An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: A Snatch of Witchy Fiction

An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: A Snatch of Witchy Fiction: As we speak, I just wrote the following hook:  "Ho do I get myself into these things?" sighed Mariah.  she was an unemployed fee l.

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"Just One Look," and Feeding Holly While Ditching Malware; Dr. E's Greening Tips

I'm still trying to get rid of the malware ads; I did figure out if you keep hitting cancel, it will go to the ad, then you can hit the back button on your browser to read my blog. You have to keep doing this, but you do get to see the blog. I've contacted blogger and Goolge, but can't get rid of it, so I also post on Memoir, Writing your Life Story, another of my blogs.

Emily Doll from A Little Princess, public domain image

There is a chill in the air as we hit Mid-August. I long for fall but loathe winter. Not as many plants this year, but trying to nurture a thriving, twining pumpkin vine and a couple of interesting peppers. I have a two toned red and cream mini rosebush doing well, and several fairy gardens with plants, some monrovia that attracts monarchs and a yellow swallotail, and some very pretty colias this year. Marigolds and snapdragons did not have a good year at all, and we could find no black flowers.

One holly plant and a boxwood that is not an evergreen were blasted by below zero, unseasonaly cold temps two winters ago. I have used ferti-lome evergreen food on both; desperate times call for desperate measures. Both are coming back very slowly, and I'd say it isn 't about landscape, but survival.

Violae, public domain image

This last statement reminds me of Harlen Coben, and something he might write on survival, and of his quote on artistic inspriation from "Just one Look." I might add, that, for me, artistic inspiration is survival:

"Loneliness, the precursor to boredom, is conducive to the creative process. That was what artistic mediation was all about--boring yourself to the point where inspriation must emerge if only to preserve your sanity. A writer friend once explained that hte best cure for writer's block was to read a phone book. Bore yourself enough and the Muse will be obligated to push through the most log-filled of arteries" (27).

I think I'm there; Oh, Muse, where are you?!

Micro Mini Hulk carved from Human Hair; public domain image

From ferti-lome Evergreen Food:

For Narrow leav ebergreens like arbor vitae, fir, hemlock, juniper, larch, red cedar, spruce, taxus, yew [think mourning pics and "Eleby in a Country Churchyard:"

Boston Commons Graveyard; public domain image

"for plants 1-3 feet in ht, apply 2 caps full per plant and water well. For plants 3 to 6 feet in ht., apply 4 to 6 caps full and water well. For plarger plants 6 to 12 feet in ht, apply two caps full for each foot of et by punchng holes around the plant and filling with recommended amoutn of Evergreen Food. Water in well."

Phantom Petunia, public domain image

You should also try to avoid root damage by culitvating too deeply. I apid $8 for a four lb. bag. It seems to help.

Good Luck!

About.com Newsletter for August 10th

Public Domain Image

Joe Spencer Collection and Soft Sculpture Here are a couple newly discovered dolls from Gallerie II, and a memoir of someone who helped me along in my own collecting.  A recent interview with Elizabeth Ann Coleman for Antique Doll Collector Magazine Blog reveals that Ann Coleman is researching ceramic porcelain shoulder heads for her most recent project, so here is an update of an article on china heads and all their variations. Finally, as I continue to uncover great finds, I include an encore performance of a tribute to my mother, who encouraged my collecting in all things. More soon about another estate collection, recent find, dolls for fall, and auction updates.  Remember, I try to answer all emails, but give me a few days turnaround, and note I am not a dealer or professional appraiser. I'm just someone, like all of you, who loves dolls!  Happy Collecting!   Ellen Tsagaris Doll Collecting Expert

Joe Spencer Collection for Gallerie II of Gathered Graditions. Joe Spencer Folk Dolls for Gathered Traditions are delightful works of affordable doll art. If you love holidays, especially Halloween, you will love these original soft sculpture creations. Our thanks to Ryan of Gathered Traditions, too.  Read More READ NOW

Uncle Tony and the Supermarket Bride My beloved Uncle Tony was a big brawny man who worked construction and who bid on dolls for me at auctions.  Read more. READ NOW

Earth Angels of the Doll World; China and Ceramic Dolls This first of three articles about china heads discusses the earliest known Venus ceramic figure through modern examples made in the 1960s.  Many collectors are still interested in traditional china heads, even so-called low-brows.  Sometimes, I'd like to see statistics on how often these dolls were reproduced.  Any ceramicists out there who can help out? READ NOW

Mother Daughter Doll Collectors My mother became a default doll collector, who rescued, dressed, and returned their innocence, to dolls. She was also skilled at dressing dolls and repairing them, and she had an eye for the unusual.  Do you have photos of dolls your mothers have made that you would be willing to share with me for a gallery? Email them to me at your convenience. Thank you! READ NOW

Looking for Dolls in all the Odd Places! Here is a post on some strange places where I've found dolls lately.  Keep your dolly radar beeping, and never give up the search!!

