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Joan Ambu

Summer Weather Home Decor High Desert

Patio Clean Up & Some Finds

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read703 views

Today is officially the first day of Summer and so far, so good. I am particularly thankful that it’s the start of the weekend, as it might be our last chance to set up the drip irrigation for some trees we planted at the far end of our backyard before the heat wave hits us. We loaded up the last of the Pine Tree branches into the trash cans and I am so grateful for a job well done and knowing that there will be no more cleaning and needle poking.

I haven’t done much Gardening all week, other than moving a miniature Rose bush from a pot to a large homemade primitive planter. The plants are thriving and the Ground Squirrels are keeping their distances as well as their activities at a minimum. I found time to clean the Patio and move some furniture around. This weekend I’m planning to clean the barbecue Grill as well as the patio furniture to have them ready for those Summer BBQs. I will be using Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro Spray and I hope it’s as good as I heard.

Yesterday we took a drive to Oro Grande to check out some of the treasures at Linda Marie’s Enchanted Treasures. It’s always a delight visiting this Shop. I bought one of a kind Wire Urn, which I absolutely love. Urns serve many purposes such as holding fruits, floral arrangements, potpourri or you could just have it sitting with nothing in it. When it comes to decorating with Urns, possibilities are endless. After a thorough cleaning (and perhaps some spray paint), mine will be sitting with nothing in it as it looks lovely as a plain, stand-alone piece.

Large Wire Urn.
Large Wire Urn.

We made our last stop at the Antique Station, which is next to Linda Marie and it was our second visit to this location. It’s huge with a lot of inventory and you really have to make time to visit. I bought a gorgeous chair with a comfortable padded seat and gently curved back. It is beautifully upholstered with a full-length skirt and double-needle stitching. It’s more of a dining chair; however, since it’s single, I decided to use it as an office chair.

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JM Perez By JM Perez
Father's Day Parenting Love Inspire Family Gratitude People

Happy Father’s Day

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read816 views

“There comes a time, thief, when the jewels cease to sparkle, when gold loses its luster, when the throne room becomes a prison, and all that is left is a father’s love for his child.” — King Osric (Conan the Barbarian).

Happy Father's Day. Image Source.
Happy Father’s Day.

“Being a father is a choice. Staying true to fatherhood is a duty.” ― Joan Ambu

Happy Father’s Day to all the wonderful Dads out there!

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JM Perez By JM Perez
Plant Propagation Gardening High Desert

Cutting Down The Pine Tree

JM Perez By JM Perez3 min read608 views

With Summer rapidly approaching and all the gardening projects almost complete, we were faced with one question: to cut down the Pine Tree or let it be? It stands tall between the  deck area and the carport, providing some shade to these areas. However, the amount of pine needles falling from this tree alone is overwhelming. It requires high maintenance and constant clean up as the needles fall year-round. These trees are quite messy, the pine needles are always falling and piling up in the backyard. When the weather is good, clean up is easy and when the weather is erratic (with high winds lasting up to a week), clean up becomes quite painful as they get everywhere. Now I understand why some people allow trash to pile in their yard. It’s hard work, it’s endless and those needles are dangerous. Have you ever been poked by a pine needle?

After much considerations (six years of deciding the fate of the Tree), we cut approximately one-third of its branches a week and a half ago. Yesterday, with the help of our handy neighbor and his tools, we were able to cut down the Tree. We’ve been poked so much by the needles and covered in sap. It was worth the pain and we have no regrets. We’ve opened up the area and best of all, no more pine needles to deal with.

Neighbor helping us cut down the Pine Tree.
Neighbor helping us cut down the Pine Tree.

I love conifers and I prefer Fir Trees (Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir, Silver Fir, Spanish Fir and Korean Fir amongst my favorites). Pine Trees are gorgeous, especially when planted in groups or lined up and I love decorating my garden with pine cones. Unfortunately, my Pine Tree did not produce cones and it was growing at a slant. The Tree simply didn’t meet our needs and we needed the space, which is the perfect location for an upcoming project.

