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Wednesday, October 12, 2022

The Best Dentist Approved, Inexpensive, 5-Mode Electric Toothbrush

I have been using Oral-B or Philips Sonicare ultrasonic toothbrushes for many years, at my dentist’s recommendation. In August, I replaced my old, expensive ultrasonic toothbrush with an excellent and surprisingly inexpensive model (from a lesser-known brand), which has smaller brush heads that fit into hard-to-reach areas, soft, rounded bristles that are gentle on my aging gums, and a choice of five brushing modes.

Even though my new sonic electric toothbrush had great customer reviews and was highly recommended by a well-known and respected YouTube influencer whose product recommendations I have come to trust, I was still a bit skeptical about the quality of such an inexpensive product. However, my oral health team was impressed with the state of my teeth and gums during my routine dental cleaning and checkup 10 days ago. I'm delighted that my new brush has been dental hygienist- and dentist-approved.

I'm excited to share my product review of this terrific electric toothbrush set, which comes with seven regular brush heads, an interdental brush head, and a fitted case for storage and travel and costs just $19.99 on Amazon as of October 12, 2023.

Note: The brand I purchased, Dnsly, is no longer available, but the TEETHEORY and Fairywill brands make nearly identical models with the same features.

Sonic Electric Toothbrush With Custom Travel Case, Protective Cover and 8 Brush Heads

Why This Sonic Electric Toothbrush Is a "Best Buy" For Savvy Consumers

Here are some of the key features that make this Sonic Electric Toothbrush Set With 8 Brush Heads and Travel Case a smart purchase.

40,000 VPM for Effective Cleaning and Plaque Removal

Although the American Dental Association says that both manual and electric toothbrushes can clean teeth effectively when using the correct brushing technique, clinical studies have shown that “electric toothbrushes, which combine ultrasonic and sonic (or acoustic and mechanic) actions, may have the most promising effect on good oral health” compared to manual toothbrushes.¹

It vibrates at up to 40,000 VPM (vibrations per minute), which is in the same ballpark as many ultrasonic toothbrush models from Philips Sonicare and Oral-B.

¹Digel, I., Kern, I., Geenen, E. M., & Akimbekov, N. (2020). Dental plaque removal by ultrasonic toothbrushes. Dentistry Journal, 8(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj8010028

Choice of Five Brushing Modes

There are five tiny LED lights down the front of the handle labeled W, C, S, P, and M, respectively, that allow you to choose among the following brushing modes to customize your oral health care routine:

White mode (W): strong vibration helps whiten and brighten teeth by removing surface stains.
Clean mode (C): medium vibration for routine cleaning / twice-daily brushing.
Sensitive mode (S): gentle vibration for first-time electric toothbrush users or those with sensitive teeth and gums.
Polish mode (P): strong vibration/invert frequency helps polish and brighten teeth.
Massage mode (M): gentle vibration/invert frequency for gum massage and increased circulation to improve the health of your gums.

Note: I could not find any information on what "invert frequency" means (or does) in the context of electric toothbrushes.

Just press the large Power on/off button (inside the gold circle) repeatedly to cycle through the different modes. The nice thing is that it will remember the mode you used last and return to that setting automatically the next time you press the Power button.

I have used the Clean, White, and Massage modes so far. I think the White mode is gentle enough for daily use, thanks to the soft, rounded bristles on the brush heads.

2-Minute Smart Timer With 30-Second Quadrant Reminders and Auto Shutoff

Most dentists recommend brushing your teeth for 2–3 minutes, or 30–45 seconds per quadrant. This sonic electric toothbrush pauses after each 30-second interval to let you know it's time to move on to the next quadrant, then shuts off automatically after two minutes.

7 Brush Heads and 1 Interdental Brush

The American Dental Association recommends that you replace toothbrushes, or brush heads for an electric toothbrush, every three to four months (or sooner, if the bristles are visibly frayed).

The brush heads have blue bristles at the top and bottom that, with use, gradually fade from blue to white as a helpful reminder to discard and replace the brush head.

I really like the smaller brush heads and the thin, pointed, interdental brush head with white bristles, since both make it easier to get into tight, hard-to-reach areas. The interdental brush is also great for cleaning around and in between dental braces.

