Natural Life Magazine

My good friend over at dkMommy Spot is giving away a one-year subscription to
Natural Life Magazine. Hurry over there and enter!



Don't forget to visit An Herbal Bedfellow for healthy recipes made with herbs, and also my newest blog:
Happenstance House -- A journal about my Victorian home and all of it's contents.

An Irish Blessing

May your blessings outnumber

The Shamrocks that grow

And may trouble avoid you

Wherever you go.





Don't forget to visit An Herbal Bedfellow for healthy recipes made with herbs, and also my newest blog:
Happenstance House -- A journal about my Victorian home and all of it's contents.

A Second Chance

Did you enter to win the Ethel Gloves? Aww, you didn't win? I'm sorry!
Here's a second chance to win those wonderful gloves. The weather is changing fast and you're going to need them! Head over to An Herbal Bedfellow for another oppotunity to win! Now, go and say something nice! This could be your lucky day!

Please do not enter the giveaway here.


Don't forget to visit An Herbal Bedfellow for healthy recipes made with herbs, and also my newest blog:
Happenstance House -- A journal about my Victorian home and all of it's contents.

Ethel Gloves Winner

Announcing the winner ..............................drumroll !!!!

Elaine R was chosen by random.org and she has responded!

Stay tuned for more giveaways coming this way! Thanks for participating!



Don't forget to visit An Herbal Bedfellow for healthy recipes made with herbs, and also my newest blog:
Happenstance House -- A journal about my Victorian home and all of it's contents.

Homeology, Are You Green? Go Blue!!

I'd like to talk to you about a cleaning product. You might wonder why I would choose to do that on my garden blog. I'll tell you why.

A few weeks ago, I was spritzing my regular window cleaner, the one that starts with W and was featured on My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you know the one. It doesn't really matter that it was a name brand but just the type of cleaner it was. I have used it a thousand times or more on my windows.
This time, being in the rush that I usually am, I sprayed it on my windows right above my window shelf with my potted herbs. I admit to doing this same thing before -- I'm always in a hurry. Now, I didn't spray directly on my plants, but for the first time I realized that the overspray was settling on them. All along I had prided myself on growing my own herbs in the kitchen and in the garden. I make sure in the garden that there are no chemicals or grass fertilizers used anywhere near them so I always feel confident that just a light wash with water, or dusting off and they are good to go. I didn't think I had to worry about the window plants ... until now. Now I know that I have been putting window cleaners inadvertently on my "organically-grown" herbs as the mist floated through the air.

It was then that I went on a hunt and I found a great cleaning product on the Internet. Homeology is a plant-based home cleaner infused with essential oils made by Gold Canyon. I contacted the company and they were generous enough to let me sample their product. I have the All Purpose cleaner with a rosemary/mint scent.
The active ingredients are from natural sources, it's biodegradable, nontoxic, with no ammonia, chlorine, phosphates or artificial dyes. You can't go wrong with info like that.


GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!

Here's the best part: Gold Canyon is offering a 35 ounce bottle of Homeology All Purpose Cleaner to each of three winners as a giveaway! Just follow these simple instructions and you're entered!!


1. Leave a comment about your favorite Homeology product, feel free to browse the Gold Canyon site, also.

2. For a second chance to win, sign up as an e-mail subscriber with Feedburner, Feed Blitz, or become a Google Follower (see sidebar.) Then leave a second comment telling me you have subscribed or that you are already a subscriber.
If you subscribe in more than one way, leave a separate comment for each.

3. For a third chance to win, blog about this contest with a link here, then come back and
leave another comment telling me about it.

4. If you're not a blogger, be sure to leave your contact e-mail address like this to avoid spammers: pianananna(at)gmail(dot)com. If I don't have a way to reach you or you don't respond in three days, your name will be disqualified, and I will choose again, picking my favorite answer.
Good Luck!!


Open to US and Canada, 18+.
Winners will be chosen by random.org.
Email addresses will not be shared with any third parties.
This Giveaway ends on March 20, 2009 at midnight ET.




Don't forget to visit An Herbal Bedfellow for healthy recipes made with herbs, and also my newest blog:
Happenstance House -- A journal about my Victorian home and all of it's contents.

Thankful Thursday -- Bird Songs

I'm thankful for the birds.

The bird songs are back and doesn't it sound wonderful? I always forget how noisy they are after suffering through a long silent winter. So far we have spotted many yellow finches (not quite yellow yet), cardinals, nuthatch, chickadees, sparrows (of course) mourning doves, and starlings. The feeders are full and the squirrels are greedily eating their share and the birds' share also. The oranges are out in anticipation of the first sighting of the orioles. I love all of the activity.

