For you gardeners: If you like informal English cottage type gardens, don't deadhead all you annuals, such as zinnias, coreopsis and others. Let some go to seed, take off and either sprinkle seeds back on the soil, or let seeds dry and plant either in pots or sprinkle on the ground and you have free annuals next year.

If you have perennials, liriope and other plants that are in overabundance and don't have enough friends to clean them out, locate some organization that needs landscaping or that sells plants. Locally, I give all my extra plants to an organization that works with developmentally disabled adults in a sheltered workshop. They pot the plants and then sell them to individuals, landscapers, and developers. Truly a win, win situation.

Use local Extension agents and the internet for plants that are most likely to do well in your area. Every state and county has an extension agent, and they are very willing to assist you and are knowledgeable concerning the best varieties and techniques for your particular area. A good local nursery will help, but I still use the Extension Service. Ask neighbors who garden, depend on older relatives, use any free expertise you can get.

Don't try to plant something and expect it to do well in an environment that it is not adapted to. It probably won't thrive, you will spend money unnecessarily, and are probably going to be disappointed. Plants should grow, little people need babying.

Don't bring in exotic plants from other regions. We have a serious problem throughout the country with exotics being brought in and becoming invasive and becoming an environmental threat if not a disaster. Examples in the Southeast are kudzu, Chinese tallow tree (popcorn tree), malleluca (Australian pepper tree), cogon grass, Japanese climbing fern, and many others.

Find what plants are native to your area and you will be helping not only your pocketbook, but you will help migrating birds, and local small animals. Their blooms or foliage may not be as spectacular as some of the more exotics, but birds and animals have adapted to their seeds and this furnishes food for the migrators.

When you plant anything, make sure you keep it watered for the first few weeks or so.

It took a couple of weeks to determine what I would do with this blog. I have decided to use it to help users, and myself, to save money, live a little cheaper, and greener. I am not going to debate the merits of the contributions of anyone and any advice given on here is the responsibility of the individual giving the hint or the advice. In matters medical, legal,, ethical, or any other thing in which a person's health, finances, moral values or anything that may have life altering effects on a person, I am not responsible for any postings. PLEASE use this as only a forum to assist yourself and other to live better cheaper.

A little about me. I am a retired high school science teacher. I live in Florida, and am a rarity because I am second generation Floridian.

Hint: Both green and cheap. I use a water mist bottle on dust clothes, usually cut from old socks, and other things to pick up dust. Spray it on the cloths, not the furniture. I also use the water mist on an old static duster that didn't work anymore. This is what I use under furniture and other hard to reach places.

Wishes

Things I wish I could do:
1. Run a marathon
2. Sing
3. Eat what I want and all I wanted without thinking about weight or cholesterol
4. Give more to others
5. Win the lottery so I could do #4
6. Use my Santuko knoves without seeing my blood flow
7. Really get conscientious about cleaning house
8. Get all my passwords, etc compiled and hidden
9. Clean my desk

I don't really know what direction this is going to take me, but I am ready to go on this journey. I may digress from household hints, economy ideas to my own warped political and social commentary. Right now this is a work in progress.
I just completed a prom dress, which I donated to a girl who needed a prom dress. Not totally altruism on my part, but I had started the dress as a surprise for my granddaughter, and it didn't fit, so I finished it and took it to a nearby high school and asked them to find a girl who needed a dress for prom, but didn't have the money to buy one. The economy is very strained here and I really felt the dress would be a boost to a young lady who may never have the opportunity for prom. Besides, I saw no need to waste the cloth.

Today is Tax Day. I don't really like to pay taxes, and am sometimes disenchanted with the way the money is spent, but I also recognize taxes are a necessary evil. I like good roads, good school systems, a strong military, public parks, hurricane warnings, weather notifications, national parks, police protection, fire protection, assistance for those out of work and those who can't always fend for themselves.
If I had my way, Bernie Madoff and his ilk would be sent to the Indian Ocean to fight the pirates with slingshots.
I don't like political "PORK", but I do know that one person's pork is another's worthwhile project that will bring jobs to an area. All the levees on the Mississippi River were FDR's pork. All the Interstate system was started as part of Eisenhower's Defense budget and were labelled total waste of money and effort in the mid-1950's. So, I don't know whether to praise or curse pork. Some has been great over time.

A New Adventure

I decided to start this blog because I thought it would be a good way for me to say more than I normally would on some of the other sites. I may amuse, hope I can assist and will probably make some people think I am a little nuts. So be it

I look on this as adventure simply because it is uncharted waters for me. (CLICHE)

I love this time of the year, that is as far as the weather goes.

As far as my life goes, I really need to give up my food addiction. A food addiction is one of the most difficult to overcome. This is one addictive substance that is required for life. It is really against the mindset of an individual to give up something that is necessary to live.

Most of my postings will probably be boring and a waste of electrons, but so be it.