The DuPont bristles with rounded tips are gentle on gums and enamel, which is another reason I decided to try this set.

30-Day Rechargeable Battery Life

A full charge, which takes 4 hours, lasts for about 30 days, based on brushing for two minutes twice a day.

USB Charging (Charging Cable Included)

The included USB cable can be plugged into any socket with a USB interface, such as a car, laptop, or phone charger adapter or power bank socket. You can keep both the cable and an inexpensive USB wall charger/plug adapter in the bathroom for when the battery needs charging (roughly once a month).

This sonic toothbrush has a low battery indicator that lets you know when it's time to recharge it. It also automatically shuts off after the battery has been fully charged to prevent overcharging.

Fitted Travel Case and Protective Brush Head Cover

The hard plastic, fitted toothbrush travel case has molded sections to hold the handle, one brush head, and the interdental brush head. There is also a space-saving clear, hard plastic brush head cover if you want to travel with just the handle and one brush head, rather than the larger, fitted storage case that also holds the interdental brush head.

IPX8 Waterproof

The IPX8 Waterproof rating (an improvement from the IPX7 Waterproof rating on my Dnsly brush) means your electric toothbrush can survive immersion in fresh water up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes without damage.

You can thoroughly clean the entire brush with soap under hot running water and even brush your teeth while you are taking a shower if you wish!

Lightweight

The brush itself weighs just 55g, "less than half of ordinary sonic toothbrushes" according to the manufacturer's product information.

Two Color Choices

I purchased this set in black, but it also comes in pink.

Pink sonic toothbrush set with 8 brush heads and travel case

Purchase the pink toothbrush set on Amazon

Less Than $20 for the Entire Set

At just $19.99 for the black or pink set, with free shipping for Amazon Prime members as of 10/12/23, this set delivers a huge bang for the buck.

2 electric toothbrush sets (one black and one pink) with replacement brushes and travel cases

Available on Amazon

You can also get a set of two sonic toothbrushes, one black and one pink, with 12 color-coordinated brush heads (five of each color), 2 color-coordinated interdental brushes, and 2 color-coordinated fitted travel cases) on Amazon for just $39.98. Having two sets in different colors makes it easy for spouses, partners, siblings, roommates, etc. who use them to tell which toothbrush is theirs.

Features Not Included in This Sonic Electric Toothbrush Set

Even though this set is excellent and a tremendous value, there are a few features that some of my previous Oral-B and Philips Sonicare ultrasonic toothbrushes had that this one does not.

No Charging Base

The only way to charge this sonic brush is with a USB cable (included). While many people prefer this method, some may prefer having a dedicated charging base plugged in near the bathroom sink.

Since hearing several respected medical and dental experts advise "Don't brush where you flush," I have started storing my toothbrush in my bedroom instead of my bathroom anyway, so the USB charging requirement isn't an issue for me.

No Battery Charge Level Indicator

My last Oral-B ultrasonic toothbrush had four stacked LED lights on the handle to indicate how much charge was left. I used to store the toothbrush on its charging base, however, so I never looked at it unless I was traveling for an extended period.

The low battery indicator works fine for my purposes.

No 3-Minute Timer Option

I liked the choice of 2-minute (30-second intervals) or 3-minute (45-second intervals) brushing times on my pricy Oral-B model. However, if I want to spend a bit more time on certain areas, it's easy enough to press the mode button of my choice to resume brushing after the 2-minute automatic shutoff.

Note: None of my Oral-B or Philips Sonicare toothbrushes had Bluetooth connectivity or wireless fast charging, and neither does my new brush. However, one or both of these features are built into many of the newer models from these leading brands.

The Perfect Travel Toothbrush

Even if you don't want to replace your current ultrasonic toothbrush, this very inexpensive sonic set would be great to keep in your carry-on luggage for traveling, thanks to its long battery life, convenient USB charging, toothbrush travel case, and protective brush head cover.

A Great, Affordable Gift Under $20

This electric toothbrush set would make a great gift for anyone who is currently using a manual toothbrush, wears braces, is a college student, or has difficulty getting their current toothbrush into hard-to-reach places.

