.

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, plant grows in fields, on the edges of woods, and along the roadsides. It is a very fine garden herb, easy to start from seed. Yarrow has lacey, fern-like leaves and white to pink aromatic flowers with gold centers that shimmer in the moonlight.

I became good friends with yarrow when my daughter Hailey was just 5 weeks old and had a very high fever. The first day of the fever I called my naturopath. She was tempted to send us to the hospital because Hailey was so young and the fever so high. However, she knew if she did, they would do a spinal tap, and wanted to avoid such invasive measures if possible. Hailey was still nursing well and we chose to wait to see if the fever would break.  

When the fever was still present the next day, we took her into the doctor’s office. Hailey was lethargic and very hot, but also nursing well. Our doctor sent us home advising a bath in yarrow tea.  

We hadn’t thought of administering medicine through bathwater, but it worked brilliantly. We took her home and started a yarrow infusion right away, putting one ounce of the dried herb into a quart jar and covering it with boiling water. Four hours later we strained it into her infant bath and added water to make it tepid.

We bathed Hailey, and then soaked two pairs of her socks in 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted with a cup of water. One pair we put on her feet. The other pair we wrapped around her wrists at her pulse points. By nightfall, her fever had broken, and we slept, relieved and peaceful, through the night.

This routine has served us well with other high fevers, bringing them down by at least a degree within a few minutes. For older “patients” sipping the yarrow infusion or using a cloth the bathe their hands and feet works just as well. Yarrow opens our pores and encourages our body to sweat the fever out. This is why we feel this is one of the best herbs for fever.

Another wonderful way to get to know yarrow is for help with healing wounds. Once when we were visiting friends on Camano Island, John cut his foot pretty badly on some sharp rocks while wading in the sound.

He sent our four-year-old son Rowan to search for some yarrow. John crushed up the leaves and put them right on the cut. The bleeding stopped within minutes and the wound healed beautifully.

Not only will yarrow speed blood clotting. Yarrow helps relieve pain, disinfects wounds, promotes tissue repair, and reduces inflammation. Fresh yarrow leaves are best for wound healing, but you can put dried, powdered leaves right on the cut or make a compress, soaking a cloth in yarrow tea and laying it on the wound.

So, are you interested in having one of the best herbs for fever on your own medicine shelf?

Well, yarrow will be blooming all summer long. Gather the leaves and flowers by cutting the entire stem half way down. Harvest after the flowers are open and when they are still vibrant looking. Tie them by their stems in small bunches and hang them out of direct sunlight. When fully dry, garble them, and store in a mason jar.

As you build your own relationship with yarrow, one experience at a time, I know you will discover a multitude of other ways it can help you, and you’ll be glad you harvested this summer.  

http://www.learningherbs.com/herbs_for_fever.html

A NOTE FROM ROBYN: 

WHILE WE CAN READ ABOUT HERBAL CURES, AND EXPERIMENT WITH THEM, IT IS STILL OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO SEEK TRADITIONAL MEDICAL TREATMENT. RECENTLY A FAMILY MEMBER HAD UNFORTUNATELY CONTRACTED THE HORRIFIC FLESH-EATING DISEASE, WHICH NEEDS TO BE ATTENDED TO BY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS asap SO THAT THE PERSON'S LIFE MAY BE SAVED WITHOUT TOO MUCH FLESH HAVING TO BE REMOVED, AS CUTTING OUT THE FLESH OR AMPUTATION IS THE ONLY OPTION, ALONG WITH ANTIBIOTICS.   OUR FAMILY MEMBER SURVIVED WITH MUCH REMOVAL OF FLESH, AND IS PROGRESSING WELL. 

May we each find speedy healing
when we are ill.

from Robyn                                                                                            

 Robin in a flowering gum

Painted by Brenda, Robyn’s mum

AUSTRALIA DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY

Thought for the Day  About a nation

The way a nation treats its people, its animals, 

its plants and its resources 

says a lot about that nation! 

Robyn

Our Big Backyard  AUSTRALIA DAY

Today is our Australia Day Public Holiday.

Australia has suffered widespread disaster from fires, floods and cyclones throughout the month of January.  

