If you are passing through San Angelo, Texas, be sure and fit in a visit to the International Waterlily Collection. You will get a chance to view the premiere collection of waterlilies found anywhere in existence. Water lily, from the family Nymphaeaceae, comprise 58 species of freshwater flowering plants, native to the temperate and tropical …

Caring for echeveria is a task made for those gardeners with brown thumbs – they are that easy to grow! These rosette forming succulents have spectacular flowers that would make you think they need a lot of special care, but these plants actually thrive on a bit of neglect. If you love succulents as much …

Vertical gardens make more use of available space by growing vegetables, flowers, and herbs up a wall instead of taking up lots of growing space on the ground. I speak to people all the time who admire my large yard and gardens, but say, “I don’t have the room to do this.” While a large …

Looking for things to do in Albuquerque, New Mexico?  A day out at the Albuquerque Aquarium is sure to delight. It is part of the ABQ BioPark system. The Albuquerque Aquarium  exhibits saltwater species from a variety of habitats in the Gulf of Mexico and South Pacific.  One of the nice aspects of the entry …

This colorful Healthy Antipasto Salad Recipe is super easy to make and sure to keep you full for hours. It’s made with Italian meats, Provolone cheese, and veggies tossed in a vinaigrette dressing – it’s truly amazing. And best of all – this is my healthy version. You can serve this Italian antipasto salad recipe …

Nature and history buffs have a chance to merge by visiting the Oklahoma City Riverwalk area.  This long, leisurely walk combines nature and water views with sculptures of the Centennial Land Run Monument. Seeing statues which depict real people is something that I enjoy visiting when we travel.  (See the Elizabethan Statues of Roanoke for …

The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, Maine. have a children’s garden that is one of the best I have seen. Botanical Gardens vary greatly from one place to another, but each seems to have its own special theme. My husband and I tour the country, in the summer months, visiting garden centers around the …

These Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies have a crunchy outer layer of dark chocolate (cocoa) with a filling of smooth peanut butter. It’s Meatless Monday, and we are having Thai peanut stir fry with brown rice tonight. My husband is always in the mood for something sweet after dinner. These vegan cookies are the perfect …

If you like the idea of a plant that flowers in winter while there is still snow on the ground, try Growing Hellebores. Lenten Rose is another name for helleborus. The blooms come in lots of different shades and shapes. I first heard of Hellebores perennial several years ago when I spent a season trying …

This Vegan lasagne is full of flavor and heart-healthy vegetables without all of the fat and cholesterol that a normal lasagna contains. At only 300 calories per serving, it is also easy on the waistline. Deciding to adopt a vegan style of eating comes with its challenges. Many of the traditional “comfort food” dishes contain …

When the new year comes to an end, I like to focus on my goals for the year.   I find that I have the most success when I keep health and wellness goals at the forefront of my mind all year round. If you have been reading my blog lately, you will know that …

My all-time favorite Christmas treat is a chocolate-covered cherry cordial. Each year, this is something that my husband buys me for my stocking, and he knows that I’ll be thanking “Santa” for these bonbons. January 3 is celebrated each year as National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day. Let’s find out how to make them at home! …

It’s that time of the year.  Pumpkins, Indian Corn and autumn plants all help to make this front porch decor for fall a hit with visitors! Each year, I use supplies from the previous porch but mix them up a bit to make my fall front porch decor a little extra special. This year, I …

With a name like Venice Beach Canals, one could be forgiven for thinking that they are visiting Italy. However, the Venice Canal Historic district landmark tourist attraction is located in Los Angeles, California! This series of man made canals with adjacent walkways give visitors to the area a chance to peek “up close and personal” …

This Venice Canals Photo Gallery page gives many photos of the historic canal district of Venice Beach in California. We spent a day there, exploring the Venice Beach Canals and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I took so many photos and not all of them made it to the main post on the attraction. These photos will …

Brimming with the flavors of sherry, fresh leeks and sweet fresh butternut squash, this crockpot butternut squash soup has an elevated taste that is worthy of any special occasion. Fall and winter are the times of the year when I normally make soups, so I am always on the lookout for new crock pot recipes …

One of my favorite vegetables is fresh corn on the cob.  And one of my least favorite vegetables is corn on the cob with a lot of silk remnants sticking to it. Cooking corn in the microwave is the easy way to get silk-free corn every time! These easy tips show how easy it is …

Most ziti pasta recipes are baked and require a long preparation time. This skillet ziti noodles recipe is ready in less that 30 minutes and is super easy to prepare. Until this year, I had never tasted Swiss Chard. But I planted some on a whim in my vegetable garden this past summer and have …

This recipe for Southern cornbread is one that I have made many times and it never fails to please my guests.  It is moist and just delicious with a slight tang from the buttermilk that makes it a great accompaniment to any meal. Before we get started on this cornbread recipe, I have to tell you that my …

Food art is the act of preparing, cooking and presenting food in creative ways. It incorporates everything from elaborate plating that we see in fine dining establishments to both simple and intricate fruit and vegetable carvings that are meant to be decorative in nature. It is hard to say exactly when food art, vegetable carving, …

Are you aware that this summer treat is not really a fruit? Get a few growing tips and find out the answers to other questions with this list of fun watermelon facts. Watermelons are a popular summer fruit. They have a high water content and are hydrating.  I like to use them in drinks – …

Sicklepod (Cassia Senna obtusifolia) is an annual legume that appears in the spring with yellow flowers and long pods.  It is invasive and can cause havoc in cotton, corn and soybean fields. Read on to get some tips for controlling sicklepod. Sometimes plants appear in your garden by way of seeds in new mulch for …

This slug resistant hosta is called hosta wheee! As the name suggests, the look of this fun plant is whimsical with an extremely ruffled foliage habit. A recent trip around the JR Raulston Arboretum provided me with a magnificent look at their collection of hostas. I have a large varieties of hostas in my shade …

Dracaena surculosa is a gorgeous plant. It has glossy green leaves and white and yellow splotches over the leaf surface.  One can easily see from this photo why it has the common name Dracaena Gold Dust. Botanical facts about Dracaena Surculosa Dracaena surculosa is native to the western tropical Africa rain forest region. Family: Asparagaceae …

This One Pot Roasted Chicken and Vegetables recipe comes together easily in a glass baking dish in my oven. This type of meal is even easier than a 30 minute one pot meal, since everything goes into the baking dish and the oven just does its thing. I love one pot easy recipes.  Normally, I …

A single coconut will give you 3 or 4 cups cups of fresh, flaked coconut.  But now you have the problem of storing fresh coconut. How do you keep that delightful, flaky bit of goodness in a state that will stay edible for as long as possible? This tutorial shows tips for storing fresh coconut …