Amazing Contemporary Hydrangea Arrangement

www.instagram.com/reel/CnTF_ImIZ8R/

Check it out. Very genius…,,

Calm….and creating “hygge”

To create “hygge” in your life there are well known things you can do to bring that sense of calm, and cozy…ness in to  your personal space. And with more of us working from home during these times, it’s essential that you carve out habits and rituals, if you will, that help you bath your inner self in tranquility and real “calm.”

Tea rituals are special. Take the time to visit a true organic market and see about purchasing some whole dried herbs,  such as mint, orange peal, or clove. Experiment and create you own hot tea recipe. If you prepare the blend yourself; the simple act of preparation/mixing and assembling your tea, can bring meaningful ritual into your life. This in itself shows you that you are taking time to do something for “yourself.” This act is so calming and cozy.

While you are at the organic market maybe purchase a revitalizing fragrant candle. We use Lavender scent. But each person has their own preference. Explore and experiment.

Greenery is a terrific way to bring beauty, clean air and a calm feeling into your personal space. An Aloe plant might be a good start. And you can acquire one plant at a time. Learn it; what water it needs, what light it prefers and treat it with calm and tender care. This one conscious act with regularity can bring a peace and calm into your life and make your personal space more cozy and personally inviting. Your little heavenly spot where you visit your “calm” and while there…in your “calm”… experience profound gratitude for your life and your well being. Amen!

Making time for tea,🫖 candles,🕯and greenery🪴can be the beginning of your journey to exploring more Calm. You deserve this calm in your life.

Add beautiful music 🎵 to your menu for calm. Remove clutter, bring light🔆into your personal space, slow down and your “hygge” will find you. A coziness and well-being.

So……give yourself permission to “get your hygge on.” Your own cozy and calm.

Namaste 🙏 .. from “Contessa”

P.S. …… and now that we are “calm,” we will proceed to our 12 Noon Yoga class!

Preparation of Broth/Stock for Chicken Noodle Soup

We have a chill in the air and rain coming tonight  Soup for this week will be welcome. Chicken Noodle is a perfect one, so we are preparing the stock now. A family favorite and it makes about ten servings. Enough to freeze a few small containers for those days when you haven’t prepared anything for lunch or supper and it’s cold outside..
……… its a good thing to do!

Remove the meat after roasting two chickens. Separate white from dark meat; bag and reserve for the soup assembly.

Break up the chicken carcass of both chickens and place in a stock pot. Cover with boiling water. Set the heat on medium high. Add two celery stocks cut up in large chunks, three carrots and one whole onion, also all cut into chunks. Add fresh parsley/a half bunch. Use a pepper grinder to add flavor. Generous amount. We add salt also….but only after the broth has finished cooking, because the roasted chicken already has salt flavoring and you may not need more. We are conserving on salt intake, so each individual serving can add their own later to their taste. In general, over salting takes away from the true flavor of the real taste of many foods. And it’s a healthy option to add it later.

Once the broth comes to a generous boil, cover and reduce the heat to your lowest possible setting. Cover. Avoid taking the lid off as then it cools down. Simmering the broth on a low stove setting creates a very rich broth. Simmer about two hours. You want it to simmer not boil.

Once it’s finished set the pot aside to cool.

Later we’ll give further assembly instructions. So keep in touch with us.

It’s way worth it.  Trust us……

“Contessa”’

THE GARDEN MUSEUM – from the UK

Talk | Alice Vincent: Why Women Grow We are delighted to host the official launch of Alice Vincent’s new book Why Women Grow, a major narrative exploration of the relationship between women and the soil. The book was borne of a determination to tell the stories that have too-frequently been buried in the earth for centuries. Over the course of two, largely locked-down years, Alice visited the gardens and growing spaces of 45 women from all walks of life. Why Women Grow is a collection of these conversations, along with Alice’s own personal journey as she contemplates a new phase of life. She will be joined on-stage by two women from the book, herbologist and chef Maya Thomas, Medical Herbalist and Ayurvedic Practitioner Anne McIntyre and gardener and creator of Decolonise the Garden, Sui Searle, to discuss the reasons why women go to ground. Tues 28 Feb, 7pm Standard £20, Friends / Young Fronds £15 Book add-on available Book tickets Film | Lucian Freud: Wasteground, Paddington (1970) The view from the window at 227 Gloucester Terrace in London was far from bucolic. Painted when the artist was in his late 40s, this abandoned garden in Paddington—then a rundown and densely populated area just north of Hyde Park—captures a story of human and plant resilience. Guest Curator Giovanni Aloi shares what we can learn from this unconventional l garden painting. Lucian Freud: Plant Portraits is open until 5 March Digital Partner Patch Plants Watch more films in our online exhibition