Doll Museum: Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: When Toys Bring Smiles;J...

Doll Museum: Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: When Toys Bring Smiles;J...: Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: When Toys Bring Smiles;Jaden and 33,000 Toys : Today on CBS' Sunday Morning was a story that summed up wha...

Antique Doll Collector Magazine: Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Newsletter for August 2n...

Antique Doll Collector Magazine: Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Newsletter for August 2n...: Dr. E's Doll Museum Blog: Newsletter for August 2nd on Toy Soldiers, Auction... : Newsletter Week of August 2nd ...

Great Article on Tropical Hibiscus also for Dr. E's Greening for the Common Person

From the Martins at Logee's:

Growing Outrageously Colorful Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) 

By Laurelynn Martin and Byron Martin 

    

History These large, eye-catching, dinner-plate sized hibiscus represent the words "tropical Hibiscus 'Black Dragon' (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid) flower" better than any other. Originating in Asia and the Pacific Islands, Hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia and the state flower of Hawaii. Decades of intense cross breeding with the rosa sinensis species has produced some unbelievable multi-colored blooms. The American Hibiscus Society was formed in 1950 to promote, develop and improve upon the hundreds of varieties that were quickly emerging. Single vs. Double There is both single and double flowering tropical hibiscus in the rosa sinensis species. The 'Fancy' cultivars have growth habits of both upright and spreading. Within this group, reside two general forms: the brightly colored, usually sold colored single blooms (sometimes double) that propagate easily and are often used as seasonal potted plants as well as tropical landscape shrubs. These are often sheared to hedges in frost-free landscapes. Hibiscus 'Voodoo Queen' (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid) The second form has much larger blooms, which have a diverse mixture of colors and patterning usually single but sometimes double and are often delightfully eye-catching in their beauty. These plants make excellent container plants where they often can be enjoyed on a deck or patio or grown inside year-round in the northern climates. Their abundant array of colors are exciting to watch as many will turn different colors as the blooms age. The multi-colored blooming hibiscus plants are often slower in growth when compared to their landscape counterparts and a bit more difficult to propagate. At Logee's, we focus on the multi-colored flowering varieties because of their outrageous beauty. Hibiscus 'The Path' (Hibiscus sinensis) Light Level The cultural requirements are the same for both types of hibiscus. They require full sun for optimum growth but they will grow and flower under partial sun that is half a day or more of direct sunlight. Of course, flower production does suffer some. For best results, a southern exposure with full sun will produce the most flowers over a season. As the days shorten, during winter in the north, often times plants will stop bud formation as the light intensity is not strong enough. Flower buds can fall off as the plant as it doesn't have the energy to continue their development. Temperature Hibiscus need warm temperatures: Above 60°F or higher is preferable, although they can take dips into the 40's or high 30's. Do not grow under continuous cool temperatures because they will suffer and even die. Water requirements At Logee's, we grow hibiscus with a wet to almost dry cycle when watering them. Simply allow the soil to become visually dry between waterings (but avoid a severe wilt) and then thoroughly saturate the potting mix. If this is done on a constant basis, the plants will thrive and the root systems will remain healthy. Fertilizer Dr. Earth Exotic Blend Organic Fertilizer As hibiscus plants are relatively fast growers, they need regular applications of fertilizers throughout the growing season. A balanced fertilizer, either in a liquid form which is added to the water or a granular organic that is top dressed on the soil, will do the trick. Formulations like a 7-9-5 with trace minerals or an organic 6-4-6 will produce the most flowers and growth. Also, a pearled, slow release fertilizer works well to release nutrients continuously over a couple of months. Remember during the active growing season, spring to fall, hibiscus need consistent fertilization for the highest flower production. Soil Requirements Most peat based potting mixes that are available work well for growing hibiscus. They are slightly acidic and generally have a starter fertilizer included in their mixture. The standard potting mix is a combination of peat, perlite, and vermiculite. Hibiscus 'Kona' (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hybrid) Insects Hibiscus plants are susceptible to various insects. Whitefly, spider mites and aphids are the most common, along with thrip under certain conditions. It's important to monitor the plants closely, especially when they come inside from their outdoor summer growth. A spray with neem oil can eradicate most problems but it's best to do preventative sprayings before their move inside. Pruning Pruning needs to be done to encourage a bushy form and maintain height and size. This can be done from early spring to early fall, although pruning will slow down flowering as the buds form on the growing tips. We find that a late winter/early spring pruning will give time for the new growth to form flower buds. Leaf Color Hibiscus 'Delta Dawn' (Hibiscus rosa- sinensis hybrid) Some cultivars leaves turn yellow caused by environmental stress or edema. The mature leaves up and down the stem turn yellow and the leaves fall off. This condition will not harm the plant; it will just look sparse for a bit. Pay attention to the humidity, soil moisture and day and night time temperature differentials. Usually leaf yellowing happens during the change of seasons but once the season shifts, new healthy leaves will appear. Sources http://www.trop-hibiscus.com/agnlinfo.html http://americanhibiscus.org