At present, we are a land where there is solid grief in the hearts of those who have, during this past month, and previously, lost much as nature has brought devastation to towns and farms, ravaging huge areas of our bushland, plains and coast.

May we look out for each other and help each other in whatever ways we can.  

                                     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Australia

Supporting the shield on Australia's Coat of Arms are a Red Kangaroo which we call a "Big Red" and an Emu. Both are large,  well-known native fauna, found only in Australia.  

It is very infrequent that either of these animals move backwards - generally only moving forwards. 

May our nation progress, moving forward in all ways, and may each of us be fully present in our awareness of God, of one another other, and of nature, responding rightly to each of these. 

There could hardly be an Aussie who does not appreciate our big backyard. Some play cricket, some swim at the beach, some are off to the pub for a beer, and some, today, on Australia Day, will be visiting Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo, which is a 20 minute drive from our home, in a lovely spot of Australia's bush. Below are links for us to remember conservationist, Steve Irwin, and to appreciate the wildlife conservation efforts of Australia Zoo. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rdyVP95XiE
Uploaded on Nov 7, 2008 This is a beautiful song, from the Aussie singer John Williamson, 
taken at Steve Irwin's Memorial Service.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxMPDp9M9TI

Uploaded on Nov 9, 2008 John Williamson -  Give Me a Home Among the Gum Trees (Live, Steve Irwin Tribute, 2006.)  

May we celebrate Australia Day with a sense of belonging to each other.

from Robyn

SEAWEED

Word for the Day Sea longs to share her treasure

Home January’s Challenge: BE TIDY

Cull the salt shakers! In the pantry there is a large lunch box with a big assortment of salt shakers and salt grinders. This untidy collection has occurred because in our Queensland climate, we have experimented with many sea-salt grinders, looking for one that will continue to do its job in spite of humidity.   Now, there is nothing wrong with all of these salt grinders - they are just not able to handle our humidity.  

Recently Son-number-3 came home with an expensive Russell Hobbs battery operated salt grinder, plus the receipt so that I would repay him for his kindness! It has a button to push which starts the process, and it even has a light so that one can easily see how much salt is being showered on the food! The fancy salt grinder which needs 4 AA batteries to function, is doing a very good job, so out go the old grinders, and in comes the new! 

http://thoughtsonhomeopathyandhealth.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/sea-salt-and-baking-soda-baths-for.html

Garden  SEAWEED
My kind friend, Mandy, informed me a couple of weeks ago that some seaweed had been washed up on our local beach, which is usually free of both shells and seaweed - a shame!  So I headed for the ocean's edge before the tide came in to wash back a possible treasure. We rarely smell that delightful sea-smell that is characteristic of beaches where there is seaweed, and the smell reminded me of the many times, as a young mum, when with a little brood of children, we visited my parents who lived at Victor Harbor in South Australia.  My dad had a lovely vege patch created on a rocky hill with an amazing view of The Bluff - a patch of fertile soil created by collecting many trailer-loads of seaweed. 

I now have a big bin of seaweed soaking in water, and am feeling proud of my home-made seaweed-fertilizer-brew!

5 month old Erin Rose surfing at King's Beach

May our lives be salted with goodness

from Robyn                                                                                            

 Robin in a flowering gum

Painted by Brenda, Robyn’s mum

JAPANESE MENTHOL MINT

Thought for the Day Having a hobby or collection

No matter what our age, 

if we have a current hobby or collection

we have a good chance of "staying young".

Robyn
 

Home January’s Challenge: BE TIDY

Photo frames!  Some of us collect certain things for an endeavour to be tackled sometime in the future, not knowing even how many years it might be before that certain endeavour is approached. I have one such task.  I have a collection of picture frames because one day I hope to present a photographic display of some of the lovely photographs that hubby and I are privileged to make. At this stage, I don't really know what size photos I hope to present, or what type of frames I would use....  but still, I buy second hand frames whenever one catches my eye.  Even the famous Australian painter, Sir Hans Hysen, bought paintings in beautiful frames, but not for the paintings themselves - they were for his frame collection for displaying his own paintings in! 

And so, today is my day to tidy up my collection of odd picture frames.    

