Bloomin' Tuesday - The last day of March

Today is Bloomin' Tuesday over at Ms Green Thumb Jean's Blog. We all join in and show what is blooming in our garden today.

My yard is so alive with many blooms. The weather here in Southern California has been wonderful. I feel so bad for those of you that are still having snow. All these pictures were taken today in my garden.

In my patio I have pots of these Osteospermums or African Daisies on each side of the stairs. They bloom all summer long. In the winter I just trim them back and they come back with pretty blooms in spring.

My husband bought me these purple Hydrangeas. I have never seen them in purple before. I think they look so pretty with the pink, red and white cyclamens.

Here is a close up of that purple Hydrangea flower. Its more of a purple color than a blue one.

Here is a white flowering peach tree I have in bloom. Yum, I can't wait for the peaches!

I planted these maroon colored double bearded Iris last year. They are blooming this year. They are so dark in color. I think they looked better in the picture on the package when I bought them.

Here are some red Gerber Daisies and red Petunias in an area with some of my homemade Mosaic stepping stones.

This rose bush is called Betty Boop.

This Rose bush is called St Patrick's

This Rose Bush is called Hot Shot

I have over 150 rose bushes throughout my 3 acre yard. I feed them every March, June and September. In January I cut them all back and the cycle starts over again.

This Rose Bush is called Double Delight. (a very popular rose bush)

My Cymbidiums are blooming too. I keep them in my patio area all year long. They are from the orchid family. They bloom every spring and all the rest of the months they stay green. You can bring them inside your home too when they are in bloom. Their flowers last a long time. I like to cut some of the flowers and float them in a glass dish in one of my guest bedrooms. As long as you change the water often, they will last a month!For more Bloomin' Tuesday posts, please go visit Jean at Ms Green Thumb Jean's Blog!

Blue Hankies for Blue Monday

Today for Blue Monday I am going to post pictures of some darling Blue Vintage Hankies. They are so pretty in blue and perfect for Blue Monday!

Be sure to go visit Ms Sally at Smiling Sally's Blog for more Blue Monday posts! She hosts this every Monday so that we can play along!

Pink Saturday - PINK Citrus Juicer

It's Pink Saturday again today! It's so much fun to join in every Saturday with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and all the other Pinkie Junkies!

Today for Pink Saturday I am going to show you a glass PINK Citrus Juicer I have. I needed one so I can make fresh squeeze OJ from our Orange Trees so when I saw this for sale a couple weeks ago, I just had to have it!

Don't forget to go visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and all the other Pinkies today!

Vintage Thingie Thursday - Vintage Betty Crocker's Cook Book

Today is Vintage Thingie Thursday over at Suzanne's Colorado Lady Blog. Don't forget to go visit her too!

I thought I would show you something I keep displayed in my Kitchen. This is a Vintage Betty Crocker's Cook Book. My Mom gave it to me. She told me she bought it in 1946. The cover is starting to separate a little because of its age, but the recipes in it are wonderful!

Let's open it, and see some of the wonderful stuff inside!

This cookbook is over 63 years old! Just the thought that my sweet Mom used this book when she was a newlywed just learning how to cook just makes me smile! The cookie recipes in this book are so great that I still use some of them today!

Wordless Wednesday - The Color Purple

Today is Wordless Wednesday

Today's Theme: The Color Purple

Purple Artichoke Flower My Purple Prowler

Purple Petunias

Purple Rose

Purple Stock

Purple Chrysanthemum
For more Wordless Wednesday Blogs, please go visit Ms Dixie at http://frenchlique.blogspot.com/

Upside Down Hanging Tomato Plants

 I thought I would show you something I made yesterday for my patio. It's two tomato plants in a hanging basket and one is upside down! If you haven't tried this yet, you have to this year. It not only keeps the bugs away from your tomatoes but also all the animals that come and eat them before you have a chance to pick them!
I first bought a really inexpensive plastic hanging pot with chain. It was only around $3 which is great compared to these companies that sell these so call special tomato hanging pots for a high price.

I then drilled a one inch hole in the bottom of the pot

Then I added some black material fiber in the bottom. I also cut a X in the material so that the roots can fit through it. This black material fiber is the black paper you can buy to suppress weeds. This will hold back the dirt so that it doesn't drain out your hole! This is really important to add!

Then I stuck through the bottom hole the tomato plant

Once your plant is in place, start filling with dirt. I also planted another one on the top
Here is the finished pot filled with two different kinds of tomato plants. You can also do this to squash or cucumbers too! I have also seen the hanging pots with tomatoes on the bottom and herbs on top!

Here is a picture of a hanging tomato plant in a basket. Doesn't it look great??

Blue Monday - Vintage Blue Lady Planter

Sally over at Smiling Sally's Blog has Blue Monday going on again today! It's a fun day to post something blue on your blog!

This is a really cute Vintage Blue Lady Planter I bought a couple weeks ago on ebay. I just love the way she looks!

Here is a close up of her face, she is so sweet. She is in perfect condition considering her age!

On her back she has a planter. These were very popular in the 50's

Please don't forget to click here and go visit Sally at Smiling Sally's Blog for more Blue Monday posts!

Pink Saturday - Vintage Embroidered Pillowcases

Today for Pink Saturday I am showing this beautiful pair of Vintage Pillowcases I have. They are in excellent condition, so crisp and clean and I just love all the pink embroidery on them!

Here is a close up of that cute butterfly!

The Pink flowers are so pretty too!

This is going to be the next thing I learn how to do! I just love embroidered pillowcases, especially in my guest bedroom!

For more Pink Saturday posts, please go visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound!

Vintage Thingie Thursday - Hen Salt & Pepper Set

Today for Vintage Thingie Thursday I thought I would show you this cute vintage Hen Salt and Pepper Shaker I bought the other day when I was visiting antique shops in Old Towne Temecula. I collect chickens, roosters and hens in my kitchen so when I saw this cute little hen sitting there calling my name I immediately picked it up!

To my surprise, when you pick up the top half, the bottom half is two eggs sitting on the nest which are salt and pepper shakers! I went crazy when I saw it and this little vintage thingie just had to come home with me!
For more Vintage Thingie Thursday posts, please go visit Suzanne @ Colorado Lady's blog!

Wordless Wednesday - Dance

Today's Wordless Wednesday theme is "DANCE"

A fire dance in my yard last year during a Luau

For more Wordless Wednesday Blogs, please go visit Ms Dixie at http://frenchlique.blogspot.com/

Bloomin' Tuesday

For Bloomin' Tuesday today I thought I would show some spring flowers that are starting to bloom in my garden.

These bulb flowers are called Ranunculus. They bloom only for 2 months in the spring. They come in different colors. This is an area in my garden where I have them growing.

My Wisteria Vines are just starting to bloom. In about one month, my patio area will be covered with these great smelling purple flowers.

These are some white lilies that bloom every spring

Here is a pretty bright daisy bush with vibrant orange ice plant next to it. It makes a great bright color combination in the garden

This is a daisy bush that I have. You cannot tell in this picture, but the daisy bush is at least 4 feet round! It looks so pretty!For more bloomin' tuesday posts, please go visit Jean at MsGreenThumb Jean's Blog!