Ideas and Advice for How To Live a Joyful and Empowered Life.
All Things Empowering – Healing Ourselves & Earth, Self-Sufficiency, Food Forests, Gardening, Art, Road Trips, Preserving, Foraging, Permaculture, Homesteading and More!
Roses offer a bouquet of benefits for your skin, making them a delightful addition to your skincare routine. Here are some ways roses can work wonders for your skin: Antioxidant Powerhouse: Roses contain antioxidants that strengthen skin cells and promote tissue regeneration. These antioxidants also neutralize free radicals, providing anti-aging benefits. Healing Hydrator: When infused… Continue reading DIY Rose Petal Infused Oil for Amazing Skin Care Benefits
Sage is a versatile herb with many health benefits and remarkable properties. Rich in Nutrients: Sage contains vitamins (such as vitamin K), minerals (like iron and calcium), and other compounds. Sage's Super Antioxidant Power: Did you know that sage has over 160 polyphenols that work as antioxidants? These compounds may aid in combating inflammation, cancer,… Continue reading Sage Health Benefits and How to Make Sage Tea
Propagating sage from cuttings is a rewarding way to expand your herb garden and/or share your plants with friends and family. Here’s a step-by-step guide (this method works for any variety of sage): Get Sage Cuttings: Obtain healthy sage cuttings that are 4-6" long. You can take these cuttings any time during the growing season. Prepare… Continue reading Step-by-Step Guide to Propagating Sage from Cuttings
Drying roses is a delightful way to preserve their beauty and use in dried flower arrangements or save them for medicinal or culinary use later when fresh roses are not available. Here is how to air-dry them: If you are drying roses with the intent to use them medicinally or in recipes, choose roses that… Continue reading How to Air-Dry Fragrant Roses for Culinary and Medicinal Use
Propagating roses from cuttings is a rewarding process and an inexpensive way to expand your garden. It's also a great way to get varieties you may not be able to find at the store. Here’s a step-by-step guide: Gather Your Materials: Sharp pruners, scissors, or a knife disinfected with rubbing alcohol. A 2.5- to 5-inch-deep… Continue reading Step-by-Step Guide to Propagating Roses from Cuttings
Rosemary is drought-tolerant, pest-repellent, and deer-resistant. Its blue flowers attract pollinators and it smells heavenly! It is excellent for teas, baking, cooking, medicinal & cosmetic uses and more. Propagating rosemary from cuttings is a great way to expand your herb garden, or to share with your friends. Here are six simple steps to get you started: Gather… Continue reading Propagating Rosemary: Easy Water and Soil Methods
Propagating Begonia leaf cuttings is an easy, fun and rewarding way to get new Begonia plants. You can give them as gifts to your plant loving friends, make more plants for yourself or purchase cuttings online of varieties that are not available locally in your area. Here are the steps for water and soil propagation:… Continue reading Step-by-Step Begonia Leaf Propagation Guide: Water and Soil Methods
Chamomile simple syrup has a sweet fruity flavor that can be added to water, sparkling water, cocktails or mocktails, tea or other beverages to enhance the flavor. It can also be used over fruit, on pancakes or French toast or any way that other syrups are used. Using this syrup will also give you the… Continue reading Chamomile Simple Syrup Recipe for Beverages and More
Making chamomile-infused oil provides a soothing and aromatic oil that can benefit your skin. It can be used as-is directly on the skin or as an ingredient in homemade lotions and salves. Chamomile is calming, comforting, and has anti-inflammatory properties that soothes dry, red and irritated skin. It can soothe mild pain and promote healing. Chamomile-infused oil… Continue reading How to Make Chamomile-Infused Oil for Skin: 2 Easy Methods
Propagating lilacs from cuttings is a rewarding way to grow more of these beautiful shrubs. Here’s a guide on how to do it: Taking the Cuttings: Use sharp, clean pruning shears and cut a 6-inch section of new growth from the lilac plant. Make sure to take the cuttings below a leaf node (a node… Continue reading How to Propagate Lilacs from Cuttings: A Step-by-Step Guide
Chives are so pretty when in flower it's always hard for me to cut them to use in the kitchen. But the flowers are very tasty and make food pretty so I usually take a few flowers from each of my 5 plants whenever I harvest. That leaves some colorful beauty in the garden for… Continue reading Colorful Chive Butter: A Versatile Recipe for Savory Delights
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita or Chamaemelum nobile) is a delightful herb known for its daisy-like flowers and soothing properties. Both the flowers and foliage have a fruity aroma which makes for a delicious tea (definitely one of my favorites). Whether you’re interested in growing it for tea, herbal remedies, or simply to enjoy its beauty, here’s how to grow… Continue reading Chamomile: Uses, Benefits, and Planting Guide
