Friday greetings, friends!
Great line-up today beginning with:
STEPHANIE’S CHIC ON THE CHEAP
I love Stephanie’s Xeriscape planter pots tips! And they look so cool. Pretty sure I can do that and will!
I’ve planted many, many planter pots of flowers over the years and water in the morning, but by mid-afternoon they don’t look so perky and I can almost hear them whispering, Water, water, water please. Poor babies – of course – I grab a watering container or hose and give them more gulps of water. Sadly, no matter how hard I try being water girl, by end of summer, they just didn’t survive the heat. Boo!
However, there’s a new plan around here thanks to Steph’s insider tips!
AND I totally love the rock garden idea in a large, cool, flat, natural looking container — collected pieces from past adventures – future adventures OR simply flat-out buying them from an online source and incorporating all to become a signature masterpiece here at my home.
Thanks, Steph! Keep your innovative ideas headed our way because we are FANS!
QUICK QUESTION
What’s something I do that some may find odd or humorous? Well, I save envelopes from bills or advertisements I get in the mailbox and use the backs of the envelopes for grocery lists, to-do-lists, reminder notes that I magnet tack to the ‘fridge. I think it’s kind of like recycling, yes? At the very least it’s re-purposing. Works for me! How about you?
8-YEAR-OLD-PAPER ON GRANDPARENTS
I smiled from ear to ear reading this little 8 year old’s paper as it is so beautifully true and brought back numerous memories of my (our) grandparents who were the coolest, kindest, patient, grey haired people on the planet. So many life lessons learned from them – including – and – especially LOVE.
BROWN DERBY COBB SALAD RECIPE
Is the OG. I stumbled across this recipe years ago from a recipe book that was specifically dedicated to recipes requested over and over again from readers of the Los Angeles Times most popular food column Dear S.O.S. Indeed, I have made this salad many, many times and, yes, it’s fabulous — and the Special French Dressing is the icing on the salad.
I did do a little Google research thing that’s quite interesting regarding the original (now gone) Brown Derby Restaurant outta Hollywood back in the day. Here’s a little fun click and read to even more inspire you to prepare the ORIGINAL Brown Derby Cobb Salad *click*.
THANK YOU ALL
For popping in on this Friday to give us a read. We feel your love and we love ya back.
Ready?
Set?
Enjoy the Read.
STEPHANIE’S CHIC ON THE CHEAP
EASY GARDENING
Hi There!
I love for my yard to have lots of plants! However, I don’t love high maintenance plants that require a lot of pruning and watering.
My backyard has lots of sun, so I decided to plant native Texas sun loving plants that require very little upkeep.
I plant(ed) Texas sage * click for visual * on the side of our deck with small river rocks as my ground cover instead of mulch.
I have a huge Yucca plant on the other side of the deck with a large area where I also use small river rock for my ground cover.
I grow lantana * click for visual * and rosemary *click for visual* in pots on the deck. All of these plants require very little water. They grow best in dryer soil.
I also grow cactus in containers. Almost all of my cactus I dug up from the ground. Some are from Texas and some are from Oklahoma. These cactus are ones versus the ornamental cactus you buy at the nursery and way more hardy.
One of my cactus plants I have had for more than 20 years. My son dug it up for me from a field he was hired to mow when he was 15. This was my first cactus that began my love for cactus.
I am going to share with you a few of my cactus gardens which my husband calls, “My Little Deserts!”
PIC #1
Is an old fire-pit that we were not using anymore. The larger cactus with the red berries on it is the one I have had for 20 years. (I did drill some drainage holes in the bottom of the fire-pit – and also put crushed granite in the bottom.) You can add cactus sand to your soil. But I did not. I just used regular potting soil and they do just fine because they are native cactus and they are pretty tough; they withstand the winters. No need to cover them or bring them indoors.
PIC #2
Is another “Little Desert” in a container my son made for me from a hollowed out piece of wood. (I’m about to have to separate the cactus in the middle because it’s growing out of the container. I will separate them and plant them in other containers.)
PIC #3
I planted 2 ornamental cactus I purchased at a nursery. I do have to bring these 2 inside in the winters. They can’t handle temps below freezing. They were the size of a golf ball 2 years ago and now they are the size of a softball.
PIC #4
Now, if you don’t want to water at all and no maintenance — make yourself a rock garden! My sons and I collected all these rocks when we went on trips. Some we purchased at rock shops and some we found on our rock hunting hikes. They still like to pick them up and look at them and talk about the trips we took together when we found them.
If you want a super easy yard to maintain — stick with native plants in your area!
HAPPY DAY!
~ Stephanie’s Chic on the Cheap column is exclusive to Daymaker Readable Art
Feel free to ask questions or comment in today’s episode to Stephanie
QUICK QUESTION
WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU DO THAT
OTHERS FIND ODD OR HUMOROUS?
8-Year-Old Writes Best Paper Ever on Grandparents.
