April Showers Bring Spring Flowers

Welcome Spring plants

Certainly have had rain this spring.  Rochester is 1.5 inches above normal for rain since March 1st.  For my backyard garden, that means standing water or mud everywhere & no planting until it dries out. Wet in spring is an annual thing but have not had to wait 3 weeks to plant my peas in quite a few years. 

Hello bicolor crocus in my front yard bed from 2 weeks ago.  Happy to see you as we enter and exit our property.  beauty to greet the dogs as they walk by in the morning and their owners with them.  It is fantastic to have my garden to talk to my neighbors about thought the year.  they stop me and ask questions.

Hello to my tatsoi mustard thriving in my garden. always one of the first seeds I plant outside.  will be thinning and enjoying them in breakfast next week.  Homegrown is best.  Love my backyard garden.   patiently waiting  for the snow peas to pop out of the ground, ( well actually to sprout). 

The other greens in the dirt are mesclun and black Simpson lettuce.  We will be transplanting the kale and collard in a few weeks.  I started the seed later this year.  It was so wet, afraid to not be able to plant them when they were ready.

Nothing make it fell like spring arrives until I can dig in the dirt in my garden.  Happy gardener here and happy plants.  

Earth day today and glad to have edibles in my yard to enjoy for the growing season.

Black Lives Matter

Free the People ROC is the group in Rochester, NY.  FB page  Free the People ROC

I invite everyone to stand up, listen to others, be kind and support our sisters and brothers.  

 

#bekind

#blacklivesmatter 

#standup

#listen

#lovewins

Buy Local from the Maker

Why shop small?  For every $100 you spend at a local business,  

$68 stay in the community

#shoplocal

#buylocal

#artist

Gardening as Winter Ends

Spring Countdown

 In 27 days on March 20 it will be spring.  I love the color burst of Spring. My love of this comes from my paternal Grandma.  Growing up, I helped her in her gardens.  I have fond memories of her yard in the spring bursting with colors.  I helped pull the weeds from around the roses.  While her children were growing up, she grew fruits and veggies.  She had plums, raspberries and blackberries when I was growing up. Summer flowers in Grandma's garden included: roses, zinnias, geraniums, peonies, pansies, petunias, snapdragons.  She had a second garden at the family cottage near Alexandria Bay, NY in the 1000 islands.  The flowers were in whiskey barrels at the entrance to the home.

 Backyard Visitors

Our suet feeder seems to attract a wide variety of Woodpeckers to my garden.  they enjoy the food in the winter we provide and in the warmer months they feast on the insects in the garden. It is nice to have a back yard habitat they enjoy. 

 My pond is right next to this feeder.  When it is warmer, the birds enjoy the waterfall and their bird bath at the top of it. Have you made a space that is friendly to local wildlife?  Always be kind ot others.  I was taught this by my Father and honor him by my practice of it.

 

 

 

 As I countdown to spring, the garden design is finished for the veggies.  Very happy to have a plan to grow by so I do not end up without space for a favorite vegetable.

 

As winter is winding down, my garden catalogs help me plan for the warm season.  As the designer in me is active, there as some new jewelry designs for spring, too.  Working on Earrings, necklaces, and bracelets in Copper and Sterling Silver. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Black Lives Matter

Free the People ROC is the group in Rochester, NY.  FB page  Free the People ROC

 I invite everyone to stand up, listen to others, be kind and be ready to support our sisters and brothers.  

 

#bekind

#blacklivesmatter 

#stopasianhate

#standup

#listen

#lovewins

 

 

 

 

Shop Small

Buy Local from the Artist

My shop:  Panda Wear Website
Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Instagram: Instagram

For every $100 you spend at a local business,  $68 stay in the community. 

 

Hello May 2021

Black Lives Matter

Free the People ROC is the group in Rochester, NY.  FB page  Free the People ROC

I invite everyone to stand up, listen to others, be kind and be ready to support our sisters and brothers.  

#bekind

#blacklivesmatter 

#stopasianhate

#standup

#listen

I keep this here as a reminder.  We need to support our fellow Americans and listen to them.  They should not have to deal with all the racism and hate aimed at them.   We can fix our society.  

Love wins.! 

Kindness matters!

 

Garden Vegetables

 Waiting for my snow peas to emerge from the dirt and become vines.  The greens are doing well.  they survived n the ground through the cold snaps we have had this spring,   even the 2 inches of snow that covered them.  We should be able to plant tomatoes, peppers, & tomatillos by the middle of the month.  need to transplant some lettuce and start new lettuce.  The lettuce is planted about every 3 weeks.  

The waterfall of my pond at right is a beautiful sound to listen to. Waterlilies are growing and should show flowers by the end of the month.

Buy Local from the Maker

My shop:  Panda Wear Website
Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Instagram: Instagram

 

Why shop small?  For every $100 you spend at a local business,  $68 stay in the community.

 

 

Welcome Spring 2021

Happy dance here SPRING arrives this week.  As a gardener, it is the best time of your wheneverything wakes up.  Five more days and it is SPRING 2021! This is will be fantastic.  It is off to a wonderful beginning.  

