By Carol Cichorski, on February 9th, 2012  Photo by Kristen Taylor Just in time for Valentines Day, Mike found something sweet on the Chicago Botanic Gardens website. It’s a seasonal photo contest . Wow – they’ve been running this for a year and we just saw it now. Well, not exactly ‘now’. Let’s say a few hours ago. Since then I’ve been oohing and ahing and downloading. Sweets for the sweet – and these pictures are sweet.
If you would like to enter the winter contest, there is still time to get to Chicago Botanic Gardens to take some pictures. Entries need to be submitted by March 23rd. This part is sweet too — You can win a Chicago Botanic Garden Membership. What is even sweeter is that you become famous. Well, not exactly ‘famous’. But your entry does go on their website; its complete with your name attached, and may even be downloadable.
If you saw my recent pictures from Morton Arboretum, snowy vistas can be beautiful. I’m probably the only person in Chicagoland hoping for another snow – I want to go to Chicago Botanic Gardens and take a picture to enter.
 Photo by Colin Michaelis They even make it easy for us by providing a staff photographer for a free monthly photo walk on the first Saturday of each month. Photo walk participants meet at the Alsdorf Auditorium at 9 a.m. for a brief talk, and then tour the Garden to take pictures of what’s in bloom. Pictures taken by photo walk participants are posted on SmugMug and most of those were suitable for downloading as a desktop wallpaper.
 Photo by Fernand Baros For now, I am happily viewing entries from each of the 4 contests – spring, summer, and fall of 2011, plus the current entries for winter 2012. Some, like this hawk by Fernand Baros, are sharp enough for a desktop wallpaper. I don’t know that I can use it as as a wallpaper though. Its so realistic, I’m afraid he might eat my sweet new wireless mouse.
By Carol Cichorski, on February 4th, 2012 I’ve heard that the longer a couple is married, the more alike they become. I’ve heard that they can practically read each others thoughts. I can understand Mike knowing what I’m thinking when we are in the same room. Even without a word being said, Mike can read my body language, and he knows me well enough to know what I’m thinking. But that doesn’t explain this. ‘This’ is my desk, and as you might guess from the setting, I often work from home.
The part that is hard to explain is the orange flowers in the orange vase. It is unusual that I have flowers on my desk this time of year, as it is winter (more of a pseudo winter) in Chicago. It is also unusual that I bought a new vase in winter, as I don’t do that very often. So what were the odds of me buying an orange vase on the same February day that Mike buys me orange roses? The odds must have been pretty good, because the vase and flowers appeared in my kitchen within minutes of each other.
Putting flowers on your desk this time of year is a real cheerer-upper. Lindy used to do this for her desk every week. Seem extravagant? Putting it in perspective, it’s cheaper than a garden. So even if it’s up to you to treat yourself, enjoy!
Odds are good that you can pick up a vase at Hobby Lobby like I did for $5.00. Odds are good that you can get flowers at the grocery store for under $10.00. Odds are good that flowers feed the soul.
By Carol Cichorski, on February 1st, 2012 As I complete this monthly series paying homage to Edith Holden, I thank her for writing her diary and sharing it with us so many years ago.
February, per Edith Holden’s “Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady”…
This month derives its name from the word februare, to purify or from Februa, the Roman festival of expianon, which was celebrated through the latter part of this month.
And from the collection of poetry Ms. Holden has been kind enough to share with us …
One month is past, another is begun,
Since merry bells rang out the dying year,
And buds of rarest green began to peer,
As if impatient for a warmer sun;
And though the distant hills are bleak and dun,
The virgin snowdrop, like a lambent fire,
Pierces the cold earth with its green-streaked spire
And in dark woods, the wandering little one
May find a primrose.
What is it about poets that they MUST put in at least one word we just plain ole’ never heard of? For example, how often have you used ‘lambent’? Perhaps the word was popular when Hartley Coleridge wrote the poem in 1842. I can just picture a modern day Coleridge hovering over his keyboard perusing his Word a Day on-line calendar with delight, exclaiming to himself ‘Gotcha’!
Still, the poem speaks to me. Especially since it was written in 1842. How little the human spirit changes over the years. We await spring as did Coleridge, as do snowdrops, as will our children and their children.
As for ‘lambent’, it is a lovely word!
1. Gleaming.
2. Playing over surface, flickering or playing as a flame over a surface without burning it
3. Brilliantly light, having a light but brilliant touch.
Even the definitions are lambent.
Whereforth cometh the inspiration to wax poetic? Garden Bloggers’ Muse Day, where Carolyn Choi of Sweet Home and Garden Chicago has invited bloggers to share our favorite poems, songs, verses and quotes about gardening on the first of the month. Carolyn has left Chicagoland and her blog to follow her heart to North Carolina. Thanks to Carolyn for her inspiration.
