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Fall Bulb Planting

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I was talking to a friend today and she mentioned about all the tulip and daffodil bulbs she was planting. I haven’t even thought that far ahead. Now is the time to plan, buy, and plant the spring flowering bulbs. It’s not too late to plant yet, because they say you can plant the bulbs up until the ground freezes. But who wants to be out digging in the soil when it gets cold out?

IMGP1528_edited-1 Looking at the pictures I took at a local park this past spring help motivate me to go out and buy some bulbs. I will put it on my shopping list. First I have to decide where and what I want to plant. Then it is important to know when I will be able to plant the bulbs.

Without a plan it is easy to buy or order lots of bulbs because the pictures on the package or in the catalog look so wonderful. Buying 100 plus bulbs will give the look above but do you have the time to plant them?

IMGP1543 Shutterstock-06_edited-1

It’s probably best to buy a few and get them planted. Then if you have time you can dig up another area of the garden, buy some more bulbs, and plant them. If you start now by doing it in stages you should be able to plant lots of bulbs before the ground freezes.

If you buy too many bulbs at one time and feel overwhelmed because you can’t find a whole weekend to plant them, you could end up with unplanted bulbs that rot over the winter. Been there, done that.

Let me know about some of your bulb planting stories.

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

http://twitter.com/jlscissors

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Houseplants in the Fall

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In the Midwest, Autumn is definitely showing it’s face. Some of the trees are losing their leaves. The evenings are beginning to cool down. And the sun is setting a lot earlier than just a few weeks ago.

I have mixed feelings about this time of year. I don’t like the shorter days but the cooler weather is nice. It’s sad to see the vegetable garden looking tired and worn down.

But my houseplants, especially the flowering ones, are looking great with the cooler weather. IMGP1737They will soon have to come inside. That’s where the problem is.
As much as I love the houseplants I don’t have a lot of room to over-winter them inside. When I squeeze them in front of the windows the rooms start to look cluttered. I do have some lights on a timer in my basement for the smaller plants but the big ones are heavy to carry downstairs.

Each year I go through the same debate. Do I let the frost take them or do I bring them inside and have the room look cluttered? I’ve had many of these plants for years so it is hard to let go of them.

Maybe I will get more lights downstairs and put most of the plants there. Then if I can remember to water them on a regular basis they should survive until next spring.

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

http://twitter.com/jlscissors

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Remembering 9/11

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We go about our days getting irritated by the little things such as someone else’s car accident causing heavy traffic making us late for work. Or we’re behind someone in the grocery store line who doesn’t have enough money and has to decide what to put back, slowing everything down. Now we have to rush to get home so dinner can be served on time.

It’s when we remember tragedies like 9/11 that we put the human factor back into our thinking. Instead of being irritated about being late for work, be grateful you weren’t the one in the accident. Have empathy for the people who were. Their lives will be forever changed, whether it’s only a bad memory of a minor accident or a life changing event due to major injuries or even death of a loved one or friend.

That person in the line at the grocery store may just be unorganized. Or they may be struggling to put food on the table for their children after a job loss or other financial struggles.

We never know what is going to happen to us nor do we know what other people are going through. In the days, weeks, and months following September 11, 2001 most people in this country showed more empathy towards their fellow man/woman. The little irritating things became unimportant. Family, health, friends, a sense of community, caring about others, pride for our country, became the important things.

Unfortunately we seem to have forgotten these things. Since that time we have become a country of people divided on both sides of the fence with a them vs. us attitude. Whether it is the war, health care, the economy, or any other area we are affected by or have an opinion on, maybe it’s time to at least try to see what the other side is seeing. Step into their shoes for just a moment.

We don’t need another 9/11 to remind us of what is important. Just remembering, truly remembering, the feelings we felt that day and beyond can help us get back to recognizing what makes this country great – it’s people caring about each other in spite of their differences.

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

http://twitter.com/jlscissors

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Grandparents’ Day this Sunday, Sept. 13

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Grandparents’ Day is this coming Sunday. Grandparents should be recognized everyday for their special place in the family. However, in our busy lives we sometimes forget. Make this Sunday a special day for your grandparents, your children’s grandparents, or even adopt a “grandparent” and let them know how important they are to you and your family.

Here are lot of links for homemade cards and other activities you and your family can do to celebrate this holiday. If the grandparents are out of town then make sure any cards are mailed today or tomorrow. If they are in town then check out these links and start planning for a fun family day.

http://holidays.kaboose.com/grandparents-day.html
http://www.grandparents-day.com/
http://akidsheart.com/holidays/grand/grand.htm
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/grandparents/
http://www.grandparents.com/gp/topics/national-grandparents-day.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/grandparents/

Janice

https://cutclutterwithscissors.com

http://twitter.com/jlscissors

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School Clothes Shopping

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Back to school sales are in full force now. With such great prices it’s tempting to buy enough clothes for your child to last most of the school year. But beware, if your child is still growing this could be a big problem.

There’s nothing more frustrating for a parent to invest in plenty of clothes for their child only to have that child outgrow the clothes before they even have a chance to wear them. This can happen if you buy too many clothes ahead of time. It’s still warm out but the fall and winter clothes are filling the racks in the stores. Even buying too many warm weather clothes now to get school started could mean completely outgrown clothes by next Spring.

Children’s growth spurts are unpredictable. So even if your child has always been fairly regular with their growth in the past doesn’t mean this year will be the same. I remember one year my son (5th or 6th grade) went through 3 sizes of blue jeans during one school year. Since money was tight back then I was glad I only bought him a few pairs to start the school year off. By Thanksgiving they were looking like high water jeans. He wasn’t growing out as much as he was growing up. By March he needed the the next size and longer length. It wasn’t quite warm enough for shorts yet so we had to buy more jeans.

So if your child is still growing just buy enough clothes for the next few months. Sales are always going on so you will be able to take advantage of them later. It’s better to have to do more laundry now then to have to give away unworn clothes that became too small too soon.

The added benefit to having fewer clothes in the closets is being able to keep it more organized and less cluttered.

Janice

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