Here we go New Year’s Eve Day.  The weather is changing.  Fog is gone but replaced with wind NW 23 MPH so our 29F (-1.6 C) feels like 15F (-9.4 C).  That is our high with 17F(-8.3 C) being our low.  Looking ahead, this will be warmest for 7 days.  Highs in the teens with single temperatures coming.  Stay warm. Stay safe.
Australia weather their high will be 80F(26.6C) low of 53F (11.6C) partly cloudy skies. Next 7 days they will have 98F(36.6C) so warming up for them.  Stay cool. Stay safe.

Larry and I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year.  The picture is from his tractor ride this last August.  Larry’s Garage has reached a milestone.  50 years ago, this December in 1974 he opened up Larry’s Garage.  So, when you see Larry congratulate him.  He will just smile, I am sure.  He will still be here to help you with your automotive needs.  Happy New Year Larry, Becky   Larry’s Garage, Becky’s Greenhouse Dougherty
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  [email protected]

​Good morning from Dougherty Iowa still having thick fog.  The temperature is 26F (-3C) so the surfaces are slippery with freezing from the fog.  High today is only 37F(3C) low tonight of 25F(-4C)  but looking ahead next week it will be cold I see a -6F (-21C) one night. But on the bright side we might have the sun shining and out. Australia’s weather for New Year’s Eve which is their time now.  Partly sunny with a high of 79F ( 26C). But their weekend temperature will be 97F (36 C).  Stay warm, stay cool wherever you are.

I found this article about El Nino, and La Nina. I have always been wondering what they mean.  Hope this helps with your understanding.  What I found out interesting that Australia waters, effect El Nino.  It proves we are all together with our planet.
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Goodbye El Niño, Hello La Niña
Looking at the forecast for the winter, we anticipate a La Niña through the winter—and sure enough, a weak La Niña is already starting to develop. The La Niña should help to bring a few cold shots southward, more so than we’ve seen during the past couple of winters. Even with these cold periods, we still expect much of the U.S. and Canada to end up with above-average winter temperatures overall.
I was totally surprised to read this about El Nina weather from our Australia continent. This helps cause the El Nino every 3 to 7 years, the easterly trade winds in the Pacific weaken and allow the pool of warm water to drift from Australia to the western coast of South America, often triggering heavy rains there. 
What about La Nina? La Niña is essentially the opposite of El Niño. La Niña refers to the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific that occurs every 3 to 5 years or so. The cool water can suppress rain-producing clouds, which leads to dry conditions.
Conversely, the stronger the La Niña, the more severe the droughts. The La Niña of 2009, for example, created severe drought in much of the world, causing an agricultural crisis in some areas. This will affect our gardening for next year for sure. 
Chill out! Our January weather forecast is here. Notably, the La Niña weather pattern is moving across North America. What does this mean for us weather-wise?

1. Looking at January as a whole, we expect near- to above-average temperatures across New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and Florida. The Appalachians, Southeast, Great Lakes, and Ohio Valley will tend to be on the colder side of average. We also anticipate some colder weather from the Upper Midwest through the northern Plains, the Northern Rockies, and the Pacific Northwest. Meanwhile, it will be on the warmer side from the southern Plains westward to California.

