Planting Joy Fest

28/10/2024

amazing sculptures in the world 😱

23/10/2024

need a caption 🤣

20/10/2024

Here are 20 vegetables and herbs you can grow indoors using parts of the produce you would throw away and this can save you a pretty penny the next time you go grocery shopping.
Romaine Lettuce
Similar to celery, keep the base of your romaine lettuce in a bowl with a ½ inch of warm water. Leave it to sit in direct sunlight, and in a week or two, your lettuce stem will produce fresh, new lettuce leaves for all your great salads. Transplant your lettuce to soil to continue growing. They should be full grown in three to four weeks. This process works for Bok Choy as well.
Garlic Sprouts
Are those tentacles?! Nope, those long green things growing out your garlic are green shoots. You can put them in a little water, under a lot of sunlight and grow a bunch of garlic sprouts. They are milder in taste than garlic cloves and are great in salads, pasta and as a garnish.
Carrots
Place chopped off carrot tops in a container filled with a bit of water. Pretty soon, they will begin to sprout delicious greens from the top that are a nice addition to meals. Using a deeper contain and more water, use toothpicks to keep carrots halfway in the water and wait for them to root. Once they root, you can plant them in your garden for a continuous supply!
Turnip
Like carrots, cut off turnip tops and leave them in a shallow container with water until they begin growing roots. This can take a couple of weeks. Once they’ve sprouted, plant them outside the same way you would your carrots!
Sweet potato
Unlike most vegetables, sweet potatoes aren’t started by seed but by slips (or shoots). Clean and cut a sweet potato in half, then place it half in/half out of a jar full of water using toothpicks. Over a few days, your sweet potato will begin to sprout slips at which point you remove them and place them in water to grow roots. You should have rooted slips with the week. Next, plant them in loose, well-drained soil and water every day in the first week, and then every other day (or as needed) the following weeks.
Ginger
With ginger you already have, look for pieces that already have little things growing out of them. With that piece, cut off the parts that look like they’re about to start what’s called a “rhizome” because they’re the key to growing new ginger plants. Growing this food takes minimal effort but does require the right conditions. Warm, slightly humid places like kitchens are perfect. Plant the piece of ginger about 3-5 inches in the soil with its rhizome pointing upwards. Water it regularly. It’s a labor of love and can take up to ten months before you get a sufficient amount of ginger, but its health benefits are more than worth it.
Pineapple
This will definitely take a few years but if you’ve got the time and right climate, why not try? Take a pineapple and cut the flowery “crown” off about an inch below the leaves. Trim around the bottom until you see little brownish bumps (these are the root buds). Before planting, dehydrate the pineapple crown to prevent rotting too soon. Now, with your prepped pineapple cutting, place it in a shallow container of warm water. When the cutting begins to root, replant it into a container with soil and be sure to water once a week. If possible, keep it in a bright, warm place with as much direct sunlight as possible.
Rosemary
Like other herbs, you can regrow rosemary from 5-6 inch cuttings. Place them in water and within a few weeks, there should be enough that have rooted and not rotted. In a 4″ pot filled with damp potting soil, make a 3″ hole with a pen or pencil and place the rosemary cutting gently into it. Because this herb is so delicate, only water it when the soil starts feeling dry. Keep it direct sunlight for 6-8 hours per day because it needs light to flourish. If the soil isn’t dry yet, giving them a quick mist is also okay.