This is Priceless.
Question posed was — What is your grandparents role in your life? Do they live under the same roof as you? Have you made your parents grandparents as well. Here’s something that we’re sure grandparents of all ages will enjoy.
An 8-year-old wrote the following about grandparents:
Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children. They like other people’s.
A grandfather is a man and a grandmother is a lady!
Grandparents don’t have to do anything except be there when we come to see them. They are so old they shouldn’t play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to the shops and give us money.
When they take us for walks, they slow down for things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.
They show us and talk to us about the color of the flowers and also why we shouldn’t step on “cracks.”
They don’t say, “Hurry up.”
They answer questions like –“Why isn’t God married?” and “How come dogs chase cats?”
When they read to us, they don’t skip. They don’t mind if we ask for the same story over again.
Everyone should try to have a grandmother, especially if you can’t watch television because they are the only grown ups who like to spend time with us.
They know we should have a snack-time before bedtime and they say prayers with us every time and kiss us even when we’ve acted bad.
GRANDPA IS THE SMARTEST MAN ON EARTH! HE TEACHES ME GOOD THINGS, BUT I DON’T GET TO SEE HIM ENOUGH TO GET AS SMART AS HIM!
It’s funny when they bend over you hear gas leaks, and they blame the dog.
~ from my old email thread collection
BROWN DERBY COBB SALAD
Cobb Salad was made famous by an equally famous restaurant, the former Brown Derby. There have been many impostors since, but Cobb Salad has remained king long after the original restaurant closed.
SALAD
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 bunch watercress
- 1 small bunch curly endive
- 1/2 head Romaine
- 2 TBSP minced chives
- 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 chicken breast cooked, boned and diced
- 6 strips bacon, cooked and diced
- 1 avocado, peeled and diced
- 3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled
- Special French Dressing – recipe follows
Chop lettuce, watercress, endive and Romaine in very fine pieces. Mix together in large wide bowl. Arrange chives, tomatoes, chicken, bacon, avocado, eggs and cheese in rows over lettuce. At table pour Special French Dressing over salad, toss and serve. Makes 4-6 servings.
SPECIAL FRENCH DRESSING
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
Combine water, vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Worcestershire, mustard garlic and oils in a large jar with a lid. Chill. Shake will before using. Makes about 1 1/2 cups
I am all for low-to-no landscape maintenance and love Steph’s wonderfully creative ideas. Especially the back stories of how some of the rocks/containers came to be. Such wonderful memories.
What others might find strange about me – I collect interesting bottles and really good boxes because “they might be useful someday.” I now have a closet full of really good boxes, some I’ve had 15 or more years, and yes, they occasionally do come in handy. 😉
Happy weekend y’all!
Yes! Steph’s low maintenance landscaping ideas are super cool.
And, Carol, believe it or not — once again, you and I have similar thoughts. I also collect a lot of “really good” boxes that I have a pull down attic full of – Peter put them up there as I handed them to him one by one. And they totally come in handy when it’s birthday or Christmas present shipping time.
And then I started collecting more in my “bonus room” which were overtaking the bonus room. ha Our city used to have great recycling spots – which no longer remain. Not sure why. So I called my garbage service and they offered to me a one time charge of $5 to come and pick them up and properly recycle. I counted over a hundred large, extra-large, medium and small.
However, I still have all the “really good” valuable boxes stored in the pull down attic and they’re not going anywhere save for shipping and wrapping gifts purpose!
Appreciate ya, Daymaker friend!
Happy weekend 🙂
Hi Carol! I keep my really cool boxes too and I have a small collection of colored vintage bottles that I decorate with. Great minds…..
The Grandparents article is so sweet!
Stacy, great minds indeed!
Today’s Question: WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU DO THAT OTHERS FIND ODD OR HUMOROUS? Here’s one of mine. When attending a meeting that courtesy says, “Mute your phone,” I leave something on the car seat that will cause me to think upon my return, “What in the heck is that doing there?” “Oh, of course my phone is muted” That’s it.. odd but true.
Marty – really a cool idea for remembering to unmute the phone! Thanks for the suggestion.
Stephanie’s old fire-pit with added drilled drainage holes is a super idea. Even though I don’t have one, my friend loves any excuse she can find to go to her weekly beloved garage sales. Last season I had her on a mission to find several old wooden foot stools that I could paint and place here, there and yonder for potted plants OR simple for me to sit on while pulling weeds. Perfecto! Thanks Stephanie Daymaker.
Love the idea of painting old foot stools! Easy, decorative and cheap! Thanks Marty!
The cob salad looks so delish I’m definitely going to try it. Great find on the original Cobb salad recipe????????❤️
Hi J!
Hope you make this “OG” original Cobb salad recipe. You’ll not be disappointed and can proudly say – “This Cobb salad is the original as you take another bite.”
Appreciate ya so much for reading + commenting + and being part of the Daymaker Readable Art Community.
High Five!