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Archive for the ‘Gardening’ Category

Friday’s Fresh Five! (3/1/13)

Posted in Gardening, Helping Others, inspiration, Recycling, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »

pink camellia

Photo by Linnell Chang

The sun, like a shot of whiskey, warms my face and soothes my bones. My old dog Romeo sits on the deck and squints his eyes to block out the bright light of morning. A choir of birds provides background music, while a red-bellied worm snake slithers slowly across the pavement. And providing color to an otherwise monochromatic canvas, camellia blossoms command attention. With the spring equinox only a few weeks away, spring’s potential is poised to reveal its splendor. I appreciate this lovely first day of March and hope that the month brings many more joyful moments.

#1 – Life’s Detours
“A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.” This anonymous quote opens an essay titled, “Circumnavigating Life’s Detours,” written by Alina Williams, M.SC. Everyone faces detours in life, but some people seem to navigate around them more skillfully. What characteristics and skills are needed to help us navigate challenging moments? Read the article and find out.

#2 – Re-Purpose Those CD Cases!
CD case wall art I love this DIY CD Jewel Case Frame project I found on the site Photojojo. Who doesn’t have a stash of CD cases taking up space somewhere in his home? I think the key to this wall art is to have a cohesive element in the CD cases, whether it be color or subject.

#3 – Beautifully Imperfect
This three-minute promotional film, made for Think Family, reminds us to appreciate the small imperfect things that exist in a relationship. The message is told through a humorous and touching eulogy a wife gives for her husband.

#4 – Go Fly A Kite!

kite festivals

Semaphore Kite Festival

It’s almost spring, so get your kites ready! To get in the mood, check out these 23 Huge Kite Festivals Around The World.

#5 – Open Your Mind
“The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.”
Frank Zappa

Enjoy your first March weekend of the year!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (2/22/13)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, Gardening, Health, inspiration, Photography, Recipes, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 22, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Daphne

Daphne by Linnell Chang

If you walk up to my front door right now, there’s a gift waiting for you. For, at this very moment, the sweet fragrance of Daphne flowers infuse the air. Such a delightful way to be greeted, but how will you reply? Will you bask in the moment or will you move on?

#1 – Tolkien’s Ents?

Methuselah tree

Photo by Rick Goldwasser

From a flower-strewn bush of Daphnes to the sky-high tops of trees, nature’s gifts always impress. Mother Nature Network assembled this photo series of “The World’s 10 Oldest Living Trees.” Looking at these photos of ancient trees, one has to wonder if any of them were the inspiration for Tolkien’s wise Ents?

#2 – A Bright Idea
DIY project: Aluminum Lanterns Here’s a really clever decorating idea that was inspired by a creative person’s shopping trip to Home Depot. These lanterns are made from aluminum sheets and require minimal supplies to construct them. Looks like a fun project for the weekend!

#3 – The Skinny on Salad Dressings
Eating a salad for lunch or dinner is a nutritious and low-calorie meal, right? Well, that all depends on the salad dressing you’re pouring over those fresh greens. Not only do many salad dressings contain fat, many of them are also high in sodium. Here’s registered dietician Joy Bauer’s recipe for a low calorie (59 calories per 2 tablespoons) and low sodium (40 mg per 2 tablespoons) salad dressing:

Joy’s Skinny Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
In a jar, combine all ingredients. Shake until everything is well combined. It’ll stay fresh in the fridge for five days.

Makes eight 2-Tbsp servings

#4 – Made Me Smile
Made Me Smile Just looking at this graphic made me smile, but I loved the introduction to Marc and Angel Hack Life‘s post “7 Things Happy People Say Every Day.” The introduction reads, “You have the right words within you to make every day a happy one.” Words have power – say the right ones!

#5 – Flowery Thoughts
Couldn’t decide, so here are two:

“The earth laughs in flowers. ”
e.e. cummings

“Every flower is a soul blossoming in Nature. ”
Gerard De Nerval

Get out and smell the flowers this weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/18/13)

Posted in About me, Gardening, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 18, 2013| Leave a Comment »

frozen bird bath

Photo by Linnell Chang

Rigid icicles, clinging tightly to the under side of a fountain, created a sharp contrast to the shape-changing droplets of water that danced over the edge. Overnight freezing temperatures transformed my backyard fountain into a winter work of art and also into a metaphor about life’s transformations. Like the internal changes water goes through, life can be transformed by changing our inner beliefs.

