Good Living Guide

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Crochet Succulents and Cacti Will Brighten Up Your Window Sill

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Brighten up your desktop or a windowsill with beautiful beautiful crochet succulents and cacti that you never need to feed, water or prune. If you’re looking for a quick, easy project with a wonderful payoff, pull out your needles and start crocheting these colorful flowering plants.

Here’s Why You Need These Crochet Succulents

You love to knit and crochet, but sometimes, your preferred projects can take a long time. You also might be getting bored with the usual scarves or hats.

With these crochet patterns, you can quickly create bright, pretty decorations for your home or office. Making these is an enjoyable project that’s suitable for any skill level.

Totally Precious Potted Plants

These darling potted plants are perfect for you or for a gift.

Are you far from a green thumb? Do you kill every plant you attempt to grow? That’s not a problem because these plants require no care.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for someone who needs cheering up? These tiny, darling flowers will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Find Your Favorite Flowers

You can choose a miniature planter packed with spiny cacti or a blooming Christmas cactus.

If you prefer flowers, select a colorful planter filled with primroses, pansies or African violets. They are all bright, realistic and totally adorable.

How Can You Get Crochet Succulents?

The patterns for these projects are available from the Etsy store Planet June, which specializes in crochet patterns. Reviewers say these plant patterns are fun, quick and easy to do.

As soon as you make the payment, you’ll get an instant download of the pattern you choose. All you have to do is choose your yarn.

Have fun making these darling plants for your next project.

Turn Handwritten Recipes From Loved Ones Into A Special Recipe Plate

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A family member’s famous “secret” recipe is deserving of its own recipe plate.  If your relatives are like most, you probably have at least one piece of lined paper with a recipe written carefully in longhand. There might also be a few splotches, spills and scribbled notes.

A RECIPE THAT’S BEEN HANDED DOWN

You’ve probably handed that piece of paper around for generations, and it may be starting to fall apart. Now, you can take that piece of paper and have it memorialized forever on a ceramic pie plate, quiche plate, platter, serving dish or casserole pan.

MAKE THAT TATTERED PIECE OF PAPER LIVE FOREVER

Imagine seeing your grandmother’s handwriting permanently inscribed on a plate that you can use to bake a pie or hang on the wall. Think about handing that plate down to your own children and grandchildren.

You can also choose to permanently inscribe your wedding invitation or a special letter on a plate. Did your mother write an encouraging note to you that you’ve kept all these years? Immortalize it on a plate.

TURN IT INTO A WORK OF ART

Prairie Hills Pottery is an Etsy shop that specializes in turning handwritten notes into objects of lasting, useful beauty. The lettering, invitations or other documents are etched in black paint on pure white plates. The look is simple and stunning.

A recipe plate can also work as a wall display.

A RECIPE PLATE MAKES AN UNFORGETTABLE GIFT

They are amazing:

  • Wedding gifts.
  • Sympathy gifts.
  • Birthday presents.
  • Holiday gifts.

They come in your choice of size and shape.

HOW TO GET YOUR OWN GORGEOUS RECIPE PLATE

Prairie Hills Pottery is an Etsy seller with five-star customer ratings and enthusiastic reviews. Get ready to turn your favorite family items into heirlooms that will be cherished forever.

US Fish and Wildlife Service Issues Warning To Protect Hummingbird Nests

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Tiny, elusive hummingbirds are some of nature’s most marvelous gifts, and it’s a wonderful surprise to find them in your yard. Now, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is stepping up to protect these precious birds.

Hummingbird Nests

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Kelly Campbell

PREPARE FOR SPRING SURPRISES

Workers at the service issued a reminder to be careful when you’re cleaning, pruning or mowing to get your garden ready for spring. Hummingbirds can build nests in the most unexpected places including hanging feeders, plant pots and the forked branches of trees and shrubs.

Hummingbird Nests

Hummingbirds build detailed, intricate homes that they decorate with lichens and moss. They build them in the early spring when the weather starts to turn warm.

