Did you know...or maybe you did...

 One day I was playing with my cell phone. It is funny that I can't remember not having a phone. From the time I was about twelve-years-old, I had a phone in my bedroom. Then at some point, we got cell phones, now I feel strange if I don't have it near me. So, I toyed with the camera one day I was at my favorite coffee shop, Starbucks...this is one of the shots...then...

I changed the settings and got this...

...then this...

...and this...

...wow...and this...which was my dress by the way...

my first ever sleeveless dress!!! WOOT for me...

...check this one out...fun...

...and this dizzy one...

...and how crazy is this one...loving it...

....more fun with the dotty dots...

I couldn't help but laugh out loud, seriously...

...got dizzy with this one...

...sorta liked this one but then I couldn't do it again if my life depended on it...

I may have been drunk on coffee here lol...

...oh yes...Halloween ready...

...and there you have it...the fun coffee house on the cell phone...

Something totally random that I wanted to share with you that was really fun on an afternoon while I enjoyed my coffee. I just needed some respite. =)

Hugs, Rita

Invasion of the Fire Ants...and How I won!! =)

It has gotten comical looking online at the various ways to treat fire ants organically. Why would I care or want to? Well, the first thing that comes to my mind is my honey bees. Second, I have been thinking about bringing our farm to organic certification which means we won't use certain chemicals on our land, in our home or with our animals. So, I had this problem right outside the studio door. Yikes!

So, online I went to find how to take care of this problem. One site said to pour hot soapy water of it. So while the flower pot was still sitting on the ant bed, I did so. Thirty minutes later, I checked it. They were laughing at me. So, I tried another suggestion. Pour hot boiling water on them. The fire ants continued to laugh at me. Finally, I found another suggestion that I laughed and rolled in the floor about, even posted my exact thoughts on their comment section! They said to place "basil" around to ward of ants including fire ants! Do you SEE what kind of plant is IN that pot!? Oh just BASIL!! Which I may have total killed already, soap, hot boiling water...I mean really.

Then I was looking online when I saw my coffee cup! I was like, hmmm, I wonder...So I asked my mother if she wanted anymore coffee. Then I asked Madison and of course she was like, "Yuck!" I took that as a possibility the coffee was finished for the day. I got the pot and carried it out the door and poured it over the plant, the pot and around it...Yes, there was that much. Not usually, but...whatever reasons there was today...

Guess what...it killed the ants...interesting...Just thought you would like to know what I will be doing each morning as I finish my cup of coffee...=)

Hugs, Rita

The Harvest is Plenty...

 The fun has begun! The salads are filled with lettuce from the upside down buckets and tiny tomatoes from both the tomatoes out of the other end and the recycled tire beds. I have sauteed some of them in various recipes as well. It is soooo refreshing to enjoy fresh vegetables after not being where we can have a garden during the past several years!!

 I have an abundance of a variety of peppers in both hot and sweet. The bell peppers are so delicious. I can just eat them off the vine as one would an apple. I will chopped some up and put them in the freezer for the winter months to add to soups and vegetable dishes. The banana peppers and other hot peppers that are coming in, I will make hot sauces and chop as well for the freezer.

With the peppers in this raised bed, I planted a variety of tomatoes that are just now turning. Some are black tomatoes and some are yellow. I have romas and big boy variety. The fresh tomatoes are so amazingly delicious so much so that I filled this bucket with peppers and the tiny tomatoes that I went in the house to get another bucket and Madison, my sweet girlfriend that visits during the day, ate the remaining tiny tomatoes off the vine before I could get back. =) It was all good because they are soooo good for her. Then we started picking the blueberries...delicious...sweet right of the vine as well. Pears are growing and coming in well too. Such an exciting time of the year...Summertime...a great time to refresh, renew and give yourself a chance to grow something within and without a new.

Hugs, Rita

More artsy additions to Madison Bows...

I am having such fun making bows for Madison and her friends...

check them out...

Let's Play Ball Again Bow!

The Canga Bow...

Purplishous Bow...

Sports Have It Bow...

Baseball Rocks Bow...

A closer look at the adorable details of these ribbons...

Sweet Fractions Bow...

I made all these bows in less than a day. I was at a scrapbook crop with friends and even though I took my scrapbooking, I just wanted to make bows.  I have ordered more ribbons and purchased a few that I found (perfect) for the coming school year and seasonal that I know my sweet girlfriend Madison will enjoy wearing. May even recycle some material for some bows...we shall see. =)

Hugs, Rita

Baby Crochet Poncho...

My newest craze...crochet ponchos, baby style!!

I have made several adult size ponchos, see this one and this one, 

but this is my first (of many to come) for babies. This is for a 24 month old.

Granny square crochet, then the edging and collar, while adding adorable flowers to the edging.

The collar was simple to create...

