SMALL SPACE GARDENING: Grow a beautiful indoor succulent garden

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Succulents are low-maintenance houseplants that add interest and beauty to indoor décor. (photo courtesy of Gardener’s Supply Company/gardeners.com)

by Melinda Myers

It’s no surprise that succulents, including cacti, are popular. These easy-care houseplants come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes making them perfect for any home.

All you need is a lot of light and benign neglect to raise healthy and beautiful succulents. Place the plants near an unobstructed south, west- or east-facing window.

Don’t let a lack of light stop you from enjoying these beautiful plants in your home. You’ll find many attractive options for displaying your plants while providing the light they need. A single desktop LED plant light, attractive plant light shelves and carts, and furniture-grade light gardens allow you to grow these sun-lovers anywhere in your home.

Grow these plants in cacti and succulent potting mix. These fast-draining mixes help reduce the risk of overwatering which can lead to root rot. Further reduce this risk by using containers with drainage holes that are only slightly larger than the succulents’ root system. Growing them in too large of a container that retains moisture longer can result in root rot, decline, and even the death of your plants.

Water thoroughly whenever the top inch or two of soil is dry. Some gardeners check the soil moisture at the drain hole to ensure it is dry and the plants need to be watered. Always pour off any excess water that collects in the saucer.

Avoid water collecting in the rosette of leaves or the cluster of prickly stems that can lead to crown rot. Use a watering can like the Haws Indoor Watering Can which has a long narrow spout that allows you to reach under the plants to water just the soil.

Make slight adjustments in your watering regime and growing environment as the seasons change. Adapting to changing conditions will keep your plants healthy and looking their best year-round.

Find a cool, sunny, draft-free location for your cacti and succulents in the fall and winter. Maximize the amount of light the plants receive by moving them to the sunniest, usually south-facing, window in your home. Water thoroughly but only when the top few inches of soil are dry and just often enough to keep the plants from shriveling. These changes in the growing conditions often encourage a spring display of colorful and unique flowers.

Boost your succulents’ natural beauty by displaying them in unique containers or places in your home. Create a living wall display with a 3-tier vertical wall planter (gardeners.com) or Mini Magnetic Galvanized Planter Pockets.

Grow a succulent centerpiece that can be enjoyed year-round. Plant a variety of succulents in a long narrow planter like the Veradek GEO Series Planter boxes. Display it on the table, and if needed, move it back to its sunny location between dinner parties. Small containers like the heart-shaped concrete tabletop planters allow you to create an attractive dish garden even when space is limited.

Whether you’re a busy, experienced, or new indoor gardener, creating a succulent garden may be just what you need to brighten your home and elevate your mood.

Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening and Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardener’s Supply for her expertise to write this article. Her website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

Give Us Your Best Shot! for Thursday, January 12, 2023

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To submit a photo for this section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@townline.org!

JUST HANGIN’ OUT: Lindy Sklover, of Vassalboro, photographed this grasshopper on a daisy last summer.

MAJESTIC: Gary Mazoki, of Palermo, snapped this majestic pose of a male bald eagle.

SAY WHAT?: Tina Richard, of Clinton, caught this bluebird listening to the surrounding sounds.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: How To Support Veterans’ Families During The Holidays

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(NAPSI)—While the holiday season is generally a time of joy and celebration, military families can often experience a very different range of emotions. Active service members and veterans returning home for the holidays might struggle to participate in family gatherings or even find the season particularly distressing. And, for the families of those service members who do not return, the holidays can be an agonizing reminder of a loved one’s absence.

In the spirit of the season, honoring the sacrifice of all men and women who proudly served in our armed forces through charitable giving can make a big difference. Children of Fallen Patriots, a foundation that honors the sacrifices of fallen military heroes by helping ensure the success of their children through college education, has outlined several ways that showcase how charitable giving ensures strong futures.

Support Veteran-Serving Organizations

Tens of thousands of non-profits exist in the United States dedicated to serving veterans and their families. With so many different veteran-serving organizations in the States, it’s crucial to ensure donations are doing the most good for heroes in need.

A good way to evaluate an organization is to use Charity Navigator, a renowned nonprofit evaluation site. The site rates charities on the cost-effectiveness and overall health of their programs on a four-star scale, evaluating their measures of stability, efficiency, and sustainability.

