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Tuesday, December 24, 2024

A Review Embracing Nature And Gratitude On Christmas Eve

Gold and white baubles on green Christmas tree

I always think Christmas Eve is a magical time, filled with anticipation and joy. It is one of my most favourite days over the Christmas period.

While it is often a busy day, it's lovely to take a moment to pause and reflect on the beauty around us, especially the wonders of nature, and to express gratitude for the blessings in our lives and remember those for whom this time is difficult.

The Beauty of Nature on Christmas Eve

Life and events and all the preparations for Christmas can be very hectic. By the time we reach Christmas Eve we may try to find a moment to rest, to find peace.

I love to take photographs to capture the particular beauty of the season. Appreciation will be different for everyone, it may be the crisp winter air, the beautiful blanket of snow in the garden, rain on a window pane when you are warm and cosy, or the distant stars in a dark sky.

Nature reminds us of the simple beauty of our world. Whether you're in a snowy landscape or a milder climate, taking a moment to step outside and appreciate the natural surroundings can be a grounding and peaceful, even profound, experience.

Finding Gratitude in the Little Things

Christmas Eve is a perfect time to reflect on the past year and acknowledge the things we are grateful for. Sometimes life is lovely, other times it can be very hard and I am among those this year that have lost loved ones and miss them, this first Christmas without them. I am also grateful that they were in my life and what we meant to each other and that love never dies.

When life is hard, or even when it isn't, we don’t have to look to the big things to be grateful for. Especially at this time of year there can be many small day to day special moments.

The warmth of a cosy fire, good food, the laughter of loved ones, the look of wonder in a child's eyes, a call or message from a friend or family member.

We may find comfort in our faith, connecting with friends across the world, watching birds in the garden, listening to a lovely piece of music, carol singers, a starry night sky, or the quiet stillness of a winter night are all things we can be thankful for.

Winter Trees Against Blue Sky
by RaintreeDesigns

Connecting with Nature

One way to appreciate our Christmas Eve experience is to connect with nature.

This could be as simple as taking a walk in a nearby park appreciating the red and yellow winter berries and shapes of the trees branches against the sky. We might find a scented shrub with tiny flowers and a powerful perfume to amaze us.

It might be listening to the sounds of the night, an owl maybe or birds singing during the day. We may like to feed the birds and watch their appreciation or help at an animal sanctuary. Reindeers and Donkeys are of course also intrinsically linked to the Christmas story in their different ways.

Even going out on a clear night to watch and maybe identify the stars and constellations. These activities can help us feel more connected to nature and a sense of our place in it.

Who knows some of us may even see Santa and his Reindeers running across the night sky with the sleigh!

We also like to collect pine cones, berries and Holly in our garden and on our walks to decorate and bring nature in to our home.

Practicing Gratitude

Often it is easier to recall all the things that have not gone right and I am guilty of that too. However it is healthy to practice gratitude when we remember.

We might write a list of things we have been thankful for this year or give someone close to you a genuine compliment to show them how much they mean to you. We might like to help at a charity for children or older people who need support or a listening ear or give local people who helped you a simple Thank you card or small gift.

It can be useful to spend a few moments in quiet reflection thinking over the year that has gone, the good, the difficult, the special and the ordinary times. How we handled it all and how we have grown with the experiences.

Expressing gratitude in this way can improve our wellbeing, support our relationships, and enhance our well-being.

Snowdrops In Snow Thank You Card
by RaintreeDesigns

A Grateful Heart On Christmas Eve

As you celebrate Christmas Eve, whether we are with family, friends, alone or with our animal companions, a couple, single or part of a big family, working or at home, this day can be special to us.

However you spend your day whether it is busy or quiet, whether you attend any religious or other celebrations or not, let the beauty of nature fill your heart with joy and peace.

It is lovely and fun to give gifts at Christmas and for many of us is a key part of the celebrations. The best part of the spirit of the season is in the love and connections we share with other people, animals and nature and the appreciation for the world around us.

May your Christmas Eve be a special time filled with the wonder of nature with love and joy and peace in your heart.