It also makes a great stocking stuffer. No one would guess that this set, complete with a travel case, brush head cover, seven brush heads with fading bristle replacement indicators, an interdental brush head, and a USB charging cable, costs less than $20!

The Best Dentist Approved, Inexpensive, 5-Mode Electric Toothbrush by Margaret Schindel

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Halloween Pumpkin Carving Kits

Pumpkin Carving Kits Reviewed

The fall season is certainly upon us, the leaves are turning beautiful colors and beginning to fall from the trees.

Halloween is right around the corner. I always considered Halloween the kickoff to the Holiday season. Driving around you can see all of the fun and scary outdoor decorations in many of the yards.

After the decorations are up and it gets closer to Halloween night it's time to carve the pumpkins. We always pick a night right before Halloween and have a pumpkin carving party. I call it a party because our daughter and grandsons come over to carve our pumpkins. And if we are lucky our son and daughter-in-law will make the two-hour trip to be here with our granddaughters to join in the fun.

Our Pumpkin Carving Kit

For making pumpkin carving fun and easy I bought this kit a few years ago and the whole family loves the tools in this kit.

Halloween Pumpkin Carving Kit Features:

High-quality stainless steel tools
Double-sided stainless steel detail tools
Sharp pumpkin shovel tools with scraper
Sturdy saws for accurate cutting

To be honest with you, I don't even know what all of these tools can do but my daughter and grandchildren sure do. This set certainly makes carving fun and easy. Well, I'm not sure that any of it is easy but it sure is fun.

We always have a fun night carving our pumpkins and admiring everyone's hard work in the end. The pumpkins in the intro photo are last year's creations, and that is only half of them, they carved six pumpkins in total. Then, on Halloween night I line our walkway to the porch with their pumpkin creations.

For more Halloween fun my friend Olivia Morris reviews: Decorations for the Home

For Crafting decorations my friend Cynthia Sylvestermouse reviews: This easy Craft Kit

Don't forget about those delicious pumpkin seeds read my: Air Fryer Pumpkin Seed Recipes

15-Piece Pumpkin Carving Kits for Halloween, 5 Professional Stainless Steel Pumpkin Sculpting Tools, 10 Detail Sculpting Tools for Halloween Jack Pumpkin Lanterns NESSTU Pumpkin Carving Kit, 28PCS Halloween Pumpkin Carving Tools Professional Pumpkin Carving Set Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Jack-O-Lanterns Pumpkin Carving Knife Pumpkin Carving Kit Tools Halloween, CHRYZTAL 13PCS Professional Heavy Duty Carving Set, Stainless Steel Double-side Sculpting Tool Carving Knife for Halloween Decoration Jack-O-Lanterns

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Monday, October 10, 2022

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2022 Reviewed

It's time! Hallmark Christmas 2022 Movies have arrived! Time to move aside the pumpkins and bring on the Christmas Hallmark movies.

Hallmark Christmas movie season includes the beloved Hallmark favorites from years past and begins October 21, 2022. Movies will air on both the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel.

The 2022 Hallmark Christmas Movie Schedule has been released and here are a few to look forward to! There will be 31 new movies on Hallmark and 9 new for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel.

A Holiday Spectacular

The Radio City Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall will be featured! Sounds ... spectacular. Join Ginna Clair Mason, Derek Klena, Ann Margaret and Eve Plumb on this wonderful journey through New York at Christmas with the Rockettes playing a pivotal role.

Jolly Good Christmas

London background with a Hallmark favorite lead! Will Kemp and Reshma Shetty will provide the rom com chemistry as Hallmark fans experience London, shopping, and gift choices at Christmas. Fans will remember Will Kemp from his Hallmark movie Christmas Waltz with Lacey Chabert.

Haul Out The Holly

Lacey Chabert is back for her 12th Hallmark Christmas movie. It wouldn't be with Lacey! In this movie she teams with a Hallmark favorite Wes Brown and Lacey plays abit off type as she is the reluctant Christmas fan and the campaign ensues to bring her on board for Christmas fun.

