Spring Fever

[coosa]

I hope you are kidding about the frost and flurries. We had to cut our Japanese maples way back cause so many of the branches got killed with that frost last year. My little tree is completely dead and I loved that tree!

[bb]

Oh, no... they are calling for the weather to turn starting tomorrow with the rains... next week, they forecast 34 for Atlanta, so we will probably be well below freezing!

[ruby]

Rain and snow showers in the picture for Monday. Brrrr!!
I see a Dogwood blooming across the pasture, so I'm guessin' this cold snap is Dogwood Winter...we still have Blackberry to go.

[queenbee]

BOOOO snow and cold is bad for my wildflower honey.

However I have turned off the gas heaters in the house and we have had a couple of windows open at night and all of them during the day.

Heard my whipporwill last night for the first time this year. I love laying in bed at night and listening to him. It's very peaceful.

[bb]

I've had the windows opened some the last few nights, too... haven't had the heat on in a long time. I love to hear the frogs and other night creatures in nature's orchestra singing and playing throughout the night!

[queenbee]

One of our bee yards has a old pit filled with water and I love hearing the spring peepers making their noise.

[summerose]

I keep my windows closed to keep the pollen out of the house.

[shortcircuit]

I do the same, but it doesn't make a difference.

[queenbee]

Old Fashioned TipsDown to earth advice and inspiration...from www.oldfashionedliving.com

T O D A Y ' S Q U O T E
The lyric sound of laughter fills all the Aprilhills. The joy-song of the crocus, The mirthof daffodils. ~Clinton Scollard-

T O D A Y ' S T I P S
Herbs 'N Spices:
More Spring Tidbits
These are reminders I wanted to share as you decide what to grow from seeds and how to use it.

Angelica enhances rhubarb. For each pound of rhubarb used in a recipe use 2-3 pieces of YOUNG angelica leaves that have been minced without the stems. Add in with your recipe ingredients before cooking.

Chervil is an herb that compliments other herbs. Its taste is better if used raw or added at the last minute of cooking. Use the leaves and discard stems.

Caraway doesn't transplant well, so if you want a headstart plant it inside in peat pots that can go directly into the soil. Most of us are familiar with the uses for seeds, but the young leaves make a neat addition to salads too.

Coriander leaves (cilantro) are actually spicier than the seeds. Like Caraway, it does not transplant well, so use the peat pots or direct seed into the garden or containers. Outside it needs full sun, but has to be kept watered, soit does not dry out, especially in hot climates. Usually the lower leaves are finer and better to use in cooking.

Arugula or Rocket makes a wonderful addition to salads. Beware though that the drier and poorer the soil the stronger the flavor will be, which is not always a good thing. If you an grow it in the spring while the weather is slightly cooler, and the soil is not as dry, it will make a better salad green.

More: Tips and recipes for using fresh dandelions:http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/dandelion.html

[queenbee]

Old Fashioned Tips Newsletter
Down to earth advice and inspiration
from www.oldfashionedliving.com

T O D A Y ' S Q U O T E
Earth unfolds, Softly falling rain, growing plantsand buds blossoming. Visions of the earth, withglories of nature, beauty of the daffodils, sunshineand rain from a rainbow, Awe! Nature in full bloom.~Blanche Black

HODGE PODGE DAY
This week I'm issuing this newsletter and the recipe edition since it's Spring Break and the kids and I are squeezing in a track scrimmage, movies and a visit from their grandparents all before Monday!

GLASS WAX
My mom would always use Glass Wax and surprisingly you can still find it around. I found it at my sister's Ace Hardware store in Indiana. It's in a pink can and I don't recall the price, but if I bought it, it couldn't have been too expensive. It still works great. ~Sandie, Indiana

Liz is right about the Glass Wax. That is the real nameof the product. I had a Home Ec teacher who made us polish the tables every time we used them. Those tables got waxed 5 times a week because every class had to do it. The tables shined and yes they were veryslippery! ~Theresa M.

