Burl Sprouting

When they were deciding what items to sell at the Muir Woods National Monument gift shop, a gardener must have been one of the decision makers. And this gardener must have known that others gardeners would never be able to resist buying a redwood burl to try and grow a redwood of their own.

I certainly couldn't!!

 A burl is a growth or mass of dormant buds that forms at the base or on the roots, sides, or branches of trees. The grain of the wood in a burl is deformed and often highly prized for carving and

polishing.

The directions on my redwood burl instructed me to place it in a shallow, ceramic container and add water about an inch up the side of the burl. It receives approximately four hours of direct sunlight sitting on my patio. 

 After two weeks I noticed tiny, pale buds.

 These buds slowly got taller....

 and began to form needles.

The buds have definitely established themselves and seem to be quite happy. Whether or not they are actually redwood babies is yet to be seen! And whether or not the babies will be happy with this environment is a whole 'nother ball game!!

The trees in California depend on Carl (the name affectionately given to the thick, west coast fog that often blankets San Francisco.) This fog keeps the atmosphere moist, reducing the amount of water the redwoods lose through evaporation and transpiration.  Redwoods also require moist soil conditions found in the rainy coastal West. But our gulf coast humidity is pretty dang close to fog, providing a moist atmosphere and we have a damp, stream bed to transplant them to, so who knows!?!

It will be fun to see what happens!

Love ya'll,

Shelli

The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit. ~Nelson Henderson

It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They took all the trees
Put ’em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see ’em
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
’Til it’s gone...
~Joni Mitchell, from “Big Yellow Taxi”

I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines.

~Henry David Thoreau

The Porch

My sister laughed when I called the house at Pine Cone Lane a "long orange wiener", but I was serious! Imagine a hot dog lying on its side- long, flat, and orange.

You can't see the house from the road, but as you drive up the lane, this came into view....

So after smearing the brick gray, we clad the porch in an effort to give depth to the long monotony of the house.

First 2x4s were attached to the brick to give something to nail to; then plywood was added.

Then hardi plank was laid out in a vertical pattern to give the illusion of height.

Ignore all landscaping or lack thereof, especially the remaining stump of a monstrous shrub I cut down.

A big, handsome lantern to the right of the door should seal the deal!

The other side of the house is accented with a dark garage door.

Now the long house is broken up into smaller portions. When the shutters are painted and up, the illusion should be complete and our long, flat house won't seem quite so long and flat.

Love ya'll,

Shelli

Perception is reality.

-Lee Atwater

Lilies

As the weeks have gone by here in our new home, we have made many discoveries. A recent one is the number of lilies tucked away in various corners of the property.

Easter lily

I adore daylilies, but haven't grown many true lilies so I had some research to do.

First, what is a true lily?

"Lilium is a genus of bulbous perennials grown for their very showy, often fragrant flowers. Among the 100 species, there are four main flower shapes: trumpet, bowl, recurved, and funnel. Various lilies bloom from spring to fall, giving rise to early season, midseason, and late season designations. There are 8 divisions of hybrids: Asiatic, Martagon, Candidum, American, Longiflorum, Trumpet and Aurelian, Oriental, and Other, plus one division of all true species. Lilies are useful in woodland gardens and wild areas, as cut flowers, and even in containers or rock gardens, depending on the species.

Noteworthy characteristics:  Showy flowers and potent fragrance. Widely adaptable to many uses.

Care:  Provide well-drained, highly organic soil in full sun, with the lily's "feet" in shade. Most lilies prefer acidic or neutral soils, but some prefer alkaline soils. See individual listings."  (http://www.finegardening.com/lily-lilium)

Next, what I the difference between a true lily and a daylily?

"We would all hate to lose the sentimental charm of common plant names, but there are times when it helps to know the Latin botanical name as well. One of those times is when trying to tell the difference between true lilies (Lillium) and Daylilies (Hemerocallis).
While Lilium are pretty much always called lilies, many of us casually refer to daylilies simply as lilies, too. For the most part, who cares? However if you’re looking for a particular plant, if you’re researching how to grow the plant you have, and if you’re wondering why your lilies die when you cut them to bring inside, it will be a great help to know the difference between lilies and daylilies. Fortunately, it’s easy to tell the two plants apart by looking at the leaves, flower stems and how they grow." (https://www.thespruce.com/)

According to this website, the basic differences are:
1. Lilies are grown from bulbs; daylilies are grown from tuberous roots.
2. Lily blooms last for a week or more; daylily blooms last for a day.
3. Lilies grow from one central unbranched stem with the blooms forming at the top; daylilies have long, flat strap-shaped blades that grow in clumps.