A Cozy Christmas Inn

Jodie Sweetin (Full House) and David O'Donnell brave Alaska, Bed and Breakfast's and Christmas as exes thrown together ... its' a Hallmark movie, I think we know the rest of the storyline (yeah!)! O'Donnell might also be noticed as the lead in the top ten Hallmark Christmas movie Christmas Under Wraps with Candace Cameron Bure, also in Alaska! Full circle with Hallmark, Full House and Alaska!

Full Hallmark Schedule for Christmas 2022 is >>> Here

There will be three all new movies each weekend night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Released for Christmas In July 2022

My Grown Up Christmas List - Kevin McGarry and Kayla Wallace navigate the military and the holidays as their connection grows.

Campfire Christmas - Tori Anderson and Corbin Bleu rekindle a romance as their families reunite for fun, romance and campfires at the families' Christmas In July annual celebration.

Christmas In Toyland -Jesse Hutch and Vanessa Lengies star in this Christmas tale revolving around a toy store and its' importance for a town.

Jesse Hutch you may recall from his pairing with Candace Cameron Bure in the classic Let It Snow Hallmark movie.

More Hallmark Christmas Movies Reviewed

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2021 Reviewed by The Savvy Age

You, Me & The Christmas Trees by The Savvy Age

A New Year's Resolution by Cynthia

Hallmark Christmas Movies 2020 Reviewed by The Savvy Age

Finding Father Christmas by Cynthia

Christmas Tree Lane by The Savvy Age

Broadcasting Christmas by Cynthia

Top Ten Hallmark Christmas Movies by The Savvy Age

Debbie Macomber's Mr. Miracle Hallmark Movie Review by Cynthia

Where To Find Hallmark Christmas Movies?

If your cable subscription includes Hallmark channels then Hallmark Channel is available with the Hallmark Everywhere App. Your cable subscription username and password will be needed to log in.

Hallmark Movies Now is a streaming service for a monthly fee. A seven day free trial is available to give the channel a no obligation spin.

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Sunday, October 9, 2022

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Here's My Mom's Stuffing Recipe

For those who don't know, it's Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend.

Growing up, early October was always a time when we planned to be together as a family.

For me, heading to my mom and dad's house with the kids was a wonderful weekend: Time with my brothers and their families, as well as a great time with mom and dad.

Since mom and dad are both passed on now (I still can't believe I'm typing that!) I miss and treasure those memories to the core of my being.

I must say, I'm looking forward to dinner tomorrow with the kids. Unfortunately, it won't be with all the kids, as I have seven (4 sons, 2 stepsons, and a stepdaughter). I only use the word "Step" to respect their mom. My stepkids have been a part of my life for 40 years - I consider them my kids, but I hold back on that declaration out of respect for their mom. Being a mom myself, I understand that 'feeling.' - the feeling of being 'the mom.'

Anyway, I digress!

So in honor of Canadian Thanksgiving, I wanted to share my mother's turkey stuffing recipe. It has long since been my recipe; I just made it today for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.

My Mother's Turkey Stuffing Recipe:

Ingredients for My Mom's Stuffing Recipe:

Celery
Onion
Stuffing Bread OR
Regular Bread Cut-Up with Spices
Spices if adding on your own: Sage, Poultry Seasoning,
Sausage (I use breakfast sausage)
3 Tablespoons of Rice (Basically a handful)

How to Prepare Mom's Stuffing:

1) In a bowl, add cut the bread up into chewable cubes (sometimes you can get stuffing bread already cut up)

2) If you don't have cut-up stuffing bread and need to make your own stuffing bread, here's what to do:

In a large mixing bowl, cut bread (any bread that is your favorite, although heavier bread is better) into cubes
Add Sage - be liberal with the Sage - I add about two or so tablespoons, depending on how big the turkey is and how much stuffing there is
Add Poultry Seasoning - probably about 2 tablespoons

3) Fry the sausage separately - I buy breakfast sausage - and, after cooked, cut the breakfast sausage into bite-sized pieces

4) In a Frying Pan, in Butter:

Fry one chopped onion
Add one entire stock of celery (chopped into bite-sized pieces)

5) Add the celery/onion fried mixture and the cut-up sausages to the bread/sage/poultry seasoning bread mixture

6) Add the rice to the bread mixture

Mix it all together until it sticks together nicely.

