Plants as Symbols

Becoming familiar with plants as symbols will forever change the way you put your garden together. Including them in your Feng Shui design will give totally new meanings and uniqueness to the various areas of your garden.

Your home design incorporate specialized areas for sleeping, eating, visiting, working, playing, cleaning, and so forth. Your garden should also have specific variations that meet your needs. Placing appropriate, inspirational messages, for example garden plaques around your garden, can help set the tone.

Here is a list of plants and their meanings, both from ancient lore, shaman ways, and more recent identifications that may add a deeper connection between you and your special garden areas.

Acacia veils love, reveals beauty
Ajuga imparts the power to succeed
Aloe soothes and heals, especially burns and burning desires
Amaryllis pride
Anemone sincerity
Apple tree may stimulate you to make your own way
Ash develops strength through flexibility
Aster daintiness, love
Azalea reminds us to be patient
Bachelor button blessings
Bamboo longevity
Basil sincere good wishes
Bells of of Ireland Good luck!
Birch flexibility to withstand pressures
Bluebell humility
Bougainvillea triumph over adversity
Buttercup clarity
Cactus endurance
Candytuft indifference
Carnation joy, yes!
Carnation my heart aches for you
Cedar Tree cleansing and preserving
Chive absorbs negativity
Chrysanthemum hope, love (red), truth (white), slighted love (yellow), honor the past
Clematis clarity
Clover fate is in your hands
Columbine pursue your dreams without foolishness
Coreopsis cheerfulness
Crocus happiness, the newness of love stirs us
Cyclamen goodbye
Daffodil respect, pay attention to those around you
Dahlia challenge yourself
Daisy innocence
Dandelion faithfulness, synchronize your life with nature's rhythms
Echinacea heal your scars
Eucalyptus clarifies emotional and physical receptiveness
Fern magic, grace
Flax domestication, tameness
Forget-me-not focus
Foxglove helps maintain balance
Freesia trust
Fuchsia grants courage to communicate your needs
Gardenia secret love, gives courage to speak your truth
Garlic courage, strength
Geranium nonsense, rashness, persistence grants triumph
Gladiola sincerely, lifts and restores balance and wellness
Heather admiration, solitude, protection, success, seek out self discovery
Hibiscus it's the journey, not the goal that's important
Holly happiness around the home, think before taking action
Honeysuckle be here now and follow your guidance for change
Hyacinth rashness
Hydrangea coldheartedness
Iris hope, promise, faith
Ivy affection, fideity, avoid spreading yourself so thin
Larkspur fickleness
Lilac beauty
Lily devotion
Lily of the Valley sweetness, humility
Magnolia nobility
Maidenhair Fern secret love
Marigold jealousy
Mistletoe kiss me, affection, Druid magic
Moss charity, maternal love
Myrtle love, Hebrew marriage
Narcissus egotism
Nasturtium victory
Oleander caution
Orange Blossom eternal love and innocence
Orchid beauty, Chinese--many children
Peony compassion, happy marriage
Petunia resentment, anger
Pine hope
Poppy imagination
Primrose I can't live without you
Rose gratitude
Snapdragon strength
Spider Flower elope with me
Stock affection, promptness
Sunflower pride
Sweetpea gratitude
Tulip fame
Violet virtue, modesty
Wisteria welcome
Zinnia lasting affection

Camping in the Rain

Now this brings back memories... a lot of good ones, actually, as long as we avoided "monsoon" season! 
   Camping in the rain meant we taught our children the real meaning of making the best of the "worst" of times.  It also taught our children the importance of being prepared.
    Being prepared meant we brought games, raincoats, umbrellas, and our best "sunny" outlooks on every situation.  Being prepared meant we had a good rainfly as well as ground protection for our tent.  Even though our family of four has remained with a 4-6 sleeper tent (and graduated to 2 of them as the children grew to teenagers), these items have been our best friends.
    Let me share a little story of our honeymoon, to give an example.  My husband and I have always loved camping, so being the crazy workaholics we are (for non-profits, in those days), we decided to make our honeymoon a 3-day weekend at the Pacific Coast.  The weather reports mentioned a slight chance of rain, so we weren't particularly concerned.  Well, that report was a huge understatement.  The slight chance of rain turned into a heavy downpour for 3 days!  We laughed and played cards in our tent for quite awhile.  Then we noticed it seemed to be dripping inside of our tent...from our breathing!  Just normal breathing, folks☺  So we opened the window flaps a bit to let more air flow through, but then we realized our bedding felt a bit damp.  Thinking moisture was the culprit.  We let it go, and continued to play cards.  Then the bedding became really soggy, and we realized there was a "moat" of water around our tent, which we didn't realize from the grass covering, and the moat had overflowed onto our tarp.  Back in the day, we hadn't realized the importance of a waterproof bathtub tent floor, so the water was seeping into our heavy foam pads (sponges) and then into our sleeping bags!

