When it's Cold in Paradise

I know it's June, and we've been in the 90's....but,

Donna was asking about where I live that we see frost. I hate to even think of winter, ever! I don't like it at all! But, on occasion, we have it, here in north central Florida.

This was November 20, 2014 at around 6am.
I get shivers just looking at this!

Fortunately, it doesn't stay bitter cold for very long. We have little cold snaps, and then we have 80-90 degree days in the middle of winter. It's really a wonderful place to live!

I could do without the cold snaps.

I live for the warm sunny days!

My screen room plants made it quite well this past cold season. Hubby put them in the center of the room, under and around the table, with sheets and blankets surrounding them, hung from the ceiling fan...with the lights on to provide a little warmth.

I have had this plant for years. It froze really bad in 2009. I thought I was going to lose it. I'm so glad it recovered! It's a Money Tree (photo above), and started as just baby, under a foot tall. It has to be cut back every year, to keep it short enough to stay in this room.

This is one of my favorite rooms. I love the greenery!

I wouldn't say that I have a green thumb. I recently lost killed a beautiful topiary Gardenia. I may have over fertilized it? I will get another one, and I hope to keep the next one. I love the scent of them!

I'm also terrible with orchids :(  I'm going to give it another shot! I've been watching YouTube videos on orchid care. There is hope ;)

Do you have any Gardenia or Orchid care tips  for me?

A Little Somethin' Somethin'

Remember on Tuesday when I mentioned my badge reels needed a little somethin' somethin'?

Welllllllll I worked on them, and although they are far from perfect, and need some touch ups, I did give them a little somethin'.

Some seashells and alligator gar scales made some cute flowers. The red ones resemble poinsettias :)

I do have a miss spot....okay, 2 miss spots where I need to go over and apply a touch more triple thick. And my gar scales flecked a couple of specks onto the shell. They really are much cuter in person. I'll be much more careful the next time I work with dyed gar scales!

I have some larger gar scales, and some smaller one's too. They certainly do have a Christmasy look to them. I bought them back in June or July at the shell shop in Treasure Island not having a clue what I would do with them. Maybe a clue, but not much of one :P I also wanted the green, but they were out. I really need the green!

My poinsettia is starting to turn!

I took these pics of it last week, and was looking at it yesterday between my comings and goings, and the bracts are getting larger, and darker! I'll have to get some new pics this weekend.

The bracts of my bougainvillea are amazing this year, as is the entire plant!

This is the biggest and prettiest it's ever been. I have a hard time believing that this was once in a hanging pot in my screenroom.....but I assure you, it was!

I am always amazed with nature, and the beauty that surrounds me :D

This weekend I am taking some time to relax and play!

Have a great weekend!

Living in a Green World

I love living in a green world, Oh yes I do! I also love living as eco friendly as possible, but that isn't what this post is about.

I was telling a blogging friend about a wicker chair I bought at the Salvation Army Thrift Store...
for $10! It was about 6 years ago, maybe even 7.

This is the chair

 I had this gorgeous Pothos in it for several years, until we went to Vegas in 2009 and there was a freeze while we were gone (and no one thought to bring in my plants!)

This is the chair as it has sat for weeks on end because it was taking up space in the screen room just sitting there empty...I brought it in thinking I would do something "else" with it.

I have repainted it, and still haven't found a round cushion large enough for it....
soooooo

It is back out in the screen room, and I have another Pothos ready to vine all over it!

I love the Eastern exposure this room gets. By next summer I bet the pot doesn't even show! This pothos was started as a small piece of another plant...

After snapping this pic, I took a little tour around my yard.

I have volunteer ferns popping up between the rocks around the pond!

on both sides!!!

The Jasmine is also looking and smelling wonderful!

This is one of 5 of my Jasmine

I just love those little white flowers. This is one of my favorite outdoor plants.

Next month the Poinsettia will be getting its red brachts, and has almost grown up to the rain gutter on the house. Maybe this year I will get my family Christmas photo in front of my blooming Poinsettia!

We shall see!

I love this time of the year!