SkyWatch Friday

SkyWatch Friday

Sky, Sea and Sand; a determined, tiny girl looking for a treasure! Which on shall I take ?

Found one!

The beautiful beach at Wooli in Northern New South Wales.

Enjoy SkyWatch Friday. http://skyley.blogspot.com/

Photo T.S.

Exciting plants...NEW and OLD

A newly bought Aloe;

Graptosedum

Does anyone know the name of this plant? The flowers are wax like and the hanging stems grow in segments. I knew its name but it got lost a long time ago.

The "Flaps" are growing; Kalanchoe thyrsiflora; over winter they have acquired a deep red on top of their flaps.

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora (also known as Paddle Plant, Flapjacks, Desert Cabbage, White Lady, is a species of Kalanchoe, native to South Africa. A succulent plant producing a stalk about 1m tall, dying back after flowering. It forms a basal rosette of large, rounded, fleshy stalkless leaves, which are grayish-green with red margins, covered with a white powdery bloom. The inflorescence is terminal and erect with densely clustered thyrse-like panicles of greenish waxy flowers with yellow recurved lobes, narrowly urn-shaped. Flowering from autumn to spring.

Crassula , I do love their dainty flowers. This one I have trained like a sturdy little tree.
A new acquisition; it looks like a Echeveria!

This "hairy" little thing, I think goes under the name of Cyanotis. I is new in my collection. I have received it from my neighbour V. a few days ago as a cutting. She didn't know its name. Most of my succulents are growing under the broad overhanging roof.

Golden barrel is over 30 years old it was grown from a seed.

A newly bought Aloe came without a name!

Echeveria shaviana, pretty in a grayish pink is also a new acquisition.

New Echeveria nodulosa looks very attractive with turkish hued leaves with burgundy markings.

Echeveria, over winter the leaves have turned a dark pink with a bluish sheen. In the middle the new "arrivals" are still a soft green with a little pink trim, very pretty.

Echeveria is a large genus of succulents in the Crassulaceae family. The genus is named after the 18th century Mexican botanical artist, Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy. They are drought resistant, although they do better with regular deep watering and fertilizing. Most will tolerate shade and some frost, although hybrid species tend to be less tolerant. They can be propagated easily by separating offsets, but may also be propagated by leaf cuttings, and by seed if they are not hybrids. Echeverias are polycarpic, meaning that they may flower and set seed many times over the course of their lifetimes.

This Gasteria grows since many years in this trough; it is very prolific with its flowers.

My new Aeoniums

Aeonium arboreum var.atropurpureum "Schwarzkopf"

Aeonium Cyclops
Aeonium arboreum atropurpureum

Aeonium tabuliforme

Aeonium is a

genus of about 35 species of succulent. They are subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Most are native to the Canary Islands.
The rosette leaves are on a basal stem. Low-growing Aeonium species are A. tabuliforme and A. smithii; large species include A. arboreum, A. valverdense and A. holochrysum.
Aeonium are not frost-resistant. They are related to the genera Sempervivum, Aichryson and Monanthes, which is easy to see from their similar flower and inflorences.

Believe it or not: Audaces fortuna adiuvat! (Fortune does favor the bold!)


Organic tip of the week:

Grow your own sweet potatoes if your climate allows it. Otherwise buy them on the market. They are delicious; many great recipes are available. I grow the white and the orange sweet potato; both are delicious.

The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a dicotyledonous plant which belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Amongst the approximately 50 genera and more than 1000 species of this family, only I. batatas is a crop plant whose large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous roots are an important root vegetable (Purseglove, 1991; Woolfe, 1992). The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. The sweet potato is only distantly related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum). It is commonly called a yam in parts of North America, although they are only very distantly related to the other plant widely known as yams) (in the Dioscoreaceae family), which is native to Africa and Asia.

The edible tuberous root is long and tapered, with a smooth skin whose color ranges between red, purple, brown and white. Its flesh ranges from white through yellow, orange, and purple.