 Garden   JAPENESE MENTHOL MINT Mentha arcensis x piperascens

In the garden, there are several pots, each with a different species of mint, so I guess I could call this my "mint collection"! The many species of mint share a common characteristic - the ability to release a menthol scent when bruised. My favourite mint, after tasting several varieties, has to be the common mint that my mother grew and used in her home-made mint sauce. But the mint (out of those I have tasted) with the most stunning taste is Japanese Menthol Mint, which after tasting a leaf, you simply exclaim, "Wow!" 

Because mentha species are very prone to hybridization, the seed cannot be relied on to breed true, so it is best to propagate them by division.  Any part of the root is capable of growing into a new plant. 

Japanese mint, like many other members of this genus, is often used as a domestic herbal remedy, being valued especially for its antiseptic properties and its beneficial effect on the digestion. A tea made from the leaves has traditionally been used in the treatment of fevers, headaches, digestive disorders and various minor ailments. The leaves are a classical remedy for stomach cancer. It is said to relieve hay fever symptoms within minutes. The essential oil in the leaves is antiseptic, though can be toxic in large doses.

Culinary Uses: The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and are used as a flavoring in salads or cooked foods. They have a strong taste of peppermint. A herb tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves. This mint is a source of

Japanese menthol, used to flavor candies, drinks, etc.

An essential oil from the plant is used as a flavouring in

sweets and beverages.

The leaves contain about 0.2% essential oil.

Toxicity: Like other members of the genus, it is bestnot used by pregnant women because large doses can cause an abortion.

Other Uses: The plant is used as an insect repellent. Rats and mice intensely dislike the smell of mint. The plant was therefore used in homes long ago as a strewing herb and has also been spread in granaries to keep the rodents off the grain.

An essential oil is obtained from the plant. It can be used as a substitute for, or adulterant of, peppermint oil. Yields of up to 1.6% have been obtained.

Reference: The Book of Mint, Denise Greig, Kangaroo Press, 1989

Collections

Who has not had a collection of something at sometime?

Cars, doll's house furniture, stamps,

Coins, jewellery, or garden plants.

Each item different, not one quite the same,

Each methodically ordered and recorded

By a logical collector’s brain. 
   

I think that I could truthfully say
that hubby and I
have a collection
of lovely little grand-children
with whom to play!

Wishing you much happiness

as you work at your hobby
or gather your collection. 

from Robyn                                                    

painting of robin by Brenda, my mum.  

LEBANESE CRESS

Word for the Day Attitude

Home January’s Challenge: BE TIDY

Putting things away! On any occasion in my home, I think it would be easy to find at least 30 items that have been "left out"! At least I am better trained than a few years previously, when on entering my home, I could leave a trail of untidy items where only moments before, there had been an aura of tidyness.  This month, with my January Challenge of Being Tidy, I have taken more care in relation to being aware of allocated places for certain items, and actually using these allocated places!  I am trying to be more diligent in putting my mobile phone, my purse, the keys, my watch, bills and other mail, shoes, the book I am reading, glasses .... and so the list goes on!....  all in their allocated places.  But only because I was creating much frustration and waste of good time looking for things misplaced.  

Garden  LEBANESE CRESS Fool’s Cress Apium nodiflorum 

I bought my Lebanese Cress, a delightful salad herb with the taste of cucumber or carrot,  at Isabell Shipard's Herb Farm. This cress, with its soft, fernlike, bright green leaves has been such an easy plant to grow, sprawling contentedly along the ground. When my cress was sprawling too rapidly, I found it very easy to pull up with all of the root system - I actually culled it too harshly as now that summer is in full swing, I am wanting to eat more cress from the garden. We often enjoy a mixed salad with fish or meat, and Lebanese Cress adds its individual texture and flavour to our bowl of mixed greens. 

When my Lebanese Cress starts to grow in full swing again, I will start to use it in stir-fries (adding at the last minute), in smoothies, in omelets and soups as well as adding it to our summer salad bowl. 

May your garden bring warmth to your heart

from Robyn                                                                                            

 Robin in a flowering gum

Painted by Brenda, Robyn’s mum