Mint plants (genus Mentha) are easy-to-grow fragrant perennial herbs with stems that are erect, square, and branched. They can grow to heights ranging from 4 inches to 48 inches. Many mints are considered invasive, so if you don't want that, it's better to plant them in pots. Rooting mint cuttings in water is an easy… Continue reading Easy Steps for Rooting Mint Cuttings in Water
Bearded irises are herbaceous perennial plants known for their large, showy and often fragrant flowers that come in a wide range of colors, including purple, blue, yellow, white, maroon and bicolor combinations. Each flower has three upright petals (called standards) and three drooping petals (called falls). The falls typically have a fuzzy or “bearded” patch near the… Continue reading Bearded Iris Planting Guide: Tips for Successful Growth
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is an easy-to-grow beautiful and fragrant herb that adds charm to gardens. It can be used in the garden in various ways, such as edging garden paths, creating low hedges, accenting other plants, and even growing in containers with other herbs or flowers. It attracts pollinators that will help pollinate your… Continue reading English Lavender: How to Grow it and Propagate Cuttings
Vinca is a lovely and low-maintenance groundcover plant that can add a splash of color to your garden. The flowers are blue, purple, lavender or white and the leaves can be solid green or variegated. It grows to a height of 3-6 inches and its' trailing vines can extend up to 18 inches. Vinca grows… Continue reading Step-by-Step Guide to Propagating Vinca Minor from Cuttings
Dandelions are a super food and extremely healthy, growing right in our own backyard! Here is my harvest from yesterday: There is also some Purple Dead Nettle for drying (top left), a few Dandelion flowers and a couple Dandelion roots (to roast and make Dandelion coffee, which I'll post about later). Dandelion leaves can be… Continue reading Sauteed Dandelion Greens
A digital impressionistic style painting of Dahlias in my garden.Dahlias symbolize new beginnings, fresh starts, diversity, enduring kindness and grace even when things are hard and commitment to what is good. See below the image for information on how to purchase the image for personal use for only $5.00, or, click the image to purchase… Continue reading Dahlias from My Garden and Dahlia Symbolism
Sunflowers symbolize loyalty and longevity. This art can be purchased here See my art shop here Warmly, Monica
Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were more places like this? What can we do as individuals to beautify and take care of our earth? This art can be purchased here See my art shop here Warmly, Monica
In the current times of food shortages, a great way to have a little food security is to plant potatoes. If you happen to have any potatoes from the grocery store that have sprouted, they can be planted. You can even cut the potatoes to where each piece has at least one sprout on each… Continue reading Maximize Your Food Security by Planting Sprouted Potatoes
We have had a very rainy and windy Fall, Winter and Spring here in western Washington zone 8b. It has been a cooler than usual Spring with less sun so a lot of my plants are blooming later than usual. The blooms are very appreciated. Chives Columbine Columbine Spanish Bluebells Spanish Bluebells Spanish Bluebells Torch… Continue reading What’s Blooming In My Garden May 2022
Chive blossom vinegar is very easy to make and takes your regular vinegar up a notch! Pick your chives on a dry morning after the dew has dried. I picked and used blossoms with stems attached since the stems are flavorful also. Stuff the chives into a sterilized glass jar and pour over your favorite… Continue reading Chive Blossom Vinegar
I love to propagate plants. It's fun and it saves money because then I don't have to buy them at the store. I also sell plant cuttings on eBay, Mercari and Etsy. If you'd like to see what I sell, here is a link to my Etsy store. I don't have many rooted cuttings yet… Continue reading An Easy Space-Saving Way To Propagate Plant Cuttings
Many of us that live in colder climates where we get freezes in the winter are under the assumption that tomato and pepper plants (bell and hot) are annuals. In warmer climates where it does not freeze they are actually perennials. So the first way to get free tomato and pepper plants for next season… Continue reading Two Ways To Get Free Tomato and Pepper Plants In A Cold Climate For Next Season
Growing your own food means that you will always know what you are eating, where the food has come from, and that the produce is toxin-free! These days there are so many ways that you can grow your own produce, from caring for a few small pots on your balcony to running a farm or… Continue reading How Much Land Is Needed To Grow A Permaculture Food Forest?