Sweet potatoes are cultivated throughout tropical and warm temperate regions wherever there is sufficient water to support their growth.
The plant does not enjoy frost. It grows best at an average temperature of 24 °C (75 °F), abundant sunshine and warm nights. Annual rainfalls of 750-1000 mm are considered most suitable, with a minimum of 500 mm in the growing season. The crop is sensitive to drought at the tuber initiation stage 50-60 days after planting and is not tolerant to water-logging, as it may cause tuber rots and reduce growth of storage roots if aeration is poor
Depending on the cultivar and conditions, tuberous roots mature in two to nine months. . Sweet potatoes rarely flower when the daylight is longer than 11 hours, as is normal outside of the tropics. They are mostly propagated by stem or root cuttings or by adventitious roots called "slips" that grow out from the tuberous roots during storage. True seeds are used for breeding only.
Under optimal conditions of 85 to 90 % relative humidity at 13 to 16 °C (55 to 61 °F), sweet potatoes can keep for six months. Colder temperatures injure the roots.
They grow well in many farming conditions and have few natural enemies; pesticides are rarely needed. Sweet potatoes are grown on a variety of soils, but well-drained light and medium textured soils with a pH range of 4.5-7.0 are more favourable for the plant (They can be grown in poor soils with little fertilizer. However, sweet potatoes are very sensitive to aluminium toxicity and will die about 6 weeks after planting if lime is not applied at planting in this type of soil Because they are sown by vine cuttings rather than seeds, sweet potatoes are relatively easy to plant. Because the rapidly growing vines shade out weeds, little weeding is needed. In the tropics the crop can be maintained in the ground and harvested as needed for home consumption. .

Besides simple starches, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene (a vitamin A equivalent nutrient), vitamin C, and vitamin B6.
the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato.

Sweet potato varieties with dark orange flesh have more beta carotene than those with light colored flesh. Despite the name "sweet", it may be a beneficial food for diabetics, as preliminary have revealed that it helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and to lower insulin resistance.

Ethnomedical Uses;
The aerial parts are used as a galactogogue.
The leaves are used to treat diabetes, hookworm, hemorrhage, and abscesses.

The tuber is used to treat asthma

Thank you for your visit


Copyright: T.S. Yesterdaytodayandtomorrow in my garden.

Photos: T.S.

SkyWatch Friday

SkyWatch Friday

I know....this is a much photographed subject; but....sitting in the cafe on top of "Galleries Lafayette" sipping espresso; looking over the roofs of Paris; the Eiffel tower in front of your nose....so many memories....songs, movies...lovestories....could you resist? Please click picture for a better view.

Enjoy SkyWatch Friday http://www.skyley.blogspot.com/

Flowers in the House...

Nasturtiums growing on my neighbours side are tumbling over the fence, They are very welcome.

Nasturtium (literally "nose-twister" or "nose-tweaker"), as a common name, refers to a genus of roughly 80 species of annual and perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Tropaeolum ("Trophy"), one of three genera in the family Tropaeolaceae. It should not be confused with the Watercresses of the genus Nasturtium, of the Mustard family. This genus, native to South and Central America, includes several very popular garden plants, the most commonly grown being T. majus, T. peregrinum and T. speciosum. The hardiest species is T. polyphyllum from Chile, the perennial roots of which can survive underground when air temperatures drop as low as -15°C (5°F).

Tropaeolum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Dot Moth and Garden Carpet. A very common "pest" found on Nasturtium in particular is the caterpillar of the Large White (Cabbage White) Butterfly.
The Nasturtiums receive their name from the fact that they produce an oil that is similar to that produced by Watercress (Nasturtium officinale), from the family Brassicaceae.

