Well dearies, here we have some free digital speckled spring tags to download and print out. I was thinking of speckled eggs, and flowers, and decided to combine the two. As always, please use the link, because Blogger compresses and resizes images posted and then they don't print properly. TO GET A GOOD LOOK at the tags to see if you want to download them, RIGHT CLICK and choose "Open link in new tab" and that will make the little magnifier appear.
You can download from Google Drive (safe) from this LINK <-----
The mountains are the Organ Mountains, so called because the tall granite outcroppings (locally called "the needles") looked like organ pipes to some, probably homesick settlers who had left such heavy instruments behind. I can't really imagine the grit that the people had who moved here, the ganas, as they say in Mexico. All these g-words, basically meaning the desert pioneers had guts.
Update on my community garden plot: Whoever had this plot before was a blue-ribbon gardener. I thought I was going to have to amend the soil and dig a lot to prepare the bed. But no! My very first shovelful of soil showed that not only was it already amended, but it was PLANTED! With strange bulbs, pushing up to the surface! And the bed has different mints including apple mint, big mounds of what turned out to be the best-smelling lemongrass ever, other herbs yet to be figured out, and I don't even know what-all. Some heirloom tomatoes, too.
I gingerly poked in a few seeds of sunflowers along the western side of the plot, for shade. And put in a few pumpkin seeds (bush pumpkins) and some Korean Melon seeds that were given to me by a fantastic gardener in a seed club we're in. But I didn't dare dig anything. I just made little holes with a stick.
Those with mint-phobia, don't worry. In the desert, mint cannot take over your beds. They are limited by the extreme dryness and easy to keep in bounds with watering methods.
I am most excited about the lemongrass. I haven't grown it before. I gave it a good haircut and the little blades are already coming up from the roots. I think it's one of my new favorite smells!
What is your favorite smell? Does it vary by season, as mine do?
Kind regards,
Olde Dame Holly
Those tags are lovely. Thanks for creating and sharing.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, I wasn't surprised by the snow, but I guess you live further south than I envisioned.
I've always grown my mint in pots, so no chance of them getting out of control. Your plot sounds wonderful and has been so well taken care of. I would say you lucked out. I grew lemongrass one year. I left it out to overwinter, but it's too cold here. It died a sad frozen death. You will love it with any Asian dish or just to enhance soups. It dries well, too. I wish you good luck with it and your other herbs (to be found), too.
We are very far south. I live in the area termed "the Borderlands" due to our close proximity to Mexico. I can't wait to use the lemongrass in some Asian cooking!
DeleteHere in Wales, I once allowed several different sorts of Mints liberty in a Herb Bed at the side of our paddock. By the time we left (herb bed a dim and distant memory because we had horses grazing there after), the mints were colonized for yards in each direction!!
ReplyDeleteWe have been cooking with Lemongrass this week. Enjoy your plant and the new allotment. Sounds like you have inherited a well-cared-for plot.
Wales is a beautiful place, very green, I believe. And chilly?!
DeleteHow wonderful you got such a nice plot! and such treasures. I am not a huge mint fan but glad it will not take over. Snow, it must look so pretty. We are still trying to see bare ground here so will be glad when ours is gone.
ReplyDeleteCathy
I like to chew mint leaves, but the only dish I use it in is a Vietnamese fondue type of thing. I also like it in the candy peppermint patties!
DeleteThank you for the tags.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite smells differ over the year. Spring - the soil as it thaws and lilacs, summer - lemony (why is it SO hard to find lemon verbina plants in local garden centers?!) and the ozone smell after the thunderstorms have moved on, fall - the smell of crisp dry sunny days and spices, winter - pine and snow (hate the cold though). Fresh baked bread is a year round favorite.
You have some nice finds in the garden plot. I wonder if someone was planning on getting the same bed back this year and is sorely disappointed they lost their plants? So far my mints are behaving themselves, but they are in pots. It was the garlic chive and the comfrey I planted once that wanted to take over the world.
I agree with your favorite smells! I love lilacs so much in spring, too. I had to wonder about the previous gardener, too, but several plots have no one who wanted them this year, so I am thinking maybe it was a college student who moved? If I meet the previous owner I will certainly ask them if they want me to get one of the unused plots instead (if they give me a clump of the lemongrass ha ha). You have given me a scare about the comfrey, I just planted some in a fire ring and I don't want it taking over the whole ring!
Delete"The Needles"... Very perfect "name".
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful surprise, in your Community Garden Plot! Perhaps this is the first time I have heard of Community Garden Plots, in our Beloved Country. They do have them, in the UK.
Also perhaps, you live in an apartment building, and do not have a yard, to plant in. So this is the perfect solution.
Hmmmmm... My favorite smell? That's a hard one. -smile- Guess right now, it is the 2 scented candles, I keep on my side of the bed. Not lit. Just the soft scent.... And since they are completely safe, made of totally safe materials, they can be lit. But just the smell, is nice.
"Miss BB"
🌷🌺🎀🌺🌷
Oh yes, we have community plots. I hear Reno has a LOT of them. We didn't have any in some places I have lived, though. What scents are those bedside candles?
DeleteIt sounds like it will be exciting to see what grows up in your garden plot! But perhaps you would have liked more space to plant what you wanted for yourself :) Beautiful mountains! My favorite smell in the spring is the scent of different flowers when walking along the gardens.
ReplyDeleteIt must be so nice to walk along and smell so many pretty scents in spring! Yes, at first I was a little disappointed that the garden has so many seedlings and bulbs, but then I thought I would just enjoy all the surprises!