William Pamplin: Nurseryman of Lavender Hill By Thomas Rutter Former Horticultural Trainee at the Garden Museum, Thomas became curious about William Pamplin when he discovered his diaries in the Museum’s Archive. The full article ‘William Pamplin: Nurseryman of Lavender Hill’ appeared in The London Gardener journal (v26). William Pamplin (1765-1844) is today not a name known to most. Yet he was once a celebrated nurseryman acquainted with some of the leading lights in the horticultural world. Pamplin’s diaries, donated to the Garden Museum Archive, cover the period 1827–1841 and paint a vivid picture of the life and times of a Regency nurseryman. On the expiry of his lease on the Pine Apple Nursery in c.1826 on the Kings Road, Pamplin moved his enterprise south of the Thames to what Robert Sweet described as ‘the more airy and healthy situation of Lavender-hill, in the Wandsworth-road, at a pleasant distance from London, and where the choice herbaceous, and other plants, may be expected to thrive much better than nearer the smoke of the metropolis’. Pamplin’s diaries describe not only his growing and purveying of plants but document a range of activities that suggest that metropolitan nurserymen were imaginative and resourceful at a time of great horticultural extravagance… Keep reading A New Season of Cooking Masterclasses Got a new year’s resolution up to up your cooking game? Join us in our Learning Studio kitchen for a hands-on cooking masterclass! Hosted by expert food writers and chefs, the sessions include tastings or a full meal eaten together depending on the course. All profits from our cooking masterclass series help to cover food costs for our community programmes. Coming up this season: Fermentation with Claire Heal | Sun 19 Feb Book tickets Vegetarian Feast with Zita Steyn | Sun 19 March Book tickets Borough Market: The Knowledge with Angela Clutton | Sun 30 April Book tickets Herbs with Rachel Davies | Sun 21 May Book tickets £90 per person, includes all ingredients See all cooking classes Happy New Year! The Garden Museum will be open again from Monday 9 January, and we look forward to welcoming you back this year. But before we get digging into 2023, over on Instagram we’re celebrating some of our highlights from the past twelve months, from show-stopping floral design for British Flowers Week to talking compost at our Spring Plant Fair, and luxuriating in the glamour and beauty of roses. See our 2022 highlights Images: Why Women Grow illustration courtesy of Canongate; Fermentation jars (c) Claire Heal; British Flowers Week 2022 (c) Graham Lacdao

Garden Museum 5 Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB gardenmuseum.org.uk

Learning New

good morning!

A new day to learn new things…CARPE DIEM!

They say you learn something new every day! I wholeheartedly believe this, however when I started to ask myself what did I learn yesterday it was rarely top of mind. It did not lead me to discount this adage; it did make me realize I needed to be more conscience of the information coming into my life. For 30 days I decided to actively keep track of one thing I learned  every day. To make this experiment more robust, I also kept track of where this learning would make an impact (Work, Personal or Both), and how did I learn it (though conversation, an event, or was I seeking knowledge – i.e. a book). Through doing this I learnt far more than 30 things.

• I confirmed that only when I choose to be conscience of what I am learning can I understand the impact it can have on my life, and will have a better chance of remembering it to be able to consciously use it in the future.
• Things that impact me personally, both just personally or both work and personal, are the things I remembered most frequently, as these things have the biggest impact on my life as a whole.
• Although I actively seek out knowledge that is of interest to me every day, most of what I recorded was learning that happened through a conversation or an event. Interactions I have with other individuals always create the most meaning in my life.

This lead me to confirm that we do learn something new everyday; however, I think I realized that we learn so much, and have so much information coming in, we are more naturally selective of what we remember. If I look at the things I choose to write down, they were things that I knew if I could remember them, would have a positive impact on my life and others. Enabling me to create more meaning in the information I receive.

Yes, we learn something new every day; I know I learned at least one new thing yesterday. It was: to ensure that the learnings coming into my life can have a positive impact, I need to create more awareness around what it is, what it means, and the impact it can have on myself and the world around me.

I’ll report back later today on what new I’ve “learnt” today.

How “bout” you?

Seize this day…. on your end….