Cultivation and uses
In cultivation, most varieties of nasturtiums prefer to be grown in direct or indirect sunlight, with a few preferring partial shade.
The most common use of the nasturtium plant in cultivation is as an ornamental flower. It grows easily and prolifically, and is a self-seeding annual.
All parts of the plant are edible. The flower has most often been consumed, making for an especially ornamental salad ingredient; it has a slightly peppery taste reminiscent of watercress, and is also used in stir fry. The unripe seed pods can be harvested and pickled with hot vinegar, to produce a condiment and garnish, sometimes used in place of capers, although the taste is strongly peppery. The mashua (T. tuberosum) produces an edible underground tuber that is a major food source in parts of the Andes.
Nasturtiums are also considered widely useful companion at many cucurbit pests, like squash bugs, cucumber beetles, and several caterpillars. They had a similar range of benefits for brassica plants, especially broccoli and cauliflower. They also attract black fly aphids, and are sometimes planted in the hope of saving crops susceptible to them (as a trap crop). They may also attract beneficial, predatory insects.

Folk art cushion with stylised flowers, wool cross stitch on canvas.

Sumptuous cross stitch on tablecloth.

Edelweiss and...

Tulips...

One of Empress Josephine's Roses, Rosa Damascena Coccinea.

Antique P.J. Redoute Print.

Pot plants on tablecloth, cross-stitch.

Majolica bowl made by L.

Antique English linen on chair.

Believe it or not:

Socrates 469/470-399 BC surveying the goods on a market stall remarked:" What a lot of things a man doesn't need."

Organic tip of the week.

Lavender oil is an essential oil obtained by distillation from the flower spikes of certain species of lavender. Two forms are distinguished, lavender flower oil, a colorless oil, insoluble in water, having a density of 0.885 g/ml; and lavender spike oil, a distillate from the herb Lavandula latifolia, having density 0.905 g/ml. Lavender flower oil is a designation of the National Formulary and the British Pharmacopoeia. Like all essential oils, it is not a pure compound; it is a complex mixture of naturally occurring phytochemicals, including linalool and linalyl acetate.

Therapeutic uses
Lavender oil, which has long been used in the production of perfume, can also be used in aromatherapy. The scent has a calming effect which may aid in relaxation and the reduction of anxiety. Also, lavender can be used to prepare for meditation because it balances mind and body, promoting a sense of stillness.
It may also help to relieve pain from tension headache when breathed in as vapor or diluted and rubbed on the skin. When added to a vaporizer, lavender oil may aid in the treatment of cough and respiratory infection.
Lavender oil may also be used as a mosquito repellent when worn as perfume or when added to lotions or hair products.

Medicinal uses
According to advocates of alternative medicine, lavender oil can be used as first aid and to treat a variety of common ailments.
The diluted or undiluted oil may be used as an antiseptic and pain reliever to be applied to minor burns and insect bites and stings. Use only small quantities when it's directly apply to your skin. It is best applied on a wet cotton wool pad to the infected area.
For the treatment of sunburn and sunstroke, 10 drops of oil can be diluted in 25 ml of carrier oil. (Note: This is not an effective sunblock.) When added to chamomile, lavender oil may be effective on eczema.
To create a massage oil which may be effective in the relief of joint and muscle pain, 1 ml of oil can be added to 1 oz. of carrier oil and rubbed liberally on the affected area. To create a chest rub for relief of asthmatic and bronchitic spasm, 1 ml of lavender oil and 5 drops of chamomile oil can be added to 10 ml of carrier oil.
As a treatment for head lice, 5-10 drops of oil can be diluted in water to produce a hair rinse, while a few drops of undiluted oil can be added to a fine comb to eliminate nits.
As far as serious ailments, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that lavender oil may have played a role in the reduction of advanced mammary tumors in lab rats. Research is on-going for potential breast, ovarian, pancreatic, liver, and prostate cancer treatments.[However lavender should not be used within the first three months of pregnancy.

Wikipedia

Thank you for your visit; happy days.

Copyright T.S. Yesterdaytodayandtomorrow in my Garden.

Photos T.S.

Blogger Friends Forever

I have received from Maria in Vienna; http://mknoche.blogspot.com/

The Blogging Friends Forever Award

Thank you Maria for thinking of me as your Blogging friend. I am honoured. It is a pleasure to come and visit you. You show off so well the beautiful sights of your city.