Care for Military Families in Need

Service members selflessly put their own lives on the line to ensure better lives for all Americans, but their families sacrifice much as well. While many organizations offer support directly to veterans, the family back home can get lost in the shuffle.

Children of Fallen Patriots provides college scholarships and educational counseling to military children who lost a parent in the line of duty. Studies show that almost 25,000 children have lost a parent in the line of duty over the last 35 years. A college education is a significant financial burden, and the majority of surviving military spouses make less than $50,000 annually.

Since 2002, Children of Fallen Patriots has provided over $61 million in support to over 2,700 children, including over 1,300 graduates. Additionally, the Gold Star family-focused nonprofit earned a perfect rating from Charity Navigator—an accomplishment less than 1% of the 200,000 rated charities have earned.

“The best way to honor the sacrifice of our service members is to ensure better futures for their children,” said David Kim, co-founder and CEO of Children of Fallen Patriots. “A college education is the single most important gift we can give to the children of our fallen heroes, especially during the holiday season—a particularly difficult and stressful time for Gold Star families.”

Generosity Goes Beyond The Wallet

Making a donation is one of the easiest ways to support veteran-serving organizations, but plenty of options exist.

More and more people give their time by coordinating fundraising events, such as bake sales and 5k runs. They also spread the word on social media so the country’s veteran community is supported and speak up about the issues that adversely affect them.

Learn More

For further facts on what you can do, visit www.fallenpatriots.org.

LIFE ON THE PLAINS: New Year’s Eve…and day

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Water St. looking north. Notice the row of tenement buildings on the right. Those were built on the river bank, and were supported by stilts. They were removed in the 1960s and 1970s. (photo courtesy of E. Roger Hallee)

by Roland D. Hallee

Back in the 1950s and ‘60s, New Year’s Day and following, didn’t really mean much to us kids. We would still be on Christmas vacation, although it was about to end abruptly on January 2.

Also, during those years, winters were harsher than they are now. By January 1 snow would have accumulated to relatively high levels, the ponds – and our backyard ice rink – were frozen solid and ready for winter sports, although I don’t recall snowmobiles back then. I think the Bombardier Ski-Doo was just being introduced in a rather primitive form.

Also, I would notice how the adults, every time they would run into each other – at church, the grocery store, shoe repair shops, etc. – would always greet each other with the “Happy New Year”. It would go on for weeks into late January. Didn’t they realize New Year’s was January 1, and not January 20?

Anyway, life was pretty much dull and routine during those early months of the new year. We did look forward to – in a way — going back to school to show off our new clothes we received at Christmas to our friends. Or maybe we got new skates, hockey stick, or a new sled. We really weren’t too much into showing off our new clothes.

The actual new year’s eve celebrations weren’t all that exciting to us, until we got a little older and were allowed to stay up until midnight to watch the ball go down on Times Square, in New York City. And to our parents, the crème to la crème, was the playing of Aulde Lang Syne, by Guy Lombardo and his orchestra. It just seemed to put an exclamation point on the whole evening. And we couldn’t figure out why everyone went around kissing everyone. Yew!

Of course, then there was new year’s day, when my mother wouldn’t miss turning on the television set to watch the Tournament of Roses parade, from Pasadena, California. She wouldn’t miss it for the world. And, oh, what a thrill when we got a color TV, and she could watch it in all its glory. Once the parade was done, it was a day full of college football – the Sugar Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Orange Bowl, and, of course, the Grand Daddy of them all, the Rose Bowl. Today, there are dozens of bowl games played from mid-December into mid-January. Not the same.

I don’t recall too many new year eves in the ‘50s, but I do remember one in particular. The night 1959 turned into 1960. Wow! we were entering into the space age and for some reason, 1960 was the beginning of something great. For one thing, while attending parochial school, we were told that in 1960 the Pope would divulge the content of a secret letter that would foretell the future. Well, 1960 came and went, and we didn’t hear anything about it.

So, times have changed, and Guy Lombardo is gone, and, unfortunately, so has his music. The midnight celebrations now just aren’t the same. I guess New Year’s Eve is for the young – or the young at heart. My wife and I, in our 70s, still stay up with friends and watch the old year go out and the new one come in.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Julia Dent Grant

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Julia Dent Grant

Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Julia Dent Grant

Former First Lady #18 , Julia Dent Grant (1826-1902) hated to leave Washington when her husband Ulysses (1822-1885) decided enough was enough after his two terms in the White House.