Where’s the Snow?
For precipitation in the month of January, it will tend to be on the drier side across the Deep South, Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, and into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Above-average precipitation is predicted across the Southeast. Precipitation will tend to be closer to average from the Upper Midwest through the Heartland and southern Plains. A fairly large area of above-average precipitation will likely develop from the High Plains westward through the Rockies and all through the West.
El Niño and La Niña are two faces of a large weather phenomenon.
Q. What is El Niño?
A. El Niño is a climate phenomenon that involves the periodic warming of sea-surface temperatures across the central and east-central equatorial Pacific.
This helps cause the El Nino every 3 to 7 years, the easterly trade winds in the Pacific weaken and allow the pool of warm water to drift from Australia to the western coast of South America, often triggering heavy rains there.
Dreaming of El Niño Winter
This vast pool of warm water is thought to set off a chain reaction that can affect jet stream and weather patterns around the world, especially in the winter months in the northern hemisphere. El Niño is sometimes referred to as ENSO for El Niño–Southern Oscillation. The Southern Oscillation is a seesaw of air pressures on the eastern and western halves of the Pacific. See El Niño Pattern chart.
Q. What is La Niña?
A. La Niña is essentially the opposite of El Niño. La Niña refers to the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific that occurs every 3 to 5 years or so. The cool water can suppress rain-producing clouds, which leads to dry conditions.
Q. What do the terms “El Niño” and “La Niña” mean?
A. Peruvian fishermen first noticed the effects of a new El Niño at Christmas time, when storminess off the coast reduced the supply of fish. “El Niño” is Spanish for “the boy child,” and is used to refer to the Baby Jesus. The name La Niña (“the girl child”) was coined to deliberately represent the opposite of El Niño.
Q. How do these weather events affect winter weather?
A. Because even the most dedicated scientists do not thoroughly understand El Niño and La Niña (we do not know, for instance, why the trade winds suddenly die down and allow the warm water pool to move eastward), we can only describe certain tendencies in the weather.
In the past, El Niño has often brought heavy rains to southern California and to a portion of the South from Atlanta to Cape Hatteras; it can bring relatively mild winter temperatures to the northern third of the country. However, these effects are not consistent in every El Niño event on record.
Conversely, the stronger the La Niña, the more severe the droughts. The La Niña of 2009, for example, created severe drought in much of the world, causing an agricultural crisis in some areas. This will affect our gardening for next year for sure. 
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/what-el-nino-and-la-nina
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/january-forecast
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from Myclsm.com 

Good morning.  It is foggy here this morning.  Temperature at 8:20 AM is at 31F    ( -0.5C) high today of 38F ( 3C). slight chance of rain shower.  Tomorrow Friday 100 % chance of rain but the temperature will be in the 40’s ( 4-5C). So, no snow, ice till it might freeze after sunset.  Australia weather today 72F (22C). Wind gusts are up to 26 MPH.  Looks like enjoyable weather for them to be outside and at the beach.  For all stay safe, some stay warm, and others stay cool. 

I have been writing to one of Evelyn’s friend’s aunt from Australia.  She is 90 years old and just amazing.  She wrote to me she was going to be at Loch Sport for Christmas Day and back on Boxing Day with more family. Loch Sport is a community on the water about 20 miles from Evelyn.  We went there for lunch with Evelyn’s friends where we met this aunt.    That lead me to think what is Boxing Day, and what came up on Old Farmer’s Almanac but this article about Boxing Day.  I found it very interesting, and I hope you do too.  Because of the time difference they have had Boxing Day already but for us it would be now Dec. 26th.  Enjoy and it is so much fun to learn about the world and what their customs are. 
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Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26! This year, that’s a Thursday. Why is it called Boxing Day? And what, if anything, does boxing have to do with it? Boxing Day, like a box, has many points of interest.
When Is Boxing Day?
Boxing Day occurs annually on December 26 (the day after Christmas). In 2024, Boxing Day falls on Thursday, December 26.
This public holiday is celebrated in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other Commonwealth countries. Most offices are closed on this day if it is a weekday.
What Is Boxing Day?
Boxing Day is a centuries-old gift-giving day that originated in Britain. Yes, boxes are a big part of Boxing Day traditions!
During the Victorian Era (1837–1901, the period of Queen Victoria’s reign), the upper class would box up leftover food, money, or goods and give them to their tradesmen as well as their servants for reliable service all year.
One of the earliest records of these box gifts dates from 1663. In an entry in his diary, English parliamentarian Samuel Pepys writes that he sent a coach and messenger to his shoemaker to deliver “something to the boys’ box against Christmas” in addition to funds to cover his bill.
The custom arose because servants, who would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, had the next day off. They were given gifts from their masters and would go home to visit their families.
In the church, the money in the Alms (charity) boxes was given to the poor. The church parishioners deposited donations into a box the clergyman put out for that purpose and handed it out at Christmas.
St. Stephen’s Day
Boxing Day is also known as St. Stephen’s Day. He was known for helping the poor, and he was the first Christian martyr.
Ever heard the Christmas song, “Good King Wenceslas”? Its first line describes the king’s activities on St. Stephen’s day: “Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of Stephen.”
Written by John Mason Neale and first published in 1853, the lyrics celebrate the spirit of Boxing Day—generosity—as it describes King Wenceslas watching a poor man “gath’ring winter fuel.” The king then brings the peasant food and logs for his fire.
How Is Boxing Day Celebrated Today?
Today, Boxing Day is a day off in England and Canada, and just a day to relax after the festivities of Christmas.
There’s no feast. It’s all about the leftovers! Think turkey sandwiches. 
Sporting events have taken place on Boxing Day for centuries. Today’s more popular Boxing Day sporting activities include watching horse races and football matches against local rivals.
Charity and giving to the poor are still a big part of Boxing Day. Some folks participate in charity runs. The Boxing Day Dip is another charity event where people in fancy dress swim in the sea on Boxing Day. Can you imagine swimming in the frigid English Channel?
Boxing Day Trivia & Lore
On this day in 1776, George Washington crossed the ice-clogged Delaware River at dawn to attack Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey.
On this day in 1963, two songs by The Beatles—”I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “I Saw Her Standing There”—were released in the United States.
Weather lore says, “If the wind blows much on St. Stephen’s Day [December 26], the grape will be bad in the next year.”
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/boxing-day
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365