Here are the rules of this award.

1. Only 5 people allowed.

2. 4 have to be dedicated followers of your blog.

3. One has to be someone new and live in another part of the world.

4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award. It is really a way of saying Thank you to those who take the time to leave you wonderful comments to make your day!

I like to pass on this award to:

Heidi from Germany, http://heidishabseligkeiten.blogspot.com/
Heidi has a delightful blog. She has blessed hands for all the beautiful craft work she creates and her garden is an enchanting place to visit and linger. Thank you Heidi.

Barbara from Switzerland: www.baroga.ch/, Barbara has a fantastic garden. She has a great way with words in German and in English. She faithfully writes wonderful comments and has spoilt me thoroughly! Thank you Barbara.

Kanak from India, http://terrafarmer.blogspot.com/ I have met Kanak and her garden blog through http://blotanical.com/. Kanak is a “Tusitala” has a great way with words and great shots of all sorts of creatures that roam her garden in India. Thank you Kanak.

Kerri from upstate New York USA; http://colorsofthegarden.blogspot.com/ Kerri is a fellow Australian. We have also met through blotanical. Kerri has a wonderful garden. She is a lovely blogging friend who comments faithfully on my blogs, though I know she is a very busy lady. Thank you Kerri.

Now, last but not least,
Rowena from Italy; http://theproudgarden.blogspot.com/ Rowena and her
Blog L’orto Orgoglioso, I know only recently. She is very enthusiastic and grows beautiful vegetables. She has also a Blog called Rubber Slippers in Italy
http://rubbahslippahsinitaly.blogspot.com/ A great and interesting food blog. Thank you Rowena.

Enjoy passing on your award. (If you want to)

SKYWATCH Friday

Please click picture for a better view.


Dandelion Water Feature in Mackay. It was a windy day, the clouds like smoke, drifting, letting from time to time the sun emerge.

Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about 970 km (603 mi) north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar. The city has an average temperature of 24.7 °C (76.5 °F).

Enjoy Skywatch Friday

http://www.skyley.blogspot.com/

Copyright T.S. Yesterdaytodayandtomorrow in my Garden

Photos T.S.

Mirror, Mirror on the wall...

making a Face Cream.



Ingredients:

Basic Face Cream
Wheatgrass juice
Rosehip Oil
Rose Oil
Vitamin E


"Just Joe"

Wheatgrass seed

Wheatgrass grows quickly, keep it moist.

This is ready to be cut and juiced.

Procedure: Put the wheatgrass into a blender with a little sterilized water and blend until nearly a pulp.

Wheatgrass refers to the young grass of the common wheat plant, Triticum aestivum, that is freshly juiced or dried into powder for animal and human consumption. Both provide chlorophiyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins and enzymes.

Clinical and reserch evidence has revealed the "Grass juice Factor" to have among other properties a powerful effect on the regeneration of damaged skin and health in general.

Put the pulp into a squeaky clean small piece of linen. Squeeze out all the juice .

110 ml basic face cream.

add 4-5 teaspoons wheatgrass juice. (The rest can be frozen in a flat sheet or in a ice cubecontainer to be used later.

10 drops Vitamin E

10 drops Rosehip oil

10 drops Rose oil

mix all the ingredients. Fill small, dark pots and keep refrigerated to keep the cream fresh. The one you use does not need to be refrigerated.

If you want you can use more of all the ingredients there is no harm in it, espescially if you have inflamed or very dry skin.

Rose Oil
Rose oil is one of the most antiseptic essences. This combined with its slightly tonic and soothing qualities and its action on the capillaries, make it useful for virtually all types of skin. It is particularly good for mature, dry, or sensitive skin and for any kind of redness, or inflammation.

Rose oil has no equal in skin care for moisturising, firming, smoothing and repairing the skin. In so doing, it produces no irritation, being cooling, calming and soothing. Rose also has a positive effect on broken superficial capillaries and is thus ideal for mature, dry or sensitive skin.

