Tanya's Blooms, Seeds, and all things flowers

07/14/2025

I am going to try to propogate catmint and catnip. I want my catnip patch larger and I really enjoyed steeping the catmint leaves for tea. My plans are to harvest and dry all that I have so I have catmint tea for months to come. It is probably a better choice than an afternoon cup of coffee.

I cut some Zinnias and made an arrangement in an old teapot that apparently isn't worth anything): a favorite greenery for me to use in arangements is marigold leaves. They hold up well and are fragrant. I have loads of them too.

Harvested some yarrow to dry. I have more Columbine seeds to harvest in a week or so.

I also snipped a few more tops off mums to try to propogate.

Deadheaded a few things and watered others. Cut some kale, weeded a few beds, dropped some cilantro seeds off some plants. Cilantro is one I usually can grow simultaneously from march-november.

There is always something to do in the garden. I look forward to doing this full-time when I retire in 10-15 years.

07/14/2025

National household energy prices are expected to rise by $78 to $192 in 2035.

07/14/2025

Pictured is Hobbes. Just like Chloe, Hobbes jumped out of a moving semi truck along a busy highway in Iowa. While you may be thinking, “wow, two pigs jumped from semis- I never knew that could happen!” We are here to tell you it happens ALL THE TIME.

Hobbes was dropped off at the hospital by a Good Samaritan nearly a month ago where he was immediately placed under a state ordered quarantine for being of “unknown disease status.” The quarantine is 30 days long, and while in effect, the hospital cannot see any other pigs. The hospital had requested that Hobbes be transferred to IFS to quarantine and the request was denied.

So when the Good Samaritans who found Chloe showed up at the hospital and called for emergency care, the hospitals hands were tied. They could not help Chloe, because it would violate the quarantine order.

This was late Thursday night. We were calling vets across the state for emergency stabilization, but most were closed, others did not have the means to provide the advanced care Chloe needed.

So we waited until morning when we would take her to Purdue. But remember, Chloe was just like Hobbes; “of unknown disease status” and would have to be quarantined and receive special permission to leave the state for vet care.

It took nearly all day to get everything we needed to leave the state with Chloe, but we did it.

As our staff rushed Chloe’s tiny body through flash flood, thunderstorm and tornado warnings for 5 hours, we couldn’t help but be mad.

In a state that prides itself on having 25 million pigs, why do we have to drive 5 hours out of state to get a pig care? Why couldn’t Hobbes come home to continue his quarantine here so that other pigs like Chloe could have a chance? Why are there such hoops for us rescues to jump through for one pig-all while our states drinking water is poisoned with nitrates because of the 25 million pigs. WHY is the state so worried about what WE are doing and not about the fact that these piglets are falling out of semis NON STOP? Rescues are NOT the problem!

07/14/2025

It's sad. There is a last for everything in life. Sometimes you get the privilege of knowing it is the last, while others you don't have any idea it will be the last. Remember the meme, you went outside not realizing it would be the last time you would go out to play?

Ozzy said it, Sharon played a huge role in his success and she deserves credit for it.

Ozzy was one of the first metal bands I listened to. I think I have seen him 5 times in concert. Happy to hear they raised 190 Million for Parkisons research and other charities.

Taking it all in ❤️ 📸

07/14/2025

Please share like crazy and help us find her family! We can't believe no owner has claimed this sweet girl!

She is a small Chihuahua pug mix that was found at W**d Park in Muscatine, on Friday.

07/14/2025

A thank you to my window clients

07/14/2025

The baby bunnies that are gaining access to my backyard must have a death wish.

So far, they have outwitted Rahli every time, but I am worried at some point it won't end well for one of them.

I will never forget the time Bodi got ahold of a baby bunny and brought it in the house. I was yelling and screaming so he dropped it. I took it back to it's nest but he didn't make it):

07/14/2025

My propogation window.

The storm knocked over my tall sky pencil holly. I had to trim some of it back so I could tie it up to straighten it. I am propogating a bunch of those branches.

I pinched the tops off of some of the great chrysanthemums that I have. I want to get some of these started in small pots to sell this fall.

07/14/2025

This is a mallow hibiscus grown from seeds I foraged down the street. They germinated very well. Unfortunately, the 2nd plant was eaten by I am guessing, one of the baby bunnies I see frequenting that area.

Some say these are a good cut flower while some say they aren't? Time will tell. They should press well?

07/14/2025

Hummingbird moths are now humming around Minnesota’s blooming flowers

The small moths are sometimes mistaken for hummingbirds.

07/13/2025