To view all the Logee's Hibiscus, click here.

On the River and for Dr. E's Greening Tips for the Common Person Blog

From the 1 Mississippi Newsletter:

Protecting Traditions By Making New Ones

July 21, 2015

Hello River Citizens, 
On hot summer July days, many of us turn to our local creeks, rivers and lakes to cool down and have some fun. Going swimming is as much of an American summer tradition as apple pie and Independence Day fireworks.

Unfortunately, too often these days we see lakes and beaches closed due to algae blooms which make it unsafe to swim. These algae blooms are triggered by extra fertilizer running off cropland. The Mississippi River acts as a highway for these excess nutrients, transporting them to the Gulf of Mexico and creating a dead zone where little life can survive. Tradition demands we protect clean water for future generations to enjoy as well, so this means we have to clean up our act.

So what changes have we made to improve and protect clean water?

Individually, last year 80% of River Citizens reported supporting local farmers who integrate responsible farming techniques like preventing erosion and reducing or eliminating fertilizer from running off their land into local waterways. More than half of River Citizens also reported reducing their use of fertilizer, planting rain gardens to help filter pollutants and voting for leaders who support River friendly programs. (Share your actions in this year’s River Citizen survey, and be entered to win an autographed award winning Roadtrip with a Raindrop book about the Mississippi River by fellow River Citizen Gayle Harper.)
We are doing a great job at taking action in our daily lives, and collectively we are also influencing national policy. 

• River Citizens spoke up about the importance of the Farm Bill on water quality by:
  
  
  • supporting programs like the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program which provide assistance to farmers plan and implement conservation practices
    
    
  • reconnecting basic conservation measures to receiving crop insurance (in fact, now a record number of farmers (over 98%) practice essential conservation methods)
    
    
  • helping designate the Mississippi River as a Critical Conservation Area, one of the eight areas to receive targeted funding to improve the health of the soil, wildlife and water
    
    
• River Citizens supported clarifying the Clean Water Act to protect the River’s tributaries and wetlands since we cannot have a heathier Mississippi River unless we keep the waters feeding into it clean.
   
• Members of the Mississippi River Network spoke directly to members of Congress and other government agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers in February and in June to advocate for scientifically sound River policies to protect the communities and wildlife along the River. 

Farmers Making A Difference

This month we learned the forecast for the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico is still nearly 2,000 miles larger than our national goal. It will take time, but gradually thoughtful practical programs like the one’s mentioned above will decrease the size of the dead zone and make our neighborhood lakes and creeks swimmable again. This progress shows there can be new traditions established to improve water quality.
They are important steps forward, but the issue is far from being resolved; so we will continue to alert you when there is an opportunity to support policies that improve the River’s water quality.
For now, let’s celebrate laying the groundwork for decreased nutrient pollution by hearing about the progress being made in farm practices from farmers themselves. Watch these excellent videos created by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) about the progress of Mississippi River-area farmers: “Farming the Upstream” and “Protecting the Gulf.”  
In time, our Big River will no longer be the highway to the dead zone. 

Annette Anderson
1 Mississippi Campaign Manager

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In other news: we are happy to announce Maria Lee has joined 1 Mississippi as the Outreach Assistant based in the Twin Cities. Read more about Maria and her connection to the River on our Team Page.

 Feel free to email her or your local Assistant with questions or to volunteer!

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Trivia Question:
River Citizens are taking responsibility for their corner of the world by changing their lawn care habits or adding new ones. Besides planting rain gardens, what are other ways we can help reduce flooding and improve water quality?
a. Utilize permeable pavement
b. Dig ditches called swales to move and store water
c. Plant trees
d. Plant native plants
e. All of the above
Find out the answer in this month’s featured blog, “7 Ways to Reduce Your Land’s Impact On Flooding”