We took a walk last week before all the snow melted on a nice 50 degree day and enjoyed the robins at Genesee Valley park.  One perk of being an entrepreneur is I set my schedule. When I need a walk in the afternoon, I take a break and walk.  I love being a woman small business owner.  

Afternoon garden

My garden layout was finished a few weeks back and the seeding are looking great.  Tomatoes, peppers, kale, collard, mustard are all sprouted.  I planted some annual flowers that should sprout by next week.  Harris seed was perfect for the few seeds I need to resupply this year.  My favorite thing is they are in my area and their seeds do well in my backyard garden.  I shop local whenever I can.  

This is a pic from last year in my garden.  these bulbs are a regular beautiful blend every spring.  when my crocus finish, I see these.  there are a few crocus peaking out now that all the February snow has finally melted.  

We have learned the value of small business during this pandemic.  It has been a full year.  We have learned so much.  The list of what is important has changed for many people.  I believe we are closer as families because of what we have been though. 

This is "where is my head" snowman from Genesee Valley park last week.  so nice to be outside enjoying the fresh air an a nice dry day.   

Black Lives Matter

 For Education  please Search 

 I Can't Breathe
Black Lives Matter 

and read from fact checked news sources.  As a supporter I am speaking up.  Please join me. 
BE KIND

 

It is time we listen. Let our Sisters  take the  lead & show us what we need do to help them.. I know we can fix this and become one nation again.   It will be a process and it will take time.  Be patient and show your love of others now more then ever.  

Buy Local from the Maker

 
My shop:  Panda Wear Website
Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Instagram: Instagram

 

Why shop Local (small)?  

For every $100 you spend at a local business,  $68 stay in the community!  Yes Over 2/3 stays in your local community!Free the People ROC is the group in my area.

 FB page  Free the People ROC

I took this great pic one week ago downtown in ROC. I love my city, Rochester, NY.

Spring Ahead Today

 Daily Routine

Yes, today we Spring ahead one hour.   As a gardener, so excited I can smell SPRING!!! Six more days until the official start of SPRING!  Spring Ezuinox starts 3.20.21 at 5:37am.  

Those who know me well know this sentiment applies but it is Tea in my case. 

• What is part of your daily routine to help keep you day on track?  
• How do you start each day to be sure it is off the a fantastic beginning?  

 

 

 

Buy Local from the Maker

 
My shop:  Panda Wear Website
Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Instagram: Instagram

 

Why shop Local (small)?  

For every $100 you spend at a local business,  $68 stay in the community!  Yes Over 2/3 stays in your local community!

 

 

 Black Lives Matter

 For Education  please Search 

 I Can't Breathe
Black Lives Matter 

and read from fact checked news sources.  As a supporter I am speaking up.  Please join me.
BE KIND

 

It is time we listen. Let our Sisters  take the  lead & show us what we need do to help them.. I know we can fix this and become one nation again.   It will be a process and it will take time.  Be patient and show your love of others now more then ever.  

Free the People ROC is the group in my area.

 FB page  Free the People ROC

 

 

 

 Spend Womens history month learning about inspirational Women.   

Welcome to SPRING in my Garden

 My Garden

Welcome to SPRING in my ROCHESTER Garden.  We are definitely  back to normal temperatures for this city.  Happy Dance here!  Plans for this week include planting our peppers, tomatoes, and beans.  The final hand roto-tilling was done yesterday & the compost incorporated n the soil.  Two very happy gardeners here in this house.


My pond guest has found a regular spot to sit in our pond.  He seems happy and soon should have a mate and then tadpoles.

Jewelry Design

Here is a stunning smokey quartz prong set in 14 ktgf.  I enjoy showing the beauty of the faceted gemstone with my wire work.  As a lapidary I immensely enjoy cutting gems into cabochons.  I leave the faceting to the people who enjoy spending hours to make such tiny beauties as this one here. I will keep cutting cabochons and selling them to other jewelry designers as well as collectors.   I make many more free form organic pieces such at the earrings below and my necklaces you have seen  here, my website or Instagram (links at the bottom of the blog).  Please feel free to see some of my hand cut gemstones on my website or contact me for pics.  Please include your name with the text or email for custom work.  Always happy for special orders.   

 I am taking orders for graduation gifts.  The class of 2020 needs to celebrate leaving high school and becoming adults.  I would be honored for  one of my pieces to be a milestone gift as they begin the next stage of their life.  If the graduation is college, they journey has been longer and more meaningful for the student.  I am able to work within you budget whether is is $50 or $500, your custom piece will make the graduate very happy. We should all celebrate the class of 2020 this year because it has been so difficult and different than any other year in history for a class to finish school.

. 
I will end this with my beautiful pond.   the serenity from listening to the waterfall and seeing the aquatic creatures enjoy the water is sublime.

     Buy Local from the Maker 

My shop:  Panda Wear Website

Facebook:  PandaWire Facebook
Twitter:  Panda Wear Gems  
Pinterest: Pinterest 
Instagram: Instagram

We are all dealing with this time in our own way  Remember to be kind., flatten the curve, stay home and stay safe.