Happy Friday dear readers. If you’ve followed this blog for long, you know I adore gardening and share lots of nature photos here and on social media.  However,  for today’s review and giveaway, lets go inside out of the sweltering August heat and have a house party! A Houseplant party by Lisa Steinkopf is a perfect book for houseplant lovers and those that want to be. Plus, there’s easy to make DIY projects to help you display your houseplants.


It’s time to Party!

Houseplant Party Book Review and Giveaway

 I can’t believe we are in the middle of July already. With the sultry summer days upon us, adding more plants outside may not sound appealing, but these two books can help. The first book, Micro Food Gardening will show you how to plant tiny plants that will grow and thrive in small spaces like windowsills and front porches or stoops. The second book, Tiny Plants, will welcome you into the world of miniature house plants that will thrive in small spaces too. Read on to learn how to enter the giveaway for these two small, but mighty gardening book resources.


Two Books Giveaway!



Micro Food Gardening and Tiny Plants Books


Middle Tennessee got down- right cold last night, bottoming out at 30. It will get down to 23 tonight, which means my outdoor gardening days are done for another season. I will miss my flowers and greenery until next growing season. I won’t fret too much since I have the perfect chilly night companion- ©The Leaf Supply Guide to creating your Indoor jungle book by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan.  If you love houseplants and consider them a necessary part of your home’s decor, then read on to discover all the beautiful rooms and design ideas shared in this book. Plus, because I ladore my readers,  I’m hosting a giveaway too!



Indoor jungle book review & Giveaway

10 No Tech Holiday Gift Ideas Sure To Please

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, November 13, 2023

In an effort to not rush headlong into everything Christmas, I waited until I knew most people had started holiday shopping, or at the very least, asking for their loved ones' gift lists. This year has found me enjoying offline hobbies and events, which led me to compile 10 no tech holiday gift ideas sure to please most adults on your list. This is a switch from my previous holiday gift idea lists because I’m not covering kids' gifts. As an almost empty nester, it’s going to be a few years before I need to shop for little ones again.


No Tech Gifts Sure To Please!




10 No Tech Holiday Gift Ideas Sure To Please

Are you like me anxiously awaiting spring and gardening season? Or perhaps, you love nurturing houseplants, and would like to do a few fun gardening projects before spring arrives? If yes, then keep reading because I’m going to introduce you to a delightful book about both: ¡Verdura!: Living a Garden Life has 30 projects to nurture your passion for plants, both indoors and out. Plus, I’m hosting a giveaway!




 Welcome More Plants into your Life!



Verdura book

The Complete Book of Ferns Giveaway

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, January 31, 2020

It’s the last Friday of the first month of the year, so let’s celebrate with a giveaway!  I’m ready for whimsical February to arrive and bring along some warmer temperatures. While we wait for garden season, I’ve been reading gardening books and sharing them here with you. Recently, I’ve been learning about Ferns from The Complete Book of Ferns by Mobee Weinstein. I’ve been wanting to add ferns to my outdoor gardens, so being asked if I’d like to review it and host a giveaway was a happy bit of luck.



Outdoor ferns stretch up to the sunlight
from The Complete Book of Ferns 




Lichon on the tree #nature







new leaf growth #houseplants






dried flowers in winter #nature

 When the calendar turns to May, I shop for Mother’s Day gifts. I try to keep ideas for the extraordinary ladies in my life all year round so I don’t have to rely on last-minute options. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never met a Mom who didn’t like being remembered, but if you want to move on from books, scarves, and chocolates, take note of the five Mother’s Day Gift ideas in today’s post. I think she’ll find them delightful. 


Mother’s Day Gift Ideas:




5 Mother's Day Gift Ideas She'll find Delightful


When a representative from Safer Brands contacted me about possibly doing a review for their organic products I quickly researched the company prior to saying yes. We have had bad experiences with lawn and garden products in the past and I wanted to make sure these products were something beneficial and truly safe to work with. Within 3 minutes of visiting their informative website, I was replying to that email with Yes, please!  Here's what I learned.


I received  free products from Safer Brand to facilitate this review. However, all opinions are 100% my own. 




About Safer Brand Lawn Care:


Organic lawn care


Safer Brand's tag line says it all: It's Organic, It's Effective, It's Safer Brand. The website also states: "Safer® Brand carries the natural gardening products you need for your organic garden, lawn and houseplants. Our insecticides and herbicides are all natural, containing no synthetic or man-made chemicals. Whatever your organic gardening needs are, Safer® Brand can help."


That sounded really good to me since we live on a pretty large property and safety of our yard, outside animals and waterways is very important to us. We waited for the arrival of our products. 




Here's what we received:

Weed control
Safer Brand Restore and Weed Control Step 1 & 2




restore
Safer Brand Lawn Restore Step 3 & 4




spreader
Safer Brand Thermometer and Application Calendar





Trying Products:

Our products arrived in late April just in time to apply. The only problem was it rained every time we were free to apply the products.  We finally caught a break in the weather and got busy.




Here is a photo of the Restore in our spreader.


spreader




And a photo of my wonderful husband spreading Safer Brand Restore on our lawn.



My hubby




I even added the Weed Prevention Plus product to my flower beds prior to mulching.



