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weeping pussy willow:  salix caprea

the first tree we ever planted was a curly locks weeping pussy willow.  I gave it to Mark for his birthday. it was our favorite tree.  first planted in our front yard, we ended up moving it to the backyard for more protection from the wind and elements.  i have taken so many pictures of this tree.  those fuzzy little buds brought so much joy year after year until a terrible little mini tornado in the fall of 2013 snapped the trunk in half. 

today Mark has surprised me with the birthday gift of a new tiny little weeping pussy willow.  thank you Mark for being the greatest husband ever.

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crassula ovata or at least that's what I think this plant is.  I purchased 2 of these jade-like plants last summer and brought both of them in for the winter.  while they're not as clumpy and cute as they were outside in the summer sun, both plants are alive and even flowering. 

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Mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis baccifera) is a tropical succulent native to rainforests in warm regions. This cactus is found in Florida, Mexico and Brazil. Surprisingly, growing Rhipsalis requires shade to partial shade. While most cacti are found in hot, sunny, arid zones, mistletoe cactus is unique in its requirements for moisture and dim light. This plant is used to living in the understory of the forest, where temperatures are at least 60 F. (15 C.) and light is filtered through the high limbs. Growing Rhipsalis is practically foolproof as long as you mimic its native conditions.

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candy lily.   iris x norrissii
a tiny lily that is actually an iris.   so cute.

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lilac bush:  syringa vulgaris
sparrows and finches are always hanging out in the lilac bush, all year round.  and the butterflies show up for the flowers in the Springtime.   

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appropriately named nick.  echinocactus grusonii: barrel cactus.  rescued many years ago from a garden center clearance rack where he was left for dead.  happily pokey so many years later.

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the sill is my fantasy life.  a place where you can buy plants.  a team that will design your space full of plants.  plants make people happy.

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dwarf papyrus. this plant is also known as cyperus isocladus.

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iris germanica: orange harvest.  purchased in May 2011.  it's been in the backyard...transplanted to the front yard... stopped blooming... transplanted again in the Fall 2017.  I cannot remember where I put this so we'll all be surprised come Springtime. please bloom again!

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dianthus barbatus:  green trick
i've heard that green trick is toxic to cats and dogs so don't plant this in a place where your pets can eat it.  perfect in floral arrangements.

making raw dog food

We did it.  We made raw dog food.  And it was pretty easy! 

Only because there is a great video on making a BALANCED raw dog food which was formulated by Steve Brown (aka the king of raw dog food).
Everyone with pets needs to know Rodney Habib and Dr. Becker and if you want to make your own raw dog food, watch their video HERE

I have been raw feeding my dogs since 2011.  Pet nutrition is one of my biggest passions.  The only downside to raw feeding is that it's expensive.  There is NO cheap way to make your own balanced raw food either, especially with beef.  This project was simply done for the knowledge that we could make BALANCED food if we were in a pinch and all pet food stores were closed.  Making your own raw food also means you get really fresh food.  It's a bummer when you buy expensive raw food at the pet store only to find that the food inside is completely iced up with freezer burn.  

Lottie and Minnow LOVED eating this beef recipe too and that was really the most important thing.  We now have almost 10 lbs. of our food in easy to use frozen patties. 

If this is interesting to you and you have NEVER fed your dog raw food... make your batch into 1 oz. sized patties and use as a treat.  The most important thing to do when it comes to transitioning to raw, real food is to go slow.  Let your dog get used to raw food as treats for a month before trying raw meals. Consulting a pet nutritionist or holistic vet is also advised before going ALL RAW.

What exactly is Raw?  A complete and balanced Raw Diet contains pure, whole food ingredients for optimal nutrient absorption as well as natural enzymes for digestive health.  Raw Meals also provide nutrition in its purest form – including proteins, vitamins, and minerals that are ready for the body to utilize.  Raw means Not Cooked - none of the important natural nutrients have been cooked out of the meal.