image from Pinterest 

      It is 32F(0C) at 3:00 PM, we had snow all morning and looks like 1” of white stuff.  That is our high for today.  Low tonight of 16F ( -9C) .  Looks like Friday and Saturday will be colder with temperatures for highs in the 20’sF ( C-7).  BUT looking at Christmas week.  It will warm up to high of 41F( 5C). Awesome for those traveling for Christmas.  Now looking at our Australia family they will have warming up temperatures as on Christmas 95F( 35C)  and then cooler down to the 70’sF( 21C).   Stay safe, stay warm, or stay cool. 

I have been looking at what to share today, and I found this poem that is kind of cute in the Christmas spirit and gardening.
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A special Christmas poem for the Pacific Northwest gardener in your life By Marianne Binetti Contributing writer
 This Christmas garden poem was written for this column more than 30 years ago. It is still the most requested encore of any column I have written and, as a gift to my readers, I grant copywrite permission for it to be downloaded and used from my website at www.binettigarden.com.
 T’was the week before Christmas, and all through the yard, not a gift was given, not even a card.
The tools were all hung in the carport with care, with hopes that St. Nicholas soon would repair, The shovel with blade all rusty and cracked, the pitchfork still shiny, but handle it lacked.
When out on my lawn, (it’s brown and abused) I could see poor old Santa, looking confused. No list had been left for Santa to see, no gardening gifts were under the tree.
 But wait, there’s still time, it’s not Christmas yet, and gardening gifts are the quickest to get. You can forget the silk tie, the fluffy new sweater, give something to make the garden grow better.
 If she wants a gift shiny, then don’t be a fool, it’s not a dumb diamond, but a sparkling new tool. If fragrance is listed, you can forget French perfume, it’s a pile of manure that’ll make gardeners swoon.
Give night crawlers, not nightgowns, the type of hose that gives water. (Anything for the kitchen is not worth the bother.) Give a great gift that digs in the dirt, it’s better than any designer-brand shirt.
Now look quick at Santa, this guy’s not so dumb, under his glove, he hides a green thumb. His knees are so dirty, his back how it aches, his boots stomp on slugs, (he gives them no breaks).
The guy only works winter, you can surely see why, The rest of the year it’s a gardening high. Elves plant in the spring, pull weeds merrily all summer, in fall they all harvest, but winter’s a bummer.
And so Christmas gives Santa a part-time employment, ‘Till spring when blooms are his real life enjoyment. So ask the big guy for garden gifts this year, seeds, plants and tools, Santa holds them all dear.
 You see malls may be crowded, vendors hawking their ware, but visit a nursery, stress-free shopping is there. Now Santa’s flown off, to the nursery he goes, and his voice fills the night with loud Hoe! Hoe! Hoe! Hoes! Merry Christmas from us at Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty

Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337   cell 641-903-9365
Takenfrom  https://www.theolympian.com/living/home-garden/article297011724.html#storylink=cpy

Good morning.  It is 23F ( -4C) at 7:30 AM.  Looks like cloud sky.  The weather just said next week during Christmas we will be above normal temperatures.  NOW that is exciting with all that is traveling.  High today of only 34F (1C) but that is better than 5 degrees.   Australia weather for Dec 18, which is the same time we are having now.  They will have a high of 73F (23C).  For their schools this is their last week of school.  They will then have 6 weeks off before a new school year starts.  It will be exciting for the end of school and Christmas.   Stay warm, stay safe and Australia enjoy your spring day. 
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Today would have been my dad’s birthday.  He was born in 1903.  He would be so amazed at what has happened since his leaving us in 1970.  Happy Birthday Dad.  The picture you see is his farming accounting.   The ledger was from 1946.
1946  Before I was born, in 1952
Eggs
Jan      88 ½ doz                                                       15.31
Feb. 106 ½ doz                                                        18.02
March 200 doz                                                        30.45       subtotal 63.78
                                                Hide                           3.20
                                                Wool                          73.35
If you figure out per dozen eggs they got .17 per dozen
Next picture is of cattle sold
2  13      veal     175 @13.60        23.80
                           125 @13.50          16.87
            Cow    1305 @8.60             112.23      subtotal  152.90
                        Comm   expense    3.96    
                                                            148.94                                              74.47      74.47
You can’t see it on the picture but at the bottom
Cattle sold                                                                                                    1028.01
Lambs sold                                                                                                       88.71
Cow died                                          70.00
3 yearling 800# 13.00 per h      156.00
But the cow died.   
I found this about the prices in 1946  today’s prices were listed current as of 2024
1946
- Fresh eggs (1 dozen): $0.59 ($7.88 in today’s dollars)
- White bread (1 pound): $0.10 ($1.33 in today’s dollars)
- Sliced bacon (1 pound): $0.53 ($7.07 in today’s dollars)
- Round steak (1 pound): $0.52 ($6.94 in today’s dollars)
- Potatoes (10 pounds): $0.47 ($6.27 in today’s dollars)
- Fresh delivered milk (1/2 gallon): $0.35 ($4.67 in today’s dollars)
With hundreds of thousands of soldiers coming back from the war, Congress passed the Employment Act of 1946, which stated it was the responsibility of the government to maintain a high employment level of labor and price stability. Meanwhile, the private-sector economy flourished, with private investments rising 156%.    Taken from https://stacker.com/business-economy/cost-goods-year-you-were-born
When I looked up wages for 1946 it was very complex.  White men, black men, women, non-farm income, farm income all were into different amounts.  I didn’t take the time to include this maybe another time.  But if you are interested you can goggle what the wages were in 1946.  It is interesting. 
With this dad, you worked hard on the farm, and you got what you were given. You kept working on. You were very diversified like the farmers of 1946.  It was the end of the war, soldiers coming home, increased employment, and the way of life changing for many.  I am grateful that I grew up on the farm, and you showed me the way of hard work. Thank you, Dad, for giving me this.  Happy birthday in Heaven.    
Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365  