TINY EGGS AND NESTS

In most cases, you’ll see them after March. If you live in a warm, sunny region, you might be lucky enough to see hummingbirds all year. In cold, northern climates, you might have to wait until the end of May.

Their nests and eggs are so tiny they’d be easy to miss if you didn’t know their location. As a picture from the government agency shows, a hummingbird’s nest is about the size of a fingernail and the eggs are the size and shape of jelly beans.

To keep these potential visitors safe, move slowly when you’re pruning or cutting shrubs and trees.

Hummingbird Nests

HELP HUMMINGBIRDS FEEL AT HOME

If you want to go further and attract these colorful, buzzing birds to your yard, follow these pointers:

  • Set out sugar feeders.
  • Plant brightly colored flowers.
  • Install a water feature with moving or bubbling water.
  • Leave spiderwebs alone because hummingbirds use spider silk to build their nests.
  • Plant native grasses and plants because hummingbirds prefer them for shelter and building materials.

Hummingbird Nests

ENJOY LASTING BEAUTY

Like all birds, hummingbirds are threatened by habitat loss. You can help them by creating a yard that’s welcoming and safe. Hummingbirds return to their same nests every year, so you’ll enjoy their visits for years to come.

Couple Recreates Iconic Woodstock Photo 50 Years Later

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It took 50 years for Jerry and Judy Griffin to find a photograph of their first meeting. That’s especially astonishing when you consider that they met during the 1969 Woodstock Festival, one of the most photographed events of the 1960s.

Couple Recreates Iconic Woodstock Photo 50 Years Later

Photo: Screenshot from American Experience | PBS, Footage Courtesy of Warner Brothers Entertainment

GOING TO THE FARM

On August 15, 1969, Judy was one on her way to the dairy farm where Woodstock was taking place. When her car broke down, she and her friends accepted a ride from a group of guys that included Jerry.

Both were 22 years old.

PEACE, LOVE AND ROMANCE

It was a festival of love, and they fell in love that day. Even more astonishing, they are still happily married today.

Couple Recreates Iconic Woodstock Photo 50 Years Later

Judy and Jerry Griffin now, at their home in Manhattan Beach | Ben Trivett

As Judy says, “By the time we got out of the car and set up camp, we were into each other, and we basically were together from that point on.”

Since then, friends and family members have asked to see photographs of the couple at Woodstock, but despite years of searching, they could never find any. One day, they attended a screening of the 2019 PBS documentary Woodstock and were astonished to finally see themselves in a brief film clip.

A LOVE THAT LASTED

You can see them in the first few minutes of the trailer for the PBS documentary. They’re the smiling young couple wrapped in a blanket together.

Jerry told a local news station that he yelled, “That’s us!” when he saw the clip. Now, they finally have a photograph showing the first moments of a lifelong love.

BRAIN TEASER: 1 Rabbit Saw 6 Elephants While Going To The River

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This brain teaser is a fun battle between English and math. It isn’t like a normal word problem from math class, however. This one is meant to bend your brain and make you think.

It’s easy to get the answer wrong even if you’re paying close attention when you read the riddle.

Brain Teaser

ARE YOU READY FOR THE CORRECT SOLUTION?

The answer to the riddle is five.

Did you get it right?

If you got it wrong, keep reading, and we’ll explain how we got an answer of five.

LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

Here’s the riddle again:

“One rabbit saw six elephants while going to the river. Every elephant saw two monkeys going toward the river. Every monkey holds one parrot in its hands.”

So, how many animals are going toward the river?

Upon first reading, most people think that the answer is 25.

This makes sense if you are reading the riddle quickly. However, there is a tricky bit of wording that you have to pay attention to.

In the next section, we will explain the trick so that you can see how we got the right answer.

IT’S ALL IN HOW YOU SAY IT

The key to this riddle is this sentence: “Every elephant saw two monkeys going toward the river.”

At first glance, you probably thought that it meant six elephants each saw two monkeys, which would give you 12 monkeys and 12 parrots, since each monkey was carrying one parrot.

However, the correct way to read that line is that every elephant saw the same two monkeys heading toward the river.

