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| Asparagus Fern - Foxtail Fern Variety |
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| Anthurium |
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| Aloe Flower Stalk - Starting to flower |
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| Aloe Flower Stalk - Flowers starting to open |
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| Avocado Plant (Still Alive!) |
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| Agave |
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| Aeonium |
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| Calla Lily |
Thursday was another sunny and warm day. Daughter had meetings all day and I took it easy.
On Wednesday, I had done some sewing, sewing a new casing for daughter's bolster pillow and a new pillowcase for it. I had planned to make another pillowcase on Thursday, so she could have a change of pillowcases, but, I didn't want to run the sewing machine whien she had meetings as the sound would have been a disturbance. Instead, I knitted on her sweater. I have now completed the front of her sweater and knitted the neckband. Need to knit the sleeves, next.
For brunch, I made roast pork sandwiches, sauteeing slices of roast pork with red onions for the filling. For dinner, I had some of my chicken and vegetable soup (daughter chose to have peanut butter and banana sandwiches). For dessert, I made crepes/thin pancakes.
On Thursday, I was grateful for:
- A sunny, warm day
- Working appliances
- Access to internet services
- Garden flowers
- Time to knit and sew
Thursday's joyful activity was knitting.
Plans for Friday include tending to the garden with M, maybe some sewing, and more knitting.
What are your plans for Friday?
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| Another Calla Lily |
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| Peach Blossom |
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| Crocosmia |
The first of the crocosmia flowers are also blooming. I love their bright orange color.
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| Jade Plant Flowers |
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| Jade Plant |
M was here on Wednesday and he transplanted one of the rose bushes. He pruned it at the same time and we took some of the pruned stems to try and root them. This time, I had him dip each cutting in rooting hormone to see if that will help. Apparently, he didn't use any rooting hormones for the earlier cuttings.
I am grateful for:
- The first peach blossom
- The lovely, sunny warm days
- Flowers in the garden
- M's help with the garden
- Signs that spring is just around the corner
My joyful activities included being in the garden and enjoying the flowers.
I know that many other places are experiencing snow, ice, and frigid temperatures, currently or, perhaps, rain. But, are some of you seeing the first signs of spring? Or, are you dreaming of spring and taking some time now to plan your spring garden?
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| Gazania |
Monday had been a sunny, warm day. Friend R stopped by in the afternoon to pick up her packages. Later, I took the trash cans to the curb and daughter watered some of the plants in the back garden.
For brunch, I cut up an re-sauteed the last of the previously sauteed slices of chicken breast, adding some sliced red onion to it and used it as a sandwich filling. For dinner, we opted for a buffet style, selecting what we each fancied: I had coconut roti with pork curry and daughter had chicken curry and the pickled vegetables she had made.
On Monday, I was grateful for:
- Being able to help friend R by accepting and keeping her packages for her
- A sunny and warm day
- Flowers in the garden
- Weekly trash collections
- Water for the garden
Joyful activities included visiting with my friend and exchanging emails with another friend.
On Tuesday, when the pharmacy notified me that a prescription I had requested had been filled and was ready to be picked up, I was reminded of the fact that, back when I used to have a weekly schedule I actually followed, Tuesdays used to be my day to run errands. I need to update and revive that weekly schedule!
Tuesday was another sunny day. I brought in the emptied trash cans, collected the mail including this week's grocery flyers, and went to the pharmacy to pick up my medication refill. In the evening, daughter and I both worked on our knitting projects (she is making herself a scarf).
I had crackers with peanut butter for breakfast and I made fried rice for a late lunch:
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| Sausage Fried Rice |
On Sunday, I ordered groceries and picked up the items in the late afternoon. I didn't need a lot of groceries, this time, other than sandwich bread, milk, half and half for my daughter's coffee, some produce, and a couple of items that were suitable for my new reduced salt diet and which were on sale.
I also bought a box of fabric softener/dryer sheets since I was coming to the end of my current box and there was a digital coupon for them; that's not a part of my grocery budget, so, will be deducted from my total.
I had ordered a jar of yeast, but, the store apparently didn't have any. I had qualified for free pick up with the jar of yeast; without the yeast, my total came below the free pick up minimum, but, I was not charged a pick up fee.
Daughter put away the groceries for me, so I don't have a picture, but, here is the receipt:
Total spent = $34.38
Amount spent on non-grocery item (dryer sheets) and sales tax on them = $4.99 + $.49 = $ 5.48
Adjusted Total Spent = $34.38 - $5.48 = $28.90
Here are the links for the previous January grocery shopping, if anyone is interested:
Jauary Grocery Shopping Part 1
January Grocery Shopping Part 2
My January grocery budget (for food items only for two people) = $250
Spent to date = $65.05 + $98.63 + $28.90 = 192.58
Balance left in the budget = $250 - $192.58 = $57.42
I am pleased with my spending on groceries so far this month.
I am not going to do a meal plan this week as we will probably eat from what's already prepared and kept in the fridge.
How is your January grocery shopping coming along? Are you finding good deals at your grocery stores?
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| Radish Harvest |
This weekend went by quickly.
On Saturday, daughter harvested her radishes; they weren't very big, but, she didn't want them to bolt, so picked them all. She also picked quite a few leaves from her arugala, kale, and mizuna plants. Then, she did some meal prep and cooking:
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| Radish, Apple, and Cucumber Pickles with Japanese Pickling Spices (Salty) |
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| Lemon & Pepper Cucumber Salad (Salt-Free) |
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| Salad Add-Ins: (Cucumber and Radish for her; Plain Cucumber for me since I don't much care for radishes) |
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| Sauteed Radish Leaves |
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| Stir-fried Mixed Greens |
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| Sauteed Curried Green Beans (Bonchi Thel Dala) |
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| Steamed Broccoli |
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| Rosemary No-knead Bread |
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| No-knead Bread |
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| Cooling on a Wire Rack |
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| Warm Crusty Bread |
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| Bread Pudding |
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| Rose Stem Cuttings - 9 Days Later |
It had been nine days after he took the cuttings and stuck them in some potting soil. I had tented the pot with a plastic bag, which created a mini greenhouse for the cuttings.
Not only were the cuttings still green, there were the beginnings of leaf buds on almost all of the stems! M was impressed!
It does not necessarily mean that the stems have developed roots yet. But, the cuttings seem to be healthy and showing the potential to grow.
I will continue to keep them enclosed in a plastic bag and make sure the soil remains moist. Hopefully, the leaf buds will form new leaves, at which point, I might be able to check for roots and pot them up.
It will be exciting to see if the stem cuttings will grow into little rose bushes over time!
What do you think? Do you think these stem cuttings will root? Have you grown rose bushes from rooted stem cuttings?
