As autumn approaches, and I observe fewer feather guests at my bird feeder, I am reminded of a favorite poem.

The Harvest Moon
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

It is the Harvest Moon! On gilded vanes
And roofs of villages, on woodland crests
And their aerial neighborhoods of nests
Deserted, on the curtained window-panes
Of rooms where children sleep, on country lanes
And harvest-fields, its mystic splendor rests!
Gone are the birds that were our summer guests,
With the last sheaves return the laboring wains!
All things are symbols: the external shows
Of Nature have their image in the mind,
As flowers and fruits and falling of the leaves;
The song-birds leave us at the summer’s close,
Only the empty nests are left behind,
And pipings of the quail among the sheaves.

I hope you have enjoy this beautiful poem by  american  poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, as much as I do!

 

Autumn Lavender in a roll on perfume

Lavender's fragrance is so beautiful, clean and fresh, not heavy or overpowering and appropriate for just about any occasion.
New in my shop for the fall season is a wonderful hand blended roll on perfume oil. It will be available Friday, August, 26

My lavender perfume oil is made using  fractionated coconut oil and lavender essential oil.
Fractionated coconut  oil  is a non-greasy oil that is easily absorbed into the skin. It is an excellent emollient that gives my perfume oil  a smooth and silky feel.

This fragrance in this oil is absolutely wonderful, if you like clean scents you'll love lavender!

Celebrate the changing of the seasons with something new!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EldoradoSoap

Promotional Frenzy Mega Sale Aug 1 - 31

So many fabulous items are being featured in the Promotional Frenzy Team's August Mega Sale. The Mega sale is running from Aug 1 -31 and offers savings of 10% to 25% on beautiful handmade items. This sale is the perfect opportunity to get a jump on your holiday shopping!

Just a few of the fantastic shops participating this month:

vervecolor.etsy.com

nangatesdesigns.etsy.com

CalliopeAZCreations.etsy.com

The complete list of beautiful shops participating in August's Promotional Frensy MegaSale:

1) jQjewelrydesigns.etsy.com - 15% off all items over $20

2) Galla15.etsy.com - 30% off all items over $20

3) SymbolicImports.etsy.com - 25% off orders over $10 (some exclusions apply)

4) CalliopeAZCreations.etsy.com - 20% off everything in the shop

5) KrystalsJewelry.etsy.com - 20% off orders over $20

6) SunnyCrystals.etsy.com - 'Summer Special Offer' section - items already reduced plus buy 2 or more of my 3D Decoupage Cards and receive 10% Discount (refunds via paypal)

7) CrochetedbyCharlene.etsy.com - 20% off all orders

8) NewCreationz.etsy.com - 20% off everything Plus free gift Plus entry in to a draw for a voucher to my shop

9) DellCoveSpices.etsy.com - 5% off everything in the shop

10) BountyofBeads.etsy.com - 20% to 25% off Lampwork Beads, Sterling Silver and Polymer Clay Beads (no coupon coded needed, I am using etsyonsale)

11) PaintedMemoriesByRos.etsy.com - 15% off these sections - BLANK CARD SETS, MATTED CARDS and FRAMED CARDS (also using etsyonsale, no coupon)

12) Bijibijoux.etsy.com - Use coupon code frenzyspecial for 10% off any purchase $8 & UP PLEASE

13) TurtleXIII.etsy.com - 15% off entire purchase, NOT INCLUDING destash which is already super cheap

14) delightfulprints.etsy.com - 15% off everything in my shop, does not include custom orders

15) CrimsonHill.etsy.com - 15% off any order over $10, before shipping with team code.

16) nangatesdesigns.etsy.com - 15% off everything in shop

17) Sewinggranny.etsy.com - 15% off everything in my shop

18) MoanasUniqueDesigns.etsy.com - 10% discount on orders $20 and under, 15% discount on orders over $20

19) lindab142.etsy.com - 10% off of all combined purchases over $15 dollars (except destash and paper items)

20) prodigycrafts.etsy.com - 20% off everything in my shop

21) cigarboxbeads.etsy.com- 20% off everything over $30.