Potatoes
When growing potatoes, you need ones with ‘eyes’ (or slips) growing on it. When you’ve got a potato with a lot of eyes, cut it into 2 inch squares with each piece having a couple of eyes. Leave them out in room temperature for a couple of days to let them dry out to help prevent rotting. In a deep pot, place the cubes 8″ deep with the eyes facing upwards and cover it with another 4″ of soil. As more roots begin to grow, continuously add more soil and keep modestly watered. In as little as 70 days, you should have quite a few potatoes!
Tomatoes
You can regrow new tomato plants that can reach up to 8” feet. Ease the tomato plant out of its pot, trim the low leaves, and place it in a hole, fill it with soil, and do not compress it much.
Celery
To grow this healthy snack at home, cut off the base of the celery and leave it in a bowl with a little bit of warm water. Keep the bowl in direct sunlight, and in a week, your celery base will start to grow leaves. Transplant the celery in soil and watch it grow!
Cabbage
Don’t throw away the bottom of your cabbage head just yet. Just like celery, leave it in a container with an inch or two of water in a well-lit area and wait. Over time, it will start to regrow with no planting required.
Avocado
You can successfully grow an avocado tree from just one avocado pit.
Mint
To grow mint, get a clipping and plant it 3″ deep in a 5-8″ pot of damp soil. Make sure your mint plant is in a slightly humid, sun-exposed room (the kitchen is ideal). Every few days, to allow for the plant to grow evenly, rotate the pot. Within a few weeks, your mint plant should begin to flourish and be ready to be plucked for delicious dishes and drinks.
Lemon
To grow a lemon tree at home, you will need an organic lemon with non-germinating seeds, nutrient-rich potting soil, a planting pot that’s 6″ wide and 6″ deep, a seedling pot that’s 24″ wide and 12″ deep, and a sunny growing location (possibly with a grow lamp).
Mushrooms
Mushrooms can be regrown from spores in the comfort of our home.
Peppers
You can grow a number of hot peppers from the seeds that are leftover. Just collect the seeds from your habaneros, jalapenos or any other peppers that you have on hand. Plant them in potting soil and keep in direct sunlight unless it is warm outside and then you can just plant them in your garden area. Peppers grow relatively fast and don’t require a lot of care. Once you get a new crop, just save some of the seeds for replanting again.
Spring Onions / Salad Onions
You can regrow spring onions in as little as five days. Simply leave at least an inch attached to the roots of your left over spring onions, put them in a small glass of water, topping up the water if it evaporates.
Basil
Got some basil clippings lying around? If they have at least four-inch stems, gather them up and put them in a glass of water under direct sunlight. When the stems grow two inches long, you can put them in some soil in a pot and grow your very own basil plant. No more basil shopping for you!
Onions
Unlike the other foods on this list, onions have to go directly in the soil to grow. Take the bottom end of the onion and plant it in a pot or directly in the soil outside. If it’s potted, water it when needed. The more of a bottom you leave on the onion, the better. At three weeks, the onion will develop roots. By the fourth week. It will sprout leaves.
Photo creds: Simple Bites

