Every year we have more herbs in the garden than we can use up before the weather turns and the leaves get gross or drop off the plant. Most years we dehydrate (or dry) at least a little bit of our harvest in the last couple of weeks that we have nice weather so that we can enjoy the herby
This year was a great year for pumpkin farmers! (Ok, I’m just guessing on that one, but the pumpkin patches around this neck of the woods were bursting at the seams with families hunting for the perfect jack-o-lantern material this year–saw it with my own eyes!) Because we weren’t sure how Covid was going to affect Halloween, people planned a
This is another harvest-themed painting that I borrowed the idea from one of my rock groups… thank you, fellow painters! This fall-festive painting is not on a rock, however, but instead is acrylic on canvas. Feel free to borrow this design for your own painting experiment, and add your own twist!
Here is a painting I made of a cat sitting on a pumpkin, staring into the starry night — a Halloween-ish themed painting idea that I borrowed from one of my rock-painting groups. (Thanks, folks!) This painting is not on a rock, of course, but is instead acrylic on canvas. Feel free to borrow this one for one of your
Last fall we tossed a bumpy green pumpkin out into the garden to compost (and get picked apart by animals) and this spring, up came a squash-y looking plant near that spot. Several months (and many flowers) went by and eventually the little plant put on one, medium sized, olive green pumpkin. We left it alone until the cold weather
Poinsettias are a classic, festive indoor plant to have in the house during the holidays. Most people enjoy them for a month or two while they bloom, then the plants begin to drop their leaves and they begin to look tattered and tired. At this point, most people chuck them in the garbage can. It doesn’t have to be that
Even with the chickens running around all spring, when I put in the garden, I always have to bait the heck out of it to keep the snails and slugs from eating every leave that comes up. I really don’t like spreading poison around, and I’m always looking for new ways to keep pests at bay without having to poison.
Right up until a couple of weeks ago, we were still getting a beautiful harvest from the garden, when a hard freeze was forecast for the evenings. Then we knew we were either going to lose all of the hot peppers (which had not yet ripened) and the rest of the basil, which was not yet bolting. Since we were
Today I’ve been working on getting my business website’s online store up and running. So far, so good! Just running into a few issues, but almost there. I predict it will be ready to go by the end of the day. When all is said and done, there should be an easy way to pre-purchase a half hour or an
It’s been a long time coming… but I’m finally re-inventing Madlantern Arts… And I mean it this time! It’s been too long. Since this whole thing started in 1999, Madlantern Arts has been my playground, expression zone, experiment house, thought barn, brain circus, and many other mad things. The last few years, though, I haven’t quite known what to do
Here is a colorful macaw parrot perched on a branch. Aaauck! Pretty bird! Free Graphic: Image of a macaw parrot
Here’s a little ping, purple and green lizard with bright yellow eyes ready to crawl up your wall and across your ceiling. Free Graphic: Image of a lizard
Here is the golden maned head of a lion, with a stern look and a little bit of fang hanging down. Free Graphic: Image of a lion
Here is the face of a gray koala. (Here’s a warm “Hello,” to our lucky friends down under who get to share a home with these adorable creatures!) Free Graphic: Image of a koala bear
Here’s a brown and black donkey, bucking and kicking out its back legs. Watch out for those hindquarters! Free Graphic: Image of a donkey
