www.instagram.com/reel/CnTF_ImIZ8R/
Check it out. Very genius…,,
20 Friday Jan 2023
www.instagram.com/reel/CnTF_ImIZ8R/
Check it out. Very genius…,,
20 Friday Jan 2023
Posted Gratitude, Helpful Tips, Houseplants, LOVE, Reflections, Sharing, Today's Update
inTo 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!
08 Sunday Jan 2023
Posted Cookery, Handmade, Helpful Tips, Sharing, Today's Update
inWe 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”’
07 Saturday Jan 2023
Posted Art, Gardening, Helpful Tips, Sharing, Today's Update
in
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05 Thursday Jan 2023
Posted Helpful Tips, Reflections, Sharing, Today's Update
ingood 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.
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.
05 Monday Dec 2022
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
02 Friday Dec 2022
Posted Birds, Blooms, Helpful Tips, Sharing, Today's Update
inWe 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!
22 Tuesday Nov 2022
Posted Blooms, Gardening, Helpful Tips, Professional Services, Today's Update
inHello 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”
22 Tuesday Nov 2022
Posted Garden Tips, Helpful Tips, Professional Services, Today's Update
in
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
•••••••••••••
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!
22 Saturday Oct 2022
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