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Growing Gratitude! By Cynthia Brian

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Empowerment
Growing Gratitude! By Cynthia Brian

Cynthia Brian-Thanksgiving bouquet 

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” Henry Ward Beecher
Are you grateful for the simple things in life? This is the perfect time of the year to reflect upon our blessings and gifts. I am so thankful for all of you who read Digging Deep, Gardening with Cynthia Brian. Your interest and questions are always appreciated. Thank you, also, for so many of you who have hired me to help you with your planting needs or garden desires. It’s magnificent to grow with you.
Every day I am very grateful to be a gardener to witness the beauty, bounty, and endless diversity of Mother Nature. Our landscapes are ever changing. What’s here today may not be here tomorrow, nor, the next year. Seeing the cows grazing in the hills, breathing our clean air, enjoying peace, safety, and serenity that only comes from living in this semi-rural environment makes my heart sing with gratitude.
Wild turkeys have moved into Lamorinda territory, immune to the possibility of becoming a holiday main dish! A big Tom waddled across my driveway as two-dozen of his hens toppled and gobbled the berries from the top of my Chinese pistache. As annoying as they can be, I’m happy to co-exist with the wild things. You may want to collect a few of the beautiful turkey feathers as I do to add to your holiday bouquets!
Persimmon trees are bursting with orange tangy fruit, ready for our holiday puddings. Fall is still showing off its brilliant robes of reds, yellows, and gold, yet there is a nip in the air reminding us that winter in a little over a month. Pumpkins and gourds are still a seasonal favorite. Native to North America, pumpkins are a vegetable, not a fruit, genus Cucubita, species pepo or maxima. They are a type of winter squash and the really weird, ugly ones are the most delicious. The blue-green pumpkins you are growing or have purchased are derived from New Zealand. Cook them as their golden-yellow flesh boasts a sweet, mild aromatic flavor. Were you repelled by the warty pumpkins you saw in markets this year? Don’t be! Those ugly growths are actually sugar secretions. The more warty the pumpkin, the smoother, creamier, and sweeter the flesh inside. Make a pumpkin puree for dinner, or a scrumptious pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and you’ll be hooked!
As we soon bid farewell to fall, let us all keep gratitude in our hearts as we look for the fertile joys that sprout with simplicity. Believe something wonderful is about to transpire.
Grow and glow in gratefulness.
Cynthia Brian’s Mid Month Garden Reminders

PLANT Woodland Herbaceous Peonies, a separate species of herbaceous peony that thrive in the shade. Naturalizing in a deciduous woodland area with the early spring sun and summer shade, they will grow to 1.5 feet tall and self-seed as a ground cover. . Woodland peonies provide three-season appeal with delicate white flowers in early spring, lush green foliage throughout the growing seasons, and dramatic indigo and scarlet seed pods in the fall. http://peonysenvy.com

LOOKING for a pre-planned garden selection. High Country Gardens offers deer and drought resident plants that have color, texture, and curb appeal. http://www.highcountrygardens.com

PRUNE those thorny creepers, bougainvillea, now to remove old flowers. Cover with burlap if exposed in an area that gets frost.
Tom turkey & Rhododenron
COLLECT turkey feathers to add to bouquets to wreaths for Thanksgiving.
Hachiya persimmons
PICK persimmons. Fuyu persimmons can be eaten like apples but the hachiyas must be mushy ripe before eating.
gourds-pumpkins
PUREE warty pumpkins for the sweetest, smoothest, most delicious pumpkin dish you’ll ever taste. Obviously, don’t puree the skins!

CUT branches from liquid amber or Japanese maple trees to use indoors for a punch of end of fall color.
Pink-yellow hibiscus
PLANT your spring bulbs now through January to enjoy a meadow of continuous flowers next year.
hyrdrangea in fall
PICK up pansies to plant for winter. 2017 has been named The Year of the Pansy.

ADD a cover crop to your garden to fix the nitrogen and make green manure for spring.
Austrian winter pea has delicious edible pee shoots. Other great mulching cover crops include clover, mustard, and vetch.
j-berry-new-social-butterfly
DISCOVER a tree to climb with your kids. It’s that time of year!

CULTIVATE ornamental grasses for low-maintenance and drought tolerate plantings. Maiden hair grass, blonde ambition grass, feather reed grass, and silky thread grass are a few of the lesser known but easily propagated species.