It should look 'wet' and be compacted together.

By the way, what's the secret ingredient to stuffing that makes it stuffing - it's the Sage! But that's been a flavor I've been used to my entire life when it comes to stuffing!

If you've never added Sage, give it a try - by the way, that's ground sage! You can find it in the spice aisle of your local grocer.

NOTE:

I prepare this the night before, put it in a ziplock bag, keep it in the fridge, then stuff the turkey in the morning <---- Mom taught me that trick too.

My number three son, Joshua, loves this recipe as much as I do, and that alone makes me so happy! Thank you, Joshie, for being a kindred stuffing lover!

Happy Thanksgiving to all - These times haven't been easy, so it's essential to live in the moment and enjoy spending time with the ones you love.

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The Whole Kit and Caboodle

A Craft Kit Review

What's the meaning of the phrase 'The whole kit and caboodle'?

A collection of things.

Dictionary Meaning of Kit & Caboodle (The words have similar meanings):

A kit - is a set of objects, as in a toolkit.
A caboodle (or boodle) is an archaic term meaning group or collection.

In crafting, a kit means having everything you need for your next DIY project in one box or package. Below are some examples of kits for crafters in a variety of mediums. They are especially helpful to beginners who might not know exactly what they might need to have when learning a new craft.

Craft Kits

Crochet

Start your own Jurassic Park with this dinosaur crochet kit! This kit includes all the materials you need to make 4 different dinosaurs, including a T-rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, and Brontosaurus! It even includes instructions for how to customize your dinos with pattern variations.

Kit includes

The Yarn (Yellow- Blue- Purple- Pink- White), Plastic Safety Bead eyes x 8, Pipe Cleaners, Stuffing, Darning Needle and Crochet hook (size G6/4.00mm). The Kit also includes the pattern bundle of 5 unique patterns, each with their own full-length video tutorials so you never miss a stitch!

Knitting

This Beginner Knitting Kit for a snood is a great start for someone who is interested in learning to knit.

You can learn cast on, cast off, knit, purl and sewing thanks to basic illustrations and guidance included in How To Knit manual in this kit while you create a beautiful snood.

Everything you are going to need for your snood is included in the kit. All you need to do is decide which color you would like and whether you want knitting needles or not.

Sewing

Dragon - Sewing KIT, artist pattern, stuffed toy tutorials, soft animal, soft toy DIY craft kit.

This SEWING KIT includes a printed pattern with easy to follow step-by-step instructions and a link to a video tutorial. Plus, supplies for making this adorable mini dragon toy.

Felt

Create an adorable centerpiece kit for your holiday décor. This POLAR BEAR & PENGUINS FELT APPLIQUE CENTERPIECE KIT comes with everything you need to complete it (Stamped Felts, Cotton Floss, Acrylic Yarn, Needle, and Instructions) except the stuffing. The completed centerpiece measures 11.5" x 9" x 10". Kit can be found in the eBay store House of Sylvestermouse.

Quilting

a craft kit to create a quilted tote bag

Quilted tote bag kit.

Kit includes Pre-cut fabric of your choice from several designs offered, plus instructions.

Finished size: 14”x14” with 19” handles

*For more quilting ideas, read this review by Sylvestermouse all about creating a gorgeous wall hanging with a Quilt Magic Kit Wallhanging

Holiday Décor Kits

Create your own bead and sequin Christmas ornaments as Sylvestermouse did. Read her review here to find a variety of kits for many lovely ornaments.

Craft Kits for Kids

There are many craft kits made especially for children. This review of the Hide and Seek Rock Painting Kit by Wednesday Elf is perfect for kids, especially ones who enjoy artistic endeavors like my grandson David does.

Summary

As you can see, there are craft kits in every medium you can name. Whatever your crafting interest is, you will find a kit available.

Friday, October 7, 2022

Make Halloween Ornaments With Easy Craft Kits Reviewed

I love craft kits! Especially holiday craft kits that everyone in my family can make together.