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Reviewing The Joy And Creativity Of Flower Pressing

I have wanted a hobby for some time that I can pursue during the winter and that is creative.

Most of the year I prefer being outdoors and active, gardening, long nature walks, countryside and beach walks. However in the depths of winter and to be honest as I get older i have felt the need for something I can do that is indoors in the depths of a cold, wet winter and that is creative, but that still relates to my love of nature.

I wanted to pursue something useful and make something. I truly admire those who can knit and crochet and make clothes but while I can do basic mending I have never been so successful at those crafts. I like art and drawing but it is not something I am especially good at. I would love to learn pottery but it is not something I can do at home.

So I was watching a gardening programme and there was a lady who was gathering flowers from her garden for flower pressing! Suddenly it hit me, I could do that!

Flower pressing is a lovely, traditional craft that allows us to gather and preserve the beauty of flowers and leaves from Spring to Autumn which can then be made into decorative or artistic pieces at any time, but especially for me in winter.

So the Flower pressing journey for me started this summer.

Selecting Flowers

The first step in flower pressing is selecting the right flowers. I had to do some research on this as I needed to know which flowers were suitable for flower pressing.

We need to look for blooms that are not too succulent. The reason is that they press well when their moisture is taken out quickly.

So I learned that all Roses and daffodils are excellent choices due to their thinner petals. Luckily I have a garden full of roses in summer though I missed the daffodils this time i can pick those in Spring.

Then it was a case of looking for flowers with thinner petals and I found that Aquilegia, Poppies and Forget Me Nots were perfect and with learning and a little trial and error I found a lovely selection from our garden.

I made a decision early on that I would only pick flowers form my garden. We are losing so many wildflowers from the wild so fast that I do not want to contribute to their loss , so I never pick any wildflowers. I only pick the flowers that I grow and I always leave a lot to set seed for next year and for wildlife.

When to Pick Flowers

I read that for the best results it is preferable to pick flowers when it is a dry day after the dew has evaporated from the flowers , so about mid morning. The worst time is after it has been raining when the flowers are wet and should be avoided.

How To Preparing Flowers for Pressing

It is ideal to prepare the flowers by blotting them with tissue paper carefully in order to remove any moisture. Although I have to say that in my excitement to get going I often forgot to do this step and the flowers were just fine, but for best results I would advise it.

The Flower Pressing Process

I remembered as a child I used to press flowers with my Mum. We used to arrange the flowers with paper and place between the covers of a heavy book like a National Geographic hardback copy. However now we can buy specific flower presses and once my husband realised I was interested in this hobby, he thoughtfully bought me a flower press for my Birthday! I was so happy with this beautiful gift!

I simply placed the flowers carefully and not overlapping onto the paper in the Flower press and placed another sheet of the absorbent paper over it and repeated until the whole book was full. Then gentle and carefully tightened the screws

I always used to think you needed a huge weight for the process to work but it turns out you only need a gentle pressure.

This Happinit Flower Press is really lovely with great reviews and can dry smal petals quite quickly

Happinit Large Flower Press Kit, 6 Layers 11" x7" Even Pressure Flower Pressed DIY Arts, Flower Pressing KitCheck Price

The Waiting Game, Drying and Storing Flowers

We need to have some patience as the drying process takes time, up to 3 or 4 weeks ideally though you can get away with 2 weeks, or with some flower presses and small petals you can manage a few days.

The flower press needs to be placed in a warm dry place indoors. It is advised to check on the flowers every day or every few days, however due to family bereavement I did not check for several weeks and they were just fine.

I think ideally I need at least two flower presses so that I can have some drying and some to work with. I like this Aboofx Extra Large Flower Press

Aboofx Extra Large Flower Press Kit, 11" x 11" 10 Layers Wooden Flower Pressing Kit with Storage BagCheck Price

So I have now reached the stage where I have all my beautiful pressed flowers! In the coming year I will have the whole season of flowers so even more to work with. I am very much still learning what work and what doesn't but I am finding it a very satisfying hobby. The next step is finding out what I can create with the pressed flowers.