14/10/2024

All you need is a little coffee! And now the orchids are blooming non-stop!
1. Understanding Orchid Care: Orchids require specific environmental conditions to thrive. This includes sufficient indirect sunlight regular watering to maintain moisture without waterlogging and maintaining high humidity levels. Fertilizing with products formulated for orchids is also essential.
2. The Role of Coffee: Coffee provides acidity and nitrogen both beneficial to orchids. The acidity helps mimic the natural slightly acidic environment orchids prefer and nitrogen is a crucial nutrient for growth.
Application Method:
3. Brewing Coffee: Make regular strength coffee and allow it to cool to room temperature to avoid harming the plant.
4. Dilution: Mix a teaspoon of the cooled coffee with water to reduce concentration and prevent potential damage to the orchid roots.
5. Watering: Use this diluted coffee solution in place of regular watering every other week to encourage blooming.
6. Monitoring and Adjustments: Watch the plant's response after applying the coffee mixture. If the orchid shows signs of stress (such as yellowing leaves or drooping) reduce the frequency of coffee application.
Adjusting the care routine based on the plant's health ensures optimal growth and flowering.

11/10/2024

Did You Know | In the middle of the Amazon there is a huge stone face and they call it "The Face of Harakbut." Hidden deep in the Peruvian Amazon is an extraordinary enormous face carved into stone cliffs. The "face of Harákmbut" or "face of Harakbut" has been there for as long as we can remember, but it is difficult to locate and access it. It is of unknown origin and is found in the jungles of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve, in the province of Manu, in the department of Madre de Dios, southeast of Peru. For the Harákmbut (Amazonian indigenous people) the face was carved by their ancestors and is not a natural product.

10/10/2024

Your grandmother wore really 'mini' mini skirts, tight hot pants, long go-go boots, bell bottoms and no bra. She listened to Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Janis Joplin and the Rolling Stones. He drove a mini car, rode fast on motorcycles and scooters. She smoked thin ci******es and fat joints She drank G&Ts and Whiskey Shots, walked in at 4:00am - and still went to work the next day..... So however you think you are, you'll never be as cool as your grandma.
Credit Goes To The Respective Owner

10/10/2024

I recently spent $6,500 on this registered Black Angus bull.
I put him out with the herd but he just ate grass and wouldn't even look at a cow.
I was beginning to think I had paid more for that bull than he was worth.
Anyway......I had the Vet come and take a look at him.
He said,, the bull was very healthy, but possibly just a little young, so he gave me some pills to feed him once per day.
The bull started to service the cows within two days……. all my cows!
He even broke through the fence and bred with all of my neighbor's cows!
He's like a machine!
I don't know what was in the pills the Vet gave him ... but they kind of taste like peppermint.
Credit Goes To The Respective Owner

10/10/2024

Is sixty too old to rebuild your life after losing everything?
I lost everything at 65. I had just retired and my husband cheated and became abusive when I found out .( I hired a private detective).
I had to move 7 hours away. I am 70 now, and working, and meeting new people, and doing things I know I would never do had I stayed. New adventures, new skills, new friends. My ex remains unsettled and miserable. So, although I will never gain my financial security back, ironically I am now making more money than I have ever made in my entire career.
But, I’m 70. So, it is bittersweet. Forcing myself to have the best time I can, in the maybe 10 good years I have left of functionality
-ctto-✍️✍️✍️📷

10/10/2024

The night before Thankgiving, I was walking through our basement with an armload of firewood when I saw something that I could not quite believe. It was confusing and heartrending at the same time. A small mouse was sitting upright in the middle of our basement. It was hunched over, hanging its head with its eyes closed, and this may sound crazy, but it looked sad and completely defeated.
I approached it slowly, hoping that it was just fast asleep, drunk on whatever food it had managed to scrounge from our cellar. Sadly, that was not the case. As I reached out a hand to let it know that I was close, it lifted its head, looked up at me sideways, and slumped, hanging its head and closing its eyes again. It made no attempt to move. It was vulnerable and helpless.
As I gently picked it up, it did not protest - it assumed the same position. It looked up at me once, dropped its head to its chest again and closed its eyes. Within a few minutes it was asleep in my hand.
Close inspection revealed an injured rear leg that the mouse was dragging behind it. We consulted with a wildlife rehabilitator who was at capacity but offered valuable advice. She said it was likely nerve damage and suggested a week of cage rest to see if the injury would resolve on its own. So we spent the holiday weekend creating a habitat for and feeding our new guest. And we are seeing significant progress already.
Our guest will be with us for a few more days, until it is strong enough to be integrated with a colony - at that time, we'll bring it to our dear friend Ellen Jareckie, a wildlife rehabilitator and the artist behind House Mouse Designs. She will keep the mouse through the winter and release it when it is stronger, in early spring.
I think it would be safe to assume that many who read this will believe that I am nuts for spending days trying to rehabilitate a mouse, and I understand. But seeing a small, helpless creature in a vulnerable state broke my heart. I had to do something.
___
Update: We adopted Pilgrim - he has a permanent injury so we cannot release him (he cannot run normally). But he is thriving, and he has his own Facebook group now.