image from unfrontottaua.com 

      Good morning just came in from outside and just wearing a sweatshirt.  Or I could say a jumper.  That is what they are called in Australia.  One of Evelyn’s grandchildren asked me if I would never change my jumper.  You see I had three UNI purple sweatshirts, so she thought they all were one.   The eyes of children.   Temperature is 35F (16C) at 10:00 AM, high today of 41F (5C) low tonight of 24F ( -4C).  warming up today. Enjoy by the end of the week it will change.  Australia weather for today which is Sept 17, Tuesday rainy conditions wind gusts up to 17 MPH but it has cooled down high today of 77F (25 C).  Over the weekend it was 100 F(38C) so it was hot.  Stay warm, stay cool (Down under), stay safe
​
Does Cold Weather Make You Sick? | 10 Myths About the Cold
Do you know why people shiver, or how to warm up cold feet? Find out the facts behind some myths about cold.
Can cold weather give you a cold? Do you lose most of your body heat through your head? Is a cup of hot coffee the best way to warm up? We answer these questions and bust common cold weather myths!
Humans are warm-blooded and must maintain an inner core temperature of about 98.6°F (37°C). We primarily warm ourselves by exercising and eating, and in winter, the challenge is to keep the warmth we create as long as possible or lose as little of it as possible. The ways we avoid getting cold may surprise you!
10 Myths About Cold Weather
1. Cold Weather Causes the Common Cold
Nope. You catch colds from viruses, not from cold temperatures. But because cold temperatures keep people indoors in close quarters, viruses spread more easily.
Cold weather can weaken your immune system, making you an easier target. But in the end, it’s viruses (not cold weather) that are making you sick. Here are some other ways to avoid getting colds.
2. Do You Lose Most of Your Body Heat Through Your Head?
No, you don’t. Thermophysiologist Gordon Giesbrecht of the University of Manitoba says, “Where your body loses heat is closely related to surface area, and the head has only about 9 percent of the body’s surface area.” As the temperature decreases, the blood vessels in your extremities constrict. Yet only 10% of your body heat is being lost through your head.
That said, if you are all bundled up, you lose more body heat through the top of an uncovered head, so perhaps you could say, “Mom was right,” after all.
3. What Should You Do If Your Fingers or Toes Are Cold?
You should rub your fingers and toes when they get chilly, right? Nope. Wiggle them instead. If exposed skin (including that of your face and ears) becomes cold, cover it with a warm hand until it feels better. Giesbrecht says, “Never accept numbness. It is a sign that tissue is already very cold and potentially about to freeze.” If there’s a chance you may have frostbite, don’t rub the frostbite area, especially not with snow. Rubbing will cause tissue damage. Do not try to warm frostbitten skin until you’re free of the danger of it freezing again. Refreezing increases tissue damage and can cause you more pain and suffering.
3. Is a Cup of Coffee or a Sip of Brandy a Good Way to Warm Up?
Nope. Caffeine and alcohol may speed up heat loss. According to Weather.gov, caffeine can cause your blood vessels to constrict and prevent your hands and feet from warming properly, and alcohol can reduce shivering, which is something your body does to help keep you warm!
Instead of caffeine and alcohol, drink warm water or a warm, sweet, nonalcoholic, non-caffeinated beverage (hot chocolate, anyone?) to help warm the body.
5. If You Fall Through Ice and Into Water, You Will Die of Hypothermia Right Away
It depends; you may have about an hour to survive this kind of cold shock. Understanding what’s happening and not panicking is critical to your survival.
Remember the 1-10-1 rule: one minute, ten minutes, one hour.
You have 1 minute to get control of your breathing (a common reaction to severe cold is to panic and start hyperventilating).
You have 10 minutes to perform any meaningful movement, during which you can do your best to get out of the water.
If you can’t get out on your own, you have 1 hour before hypothermia will render you unconscious. So, when you can no longer use your arms and legs effectively, adopt a position in the water that conserves body heat (curl up, keep limbs close) until help arrives.
6. Dehydration Is not a Danger When You Exercise in Cold Weather
False. You can sweat anytime when you exercise; in cold weather, you also lose more water through your breath than in warmer temperatures. Remember playing in the snow as a child and being so thirsty when you came inside? Thank the cold weather for that!
So, remember that dehydration is dangerous in the cold; it hinders the body’s ability to produce heat.
7. If You’re Stranded and Thirsty, You Should Eat Snow
Bad idea. Eating snow or sucking on ice will lower your body temperature. It can also lead to internal injuries. If you have no water, try melting ice in a plastic bag between your clothing layers (not directly against the skin). Ice melts more quickly than the same volume of snow and yields more water.
8. If I’m Cold, You Must Be Cold!
Nope. Age, gender, fitness level, acclimatization—these and other factors determine when you “feel” cold. It’s been proven, for example, that women generally feel cold before men do, possibly because they have less heat-generating ability but a relatively similar amount of heat-losing skin. In addition, women’s blood vessels contract sooner due to cold than men’s, so women’s skin feels colder more quickly. So next time your spouse complains about the thermostat, consider the physiological differences at play.
9. Does Shivering Make You Colder or Warmer? Why Do We Shiver?
It may not feel good, but shivering means that your body is trying to warm up, and that’s good. Shivering happens involuntarily—it’s one of the ways (along with an increased metabolism and breathing rate) that your body automatically responds to heat loss that threatens to lower your core temperature. In fact, skeletal muscle contractions—shivering—can triple your body’s heat production.
10. Does Cold Always Feel the Same?
Actually, it doesn’t. Have you ever noticed how 10 degrees (or any cool temperature) feels colder in the fall than it does in the spring? This is because our bodies are used to dealing with much colder temperatures and react more quickly, so we lose heat more slowly, and don’t “feel” as cold.
People who live in cold climates are typically used to this cold weather, so maybe they don’t feel it as much!
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/cold-weather-myths
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337   cell 641-903-9365 

