Delicious Fern

This must be edible!

I Love Lime Green

pot washing station behind greenhouse

Important change announcement

My swing made with an old bedstead by my father who passed away in the early 1980s
for my mother who passed away in 1991.
The swing back is the headboard and the sides are from the footboard cut in half. 

I will be brief with this important information. 

As you may or may not know, Ning, the site where I host my online classes, has announced
changes.

In addition to various formatting changes, they announced a new pricing structure based on number of members. The formatting changes give me some concern as to the way I present my classes; however, I am more concerned about the new cost to me as the creator of allnorahsart.ning.

First, let me say, I love my class site and I am not moving from Ning.  I am committed to staying at least one more year to see how it all works out.

I'm sharing this for the following reasons:

To let you know

• all classes are still available and will be for at least one more year.
• I have purged all members who were not enrolled in a class.
• the home page is invisible and not accessible unless you are enrolled in a class.
• if you are interested in a class, click on the tab at the top or the class icon in the right sidebar of my blog for class information and paypal button.

Online CLASSES

A Diary Of Faces

Faces In Collage

Faces in Technicolor

Inktense Faces on Fabric

Tree Castle Apron

Faces in Darker Skintones

I look forward to new students, so if you have been holding back because of the Ning changes, know that nothing is changing for me for at least one year. 

♥

Hypertufa

Do you know what Hypertufa is? 

Many year ago, I made this hypertufa planter. 

Take a look at these.

Very inspiring! I just might have to make more.....now that I'm retired.

Yesterday, I collected some cactus that had volunteered in our extended yard. I have been watching them for several years while mowing and thinking someday I would pot it up. 

Someday finally came. 

I also added a couple wild portulaca, aka moss rose. I think it will bloom yellow. It is a weed.

♥

FYI. Wikipedia says:

Portulaca grandiflora (Moss-rose Purslane or Moss-rose), is a flowering plant in the family Portulacaceae, native to Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay.

It is also seen in South Asia and widely spread in most of the cities with old 18th-19th century architecture in the Balkans. In Bangladesh, it is called "Time Fuul", meaning "Time Flower", because the flower has a specific time to bloom. In Vietnam, it is called "Hoa mười giờ" meaning "Ten o'clock flower", because the flower is usually in full bloom at 10 o'clock in the morning.

It is a small, but fast-growing annual plant growing to 30 cm tall, though usually less. However if it is cultivated properly it can easily reach this height. The leaves are thick and fleshy, up to 2.5 cm long, arranged alternately or in small clusters. Theflowers are 2.5–3 cm diameter with five petals, variably red, orange, pink, white, and yellow.

From The Chef's Garden

On my last trip to Italy and with the Chef's permission,

I collected a dead head (seed pod) from his garden. 

I don't remember if I even knew what the plant was but that doesn't matter. 

I stashed it among my art supplies labeled and wrapped in this napkin.  

Planted on June 12th.
I didn't have a clue what part was the actual seed so I planted all of it.

On June 23 the first seedling popped up.

I would have never guessed that part to be the seed.

I was so happy that I had at least one plant. 

Then, after ignoring it for a few days I went out July 5th and jumped with joy when I found 11 seeds had germinated.

 Today, July 12th I transplanted six seedlings. I count 21 more left in the pot. Before I thin out more, I'm going to see how these do. 

I'm very excited and holding my breath that I can grow these.

♥

PS:  The photo of the first seedling with the seed cap still attached was taken with my iphone and a Macro Cell Lens Band.

It is pretty cool!

Blog Book Review

 I Love it!

I love the book but it is the content that I am most proud of and thrilled with myself for finally doing this. 

The content of my first six months of blogging had a lot of family and home life stuff.  Now, I like seeing that in book form. 

I will definitely make a book of the rest in increments of six months as well. 

 I chose large pictures and am glad that I did even though it did make the book many more pages. 

There is one option I wish I had tried for a comparison. 

There is an option to start each post on a new page. I did not chose that option and now I'm wondering if in the long run it would not have made much difference in the number of pages. The above is an example of the option I chose to not start a new page with each post. 

As you can see above, there is blank space on the left page because the next picture wouldn't fit. So, it would be nice to have a little more editing control.  But that's just me wanting to control everything and everyone. I'm learning that I don't need to do that anymore.
If you are still on the fence about making a blog book, I say go for it.
♥ 

My Wood Duck family

 Imagine our surprise to discover this little family on our tank Friday.

She is a Wood Duck 

The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck is a species of duck found in North America. It is one of the most colourful North American waterfowl.Wikipedia

Anyway we are thrilled to have them and I must say they have captured our total bird watching attention.

I sure hope I can get better photos.

My point and shoot doesn't do too good on zoom and surely not without a tripod. 

♥

Project Birdbath Complete

I did it....with the help of this furry creature.

 I made a mold and cast cement.

Then, early morning yesterday, I started my birthday off with the mosaic to finish it off.  

I love it.

I will let you know if the birds love it too. 

♥

PS....yes...that is poison ivy, virginia creeper, wild grapevine, english ivy, briar, pepper vine, and tie vine under that tree.