Creating With Pressed Flowers

I am thinking of using the pressed flowers in several different ways. First to make a piece of art that I can hang on the wall or if good enough give as a gift.

I could make cards from some of the flowers. I could explore how to add flowers to plain glass vases, though I am not sure how I could then wash them.

Perhaps some of the more crafty people reading this could give me some more ideas.

If you are or you know someone who loves flowers, nature and gardening a gift of a flower press would be a beautiful present. A Flower Press can be an excellent gift for an adult or a child.

I have found flower pressing to be a lovely way to still feel connected with nature even in winter.

I love the process of collecting them and pressing them and now I can see them all again and work creatively with them which is a beautiful hobby that brings me joy.

More Reviews By Raintree Annie

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Reviewing Our Experience And Benefits Of Silicone Soap Holders

Waterfall and flower silicone soap holders grey and white

We have used a variety of soap holders and soap dishes over the years in our bathroom and always felt a little disappointed. Some looked pretty but had no drainage so the soap always had a soggy bottom, others had great drainage but did not look nice. Some were lovely but got broken as they crashed into the ceramic bowl. Some seemed to attract mould or needed cleaning out every single day.

Due to my skin allergies I have to use a soap that does not have any preservatives so if it gets wet and does not dry out quickly I lose this rather pricey soap into a mush, so I really want to avoid that as I really do not like mushy soggy bottomed soap.

So we recently were on the look out for a soap holder that would look nice and organised and have great drainage.

We discovered that silicone soap holders can offer us the best of all worlds. They have decent choice of colours, are sturdy and easy to clean, planet friendly and have great drainage. This meant we wanted to look into it further.

Silicone flower soap dishes in white and grey

Silicone Is Easy to Clean

We found very quickly that these silicone soap holders are so simple and easy to clean. This was very important to us and we feel bathroom hygiene is vital. The material does not absorb water or soap which thankfully helps to prevent mould and soap mush build up. All we do to clean them is to rinse under water and we do also spray with an anti bacterial spray for good measure. We have found them to be the most hygienic soap holders we have ever owned.

Soap Holders With Good Drainage Design

I love the feature of self draining design in our silicone soap holders. It allows any water to simply drain away. We have found the soap is no longer soft and mushy. As I need to use soap that has no preservatives this has been a annoying issue for me with our old soap holders. An added bonus is that the soap is lasting rather longer than it used to.

I particularly like the drainage with these waterfall self draining silicone soap holders. I liked the look of them on the pictures but find them better in real life. They are available in a variety of colours, such as pink, white, black and green. We chose the grey ones to match our decor and give a contrast with the sink and bath.

Coipdfty Soap Dishes, Silicone Shower Soap Dish with Drianage, Bar Soap Holder & Saver Waterfall Self-Draining to Keep Your Bar Soap Organized and Clean (1, Grey)Check Price

Durable and Flexible Soap Holders

Silicone is well known for its durability and flexibility and this is obvious as soon as you handle it.

With plastic and ceramic soap dishes there is a risk of breaking and cracking while silicone soap holders are much less likely to break and also will not harm a ceramic sink if they fall into it.

Silicone soap holders are ideal for us now as my husband is sight impaired and accidents dropping things or knocking items off surfaces happen. With silicone this is not an issue we need to worry about.

This would equally apply to households with children and older people or even pets that might go on surfaces and knock things off. The flexibility of silicone also allows these holders to fit in various spaces, large or small.

These items also caught my eye as being very good and useful and you get Three Silicone Soap Holders Slimmer Waterfall Design in white/grey/teal combinations and variations.

Self Draining Soap Dishes, 3 Pcs Silicone Soap Saver, Waterfall Drainer Soap Holder for Bathroom, Extend Soap Life, Keep Soap Bars Dry Clean & Easy Cleaning (White, Gray, Teal)Check Price

Non-Slip Silicone Soap Holder

We no longer have the worry of a soap dish falling and breaking. The non slip surface on our larger silicone soap holders keeps the soap securely in place and we have found no soap slipping off leaping in to the bath at odd moments!

