RUG HOOKING BLOG

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I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

SINCE I HAVE NO PETALS, BRACTS WILL DO FOR NOW

I always wonder how long my blogger friends keep their Poinsettias after the holidays.  Although I haven't bought a poinsettia in years, I have a collection at my house. For four years in a row at Christmas I get a big one from the University students brothers who have been part time employees and whom I've been feeding when ever they worked at our farm.

 I keep them because they bring some color to cheer me up in the winter.  The church which I attend also give poinsettias for adoption after Epiphany, January 6th.  I adopted a small one last year and a bigger one this year.  I've lost a couple through neglect because the pot was too small and they dried out last year but I still have 6.

I know that some people get rid of theirs after the Holidays but I just can't throw mine out even if the leaves have completely fallen off. They usually leaf out with a little care and sunshine.

This one I got this Christmas 2011, from Dwyer, our part time employee. It's still healthy enough except some leaves show that it could use some fertilizer or maybe more sun. It's in the living room on the North side.


This one I adopted from the church after the Epiphany, Jan  2012. It had suffered a bit of cold in the transport and the bracts shows some dried spots. It quite a large plant.



This pale poinsettia actually has a white stem in the back which is hidden from view. I won this one as a door prize at a Christmas  party Christmas 2011.

This one was given to me for Christmas 2010  by the same University student . It needs repotting and TLC. It's late blooming because it wasn't getting enough light where it was.



This one I adopted from our church last Christmas 2011. in need of TLC too but it's blooming.


This one is a gift from the University students brothers  for Christmas 2009. I lost one stem from an accident  but although the bracts are small I love this plant.
See my little gardener angel watering it. That little angel was given to me as a little gift in a Sunshine Basket when I was going through chimo. It's a Dollar Store buy but full of memories.


This is what my front yard looks like at the moment. The January thaw has visited us.  It almost felt like Spring.


Since I haven't posted my Value Village treasure lately, I thought that I had to show you this cute pair of twitter-patted porcelain bunnies. The basket is about 7 inches tall.



As you can see, I paid $3.99 for this cute Easter decoration.

MEANWHILE,  ON THE FARM NOTHING HAS CHANGED MUCH...

My husband called me real early this morning, waking me up from my sleep before my alarm rang to let me know that I had a new calf and  that another heifer needed assistance to give birth.  I just sold a bull calf on Tuesday and now I have three more. 13 small calves is a handful. I'm weaning the triplets, Faith, Hope and Love  and Charity off milk.

I was so tired when I came home for breakfast today at 10:30 a.m. It seems that I've been coming home to breakfast at 10:30 everyday this week. Anyway, I poured myself a nice hot cup of French Roast coffee prepared myself  a big bowl of oatmeal with walnuts and raisins, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and  milk and sat in front of my computer to check my emails. I just barely finished my breakfast that I could hardly keep my eyes opened. I felt a bit cold all of a sudden and went to lay on the couch wrapped up in a couple of throws. I fell asleep and slept till 1:30 PM. I think that I was sleep deprived.

I managed to quilt a bit today and went back to work at the farm. I'm almost ready to make another turn on the quilt.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.   JB

25 comments:

  1. Came home for breakfast? You sleep with your calves? whoa

    You really are tiring to sedentary folk, Julia... I have to take a nap after reading your posts. seriously

    No wonder you don't have a weight problem!

    LOVE the poinsettias...

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  2. oh and the little twitter-patted porcelain bunnies! HAhaHaaa

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  3. Your poinsettias are beautiful. You have a green thumb. Sounds like you are working hard there lady...but a long power nap is good!! I just slept 11 hours straight last night to try to beat a cold down. Worked pretty well!
    Hugs,
    Courtney

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  4. I would say you are sleep deprived glad you got to take a big nap. I never can keep the poinsettas they just die and I haven't had one in years.Love your bunny you are really thinking spring with the lack of snow. We too do not have much and I am thankful for that but way more ice that anyone would want.
    Cathy

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  5. I have 3 little kitties who love to munch on anything green so I have no plants indoors. Yours are lovely!!
    Love the bunnies.....
    Have a Great Day!
    Marilyn

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  6. Hi Julia! I love your plants! I won a poinsettia at Christmas time and I have it here at work. I always thought people just threw them away until this past December when a local gardener was telling how to take care of them. He said the red would fall off, but they make a nice green plan, then in November put them in a dark, cool place and take them out in December and they'll bloom out nicely so I thought I'd give it a try. After seeing yours I'm think I need to do something with mine. It's looking like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree!

    I've popped in from time to time and read your blog but have just been so busy I didn't leave a comment! You are one very busy lady! Whew!

    Take care,
    Char

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  7. your plants are beautiful, I have NEVER been able to take care of poinsettia's after Christmas, they just dry up, and flake away!!! I think the house is too warm for them !! You have such an interesting life with your cows etc.. and YAY for quilting! Thanks for sharing with us.

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  8. Hello sister,I just wanted to tell you that I love you and admire you.Hugs and kisses.

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  9. I'm glad you allowed yourself that long nap. You deserve to do that more often. It probably did you a world of good.

