After the end of a long and warm summer, the weather is getting cooler. We don't have a heavy winter season here, so this time of the year is so pleasant with the ideal weather. Not too hot and not too cold. Yesterday the neighborhood had many garage sales. I like going to garage sales though I don't always buy things. Sometimes I find good quality tools, so I was specifically looking for a bench top grinder. I didn't find one this time, but I bought a wicker basket and a book. I had been looking for a rectangular or square basket at thrift stores. Mostly they had round ones, and several square ones they had were too expensive. Yesterday I found a square basket for $1. I plan to use this for collecting vegetables from the yard.
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| Recent garage sale finds. |
The book is $0.50. I have a bird feeder that is very popular with birds now. I can watch it from the kitchen window and I find it so entertaining. I keep a pair of binoculars and a bird book on the nearby shelf and write down the birds I see. So far I have seen 14 different types of birds visiting the feeder.
I bought a small teapot for $0.50 at the thrift store and planted an aloe. I keep this in my bathroom.
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| Tea pot planter. |
I also found another tea pot with a hummingbird. This is also $0.50. Initially I was thinking of using this as another planter, but when I looked it up online, EBay has used ones for $15 and up. So I think it is too good to be used as a planter.
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| Lena Liu Hummingbird & Lilies Teapot. |
I haven't decided what to do with this teapot. May be I'll give it to a friend, or sell it, or keep it although I do have two teapots already.
The weekend went by so fast. I graded two stacks of tests, cooked, did laundry and worked in the yard. I had butternut squash and white icicle radish seedlings coming up, so I made a bed and planted squash. I think radish seedlings need to grow a bit more, so I will transplant them next week. I also have two very little broccoli florets coming up. I can't wait to see how it grows - this is the first time I am growing broccoli. It's very exciting to pick homegrown vegetables and cook right after.
Hope you all had a relaxing weekend.
XX
Nil
I love that basket!!! How handy ~ and a bargain too😊 We get real winters so my day was spent in preparation for it.
ReplyDeleteI wish we had real winters with snow. :) Not months though, one or two days of snow is enough.
DeleteSuch a sweet idea to put a plant in a teapot. It's looks good. Hmm, if you like the hummingbird teapot, maybe you could keep it for tea and put a plant in one of your other teapots. Or the gift idea is nice, too, because it's an usual and pretty teapot that someone would be happy to get.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea, Priscilla. I will use one of my other teapots as a planter. I could use another Aloe in a teapot in my office. :)
DeleteWell done on finding that basket. I love going out to the garden and picking veggies straight from the patch. Even better with a lovely basket.
ReplyDeleteI grew broccoli for the first time this year and will definitely be growing it again next year. It sounds like your broccoli is on the way. One thing I remember is to harvest them while still firm and before the little florets start to separate. Similar to cauliflower. The leaves can also be eaten. Looking forward to seeing your first harvest.
Kylie
Thank you for the tips Kylie. I do eat broccoli leaves, but I'm careful not to cut too many leaves at once. :)
DeleteI have an op shop basket for bringing in herbs and things from the garden, too! That hummingbird teapot looks pretty -but do the wings make it hard to hold the handle?
ReplyDeleteAfter I read your comment I went and checked again. You can hold it just beneath the wings. :)
DeleteWhat a lovely teapot. Mine is from a thrift store, too. I love the aloe planter. It looks great. That's fantastic that you have so many birds visiting your bird feeder. The amaranth that I planted seems to attract them. I hope your seedlings do well...Happy gardening.
ReplyDeleteThank you Stephanie. I know you have hummingbird feeders. I have one without an ant guard, so I want to make one before hanging it. There are too many ants here already, so I have to be careful. :)
DeleteThe basket is great. I never understand why people get rid of them as they're always useful for something.
ReplyDeleteWinter is on it's way here with a light sprinkling of snow forecast for this morning. It had better arrive now as I'm getting excited for it! 😆
As they say one man's trash is another man's treasure. lol.
DeleteHope you have a snowy winter then Jules. I think Christmas season is much better with snow. :)
Fantastic bargains, the equivalent of garage sales here is the car boot sale, it is such a great way of recycling isn't it, I rarely buy new any more, I really love the tea pot, If I find things I can make a profit on then I do sell them, but if I saw the beautiful hummingbird teapot I would keep it. I love the idea of planting in other vessels rather than a plant pot.Glad you are getting a good variety of birds visiting you now. X
ReplyDeleteYes Marlene, I love going to garage sales and thrift stores. Like you I almost always buy used things. :)
Deletegreat bargains there, love the teapots! am a collector of teapots & cups & jugs, also vintage ware now; the old lasts so much longer! a lovely basket to collect your veggies & herbs in.
ReplyDeletecame over from Nanachel's blog, had a bit of a read, might check out your recipes later, they look delicious.
thanx for sharing
Thank you for visiting and commenting Selina.
DeleteI also love tea pots, especially the old types like pot belly teapots. :)
Those vegetables you grow yourself and eat right after you pick them are just the best and freshest you can get. It's great, isn't it! At the moment, we are picking Lebanese cucumbers from our garden and they are just so crunchy and fresh, I adore them! I love square baskets too, Nil. I look out for them when I'm at markets too. Meg:) ps. The hummingbird teapot is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love cucumber. How do you use them Meg? I normally add it to salads and sandwiches, but I wonder if there are new ways to cook cucumber.
DeleteThe tea pot with the aloe is beautiful. I love tea pots and have several here. The basket you found is beautiful, I just love baskets. My daughter doesn't want me to buy anymore. LOL...we saw so many at the thrift store today. It's always fun to look at them. :)
ReplyDeleteThrift stores are wonderful to find good deals, but I'm very careful not to buy too many things just because I like it. So I understand your daughter's concerns. :)
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