  Okay, so we laughed our heads off and finally gave in to a hotel room that weekend, but with a little wisdom (experience), we have never had to repeat this story.  Yes, we do still go camping in the rain, and our children still know how to handle it.
Here's what we bring:

• Tents with a great rainfly and bathtub floor.
• Tent footprints that match the size of the tent (and don't collect rain as easily)
• A pop-up for sun and rain protection over our cooking and table area.
• Umbrellas/raincoats for walks
• Cards and other small games (not video!)

For activities inside the tent or under a rain shelter:

• Story telling
• Games of all sorts
• Beauty Salon day for the girls (hair, makeup, facials...)
• Puzzles of many kinds (books, jigsaw, or 3D)
• Sewing/needlework
• Leather skills
• Wood, soap, or soapstone carving

Our children are very happy to go for walks and visit nature in the rain.  In fact, they look forward to it.  It's amazing to see how beautiful the colors turn, how fresh the air becomes, and how quiet the rest of the world becomes in comparison to nature's own sounds.  Banana slugs and other creatures, usually unseen, make their way out into the moist air.  The ocean can capture our imagination and provide the best setting for reflection, as well as the mountains or the hills, as we regain our sense of balance with nature.

    Oh yeah, let's remember to look for the rainbow!☺

Feng Shui for Abundance

Your garden or outdoor space can easily be enhanced for attracting wealth and prosperity (money, home, car, travel . . .) or abundance in life (fun, friends, love . . ).  You will want to focus on the back left corner, known in feng shui as the Southeast corner.  Be sure this area is neatly maintained without clutter.

Colors that enhance this area are purples, reds, and greens, which are easily planted with flowering annuals, perennials and bushes.

Ideas for enhancing the flow of abundance:

• Waterfalls or fountains with moving water enhance the flow, and therefore the continued replenishment of desires
• A pond with fish, such as the golden koi, will draw abundance as the fish swim toward your gift of food.
• A windmill, weather vane or any whirling or spinning decoration keeps the energy flowing.
• Jade plants or other slow growing plants, especially with round leaves, represent slow growing prosperity.  Groups of 3, 6 or 8 work best.
• Windchimes attract wisdom and good chi for making good financial decisions.
• Keep your valuables such as jewelry, a safe, or a bank in the far left corner of your bedroom if possible.  If not, then make sure the decor in that corner looks wealthy to you.

Setting your intention for weath to flow to you as you make and implement your arrangements for this corner of your garden, home, or outdooor space will begin the flow.  Letting go of those thoughts once you've made them, allows them to be and become. 

Now, enjoy the results as many small or occasionally large shows of prosperity and abundance come your way.☺

Hiking with Children

If you are fairly new to hiking with children, there are a few items and recommendations to keep everyone safe and happy.

1. When you head out for a hike, you should always carry your own backpack. Don't make someone else carry it! Your pack doesn't have to be heavy, but it should have everything you'll need.

2. When headed out for a day trip, stay prepared with these essentials for each person:

• Water
• Whistle
• Garbage bag - make a hole at the top, slip the bag over your head and you'll stay warmer and dry!
• Trail food - enough for the hike and an extra meal
• Warm clothing such as a fleece jacket or vest
• Flashlight such as a small maglite or LED style
• Good hiking shoes are a must. Tennis shoes are usually the best if you don't have real hiking shoes. Don't try to hike in sandals or flip-flops.

3. Other possible items you could add to your pack:

• Hat and Sunscreen
• First aid kit
• Compass and map if you know how to use them
• Insect repellant
• Sunglasses
• Binoculars
• Camera
• Lightweight, weatherproof jacket
• Extra socks
• Emergency blanket
• Field guide on plants, insects or birds, for example
• Free information guides available from Visitor Centers
• Crayons and paper for a journal

4. Be prepared to for a shorter hike the first time. With very small children, you may only want to try a half to one full mile without carrying them and their packs.

5. Looking out for natural delights of flowers, animals, and insects will distract young ones into building up stamina, while building memories of joyful discovery.

6. Patience, praise, and a smile will build confidence in your young ones, and maybe someday they will return the favor when you slow down. ☺

Sleeping Pad Comfort: Self-Inflating

Yes, sleeping pads = comfort!

I don't know why, but as a child I could sleep on nearly anything and never notice. Life outdoors meant clean fresh air and comforting adventure.

In those days we simply purchased an air mattress for a buck and blew and blew until we were light-headedly dizzy, giggling like crazy! Then we would hand our mattresses over to an adult to finish the job. I don't know how our parents, aunts or uncles managed to blow up all those air mattresses without passing out!

