ATTENTION WINTER FLOWER GARDENERS!

In my working years, I always had a group of African violets in the window. They didn’t need much of anything but water, and they were there to cheer me up on dreary winter days. They even did double duty as table decorations if someone came to dinner. That all changed when we retired. Going South for two or three months in the winter wasn’t conducive to indoor gardening. But there comes a time when you can’t make that long trip back and forth every year. The good news is that you can have indoor plants again. Attention winter flower gardeners! Now is the time to pot your amaryllis bulbs.

When the pandemic came along in the winter of 2020, the plants that kept me going were the amaryllis I’d saved from last year. They aren’t like any other indoor plant.. They’re magical and mysterious, and only bloom for a short time. But when they blossom on a freezing day in February, they will lift your spirits like no other. Because they’re gorgeous.

Attention, winter flower gardeners! Time to pot your amaryllis bulbs. — Attention winter flower gardeners! Now is the time to start your amaryllis bulbs to bloom during the holidays.

This is the month for amaryllis lovers to get busy. Right now, I have ten bulbs stored in the basement from last year’s crop. There’s plenty of potting soil in the garage, but I must think about pots. I have lots of those little plastic flower pots, but a few of them are black. Ugh. That’s not very decorative. Took them out on the deck and sprayed them with some bright green paint left from last spring. Now is the time to plant.

Attention winter indoor gardeners — Attention winter flower gardeners ! Moisten the soil, fill the pot a little more than half full and set the bulb on top. Add more soil, leaving the top 1/3 of the bulb exposed.

You want some amaryllis blooming for Christmas, and others to come out all winter until daffodils bloom in the Spring. Here’s the trick. Once you plant the bulbs , you stagger their growth, which won’t happen until the potted bulb is heavily watered, just that first time. And then you wait. It takes 6 to 8 weeks for leaves to emerge before the flowers actually bloom. During that time, it will need very light watering, only once a week.

I’ll start one pot every week beginning in late October. If I’m lucky, four or five will be in bloom during the holidays. Come January, I’ll start one more. Then another in February. . Sometimes, an old bulb will let you down. It may only produce leaves, or not grow at all. That’s part of the mystery.

Toward the middle of December, stores like Menard’s and Wal Mart are selling amaryllis bulbs at half price. So of course, I’ll replenish my supply and rotate their growth during the winter months.

Attention winter flower gardeners! Get those Amaryllis bulbs out of the closet.

May 7, 2021May 7, 2021

OLD DOG LEARNED 10 NEW TRICKS

No one can predict how much time we’ll spend on this earth, but there’s a general perception that everything goes downhill after 80 years. In some ways, that’s true in regard to physical capabilities. There’s arthritis, high blood pressure, and all those other physical conditions that the elderly must cope with. However, this old dog learned 10 new tricks after her 80^th birthday. Since that milestone, I have learned to:

1. Start a blog. This was like learning a whole new language. I could never have done it without the generous help of younger folks at Ivy Tech Community College and the Vigo County Public Library.

2. Make a smooth omelet. My omelets were always lumpy and falling apart. Finally, I went on You Tube and learned the secret is using a blender to whip up the eggs before pouring them on the skillet

Old Dogs Learn 10 New Tricks. You can learn to play Mahjong after 80 — Old Dogs Learn 10 New Tricks. You can play Mahjong at any age.

3. Play Mahjong. I was a bridge player since college. Years ago, I attempted to play Mahjong, but soon gave up, as it seemed too complicated. And then, three years ago, I was lucky enough to find the right teacher. I still enjoy bridge, but Mahjong is just as challenging, without the pressure of pleasing a partner. And you can play online!

4. Navigate Netflix. We started sending for Netflix CD’s several years ago. But when the pandemic hit, we kept hearing about all the Netflix series that could be streamed . It seemed way too complicated, but a Netflix customer service person walked me through all the details. Binging on a Netflix series like Bridgerton helped us through the long winter of Covid-19 isolation.. We’ll be watching less TV this spring, but I’m so glad I learned how to stream.

5. Rebloom an amaryllis bulb. Three years ago, my husband ordered a pot of amaryllis just in time for Christmas. I had never seen anything so miraculously blooming in the winter. After reading the instructions, saved the bulbs, and repotted them the next winter. It was exciting to see the leaves shooting up slowly, and 6 weeks later when the flowers bloomed again. Now I’m hooked. My basement has nearly a dozen bulbs hibernating until next winter.