TRAIN rambling and vining plants on a trellis or tall support for a spectacular vertical garden wherever space is lacking.

SOW wildflower seeds that will attract pollinators, hummingbirds, and beneficial bugs.
yellow mums
PRUNE all perennials when finished blooming. Add the stems and spent flowers to the compost pile.

FERTILIZE lawns.

GIVE thanks every day for something. Keeping a gratitude journal alongside your garden guide is a great tool for remembering to be grateful.

Thank you, thank you for being my special gardening gang. I am humbled to be your guide on the side. There is no such thing as a brown thumb, just one that hasn’t turned green yet!

Happy Gardening and Happy Growing! Happy Thanksgiving and Turkey Day!

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©2016
Cynthia Brian
The Goddess Gardener
Starstyle® Productions, llc
Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com
www.GoddessGardener.com
925-377-STAR
Tune into Cynthia’s Radio show at www.StarStyleRadio.net
I am available as a speaker, designer, and consultant.  

Cynthia Brian’s Gardening Guide for November

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Cynthia Brian’s Gardening Guide for November

yellow vines in fall

By Cynthia Brian

“The small but intense pleasure of walking through dry leaves and kicking them up as you go…they rustle, they brustle, they crackle.” From Walking through Leaves, Vita Sackville-West

From the last rays of the autumn sun to the glowing embers of winter fires, November is a month of changing colors and softening light creating feasts for our eyes (and our Thanksgiving stomachs) while adding a warm glow to our hearts. The countryside is bathed with leaves turning gold, crimson, russet, and orange. The harvest features a bounty of pumpkins, gourds, and nuts. The crackle of the fallen leaves underfoot, the balmy days, chilly evenings, and misty nights signal the sensational spectacle of autumn. It’s time to put our gardens to bed.
Europe 2010 - 229
For the past few weeks I’ve had the pleasure of visiting a selection of the great chateaus, castles, palaces, and gardens in France and England. Crossed off my bucket list was the romantic landscape of Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent designed by author Vita Sackville-West. It was interesting to note how many of the 22,000 annuals, perennials, and herbs grown in her garden have established themselves nicely here in California.
fallilng leaves in garden
It’s time to plant your bulbs, especially tulips. Having lived in Holland for eighteen months, I truly understand and value the humble tulip. Found in the wilds of central Asia, the first tulip bulbs were planted at Holland’s Hortus Botanicus Leiden in 1593. Tulips were so highly sought after that Dutch growers around Haarlem devoted every minute to hybridization and cultivation resulting in one tulip bulb being so valuable that it could buy an Amsterdam house on the canal or twenty-five acres of prime farmland. Besides cheese, gin, and herring, tulips reigned as kings of exportation. Tulipmania speculation collapsed in 1637 but not before these gorgeous flowers called Rembrandt tulips were depicted on Delft tiles, old master paintings, and historic tapestries. If only a grower had had a crystal ball…
Liquid Amber in Fall - 2
What to do in your November garden

⎫ PLANT your bulbs now through January. By planting a dozen or so bulbs per week, you’ll have a continuous show of color for the spring. Crocus, daffodils, tulips, wood hyacinths, and Dutch iris are favorites.
⎫ THROW two or three matchsticks into each hold before planting bulbs. The sulphur kills insects and enriches the soil.
⎫ FERTILIZE your bulbs with a composition of 4-10-6 right after planting to help grow strong roots. Do not mix fertilizer into the hole. Do not use chicken or horse manure, mushroom, or household compost (could be a breeding ground for fungus), or any acidic soil amendment. Bulbs require soil with neutral PH to develop their root system.
⎫ RESEED lawns with clover or Pearl’s Premium if you want grass without the guilt and the water surcharges. Click Here for tips on planting.
⎫ CLEAN and store patio furniture. With an El Nino in the forecast, covering your outdoor furniture, pads, and pillows will not be enough. Give everything a good brushing, then put in the garage or watertight storage area.
⎫ CALL an arborist to inspect your large limbs and trunks before the storms arrive.
⎫ HARVEST walnuts, gourds, and pumpkins.
⎫ DEADHEAD your roses weekly to maintain blossoms and fragrance throughout November and December.  If you prefer the red and orange colors of fall, allow the rose hips to form and harvest for additional vitamin C.
⎫ STAKE young trees and prune dead or dried limbs from established mature trees.
⎫ STOP by your local nurseries to choose deciduous trees with vibrant fall colors that will suit your landscape. A tree planted on the north side protects gardens from the blustery winter winds.
⎫ TIDY your vegetable garden and potager. Add straw and mulch to enrich the soil over winter.
⎫ SHARPEN garden shears and tools before storing.
⎫ SCATTER ripe seeds of biennials and perennials, such as Foxglove and Echinacea, encouraging new plants in your garden. Hybrid varieties may not grow true from seed offering you a spring surprise.
⎫ PLANT autumn showy ground covers, color spots, and shrubs as they are in their full fall riotous splendor. Heuchera is an especially pretty perennial in its autumn robes offering foliage in a variety of textures, shapes, and colors.
⎫ SOW winter crops of Swiss chard, broccoli, beets, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, peas, turnips, and spinach.
⎫ VISIT a vineyard to witness the golden and amber hues post harvest.
⎫ RAKE a pile of leaves. Let the kids frolic and kick, then add them to your compost pile. (Add the leaves, not the kids!)
⎫ ENJOY the fall foliage! Persimmons, pomegranates, and guava trees showcase their precious fruits. Savor the colors in anticipation of the holiday harvest next month.
⎫ SHARE your gratitude.
heuchera
May you celebrate a healthy, happy, and mouth-watering Thanksgiving with family and friends. Thank you so much for being loyal readers. Your thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated.