This means that only these animals are going toward the river:

– One rabbit
– Two monkeys
– Two parrots

Some people might argue that parrots are technically birds and not animals, so if your first answer was 3, that would also be correct.

What do you think? Let’s talk about it in the comments.

Raised Garden Beds Keep The Critters Away And Reduce Back Strain

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Planting means preparing a patch of ground, fertilizing it and then planting seeds or plants, right? Yes, some people are still planting in gardening beds, and while those are still my favorite, I admit I’ve come to appreciate really nice, lofty, raised garden beds. Here’s why.

Raised Garden Beds

You’re In for a Gardening Treat

If you’ve never used raised garden beds before, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised. They have so many advantages over ground planting:

  • It’s a lot easier on your back and knees.
  • You can constantly improve the soil conditions to achieve perfect growing soil in your beds.
  • Your plants get some protection from critters and insects.
  • They give your garden a wonderfully neat, organized look.
  • There are fewer weeds in a raised bed.
  • Roots can grow deep into the soil to produce strong, healthy plants.

Does it sound good? Here’s how you can get started with raised beds.

Easy on Your Knees, Back and Feet

As you can see, it’s easy to walk around the raised beds to weed, water, harvest and just enjoy your growing plants. You don’t have to worry about bending, kneeling or walking through muddy planting beds.

Raised beds work for flowers, vegetables, fruits, shrubs and small trees.

Try a Combination of Garden Types

Ideally, you should have a combination of ground plantings, raised beds and potted plants for a vivid, varied garden that you’ll enjoy every day.

Raised Garden Beds

Where to Get the Best Raised Garden Beds

Raised bed gardening is even easier if you don’t have to worry about building the beds. The online store Wayfair has an outstanding selection of premade wooden planting beds.

Have you ever planted in raised beds? Did you enjoy it?

More Gardening Articles You’ll Enjoy

Rose Succulents: The Perfect Low-Maintenance Plant For Flower-Lovers

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As an experienced gardener, I enjoy working with challenging plants, but I also enjoy discovering easy-growing, low-maintenance plants that I know will add vibrancy to my garden with very little work. That’s why I always include petunias, marigolds and mums in every garden plan, and it’s why I’m over the moon about rose succulents.

Rose Succulents

Weibo

Get to Know Greenovias

Rose succulents are formally known as greenovias. Like all succulents, they’re easy to grow and require little work.

Rose Succulents

Instagram / plantcetera

If your only experience with succulents is aloe plants or chicks and hens, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised. These gorgeous, shapely plants resemble fully blown roses when they come out of dormancy.

Rose Succulents

Instagram / itsasuccylife

Gorgeous Island Natives

Greenovias are native to the Canary Islands. Sadly, they’re becoming endangered there. It’s surprising that they’re not more popular here, but we should all do our part to change that.

Unlike succulents that like hot, dry weather, greenovias prefer balmy, humid climates. They start to come out of their dormant phase when the temperatures reach 65 to 70.

Rose Succulents

Instagram / nomu.05

Greenovias Will Make You a Green Thumb

Plant expert Ashley Glassman gives a detailed tutorial on caring for greenovias. She shows how to care for them at every stage of their dormancy and life.

It’s important to know how to water greenovias to prevent sunburn and water rot.

Glassman recommends letting them go into their dormant phase. This keeps them on a natural cycle that allows them to grow strong. Follow her tips if you want greenovias as healthy, gorgeous and perfectly shaped as hers.

Get Your Own Rose Succulents

Are you ready to add these succulent beauties to your garden? You can buy them from these Etsy sellers.

Rose Succulents

This Canopy Swing Bed Lets You Relax All Day In The Shade

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Do you love the feeling of sleeping on a gently rocking hammock? If you want that same tranquil motion in a setup that’s more like a true bed, this canopy swing bed is the one piece of furniture you need right now.

Canopy Swing Bed

Leisure Season

Swing Your Stress Away

Experience true bliss when you escape the stresses of your day in your private getaway. This sturdy, well-made wooden bed is designed to comfortably fit two adults, making it the perfect place to spend some serious quality time together.