#1 – Code to Live By
The third entry in the Native American Code of Ethics reads, Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. Deep down, I think we all recognize the validity of these words, but how many of us actually walk our true paths? The other 19 aspects of the Code serve as additional reminders of how we can live honorable lives. Print up the Code and read it every morning before you start your day. If we all followed this Code, think about how we could transform the world.

#2 – Healthy Living TED Video
In this video author A.J. Jacobs presents his humorous talk on “How Healthy Living Nearly Killed Me.” Pay special attention to what he says from minute 7:20 to minute 7:41!

#3 – Cooking For Others
photo of casserole containers If you have a friend in need and you’re taking food over to help him/her, you might want to review this article, Cooking for Others: A Guide to Giving Sympathy Meals first. Read “tips, helpful suggestions, and friendly advice on bringing meals to others.” While reading through the comments section, I learned that many of us tend to bring over food for dinner, but rarely consider that the recipient might be in need of something else, like food for breakfast.

#4 – Ten Sentences
inspirational poster From the blog Lifehack come these Ten Sentences that Can Change Your Life. Which sentence has the power to transform your life?

#5 – Search Within
“People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within.”
Romana L. Anderson

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/4/13)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, Gardening, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Parenting, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 4, 2013| 3 Comments »

chocolate truffles

photo by Linnell Chang

In the movie Forrest Gump, the main character repeatedly tells people that his mother always said, “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”  In life each chocolate represents an adventure, an opportunity, a decision, a lesson, etc. You may not like what you’ve bitten off, but you had a choice and you made a decision. Good or bad, there’s always another piece of chocolate waiting for you.

#1 – Tiny Wisdom
From the site Tiny Buddha comes this tiny bit of wisdom on starting anew:

One of the greatest misconceptions in life is that we are somehow powerless to let go of what’s behind us. That we have to carry regret, shame, or disappointment, and that it has to dictate how today will unfold, at least on some level. It doesn’t. At any moment, you can let go of who you’ve been and decide to be someone new – to do something differently. It won’t always be easy, but it is always a choice you can make. You can either dwell and stay stuck, or let go and feel free. Give yourself space to fill with good feelings about the beautiful day in front of you – and the beautiful tomorrow you’re now creating.

#2 – Sharp or Dull, Serrated or Plain?
My father owned grocery stores and when he started in the business, he was both the produce man and the meat butcher for them. Having received professional butcher training, he taught his children how to identify the best cuts of meat, how to slice and bone meat, how to cook the different types and cuts of meat, and how to select, respect, and use knives skillfully. One of his bits of knife-wisdom is, “Keep your knives sharp, because you’re more likely to cut yourself on a dull knife than a sharp one.” This Hone Your Chops: the Chef’s Guide to Knives infograph is a nod to my Dad. Thanks Dad!

#3 – You’re Benched!
You wouldn’t mind being benched, if you could sit on one of these benches! Click on this link to see a photo series of amazingly creative benches for indoors and outdoors that are made from new and repurposed materials. Who said being benched was boring?

twist bench

Kenan Wang twist bench

#4 – Best Reads in 2013?
The Strongest Librarian Books are like chocolates, because you can’t tell by the cover what’s inside. Browse through The Huffington Post’s Best Books of 2013?: Our Picks For The Year’s Biggest Reads and see if a few don’t catch your fancy.

#5 – Beginning Again
“No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.”
Buddha

Enjoy your first weekend in January!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (11/30/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gardening, Gift Ideas, inspiration, Pets, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Kishu Mandarins

Watching fierce winds whip the branches of a small Kishu Mandarin tree forced me to make a quick decision. With a trunk no wider than an inch and tiny branches heavy with fruit, I worried that the tree might break under stress. With a pair of pruners and a basket, I harvested all the fruit from the tree, being grateful for its abundant crop. Considering that this is its first year of bearing fruit and it’s container-grown, this little tree did itself proud.

#1 – Gratitude
“Gratitude provides for us even when we think we have nothing or no one. Because we do have many things and people in our lives. Gratitude just lifts the opaque veil from our eyes so we can see that more clearly.” This passage from the article 3 Ways to Cultivate Gratitude highlights the simple fact that even when we think we have nothing, there still must be something for which we can be grateful. In addition, it suggests maintaining a gratitude journal to help keep life in perspective.