22) vervecolor.etsy.com - 20% off everything in shop before shipping

23) rabbitdogprints.etsy.com- 20% off everything in shop before shipping

24) bloomandbling.etsy.com - 15% off everything in shop before shipping

25) Prittyfy.etsy.com – 15% off any order $20 and up (excluding shipping)

26) iaFlowerPower.etsy.com – 20% off any order $20 and up (excluding shipping)

27) Camillescloset.etsy.com- 15% off any order.

28) TheMayFlower.etsy.com - 20% off on any item in shop (sale price already applied! no need for a coupon code!)

29) Five0101.etsy.com - 15% off on any item in shop.

30) PowersOfLove.etsy.com - 25% off your purchase.

31) BellaTheBead.etsy.com - 15% off purchase of $20 or more (excluding shipping)

32) IdeasBloom.etsy.com - 15% off purchase before shipping

33) KrisKraftnMore.etsy.com - 10% off photography prop orders (before shipping). Buy three patterns get one free.

34) CrystalPhotography.etsy.com - In stock section is 30% off. (Prices already reduced via etsyonsale).

35.) cindydidit.etsy.com - use FRENZYSPECIAL to enjoy 20% off

36.) RomanticThoughts.etsy.com - 15% OFF everything in shop, before shipping

37.) Impactjewelry.etsy.com - 15% off all purchases (before shipping)

38.) ToyStoryNutty.etsy.com (Kater's Acres) - 10% off store prices before shipping

39. justByou.etsy.com - 10% off everything in our shop

40.) desertshinejewelry.etsy.com - 15% off everything in our shop before shipping

41) TheCraftingPlace.etsy.com - 20% off everything in our shop OR Free shipping on orders $20 or more (order must still be $20 or more once coupon is applied)

42) Galla15whatnots.etsy.com - 15% off of all orders over $25 dollars!

43) AshlynDesign.etsy.com - up to 20% off all in-stock jewelry designs (coupon not needed, prices are already reduced)

44) GlitterbirdGlamour.etsy.com - 15% off of all orders

45) craftycreations81.etsy.com - 10% off all orders

46) www.etsy.com/shop/TownandCountryVntage -25% off any item (before shipping and DOES NOT include clearance items).

47) kellyjsorenson.etsy.com ~Kelly Designs~ 20% off all PreMade Logo Designs! Prices already reduced, no coupon needed :)

48) babypenguincreations.etsy.com - 25% off any order $10 or more!

49) laugingpenguincreations.etsy.com - 25% off any order $10 or more!

50) magdamagda.etsy.com - 25% off anything in "ready to ship" section plus free gift

51) IsabellesAttic.etsy.com- 15% off everything!

52) uniquecozytreasures.etsy.com- 5% off everything over $25. All orders receive FREE my eBook, "Vintage Ice Creams".

53) EldoradoSoap.etsy.com - 20% off all orders of $15 or more (before shipping)

54) www.etsy.com/shop/uglyducklingbeads - 20% off selected items in "MegaPromoFrenzySpecials" section.--- use coupon code "Frenzyspecial"

55.) www.etsy.com/shop/desertshinesupply - 15% off all orders over $20 (excluding shipping). Use coupon code "Frenzyspecial"

56) kristinskeepsakes.etsy.com - free shipping for the month of aug plus a free gift! Just enter coupon code "frenzyspecial"

57. LovelaceDesigns www.etsy.com/shop/lovelacedesigns - 15% OFF everything in the shop (except tax and shipping) :-) Use coupon code: Frenzyspecial at checkout **PLUS** All orders will be entered in a drawing for a *FREE* Wooden Letter of his/her choice!! Winner will be announced Sept 5th.