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  10. You do a great job with those plants!! I'v never had luck keeping them and now, because of Mr. Kitty, I can't have one in the house! That cat chomps on every green thing that comes in the door! Right now I'm trying to winter over a hibuscus tree ~ wish you were close by, I'd hire you to 'mother' it!! Take good care ~ you are one busy woman!!

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  11. Your poinsettias are gorgeous Julia. I just don't see how you can keep them alive after Christmas. I love them so much and would love to know your secret. I have tried, but they look so sick that I finally throw them out. I'm into the artificial ones now. They actually don't look too bad.

    When we used to live in the Los Angeles area, we would plant them outside and they would grow beautifully. Some of them grew eight feet or more. They looked so pretty against the white of the house. It's too hot here in the desert to do that. Darn!

    Your bunnies are darling. I still wish we had a Value Village here in the desert. I'm sure I would go crazy in there if we did. And such bargains you find!!! I'm jealous.

    Another calf? Wow, they just keep coming don't they? I can understand why you were so sleepy after eating your breakfast. It's a good thing you took a nap after to catch up on your sleep.

    Good thing, too, that you had enough time to work on your quilt. I'm looking forward to seeing a photo of the finished product.

    Take care, Julia. It's a good thing you are such a healthy gal.

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  12. My you have a green thumb, your plants are beautiful. I think that power nap was very much needed, take care. Look forward to seeing your quilt when you get it done. Love the bunnies they are adorable. Winter has not been to hard to take this year yet,so before we know it we will have spring and flowers. Take care, enjoyed catching up!

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  13. I love all the Poinsettias! I love the colors.
    It is amazing that they last so well.
    I wouldn't have had them live so long at my house.

    Your life is so full and busy. I would love to see a picture of those new baby calves.

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  14. Oh, sweet Julia your poinsettias are gorgeous. You are the first person I have ever seen that can keep them alive for more than a few weeks. You for sure have a knack for growing them. I bet your quilt is going to be beautiful. Hope you got some rest. Hugs

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  15. Julia, you definately have a green thumb, those poinsettias are just beautiful. I have one that is still thriving nicely. With your work schedule I would require a daily nap! Sending greetings from Maine, Julie.

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  16. Well..... that's the best bunch of poinsettias that have been kept over I've ever seen! I was just reading an article (I think in the paper) that said it just wasn't worth the effort. OBVIOUSLY you've proven that wrong! Love it!
    xo
    dulcy

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  17. Hi Julia! I came over from Starkey Hollow and also Millie's Mats to visit. I smiled when I saw all the poinsettias...my Mom is the plant lady of all time and she can't stand to see any live thing put in a trash can! She rescues many poinsettias and also lilies at Easter time from the Church. I'm more of the outdoor plant type person as I have no ability to keep them alive for very long. I'm glad my Christmas tree is fake! Have a great week and I'll have to return and enjoy your blog.

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  18. Hi Yaya, I'm so glad that you came over for a visit.

    I admire you and Donna for working so hard in difficult situations with all kind of people, It really takes stamina and commitment to work under stress like that. The old girls were made of good strong stuff, now the younger one don't have the same attitude or work ethics.

    Your pie sure looks sweet and tempting.

    I'm a bit like your mom. I too have to save plants from the garbage can, lol.... I rescued a slip from my daughter's trash and now it's climbing up on the french door in my sun room. My plants are not slips anymore, they all get so big and are taking over the room. I have a Peace Lilly from a funeral of a friend that I was given. Most of my plants were either given to me or started from clippings. It's a big job moving them to do a through cleaning job in there.

    I'm always running behind everyone with my comments and I tend to be too long winded. Blessings. JB

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  19. Your poinsettias are lovely! I haven't had that much luck. I did manage to keep one for several years before losing it... and I don't actually receive them like you do!

    Congratulations on all of the new births at your place!

    Blessings, Debbie

    ~Thanks for the heads up about the stool! I hadn't seen that I had won until you sent me over... Delight!

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  20. That is such a long day! 13 calves a lot to bottle feed. I love the names of the triplets.

    The poinsettias are stunning. I am so amazed that they stay alive so long....that sorta says a lot about my ability of indoor plants.

    I love your front yard. Spring can't come soon enough for me.

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  21. I just love how your kept your flowers all alive. I have never seen that here before, They just die here. To hot I suppose. I bet you are just tired, I am so glad you got to rest today.
    You have had lots of calves haven't you.
    Take care my hard working friend,

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    Replies
    1. Oh my girl I can't believe your Poinsettia skills, man mine just kinda give up...Well, I'm sure it's because I don't have Poinsettia skills.

      Beautiful yard! Think Spring although that silly Groundhog isn't helping much.

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  22. julia, your poinsettas are beautiful! my parents owned a green house for many many years and they are not the easiest to keep nice. we have had fog and beautiful frost and almost 40 above here in minnesota so my yard looks similar to yours. have a nice weekend!

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  23. Your energy both encourage me and make me exhausted. I don't know how you do it! Make sure to take the time to care for yourself, or there will be no one to help with all those calves. You are an inspiration! Glad the long nap helped you.

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  24. Also meant to say how beautiful your flowers are. I could never keep them more than a month. No green thumb here!

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