Happy Gardening, Happy Growing!
Europe 2010 - 219
©2015
Cynthia Brian
The Goddess Gardener
Starstyle® Productions, llc
Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com
www.GoddessGardener.com
925-377-STAR
Tune into Cynthia’s Radio show at www.StarStyleRadio.net
I am available as a speaker, designer, and consultant.

Read more Here
gourds
Cynthia Brian is a New York Times best selling author, speaker, coach, and host of the radio show, StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® broadcasting live every Wednesday from 4-5pm PT on the Voice America Network.. She also is the creator and producer of Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501c3 charity.

Halloween Spooktacular, Trick or Treat for Literacy

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Empowerment
Halloween Spooktacular, Trick or Treat for Literacy

PumpkinsCarved-Halloween - 6
The season of screams and scares is officially here! Halloween is the time to embrace your inner ghoul. Health Matter’s Heather Brittany keeps you safe during her favorite spooky holiday with tips and tricks.
Legend has it that garlic repels vampires and wards off the evil eye. Popularized by Bram Stoker’s Dracula, garlic not only is effective against the blood-sucking princes of the night, but also fends off the undead, including witches, warlocks, and werewolves.  Goddess Gardener, Cynthia Brian tells us how to plant, store, and use this miracle vampire repellent.

Special guest, Be the Star You Are!® Teen Ambassador and Host of Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio, Henna Hundal joins the conversation to talk about Trick or Treat for Literacy, her Halloween favorites, and making a difference with her BTSYA volunteerism.

For some spooktacular holiday inspiration, Starstyle®-Be the Star You Are!™ will shoot you into the spirit of Halloween faster than you can say BOO!
pumpkins at night
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Help Be the Star You Are!® without spending a penny. If you’ve ever purchased a TV or computer screen, just 3 minutes of your time is needed to fill out the simple form and click submit. Every unit qualifies for a donation of about $20 to Be the Star You Are!®. You will receive a tax receipt once the donations have been dispersed. PLEASE do this today. Thanks from Be the Star You Are!®

Read about our SUCCESSFUL VOLUNTEERS: READ AT PRESS PASS

Catch up with all broadcasts on ITunes
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Buy books by Cynthia Brian
Check out the online fundraiser for BTSYA
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The award winning positive talk radio program, StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® broadcasts on the Voice America Empowerment Channel LIVE every Wednesday from 4-5pm Pt/7-8pm ET..  Cynthia Brian and Heather Brittany are the Mother/Daughter dynamic duo who have been co-hosting this program live weekly since 1998 bringing upbeat, life enhancing conversation to the world. With Cynthia’s expertise in interviewing the trailblazers, authors, and experts and Heather’s healthy living segments, these Goddess Gals are your personal growth coaches helping you to jumpstart your life while igniting your flame of greatness.
Brought to the airwaves under the auspices of the literacy and positive media charity, Be the Star You Are!®, each program will pump your energy to help you live, love, laugh, learn, and lead.