BENEFITS OF A RAW DIET:

• Maintains healthy teeth and healthy mouths

• Promotes shinier, healthier skin and coat

• Maintains a healthy digestive tract

• Aids in weight control

• Provides proper hydration (especially important for cats)

• Easier to digest

• Increased mobility in older animals

• Provides Live enzymes

• Firmer stools

• Reduced allergy symptoms

While processed foods offer great convenience, our pets’ digestive tracts are actually designed for fresh Raw food. Again, Raw means Not Cooked - none of the important natural nutrients have been cooked out of the meal.   Heat processing destroys most anti-oxidants, healthy oils, phytonutrients, enzymes and living beneficial micro-organisms.  This can result in your pet not getting enough digestive enzymes in their diet which makes their pancreas work harder at producing them.

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allium vineale:  hair allium.  growing around the HousePet yard for over 10 years.

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the ponytail palm is really not a palm at all.   it’s a member of the Lilaceae (lily family,) and known by several names.  i believe we bought our ponytail palm back in 2007 and planted it out by the pool.  we brought it indoors where it has lived a nice life.  the bottom photo of our living room was taken in February 2012 and you can see our ponytail looks pretty big.  well it's twice that size now in 2018!  Minnow chewed off about a quarter of this plant back in November 2012 but it was hardy enough to keep on growing.

because this ponytail palm is in fabulous light, I often use the dirt around the palm to start my plant cuttings.  I've got four cerveza & lime plants sprouting in there right now.

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burro’s tail, sedum morganianum

The genus Sedum is a large group with numerous species in the stonecrop family (Crassulaceae). Sedum morganianum is a tropical species that has long been grown as an ornamental for its distinctive, evergreen foliage. It has several common names including burro’s tail.

my burro's tail started in a hanging basket that I made back in 2015 and has been propagated several times since.  I currently have got a good size clump hanging out in my living room.

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kniphofia uvaria, commonly known as red-hot poker or torch lily.
genus name honors Johann Hieronymus Kniphof (1704-1763) German physician and botanist.
these flowering plants are in the family Asphodelaceae, first described as a genus in 1794.
love. 

put a scarf on it

bought an infinity scarf a few years ago that never fit me quite right and I could never find the right top to wear it with.  I found it deep in my closet a couple of weeks ago just in time to find the perfect use for this cute scarf... to keep Lottie warm in this below zero weather we've been having.  of course it fits her perfectly!

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the christmas cactus (schlumbergera bridgesii) 

2017 was the first holiday season that I have ever had one of these.  after doing a little research, I learned that this cactus was going to need humidity, moist soil, and many more hours of darkness than my other cacti and succulents living indoors.  a trouble maker, indeed. I can't say that I was ever excited by these plants UNTIL I realized that the foliage looks like a bunch of devil heads. and now I love this cactus and thoroughly enjoyed photographing it.

mwahahaha...

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pencil cactus (euphorbia tirucalli)

The pencil cactus is actually a Euphorbia tirucalli, thus making it a succulent as opposed to a true cactus. In nature, it grows as a 30-foot tall, leafless tree with pencil-size green branches that function in photosynthesis. Tiny leaves appear at the ends of new branches when new growth occurs, but they quickly fall.

One of the common names for this Euphorbia is Milkbush.  Like all members of the Euphorbia family, milkbush produces the familiar white latex when the stem is cut.  Yep, this milky sap is poisonous so do not lick it or get any of it in your eyes.  And obviously do not let your dogs and cats eat this plant either.   I have made several cuttings and done plenty of pruning without any trouble getting poisoned.  It must be that thing called common sense working for me.

I have more pencil cacti than any other plant.  Some are so big that they almost touch the ceiling.  I'm addicted.  These 2 pictured here are cuttings I made recently from one of my jumbo plants so I can grow even more stick-like little beauties!   The center plant is a different species... more on that guy later.