Sincere very best wishes from my home to your home!!

I’m not dreaming of a “white” Christmas!!  I’m dreaming of Spring!! The large planters are positioned: Phlox in one, Salvia in another.  I plan to have Nasturtiums in the tallest, and Calibrachoa in next tallest (both are “trailing” plants).  See the white PVC pipe near the white drain pipe??  I’ll have Scarlet Runner Bean climbing on that trellis. (Later I will lace twine from lower PVC pipe to upper.)  The two Topsy-Turvy upside-down tomato planters are in position ready for plants. For all my planning, I don’t have plants in mind (yet) for the planter with Winter Pansies (at the base of the Bluebird house).  Over the next few weeks I’ll continue to research for the best plants to attract Hummingbirds.  ~~ Click on the picture to enlarge it for better viewing.

Back to the Beginning on ABC.  Did you see it??

It will continue next Friday, Dec. 28th.

Did you see the news segment tonight on ABC evening news regarding “Made in America”?? From another source here are the details. Personally, I’m going to boycott Sears!!  Buy the disputed wrench from LoggerHead Tools.  I’m ordering for my toolbox.

Dr. Soram Khalsa was a guest on the Dr. Oz TV program today.  I found the discussion about Vitamin D very valuable. Please take a few minutes to read this article by Dr. Khalsa. More: The D Factor.  ~~  Personally, I have embraced “holistic health” for over thirty years.  I’m so glad Dr. Oz brings “alternative medicine” to his television audience.

After days of frustration (in December 2011) with Google’s Blogspot, I was forced to search the Internet for another venue.  I had  a lot to learn because WordPress appeared new and different–and “yours truly” is “three-quarters and counting.” ~~ Two years of earlier blog information can be found at TabTeardropTravels. ~~  Now I have a brand-new laptop computer–with Windows-7–and there’s ample hard drive space for pictures and additional creative projects.  (Maybe I’ll revisit my former passion for family history?!) Some of you will remember that I had Windows-8, briefly, and it was a “crazy maker.”

Lorraine left Ohio (2006) because she couldn’t tolerate the winter cold, snow, ice, etc. etc.  (Really a “wimp” after 40 years living in the desert of Southern California.)  It’s nice to see the snow in the yard of a friend in Exeter, New Hampshire.  The family left sunny Florida for their traditional holiday in the old family home.  Limited heat until the furnace was repaired (burr).

I spent a week (in 2010) parked in that driveway and hours within the home of a very dear lady who opened her heart to me.  Seeing her pictures (with an e-mail message) transports me back to that wonderful time when I was traveling with my tiny teardrop trailer. Reminiscing is a respite from the continuing news regarding Newtown, Connecticut tragedy.  (I’ve spent too much time watching the TV news.)

For your entertainment, read the following blog messages:

Greetings from Exeter, New Hampshire ~~  (7/30/2010)

Portsmouth, NH, & vicinity ~~  (7/31/2010)

Sunday Outing in New Hampshire & Maine  ~~  (8/01/2010)

Life is VERY good!! ~~  (8/02/2010)

Helping the local economy?? ~~  (8/04/2010)

God Bless America ~~  (8/05/2010)

A little humor, for your enjoyment ~~  (8/05/2010)

Thank you Debbie ~~  (8/06/2010)

Power on board!!  ~~  (8/06/2010)

Accessing WiFi from my TaB  ~~  (8/06/2010)

Greetings from Rockland, Maine  ~~  (8/08/2010)

Heartache for the families of the Sandy Hook tragedy!!

I’m glued to the TV–with the marathon of details–which compounds my depression.

Cold… and rainy weather!!  I can’t take my grief into my back yard to find solace.

For over thirty years, I have been interested in holistic health.  The 700 Club quickly got my attention this morning when they interviewed a man who was cured of cancer.  He changed his diet!!  A ketogenic diet was the answer.  (I’ve “preached” diet for years.)  I quickly did a Google search and there are many references; here is one.  I’ll spend more time reading links after another Google search.

I actually lose sleep planning backyard projects!!  Does that make me a landscape architect–or just crazy??  I’m interested in using items I already own.  Yesterday I secured last year’s trellis behind the air conditioner (but not attached to the A/C) and will plant Cypress Vine to climb thereon.  Difficult to distinguish, in front of the A/C is a very heavy metal “fence” designed to keep a dog at the rear of an SUV.  I bought it at Goodwill and immediately recognized that it would make an acceptable trellis.  I have Sweet Pea seeds to plant there and can visualize the vine, and blooms, twining and cascading over the white metal bench (likewise from Goodwill).  On the extreme left (not in the picture) is the Honeysuckle vine and trellis.  So my vining plants are clustered in the same area.  ~~ Look at that beautiful green grass!!  I planted seed after maintenance dug up that area (replacing a drain pipe) and left it scarred and ugly.

I’ve said it before: I like to be creative.  Recently I purchased “gizmos”  for the bottom of planters so they have “air space.”  That was a new concept to me; I’ve used river rock in the bottom of planters.  I bought two… ($4. each “on sale”) for the large planters.  But why spend that much money ($8. each retail) for a piece of plastic when I can make my own??  I have numerous snack trays I never use (and [as you know] need to “downsize”).

Calibrachoa will eventually cascade down the side of the inexpensive (but sturdy) white pail.  ~~  On a beautiful 74 degree Saturday, the “wintering over” plants (usually indoors) are sunbathing.  Calibrachoa “starts” (in blue, and white, containers), tomato plant in wire cage (rear left).  ~~  A pictorial view of things done over the weekend.  ~~  Note the two squirrel baffles created from satellite dishes.  Observe  the tub with fresh water for the deer, and a block labeled “apple wood flavor” lick for the deer.