As we have a shower over the bath and as my husband is sight impaired soap slipping in to the bath while he has a shower is a safety hazard so it was important to us that we solved this issue.

Even when the holder is soaking wet the soap remains in place. On this photo below the soap holder is wet and right on the edge of the bath and it does not fall in.

They also have eco friendly properties being a natural resource and recyclable.

Grey Waterfall silicone soap dish on edge of bath

Soap Holders That Are Good Looking And Great Bathroom Decor

We were surprised at the variety of shapes, sizes, and colours available for silicone soap holders and dishes.

We chose Grey and white as they match our bathroom decor and also provide a good contrast to our white bath and sink. We placed the grey and white flower holders inside each other to give a better contrast visually.

They look neat and smart for us and for when visitors use the bathroom and are lovely to look at and very hygienic.

We love these Silicone Soap Holder Flower Shape and tend to use these on our sink where they are more on display. They are very pretty and practical and are available in a range of colours white, grey, pink and blue which should take care of most bathroom decor styles.

Silicone Soap Dishes with Draining. Bathroom Bar Soap Holder for Shower. Soap Tray for Kitchen Sink. Flower Shape Soap Saver for Counter, Bathtub. (4 Pack, White,Grey,Pink,Blue)Check Price

We have found Silicone soap holders to be very practical and good looking decor for any bathroom. They last a long time and are easy to clean and pretty unbreakable along with eco-friendly properties. You do not need to limit them to the bathroom either as they can equally be used in the kitchen and utility room or downstairs toilet/washroom. We think they are a great choice and well worth considering.

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Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Reviewing Gifts To Keep Loved Ones Warm In Winter.

With cold weather fast approaching and along with it rising energy costs many people are concerned how to pay for their energy bills to heat their homes and keep warm. Many people may well be thinking of not putting the heating on so high or so much this winter.

This may especially apply to older people who can feel the cold more, or maybe less able to keep moving around to keep warm. The very old and the very young and those who have conditions or are on medications that make them feel the cold more will be the most affected in the colder weather.

So I was thinking how to help people in this situation who perhaps will not accept money to help with bills, but who would consider it normal to receive a winter birthday gift or Christmas gift.

While it is important that the heating is on for some part of the day to keep the home free from damp, it might be thoughtful to give a gift of something that will help to keep them warm and cosy this winter. This thoughtfulness may also extend to yourself.

Depending on your budget, some of these suggestions are affordable, others more considered purchases and perhaps the more expensive ones could be purchased by a family or friends clubbing together for a present. Or you may like to purchase these as a treat for yourself, as we did.

So gifts that are lovely, cosy, warm and beautiful like these can be a lovely thoughtful present for any person to help them keep warmer and more relaxed in the colder months of the year.

Heated Throw

The first gift idea and one that we have found very useful is a heated throw. These are blankets or throws that you put on over yourself to keep warm and have a timer facility so you can choose the temperature the throw warms up to and the length of time you have it on.

The best ones have a cut off function once the time is reached so I consider this a vital function, especially for elderly people or anyone just busy, so it cannot over heat or be left on all night.

We have a couple of these throws for use in the living room when watching TV and for one to go over the bed which we put on an hour before bed to warm up the bed and the room. We find that these do heat us up very well and also put some heat into the room which is useful in winter.

One is a Faux Fur heated blanket and one is a Sherpa Fleece Blue heated blanket. They are deliciously cosy! We have used the heating far less since we got these blankets and so saved on our heating bills, while still keeping nice and warm.

Read more about my personal experience of using these in my article Reviewing Benefits And Considerations Of Heated Throws

SEALY Electric Throw Blanket, Flannel & Sherpa Heated Throw with 6 Heating LevelsCheck Price

Warm Wearable Hooded Fleece Blankets.

We have two each of these warm wearable hooded fleece blankets and we really appreciate them in the autumn and winter. Wearing them can certainly delay us needing to put the heating on.

They are great during the day when at home as you can move around freely wearing them, yet you are warm and certainly cosy! However you still feel Ok answering the door to people which I would not be Ok with if I was in a dressing gown! In the evening they are just wonderful and snuggly and so warm.

Wearable Blanket Hoodie for AdultCheck Price

We especially like to wear them first thing in the morning when getting breakfast and once we settle down for the evening. I also like to wear mine when doing computer work and we both wear them watching TV or playing games in the evenings.

Read More about how we enjoy wearing these in my article Reviewing Warm Wearable Oversized Hooded Blankets

Warm oversized Hooded Fleece Blanket in purple and white

Warm Bedding

In the autumn we start switching out our bedding to warmer fleece and blankets to go with our duvets. It makes more of a difference than you might think and is an easy switch.

As long as you know the persons bed size, a warm bedding set would be a lovely thoughtful gift. I love this Microsoft Sheet Set with a flat sheet, fitted sheet and two pillowcases for its warm, cosy and beautiful look on the bed. This set is available in a wide choice of beautiful colours to suit any person and any bedroom decor. It has deep pocket fitting on the fitted sheet and is machine washable on cold, tumble dry low so easy care

Even if you are not sure of the bed size, then a comforter to go over the bed would be a great gift and less dependant on size especially if you size up so you can be sure it covers the bed.

My friend and contributor Barbara wrote this useful article about her personal experience of owning this Warm Sherpas Comforter Set.

Microsoft Sheet SetCheck Price

Warm Cosy Bed Socks

I don't know about you but if my feet are cold I am cold. So it is vital to keep feet warm and cosy. There are many choices of lovely bed socks for everyone in different colours . So if you know the persons shoe size a special cosy pair of socks can be a thoughtful gift.

I especially like these Non Skid Gripper Fleece Socks as in addition to being warm and cosy, they have grippers on the soles so are more non slip that most socks and so safer if you forget to put on slippers when you first get out of bed or go to get a drink in the night.

My friend and contributor Olivia writes in her review about how bed socks and the subsequent warm feet can equal a happy marriage ! How Bedsocks Can Equal A Happy Marriage

Non Skid Gripper Fleece SocksCheck Price

Shoulder Wrap Heating Pad

This is a great gift idea especially if you know the person has any shoulder issues or feels the cold around their shoulders.

I know if my shoulders are cold I find it hard to warm up. I carry any tension in my shoulders and a warm wrap does help to relax the muscles. A definite benefit is that you do not need to hold this wrap against your neck, it stays put there by itself!

My friend and contributor Sylvestermouse reviews her personal experience in her article about the Sunbeam Shoulder Wrap Heating Pad.

So a few well chosen gift ideas that we here have found lovely and beneficial can really be a beautiful and warm, lovely present for a loved one who may feel the cold this winter.

Whether it is a Fall/Autumn Birthday present or a Christmas gift or just because you love them, any of these items will help towards keeping you and your loved ones warm and comfortable this winter.

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Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Reviewing Sensory Garden For A Person With Sight Loss Part Two

A drift of Blue and yellow flowers in a garden

This is part two reviewing making a sensory garden for a person with sight loss. As I explained in Reviewing Sensory Garden For A Person With Sight Loss Part One my husband is having to adjust to losing his sight and we are both learning how to handle this development.

So I have been looking into how to have a garden that will be beautiful, fun and interesting and safe as his sight declines and how I need to change my gardening style.

There are always five elements when making a garden and these revolve around the five senses.

We covered Smell, Hearing and Touch in part one.

In part Two we concentrate on Sight, Taste and Safety.

We are very much working together on this project and we aim to retain as much of my husbands independence and gardening skills as possible too.

In this article we will be using the terms sight impaired, blind, low vision, partially sighted and sight loss as these are the current acceptable terms in my country for people with sight loss. This may change over time and be different in different countries. No offence is intended by any of these terms.

Day Lily Flower with three yellow petals

Sense Of Sight -Colour and Light

Now it might seem odd to include sight in a garden for people with sight loss. However my husband and many other people with sight loss, severe sight impaired and partially sighted will have some useful sight.

It will be a case of finding out what sort of useful vision they have, what if any colour they can see easily and what if any leaf shapes they can visualise. The best way to do this is to work with them, visit other gardens, check what they can see in terms of plants and shrubs.

