Valentine’s Day is tomorrow
The day of hearts, flowers, candies and gift cards is only a matter of hours away. The sweet day will be celebrated tomorrow. Most shops and boutiques are still very well stocked and florists still have plenty of floral offerings although there may be a shortage of roses but there are still some available if you look around. If you wait until the last minute, you can get a Valentine’s Day cash card and slip cash on it, or buy a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant.
Creamy Strawberry Valentine’s Day Salad
This is a colorful salad for Valentine’s Day, simple to make and original. You will need one can (three ounces) of strawberry jelly, one cup of water and (pineapple juice), one can of mashed pineapple, (drain and reserve juice), one cup of boiling water , two cups of strawberries (puréed), two small containers of strawberry yogurt. Combine strawberry jelly, one cup boiling water, one cup cold water and reserved pineapple juice. Let stand until it begins to thicken. Add two cups of strawberry puree, strawberry yogurt and crushed pineapple. Stir, put in a bowl, refrigerate for three hours. top with dollops of Cool Whip.
Sparkling Valentine’s Day Red Punch
For a bowl of fizzy Valentine’s Day punch for a party or gathering, mix two bottles of Strawberry Fanta, two cans of Red Hawaiian Punch, two bottles of Sprite, two teaspoons of Strawberry Flavor . Make an ice ring from a two-liter bottle of Strawberry Fanta and a box of Red Hawaiian Punch and pour into a tube mold and freeze overnight.
Siberian kale is the best in winter
The February cold only makes Siberian cabbage sweeter, and it can even be harvested with a layer of snow on it. Siberian kale can be finely chopped and tossed with ranch dressing for an unusual salad. Unlike kale, mustard and other greens, Siberian kale has a certain sweetness to it, a cut above other winter greens. A cover of crushed leaves or grass clippings between the rows of kale prolongs the harvest until winter and will make the harvest neater.
Mid-February to prune fruit trees
By mid-February, the vines and fruit trees are dormant, making the vines and branches or branches bare and clearly visible and making it easier to see what needs pruning and pruning. This will help trees and vines produce more fruit and also make it easier to harvest fruit. Another benefit is that trees and vines will look much better. Cut off limbs that rub against each other and limbs that grow too tall to make the fruit out of reach for harvesting. Cut limbs all the way down so you can get under to mow and rake. Usually there are a few pleasant days in February, so pick one of those days and prune and prune the trees.
Spray dormant oil on fruit trees
After pruning fruit trees and vines, add a finishing touch to the task by spraying them with a spray of dormant oil. This spray will coat trunks, branches, branches and vines with an oil that protects trees and vines from insect, borer and worm infestation. This spray comes in bottles and is mixed with water according to the instructions on the bottle. Pick a sunny, windless day to apply the spray. Cover the trunk and limbs from bottom to top. Apply when no rain is forecast for several days. A good coat will make the limbs smooth and shiny.
Start a row or bed of lettuce
Lettuce is a tough winter vegetable that will produce a quick harvest in about 45-50 days and will survive the cold and winter soil. You can buy lettuce in packets for less than $2. There are many varieties of lettuce, including Iceberg, Black Seeded Simpson, Grand Rapids, Buttercrunch, Red Sails, Salad Bowl, and Oak Leaf. You can sow seeds in a small bed or a short row and a small area will produce plenty of lettuce. Lightly dust the seed in a furrow about two or three inches deep, cover with a layer of peat moss and apply Garden-Tone or Plant-Tone organic plant food and tamp the soil on both sides of the furrow and tamp down with a hoe blade. Feed Miracle-Gro Plant Food after seeds germinate.
Winter’s back will soon be broken
On Tuesday, February 15, Old Man Winter’s back will be broken as we reach halfway through winter. There are still plenty of cold bites and icy breath, but on the schedule we are halfway through. Even with winter halfway through, February is still the month of hard frosts and ice in the mud holes, plus a few days of snow to get everyone excited.
Seeing bees in winter is rare
Winter may be half over and most bees are huddled together in hives or hollow trees for warmth. That doesn’t mean they hibernate. On a rare day in February, when the sun is shining and warming above freezing, some bees may venture out of the hive or dig in to activate their wings and explore a bit. We have a fragrant Carolina jasmine at the edge of the garden plot with fragrant bright yellow flowers and in February we sometimes see them around the jasmine flowers. We don’t think they venture too far from their hives in the winter, but cabin fever might cause them to shut down a bit. A small meteorological tradition indicates that if you see bees buzzing in mid-February, it is also possible to experience cold wind as well as rain. Later they might go back and bring some snow to make things interesting! After all, there is still half of winter.
Beauty, benefits of snow
Perennial flowers and cold weather vegetables enjoy the arrival of winter snowfall, as well as children and many adults. We have a list of reasons why everyone should love snow, and the list goes on: 1) Snow is fluffy, white and beautiful, covers up anything ugly and beautifies what is already pretty. 2) Children love snow and the mere mention of snow excites them and they look forward to it. 3) Snow kills overwintering insects, eggs and larvae, diseases and fungi. 4) Snow covers the lawn and garden with a white blanket and adds nutrients to the soil. 5) Snow covers pots, containers and perennials and makes them look like snow cones. 6) Snow is the main ingredient in Carolina Snow Cream. 7) Snow insulate perennial pots and containers and protect them from harsh winter conditions with a blanket of snow-white insulation. 8) Snow also boosts business and the economy by creating a sudden craving for bread, milk, eggs, chips, dips, deli meats, junk food, cereals and cookies. 9) We can’t prove it, but we have reason to believe that winter snows subtly promote a response for seeds and items for the upcoming gardening season. 10) The snow makes the sun shine brighter and the landscape looks like tiny sparkling diamonds. 11) An atmosphere with snowflakes is much easier to breathe.
The sun is red like a pumpkin head!
“The sun is red like a pumpkin head, and it shines so your nose won’t freeze.” This is from Dean Martin’s song, “A Marshmallow World”. A red sunrise or sunset in winter with snow on the ground is always a beautiful sight. Every day in winter, when the sun goes down, we gain an extra minute of daylight. The sun melts snow even on cloudy days, not from heat, but from ultraviolet radiation. Yes, even in the marshmallow world of winter, the sun does its job.
Watering plants in a sunny living room
Christmas cactus, snake plant, asparagus and panda ferns thrive in the sunny living room all winter long. With a small glass of water every week and Flower-Tone organic flower food once a month, they are alive and well. Ferns should be pruned every two weeks to encourage new growth.
Hoe hoe hoe
“Horse game.” “Doctor, you must help my husband,” said the woman, “He thinks he is a racehorse. He wants to live in a stable, he walks on all fours and eats hay. The doctor said, ‘I am sure I can help him, but it will be very expensive. The woman said: “Money is not a problem, he has already won two races!”
“Wrong place.” A drunk driver phoned highway patrol to report someone had broken into his car and stolen the dashboard, steering wheel, brake, gas pedal and emergency brake. Highway Patrol was puzzled and they sent an officer to the scene. Before the officer arrived, the drunk called a second time and said, “Never mind, I got in the back seat by mistake.
Full Snow Moon is Wednesday
A snow-white full moon will rise in the eastern sky on Wednesday evening in a bare tree-lined horizon and perhaps live up to its full snow moon name. It can even be adorned with a halo with stars inside. The night should be cold, creating a silvery glow of moonlight.
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