#2 – Falling Leaves
The winds are also blowing down beautiful autumn leaves. When I take walks in my neighborhood, I carry an empty plastic bag in which I can transport home my newly found treasures, freshly picked off the ground. I’ve researched ways to preserve and display leaves. Here are some techniques and ideas I found that will let me enjoy the beauty of leaves for a long time to come:

Skeleton Leaves how to make skeleton leaves How to Preserve the Beauty of Fall Foliage how to preserve leaves

Fall Leaf Candle Holder fall leaf candle holder

Very Cute Leaf Animals
 animal leaf art

Easy Leaf Prints how to make leaf prints

#3 – Cork It!
wine cork wreath I can never resist sharing ways to reuse, re-purpose or upcycle things. Here are some Awesome DIY Ideas With Wine Corks. Included are a few holiday-themed projects. Check them out!

#4 – For the Love of a Dog

Fiona Apple and her dog Janet

Fiona Apple and her dog Janet

Singer-songwriter and pianist Fiona Apple wrote a touching four-page, handwritten letter to her South American fans explaining why she needed to postpone her tour there. This may be old news for some of you, but I thought it was worth posting for those who have not read it yet. Read a small excerpt below and then click here to read Fiona’s touching letter in its entirety. Animal lovers, be advised, have tissues in hand:

It’s 6pm on Friday,and I’m writing to a few thousand friends I have not met yet.
I am writing to ask them to change our plans and meet a little while later.
Here’s the thing.
I have a dog Janet, and she’s been ill for almost two years now, as a tumor has been idling in her chest, growing ever so slowly. She’s almost 14 years old now.I got her when she was 4 months old. I was 21 then ,an adult offi
cially – and she was my child.
She is a pitbull, and was found in Echo Park, with a rope around her neck, and bites all over her ears and face.
She was the one the dogfighters use to puff up the confidence of the contenders.
She’s almost 14 and I’ve never seen her start a fight ,or bite, or even growl, so I can understand why they chose her for that awful role. She’s a pacifist.
Janet has been the most consistent relationship of my adult life, and that is just a fact.
We’ve lived in numerous houses, and jumped a few make shift families, but it’s always really been the two of us . . . .
She slept in bed with me, her head on the pillow, and she accepted my hysterical, tearful face into her chest, with her paws around me, every time I was heartbroken, or spirit-broken, or just lost, and as years went by, she let me take the role of her child, as I fell asleep, with her chin resting above my head . . . .

#5 – Success
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
Maya Angelou

Have a lovely weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (10/12/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, Gardening, Health, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Jewelry, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Sycamore tree bark

Photo by Linnell Chang

Giant leaves crunched under our feet as we walked along a pathway. “You should see these trees,” my mom said as we approached a grassy common area in her neighborhood. A row of tall sycamore trees dominated the landscape. Incredible patches of bark, resembling camouflage, covered their large trunks. They looked like an artist splashed paint on them. Taking my camera out of my pocket, I focused on the bark of one tree and while looking through the viewfinder, I spotted something interesting. A profile of a face and a neck, complete with an Adam’s apple, sat in the middle of my LCD screen. Blotches of reddish hair, a round eye, and a curve of a smile further defined the face. “Art within art,” I said to myself as I snapped the photo. Can you see the face?

#1 – Oh, the Possibilities!
Seeing the possibilities in things is a talent upcyclers possess. Awhile back on this blog I mentioned that I shred empty toilet paper tubes and add them to my compost bin. Well, there are more creative ways to reuse those toilet paper tubes! Check out these upcycling ideas from other bloggers:

Toilet Paper Roll Wall Art

Paint With Toilet Paper Rolls

Painting with toilet paper tubes

Toilet Tube Gift Boxes

Toilet paper roll gift boxes

Toilet Paper Jewelry Tray

toilet paper jewelry box

Seed Starter Pots

tolilet paper seed pots

#2 – Strength Training
Don’t see any reason why you should lift weights? Take a look at the 10 Reasons to Strength Train infograph and you’ll discover more than one reason why it’s important. strength training infograph

#3 – Clever Science
Science World Museum clever ad To reinforce the notion that science is interesting and exists everywhere and to entice more people to visit their museum, the people at Science World in British Columbia presented a clever series of billboards. Which billboard catches your attention?