Tune in the Power Hour every Wednesday from 4-5pm PT/7-8pm ET and join our empowerment party.
For photos, descriptions, links, archives, and more, visit StarStyle Radio.
Get inspired, motivated, and informed with StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!®
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Make a donation today to Be the Star You Are!® charity

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Halloween Spooktacular, Ghouls, Gourds, Garlic, Henna Hundal

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Halloween Spooktacular, Ghouls, Gourds, Garlic, Henna Hundal

PumpkinsCarved-Halloween - 3

Welcome to Starstyle®-Be the Star You Are!® with your hosts Cynthia Brian and Heather Brittany on the Voice America Empowerment Channel.  We strive to be useful, informative, interesting, entertaining, and unique as we seed, stimulate, and support space for positive, meaningful conversations. Instead of waiting for something better, we hope to help you create it now.  

The season of screams and scares is officially here! Halloween is the time to embrace your inner ghoul. Health Matter’s Heather Brittany keeps you safe during her favorite spooky holiday with tips and tricks with fun information on costumes, decor, candy, fire hazards, houses to visit, and more.

Henna Hundal-6-14

Legend has it that garlic repels vampires and wards off the evil eye. Popularized by Bram Stoker’s Dracula, garlic not only is effective against the blood-sucking princes of the night, but also fends off the undead, including witches, warlocks, and werewolves.  Goddess Gardener, Cynthia Brian tells us how to plant, store, and use this miracle vampire repellent.

Special guest, Be the Star You Are!® Teen Ambassador and Host of Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio, Henna Hundal joins the conversation to talk about Trick or Treat for Literacy, her Halloween favorites, and making a difference with her BTSYA volunteerism.

For some spooktacular holiday inspiration, Starstyle®-Be the Star You Are!™ will shoot you into the spirit of Halloween faster than you can say BOO!  Listen at Voice America and Listen at StarStyle Radio with photos and descriptions. 

Catch up with all broadcasts on ITunes. Buy books by Cynthia Brian.

Congrats to everyone who volunteers and supports Be the Star You Are!®. BTSYA has been named a 2014 TOP NON PROFIT for the 6th straight year and is one of the first to be awarded this honor by Guidestar and Great Non Profits.

Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio is produced by Cynthia Brian of Starstyle® Productions, llc as an outreach program of Be the Star You Are!® charity. For information on being a guest email caiekelley@gmail.com. To make a tax-deductible donation to keep this positive youth programming broadcasting weekly to international audiences. Thanks for supporting teens!

Be the Star You Are!® charity. It’s the Season of Giving Make a donation today. Buy books and shirts.

Trick or Treat for Literacy:

Give to Trick or Treat for Literacy. Instead of collecting candy, collect donations to give a child a book treat.

pumpkin carving

The award winning positive talk radio program, StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® broadcasts on the Voice America Empowerment Channel LIVE every Wednesday from 4-5pm Pt/7-8pm ET. Cynthia Brian and Heather Brittany are the Mother/Daughter dynamic duo who have been co-hosting this program live weekly since 1998 bringing upbeat, life enhancing conversation to the world. With Cynthia’s expertise in interviewing the trailblazers, authors, and experts and Heather’s healthy living segments, these Goddess Gals are your personal growth coaches helping you to jumpstart your life while igniting your flame of greatness.

Brought to the airwaves under the auspices of the literacy and positive media charity, Be the Star You Are!®, each program will pump your energy to help you live, love, laugh, learn, and lead.

Previous guests and fans of the program on World Talk Radio will always be able to access the archives. Tune in the Power Hour every Wednesday from 4-5pm PT/70-8pmET and join our empowerment party!

StarStyle® Be the Star You Are!® Radio

If you are a fan of the authors, experts, celebrities, and guests that appear regularly on StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® radio, you can now be sure to never miss an episode. Embed this code into your WordPress site or any site and you’ll always have Cynthia Brian, Heather Brittany, and all of your favorite pioneers on the planet at your fingertips.  Upbeat, positive, life-changing talk radio broadcasting live each week since 1998. Lend us Your Ears. We are Starstyle®-Be the Star You Are!®

Be the Star You Are!® charity. Every Season is for Giving Make a donation today.

Congratulations to Cynthia Brian and Heather Brittany for 12 years of weekly LIVE broadcasting of StarStyle®-Be the Star you Are!® on Voice America/World Talk Radio. Tune in Wednesdays 4-5pm PT/7-8pm ET. Archives, photos, descriptions and more are available at all times. The program is brought to the airwaves as an outreach program of Be the Star You Are!® charity. Lend us your ears!

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