Roship Oil
Rose Hip Oil has been found to be highly beneficial to facial skin because of its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (Linoleic Acid 47% and Linolenic Acid 31%.). Fatty acids have a very important function in regeneration of skin cells and damaged tissues

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is the collective name for a set of 8 related tocopherols and tocotrienols. They are fat-soluble vitamins with antioxidant properties.

As an antioxidant, Vitamin E is essential for protecting body tissue from the damage of oxidation by neutralising free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage. It is important in the formation of red blood cells and also contributes to a healthy circulatory system.

The finished product. This is a fantastic face cream. It can also be used for cuts or abrasions, burns etc.

I usually buy a basic face cream (from the oil garden) and add my ingredients.

It is easy to make a basic face cream yourself.

A basic natural skin cream consists of the following four ingredients:

Blended oils, beeswax, coconut/cocoa butter, and grapefruit seed extract.

Blended oils hydrate and nourish skin that has been stripped of its natural oils.

Beeswax forms a protective coating against the elements, such as sun and wind.

Coconut or cocoa butter is a more viscous, solid, substance, and provides the base for the cream itself.

Grapefruit seed extract is a natural antibiotic, preserving the cream against molds.

To find out which oils would be best for your skin type, go to a local health food store or a pharmacy and try out small samples of the oils on your skin. The oil should be absorbed without leaving too much greasy residue.

For dry skin are the following oils recommended: Avocado oil, it is also for sensitive and mature skin. Sesame oil is also a natural sunscreen. Peanut oil, and Shea butter is a natural sunscreen.

For oily skin the following oils are recommended:

Jojoba oil is a liquid wax. It is less greasy than most oils. Grapeseed oil is a dry oil. Wheat germ oil is high in vitamins and minerals and is recommended for all skin types.

"Bridal Bouquet"

Believe it or not:
All my hurts, my garden spade can heal. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Organic Tip of the week:
Keep away from Aspartame!

Aspartame Dangers
The dangers of aspartame poisoning have been a well-guarded secret since the 1980s. The research and history of aspartame is conclusive as a cause of illness and toxic reactions in the human body. Aspartame is a dangerous chemical food additive, and its use during pregnancy and by children is one of the greatest modern tragedies of all.

Why haven't you heard about this before?

Partly because the diet industry is worth trillions of American dollars to corporations, and they want to protect their profits by keeping the truth behind aspartame's dangers hidden from the public. When NutraSweet® was introduced for the 'second' time in 1981, a diet craze revolutionized America's eating protocols and a well-oiled money machine was set into motion changing modern lifestyles. After more than twenty years of aspartame use, the number of its victims is rapidly piling up, and people are figuring out for themselves that aspartame is at the root of their health problems. Patients are teaching their doctors about this nutritional peril, and they are healing themselves with little to no support from traditional medicine.
Read more about Aspartame Information

Aspartame Side Effects
There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption. It seems surreal, but true. How can one chemical create such chaos?
Aspartame dissolves into solution and can therefore travel throughout the body and deposit within any tissue. The body digests aspartame unlike saccharin, which does not break down within humans.
The multitude of aspartame side effects are indicative to your genetic individuality and physical weaknesses. It is important to put two and two together, nonetheless, and identify which side effects aspartame is creating within you.

Aspartame changes the ratio of amino acids in the blood, blocking or lowering the levels of serotonin, tyrosine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline. Therefore, it is typical that aspartame symptoms cannot be detected in lab tests and on x-rays. Textbook disorders and diseases may actually be a toxic load as a result of aspartame poisoning. http://www.sweetpoison.com/

I have always had a healthy disrespect for all sort of chemical foodstuff.

Thank you for your visit and have a nice day!

Copyright: T.S. Yesterdaytodayandtomorrow in my garden.

Pictures T.S.

PROBLEM WITH B BLOGLIST!

My Bloglist in Blogroll doesn't work properly.

A fault notice comes up 6x-tjx1xj

I have read in "Bloggers Help Center" many have the same problem. But nothing is done about it.
So Bloggerteam come forward and fix this problem please!