By Carol Cichorski, on January 29th, 2012  I love to ski, or should I say ‘I loved to ski’. It has probably been 10 years since I’ve been on the slopes, so I’ll go with ‘I loved to ski’. I never seemed to mind the cold – being properly dressed does make a huge difference. As you can see by the picture, Mike feels the same way about cold weather.
Most of the time when I leave the house now in winter, I’m not really dressed for cold. No snow pants. No mittens. No hat. My coat is probably not buttoned or zipped. Skin is exposed to the elements. Accordingly, cold and snow are not as much fun as they used to be. Unless…unless…unless…I’m on the inside looking out.
Inside looking out is a wonderful place to be after a fresh fallen snow. That’s where Morton Arboretum (Lisle, IL) comes in. Morton serves breakfast with a view, perfect for a winter morning. Give me a made to order omelet or chocolate chip pancakes and I’m a happy camper. Well, ok, I’m not camping at that point, but I am enjoying nature’s beauty.
Mike and I were at Morton recently for breakfast, knowing that we would likely be lured outside for a winter walk. As we watched the walkers, joggers, cross country skiers and snowshoers, we soon knew an outside trek in the snow was irresistible. Gorgeous!
I love the photo shoot opportunities in the snow. Check out the picture of the DuPage River below. Contrast like this makes for a great screensaver or wallpaper. Beautiful to look at, and it allows for a solid area for easy ICON viewing.
This one has even more room for Icons, as there are those among us who have more Icons that Midas had gold.
We surprised ourselves by walking for an hour and a half. It was just so pretty! I eventually choose the shot below for my wallpaper. I lined my Icons up along the fence, with a few along the trees at the top left.
If you decide to go to Morton Arboretum for breakfast, be careful to arrive while breakfast was still being served, before 11:00. The consolation prize for arriving after 11:00 is a nice lunch. It’s also helpful to have a membership, as the $12.00 a piece entry fee is a steep price if you are only staying for breakfast. The $80.00 membership fee for two is a veritable bargain though. You can even use the pass at over 250 other public gardens, allowing for breakfast at say, Chicago Botanic Gardens next time.
By Carol Cichorski, on January 20th, 2012 My hibiscus waited for a snowy day to warm us up with this lovely bloom!
We were anxiously expecting this bloom on the 14th. And the 15th. By the 18th, I resigned myself to waiting. The wait is over. Hy, my hibiscus is no longer in the world of ‘I Think I Can’. Hy’s new motto is ‘I Knew I Could’.
 So what was the delay?
I think Hy wanted to be appreciated for all that he does in the bloom category. He is certainly climate challenged here in Chicago, yet he comes through.
The eight hibiscus species that are considered to be the ancestors of the modern exotic hibiscus were originally native to Mauritius, Madagascar, Fiji, Hawaii, and either China or India.
Note the absence of Chicago in that list. Hy is not used to the snowy scene he sees out my window. I know Hy was not outside today when this snow fell, but I think he made us wait because he was feeling that we take him for granted.
It’s kind of like bananas. Yes, bananas. Bananas are also taken for granted. According to A Brief History of Fruit,
Bananas are native to Southeast Asia. However by 500 BC they were being grown in India. Alexander the Great ate them and his men took them back to the Western World. By 200 AD bananas were grown in China. Bananas were probably taken to Madagascar by the Arabs and spread from there to mainland Africa. In the 16th century the Portuguese took bananas to the New World. The first recorded sale of bananas in England was in 1633 however they were expensive until the end of the 19th century.
We’ve got it good these days, even on a cold snowy day. I had to walk no further than my kitchen to find a blowl of fresh fruit, as well as my blooming hibiscus. Thanks Hy, for reminding me to be thankful.
By Carol Cichorski, on January 18th, 2012 I’ve decided to give Hy as much time as he needs to create a hibiscabloom. Hy is my hibiscus, and I tried to talk him into blooming for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom day on the 15th. You may have read about it. Hy tried, and tried, and tried, but Garden Bloggers’ Bloom day came and went. Hy is still trying. He firmly believes that he can. History is a pretty good predictor of the future. Hy has been successful in the past, so my bet is that he will bloom soon.
 Hy can have as long as he needs. After all, no matter how much time you gave me, I couldn’t do it. What Hy is doing is miraculous. Give me all the biological and botanical explanation you want, its still miraculous.
Man thinks he has this whole create thing down. After all, if God told man to create a new flower, man could. But as soon as He tells us to make our own raw materials, the party is over.