I remembered the glass wax that was mentioned in your letter today. Mom used to use it religiously. You spread it on with a sponge, let it dry, then polished the glass to sparkling. Streak free, too. I remember Mom decorating our windows at Christmas with glass wax and stencils. (Ed. note: They have it at Vermont Country Store. Enter"glass wax" in the search box and it will come up.http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/vermont.html)

TOMATO TIP
To help pollinate the flowers on tomato plants, I take a pair of old panty hose, hold the waist area only and gently swish the leg portions through the tomatoes - going along the row or just through the plants to distribute the pollen. Seems to work for me! ~Kathleen

Tips on caring for your wicker furniture-http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/wicker2.html

[queenbee]

Old Fashioned Tips
Down to earth advice and inspiration
www.oldfashionedliving.com

T O D A Y ' S Q U O T E
Every tear is answered by a blossom, Every sigh with songs and laughter, April-blooms upon the breezes toss them. April knows her own, and is content.~Susan Coolidge

T O D A Y ' S T I P S
Home and Hearth: Tips from the Past
These "Household Management" tips are from my copy of The Grand Union Tea Company Cookbook which was published in 1903. Note that times have changed and some modern fabrics or materials may have different reactions advice, so be careful if you decide to try it.

What to do with Wet Shoes: When shoes are soaked, get some oats and stuff the shoes with them until the shape of the foot is preserved. The shoe should befilled above the instep. Then they may be put near the stove or even into a cool oven and will not dry hard or out of shape. The oats may be used two or three times.

To Wash Blankets: Put to boil a large boiler of water, into which you have placed a cake of pure soap cut into small pieces. Pour the water into a tub and let it stand until lukewarm; then add a tbsp. of ammonia. Put the blankets into the water and with a stick tur nthem over and over. Do not rub them. If very much soiled, use a second tub of water prepared in the same way. Make several passings through a wringer and put linens into shape; then hang in the sun to dry.

To Make Linen White: Use refined borax in the water instead of soda or washing powder. A large handful of powdered borax to ten gallons of boiling water is a proportion. Borax being a natural salt, does not injure in the slightest degree the texture of the linen and will soften the hardest water.

To remove wine stains: Port will remove sherry and sherry will remove port.

[queenbee]

GARDEN TIDBITS: SPRING TIDBITS
If you haven't already it's time to plant sweet peas!
They will germinate around 55 degrees F. and can be direct sown as soon as you can work your soil.
Plant the seeds 2 inches deep and 4 inch apart. Water well and keep the soil moist until the seeds germinate. This could take two weeks or more. When the seedlings are growing well, and 5-6 inches high, mulch well to keep the roots cool, which is important to their growth. During April you can sow seeds outdoors for lettuce, greens, spinach, radishes, carrots, turnips, mustard, and peas. You can also direct sow aster, bachelor button, calendula, pansy, candytuft, English Daisy, larkspur, snapdragon and stock.

A few things to remember when direct seeding: working wet, soggy, heavy soil isn't a good thing. Wait for these areas to dry out some before seeding. If the soil is too light, perhaps sandy or just really dry, it will need an addition of compost. It'll dry out too quickly if left as is. When direct seeding work the soil well, remove any rocks and rake so it's fairly smooth before seeding-you don't want any clumps of dirt.
I also add an organic fertilizer to the soil.

EARLY DIRECT SOWING SPINACH & CARROTS
Sowing Carrots: You can direct sow carrots from March to June in intervals if you wish so they don't all mature at the same time. The soil should be worked until it's free of rocks, small stones, weeds and any clumps. It needs to be light--don't add new compost/manure at the same time you are sowing. It's better to sow your seeds VERY carefully so you won't have to thin, or at least not much. It seems the carrot fly is attracted by the thinning process which attracts it. If you do thin, do it in the evening, and remove the thinnings immediately afterwards. The soil shouldn't be wet and heavy-wait until it dries out or pick another location.

Sowing Spinach: Even if your kids don't remember Popeye, spinach is a great spring vegetable to direct sow. It can be as cold as 35 degrees F and it will germinate! Later, when it becomes too hot for it, you can replace it with another plant. Like with the carrots, you can stagger your sowing so you can harvest as each group is ready. Work compost or rotted manure into the soil--work it fairly deep because the spinach roots are long. Rake the soil smooth after workingi t in, then sow the seeds, and cover with 1/2 inch of soil. It will germinate in 7-14 days. Don't allow the soil to dry out.

MORE TIPS: Growing tips for old fashioned rhubarb plusat the end of the article are links for two pages of recipes:http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/rhubarb.html

[summerose]

The pollen count is very high! I can tell by my itchy, watery eyes.

[queenbee]

The pollen count is Atlanta was reported as high today even with the cold weather.

Even if you can't see the pollen laying on surfaces of the car and everything trust me, my little bee's are finding it everywhere adn carrying it into th ehives in their little pollen sacks.

I saw a red bird yesterday and godzilla bird this morning at my feeder at work. Sure signs of Spring if I ever saw any.

[coosa]

Doesn't feel like spring this morning!!