From the Whole Foods Blog, Whole Story:
Number 4 of 8 ways to celebrate the new year:
Set up a DIY Sparkling Drinks Bar: Stock up on sparkling wine (stop by the wine department and ask for a recommendation), sparkling cider and sparkling water too. Set up a bar where guests can tailor their own sparkling drink cocktails. Cut slices of citrus and set out a bowl of sugar for sugaring rims of glasses: Just rub a slice of cut orange, lemon or lime around the rim of the glass, then invert the rim into the sugar and twist the glass to coat the rim. Set out pitchers of juices, the more colorful, the better! Think pomegranate, cherry, pink grapefruit and blood orange. Set up a chalkboard or cover a table with brown paper for guests to write down their favorite combinations.
I think this is an awesome idea for any festive celebration. It makes me want to have a party, just because.
See all eight ways to celebrate on the Whole Story.
As a gardener, I get a little bit stir crazy in the winter. I’ve got lots of houseplants that of course need care, but really? I need to get out!
I just received the Calendar of Events for the United States Botanic Garden – one of my favorite places. This issue is for January and February, and it’s packed with things to do! There are programs for children and adults, and a variety of different topics. I’m thinking about doing the Production Facility Tour again, and maybe the medicinal and poisonous plants talk during lunch in February.
Local teachers should take special note of the workshops that focus on using plants and plant research in the classroom. There are workshops for teachers of all levels, and a special night in February for DC Teachers.
Check out the Calendar of Events here. (Opens a PDF document)
Published on
December 27, 2010 in
fiber.
I actually finished a project. I wore it for a day, and then gave it to my aunt because she said she liked it.
(Low light + iPhone camera = sucktastic picture, even with editing.)
Pattern: Grace Lace Beret
Yarn: Brown Sheep NatureSpun in Mill Blue
Whoot! This arrived just before I went on vacation:
Details to come later this week. Stay tuned…
Good news for Springfield residents: Lee District supervisor McKay announced today that the developer for the new Springfield Mall project has acquired the mortgage for the mall. This is the beginning of good things for the Springfield area!
My apologies to anyone who has tried to use the “Contact Me” page. I haven’t logged into the account linked to my contact form in a while, and it was temporarily suspended. I suppose I should look into a self-hosted form, but at least for now, I need to remember to repaint the room (i.e. administer the blog) once in a while.
I recently received a gift of soap, made by hand in southwestern Virginia. I’m reminded of the gift of a box of soap I received from a soap-maker friend, ages ago It was then that I discovered how wonderful handmade soap could be. My skin is happier, and I feel cleaner than I do when I wash with commercial soap.
I have no desire to do the amount of work it takes to make the soap myself, so I’m Google-ing handmade soap in Northern Virginia and the surrounding area. LOTS of opportunities to buy local soap. I’ll have to make more of an effort to purchase local, handmade soaps that use natural ingredients.
The catalogs are arriving now. A blessing and a curse. I’m happy to have bright, shiny pages full of gorgeous flowers to gawk at, but I can’t do a damned thing in my garden right now.
Bluestone Perennials’ catalog arrived yesterday. I was happy to see they are carrying Asclepias verticillata this year. A. verticillata is a North American native plant and is is a foodsource for larval Monarch butterflies. Monarchs are one of a few species of insects that have evolved to require Asclepias species in part of their lifecycle. Another species of insect that has a symbiotic relationship with milkweed is the Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus).
Hummingbirds like A. verticillata, it tolerates wet spots and hot and dry spots (both of which I have in ample supply in my yard), and is generally a plant-it-and-forget-about-it kind of plant. My favorite.
Asclepias verticillata will definitely be a part of my garden plan for next year. How about yours?
I have to thank Hort Couture for making the winter months inside a little more splashy and fun. Their photos are gorgeous. I’m having a lot of plant lust while pouring over their site. Wish I was a retailer…
