New Article!

New article up at the Examiner: Time to start fertilizing houseplants again!
http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/it-s-time-to-start-fertilizing-houseplants-again

New Article!

New article up at Examiner: Western red cedar
http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/native-plant-western-red-cedar

New Article!

New article up at the Examiner: scientific plant names: what was the plant used for?
http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/scientific-plant-names-what-is-the-plant-used-for

New Article!

New article up at the Examiner: thinking about the changes you want to make to your garden this year: http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/garden-changes

New Article Posted!

Mail order and on line sources of unusual seeds:
http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/national-mail-order-gardening-month-unusual-seeds

New Article Posted!

New article up on the Examiner, on testing old seed for viability:
http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/checking-old-seeds-for-viability

The Legendary Cat Quilt

The cat quilt is not a quilt for cats-although they have disagreed with that bit all along- but one made of cat fabrics. It is legendary because of the length of time it took me to make- years. I'd get the blocks pieced, then not work on them for months, carry them around with me and get bits and pieces done in doctor's offices and the like, and it was always getting put off, either because I was working outside all the time and didn't stitch at all, or Christmas was coming and I was stitching presents. I finally finished it a number of months ago, and then never got it taken to it's rightful owners. I made it for the Concerned People for Animals (North Idaho division) so they can auction, raffle or sell it however. When we had a metric load of feral cats around here they gave us certificates to have them all fixed, and we really appreciated that. But I finished it about the time our work picked up, so I never got around to taking it to them or calling them- they are actually in Rathdrum, about an hour from here. Today I unfolded it, reironed it, made sure there was as little cat hair as possible on it, and wrapped it in tissue. I shall get hold of them in the next few days.

So here I present: The cat quilt!

Each block is done with a different colorway or theme; green, blue, red, black/winter, oriental, and one with Laurel Burch fabrics.

New Article Posted!

New article: organic choices in mail order/online seed catalogs
http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/national-mail-order-gardening-month-organics

New Article Posted!

New article on scientific plant names at the Examiner: names that tell us where the plant is from:
http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/scientific-plant-names-places-of-origin-2

New Article Posted!

New article up at Examiner:
http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/national-mail-order-gardening-month

The first in a series on mail order gardening.

New Article!

Why rhododendron leaves curl in winter:
http://www.examiner.com/gardening-in-spokane/rhododendron-leaf-curl-winter

New Year's Eve lunch

After yesterday's aborted plans to go into town for errands and my birthday dinner- aborted by the car having a borked starter- we made it into town today, but decided to make it birthday lunch rather than dinner so as not to be on the icy roads when it gets down to 0 F again and so as not to be on icy roads when every drunk in Bonner County decides to be on the same stretch of road with us. I wore basically my one Steamcon outfit, with bonus long sleeved blouse, scarf, gloves and petticoat for warmth. I was made much of at the library, saluted at one grocery store and told I was classy, and had a teenaged girl ask to take my picture at the other grocery store. That pretty much made my day!

At the restaurant, they have a salt water tank with some large fish. I took some pictures of them today. The largest fish is an orange something or other, who after I took his picture, followed me to the other end of the tank when I wanted to get pics of the other fish. As I tried to focus on them, he'd swim in front of the camera. Me! Me! Take pictures of ME!! I call him 'Happy Fish' for obvious reasons: