Roses in Winter

No peevish winter wind shall chill, no sullen tropic sun shall wither the roses in the rose-garden, which is ours and ours only. ~T.S. Eliot

I have a question from a reader to answer today, plus I added a few tips on using roses and rose hips during the holidays. Last week we had a blizzard, then ice and sleet. I certainly hope our weather cooperates this week! The snow is beautiful, as long as I don't have to drive on it. Stay warm and safe this week as you finish your holiday preparations.

My wedding is in a year and I was wanting to use red rose petals that guests could eat. They will be used on a wedding cake.What would you recommend? ~Tina

First, the roses HAVE to be untreated in any way to be used as food. The best ones to use are your own, so you know they've been grown organically. If you can't do that, then check with local florists. You can use fresh whole roses, rose buds or petals on the cake as long as they are safe to eat. They will need to be as fresh as possible and kept chilled until the reception. Place them on the cake at the last minute, unless you could keep the entire cake chilled with the roses already on the cake. You can Royal or Butter cream icing to attach the flowers.

As an alternative you could crystallize the rose petals. There is information on that process here: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/crystallizing-rose-petals

Christmas & Winter Arrangements

As long as we are on the subject of flowers I thought I would toss out some ideas for using plants and flowers during the holiday season.

Rose hips can be used in centerpieces and flower arrangements. They can be ordered from florists or found on your own rose bushes. You can also look for wild rose hips, but those are usually quite a bit smaller. Combine them still on the branch with greens for a rustic look or place them in bowls mixed with other natural items.

Roses are always beautiful any time of year. For the holidays try combining roses with greens in a holiday themed bowl for a pretty centerpiece. If you have a holiday teapot you can cut the roses and combine with greens for another charming centerpiece.

On OFL we have an article on using rose hips:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/rosehips.html

~Brenda

Helping Out Our Feathered Friends

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. ~G.B. Stern

Many of us feed the birds during the cold weather, but they also need water in the winter despite the snow around them. Always provide clean water with no additives. Place it in a shallow container that is less than 3 inches deep. You can add small pebbles to the bottom of the container to give it texture and keep the surface from getting slippery. If you have a deck or a windowsill that you can access easily in the winter, you can add fresh water daily. Consider the location of the water so it's not accessible to cats or other predators. As with feeders, it helps to place the water about 10-12 foot from a shrub or bush.

You can buy a special heater that will warm the water and keep it from freezing. Be sure it's a UL listed heater made for this purpose and it should be plugged into a outdoor socket. It should have a safety feature or an automatic shut off in case the water goes dry and use grounded plugs.

The sound of dripping or running water will help attract birds and a simple way to do this is to drill or punch a hole in the side of a bucket near the bottom (but not on the bottom) so the water drips into the birdbath. You can hang it from a shepherd's hook over the birdbath.

Birdbaths can be made out of many things including trash can lids, ceramic, clay or terra cotta saucers, pie plates etc. If the surface is smooth then be sure to add a layer of pebbles or sand. Wash your birdbaths on a regular basis as they become soiled.

On OFL we have more tidbits on backyard birds:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/stations.html

~Brenda

Home & Hearth: Feeding the Birds

Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings. ~Victor Hugo

Birds have a tough time during cold, harsh weather, especially when the snow is covering their food and the insects are dormant.

The first thing to do is wash your feeders with a stiff brush and a solution of one part bleach to nine parts warm water. Rinse well afterwards and dry. Wet seed can really clog your feeders and it can grow bacteria. Another note on old seed--in the spring be sure to rake or sweep up the old seed and add it to your compost or waste pile. Once your feeders are clean it's time to fill them with seed and put them up.

Feeders that are on poles or stakes should be at least 5 foot off the ground and not too near trees, bushes, fence etc. They should be about 8-10 foot from any surface that would provide a place for cats or squirrels to jump from. Though you should have some type of bushes, trees or evergreens beyond that 8-10 ft. area that the birds can use to safely perch. Provide a few different feeders and you will have a nice variety of birds to watch.

Seeds that will really provide the best nutrition for the birds and a good selection of birds for you to watch will be black-oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, millet, niger (thistle) and suet. If you want to limit what you buy, go with the black sunflower seeds. It will attract woodpeckers, blue jays, goldfinches, purple finches, titmice, nuthatches and chickadees. Cracked corn and seed on the ground, or a seed table or platform that is lower to the ground, will attract the mourning doves,juncos and bobwhites. If you have a tree stump you can put on a plastic pot tray, securing it with a screw or nail, and use that for a feeding platform. It's always neat to try different types of feeders to observe which ones are used the most and what birds are attracted to them. You can make simple feeders out of milk jugs, bleach containers, soda bottles etc. Always make sure they are washed and rinsed well.