Accordingly, I will continue in my anticipation phase while Hy is doing his magic. And I’ll be thankful to God that Hy can do his thing, and I can do mine. My two miracles took a little longer, 9 months each to be exact. And one of them is now a professional photographer who took this lovely picture for me.
Come back in a few days. I’ll let you know how Hy is doing.
By Carol Cichorski, on January 15th, 2012 Anticipation is what I like best about vacations. I’m not a ‘Wow that’s a great surprise – I’ll pack a bag now’ kinda gal. You’ve taken away half of the fun if I can’t think about a vacation before we go. Nonetheless, if any of you are thinking of sending me a surprise all expense paid vacation, I will gladly accept it. I’m perfectly willing to try again and report the results back to you.
This week, I had another opportunity for anticipation. You may have read yesterday’s In The Category Of I Think I Can. If not, I’ll wait while you go check it out. You’ll see that anticipation in regards to my hibiscus blooming has been going on for several days. I’m getting everything I can out of the anticipation phase on this one.
With that said, I am happy to report… Continue reading Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – ‘Hy’ and ‘Dry’
By Carol Cichorski, on January 14th, 2012 I had a nice talk with one of my hibiscus plants today. Accordingly, Hy is determined to be the star of tomorrow’s Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day. I’m not a stage Mom, so there is no pressure. Ok, well maybe a little pressure.
I can just see Hy chugging along the last few days, inherently aware of the impending deadline. After all, once the 15th is here and Carol from May Dreams Gardens posts her Bloom Day blog, it is Showtime.
I will already give Hy credit for trying. Here is where we were Thursday, with my dear little hibiscus taking inspiration from The Little Engine That Could.
 Hibiscus - Bloom day minus 3 - I hope Chicagoland is just a wee bit short on blooms this time of year, so it would be the perfect time for this plant to step to the plate and show us what he’s got. We both know there are bigger more appropriate gardens out there for looking best this time of year. There could be stiff competition from Billy Goodnick’s Santa Barbara area. Like the larger engines in The Little Engine That Could, those gardens may refuse to perform. I cited the value of optimism and hard work, and making the most of what you’ve got.
My hibiscus is cheerfully huffing and puffing along. Today, Hy is working diligently on delivering a Hibiscabloom.
 Hibiscus - Bloom day minus 1 - I hope I can hear him saying “I–think–I–can, I–think–I–can.” Momma’s pulling for you baby!
By Carol Cichorski, on January 9th, 2012 Mike and I are both speaking at the Chicago Flower & Garden Show. I don’t know how exciting that is for you, but it is certainly exciting for us. The show is at Navy Pier, running from March 10th through 18th.
My dear hubby is vice president of the Central States Dahlia Society. He grows 400 plants in our basement each spring, and keeps 100 for our garden. So, of course, he’ll be talking about dahlias.
I’ll be talking about low-maintenance gardening. I wasn’t willing to give up my huge garden just because I have a full-time job. Mission accomplished.
This is going to be so much fun!!!
 Saturday, March 17, 12:15
“Dahlias – Living Fireworks”
Come see how brilliantly colored dinner-plate sized dahlias can extend the growing season in a sensational way. If you can grow tomatoes, you can grow dahlias.
 Saturday, March 17, 2:45
“Low Maintenance Gardening”
See how our half-acre garden is moving from summer WOW to four-season WOW WITH LESS WORK. I’ll share my tips, and the tips of others who’ve been kind enough to collaborate with me.
By Carol Cichorski, on January 5th, 2012 You may have noticed that I don’t publish many recipes. This should be no surprise for a gardening blog. Yet Kraft has done it again – created a Santa Fe Cooking Creme recipe so good I just have to share. I did add one ingredient to their recipe for Creamy Shrimp Tacos – Spring Greens. DELICIOUS!!
2 t oil
1 c thinly sliced onion
1 lb uncooked deveined peeled small shrimp
1 tub (10 oz.) Philadelphia Santa Fe Style Blend Cooking Crème
8 corn tortillas
1 c Kraft Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese
½ c shredded purple cabbage
½ c shredded radishes
2 T chopped fresh cilantro (I used more)
1 lime, quartered
Spring greens
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions; cook and stir 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp; cook ONLY 3-4 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink, stirring frequently.
Add cooking creme; cook and stir 2 minutes
Spoon onto tortillas; top with shredded cheese, cabbage, spring greens, radishes and cilantro. Squeeze lime wedges over tacos.
Looking for another great Santa Fe Cooking Recipe that caught my attention? That would be Southwest Pasta Skillet.
Looking for lots more Kraft recipes? Check out the Kraft recipe page.
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