58. pepindor www.etsy.com/shop/pepindor - FREE shipping WORLDWIDE, FREE gift wrapping!!! Enter coupon code " frenzyaugust"

Eldorado Soap  is offering 20% off on all orders of $15 or more (before shipping)

  www.etsy.com/shop/EldoradoSoap

Be sure to visit, browse and enjoy all of these incredible shops!

Citrus Trio

Brand new in my shop today are three of my most popular saturday market soaps. I have packaged them in a beautiful trio which includes pink grapefruit, lemon blossom, and juicy orange.

This set is is summer fresh and available for 10.50 at my Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/EldoradoSoap
If you love citrus, you will love this beautiful set!

hummingbirds

With summer in full swing the hummingbirds are very active around my garden.
So for today's blog post I have decided to talk about hummingbird facts.

• A hummingbird's brain is 4.2% of its body weight, the largest proportion in the bird kingdom
• Hummingbirds can hear better than humans.
• Hummingbirds have no sense of smell.
• A hummingbird's tongue is grooved like the shape of a "W".
• A hummingbird's metabolism is roughly 100 times that of an elephant.
• 30% of a hummingbird's weight consists of flight muscles, Humans pectoral muscles are about 5% of body weight.
• Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly both forward and backwards, Hummingbirds can also hover in mid-air, fly sideways and even upside-down.
• Hummingbirds are only found naturally in the Americas.
• Early Spanish explorers called hummingbirds flying jewels.

These are just a few of the wonderful and interesting facts about hummingbirds.
I have several feeders in my garden and these delightful little birds will frequent the feeders up to seven times and hour. A hummingbird will consume between 1/2 and 8 times its own body weight in nectar each day.

My nectar recipe is as follows:

Hummingbird Nectar Recipe(Smithsonian National Zoological Park)

Directions for making safe hummingbird food:

1. Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water and bring to a boil to kill any bacteria or mold present.
2. Cool and fill feeder.
3. Extra sugar water may be stored in a refrigerator.
4. Red dye should not be added.

Red food dye is often added to homemade solutions. Commercial products sold as "instant nectar" or "hummingbird food" may also contain preservatives and dyes. studies on laboratory animals indicate the potential to cause disease and premature mortality at high consumption rates.
I avoid using any product that contain dyes when feeding my hummingbirds. Big Box hardware stores are currently selling hummingbird food mixes that contain red dye. As a concerned hummingbird observer I would encourage other bird lovers to avoid the commercial mixes.

Remember to change your home hummingbird nectar about every five days in cool weather below 70 degrees.
In hotter weather I like to change it every other day to prevent fermentation of the nectar.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and that your hummingbirds will bring you joy in the garden!

Vote for our beautiful handmade items!

The promotional frenzy team on etsy, of which I am a member, is participating in a contest worth $450 in advertising. The contest is a part of a website called Handmade Top 10.

Members of our team have chosen two of their beautiful items to be featured in the contest list.

We would love your support. You can vote for our team by clicking on the orange colored link below.
There is also an facebook icon located in the upper right hand corner of the Handmade Top 10 page, where you can "like" our contest as well.

Thank you for your support and have a wonderful weekend!

It's a little late this year...spring vegetable gardens

So it is June 22 and the second official day of summer, my vegetable garden should be in full swing. Until a few days ago it was not, lettuce and radish had been refusing to grow, chives were not poking themselves through the moist dark soil, peas lay dormant. April and May in the Pacific Northwest were cold, frigid and much like winter. As a result the soil is still a little colder than it should be for this time of year.

Over the weekend, I built three little hoop houses for my chilly garden soil. In just three days since the completion of my hoop houses, I have seen improvement beyond my expectations.

New zucchini plants are brilliant green.

 

 
My first bean plant has arrived.

Lettuce, radish and chives have yet to make their appearance, however, my tomatoes look gorgeous!

By August I know I will  have a wonderful harvest of salad greens, herbs, legumes and garden roots!
Hooray for hoop houses!!!