Fall Blooms in South Florida

So my friends, we have finally cooled off a wee bit...low's 74/high's 84...yes I know it's still kinda hot during the day but the evenings are sooooo nice!  Since the sun has shifted south quite considerably, most of the plants here in South Florida are starting to harden up a bit.  Though there are a few that the cooler temperatures actually trigger them to bloom.  Here are a few of my orchids that just opened up.

This picture just cracks me up!  Can you guess what's my bf
is saying, lol...."what the heck are you doing up there!?!"

Looking back in my file I was surprised to see 
I have had this orchid since 2004, wow!

This orchid started blooming at the end of September &
continues to throw out new blooms!  I bought this orchid
in 2006 & it has grown huge!

Unfortunately I lost the tag to this beautiful orchid long ago,
anyone know what it could be?

Here is a close up of the flowers, they start out a light peachy-yellow
then turn a darker version of that the older it gets.

A snapshot from our front yard...enjoying an evening
of our wonderful fall weather.

Look up on the powerline you can see our amazing local singer,
this mockingbird has such a wide range & is very talented.

Well that's a little bit of what is going on in our neck of the woods.

And of course a little teaser of one of our local beaches in Fort Lauderdale.
You can check out the Windjammer Resort's live cam.

Wishing you most Happy & Spooky Halloween!

Sheri

xoxo

Happy Fall Y'all!

There is nothing better than waking up to an absolute perfect Fall day here in South Florida.  The air is cool and dry, the sun is shifting south and there is a definite difference of change in the air.  People seem to be nicer to each other as there is an overall feeling of lifted spirit and excitement.
Aaaahhhh I love Fall!

So here is what is happening in our neck of the woods this 2013 Fall season so far.

Some of my orchids in bloom...the orange orchid in the top
right picture is Pot. Netrasiri 'orange delight' which blooms
every year like clockwork just in time for Halloween!

Our Sylvestrii palm is doing incredible as well as the ornamental
banana and the vegetable garden is progressing nicely...can't wait for harvest!

Wishing y'all a very happy Fall season friends!
Happy Gardening and Best Wishes,
Sheri
xoxo

Soda Bottle Terrariums

When I was in Girl Scouts, we made all sorts of crafts, learned cool new things I probably never would have otherwise and camped in the wilderness (or someone's backyard) all for the love of our badges.  One of the crafts we made was a very cool terrarium from a 2-liter plastic coke bottle.  Back then the 2-liter soda bottles had a hard plastic bottom attached to the plastic bottle itself (I think to keep it from falling over).  This was my first terrarium and every since I have had a "thing" for terrariums (and of course for recycling lol).   Though I did not find a picture in my thousands of family photos but I did find a post from an old school article, circa 1979, that is the exact terrarium.  I am so excited to share the original with you.  As well as the more recent version of the same terrarium idea and a completely wild over-the-top version of that!  So let's get our terrarium on shall we!?!

First, I show you the original 1979 terrarium...

Step One: Pop off the plastic bottle's colored bottom (get a finger under it and pull)
trying not to crack the plastic of the soda bottle (much cheaper plastic back then).

Step Two: Cut the clear inner bottle, just below its upper bulge at the top.

I think a utility knife/xacto blade might work better here but don't think they 

were invented yet.

Step Three: Make a slit from the bottom edge up 2-inches of one side of the
resulting dome, overlap the cut's edges, and fit the rounded piece
into the flat-bottomed base.

Final step: add small layer of gravel at the bottom, then a small layer of
sand, with the rest soil.  Plant your terrarium plants, water till moist, then add
a layer of decorative rock (aquarium rocks), put the dome on and
viola you are done!

Second, the new 2013 version of the same terrarium idea. 

2013 soda bottle terrarium

2013 self watering soda bottle planters

And now for the ultimate version called an ecocolunm!

What a great project to do with kids!

Sidebar here, as I was searching for some information online about the soda bottle terrariums I came across this blog.

With these pictures...very cool but not sure how healthy growing in plastic would be.  Anyone?  Though I guess growing something when you have nothing is better than nothing at all.

Lots and lots of herbs and veggies to eat!

Very innovative with recycling plastic bottles.

Today I give thanks for the things I have in my life and am grateful!

How about you?

Happy Fall y'all!!!

Best wishes,

Sheri

xoxo