SKYWATCH Friday

This picture is from my garden. I like how this giant fern leaf reaches far over the roof of the house mingling with the clouds wanting to touch the sky.
Please click on picture

King Fern: Angiopteris evecta

The King fern is easily mistaken for a trunkless Palm.
It produces possibly the longest fern fronds in the world.
The fronds can grow up to 7m in length.
It does not a have a well-developed trunk.
The fronds sprout from near ground level.
The King fern likes dimly-lit rainforest stream banks.
The related potato fern (Marattia oreades) has weeping fronds up to 2m long.
Like tree ferns both these giant ferns have an ancient history.
Fossils well over 300 million years old, and very similar to the modern versions, have been found on most continents.
The predate the dinosaurs.Courtesy of: Environmental Protection Agency, Cairns.
The King Fern is also called the Giant Fern.
Excellent examples of the King Fern can be seen on the 1km Lake Eacham Waterfall Walk.
Its rhizome is a massive trunk up to 1.5m tall, woody on the outside and deeply grooved, and quite fleshy within. It is black, very broad, and bears numerous crowns of fronds.
Their stipes are erect, fleshy, green, smooth and swollen at the base. They may be up to 2m long.
The base is covered by a pair of ear-like stipules that are dark with large white spots.
The fronds of the King Fern, as can be imagined, are massive, over five metres long, arching and semi-weeping.
The fronds are the largest in the world.
Its spores are in dense clutters of five to eight opposite pairs. Each spore is round with a splitting along a central line. They become confluent with age as a brown powdery mass.
Thick rope-like roots support the entire fern.
The species is often damaged by feral pigs which gnaw through the roots.
It is a versatile fern that can be found on a variety of situations, from dark shaded gullies to exposed rock crevices. The fern may be stunted and bleached in exposed situations, with broad fronds up to 30cm long and almost no trunk. In shaded wet areas it can be a huge fern.
Old specimens have been found with trunks up to 2m across.
The King Fern can be found in Queensland from sea level to about 600m, New South Wales (only the north-east where it is very rare however), Polynesia and Malaysia.
It is excellent as a tub fern or can be easily grown in a protected position in the ground. Spores are short-lived and must be sown fresh. They are slow growing.
Like its relative the Potato Fern (Marattia oreades), it is an ancient survivor from the Palaeozoic Era and has changed very little since even before the time of the dinosaurs. Fossils well over 300 million years old have been found on most continents. http://rainforest-australia.com/

Enjoy Skywatch Friday

http://www.skyley.blogspot.com/

BEAUTIES.... not to be underestimated

Yuraygir Nationalpark
60 kilometres of striking cliffs, rocky headlands, isolated beaches and quiet lake systems, set against a backdrop of forests, heaths, estuaries and wetlands, make Yuraygir the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in NSW.

Wildflowers from the Youraygir Nationalpark, Northern NSW

Greetings from Portugal;

S. from Loule, Algarve in Portugal has send me those fantastic pictures of wildflowers on the beach. Last year when I was visiting there they were already past flowering.

Greetings from Switzerland;

Alpenrose/ Rhododendron ferrugineum

Dotterblume/ Caltha palustris

A. from Switzerland has made the photos and send them to me.The wildflowers grow high up in the alps of the Canton Grisons.

Believe it or not:

When grass is dry in morning light,

Look for rain before the night,

When dew is on the grass,

Rain will never come to pass.

Organic tip of the week:
Think "biodiversity". Using many different kinds of plants encourage many different kinds of beneficial insects to take up residence in your yard.

Use plants in your landscape that are either native to your area, or were imported from areas with similar climate and soil. They require a lot less water and care, and won't die off in the winter.

Shade gardens are low maintenance - they require less watering, slower growth, and fewer weeds to fight.
Organic gardening tips.

Have a nice day and thank you for your visit.

Copyright Yesterdaytodayandtomorrw in my garden.

Photos Australia T.S.

Photos Portugal S.C.

Photos Switzerland A.O.