Story and Photo Credits: Neil Brogan

09/10/2024

The Power of Art ❤

09/10/2024

Perfectly Timed Photography 👍
Credit to original owners 💐💐

09/10/2024

Thailand 🌴🩵

09/10/2024

The olive tree of Vouves, on Crete. This tree, which has a trunk 15 feet in diameter, is at least 2,000 years old, and likely 2,900 years older, based on the graveyard found nearby. This tree likely lived through the writing of the Iliad, the golden age of Athens, the rise & fall of the Roman Empire, the birth of Christ, it lived during the time of mastodons, the Aztecs - and then lived for 2,000 years after that. It still produces olives.

08/10/2024

A neighbors petunia tree!

08/10/2024

08/10/2024

"I took Stella to Chick-fil-A today. It's our normal daddy/daughter spot. It's clean, so good, and the playground has a tractor beam on her the moment she sees it. When we finished eating and she'd worked up her dessert appetite playing with the other kids, we went back to trade in her toy for ice cream. She wanted to sit at a table to eat the cone (something we usually do in the truck), and I'm so glad she did. We took a booth right next to the spot where you wait for your drink to be "refreshed," and we had a front row seat to this beautiful scene: a homeless traveler had walked in and asked if they had any extra food. Mud was wet and caked on his well-traveled shoes. His hair was matted, and his beard wasn't a statement as much as it was a necessity and a sign that he doesn't get to shave as often as most of us do. People near him kept their distance, but that didn't stop him from being kind. He spoke to people who reluctantly spoke back, and he smiled while he waited on a manager. All I could pick up on of the conversation was the manager saying that he'd love to give him a full, warm meal--not just scraps or extras--, and the only thing he required was that the man let him pray with him.
After the homeless man agreed, there was no waiting for things to die down, there was no scooting anyone to the side. As busy as they were, the manager stopped then and there, laid his hand on the man, and proceeded to pray. I heard love in that prayer. The homeless man wasn't some untouchable stain on business. He was the reason that store opened its doors this morning (or any morning). I asked Stella to watch and she stared. She asked what was happening and when I told her, she bowed her head, too. I realized then and there that Chick-fil-A doesn't simply do business for profits, they truly use business to minister. In a time when companies are trying to win in the market by neutralizing any possibility of offense, CFA is thriving because they unwaveringly cling to their principles and purpose. I love teaching my daughter life lessons, and I also love being there to watch other Christians teach her life lessons. Thank you, Chick-fil-A, for taking care of the latter today."
Credit: JoeynKaren Mustain

08/10/2024

An Airbus 380 is on its way across the Atlantic. It flies consistently at 800 km/h at 30,000 feet, when suddenly a Eurofighter with a Tempo Mach 2 appears.
The pilot of the fighter jet slows down, flies alongside the Airbus and greets the pilot of the passenger plane by radio: "Airbus, boring flight isn’t it? Now have a look here!"
He rolls his jet on its back, accelerates, breaks through the sound barrier, rises rapidly to a dizzying height, and then swoops down almost to sea level in a breathtaking dive. He loops back next to the Airbus and asks: "Well, how was that?"
The Airbus pilot answers: "Very impressive, but watch this!"
The jet pilot watches the Airbus, but nothing happens. It continues to fly straight, at the same speed. After 15 minutes, the Airbus pilot radios, "Well, how was that?
Confused, the jet pilot asks, "What did you do?"
The AirBus pilot laughs and says: "I got up, stretched my legs, walked to the back of the aircraft to use the washroom, then got a cup of coffee and a chocolate fudge pastry."
The moral of the story is: When you’re young, speed and adrenaline seems to be great. But as you get older and wiser, you learn that comfort and peace are more important.
This is called S.O.S.: Slower, Older and Smarter.
Dedicated to all my senior friends ~ it’s time to slow down and enjoy the rest of the trip. 🤗❤
Author Unknown