She wrote, “Dear Washington, how I love you, with your beautiful, broad, generous streets and blue skies! The sun shines always there for me.”

Born into a wealthy Missouri family, Julia had a father who re­main­ed an unreconstructured Southerner for the re­mainder of his life even when staying with his daughter and son-in-law during the White House years.

She met her future husband in 1844, married him four years later and gave him four children, each of whom, unusual for those days, survived well into 20th century adulthood.

Her White House hostessing included up to 29 courses to a meal, Roman punch further easing the stomachs of guests between the pot roast and dessert and at least six glasses of wine.

Up to that point, the Grants were the youngest couple to occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Volumes of fascinating material on Grant and his life and family exist, of which some examples are offered:

He was extraordinarily skilled at breaking horses but was a so so student at West Point.

Introverted by nature, he preferred drinking by himself at the off-limits pub to any social occasions.

He loved the novels of Sir Walter Scott but read very little else.

He once stated that he had been told so often that “a noun is the name of a thing” he believed it.

There was never a day during the Civil War when he didn’t drink nor a day after when he did.

He detested dirty jokes and cussing and the troops under his command were very careful with their language around him.

He was President Lincoln’s fourth Commander-in-chief of the Union forces but the first successful one, scoring victories at Vicksburg, Chattanooga and Petersburg.

He would fight alongside his men in battle with bullets flying around him.

When Grant and General Robert E. Lee (1807-1870) met at Appomattox to broker the terms of surrender, they were both suffering from migraines.

As to music, Grant knew two kinds; “one is Yankee Doodle, the other ain’t. ”

His presidency eased the national debt, and signed into law the Justice Department but otherwise was rocked by endless scandals.
Grant based his cabinet appointments more often on personal friendship than on professional qualifications .

Grant detested military parades.

His father learned to be a tanner from the abolitionist John Brown and moved to Ohio from Kentucky because he detested slavery; needless to say, he and Julia’s father avoided each other at the White House.

Grant’s sons Fred and Ulysses Junior constantly beat their father at wrestling matches.

Due to some bad investments, by 1884 Grant was destitute and dying of throat cancer. Mark Twain offered to publish his Memoirs which the former president completed just two days before he died. The book sold many copies, left his widow and family well provided for, and is considered a classic.

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS: No better time than now to start a business

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Growing your businessby Dan Beaulieu
Business consultant

There is no better time to start a service business. Yes you read that right, this is a great time to start a small service business. I’ll add to that, if you are a skilled craftsperson there has never been a better time to go into business for yourself.

Let me explain, if you are an electrician, plumber, carpenter, landscaper, stone worker, or any type of skilled laborer, this is the time to hang your shingle.

Why now? Simple, there are not enough of your type to go around. All the bigger companies and yes, of course, even the smaller ones are booked out through next year. They can’t handle the work they have. Some of them are not even answering the phone when it comes to new business.

But the business is there. As people climb out of the pandemic they need things done to their homes. For over two years people have put off doing what has needed to be done in their homes and in their places of business. And now when they need someone to work on their projects from house painting to roofing to carpentry, to plumbing, they just cannot find anyone to do the work…at least right now.

Not being able to get satisfaction from their current services companies, people are not even able to get the companies and people who they once used to even acknowledge their calls. They are being forced to look for alternate sources.

They are looking for anyone who meets their needs, right now, not in a month, not in three months or five months or a year, they need someone right now.

If you have always dreamt of being your own boss, now is the perfect time to make that dream come true. People…customers are looking for you.

All you have to do is make people know that you are in business and you are available.

Here are some of the things you can do to get started:

  • Set up your company. You can even do this on line for a couple of hundred dollars.
  • Develop a business plan. This does not have to be complicated. Just some good strategic thinking, answering a few simple questions like:
  • The name of your company
  • What your company does
  • Who are your customers?
  • What needs do you fill? What services do you provide?
  • Get your name out there. Make it easy for people to find you.
  • Place an ad in a local newspaper like this one (The Town Line)
  • Put your ad on local bulletin boards
  • Put flyers in doors or on car windshields (In some communities you will need a permit to do this).
  • Anything that will let people know you are now in business and will provide them with the services they are looking for…right now!

If you do these things people will find you and get in touch with you (a small basic web site would be great as well)

Then answer your phone and get started.