Now, while the summer season is in full swing, you should be making plans for your garden over the months to come. You might be thinking about ordering trees and shrubs to plant over the dormant period, buying seeds for winter cover crops, or even buying seeds in for next year. But while you may… Continue reading Tips for Sourcing New Plants For Your Garden in a Sustainable Way
Hey there! Thanks for visiting my blog. The garden is filled with lots of color, so I thought I’d take advantage of that and create a floral arrangement. Creating an arrangement is fun to do! It is great to be able to wander about the garden, gathering flowers and then being able to create something… Continue reading A summer floral arrangement with pizazz
Besides providing compost-rich soil and giving adequate water, a great way to get more flowers, vegetables and fruits from your plants is to deadhead or pick frequently. Deadheading simply means picking off old flowers that are past their prime. When we do not do this, the plant's energy goes into making seeds rather than more… Continue reading How To Get More Flowers, Vegetables and Fruit from your Plants
This is the Nasturtium I'm growing this year. I don't remember the name of the variety, I just picked out a packet at the store that looked pretty. They mound rather than vine. They are so easy to grow. Just plant the seeds in the garden, keep the soil moist and watch them grow. I… Continue reading Nasturtium: Easy-to-Grow Edible Flowers with Benefits for Hair Growth
Before the pandemic hit, I only had a 4x4' garden bed. I was laid off from my job and concerned about food shortages so wanted to start growing a larger garden. I also had health in mind, wanting to grow herbs and produce. In the past I studied herbs and knew many of them have… Continue reading How I Created Raised Garden Beds For Free
A while ago, I wanted to multiply a lot of my plants but didn't want to go to the hassle of propagating cuttings in pots. I'd have to buy more potting soil, fill containers with soil, plant the cuttings, keep the pots watered and finally when the cuttings root, adjust them to a sunnier position,… Continue reading An Easy Way to Multiply Many of Your Garden Plants
If you're like me, there's always a few potatoes left in the bag of store-bought potatoes that shrivel and sprout. It's easy to turn these potatoes into many fresh-grown potatoes. Just take each potato and cut into chunks with at least one sprout, then plant in a sunny area with well-drained, amended soil. They do… Continue reading Turn Sprouted Potatoes Into Many Fresh-Grown Potatoes
Propagating oregano in water is very simple and rewarding. Here’s a step-by-step guide: Take Cuttings: Cut a healthy oregano stem just below a node (where a leaf grows) on the plant. Remove all but the top leaves, leaving a few intact. Water Propagation: Place the cuttings in a glass jar or vase with about an… Continue reading Oregano Water Propagation: A Simple and Rewarding Step-by-Step Guide
When I was laid off last year due to the pandemic, I had decided to start a garden. I quickly found out that many other people had this idea because seeds and plants were hard to come by. I had to get creative in getting plants for my garden. I noticed my grocery store had… Continue reading A Less Expensive Way to Get a Few Basil Plants
I don't have a lot of space to start seeds in my home and the last frost date here is usually the first week of April. So a few weeks ago I tried a little experiement and planted some seeds outdoors. I planted Brussels Sprouts, red onion and Asparagus seeds thinking they may do better… Continue reading Start Seeds Earlier Than The Last Frost Outdoors
Growing our own produce is a great way to begin becoming more self-sufficient and eat more healthy. Some of the produce we buy from the grocery store is grown with chemicals that are not good for us and grown a great distance away so by the time we get it, much of the nutritional value… Continue reading How To Propagate Plum Trees With Semi-Hardwood Cuttings
At the beginning of the pandemic, I decided it would be a good idea to grow as much produce as possible. My yard is a blank canvas for the most part. I used to be an avid gardener up until my marriage ended 12 years ago. Six of those 12 years I lived in an… Continue reading Food Forest Update: Tomato Plants from Slices, Herb Cuttings, Potato Plants from Potatoes and More!
The past couple of weeks have been surreal. It's hard to believe what is happening. Each day that goes by I keep thinking the Universe/God/Higher Power has slowed us down and put a stop to the way we've been living because it's been damaging us and our environment. It's crazy that the entire world is… Continue reading Creating a Little Stability in a Time of Instability
A few years ago I had FOMO (fear of missing out) and didn't know it. I didn't have the money to go to restaurants, bars, vacations, movies. I didn't have a partner to share all these good times with like everyone else seemed to. I'd dread the weekends thinking everyone else was out having the… Continue reading Covid19 Stay-Home and Lifestyle Thoughts
My daughter Shauna and I were having a conversation about yoga last night which reminded me of Tao - the 96 year old that does yoga and has started ballroom dancing, so I showed her the video on Youtube, which brought tears to her eyes because Tao has such a beautiful spirit and is living… Continue reading Mother-Daughter Time – Gardening and Inspiration to Live Life to the Fullest
Ideas and Advice for How To Live a Joyful and Empowered Life. 