The first week of October, my husband, son, and I gathered around the dining room table to investigate my new Halloween ornament sewing craft kit. We each selected an ornament to make and went to work. The ornaments you see at the top of the image (on the right) are the first 3 ornaments we made. My husband selected the pumpkin, our son grabbed the bat, and I chose the candy. It was a lot of fun watching the guys sew their ornaments together. These will be ornaments I treasure forever, as well as the memory of making them together.

The ornaments are very easy to sew together because they have pre-poked holes in the pre-cut fabric pieces.

Most often, a craft kit will include everything you need to complete a project. The Halloween DIY Ornament Craft Kit I have featured is awesome and really does include everything except scissors. I did substitute my preferred Aleenes Craft Glue instead of using the glue in the kit, but that is simply a preference on my part because I have used it for decades.

Halloween Ornaments Sewing Craft Kit

Halloween Ornament Craft KitCheck PriceThe kit includes:

Pre-cut felt pieces with punched stitch holes for sewing together
Pre-cut detail or finishing pieces like eyes, teeth, stripes, etc
Floss / thread
Ribbon for Hangers
Plastic Needles
Stuffing
Glue

While the instructions are in picture form, I would have preferred they included written directions along with the images for greater clarity. As a lifelong crafter, I knew what to do without instructions, but I am not sure that would be true for a beginner. While making the ornaments would be easy enough for a child, they would probably still need some assistance from an adult to know exactly what to do.

To Make the Felt Halloween Ornament

contents in the box to make Halloween ornaments

Each ornament is separately packaged with all it's pre-cut pieces. Stuffing, plastic needles, thread and ribbon are packaged separately which makes it easy to find everything you need to complete an ornament.

Open the individual ornament package and lay out the pieces
Open the package with the thread & plastic needles
Thread the plastic needle with the thread color that matches the two foundation ornament pieces
Stitch the two foundation pieces approximately 3/4 of the way together, leaving an opening to stuff the ornament (do not cut your thread yet)
Stuff your ornament with the included filling (do not overstuff. Felt tears easily)
Stitch the remaining opening together and tie off the thread
Cut a piece of the included ribbon and make a hanger for the ornament
Glue the details (like eyes, teeth, etc.) on the ornament

Why Choose This Craft Kit for the Whole Family

Halloween Ornament Craft KitCheck Price

Everyone should know the basics of sewing. These kits will allow parents to teach their children to make the basic straight stitch, plus allow the child to get comfortable threading and using a needle safely because the included needles are large, plastic needles.

Not only are these kits great for children, but also for seniors with decreased dexterity. Again, the plastic needles won't poke or cut fingers.

No special crafting ability required. While I did find my experience helpful for stuffing amounts & glue preferences, it wasn't necessary. My son and my husband made their ornaments without needing my help, including threading their own needles, stuffing the ornaments, and gluing on the finishing details.

This kit really does allow family members of varying ages to make the perfect Halloween felt ornaments.

We will use our ornaments on our Halloween tree, but they would also make a lovely banner for the door, mantle, or wall. They could be hung on cabinet knobs for fast Halloween decor.

The kit is recommended for ages 5 and up.

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Halloween Decorations for the Home ~ A Holiday Product Review

Just in case you were wondering, Halloween is coming up quickly! In three short weeks it will be upon us full blast. Are you ready?

If you enjoy Halloween as much as I do, you can go to great lengths to decorate your home for this frightful holiday. Your decor can be as easy as a whole bunch of pumpkins and gourds artistically displayed, to a full out haunted house. It is all up to you.

Decorating should be fun to do and easy to remove once the holiday is over, in my humble opinion. To that end, I went looking for decorations that would fit nicely into my "easy" lifestyle.

Wouldn't you know it, good old Amazon.com has a great selection of really easy and not too expensive outdoor decorations that fit that bill perfectly.

Inflatable decorations are easy to put up and even easier to take down again. In most cases all that is required is a long outdoor extension cord to plug these in.

These inflatables can be cute or really scary. Pumpkins and ghosts are good fun choices, but those witches and goblins, werewolves and skeletons are pretty popular too.