So with my husband we started by checking which colours he likes and can see easily. This may be different for other people.

These for him are red, yellow, purple and white so we will concentrate on these colours especially for check points around the garden. For example yellow daffodils, red geum, white snowdrops, red bottlebrush, purple clematis. We may include other colours, but these will be secondary to him.

For my husband colour contrast is important so we need to work that in for example a red poppy against a white wall is more easily visible.

Red Poppy Flower against white brick wall

In terms of how the plants look we discussed having at least some plants with large leaf forms or bold shapes so that he can use these as anchor plants whether they are in flower or not.

For example:-

Tree Peony

Bamboo

Small round shaped conifers.

Tall columular conifers

Elephant ears

We also discussed light in the garden. We have security lights but also would like softer mood lighting for dusk.

While we would love real candles, they are not perhaps the safest choice for a person with limited sight.

So we agreed on safe flameless outdoor candles and string lights to use when we are out there at dusk. We will turn these off when we go in so as not to confuse wildlife.

Homemory 6”x3” Outdoor Waterproof Flameless CandlesCheck Price

Sense Of Taste

We did not think there would be food to taste all year round, yet it will still be an important element. Many of these plants also have scent.

It is crucial that I do not include anything poisonous, an irritant or just ill tasting. Accidents can happen when you touch poisonous plants and we cannot risk this.

So in terms of positive tastes we intend growing a lot of herbs and salad crops. As we hope to have an allotment we wont be growing lots of veg or fruit in the garden but smaller edible plants are welcome.

We have grown vegetables in outdoor containers before and will continue to do this.

So we will grow:-

Different mint varieties such as chocolate mint and peppermint. These will be in separate pots as they can be invasive and take over a whole bed.

sage

rosemary

curry plant

distinctive salad leaf crops such as rocket.

baby carrots in tall pots

radish

Strawberries

Fennel

Safety In The Garden

Gardens needs to be safe for every person and there are some specific considerations when you are design for a sight impaired or severe sight impaired person.

We mentioned previously to avoid any plants that can be poisonous just in case they are touched. Also to avoid any that can be irritants such as euphorbia plants

To avoid very prickly plants such as prickly Holly , pyracantha unless they can be positioned at the back of a border where it is difficult to touch them.

Flat ground is easier for my husband now. As he is new to sight loss he still finds steps a bit of a barrier I need to help him with so we will be aiming for a flat garden if possible. If we do have steps then I think we will need a handrail. Also the steps need to be highlighted in some way with a different colour or texture.

Any ponds should be highlighted in some way depending on the level of sight. So for some a border of a different material around the pond will be enough to know to avoid it, others may feel happier with a grid over the water so falling in is not an option.

For other people a pond in the ground is not desirable but perhaps a raised pond in an old barrel made waterproof would be a good option.

Trip hazards are something we need to avoid as my husband has already had a couple of falls over things he did not see. So the aim is to have raised beds but a little higher than normal so that he can feel them with his hands. A low below the knee height is no good as they will just be another trip hazard, they need to be higher.

This also achieves that scented plants will be at a better level rather than having to bend down all the time. If necessary we can also paint them different colours or at least the top section a distinctive colour so that he can see more easily.

For him the ground needs to be flat as possible. A lawn is fine and we would still like some lawn, but we will probably go for more paved areas in large slabs that have some grip and do not get slippery in wet weather.

So with a little planning and discussing the needs of the person I do believe it is perfectly possible to make and maintain a beautiful garden.

When we take into account smell, hearing, touch, taste and safety, which should be cornerstones of making any garden we can make a lovely garden suitable for someone with sight loss and beautiful in every respect.

Wrought Iron Handrail, Step Handrails for Outdoor Steps Fit 3 to 4 StepsCheck Price Keter Urban Bloomer 12.7 Gallon Raised Garden Bed with Self Watering Planter Box and Drainage Plug, Dark GreyCheck Price

Reviewing Sensory Garden For A Person With Sight Loss Part One