#4 – Pumpkin Beverage Dispenser
DIY pumpkin beer keg Seeing is believing. Picture apple cider streaming out of a spigot stuck into a pumpkin. Sounds pretty fun. Although the directions Carve Your Pumpkin Into a Beer Keg mention beer as the beverage of choice, I think serving any beverage in your “pumpkin keg” will make fall entertaining more festive!

#5 – Seeing the Distance
“Always concentrate on how far you have come, rather than how far you have left to go. The difference in how easy it seems will amaze you.”
― Heidi Johnson

Have a lovely autumn weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/21/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 21, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Red Bartlett Pears

Red Bartlett Pears by Linnell Chang

The first day of autumn tip-toes in this Saturday. Nowhere is the change of seasons more evident than at farmers’ markets. Displays of summer produce, such as musk melons and heirloom tomatoes, nestle up against fall standouts, such as pears, apples, and butternut squash. Are you ready to let go of summer and welcome in fall?

The changing of seasons creates a whole-body, sensory reminder of the passage of time: Our internal clocks try to adjust to the changing lengths of day; our sense of taste and smell reacquaint themselves with seasonal palates; our eyes feast on the shifting colors around us; our skin begs to be covered or uncovered; our ears pick up once familiar sounds – birds chirping, winds gusting, air conditioners or heaters humming, leaves rustling, fires crackling . . . . At the beginning of each season, I always say “This one’s my favorite!” And so it is.

#1 – Pears
Pears are good sources of phosphorous and Vitamin A. When selecting pears look for firm, well-colored, aromatic fruit with no blemishes or bruises. Ripe pears should be refrigerated and will last anywhere from 2 days to a week. If they are not ripe, put them, bottom-sides down, in a paper bag and store in a cool place. To hasten the ripening process, put a banana or an apple in the paper bag with the pears. Visit local farmers’ markets to find more varieties of delicious pears.

#2 – Nature and Art

Neil Dawson Sculpture in Gibbs Farm

Neil Dawson Sculpture in Gibbs Farm

On a beautiful piece of land, complete with rolling hills and adjacent harbor, exists a spectacular sculpture collection. Gibbs Farm in New Zealand is home to more than two dozen enormous pieces of artwork. This interesting juxtaposition of calming rural scenery and contemporary art can be seen by appointment only and is definitely on my bucket list of things to do! Check out some of the installations and their descriptions on Twisted Sifter or go to the Gibbs Farm link above.

#3 – Sugar, Sugar

This week I read an online article in a Harvard Medical School publication regarding computer games and brain fitness. The article states, So far, it looks like simply playing games that require concentration won’t help you remember important names, faces, and appointments. What can work are practical tools designed to address specific problems encountered in daily life . . . to stay sharp, your mind needs regular workouts in creative thinking, problem solving, and intellectual focus. To stretch and exercise your brain, choose an activity you enjoy—reading, playing cards, or doing crossword puzzles are some good examples. If you’re feeling ambitious, try learning to speak a new language or play a musical instrument.

Well, I just discovered this Sugar, Sugar game in which a player has to figure out ways to funnel sugar into coffee mugs. I believe this game, and the others I’ve linked to in the past, all require concentration AND problem-solving. And since the Harvard article says that learning a new language is good for the brain, why don’t we just play our favorite games in different languages?

#4 – Eyes: Windows Into You

Eyes are not just the windows to your soul. They are also windows into your health. According to this pictorial article, “Eyes can be very helpful when it comes to diagnosing an illness.” Reading this article keeps you more in tune with what your body’s telling you and that’s a good thing.

#5 – The Two Most Important Days

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/14/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Photo by Linnell Chang

As if on a trampoline, squirrels jump through the canopy of my Japanese Maple tree. Every year they bounce and weave their way around the delicate branches in search of winged-seeds also known as samaras. Literally going out on a limb to get to these seeds, the squirrels break branches as they go, leaving behind branches bent at 90-degree angles and piles of broken branches below. Trying to keep an open mind, I remind myself that squirrels also need to eat. But thanks to a new bird feeder and some messy-eating birds, enough bird seed manages to fall to the ground to feed the squirrels and some ground-feeding birds, too. So far, so good – no new broken branches in sight.