image from clipartmag.com 

      ​Good morning.  It is COLD out 4F ( -16 C) feels like -11F ( -24C). high today of 21F ( -6C) low tonight of 16F so the temperature is warming up high tomorrow will be 32F(0C).  Starting at 8PM -tomorrow 12PM winter weather advisory.  Red alert day significant ice accumulation possible tonight and Saturday. Remember it isn’t winter yet.  I found this article about Old Farmer’s Almanac saying a calmer, gentler winter.  See how true this is. 
Australia family and friends will have 57F(14C) Cloudy conditions continuing through the morning.  Today’s temperature ranges is from 54F(12C) to 76F (24C) Remember this is Saturday Dec 14 for them now.  All we can say for them is ENJOY.  For us, stay warm, and stay safe. 

When you read what the Old Farmer’s Almanac has predicted for our winter when it comes you will smile. 
The 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac Forecasts a “Calmer, Gentler” Winter!
What Is the 2024–2025 Winter Forecast?
As has been true every year since 1792, the newest edition features a healthy dose of wit and wisdom, as well as the Almanac’s much-anticipated, traditionally 80 percent–accurate weather forecasts.
“This winter, temperatures will be up and snowfall down throughout most of the United States,” reports Carol Connare, the Almanac’s editor-in-chief. “While there will still be plenty of chilly temperatures and snow for most slopes, the high heating costs associated with the season shouldn’t hit so hard. We’re predicting a temperate, uneventful winter—potentially a welcome reprieve from the extremes of recent years.”
There will be exceptions, of course. Winter rainstorms will leave Florida, the Deep South, and southern California soaked. Meanwhile, heavy snowfall is expected in central and southern Appalachia, the western Ohio Valley, and the Rockies—calling all skiers and sledders!
Region 10: Heartland
The heartland of America mainly covers Iowa, Missouri, and eastern Kansas, as well as Nebraska. Cities include Des Moines, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, and Topeka.
How Cold Will Winter Be?
Winter will be warmer than normal throughout this agricultural area. The coldest periods in the heartland will occur in late January and early and late February.
Will There Be Snow?
Precipitation and snowfall will be below normal as well. The most snow will fall when temperatures are coldest in late January as well as early and late February.
We will have to see if they are right or not.  HOPE SO.  Will we have a white Christmas? 
taken from Winter Weather Forecast 2024–2025 | The Old Farmer’s Almanac
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 

images from Becky

      It is 25 F.(C) at 10:30 AM, high today of 31F (-56C) with a low tonight of 14F ( -10C) looking at Wed morning -1F ( -18C) with wind out of the NW at 20 to 30 MPH so we will have a cold wind chill with that.  The up and down of our weather as it is getting closer to winter.  Australia weather for Dec 11, Wed, low of 49F (9C) with a high of 75F (24C) clear conditions wind gusts are up to 8 mph.  As Evelyn would say it is very nice out for a spring day.  Stay safe, stay warm, and southern hemisphere stay cool.

