What's Bloomin?

 

I love these Giant Black Swallowtail Caterpillars - they love eating away at my dill, and since I don't use dill that much I don't really mind. They critters are just so beautiful and fun to watch up close.

 

My front yard. We replaced almost all of our grass over the years with Sunshine Mimosa. It's a Florida native groundcover that is drought-tolerant, requires no fertilizers or chemicals, and no mowing (although it will take mowing if you want to mow). Plus, it's gorgeous when planted in mass like this, I adore the pink flowers every morning when the are still sparkling in the dew and throughout the day as they glow with happiness from all the sunshine. That's Gallardia (Blanket flower) in the background which is also a Florida native.

 

 The beautyberry bushes are getting ready to show off their brilliant magenta berries this fall. As soon as they are ready I'm going to harvest them for a batch of soap, I can't wait.

 

Elderberries - not too many left since the birds have gotten to them. I also made some infusions for my Elderberry Lip Balm and hope to combine some of these with the Beautyberries for a batch of soap.

 

This is what graces our front door entrance area. It's called Fiddlewood and the fragrance is amazing. The white flowers are visited by butterflies and bees throughout the day, and the delicate white flowers look stunning against the shiny evergreen leaves.

 I hope you enjoyed a little walk around my garden today. Do you have any native plants near you that are your favorites? I'd love to hear about them.

Aha Moment - Hair Shampoo

Do you ever do anything kind of crazy like purchase a shampoo from where you get your hair cut? I did that a few months ago, and although it was from a more "natural" type of company, I really just wanted something new, and went outside my normal habit of only using things I make myself. I know, I know, what in the world was I thinking? Sometimes, hair stylists can be soooo convincing.
So, I sort of forgot about this, and I just wasn't able to figure out why my hair wasn't looking/feeling like it's old self lately. I never questioned that it could be my shampoo. The shampoo I spent $28 on!
 That is, until my daughter dumped out all the shampoo into the bathtub, and my shampoo bottle was empty.

What's a mom to do? I grabbed a bar of Rosemary Rhassoul Shampoo Soap, and scrub a dub dub. I can't believe I have been without using this wonderful bar for so long, why why? The main ingredient, Rhassoul Clay works wonders. It smooths the hair with its multitude of minerals, removes excess oils and toxins without stripping the hair of its natural moisture. Unbelievable! And the Rosemary essential oil is outstanding when it comes to normalizing and rejuvenating hair follicles.

Now I know why this bar is always so popular in the summer (we were sold out for awhile in June). For those of you who swim, are outside in the sun, and using heat/styling tools, there can be a great deal of wear and tear on the hair shaft, causing breakage and split ends. I encourage you to give this natural shampoo bar a try. It's a true gem in the world of shampoos. Fun, easy to use, and you'll love the results! Happy Showering!

Oh, and for more information on Rosemary Rhassoul soap, click here.

Southern Comfort: A Sweet Sugar-free Lemonade to Beat the Heat

Stevia Lemonade Recipe

Want to spark up your party with a healthy, delicious recipe? Here's one I've been enjoying a bunch this summer, and my kids just love. Noone will even notice it does not contain sugar. Instead it contains Stevia, a zero-calorie natural sweetener from the Stevia plant, which I also have growing in my garden. Be sure though when buying Stevia that you are just buying Stevia. Some Stevias on the market now also contains other sweeteners so it's not just Stevia! Yikes! I love the liquid form made with a glycerine base, it makes it easy to disperse into liquid beverages such as this. I hope you enjoy!

Lemonade with Stevia
6 Lemons
6 Cups Water
2 Tablespoons Stevia (about 4-5 drops per cup of water)

I usually use a ratio of 1 lemon to 1 cup water, so if you want to make just a single serving for yourself in a pinch, you can use 1 cup water with 1 lemon, juiced. Then, add about 4-5 drops of Stevia per cup of water, and garnish with ice, fresh mint or a slice of lemon. I hope you are enjoy all the sights and sounds of summer! Have you ever experimented with Stevia before?

An Oldie but a Goodie Summer Craft

This summer my kids are out of school and we are having fun days with lots of arts and crafts. Here's one of our latest creations that's fun and easy to do.

1. First attach a coat hanger or wire to your pine cone by wrapping it around the top. I like these bendable wires because they are so easy for kids to use.

2. Fill a large bin with bird seed and begin coating your pinecone with peanut butter.

3. Roll your peanut butter pine cone in the bird seed and coat it as much as possible.
4. Hang on your favorite tree and remember that it's there, so you can see what interesting birds it will attract.

I hope you are all having a great summer. Are you doing any fun summer activities or crafts?

Rainy Summer Days and a Burst of Color

 Yesterday I was walking outside and saw this Scarlett Hibiscus (a native Florida wetland plant) in full bloom. What a sight! It always blooms on the dreariest of days, making a spectacular display for all to enjoy.

I love how it contrasts with the Dune Sunflowers in the background. I hope this brightens up your day too!