There are other differences, but let's keep it simple.

Apparently I am not the only person confused by the true lily/not lily question...

• Canna lilies are not true lilies.
• Ordinary orange daylilies found along the roadside are sometimes called ditch lilies and, as we have learned, are not true lilies.
• Gladiolas are also known as cowboy lilies or corn lilies, but are not true lilies.
• Crinums are sometimes called chicken gizzard lilies, but are not true lilies.
• Irises have been called the fleur-de-lis lily.
• Spider lilies, hurricane lilies, and schoolhouse lilies aren't true lilies either.

I don't feel quite as ignorant!!

Love ya'll,

Shelli

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow;

they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you,

that even Solomon in all his glory

was not arrayed like one of these.

-Matthew 7: 28-29

Sunday Schoolism #7: Without A Captain

A

thought

from

the great

Charles H. Spurgeon

(1834-1892)

"When we start relying on ourselves,

we are at sea without a captain."

Smear Tactics

No, I'm not getting into politics!

I smeared my fireplace!

When it comes to dog-hair-and-potato-peelings projects (projects that cost next to nothing, but are transformative) this project takes the cake. It cost $8!!!

Materials:

1 sack of mortar mix $5

1 big, thick peanut shaped sponge (like you use when washing your car) $3

old dish rags (had some)

plastic bucket (had one)

Directions:

1. Mix a small amount of mortar with the texture of pancake batter.

2. Moisten the brick. I used a dish washing sponge to just dampen the brick.

3. Using the peanut sponge, smear the mortar on the brick filling in the mortar lines and giving as much coverage to the brick as you desire.

4. After covering a small area (12" x 14") use your fingers to dig out the mortar lines as deep as you want.

5. Use the dish rag to gently wipe over the area, smoothing and getting the look you want.

There you go- $8 and 5 steps!

Tips:

1. The mortar goes on much darker than it will be when it dries and it will take 24 hours to totally dry.

2. You can use a  more expensive tinted mortar.

3. This is a messy project!!  Put something down to catch the mortar droppings.

4. Start up high and work your way down. I didn't and wished I had.

Before

After (with wall paint and panes removed from windows)

We're making progress!

Love ya'll,

Shelli

An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied. ~Arnold Glasow

Rose-of-Sharon

The previous owners of Pine Cone Lane had an affinity for Hybiscus syriacus,  also known as Rose-of-Sharon.

There is a row of nine of them outside the bedroom end of the house and I've found three others, so far, scattered out on the property. Although they come in many colors, there are three different colors here- pink, purple, and white.

It's easy to tell they are from the hibiscus family. The ones on this property are single bloom varieties, but they come in double blooms also. 

Most Roses-of-Sharon grow in shrub form, but can be pruned into a small tree that will top out at about 10-12 feet. They prefer full sun to partial shade with moist well-drained soil.  Best of all, the Rose-of-Sharon blooms throughout the summer!

Even though you may not be a gardener, chances are you've heard the name Rose-of-Sharon. Here's why.....

• Jesus is called the Rose-of-Sharon  "I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley" Song of Solomon 2:1
• Rose of Sharon is a major character in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.
• The White Rose of Sharon is the official flower of Phi Beta Chi.
• It is the national flower of Korea
• It is referenced in a Bob Dylan song, "Caribbean Wind"

But for us here at Pine Cone Lane, the Rose-of-Sharon will be the flower of our summers.

Love ya'll,

Shelli

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.

~Emma Goldman

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day !!

Remember the day your first child was born and you became a mother.... 

How do you "be" a mother?

 None of us really knew.  We may have read books, talked with our own mothers, relied on the advice of friends, but being a mother was just something that we were going to have to learn through trial and error over the course of many years.

I'm sure we can all remember our "mothering" highs and lows. Some decisions turned out perfectly!! While others, that in the moment seemed loving, wise, and correct, came back to haunt us when we laid our heads down on our pillows at night and made us think, "Oh lord, I got that all wrong! I wish I had......" 

Miraculously our children survived our novice, but well-intentioned mothering and grew into the most wonderful people who fill us with pride and joy.  Along the way, our children taught us as much as we taught them.