#1 – Be Open

Photo by Linnell Chang

How open to life are you? Is your nose so close to the trees that you can’t see the forest? Leo Babuta wrote a post for Zen Habits titled How to Become Open to Life. Even if you feel you already lead an open life, this article is a good reminder of some of the ways we close ourselves down.

#2 – It’s Not What You Think
Imagine pairs of gummi worm chromosomes or ocean waves constructed on a roll of painter’s tape. Artist and photographer Kevin Van Aelst creates fascinating images and brings new meanings to “mundane and relatable artifacts of our daily lives.” His images force your brain to be open, to ignore the expected, and to focus on the grander idea.

#3 – Dishwashers Aren’t Just For Washing Dishes!
Are you open-minded enough to steam fish fillets in your dishwasher? Check out the versatility of this appliance by reading 6 Unconventional Uses For Your Dishwasher.

#4 – A Meal With Imagination
Even with an open mind, you wouldn’t eat the spaghetti made in this video! The fun food comparisons highlight the creativity of this production and make it enjoyable to watch.

#5 – Do Everything
“Do everything. Love as much as you can. It may hurt, but it helps us grow. Give all you have . . . you may be poor but you will be content. Always forgive . . . your heart can not afford not to. Teach what you know and learn what you don’t. Stay open to all.”
Unknown

Have a great weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (8/3/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, Gardening, inspiration, Marriage, Pets, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My BFF (Best Friend Forever) and I have known each other for forty years now. Next week we will celebrate our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary. How time flies when your life is filled with love.

#1 – Rescuing Dogs
I don’t know anything about the organization Hope For Paws, but if you love animals, particularly dogs, as much as I do, you will cry while watching the rescue videos on its site. If you would like to adopt/foster the puppies in the video below, please contact the Bill Foundation.

#2 – Don’t Throw These Away!

My neighbor and I were commiserating the other day about how we can never throw anything away, because we know we can ALWAYS find another use for it. In Don’t Throw That Old Pallet Away, you’ll see some pretty amazing ways to repurpose old wooden pallets. Don’t you just love creative people!

#3 – It’s Okay to Be Negative

Art By Tang Yau Hoong

The space around and in between subjects in an image or a piece of artwork is called negative space. According to Wikipedia, “Negative space may be most evident when the space around a subject, and not the subject itself, forms an interesting or artistically relevant shape . . . .” Check out these 22 Artworks With Clever Use of Negative Space and see how Malaysian artist Tang Yau Hoong manipulates negative space in his work.

#4 – Pictures of the Day

Photograph by Don McLeish

Who doesn’t love a great photograph that tells a story or transports you to another place? You won’t be disappointed by these Top 50 ‘Pictures of the Day’ for 2012. They’re almost as good as the 2011 series.

#5 – The Paradox of Love
I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.
Mother Teresa

Have a lovely weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/6/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Creativity, Entertainment, Gardening, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 6, 2012| Leave a Comment »


Zooming in on three bees crawling on a purple thistle flower, I snap a photo and say to my husband, “Do you see what they’re doing?” As we stand in the warm Southern California sunshine, he replies, “Spreading pollen?” I look at him and say, “Yes, but they’re also ‘thistling’ while they work. Get it?”

#1 – Signs of Happiness
If you are happy, you will recognize these signs of happiness. If you are not happy, well, maybe it’s a sign that something needs to change in your life.
10 Signs of True Happiness - Networx

#2 – What About You, Now?
Mick Ebeling, the founder of the Not Impossible Foundation, poses these questions to people he meets, “If not now, then when? If not me, then who?” In this TED video he talks about how he and a team developed an invention that unlocked a paralyzed artist’s lost world.

#3 – Mind Games
Like your body, your brain needs exercise to stay in tip-top shape. After you do your morning stretches and exercises, sit down and play a few brain games. Play Mind Tree every day to keep your brain agile and alert. It will challenge your skills in logic, awareness, arithmetic and memory.

#4 – Love Stories

I’ve previously posted links to the blog Marc and Angel Hack Life and to its sister site Makes Me Think. I love reading both sites because they make me think and they inspire me to be better and to do more. 60 Tiny Love Stories to Make You Smile is a nice combination of both blogs.

#5 – The Best Day of Your Life
“The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours – it is an amazing journey – and you alone are responsible for the quality of it. This is the day your life really begins.”
Bob Moawad

Enjoy your weekend!

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