Growing and Surviving Impatiens

My love for impatiens started years ago while being a stay at home mom.

I discovered gardening was a place where I found serenity a sense of calming.

A stress relief and rejuvenate in the small moments I spent gardening.

Spring and Summer became seasons I cherished, while fall and winter

were my times to study gardening, knit and or crochet.

Not being one that really like flowers, I found growing and taking care of them

outside, to be not only relaxing, but the effort so rewarding in there blooming.

Impatiens became a flower I seemed to plant everywhere. They are such a

forgiving plant. I don't think people realized these little cuties can be grown

nearly anywhere and right through the fall and winter months indoors.

Yes, Indoors!!

Simply take a cutting add a tiny bit of Miracle Grow Bloom Booster

to a glass of water making sure no leaves touch the water.

 Give them a few hours of light by putting a grow light in one of your lamps,

 or place them in a southern window. If they droop place them in a clear

plastic bag seal the top and walla there good to go.

 Don't you just love that little mason jar?

They come with a really good pesto inside. This sauce is awesome

and has so many uses. Great tasting simple sauce ready for dinner in no time, and

perfect for one or two people. And yes, they are Atlas Mason Jars 4 ounces.

Look familiar on the left?

I also like to use items like this small olive can.

I put black olives on my salads, the greens I get from my organic garden.

I keep the can a bit worn in appearance by leaving bits of the label attached.

 It gives character to the can and it's so adorable used as a rooting base

for impatiens.

 Again adding water and a bit of the Miracle Grow as mentioned above.

Once they root which takes about 2 to 4 weeks I will plant them in the same

small can, first, drilling 4 holes in the bottom adding a good organic soil like

 the one Miracle grow produces. I get it from Walmart at a low price.

Then, watch them grow through fall and all winter long.

Growing impatiens is truly easy.

Just keep them trimmed to the height you desire.

They are forgiving, should a piece of the stem get broken

off it has an amazing way of continuing to grow.

That same spot will produce new growth.

I suppose that's another thing I love about them.

No matter what happens to impatiens they are a survivor

and when broken they don't quit.

When I look at them I think if they can be broken and survive

 then why can't I....we all are living and breathing organisms.

I suppose that's why they are the only flowers I keep in my home.

They remind me no matter what happens in my life, surviving it,

learning from it, and moving forward is so important to growing....

I am a survivor! Are you?

Blessings, Daniella

Colors Around Me

Everywhere I look there is color.

Like these trees in a beautiful green, a gorgeous blue sky

with soft white cotton clouds. A sky with detail is wonderul to an artist eye.

When my children where little while riding in the car

we would look at the clouds, finding an image in as many as we could.

Do you see any images in the clouds?

My daughter with her love of mammoth yellow sunflowers, too, captured

my eyes and heart, with it's amazing bold color.

Notice the little bee pollinating the center of the flower?

Although bees do sting there is reason for there existence, a cycle of life.

At the end of the season we pull the sunflower from the centers

wash them then roast them in the oven. We also gather them to

feed the birds through the winter when food is scarce.

   This year I planted Cosmos in the garden they bloomed in a

gorgeous orange.      

I love the detail of this flower the way it grows in elegant layers.

Did you ever wonder how it does that, in such a uniform way?

    

Then I came across this pattern in a magazine, oh, such a gorgeous combination of colors!

Reds, blues, greens, a bit of cream throughout.

I am not one who usually likes these types of patterns, yet this one caught my eye straight

away. The design is just beautiful.

As the fall season approaches I love to knit and crochet for some reason

 it just seems to calm the soul during the cool evenings.

I am going to crochet this pillow yet with a bit of sudtle colors. Although I love the

awesome colors around me it just doesn't work for me in my home.
 I find comfort in the earth tones, shades of browns, creams,
and whites often with a touch of sage green.

So I think I will begin this pillow in shades of light brown with a touch of cream.
And leave the color around me to nature. What colors would you choose?

                                                                
                                                               Blessings, Daniella