08/10/2024

A customer asked me how much it cost to do this job....
I answered him: $ 1500
He said: So expensive for this job?
I asked: How much do you think it would cost you?
He answers me: $ 800 maximum... That's a pretty simple job right? !"
- For $ 800 I invite you to do it yourself.
- But.... I don't know how to.
- For $800 I'll teach you how to. So besides saving you $700, you'll get the knowledge for the next time you want
- It seemed right to him and he agreed.
- But to get started: you need tools: A welder, grinder, chop saw, drill press, welding hood, gloves etc...
- But I don't have all these equipment and I can't buy all of these for one job.
- Well then for another $300 more I'll rent my stuff to you so you can do it.
- Okay, he says.
- Okay! Tuesday I'm waiting for you to start doing this work
- But I can't on Tuesday I only have time today.
- I'm sorry, but I'm only available Tuesday to teach you and lend you my stuff. Other days are busy with other customers.
- Okay! That means I'm going to have to sacrifice my Tuesday, give up my tasks.
- I forgot. To do your job yourself, you also have to pay for the nonproductive factors.
- That is? What is this?"
- Bureaucratic, tax, vat, security, insurance, fuel etc.
- Oh no!... But to accomplish these tasks, I'm going to spend more money and waste a lot of time!
- Do you have them? You can do it to me before?"
- Okay!
- I'll make you all the material you need. Truck loading is done Monday evening or Tuesday morning you'll have to come by 6 loading the truck. Don't forget to be on time to avoid traffic jams and be on time
- At 6??? Nope! Too early for me! I used to getting up later...
- You know, I've been thinking. Y ' all better get the job done. I'd rather pay you the $1500. If I had to, it wouldn't be perfect and it would cost me a lot more.
When you pay for a job, especially handcrafted, you pay not only for the material used, but also:
- Knowledge
- Experience
- Study
- Tools
- Services
- Time to go
- punctuality
- Accountability
- Professionalism
- Accuracy
- Guaranteed
- Patents
- Sacrifices
- Safety and security
- Payment of tax obligations
Critiquing the work of others based on pricing is not fair. The fees I would charge for a similar task are considerably higher than what is indicated here, but the emphasis lies in the principle rather than the specific amount.
Only by knowing all the elements necessary for the production of a certain work can you estimate the actual cost.
Credit Goes To The Respective Owner

08/10/2024

Dendrochronology is the scientific method of dating tree rings, to the exact year they were formed. As well as dating them, this can give data for dendrochronology, the study of climate and atmospheric conditions during different periods in history from wood. Dendrochronology derives from Ancient Greek, dendron, meaning "tree", khronos meaning "time", and logia" the study of"
Credit Goes To The Respective Owner