Staying Warm--

After leaving home, I began my own backpacking adventures with friends and eventually my husband. Somehow we managed to hike and camp nearly every weekend. I discovered that air mattresses can be rather cold in the mountains. The trapped air would cool down, just like an unheated water bed, so I would end up shivering when temperatures dropped.

Then I discovered Therm-A-Rests. What a relief! Not only do these mattresses self-inflate, but they are foam insulated and light-weight. Life became so much better. I became the Princess and the Pea, and self-inflating mattresses became my Knight in Shining Armor.

Since those early days, other companies have entered the market with their own marvelous improvements. Companies began to offer various lengths, so tall men like my husband could fit better, lenthwise. The nylon shell on these air mattresses can be quite slippery, so companies like Chinook, who came up with the Guiderest Lite, added a non-slip surface.

One air valve can take some inflation and deflation time. To speed this part of the process up, Eureka developed the RapidAir Air Rest Pad with double valves, one on each corner of one end of the pad.

Price

A major drawback is price, compared to an beach or pool air mattress. They range from $35-$150. The upside is they last for many years. My current, heavily used pad may be over 25 years old. I always carry a patch kit (they mend easily), though I have never had to use it for a puncture. I did have to reseal a small spot on the edge seam one time. I paid $35 way back when and would likely have gone through 100's of regular air mattresses by now, definitely with less comfort and more slipping off in the middle of the night.

There are now luxury models available with 2-inch thick padding and a little more weight. As you age, this will be an investment you will never regret!

Care for the long-term

• Storing it open with the valve open will help reduce fiber breakdown and keep it dry.
• In cold weather, avoid blowing it up to speed up inflation. The moisture in your breath will crystalize inside your mattress and cool you off.
• Always carry a patch kit. If you do get a rip, clean the surface with stove gas, cut the patch about 1/3 larger than the rip and attach.
• Duct tape, especially Gorilla Duct Tape, will provide a temporary patch. Be sure to change it out with a proper patch after removal and cleaning the surface when you get home.

Easy Peach Cobbler

One of our favorite mouthwatering treats at the campsite. It's hard to go wrong, and the kids love to help! Homemade ice cream makes an added bonus.

• 2 (30 oz) cans sliced peaches
• 1 apple spice cake mix (or yellow cake and sprinkle cinnamon-sugar on top)
• 1 egg (optional for fluffiness)
• 12" Dutch oven
• 2 doz hot briquettes

1. Pour the cake mix into a bowl or pan.
2. Drain the fruit juice into the cake mix
3. Add a beaten egg to the mix (optional) and stir.
4. Empty the canned fruit into the pan, spreading out evenly.
5. Pour the cake mix over the peaches.
6. Set the lid on top.
7. Place the pot on approximately 12 hot briquettes on the ground (in a safely clear dirt area)
8. Add 12 more briquettes on the lid.
9. Allow to cook for about 45 minutes. You can test for doneness, but you will likely just "know" by the smell and the slightly browned look of the cake.

Variations: Some folks like to substitute the juice with a can of 7up or Sprite, which works well if you don't use egg. This recipe also works with other canned fruit such as apricots or berries. Experiments with wild fruit mixed with a can usually work, too.

Dutch Ovens (and cast iron skillets)

Dutch ovens remain one of the most versatile cooking pots or pans ever made. There's almost nothing you can't cook with it. You can only hurt it by washing it with detergent, just like any iron skillet. But the cool thing is...even that is fixable.

Advantages of cast iron (and minor disadvantages)

Dutch ovens and cast iron skillets weigh a ton, so you definitely won't take this one backpacking.

• But cast iron spreads the heat out evenly through the pan, so you don't have to worry about cold spots when cooking eggs, pancakes, or anything else.
• You can cook on almost any heat source without hurting the pot. Even setting the pan on or buried in coals, in flames, on a grill, or in/on a stove will get the job done.
• Even if you burn the food, you can soak the pot with water and use scrapers or steel wool (no soap), and your pan or pot is still good. When we forgot the scrubbers, we just take some sand, a rock or some other naturally available rough object and clean it out.
• If you do the no-no thing and use soap, then be sure to season it with a light coat of oil soaked and heated into to it. Before you put it away for the season, you would be wise to oil it as well, and your cookware will last forever.

A Dutch oven is basically a very deep skillet with a lid. Sizes range from 8-18 inches. Our family generally uses the 12-inch size. Most have short leg or "feet," allowing them to be placed on the ground over coals. Placing more coals on the lid completes the oven effect, great for making cobblers, pies, cakes, and breads that taste better than anything you can make in your home oven. A pot of beans, a simple chicken or beef stew with dumplings, or a pot roast is just mouth watering yummy!

There are many cookbooks available through Amazon.com. Just type in the keywords "Dutch oven cooking" and you'll find them easily. My blog will also have a few of our easy favorites. Just stay tuned.