Right now, it is as simple as that. And if you are skilled and if you are ambitious you can get started immediately. In a matter of days, you can be growing your business.

FINANCIAL FOCUS: What to know about sustainable investing

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submitted by Sasha Fitzpatrick

You may have heard about “sustainable investing.” But if you’re not familiar with it, you may have some questions: What does it involve? Is it right for me? Can I follow a sustainable investing strategy and still get the portfolio performance I need to reach my goals?

Sustainable investing can be defined in different ways, with different terminologies. However, one way to look at a sustainable approach is by thinking of it as investing in a socially conscious way which may involve two broad categories: environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing and values-based investing.

As its name suggests, ESG investing incorporates a broad range of environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities, along with traditional financial measures, when making investment decisions. This approach may have a neutral impact on performance because it maintains a focus on managing risk, traditional fundamental analysis and diversification. Here’s a quick look at the ESG elements:

Environmental – Companies may work to reduce carbon emissions, invest in renewable energy, decrease pollution and conserve water resources.

Social – A business may promote gender and pay equality within its workforce, and maintain positive labor relations and safe working conditions for employees.

Governance – Companies distinguished by good governance may institute strong ethics policies, provide transparent financial reporting and set policies to ensure it has an independent, objective board of directors.

You can pursue an ESG investing approach through individual stocks, mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which hold a variety of investments similar to mutual funds, but are generally passively managed – that is, they do little or no trading. As an ESG investor, you don’t necessarily have to sacrifice performance because ESG investments generally fare about as well as the wider investment universe. Some investments may even gain from the ESG approach. For example, a company that invests in renewable energy may benefit from the move away from fossil fuel sources.

Now, let’s move on to values-based investing. When you follow a values-based approach, you can focus on specific themes where you may choose to include or exclude certain types of investments that align with your personal values.

So, you could refrain from investing in segments of the market, such as tobacco or firearms, or in companies that engage in certain business practices, such as animal testing. On the other hand, you could actively seek out investments that align with your values. For instance, if you’re interested in climate change, you could invest in a mutual fund or ETF that contains companies in the solar or clean energy industries.

One potential limitation of values-based investing is that it may decrease the diversification of your portfolio and lead to materially lower returns due to narrowly focused investments, prioritization of non-financial goals and too many exclusions.

Ultimately, if you choose to include a sustainable investing approach, you will want – as you do in any investing scenario – to choose those investments that are suitable for your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon.

If sustainable investing interests you, give it some thought – you may find it rewarding to match your money with your beliefs.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Edward Jones, Member SIPC

SMALL SPACE GARDENING: Boost the health and beauty of your house plants

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by Melinda Myers

Fight the post-holiday blues with a bit of indoor gardening. Keeping your houseplants healthy and looking their best with a bit of grooming this winter is sure to lift your spirits.

Clip off any dead leaves as they appear. Use a sharp snips or bypass pruner to make a clean cut that looks tidy and closes up quickly. An occasional brown leaf is not usually a problem but if browning continues, it might be time to take action. Evaluate the growing conditions and make needed adjustments.

Brown leaves are often caused by low humidity which is common in many homes during winter. Boost the humidity in your home by grouping plants together. As one plant loses moisture through its leaves through transpiration the neighboring plants benefit. Add pebbles or marbles to the saucer or trays beneath the plants. Allow excess water to collect in the pebbles below the pot. As the water evaporates it increases the humidity right around the plant. Move plants that require moist soil and high humidity into a terrarium. They are attractive living decorations and make caring for high-maintenance plants easier.

Over and under-watering can also result in brown leaves, leaf edges, and tips. Water thoroughly when needed. Base frequency on the plants you are growing, room temperature and humidity. Tropical plants need more consistently moist soil while cacti and succulents like it drier. With lower light conditions in many homes, plants grow slower and may need less frequent watering in winter. Pour off any excess water that collects in the saucer which can lead to root rot.

Stop fertilizing indoor plants in winter unless they are actively growing. Applying fertilizer that plants don’t need can cause root damage, leading to leaf discoloration.

Trim off brown tips that are common on spider plants, dracaenas, Ti plants, and prayer plants sensitive to the chlorine and fluoride in water. Avoid the problem by using chemical-free water.

Wipe dust off the leaves with a damp cloth. Use a cosmetic brush to clean the fuzzy leaves of plants like African violets. Keeping your plants clean and well-groomed also helps reduce insect and disease problems.