Canopy Swing Bed

Leisure Season

It’s a Tropical Getaway Right In Your Backyard

A swing bed takes all the best parts of a hammock and transforms them. This graceful, curved bed allows you to stretch out fully and relax while feeling a steady, comforting swaying motion.

That swaying motion is almost ridiculously relaxing, but there’s more. To make this bed even more inviting, it comes with a built-in canopy that gives you privacy and keeps the sun from frying you.

Make a Canopy Swing Bed Yours

Take this wonderful bed out to your garden, deck, balcony or poolside patio where you can enjoy the fresh air and sunshine without worrying about getting burnt. You can order it on Amazon just in time for summer.

Lithops Are “Living Stones” That Look Like Beautifully Marked Pebbles

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Lithops look exactly like stones until the day a delicate white, yellow or pink flower bursts through.

Lithops

An unusual succulent plant, lithops are sometimes called “flowering stones,” “living stones” or “mimicry plants.” When you see a group of them lying on the ground together, they look just like a group of stones with colorful, pebbled surfaces. If you look closely, you can see what looks like a split in each stone. That’s where they will sprout a single flower in the spring and summer.

Lithops

Lithops are Nature’s Mimics

If you want an unusual plant to add color and drama to your potting garden, try growing some lithops.

In nature, these beautiful succulents grow in the arid, hot plains of the South African desert. They have adapted to mimic the look of the stones surrounding them, but they also produce flowers that attract bees and other pollinators.

Lithops

Some Special Care Required

It’s not difficult to take care of lithops, but you have to adopt a different mindset than the one you’re used to for most plants. They need special growing techniques to flourish.

  • Use a growing medium that offers high drainage. Don’t use dirt or potting soil.
  • Lithops need four hours of sunlight. Gentle morning sunlight is best for them.
  • You should regularly check their roots to make sure they’re all growing and thriving.
  • The main way people kill them is by overwatering them.

Lighten Up With Lithops

Lithops will add a lovely, unusual element to any garden. If you’re ready to try something new, give these plants a sunny spot in your yard.

Lithops

 

Lithops

Teddy Bear Sunflowers Produce Beautiful, Fluffy Golden-Orange Blooms

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If you’re starting to plan ahead for spring planting, make room in your beds for gorgeous, endearing Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers. They’ll add charm and color to any garden.

Teddy Bear Sunflowers

You’ll Want to Hug These Fuzzy Teddy Bears

If you think of sunflowers as 15-foot-tall flowers with huge blossoms, get ready to get surprised by this version. Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers are not as tall as regular sunflowers, and they develop softer, fluffier blooms that only get bigger and fluffier the more they grow.

The name “Teddy Bear” refers to these cuddly, furry blossoms. They come in gorgeous shades of yellow that will brighten your day. Their fuzzy leaves, bright color and nice height make them perfect for borders, containers and fences.

Growing Your Own

Like all sunflowers, Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers are low-maintenance and easy to grow. Follow these tips for loads of stunning blossoms:

  • Plant the seeds in full sunlight after all danger of frost has passed.
  • Seeds germinate in 7 to 10 days.
  • Sunflowers need well-drained soil.
  • Sunflowers don’t generally need fertilizer, but if your soil is poor, prepare it with compost or organic fertilizer before planting.
  • Water your sunflowers regularly, but don’t let the soil get waterlogged.
  • Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers grow about 3 feet tall.

Teddy Bear Sunflowers

Will They Produce Seeds?

Just like classic sunflowers, the Teddy Bear version will start producing seeds about three months after you plant them. Your sunflowers will attract many colorful songbirds during this time.

You’ll need to wait for just the right time to harvest those seeds for yourself.

Where Can You Buy Teddy Bear Sunflowers?

Are you excited about planting fuzzy, cuddly and gorgeous Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers in your favorite spot of sun?

If you want strong, healthy plants that will bloom quickly and consistently, buy them from a trusted seed supplier. These seed sellers on Etsy are good sources of fresh seed that’s certain to germinate and produce beautiful plants.

Teddy Bear Sunflowers Produce Beautiful, Fluffy Golden-Orange Blooms