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What's Happening "Show me your garden and I will tell you who you are" This is a place to focus on what's currently happening in the gardens. I want to share fun seasonal garden stories & events with you. Josh is going to archive the posting as seasons evolve. We hope you will embrace it with a fun-filled spirit. December 2006
Let There Be
Is there a plant that says “Christmas” more than poinsettias? Mistletoe is Nice!
May God bless you & Keep you
Merry Christmas!
"Is He Coming"
Poinsettia - December Flower of the Month Fun for Kids / Grand Kids / Poinsettia
(click for printable coloring sheet) Narcissus - December Flower of the Month
(click for printable coloring sheet) American Cancer Society - Daffodil Days
December Plant of the Month - Holly
(click for printable coloring sheet) (See entry - February 2006 / What's Happening Archives) Learn all about Holly.
December Gardening Guide
ISU Extension 2006 Calendar November/December 2006 Newsletter - 'At the Garden Gate' (pdf file)
Mistletoe "Another Christmas Plant" As a child I knew the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. It's such a romantic notion which made it 'legal' to kiss the boys at Christmas time. I liked the idea. I remember the boys running around junior high school with little sprigs of mistletoe in their shirt pockets. Oh, what fun to be 13. I've lost so much of my youthful energy but attempt to hang onto my enthusiasm for fun holiday traditions. Kissing the one (ones) you love under the mistletoe is just such a special treat. It only occurs at Christmas-time. I'm gettin' out my chap stick to soften up these old lady lips. I always hang mistletoe (plastic, ball -shaped, fake thing, with a pretty red ribbon) up at Christmas time; always where an unsuspecting soul might linger just long enough to be kissed. It's been lots of fun over the years. Now my grandson tries to get everyone under the mistletoe so he can kiss 'em! I love it! And his younger cousin, Marlee, who loves him madly, does her best to get him under the mistletoe. He acts like he hates it then. Grandkids make the holidays special. I had never thought about where mistletoe comes from. I never knew it to grow in Iowa. I never heard anyone talk about it. Then I visited relatives that had moved to Arkansas. There I learned how mistletoe is a parasitic plant growing up high on tree branches. It can kill it's host. This is the fun part. When I asked how they got it off the trees. My aunt told me some folks shoot it off with rifles. You learn something everyday, don't you? Now I'm learning more history & folklore all about mistletoe as I research information to share with "you all". (Don't worry, I haven't shot a rifle for 20 years.) But I do say, "you all". I had a girlfriend from Oklahoma. Some of her lingo rubbed off on me. Then I lived in North Carolina for a spell. And I used to have allot of relatives from the hills of Kentucky. (I loved to hear the 'old folks' talk.) Then there's those cousins in Arkansas. I'm around them less than an hour and I'm a talkin' just like 'em.
(click for printable coloring sheet)
December 4 - 2006
Potluck / Gift Exchange / Planning Mtg I've made such good friends by belonging to my Master Gardener group. We all "dig" gardening.
Are you Ready for Christmas? How many times are we asked that in December? I had to be ready early this year.
December 5 - 2006 My turn to host the Christmas party for my dept. @ work. I love decorating but making sure there was no dust in sight was another thing. Of course, it all turned out fine and we all had a good time.
Secret Santa Gift Last year my Secret Santa @ work gave me a little Norfolk Pine tree in a fun little Santa-pot. I enjoyed it all winter, then potted it up into a gallon pot to spend summer outdoors in a shady spot. I considered discarding it so many times as traditionally these little trees have not done well for me. To my surprise it flourished & was so beautiful I couldn't get rid of it. I brought it back indoors fully expecting it to croak off. But it must like the spot where I put it as it has just been so pretty. I added some fun artificial stuff & a clay pot to create a living centerpiece on the serving surface for my work holiday party. It was fun! Caring for Your Norfolk Island Pine I also let my love of gardening show on the holiday table top this year by using terra cotta pieces to serve candy, hold napkins, & put candles in. Another fun thing I'm enjoying is the bright, shinning, red glass balls Ron helped me hang over the breakfast bar that separates our living room & kitchen. Our space is very limited so hanging decorations above the serving area works great. It's Ron's job to keep them dust free.
December 10th - 2006 Christmas is all about love & giving & good memories. Today my eldest daughter & my grandson came over to have fun. First we hung decorations on a pine tree outdoors. This was a first for me. It seemed strange to have Reece (age 13) up on the ladder doing the man-stuff. They grow-up fast! Our next project was creating little mini-Christmas trees out of styrofoam cones & little clay pots. We each used our own technique (no prior experience needed) & materials we each liked best! Of course, we did help each other. It was fun! And we ended up with a cute centerpiece / focal point for our Christmas party table. December 12th - 2006 Did you know there is a nationally recognized National Poinsettia Day? I didn't. I am learning so much doing research for this website. It's fun! "How do you take care of your Poinsettia?" is a frequently asked question among gardeners. Personally, I have never tried to keep one over yet. But maybe, someday, I will. How to Care for Your Poinsettia
December 12th - 2006 Knoxville Federated Garden Club Holiday Party Hostess - past president - Dixie Roorda Dixie set such a beautiful table for our potluck party.
The 12 Trees of Christmas Everyone is laughing & teasing me about all my Christmas trees. Hey, I'm having Fun! There are 12, plus, Christmas trees in our family room. There are big ones, little ones, and in between ones; just like the 3 bears that are wired on one tree. And, yes, before you ask, they all have a theme: It's "What Marlys Likes". I still hang those little 'egg carton bells' my daughters made in preschool on the tree. It makes my heart smile! For more pictures see the The 12 Trees of Christmas Slideshow.
December 13th - 2006 Marlee and Nana had lots of fun with glue, glitter & candies decorating gingerbread men. Of course, we played Christmas music & sipped hot chocolate (with lots of marshmallows) while we 'worked' on our gingerbread ornaments. The excitement of Christmas through innocent eyes of a child is so precious! Garden Gate Magazine - December Gardening Tip
December 18th - 2006
Reece & Nana attended a Junior Master Gardener program. Master Gardener, David Pealer taught the basics - "Soil Components".
December 24th - 2006
A Blessing at Christmas
Praying your home
Happy Holidays
Your Garden Friend,
Autumn 2005 ~ December 2005 ~ January-February 2006 ~ March 2006 ~ April 2006 ~ May 2006 ~ June 2006 ~ July 2006 ~ August 2006 ~ September 2006 ~ October 2006 ~ November 2006 ~ December 2006 ~ January 2007 ~ February 2007 ~ March 2007 ~ April 2007 ~ May 2007 ~ June 2007 ~ July 2007 ~ August 2007 ~ September 2007 ~ October 2007 ~ November 2007 ~ December 2007 ~ January 2008 ~ February 2008 ~ March 2008 ~ April 2008 ~ May 2008 ~ June 2008 ~ July 2008 ~ August 2008 ~ September 2008 ~ October 2008 |
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