I just want to ask what your favorite Christmas tradition is?  Mine would be getting a live tree and decorating it.  I have made my potato donuts for years as gift baskets for ones to have on Christmas morn.  I have been known to do over 32 baskets, and they are fresh so Christmas Eve day I am making 2 to 3 batches of donuts.  I have cut back on the number of baskets but still do some. I made them for a gathering in Australia with family and they were a hit.  The hardest part for me was heading up the oil on the stove with a candy thermometer.  I did get the oil too hot, so had to cool it down.   I started making these in the winter of 1977.   That is a few years ago to make this a Christmas tradition.  Share if you want what is one of your Christmas traditions.  Thanks, stay safe, stay warm, or stay cool
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 

image from urbanorganicyield.com 

Hi, here we go another week in Dec.  Dec 9th.  How are you coming with all the Christmas preparations.  We got our live tree up with the help of grandsons.  It is the earliest I have had a tree up.  So, feeling more like Christmas.  I know it is a stressful part of the holiday.  But do remember that it is the celebration of Jesus’s birth.  It is simplest that.  All the rest we do is in that celebration.  Good luck with it all and do what you can.  It is hard for me to find articles to talk about.  I could talk about Christmas trees, caring for poinsettias, but I have written that before.  Just enjoy the plants of Christmas. stay safe  
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Why do spider plant tips turn brown?
If you notice this detail on the leaves, these may be the reasons.  The plant spider is a very common plant even in the apartment, as it is easy to grow, known especially for its long pointed leaves.  One of the most common problems is when the tips of its leaves begin to dry out and consequently become browns. This can happen for several reasons.
 
Let’s see what they are and how to remedy them.
Stress: If you have just purchased a spider plant or have drastically changed the environment it is situated in, the plant may be affected. In these cases, it is a natural process, after a few days of adaptation the plant will heal itself.
Water: When it comes to giving your spider plant water, finding the right balance is essential. Too much water or too little can undermine health. For this reason, it is important to choose draining soil and give it water only when you notice that the soil is completely dry.
Fluoride: is a component that is very often found in tap water and is not suitable for the spider plant. For this reason, when watering, prefer distilled water.
Temperature: the spider plant is a plant that adapts very easily indoors .  Although a spider plant can survive temperatures as low as 35°F, it won’t grow much unless you keep it in an environment that’s at least 65°F.When temperatures rise, for example in summer, the leaves of the spider plant begin to dry out. In such cases, move the plant to a bright area but away from direct sunlight. Also spray water regularly on the leaves to keep them hydrated.
Fertilizers: Fertilizers are beneficial for plants as they provide essential nutrients. In the case of the spider plant, however, it does not need high doses: prefer organic and natural fertilizers, which will be provided once every 3 months.
Taken from https://www.home-flavor-ideas.fakake.com/why-do-spider-plant-tips-turn-brown/     
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337   cell 641-903-9365

       Good morning and we have a blue clear sky.  The temperature was 19 when I got up but as the sun came up it dropped to 17F.  High today of 38F ( -3C) with a low of 16F ( -9C) The weekend warms up to 46F (8 C) and 54F(12 C) so that will be awesome comeback of fall not winter.  We have had a taste of that winter with very cold temperatures and high winds. Australia weather on Saturday Dec 7 at 1:15 AM it is raining there with their temperatures being 62F (17 C) and high today of 85F ( 29C)  humidity is at 86%.  Summer like for them, we will have more fall like for our weekend. Stay warm, stay cool(for our Australia readers) and stay safe.