In Michigan, we eagerly await the first call of the robin; word spreads quickly when one is sighted. Our biggest fear is that they return too early, which they do some years, and then are unable to find the worms they need because the ground is still frozen. Some years, they try to warm themselves by landing on the pavement after cars have gone by with hot tires. I love how we all get so protective. Radio talk shows will have robin reports, callers call in to give their advice and tell how we can help them by putting out worms, insects, and fruit.

I'm thankful that I live in an area where I can view nature and appreciate it.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, click here or on the sidebar button.

Don't forget to visit An Herbal Bedfellow for healthy recipes made with herbs, and also my newest blog:
Happenstance House -- A journal about my Victorian home and all of it's contents.

Oxalis, Green Shamrock

I bought this Shamrock plant last year after St. Patrick's Day and got a great deal. I knew I never was able to keep one for long, but for that price, I could afford to gamble. Well, here it is -- a year later. It is still thriving and blooms regularly.
What did I do that was different from the past? I watered it! I let it tell me when it needs watering instead of trying to keep a routine. As soon as it wilts, I give it a drink. Within hours it has perked right up and looks healthy and green.

I've read how oxalis needs light moisture, light but not direct sun, and a dry resting period for a few months in the dark. I didn't follow any of that advice. (That could have been why I failed before!) Maybe this variety (oxalis regnellii) of the shamrock plant just didn't seem to be that fussy -- there are over 30 varieties. I do know that it is a bulb and can be grown outdoors here, but must be taken up in the fall. It's really a lot easier to grow it as a container plant.

Well, the joke is on me, because any time I had a shamrock plant that died, I threw it out. I guess they weren't dead at all but just going into their hibernation mode. Hmmm, maybe I should have read a few of those plants books I have that are collecting dust on the shelves. Ya think? Sometimes you just think you know it all and then you find out you're still a babe in the woods! Next maybe I figure out how to find that pot of gold!

Don't forget to visit An Herbal Bedfellow for healthy recipes made with herbs, and also my newest blog:
Happenstance House -- A journal about my Victorian home and all of it's contents.

Ethel Garden Gloves Giveaway

I'm so looking forward to getting out in the yard. Today it should hit the high 40s and tomorrow in the low 50s. I finally went out in the yard yesterday and picked up branches and twigs ripped down in the harsh winter winds. It really felt good. My hands felt good too, because I was wearing my new Ethel Gloves!
I love garden gloves, like most of you do, but I'm not crazy over the cheap cotton ones. I own some because they have been given to me and I don't like them to go to waste so I use them for my dirtiest jobs. But I have a passion for a good quality glove and then I usually don't like to wear them because I don't want to ruin them.
At the moment I first put my Ethel Gloves on, I let out a sigh. It was almost as good as chocolate. They "fit like a glove" with their four-way stretch. Very flexible and lightweight. I hardly knew they were on. With the rubberized grip on the palm and the re-inforced fingertips, they should last a long time.
So I got brave and gave my new gloves a test run by picking up all of the twigs and branches, some were pretty nasty with wet decay and mosses. They were wonderful. I never once had that feeling that I had to rip them off like I usually do. Although I regretted that they now have dirty palms (sniff),

UNTIL I discovered that they are machine washable.
(I'm sorry, I was so excited, that I forgot to take a picture of them brand new, clean and pretty.)
These gloves are here to stay, and I'm sure I won't hesitate to wear them again. Now, let's pray for good weather so I can really get down and dirty.

I found this website helpful in choosing the correct size for me.

If you're interested in purchasing some of these gloves, Ethel Gloves is offering a 10% discount just for my readers. All you have to do is type in the word THYME in the discount code field at checkout. This offer is good through April 3rd!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!!


Ethel Gloves would like you to have a chance to give these wonderful gloves a try. Here's how you can win a pair:

1. Leave a comment about why you would like some Ethel Gloves and tell me which pattern you would choose if you win.

2. For a second chance to win, sign up as an e-mail subscriber with Feedburner or become a Google Follower (see sidebar.) Then leave a second comment telling me you have subscribed or that you are already a subscriber.

3. If you're not a blogger, be sure to leave your contact e-mail address like this to avoid spammers: pianananna(at)gmail(dot)com. If I don't have a way to reach you or you don't respond in three days, your name will be disqualified, and I will choose again, picking my favorite answer.
Open to all, no restrictions
Winners will be chosen by random.org.
Email addresses will not be shared with any third parties.
This Giveaway ends on Thursday, March 12th at midnight ET


Don't forget to visit An Herbal Bedfellow for healthy recipes made with herbs, and also my newest blog:
Happenstance House -- A journal about my Victorian home and all of it's contents.