DeleteI had problems to leave a comment this morning.
ReplyDeleteI love the view from the mountains. It’s nice for you to have a garden!
My favorite smell is cinnamon.
I make a pause on my blog in order to have my surgery. So I see you soon l hope. Hugs from Catherine.
I stop blogging for a few days and come back soon.
I hope you see this and know that I will be praying for you. I hope the surgery goes very well, and I look forward to seeing you "around the blogs" soon!
DeleteIt snowed! - what a pretty picture that is of the snow of the mountains. It looks cloudy and foggy, which makes it even prettier. That's so nice that you planted sunflower and pumpkin seeds. The mint will be nice too - I love mint tea. Your tomatoes will be great to have for making special dishes. There's nothing like homegrown tomatoes. What is my favorite smell? Well, I love the scents of roses, jasmine, Christmas trees, and coffee!
ReplyDeleteHave a sweet day, Holly.
~Sheri
Oh, I forgot cinnamon pumpkin scented candles in the Fall. The smell always makes my heart sing. ; )
DeleteOh yes, in fall I absolutely love the cinnamon and punkin scents, too!
DeleteFantastic photo. I have never seen a cotton farm or cotton plant. That would be interesting to me. My friend Marv would always grow something different for us Northern gardeners to grow.. like almost impossible, but he would do it. He grew okra one year.
ReplyDeleteIn the spring, walking into my little greenhouse is a favorite smell of mine. I always take a deep breath and soak in the smell of dirt, humidity and growth.
Well that sparked a lot of memories for me. I had forgotten about greenhouses, although we had one when we were in New Orleans. Yes, I love that smell and even FEEL when you go into a greenhouse.
DeleteMy favorite smell has nothing to do with plants. I love the smell of a clean baby. Although I do not like the taste of coffee the smell of it brewing is a soothing smell. I miss the smell of my grandfather's pipe. And I love the smell of earth after a cleansing rain.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful scents you have evoked!
DeleteYour allotment sounds lovely-we always had mint growing around the outside of the house when I was little. I love seeing snow on the Organs and being an old Las Cruces girl, my favorite smell is the smell of rain in the desert. There is no other place I know of that smells quite as good when it rains!
ReplyDeleteWe had that smell yesterday! It was amazing, as always. They say the scientific word for it is "petrichor." I think it is strongest in the desert areas like Cruces!
DeleteYou really hit it lucky getting a garden plot so full of good soil and surprise plants too.
ReplyDeleteI grew lemon grass last year but it won't winter through here. Too wet. I used it to make tea.
I think my favourite smells are lilacs, roses, Lily of the Valley and bread baking.
I love your favorite scents! I am going to have to be careful not to overwater the lemongrass. I am so excited I am watering it daily!
DeleteWhat a great happening as you started your garden plot!! I look forward to update photos. Love the mountain range.
ReplyDeleteIf I can't have the ocean, which I love so much, at least I have the mountains...!
DeleteHow nice to have such a garden. I use mint in my Lebenese salad but it does take over p here in Michigan. We have to plant it in a pot. Janice
ReplyDeleteI think I made a mistake of planting it in one of my fire rings. I think it's going to be one big pot of mint!
DeleteWhat a stunning view! Those mountains are incredible. We, too, woke to snow...but that was no surprise here LOL. There is perhaps no sense as evocative as the sense of smell. I think Gail pretty much covered many, many, of my favorites....lilacs and "dirt" in the spring, the smell of freshly cut hay and newly mown lawns (and anything citrusy in the summer), the smell of fallen leaves in a fall forest, fresh pine and woodsmoke in the winter.... Baking bread (or any yeasty thing!), line-dried sheets, the ocean, coffee brewing in the morning, are year-roumd favorites. I'm sure I have forgotten many, but I'll know them when I smell them. Lucky you on "inheriting" such a "pregnant" plot. It will be a bit like Christmas watching all the surprises pop up. But do tell, what is a "bush" pumpkin??? ~Robin~
ReplyDeleteThat's right! I had forgotten hay and cut grass! And the fallen leaves and ocean! That big attorney brain of yours is stuffed full of good thoughts! A bush pumpkin grows like a bush, not a vine. It doesn't take up much room at all! Like as much as a tomato, maybe.
DeleteWhat a gorgeous view. Congrats on winning the garden plot goldmine.
ReplyDeleteScents...
Hyacinth are just starting to bloom. AAAHHHHHH!
Lilac...heaven
Freshly mowed grass in the spring...
The smell of the wind coming off the lake (as long as there are no dead fish...lol).
The scent of burning leaves in the fall...though that is no longer allowed.
Wood burning in the fireplace.
Fresh greens at Christmas.
Yes, the smell of the wood burning in the fireplace! And the fresh greens! I love all of those smells and I wish I knew what the lake wind smell is like!
DeleteSnow on the mountain tops! Wow, what a picture! I have always said, "JUst bury me in rosemary.
ReplyDeleteRosemary smells so wonderfully pungent!
DeleteThank you for your message.
ReplyDeleteSee you soon.
Hold onto the thought that soon the surgery will be over and you will be mending nicely. It will thankfully be in the past. Prayers going up up up!
DeleteHow wonderful to have that gorgeous view and a garden plot in which to plant. My favorite smell???... bread baking and vanilla!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit! Happy weekend to you!
I forgot how great vanilla smells! And with bread baking!
DeleteLike many my favourite smell is baking bread but in the garden I love both lavender and mint, particularly early evening sitting out. The tags are a delight.
ReplyDelete