I hate to waste anything! I’ve always been appreciative of everything I have. One summer my husband and I traveled to Vermont on vacation. We saw lakes and rivers cluttered with cans and boxes and boats and stagnant plants. The lakes and rivers had been thrown away. No one cared.
I found a book that told what a person could do. I came home and started giving talks on “using up”, recycling and making do.
Every morning when I ate an orange, I trimmed off the rind around the rim to keep it from stinging my lips. This bright piece of fragrant red-orange rind when cut and dried became part of my potpourri.
I grew luscious roses, made them into arrangements and when they dropped their petals, I gathered the brilliant red or pink or yellow beauties, spread their soft sweet petals on a sheet and dried them on the water heater. Then I scattered over them some orris root and three or four drops of rose geranium or lavender or cinnamon oil. After several weeks a jar of colorful, pungent potpourri was made.
I cannot let pansies die on the vine. When they are at their height of purple beauty, I cut off their stems and lay their quaint faces in a flower press for several days. The blotters remove the pansies juices and render them useful as decorations for cards for place cards.
I recycle my newspapers and magazines.
I save my leaves for the compost pile. I used to save scraps from the table except meat because that attracts animals. Food has to be tucked underneath the compost. The compost turns into black, rich dirt for the flowerbeds.
When I go into the kitchen to cook supper, I try to use leftovers. I make do with what I have.
It is now Christmas time. I shall take my dried globe amaranth, or bachelor buttons, make corsages, tie them on to a cellophane sack of potpourri and address a pansy card with a name for a friend or for the check-out girls at the supermarket.