Just around the corner from us, one home has several of these blow up decorations that are lit up for the evenings. They are lovely, easy to place and easy to remove too! That's important because we all know that right after Halloween we will shift to Thanksgiving and Christmas decor instead! So that easy removal is a bonus for sure.

Everyone has been waiting for a great reason to celebrate and I can't think of a holiday that is more fun than Halloween. I love watching the little ones who are just so cute in their costumes and really don't understand the whole concept of knocking on doors and getting candy. Their eyes tell the story and the awe which they are in is contagious. Of all the holidays in the year, I think this one is the one that makes me feel young again. After all I can get myself dressed up too and I will! No one will know who is hiding under that disguise!

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Tuesday, October 4, 2022

A Review Of Hardy Fuchsia In The Garden

I was wandering around the garden this morning taking stock of how the garden plants have come through this scorching summer with its drought and intense summer sun.

I noticed that most of the colour in the garden right now is coming from two mature hardy fuchsias, we have one white and one purple and white.

In fact, they stand out as doing extremely well, with healthy green leaves, no pest damage and a bounty of flowers and I have not watered them once all summer.

I am not sure that I have ever looked at them so fondly. Many other flowers have gone over so quickly this year suffering from extreme summer weather conditions, but these beauties are looking healthy and gorgeous!

One is planted in our front garden and which is west facing and the other is in our east-facing back garden. Both are on heavy clay soil, though the one at the back is on a slope and the one at the front is very close to the gravel drive and path so they both get better drainage.

In this article, the care of Fuchsia is related to the hardy Fuchsia planted in the ground. Tender Fuchsia and annual Fuchsia do require different care so do check what kind you own.

In addition to growing Fuchsia, I do enjoy taking photographs of them and making them into products so I have included a couple for you.

Position Of Hardy Fuchsia In The Garden

Fuchsias like to grow in sunshine or a little partial or dappled shade. However, a full south-facing position where there is hot sun all day would be too much for them.

They do like to be in a sheltered spot. If they are not you may find that the delicate flowers will be blown away by strong winds which would be a shame.

Personally, I have found east-west planting the best.

Soil Conditions, Feeding And Watering Hardy Fuchsia

The care of this lovely plant is relatively straightforward. Fuchsia does like well-drained soil and I did wonder if they would survive on our very heavy clay.

However, with one being on a slope where drainage is better and the other being close to a gravel drive they have thrived.

As long as drainage is good they can cope with most types of soil.

I don't feed my Fuchsias as our soil is very rich already but you can give a feed in Spring.

A mature plant in the ground should not need watering much and I never water ours. Even in this summer's drought and 40-degree Celcius heat conditions, I did not water them due to a hosepipe ban and they have not suffered.

This summer was an exception with the persistent heat and searing sun, so if there had not been a ban on using water, I would likely have watered them deeply about once a fortnight.

Propagating Hardy Fuchsia

Hardy Fuchsia can have hardwood cuttings taken in the autumn. All we need to do is to take a cutting of woody stem a few inches long. Avoid any new green shots for these cuttings.

Under a pair of leaves make a clean horizontal cut that is the base of the cutting. Across the top make a diagonal sloping cut at about 45 degrees, which is the top of the cutting. The sloping cut is so that any water will run off rather than sitting in the cutting and causing rot.

Then simply gently insert the cuttings into a gritty compost around the edge of a pot.

They do need to be in a place where it is frost free over the winter and cool. They should not be allowed to dry out completely or become waterlogged. A cool greenhouse is perfect. If like me you do not have one then place in a cold frame or even on a potting table in a sheltered spot with some protection from heavy rain would be fine. If it is very cold some fleece protection may be wise.

Once you see new shoots in the springtime we can then pot up each individual plant into its own pot. After that, in summer they can be planted in the garden or into a larger pot.

Always plant out in early summer whether it is a cutting or a newly bought plant. This gives them the best start in life. Any later than that makes them more susceptible to cold and they may not thrive. Plant a few inches deeper than the base and keep well watered for the first season.

Pruning Hardy Fuchsia

Little pruning is required most of the year as most of the flowers will fall off naturally as they go over but you can deadhead flowers regularly if you wish. I tend not to bother with deadheading hardy Fuchsias.