“Contessa”

cl

Sent from my iPhone

Gardening Ad for Jan/Feb/March, 2023

Today we transmitted our newest Gardening Ad to our community Newsletter editor for publishing in the Jan/Feb and March 2023 publication. It reads as follows:

THE GARDEN CONTESSA, former owner of Contessa’s in DelRay is offering “winter/clean up/tidy“ appointments for the months of Jan/Feb/March. As always our Fall/Winter  “bed cleanup” continues. And as long as temps remain favorable you can still be in touch with us to complete work for you now. Our late fall business was very robust, as more and more of you were planting new things this year. Which means we are getting more requests to help with “putting your beds and plants to bed” for our short Virginia winter period. We will garden, temps permitting, on our warmer sunny days. Please don’t hesitate to call us. We frankly never stop gardening. In March….we start early with your spring garden projects. Spring seems to come earlier every year. We offer (1) FREE 30 minute consult to all Parkfairfax residents. Txt – 703-548-1882 for an appointment. Gardening is our passion. We do it all, large or small. We have been in business since 2005, and as a Parkfairfax preferred vendor, our fairly large client base is friendly and generous, and they will be happy to provide referrals about us, and our variety of services. Contact us by email is you prefer at: ContessasHome@gmail.com
We want to also let you know that you can find us on our BLOG via: Contessas.net. You will enjoy gardening tips and lots of information about plants and gardening, cooking, plant selection, nursery visits with us, and personal reflection and inspiration. And we feature BEFORE and  AFTER gardening projects right here in our community. Please do check out our blog at: http://www.contessas.net

THANK YOU to all our clients for a wonderful 2022 gardening season.

……………

”CONTESSA” says….. it’s a very good thing!

Birds and Blooms – Oct/Nov/Dec

We have copies available for “lend.” Just send us a txt or call us. We are happy to drop them by your location.
703/548-1882

• October features the Barred Owl
• November, the white Breasted “Nuthatch”
• December, the Northern Cardinal 

These wonderful publications feature beauty in your backyard and beyond.

You can learn how to attract these birds, learn about their typical habitat and what you can do in the outdoors to find and photograph these wonderful native species.

We traditionally drop these copies off for one (1) weeks time….to your door,  and then we can pick them up to pass on to our next reader.

“Contessa” says..it’s a very good thing to do!

Gardening Consultations Available

Hello my loyal gardeners,

Contessa here…

Wow, we have had a lot of chilly weather already this year, but we are still gardening and completing late fall “tidy ups.”

The next two weeks look very promising to still give us a call. Appointments are available for December. 

As a reminder, please remember that we offer one FREE consultation to all Parkfairfax residents. You can tell us what you need or wish for, and we can share with you our vision of what’s possible at your property. Planning a consult now helps to get your mindset thinking about spring. And if we meet with you now you’ll be ahead of the game. Planning for you yard/garden is really all about sun/shade, erosion, current shape of your beds, the quality of your bushes/plantings, and your soil.

We love the consult part of the process. Realistic expectations are important and your ideas for your garden are so important to us. We wish to assist you with realizing a perfect outdoor space. So prepare to make notes when we visit. Free advice is a “good thing” so says “Contessa.”  

Be sure to ask for your free consultation when you txt us.  (703-548-1882). We want to serve all of you well, and in a timely manner.

Please book your appointments before the end of November.

Last year we gardened up to the 20th of December, so don’t be afraid to get your name on our December calendar.

Enjoy this truly lovely season while you can over the thanksgiving holiday.

“CONTESSA”

TIPS…..lets’s share ideas….

 

Hello Gardening Friends:

I have offered this helpful post twice prior, but this is a project hat you can do indoors. Tomorrow is going to be gorgeous but cool. This project is a good indoor activity for a chilly fall day.

BTW……Starting today…..I will begin posting some helpful reminders of projects I work on and perhaps they will inspire you to do the same,  After all…. a gardener is perpetually thinking about the next season so keep your mind focused and satisfy your own indoor boredom with your gardening project ideas. Time savers, and cost saving measures. It can’t hurt and it gives you a head start on things you want to accomplish for your new gardening season – 2023. Believe it or not it will come faster than you think.  Such a happy thought……

Check in with me a couple days a week going forward, as I will post my ideas/tips  for gardening. Feel free to call or txt me if you have ideas you’d like to share. And with your permission, I can post them here. I often get in conversations with my gardening folk and comparing notes is so fun. Love to hear from you.  Txt 703-548-1882.
Thank You!

“Contessa

•••••••••••••

What You’ll Need

• 10″ Terra Cotta Pot (weve used an aluminum tub)
• Clean Sand
• Mineral Oil

Begin with  a simple terra cotta pot. The aluminum one I used is about 14 inches in diameter.

Paint it a pretty color if you’re feeling fancy.

Next, working in a large bowl or bucket, mix together enough sand to fill your pot with some mineral oil. You want to use enough oil so that your sand is fairly evenly coated. It should stick together but still have a “crumbly-ish” texture. Place your favourite hand tools down into the sand when you’re done with them.  Each time  they’ll get a little sharper (kind of like when you use sand paper to sharpen kitchen scissors) and they’ll be coated in just enough oil to keep them rust free! It’s truly magic.  Enjoy!

