Blog – Page 6 – Janet Mavec

There’s a Party Going On

February 8 is a big day this year. Lundi Gras (the day before Mardi Gras), and Chinese New Year. This year, it is the year of the Fire Monkey, with the lucky flowers of chrysanthemums and alliums. The London Telegraph is full...

The Plant That Moves

Sunflowers are one plant that are so full of emotion and humanity that it’s no surprise that they’ve been the model for many artists (Van Gogh, Klimt, Gauguin, Rivera, Vitali Komarov). The plant is so crafty that when it is i...

The Sun in Sunflower

A little insider information about my design process. The sunflower pendant started out as a sun. I love a sunflower, but actually I was exploring the sun, and a question I had about the sun and the moon. Why is the moon of...

The Largest Seed in the World

Can we talk about this? What do you think it is? Yeah, I got it right away, too. A coco de mer seed. A female one. Obviously, Professor Obvious. The coco de mer is a special seed, as you can plainly see. It is also the larges...

In a Nutshell: Nut Farms of California

I am a New Yorker so what I’m about to say may be a little shocking. California is an amazing place, particularly for nut farms. Nut acreage. Nuts like cashews, pistachios and walnuts. I came across a red walnut on my last tr...

Christmas Plant Parasite

Meet the Golden Bough aka mistletoe–a Christmas plant that hangs from the rafters harboring many secrets. First, it is, indeed, a hemi-parasite as our title hints (“the Christmas Plant Parasite”). It is nourished by the host ...

Effortless Applesauce

I’m biased, but who’s going to know how to make applesauce better? Mott’s, or someone who’s got her own apple tree? Plus, at Thanksgiving, it quiets the large crowds of grandkids. Bird Haven Farm Applesauce Makes about 3 cup...