06/10/2024

You can always start again.💚🍃

06/10/2024

“"I’ll never forget what my daughter said after her best friend was subjected to a racist comment on the school bus one afternoon.
'I asked her if she was okay,' my child said tearfully. 'She didn’t say anything, so I just scooted closer.' Reluctantly, she admitted, 'I didn’t know what to do, Mama, so I just hurt with her.'
I hurt with her.
It took me a moment to recover from that.
I filed those powerful words away and continued observing this mighty pair.
Over the past several years, I’ve noticed how they look out for each other. Whether one gets hurt on the playground … whether one is getting new glasses and needs an honest opinion … whether one needs encouragement at basketball tryouts … whether one is frightened by a dog … they respond compassionately to each other’s needs. When one cannot have a treat due to gluten allergies or braces, the other goes without too. And when they have disagreements, they look into each other’s eyes, listen to each other’s words, and work through it.
This summer, the pair went to a new basketball camp. I saw their initial shock when they realized they were the only two girls. Then I saw them fist bump. They played hard, they cheered each other on, they stayed close. As I dropped my daughter’s friend off on that final day of camp, my daughter said, 'Thank you so much for going with me to that new camp. If you hadn’t been there, I don’t know what I would have done!'
Her friend stopped, looked right into my daughter's face and said, 'If you ever have to go to a new basketball camp, don’t worry. I will always go with you.'
Again and again, I take note of what these two friends have to teach me.
And today, I hope the world will take note too.
What if we collectively remember, 'I’ll hurt with you,' is something we can all do when we don’t know what to do?
What if we collectively look into the eyes of our brothers and sisters to acknowledge their story and their pain rather than closing our eyes or looking away?
What if we collectively acknowledged our privileges and blessings would be even greater if shared by our sisters and brothers?
What if we collectively agree it is not “your back” or “my back,” but “our back” if we are to create a unified and peaceful world for future generations?
I think we can all agree there is a lot on the line for our country right now. Unity, peace, progress, understanding, and love are all on the line, and it's hard to know if they’re going to make the cut.
But then my husband sends me a photo. And this is what I see on the line at a local football game.
The goal of this mighty little team is not to win, have the most, or be the best.
The goal of this mighty little team is to love … to love each other as they want to be loved.
The goal of this team is to have “our back.”
For they know they are stronger together than they are alone.
Let us take note.
There’s so much on the line.
But love can prevail."
Credit Goes To The Respective Owner

04/10/2024

"NON RIDERS TAKE NOTE!!!!!
Riders know this, but the general public may not be aware. If you have never been part of a benefit ride you should know at least this:
Bikers PAY to ride. Something they could do for free. But they choose to pay to ride, the fee can be anywhere between $10 to $20 or $30 per person. Not only do they pay to ride, they usually drop a lot of cash for the extras. Raffles, 50/50, and silent auctions, even Toy Runs for kids....
When you witness a group passing by, chances are they're riding for charity or noble causes! Instead of getting frustrated over traffic disruptions or minor delays, kindly bear in mind: They are exceptionally generous individuals!!!
Give them space and your patience. It sometimes helps to have a little reminder about things. So please be patient and smile when you see them because they are doing something good for someone you may know, or for a good cause. ❤️🙏

04/10/2024

Found in Florida! So one of the owners of a hotel, Judi was walking on the beach this morning cleaning up the junk that washed into shore and finds a bottle with a message in it. There is also some sand and 2 one dollar bills. Once we get it open and read the notes we find out that it is in fact NOT sand. It is the ashes of this woman's husband of 70 years named Gordon. She writes that He loved to travel so she sent him traveling in a bottle with a note and money for someone to call home and tell her where he landed. He started at Big Pine Key in March of 2012 and then went to Islamorada where someone found him. ❤
They added a note and sent him traveling again and he landed on our beach in Key Colony. Judi called the wife in Tennessee who was excited to know of Gordon's travels! Judi added her note, we put him in a rum bottle (you know added a little fun to his trip) with the three notes. We added another dollar in case Gordon travels far and a long distance call is needed. We will be having a memorial service or celebration of his life on our beach later today before sending him on his way again." 🥰🥰😋😋
Credit: Allex1337

04/10/2024

No neighbors, no noise, peace and quiet all day long! 😌

04/10/2024

When snapdragon flowers fade and wither, the remaining dried seed pods take on a curious form, resembling tiny, brown skulls. This eerie appearance is a natural result of the flower's unique structure and its bilateral symmetry, making them a popular choice for Halloween decorations and other spooky-themed festivities.

The name "snapdragon" itself is inspired by the flower's resemblance to a dragon's jaws, which appear to open and close when the sides are gently squeezed. This whimsical characteristic adds to their charm and intrigue.

Furthermore, the robust structure of some snapdragon varieties requires the strength of bumblebees for pollination. Honeybees, being smaller and less forceful, aren't able to pry open the blooms. So, if you spot a bumblebee wrestling with a snapdragon, it’s performing the vital task of pollination!

📷 laajala/flickr [A&B], Ross Parry [B], Adobe Stocks [D]