Once new growth starts to appear in spring we can start pruning. Use clean sharp tools like those Wolf secateurs. Old stems can be cut back to a pair of buds relatively low down on the plant.

Do not worry if it appears much of the plant has been killed by frosts, this can happen in a cold winter or very cold areas. Most of the time it will grow back, simply cut away all the dead stems low down in Spring to allow for new growth and be patient.

We should never ever prune in autumn or winter as this opens the plant up to disease and rot. Leave it be until the spring.

White Fuchsia Flowers Greeting Card
by RaintreeDesigns

Hardy Fuchsia Flowering Times

I love the abundance of exquisite flowers that hang down so gracefully and somewhat bashfully gently swaying in the breeze.

Our shrubs flower from May to October and are mainly pollinated here by bees. In their native central and south America, they are pollinated by the hummingbird. So we do gain a very long flowering time with a Hardy Fuchsia.

Many have purple flowers which attract the hummingbird but selective breeding has produced many variations of colours including red, violet, purple, pink and white ones and combinations of all those colours.

Our purple and white one never flowers in winter, is often affected by frosts and needs cutting to the ground in spring. However, our white one near the house always remains and is now five feet high and does often in a milder winter flower most of the year, which is just lovely.

Fuchsia Flowers Throw Pillow
by RaintreeDesigns

Fuschia Winter Care

I do little with my hardy Fuchsias in the ground. They are both hardy and have always been planted into the soil.

I do like to give them mulch to give some winter protection but they have always come through each year.

I will only fleece the little cuttings I took this year that are in pots as they are rather more exposed to cold conditions.

If I had hardy Fuchsias in pots then I would fleece over both pot and the plant to provide them with more protection. I would also move into the sunniest, most protected position I had in the garden for winter.

Tender Fuchsia by contrast will certainly need protection over winter, at the very least a layer or two of fleece and mulch and may need bringing inside.

Fuchsias can be troubled by a few pests and diseases but I have never found any to be a problem though I do garden organically and allow natural pest control. Slugs appear to ignore them as well which is a huge bonus in my garden.

To learn more about Fuchsia take a look at this informative and beautiful book.

20%

The Illustrated Gardener's Guide to Growing Fuchsias

So if you like a pretty, mainly trouble free plant, that is easy to care for and propagate and looks wonderful all summer and into Autumn you may love a hardy Fuchsia. She can be in the garden or a large pot and will give many months of joy with her gorgeous bountiful pretty flowers and visiting wildlife. I would never be without at least one Fuchsia in our garden.

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Monday, October 3, 2022

Salt Potatoes a Tasty Side Dish

These easy-to-make salt potatoes are a perfect side dish to compliment any meal, and your family and friends will love them.

Salt potatoes are a regional side dish that originated in Syracuse New York. The potatoes used for salt potatoes are, first harvested small young potatoes.

As the potatoes cook, the salt forms a crust on the outside, while the inside is soft and creamy. I garnished my salt potatoes with fresh parsley and chives and served them with melted butter to pour over the soft creamy inside.

I honestly have never heard of salt potatoes before. I was telling a friend that I was going to smoke a turkey breast over the weekend and he suggested making salt potatoes as the side dish.

We have lived in Western New York for 33 years and I have never seen these in the grocery store until now. Apparently, you can buy salt potatoes in a kit. So, look in your local grocery store to see if you can find Salt Potatoes in a kit.

If you can't find a kit, you can use young small white potatoes and one cup of salt to six cups of water.

How to make Salt Potatoes:

5 lbs. small white potatoes (Washed)

1 cup salt

6 cups water

1/2 cup melted butter

Fresh parsley (Chopped)

Fresh Chives (Chopped)

Directions:

Bring the water and salt to a boil until all of the salt has dissolved.
Add the potatoes and boil for 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft and tender.
Drain the water, pour over the melted butter and garnish with parsley and chives. Serve with more melted butter.

Needless to say that these salt potatoes were a big hit with the whole family. They made a perfect side dish for my Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast.

Here is the link to my:

Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast

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