So as this Mother's Day draws near and I reflect on my "mothering" history, it's what I've learned from my daughter that is so dear to my heart.

Katherine has taught me.....

- follow your heart to build a life of happiness and fulfillment.

- choose to be the person who sees the best in others.

- don't get so caught up in the business of life that you forget to do the simple things that bring you joy.

- don't get so stressed out; everything will work out in the end.

-talk less, listen more!


-have faith in people.

Thank you Patti!!!
Love, Mom

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. 

She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. 

A mother is something absolutely new.

 ~Rajneesh

A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after. ~Peter De Vries

I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. 

They have clung to me all my life. 

~Abraham Lincoln

Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly. 

~Ambrose Bierce

...she is worth far more than rubies...
Proverbs 31:10

Mysterious

Life is full of mysteries,

and some mysteries beg to be solved.

The family of Tsar Nicholas II employed Rasputin to solve their mysteries. The Anglo-Saxons cast runes to foretell the mysteries of the future. Sixteenth century France had Nostradamus, who many believe predicted both World Wars, the Challenger explosion, and the death of Princess Diana just to name a few. 

When it comes to solving the mysteries of life palm readers have palms, fortune tellers have tarot cards, and crystal gazers have balls. But none of these, and I mean NONE of these,  could solve the most mysterious mystery of all.....

PAINT COLORS!! 

After the house had been smeared, the painters came to paint the soffit and fascia. I haughtily told them that I had chosen the perfect color!! So with the paint name in hand, they went and had the appropriate number of gallons mixed for the job. Upon returning to the house I explained that this amazing paint color was going to blend with the smear so well that the gutters and downspouts were going to "just disappear" against the house. One of the painters, Bridgette, raised an eyebrow and smiled indulgently. 

After a few minutes, there was a knock on the door and Bridgette asked me to come check out my "amazing paint".  She had painted one of the downspouts and the paint was so light that it virtually glowed - glowed like the light of a thousand stars. Bridgette quietly said, "They didn't disappear."

So that was my initiation to the mysteries of paint colors. Bridgette and Alecia, the other painter, patiently said, "We're pretty good with paint", and sent me to the paint store to get samples.  We taped them to the wall and they picked the best one. Then they sent me back to the paint store to buy a sample. Then we painted a poster board and taped it up to be sure. Then, and only then, did we rebuy the paint.....

I have since humbly asked Bridgette and Alecia to review all the paint I had picked out for the interior as well as the exterior. I bought samples and painted large swatches without being told. I learned my lesson.

Let them keep Rasputin, runes, and crystal balls,

I have Bridgette and Alecia!!

Love ya'll,

Shelli 

He that has a choice has trouble.

~Dutch proverb

It wasn't until late in life that I discovered how easy it is to say "I don't know."

~W. Somerset Maugham

Smeared!

There are pretty brick houses and ugly brick houses. Our new house was one of the latter. We could have had the brick painted, but that would have entailed sealing the brick and painting two coats. Instead, we opted for a mortar smear- literally smearing mortar over the brick. It can be done with tinted mortar or just regular ol' mortar. It can be done with a heavy hand in order to completely disguise the brick, or with a light hand to just soften the brick. Our house definitely called for a heavy-handed smear!

The brick layer came over and smeared a little test area. It was just what we were looking for.

Then, while I was in California, they smeared the entire house. James was a bit nervous about being in charge of this part of the reno as he wasn't quite sure what the smear was supposed to look like in the end, but he sent lots of pictures and I sent back reassuring replies!!

We love our smeared house!! The painters have finished the soffit and fascia, as well as the gutters and downspouts in a matching color, Anonymous Gray (Sherwin Williams). One of the undesirable characteristics of a ranch house is the low roof/ceilings. My decorator, my mom (Honey Pot), pointed out that by painting the soffit and fascia the same color as the brick you are, in essence, adding an extra foot to the height of the house.

It is crazy what different color bricks did to the look of the roof! Having the trees fully leafed out probably plays a part. I also love how the downspouts disappeared when painted the same color of the house.

Next we'll paint the garage door and shutters- Black Raisin (Valspar). When the front porch project is done, it should look like a different house!!

Love ya'll,

Shelli

Life is change.