Visit OFL to read about Chickadees in Winter:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/chickadee.html

Hodge Podge Day: Kitchen & Laundry Tips

To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring. ~George Santayana

I live in south Louisiana and have had a huge problem with drain flies {some people call them fruit flies}. I don't care what they're called, they are VERY annoying. I've had a problem for months and months now. First time I've ever seen such a creature. Anyway, I had them by the dozens and could NOT get rid of them. I tried all the remedies I could find after researching the Internet, talking to people, etc. Everything, that is, short of taking my drain apart and putting it back together again as one helpful Internet site recommended. I finally found something that seems to work. I read an advertisement selling a book on the wonders of hydrogen peroxide. An idea hit me! Peroxide kills germs and cleans wounds, etc., why not try it on the flies. If it cleans drains, could it possibly kill those pesky creatures living in my drain? Well, I tried it and it did!! The first time, I put about a third of a bottle in every drain in the house - only one time. After that first time, I just put a "dribble" drain twice a day. I put it down the drain in the AM before I leave for work and in the PM as part of my bedtime chores. Yea! No more drain flies. ~Fran

To remove oil dripping from concrete plain old laundry detergent can be sprinkled on the oil enough to cover the dripping - wait overnight and the oil is absorbed from the concrete by the powder. ~R. Schnell

I carry a gallon handled container in my car during the winter filled with Oil Ease, (grit for cleaning up the oil messes on the garage floor) Sometimes, I find that Kitty Litter is too slick. When I get shopping and step out of my car I sprinkle it by my car and when I come back out, it is all melted and I can get back into my car without slipping! Sometimes when it is icy, I sprinkle my way right into the store!! I also carry a child's shovel which comes in handy when they don't clear the parking spaces in our town, it is sometimes impossible to get over the snow pile. I am 70 and would not want to fall. Spring is coming! ~Ginny

Our appliance repairman told us to use only a couple of tablespoons of liquid detergent in our front loader and he was right. The clothes still get clean if I put extra soap on any stains and use the presoak cycle. He also told me that detergent that doesn't rinse out of clothes can cause an allergic type of itching and he was right again. The smaller amount of detergent helped and saved us lots of money, too. ~Lynn

On OFL you'll find tips on cleaning your frig coils:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/refrigerator.html

~Brenda

More Helpful Winter Tips

It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts. ~K.T. Jong

I decided to share these tips for alternatives to ice melts (some have chemicals that can harm pets and leech into the ground as well.) today. I had shared them in past years, but it came to mind after I fell TWICE yesterday in our driveway. Under the fluffy white snow was very slick, smooth ice. After the ice tips I also have more winter tips I found while looking through emails.

We live in northern Michigan and use chicken grit for ice on walkways. It doesn't bother the dogs' feet. We use the fine and get it at the grainery. It's less than $7.00 for 50 lbs. ~Shar

Ice melt solutions. I use either sand or sawdust from our shop (make sure there are no nails!) on our driveway and sidewalks. It gives enough traction on the ice so we don't slip. It also seems to warm up enough around it to use the sun to melt better. The best solution is to put the sand or sawdust down before the ice freezes. This way it shovels off better! There are minimal environmental effects to plain sand or sawdust (as compared to salts). Sand and sawdust are free and they work just fine, so I don't bother looking for anything different. Just a note, salt does not work when the temperature is below about 15 degrees F. so don't bother putting any down - it will just end up in the lawn. ~Lorraine From Wisconsin

Last year, here at work, instead of using salt on the sidewalks,we used cracked corn. It helps prevent slipping and the birds get their bellies full. Plus, after they're done, there is no mess to clean up! ~Jennifer

MORE ON WINTER HOME CARE
That was an excellent article on maintaining your heating appliances. Two more tips for your readers. Buy a good carbon monoxide detector for each floor of your home. I work for a plumbing and heating company and each year we see needless tragedies because someone didn't have a CO detector. One family in our area died because someone left the car running in the garage underneath all the bedrooms.

The second tip: Have your heating unit serviced each year. Not only will this help maintain the unit but a good service company will also make sure the unit is in tip-top shape and working at peak efficiency. With the cost of fuel being so high that translates into more energy dollars in your pocket. ~Kelly Bailey, Zimmerman Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.

We have tips on cleaning a kid's room in less than 15 minutes a day:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/cleaning7.html