Today's Interesting Items

The pantry.  I use an old walnut cabinet in the kitchen.  Usually it has dishes stored inside, but when the windows were going in, I had to empty it.  Now, It's a pantry.  I am reading a "new to me" blog called "the gardener's cottage".   I thought it was going to be able gardening, but it is more about a smaller, healthier lifestyle.   the recipes on the blog are vegan but that doesn't mean they aren't very nutritious and beautiful.  Also inexpensive.  Janet (the author) organizes and wipes down the shelves in her pantry just before making her grocery list.   She lives in CA and the  99cent (dollar) stores out there have fresh produce.  I don't think the ones in Maine do.

I am learning about the "do it with less" lifestyle while bringing in daily bags of very discounted items from the employee store (the retail employer).  Which is kind of dumb (of me) but today was the last day so I will be in twenty cent pants withdrawal--starting now.

I potted up these large amaryllis bulbs in early November.  They took their sweet time making leaves and finally in late January, they gave the impression they might try and make flowers.  Here it is, March tomorrow and I am still waiting.  The one on the far left is showing a bit of color (other than green) but it's still a long way from Christmas, in my humble opinion.

Now, this is interesting (to me).  A Calamondin orange tree which tossed all it's leaves just after the New Year.  I set it here by the new French doors (on the brick pad the wood stove used) hoping it would make new baby leaves.  So, a nice sunny, warm bottomed situation.  No leaves.  BUT, the darned tree is sending up a tremendous number of flowers.  In a few days the house will be full of the delicious scent of orange blossoms.  Yum.  I will need to add a fan to the brick area in order to pollinate the flowers.  No bees.

Behind the citrus tree is the asparagus fern.  The "thug" of the brick hearth space.  Sending fronds up and over every other plant near and far.  It's covered the poinsettias.  The bromeliads are standing their ground.  But today I noticed the fern has set it's "fronds" on the citrus tree as it's next territory.

It is VERY cold here in Maine today.  Sunny but a very cutting wind which goes right thru our down winter jackets.  G wore his "new to him" flannel lined pants on the walk with Riley.  Twenty cents.

In another post I will show you the TWO leather totes I purchased for $10 each.  I had to repair the zipper in the messenger bag and also condition the leather.  The other had been "tagged" with a knife while on display in the store.  The letter A in a circle cut into the side of the tote.  Sad but true.   Brand new and still smelling leathery.  I just wish it had been the brown one.  But it's black.  Now I have two.  One can be a gift.

We are staying in today and having some sort of pasta for dinner.  G wants meatballs.  He'll have to go out and buy some meat, or I can go.  But I don't think I will.