~Heraclitus of Ephesus

Sunday Schoolisms #6: Security

Do not search for security in the world you inhabit. You tend to make mental checklists of things you need to do in order to gain control of your life. If only you could check everything off your list, you could relax and be at peace. But the more you work to accomplish that goal, the more things crop up on your list. The harder you try, the more frustrated you become.

There is a better way to find security in this life. Instead of scrutinizing your checklist, focus your attention on My Presence with you. This continual contact with Me will keep you in My Peace. Moreover, I will help you sort out what is important and what is not, what needs to be done now and what does not. Fix your eyes not on what is seen (your circumstances,) but on what is unseen (My Presence).

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

(2 Corinthians 4:18)

Jesus Calling

Sarah Young

California Dreaming (Part 3)

Carmel-By-The-Sea

It's a wonderful vacation that takes you from the city, to the mountains, to the sea in the span of a week! After enjoying Yosemite, we headed out for Carmel and the best part was the drive!!

The drive from Yosemite Valley descends into the Salinas Valley passing through rolling foothills that from a distance seem mown and manicured. They are charming!

California is know as the "salad bowl of the world" and driving through the Salinas Valley helps you understand why!

We passed miles and miles of lettuce, strawberries, almonds, plums, spinach, broccoli, and on and on and on!!! Farming on a scale that is hard to imagine, but beautiful to behold! My husband, James, had always said that the thing that impressed him most about this part of California was how they farm right next to the beaches and as we drove along ogling the artichokes, Dad said, "Look! It's the Pacific!" We had arrived at the coast!

At this point, we diverted to the famed 17 Mile Drive, a scenic coast-hugging route through the communities of Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula. This included Pebble Beach Golf Club. Dad was in heaven!

Really beautiful! Really cold!

Scoping out the sea lions.

One of the Pebble Beach greens

Impressive golf views!

Dose of reality!!

One of the iconic sights on the 17 Mile Drive is the Lone Cypress. By the way, the 17 Mile Drive is owned by Clint Eastwood.

After enjoying all of these sights, we drove into quaint town of Carmel, known for its precious cottages, restaurants, shopping, and of course, beach.

Our hotel

My favorite part of the hotel

Breakfast on the porch

After breakfast, Dad took us to a place he had discovered on his early morning walk. It was the Methodist church, Church of the Wayfarer. The church's garden was spectacular!!!

Then it was off to do some wine tasting. Again, June had hooked us up with a guide who taught us more about wine than we ever imagined there was to know.

But the main thing I learned about wine tasting and, in particular , wine buying, was THINK ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT HOME! So I thought I would include my personal guide for that situation.

A RUBE'S GUIDE TO BRINGING HOME WINE FROM YOUR CALIFORNIA VACA

Option 1:  Spend more than you did on the wine to ship it home.
Option 2:  Gamble on ruining your clothes by stuffing the bottles in your suitcase.
Option 3:  Buy wine shipping boxes at UPS and check the boxes at the airport.
Option 4:  Don't buy wine.

We opted for #3, however, when we got to the local UPS store it was closed and wouldn't open again until we were back in the deep south (where no one would be able to tell the difference between our fancy California wine and a bottle of Sutter Home, but that's beside the point). So no boxes. The concierge at our hotel couldn't help us either. As we walked to dinner that evening pondering our dilemma, Carole and I passed a dumpster full of broken down boxes tucked discretely behind an upscale boutique. Some of the boxes looked like they would hold wine bottles, but a blistering look from Jamie made us resist our natural southern instincts. Instead, we turned on the southern charm (and accents) at the restaurant, thus winning over our waiter who, in the end, happily supplied us with shipping boxes. We taped them together to create one box and were only charged $35 at the airport. What's a trip without a story?!

One of our best memories from Carmel is taking Dad to dinner at The Bench, a Pebble Beach golf club restaurant that overlooks the 18th hole.

Bread Balloon

Our favorite hors d'oeuvre of the trip thanks to Carole, who is more adventurous than the rest of us.

You are looking at a putting green inside an area surrounded by restaurants and shops. Cuttings from shrubs, stems of flowers, bare branches, and string had been added to create what we could only surmise was Pebble Beach putt putt golf.

Poor ol' rich folks - not one windmill or gnome.

It was a wonderful vacation filled with invaluable family memories!!

Love ya'll,

Shelli

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. 

~Seneca

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. ~Isadora James

Having a place to go — is a home.

Having someone to love — is a family.

Having both — is a blessing.

~Donna Hedges