THE GARDEN MUSEUM – U.K.

Houseplant Festival this weekend! We’re filling the museum with our favourite plant stalls for all your indoor jungle needs this weekend – from sustainably grown houseplants, succulents, cacti and orchids to terrariums, beautiful pots, planters, tools and more. Plus a jam-packed programme of activities including: James Wong on indoor ecosystems Jane Perrone on how to propagate your houseplants Barbican Head Gardener Marta Lowcewicz on gardening houseplants in the Barbican Conservatory Free plant swap hosted by London Terrariums Make a terrarium with Plant Designs Sat 22 – Sun 23 October, 10am – 5pm £7 Standard, £6 Friends, £6 Young Fronds Book tickets Our Retail Manager Elef looks through hundreds of images and objects in the Garden Museum collection to design unique greetings cards with. His most recent find is this lithographic illustration from an 1861 book about growing indoor plants. These cards will be among the special selection of houseplant themed ephemera in the Garden Museum Shop this weekend for the Houseplant Festival: books, cards, tools, gifts and more! Book tickets Plant Science Lecture Leif Bersweden: Where the Wildflowers Grow In 2021, Leif Bersweden went on a big botanical adventure around Britain and Ireland with his bike, travelling from Hampshire’s Bluebell woods to the shores of Shetland, to track down our most intriguing and well-known plants, with the people who love them most dearly. Leif’s latest book, Where the Wildflowers Grow, follows him on that journey as he botanises his way through an entire calendar year, meeting our plants, telling their stories and exploring people’s connection to their local flora. Plants are capable of extraordinary things that we rarely hear about or give them credit for, and Leif is here to share their ways with new audiences. This talk, like the book, is all about the joy of engaging with nature, the importance of plants for our climate, and celebrating our unbelievable botanical diversity This talk is part of our new Plant Science Lecture series organised by the Garden Museum’s Plant Science Educator Samia Qureshi.  Fri 25 November, 7pm £15 Standard, £5 Students / Young Fronds Book tickets October Half-Term We have cooking, art, science and nature activities coming up this half-term for all ages, inspired by our new exhibition Lucian Freud: Plant Portraits! Highlights include: Family Art Workshop: Autumnal Trees in Print A monoprint is a one-off print which involves drawing on the back of paper whilst pressing onto ink. We will look at and feel the texture of some of the trees outside at the Garden Museum and collect some autumnal leaves which we can make some rubbings and prints from. We will then experiment with mono-printing using a roller and ink. Be prepared to get a bit messy! Mon 24 October, 2pm £2 per child Book tickets Twilight Bat Walk Hosted by Lambeth Council’s ‘borough ecologist’ Dr Iain Boulton, we’ll be looking for bats and bat activity on this evening walk round Archbishops Park next to the Museum. The walk, which normally lasts for an hour, will use tools such as bat detectors to listen for bats, and hopefully you’ll also see them as your eyes get used to the dark! Find out about the origins, importance and lifestyles of our British bats, and what we can do to help protect and encourage them. Tues 25 October, 6pm £10 Adults, kids go free! Book tickets Magical Moss and Fantastic Ferns Join us to learn about the plant science of moss and ferns! In this workshop we will collect samples of moss and ferns from the tombs and walls in our gardens. Then we’ll examine our samples under a range of different microscopes, looking at fern leaves known as fronds and learning about plant structures and life cycles. We will use the leaves to make fern prints on fabric or paper using paint or hammers which you can take home at the end of the session. Tues 27 October, 2pm £2 per child Book tickets Object of the Week Flowers on a Red Chair (1998), Lucian Freud Freud’s worn-out, red upholstered chair on wheels was a staple in his studio and has appeared in six canvases. A relatively unusual painting for the artist, Flowers on a Red Chair is a poetic meditation on absence and presence and the role flowers play in the aftermath of loss. Casually abandoned on the empty chair, Freud’s flowers gesture towards the inconsistent nature of memory. He may be revisiting the tradition of the Dutch still-life in which flower compositions remind us of death—the memento mori—in a wholly domestic, understated, and very intimate scene. Lucian Freud: Plant Portraits is open until 5 March Book a visit Images: Houseplant Festival 2021 (c) Graham Lacdao; Where the Wild Flowers Grow cover courtesy of Leif Bersweden; Ferns in the Garden Museum courtyard photo by Matt Collins; Flowers on a Red Chair, 1998 (oil on canvas) Freud, Lucian, Private Collection © The Lucian Freud Archive, Bridgeman Images Garden Museum 5 Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB gardenmuseum.org.uk

This email was sent to contessashome@gmail.com