Pine Needles Uses:

  • Mulch and Pest control.
  • Products/Crafts such as hand-woven baskets, dolls, jewelries and so much more. They also make great Christmas decorations as well as fun stamping projects.
  • Pine Needle Oil. According to WikiPedia, It is used in aromatherapy, as a scent in bath oils, as a cleaning product, and as a lubricant in small and expensive clockwork instruments. It is naturally deodorizing, and antibacterial. It may also be used varyingly as a disinfectant, massage oil and an antiseptic. It is also used as an effective organic herbicide where its action is to modify the waxy cuticle of plants resulting in desiccation.
  • Pine Fragrances such as Agua Brava by Antonio Puig, Hugo by Boss Hugo, Fou d’Absinthe by L’Artisan Parfumeur, PI by Givenchy and Polo Crest by Ralph Lauren just to name a few.

Health Benefits

According to Wikipedia, Some species have large seeds, called pine nuts, that are harvested and sold for cooking and baking.  The soft, moist, white inner bark (cambium) found clinging to the woody outer bark is edible and very high in vitamins A and C. It can be eaten raw in slices as a snack or dried and ground up into a powder for use as an ersatz flour or thickener in stews, soups, and other foods, such as bark bread. A tea made by steeping young, green pine needles in boiling water is high in vitamins A and C. More information here.

Learn How to Make Pine Needle Tea. Click here to learn about the right Pine Needle to choose. Yew, Norfolk Island Pine and Ponderosa Pines are poisonous.

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JM Perez By JM Perez
Parting Cutting Cords Scripture Faith Life Lessons People

Scripture: 1 John 2:19

JM Perez By JM Perez3 min read616 views

Relationships can be a double-edged word. Like domesticated animals, everything is alright until they come biting you for little to no apparent reason.

“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” – 1 John 2:19 (KJV)

Like everything else in my Life, I took my job seriously and looking back, I almost became a workaholic. I tried as hard as I could to keep an ongoing communication with the outside World and me. I wasn’t as available as I would have loved to be and I didn’t realize how committed I was to my work. I was excited about a potential promotion. It became tricky to make time for Family, Friends and it seemed there were not enough hours in a day to do what I wanted to do. I had responsibilities, deadlines to meet and my sanity to keep in check.

Little by little, without realizing and/or inciting, I started distancing myself from others (and vise versa). Some people were happy for me and stood patiently beside me. Others simply couldn’t bear the silence and absence and decided to keep moving until I caught up to their rhythm, which I totally understood. One individual, whom I never expected and didn’t think was capable of, saw an opportunity to start a feud. That was eight years ago.

It happened at a time when I was deep in prayer for the right direction regarding the relationship. Looking back, I believe this was inevitable. Though not perfect, I was a faithful friend. However, to be blamed for not supporting a hurtful and hateful decision and to be asked to go against my belief – that to me, was the last straw. Keep in mind that, prior to this, I had my own sanity to keep in check. I have always believed that the Lord works in mysterious ways and I know He freed me from a load which wasn’t mine to carry.

Image Source:
Image Source: InspirationBoost.com

I know a little bit about cutting cords and I have learned over the past years when to hang on and when to let go. Often times we stay in a relationship because we are scared of the unknown and we do not believe we can make it on our own. Because we do not believe in ourselves and in possibilities.

“No one is ever alone and silence does not equate defeat.” ― Joan Ambu

Some relationships are meant to be and others not so much. You can know someone all your life and then, out of the blue, the relationship ends. Does it mean either one or both individuals were bad? Maybe, but I think not. It just means that their chapter in the story of each others life is over at that particular moment. Parting and cutting cords doesn’t give us the right to hate or hurt each other. Besides, how does one begin to belittle someone or something he/she once loved without belittling him/her self in the process? Does it hurt? Yes and it will hurt until you learn to take charge of your Life and emotions. Should you regret ever knowing the person? Absolutely not. Hold on to the good memories and move forward with your Life. Our encounter with one another is a life lesson.

Love and Air are two of a few things which should be free. Do not force anything which doesn’t come naturally and remember that those who leave us, were never really with us. What’s the point holding on to them?

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JM Perez By JM Perez