Further protect plants from pests with Summit Sticky Traps (SummitResponsibleSolutions.com). Just place one or two in the pot with the sticky side exposed. The yellow attracts fungus gnats, aphids, thrips, leaf miners, and other harmful pests feeding on your plants. The sticky surface traps the insects causing them to die without the use of pesticides. Replace the trap once it is covered with insects or every three months.

Boost indoor plant resilience by providing the right amount of light. Move plants to a sunnier window or add artificial lights as needed. Then give plants a quarter turn every time you water. This promotes more balanced growth by exposing all parts of the plant to the light source.

Taking time to tend to your plants improves their health and beauty while elevating your mood and helping fight stress.

Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Summit for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

Give Us Your Best Shot! for Thursday, January 5, 2023

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To submit a photo for this section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@townline.org!

WHERE TO START: Jessica Murray photographed this Monarch butterfly enjoying the flowers.

JUST CHILLIN’: Joan Chaffee, of Clinton, snapped this female cardinal sitting on a branch.

POSE FOR THE CAMERA: Lindy Sklover, of Vassalboro, snapped this Io butterfly while holding it in her hand.

SHARING A SHELTER: Pat Clark, of Palermo, photographed a male cardinal and two blue jays sharing the cover of this bird feeder.

YUMMY: Emily Poulin, of South China, caught this black swallowtail butterfly on a flower.

FALL SCENE: Susan Thiem, of Texas, a summer resident on China Lake, took this photo prior to her departure this past fall.

LIFE ON THE PLAINS: Christmas on The Plains

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by Roland D. Hallee

Christmas was a time for family gatherings on The Plains in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Of course, growing up, once you became aware of your surroundings, Santa Claus was always the big hit of the season. Our father, who worked at Hollingsworth & Whitney, later Scott Paper Co., would take us to the Community Building, on College Ave. The Community Building was actually the fieldhouse on the old Colby College Campus, which had moved to Mayflower Hill around 1952.

The mill would put on a gala children’s Christmas party, with the “Big Guy” as the feature. We would stand in line to wait your turn to sit on his lap and divulge to him your wishes for Christmas gifts. Of course, that was so your parents would hear. I can only remember one gift there – you only received a gift if you were younger than 12 years old – was a briefcase. It still boggles my mind what a 9-year-old would do with a briefcase. My dad ended up using it.

In the early days, Christmas was held in our living room. My mother would decorate a Christmas tree that our father had reworked by taking branches from one area of the tree, to fill a bare spot in another area. Christmas morning, our grandparents would come over, and we would do the gift exchange while our mother prepared dinner. Sometimes, just to prolong the anticipation, our dad would wait until our mother was ready to be with us. Which was mostly always.

As our mother grew older, she didn’t want to decorate a tree any more, and besides, there was this new invention called an artificial tree. It was silver, about four-feet tall, stood on a table, and was illuminated with a flood light that had a revolving colored wheel. Kind of cool, but so commercial.

In the meantime, our father had finished the basement into a “rumpus” room, and eventually, Christmas would be held down there so not to clutter the living room.

Our parents and grandparents would go to midnight Mass, and us children stayed home and waited – by then the two older brothers were teenagers in high school. That was when I found out there was no such thing as Santa, when I saw all the gifts piled behind the couch. I was 9-years-old. That was kind of traumatic at the time.

Upon their return from midnight Mass, my mother would put tourtière pies in the oven, and the soirée began. Until we had reached the age of 14, we would have to go to bed, – house rules – but the party continued into the early morning hours. Christmas gifts were not distributed on Christmas Eve. Technically, after midnight Mass, it was Christmas Day, but they didn’t see it that way.

That was probably one of the greatest disappointments in my young life. Classmates were always chosen to be the “angels” and the “shepherds” carrying the baby Jesus down the aisle in the church. Pretty much always at the head of my class, I figured I was a shoe-in for the task. But I was never chosen. For some reason, the nuns decided I was not worthy. I didn’t go to a midnight Mass until I was an adult, and married.

Enough about that.

I guess every family has its own Christmas tradition, we were no different. Of course, like anything else, as time moved on, and grandparents passed away, and parents grew older, then passed on, things changed. However, here in the 21st century, long passed the 1950s and ‘60s, we develop our own traditions, and can only hope they get passed down to the next generations to remember their Christmases with parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.