The flowers added an adorable touch. I tied them on with bits of yarn.

The lacy edging completed the project.

The pattern came from this book...

and this face was what made me want to make this poncho.

The next one?

Well, I have already made some and, you guessed it, I have changed the pattern. 

I found a better way, a cuter edging while completing the precious elements for

this adorable blend of colors, stitches and uniqueness. 

Happy crocheting, Hugs, Rita

Making my own rain barrel...

 About a month ago, I got an email from the Alabama Co-op Extension Program in Cullman, Alabama telling about several classes they were going to teach. I picked two right away that I wanted to take, first was the rain barrel class! I loved it...

 There were many participants in the class held at a rustic extension office from the main office downtown. This one is just off Hwy 157 in Cullman, right off the interstate. It felt like the perfect setting for such a class. The barrels are from Auburn and olives were stored inside. The smell was wonderful to me lol.

 The instructors made the process easy and gave us so much information answering the 5Ws/1H (who, what, when, where, why and how) which is exactly what I look for when I attend any class. We also learned how to make more of these as well as where to get them. Local restaurants as well as CraigsList.org.

 I loved the various rain barrels that were painted amazing abstract colors and displayed in yards. These photographs are difficult to see but hopefully you can get an idea of what some had done to their rain barrels in past classes. Amazing...

 More ideas...

 
 Then there was the chicken coop out front of the building that caught my attention. After class, I had to get a better look. Since we were waiting the arrival of our chickens, I wanted to see this in hopes of adding wheels to make a chicken tractor. I thought perfect especially when I saw something that was recycled, you know how much I love recycled items...Can you see it?

The pans from your last turkey dinner!!! =) I felt sorry for the chickens...their brothers, sisters, and friends may have been roasted in those pans...not a funny thought once you think about it, or is it. Interesting...Regardless, I lot of turkey dinners would have to happen at my house before I could create a roof out of these pans much to the delight of some of the men in my house LOL....

Happy Hugs, Rita

Look what I found when I took a walk in my yard this morning...

After the light drizzle of rains from Monday and Tuesday...

the flowers have opened beautifully...

Next door I found visitors...no, the goats aren't mine, 

but mine will arrive in just a few short weeks...

The tomato and pepper plants are growing...

and did you notice there are no weeds?

The paper and hay combo is working exactly as it should...

The "miracle" pear tree is loaded!!

A glimpse in the top of one of the tomato upside down bucket gardens...

the greens are coming in nicely...very nicely...

How refreshing and relaxing this day has started...

Hugs, Rita

The Bucket Garden...

 This is my second year to work the bucket garden. However, this year I expanded each bucket a little bit. In the bottom are the tomatoes and in the top I planted greens - Spinach, Turnips, Collards, Lettuce. We shall see if they come up and how they do...

 My bucket garden is very simple. I got 5 gallon buckets from Home-Depot for about $1 each last summer and then used a combo of top soil, manure, and fertilizer along with my plants. The buckets have wholes drilled in the bottom of them so the plants can fit into them either through the inside or from the bottom.

I empty the plant over the bucket to get as much of the original dirt into the bucket as possible. I don't know that this is necessary but I feel the plant is more at home if it has familiar surroundings =). Then I gently shack the dirt off the roots of the plant until I see which end will fit through the hole of the bucket easier. I don't concern myself with hurting the plants or how deep I bury the plant because neither hurts the process. I was blessed with this plant, I had 2 plants in 1 with this sweet tomato plant ((happy dance)). 

Just a fun view into the bucket from the plants point of view lol...

After I finish filling the bucket up with dirt to 1" below the edge, I spread 1 packet of seeds over the top and then cover with a very thin layer of dirt and gently cover the seeds with it. I let them all rest and water the following day. I will hang the bucket where it will get full sun. The plants may curl upward at first toward the sun but then it will start hanging down once the fruit begins to weight it down. The production is lovely and amazing...

Now the question of the day...

how is it more dirt gets in my shoes on my socks than in the buckets...

Curious...

Hugs, Rita

My repurposed artista garden toolbox...

 This sweet $5 old toolbox was a find at a yardsale a couple of years ago which came with the red tray in tack. I have wanted to make a flower garden out of it for a while and finally sat down and did it. The whole thing turned out fabulous!! =)

 I decided on three flower sets, top soil mixed with manure and a bit of fertilizer to go inside the toolbox and punched two holes in the bottom for drainage.

 Here is the view of the back of the toolbox, rust and all. It is a wonderful, adorable find. I can't wait to find another one to repurpose into something different or to use it for very much the same. =)

I found the perfect home when I planted a dogwood and azaleas along the driveway in front of our house. I added the wrought iron chair I got at a second hand store years back and who-la, a perfect place to enjoy the evening cup of coffee.

Hugs, Rita