Safer Brand Weed Prevention Plus


My Thoughts:


I was pleased that the Safer Brand products had no chemical odor. The products smell more grainy than anything. In fact, I saw curious birds coming down to peck and investigate the pellets under a tree. I didn't have to worry about them, my outside kitty, or the lawn! 


So far I am very pleased with the Safer Brand products and will keep you updated with the results as we work through the product application process which happens in July and September. After that I will give my full review. 


I invite you to check out Safer Brand products if you are looking for a safe alternative to harsh chemicals. Visit their website HERE or connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.


Please share in comments: Where would you like to use Safer products in your yard?





Winter has us in its grip this week and has covered a large portion of the US in snow and ice, so to combat the bad weather, I’m focusing on the fun of Valentine’s day gift giving! My shopping style has changed now that my daughters are older. It’s not all hearts and candies (although, I still love giving and receiving those). Now, I look for gifts beyond the candy aisle!  I’ve found four cute and clever Valentine's Day  gift ideas for the whole family to share with you today.


 4 Cute and Clever Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas!



4 Cute and Clever Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas                                                    for the whole family

Happy Valentine’s Day to all who celebrate it! This year, it’s just my husband and I celebrating now that we’re empty nesters. Our youngest daughter moved out just before Thanksgiving. I’m still adjusting to this new normal, which has had some ups and downs. One of the downs is I’ve been in a bit of a creative rut. When I read a friend's blog post this morning with this fun writing prompt, I knew it was just the thing to spark my creativity. I’m joining Mix and Match Mama and her monthly writing prompts where we share little peaks into our lives. 




 Let’s Look at the Little Things We Do Every Single Day!



Let’s Look at the Little Things We Do Every Single Day!

Gift Ideas for Gardening Enthusiasts

in , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Thursday, December 02, 2021

The last week of November flew by me in a blur and now I’m welcoming in December with my last official holiday gift ideas list. I had a couple of other gift list ideas I had planned to share, but sadly, packages didn’t arrive in time. Today’s Gift Ideas for gardening Enthusiasts is a favorite of mine. If you’ve read my blog, or followed me on social media, you know I adore flowers, herbs, and nature, so I’ve tried to cover a wide range of gift ideas.



Gift Ideas for Gardening Enthusiasts! 



Gift Ideas for Gardening Enthusiasts

Ten Succulent plants for your indoor garden

in , , , , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, October 28, 2016
At the beginning of each season I promise myself that this will be the season I have a garden to be proud of.  My flowers will bloom glorious bloom after bloom, my herbs will never wither or go to seed and my succulents will remain perfectly pleasing to the eye. Then reality sets in and I muddle along with an okay garden space- but my succulent game is strong so I can take heart. 


Ten succulent plants for your indoor garden



If you’ve never known the joy and beauty of a succulent garden, then why not give it a try as our Indian summer days slowly ebb into winter?  Maybe it’s already more like winter where you live- all the more reason to start this easy indoor garden full of succulents



What is a Succulent Plant?


Succulent plant leaves



Succulents are fairly easy to identity because of their leaves and stems. The most widely recognized succulent is probably the Aloe Vera plant and my personal favorite the Jade plant. The Jade plant in the photos above is 10 years old and was born from clippings my mother in law took from her mother’s Jade plant.  I treasure this Jade plant because it is an heirloom; one that I can pass on to my daughter’s when they move to their first place. I’ve started several pots of Jade from this one and will be doing a quick tutorial soon. Another thing I adore about Jade is it produces delicate white or pink flowers once a year!



Jade plant pink flowers



Succulents would be a perfect first time plant for teens, or anybody that loves having greenery around them but forgets to water their houseplants because succulents are drought resistant and require very little water or hands on care. Just read the care tag and put your plant in the correct light and you are almost guaranteed success with your indoor succulent garden!


The one drawback of succulents is choosing the right one for your personal tastes and your homes lighting. Some points to consider before buying succulents:

  • Low levels of natural light and cooler temperatures mean you’ll need to adjust how much water and fertilizer you give.
  •  
  • Some plants adapt to hanging planters and terrariums better than others.
  •  
  • Some succulents can even be toxic to your indoor animals.



As you can see, while succulents may be easy to grow, you need to do your homework first. That’s why UncommonGoods, one of Brooklyn’s favorite online retailers of home and garden decor, has researched and compiled a list of 10 best succulents to brighten up your home this fall and winter.


Ten best succulent plant infographic



I was happy to see my favorite succulent, Jade second on the list. I think I will add a Mistletoe plant to a hanging basket in my bedroom and I love the look of the string of buttons plant. 



I adore growing and spotting succulents wherever I go. I saw this beauty at my grocery store and had to share a pic on Instagram. 


You will find a huge succulent fan following on IG, so hop on over and follow me and UnCommonGoods there.






Please share in comments: Which succulent plant from the infographic would you like to grow in your indoor garden?



Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way to share this information today. I just love succulents and UnCommonGoods was kind enough to ask me to share that love via their infographic. 

Recently, I was talking with a Mom friend who is in the thick of the back to school schedule. Since she knows I’m on the other side of the back to school stress, she asked if and when things got better. I assured her they would as her kids get older, and that now would be a perfect time to practice mental rest. Today, I have the privilege of sharing insights on this topic from Shiela Mie Legapsi, President of Cyberbacker and contributor to Newsweek and Pop Sugar. 



Moms Need Mental Rest:



Moms practice mental rest

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