In Bloom

Kayla Aimee's new book In Bloom officially released today.  I'll be heading over to the virtual launch party soon.  Should be fun!

I absolutely loved this book! It was an honest exploration of our struggle with insecurity using a biblical perspective.  I appreciate that Kayla tackled some real issues that we all deal with in our families, careers and community.  She does it in a witty way that keeps you engaged and makes you reflect on your own confidence (or lack thereof) and approach to coping with insecurity. 

In Bloom reminded me that we cannot let the world define us.  While it would be nice to enjoy the warm blanket of a stellar resume, perfect spouse, successful children and healthy 401(k), we all do not get to walk that path.  That does not mean that your life is less valuable or that you will not be able to do great things for God's kingdom.  Only by leaning on biblical truths can we cast aside feelings of inadequacy and truly begin to blossom.

Why Winter?

As much as I love the new life that comes with spring and warmer weather, the journey through the other seasons to get there can be brutal.  The summer is manageable and even enjoyable despite the uncomfortableness that comes when the heat turns up on you.  Fall is even pretty pleasant with the autumn harvest and beautiful changing foliage.  The weather is almost perfect and there is still plenty of sun to enjoy. 

But winter...  What a long slog that can be.  Bitter temperatures.  Lack of sunlight.  Cold and flu season.  The struggle is real. 

The plant world provides some interesting lessons about winter.  Some plants need the "exposure to the prolonged cold of winter," a process called vernalization, to flower at the right time.  The flowering could come after a period of growth or dormancy once the plant gets through the cold.   Other plants become hardened during winter, which enables them to adapt to the stress of cold temperatures by relocating nutrients to different parts of the plant.  So there is no reason to lament the appearance of barrenness during winter.  God is still at work, allowing His creation to adapt for survival and preparing it for a season of blossoming to come!

Speaking of blossoming...  I had the awesome opportunity to preview Kayla Aimee's new book, In Bloom, which uses a biblical perspective to explore our never ending struggle with self-doubt and insecurity.  The book releases February 6, 2018 and is available at LifeWay here.  Kayla will be hosting a virtual launch party complete with door prizes February 6 on Facebook.  You can register to attend here.  Stay tuned for a review of the book on February 6!

Begonia Update

Angel Wing Begonia Stems

I recently posted about a great find I made while walking down my street.  Someone threw away several Angel Wing Begonia cuttings.  They were beautiful so I immediately snatched them up.  Luckily I have a local friend who is a gardener and she was able to identify them and give me hope that I might be able to root them. 

Cuttings Rooted in Water

After a little bit of trial and error I finally have some very delicate roots.  I originally placed the entire cutting (which was quite long) in a tall vase.  Without any roots to support it the leaves began to wilt.  The long stem was too much plant to support.  A little internet research revealed that I should clip the plant closer to the top leaves and try to root it from there.  That actually worked and, as you can see, the roots are starting to grow well. 

That left significant parts of the stem that I was ready to discard.  In times of austerity I am always a little reluctant to throw anything away, so I just decided to stick them in a pot with some seed starter, cover with plastic, and see what happens.  To my surprise the stem cuttings began to do something, as well.  The leaf nodes on the plant began to blossom and I am hoping with a few more weeks time I will have several more plants with roots that will be ready to go in the spring.  Stay tuned!

Stems Tossed in a Pot

Collector Spotlight - Diana

One of my favorite things about glass collecting is meeting with other collectors.  There is nothing more fun than connecting over common interests and having a friendship develop.  One of the people I have had the great fortune to befriend is Diana.  As you will see below her glass collection is amazing.  One of the things that makes her truly special is how she beautifies our lovely town just as much as her glass beautifies her home.  She is blessed to be a homemaker to a beautiful family and in her spare time volunteers at our Senior Center, Meals on Wheels, runs the Community Garden, and the town's vaunted Green Team.  She is a Proverbs 31 woman for real!  Enjoy the beautiful pics from Diana's treasure trove!

A Few of Her Favorite Pieces

Master of Staging

Celebrating the Season

 

Winter Garden

In addition to collecting glass, I also very much enjoy gardening.  I have several projects going this winter that I hope will bear fruit next spring.  One of my favorites is this angel wing begonia.  I went out for a run one morning and spotted a pile of them out on the curb for pick-up.  They were so pretty I could not leave them.

My goal is to propagate them into new plants.  I especially enjoy propagating plants in unique or antique glass.  Unfortunately, winter does not produce favorable conditions for rooting plants.  The sun is pretty decent in the windows, but it is not at all warm enough.  After a few hopeful weeks, the leaves started to wilt on my plant with no trace of roots.

I moved the vases to a brighter, warmer area, but it seemed like they were still too cold.  I was pretty much ready to give up on them, when I read an article about propagating aloe vera.  It stated, "do not get discouraged if the aloe stem begins to wilt, it could still be taking root."  That statement inspired me not to give up on my begonias just yet.  I am going to keep nurturing them with hopes that by early spring the roots will be solid and they will be ready to bloom. 

The Great Depression

While I have an eclectic collection of vintage and contemporary glass and crystal, my favorite kind of glass to collect is depression glass. Depression glass was manufactured during the Great Depression and primarily used as giveaways to encourage consumers to by a product or patron businesses.  It comes in beautiful colors and a wide variety of patterns and pieces.  It became quite collectible over the years, and some pieces are very rare and valuable.  Most of the pieces today are valued between $5-10 each.  It is relatively easy to come by with websites like E-Bay and Etsy.  Interest in the glass has declined considerably over the years as it does not have the draw of today's high technology gadgets.

Iris  Herringbone Collection

Nevertheless, I persist in growing my collection.  If something as fragile as glass can survive close to one hundred years through moves, yard sales, flea markets and the thrift shop, I want it in my house.  Some collectors only take pieces that are absolutely perfect with no chips or cracks, but that does not really matter to me.  To me that makes it that much more valuable because at some point in its existence it withstood a test of its durability and survived. 

I also love to see pieces randomly come together.  There are dozens of patterns and colors of depression glass and you can pick it up in the most random places.  You can grow your whole collection around one treasured piece.  One of my favorite sets came from three different places and two different states.  They now sit together in a room hundreds of miles from where they began their journey.  As a good friend told me they are now home, adding a little beauty to my day with their unique glow, waiting for the next treasure to make its way to join them. 

Welcome!

I am so excited to launch my new blog, Garden & Glass, where I'll be writing about two of my favorite things: gardening and collecting vintage glass. I may also sprinkle in a book review here and there or random posts on any topic that catches my writing fancy. I am looking forward to learning more about you and sharing more about me!