Now with these Australia pictures of animals that is what I was told I would have posted first.  Now I am posting the animals we saw.  I was going to post what we saw but today I will only talk about the Koala.  I just learned that they are only in the area around Evelyn and Tom.  They used to restock much of the original range in Victoria and southern New South Wales.  That makes our seeing them that more special.  Evelyn probably told me this, but I didn’t remember.  Now I will share with you. 
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Koala, (Phascolarctos cinereus), tree-dwelling marsupial of coastal eastern and southern Australia classified in the family Phascolarctidae (suborder Vombatiformes). Due to the animal’s superficial resemblance to a small bear, the koala is sometimes referred to, albeit erroneously, as the koala bear.
The koala is about 60 to 85 cm (24 to 33 inches) long and weighs up to 14 kg (31 pounds) in the southern part of its range (Victoria and South Australia) but only about half that in subtropical Queensland to the north. Virtually tailless, the body is stout and gray, with a pale yellow or cream-coloured chest and mottling on the rump. The broad face has a wide, rounded, leathery nose, small yellow eyes, and big fluffy ears. The feet are strong and clawed; the two inner digits of the front feet and the innermost digit of the hind feet are opposable for grasping.
The koala feeds very selectively on the leaves of certain eucalyptus trees. Generally solitary, individuals move within a home range of more than a dozen trees, one of which is favoured over the others. If koalas become too numerous in a restricted area, they defoliate preferred food trees and, unable to subsist on even closely related species, decline rapidly. To aid in digesting as much as 1.3 kg (3 pounds) of leaves daily, the koala has an intestinal pouch (cecum) about 2 metres (7 feet) long, where symbiotic bacteria degrade the tannins and other toxic and complex substances abundant in eucalyptus. This diet is relatively poor in nutrients and provides the koala little spare energy, so the animal spends long hours simply sitting or sleeping in tree forks, exposed to the elements but insulated by thick fur. Although placid most of the time, koalas produce loud, hollow grunts.
The koala is the only member of the family Phascolarctidae. Unlike those of other arboreal marsupials, its pouch opens rearward. Births are single, occurring after a gestation of 34 to 36 days. The youngster (called a joey) first puts its head out of the pouch at about five months of age. For up to six weeks it is weaned on a soupy predigested eucalyptus called pap that is lapped directly from the mother’s anus. Pap is derived from the cecum. After weaning, the joey emerges completely from the pouch and clings to the mother’s back until it is nearly a year old. A koala can live to about 15 years of age in the wild, somewhat longer in captivity.
Studies suggest that there are five distinct populations of koalas, which began to diverge from one another sometime between 300,000 and 430,000 years ago. Formerly killed in huge numbers for their fur, especially during the 1920s and ’30s, koalas dwindled in number from several million to a few hundred thousand, which substantially reduced the species’s genetic diversity and that of four of the five individual populations, making the species susceptible to inbreeding. In the southern part of their range, koalas became practically extinct, except for a single genetically diverse population in Gippsland, Victoria. Some were translocated onto small offshore islands, especially Phillip Island, where they did so well that these koalas were used to restock much of the original range in Victoria and southern New South Wales. During the same period, some koalas were also introduced to Kangaroo Island, and later (during the 1950s and ’60s) additional animals were introduced to several other coastal habitats in South Australia. Though once again widespread, koala populations and subpopulations are now scattered and separated by urban areas and farmland, which makes them locally vulnerable to extinction. Another problem is the infection of many populations with Chlamydia, which makes the females infertile.
Australian bushfires of 2009
 The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has listed the koala as a vulnerable species since 2016. The species decreased in number by nearly 28 percent between the years 1984 and 2012, largely because of habitat loss and fragmentation, which made the animal more susceptible to vehicle strikes and predation by dogs. Devastating drought and bushfires during the late 2010s also contributed to the decline in the number of koalas, reducing the total by an additional 30 percent between 2018 and 2021. Some 60,000 koalas were killed or injured during the “Black Summer” (the Australian bushfire season of 2019–2020) alone. As temperatures increase and the drying effects of climate change become more pronounced in Australia, wildlife officials expect that the number of koalas will decline further in the coming decades.
Taken from https://www.britannica.com/animal/koala
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337   cell  641-903-9365