6. Stop a nosebleed. My husband is prone to them because he’s on blood thinners. Usually, we called the doctor if it happened. But during the pandemic, we didn’t want to sit in a doctor’s office with other patients. We got online and found this advice: : Have the patient lean forward, not back. Take a cotton ball and soak it in liquid nasal decongestant. Put the cotton up the nostril that’s bleeding. If you have a nose pincher, use that. Otherwise, pinch with your fingers. Within 15 minutes, the bleeding has usually stopped.

Other new skills acquired were: 7) Online banking: transferring money and paying bills via the internet, 8) Practicing daily meditation using the Calm app. 9) Texting messages and sending photos on my cell phone 10) Completing jig saw puzzles.

If you dread turning 80, or have already reached that milestone, just remember: It’s never too late for old dogs to learn new tricks.

January 6, 2021January 6, 2021

6 THINGS BRING HOPE FOR 2021

Everyone agrees that 2020 is a year we would rather forget. The social isolation of the pandemic, and subsequent economic and mental anguish has brought the entire world to a standstill. And yet, 6 things bring hope for 2021.

1. Indy just landed the entire NCAA Men’s Basketball tourney. Who says Indianapolis is a hick town? This tournament is usually played throughout the country in March. We’re talking 67 men’s college basketball games, all to be played right here in the State of Indiana. Love it that Indy Governor Holcomb met with NCAA President Mark Emmert and planned the whole thing back in November. Proud to be a Hoosier, and hoping more exciting things will happen for our State in the future

2. Seeing a friend fight cancer. Some forms of cancer have a worse prognosis than others, and this was a bad one. The median survival is only 8 months. And yet he’s still here after 2 years. . We’ve watched him go through chemo, and bravely battle the disease. He walks and prays daily, keeps an upbeat attitude, and can still drive, travel and enjoy life.

3. Indoor gardening. I love seeing greenery inside the house on dreary winter days. Lots of hanging planters in the windows. I have enough amaryllis bulbs to last through Spring. Watching the buds and leaves slowly emerge , inch by inch, gives me something to look forward to each day. And when the gorgeous flowers finally bloom, I feel a surge of joy.

4. Mastering a mean omelet. I’ve always loved omelets, but never could get one to turn out smoothly. Mine always fell apart somewhere, and ended as a jumbled up mess on the plate. Finally, I found an omelet lesson on you tube that actually worked. My cheese omelet last night was smooth, perfectly done, and slid right onto a plate. I’m not too old to improve my cooking skills.!

5. Vaccine. 2020 has been a lost year for everyone. Too many people have died from Covid-19. My grandchildren missed out on a whole year of in-person schooling.. Folks have lost jobs, are going hungry, and losing their homes. The vaccines for Covid-19 give us hope for a return to normalcy by the end of this year.

6. 2020 election is over. The spam phone calls from politicians at all hours of the day and night have finally stopped. I’m still getting emails from The Trump folks, but I believe those will end after Biden’s inauguration. Whether or not you like the outcome of the election, you won’t have to endure all those invasions of privacy by activists who call, knock on your door, post on your Facebook, and clog up your email account

Better things are coming in 2021!

October 28, 2020October 28, 2020

9 THINGS TO DO IF HOME ALONE

With winter coming on, a recent retiree asked my husband, “what do you do all day?” He felt exasperated because he’s an outdoor person. The Covid-19 lockdown didn’t bother him much until now, because he could hike, play golf, and easily find things to do while socially distancing. But now, he’s wondering how to make it through the next few months while stuck inside. Here are 9 things to do if you’re home alone during the pandemic.

1. Make Your Bed. Why bother, if no one but you can see it? Because making your bed gives you a sense of accomplishment and normalcy. Anyway , who wants to climb back into a tangled mess at night.

2. Exercise. Maybe you have some home equipment, like an exercise bike. But you really don’t need it. There are tons of stretching exercises you can do, plus ones using weights. Make it a habit, fifteen minutes, first thing in the morning.

3. Jigsaw puzzles are good for your brain because they exercise both side of your brain. If you have a computer, you can do them online at places like jigzone.com. and listen to the pieces fall into place. It’s fun, and free!

9 things to do when home alone. Do a puzzle at jigsaw.com — 9 things to do if home alone. Try a jigsaw puzzle at jigzone.com. It’s free!

4. Prepare nourishing foods. It’s tempting to live on cheese and crackers or cereal. But that’s boring and unhealthy. Make fresh fruit smoothies. Try a new recipe–something fancy and unusual. Dream about the day when you can have a dinner party with a dazzling new dish.

5. Do something creative. Learn woodworking online or with a book from Menards.. Paint pictures, knit, sew, crochet. Write your memoirs, start a scrapbook, make a collage with favorite photos—the list is endless

6. Get out of the house. Unless its pouring down rain, sleet, or snow, bundle up and get a breath a fresh air. Fill your lungs with oxygen and take a short walk. The change of scene will lift your spirits.

7. Read books. If you’re bored with “formula” novels and Chicklit, go back and read the classics. How could anyone tire of Tolstoy?

8. Start an indoor garden. I began one last year with pots of amaryllis. They don’t start growing until you water them, so they can be staggered to bloom all winter. I had gorgeous fresh flowers from December through March. Spider plants, ivy, and philodendron provide fresh greenery on dull winter days–and they’re good for the air.

9. Redecorate. Paint your bedroom pink. Order some new curtains on Amazon or buy them at Walmart. Refinish some furniture.

One of these days, we’ll have a vaccine, and new medicines to fight the virus. In the meantime, there are nine good things to do if you’re home alone this winter

January 15, 2020January 15, 2020

SENIORS: SAVOR LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES

While you’re young and active , it takes a lot to make you happy. A big wedding. A new house. Buying a late model car. Giving birth to healthy children. When that phase of life passes, you look forward to a busy retirement. Many people ditch their homes and spend their golden years exploring the United States in a big, expensive RV. But what happens when you can’t do those things anymore? When your horizons narrow, it’s time to refocus and enjoy the little things. Seniors: Savor life’s simple pleasures.

Although you own a car, driving at night or an the interstate isn’t an option. But , you can still drive to the river and take a long walk Or have a picnic in the park. How many times does a working person take time for such leisurely activities? Yes, they might run or power walk because that what’s people do now to keep fit. But it’s really not as much fun as watching the ducks swimming across the water while you sit with the sun on your face.

Going out to dinner at a fine restaurant was once a weekly highlight. Now, a steak dinner with French fries is liable to keep you awake all night with heartburn. It’s not much fun to eat out when everything is covered with butter or cream, or loaded with Mexican spices. If you still enjoy cooking, it’s time to enjoy those old fashioned recipes that are easy on the tummy. As an example, there’s nothing so delicious as Swiss Steak. Choose a thick cut of lean round beef and simmer it all afternoon. ( You can leave off the gravy if you get heartburn). Find some low fat, low calorie recipes in an old cookbook or on the internet. You won’t miss those fancy restaurant meals at all. And you will certainly sleep better.

When your horizons narrow, begin to focus on the little things in life — If you can’t go South for the winter, bring Amaryllis bulbs back to life and watch their blooms unfold while the snow falls.

Indoor gardening is a great joy when you can no longer drive South in the winter. Right now, the stores are full of potted tulips and hyacinths. Lately, I’ve been having fun with amaryllis bulbs stored in the basement last fall, and revived to re bloom this winter. . It’s exciting to see those little buds coming up out of nowhere, and watch them inch their way up to a beautiful, vibrant flower.

How often does a working person or busy retiree take the time to read a good book? The average person only reads one book a year! But now, those long winter afternoons provide a chance to go back and read the classics once again. War and Peace. Anna Karenina. Vanity Fair. Moby Dick. Wuthering Heights. You may have had to read these books for a lit class, but this time around you can enjoy going back and lingering over every word.

Now is the time to get creative. Paint pictures. Knit scarves. Write a blog. Compose a poem.

Finally, get back in touch with childhood friends and relatives. Maybe you can’t get together in person, but you can still write letters and talk on the telephone. A surprising number of seniors have e mail, and know how to text.

Now is the time to focus on all the simple things you were too busy to enjoy before. Fix yourself a hot cup of tea and watch the snow fall..

Seniors: Savor Life’s Simple Pleasures