This past week was Teacher Appreciation Week.  Somehow, even with all the emails and notifications, this seems to catch me off guard and unprepared. That and the fact that the bar seems to always be raising on what’s appropriate and expected. It used to be a $5-10 gift card to Dunkin Donuts or Barnes & Noble was reasonable. Now it’s send a gift, buy them lunch, paint a picture, and hold a parade. Not really, but you know what I mean.

I’m always a fan of homemade gifts. I’ve done jellies and jams, homemade breads and brownie mixes in a jar. I would like to receive those things so I’m hoping they do too.

Last year, Cactus brought home a jade plant from a customer he was doing a job for who no longer wanted it. Jackpot my friends! There are always new little plants showing up around the base of the main plant in the pot so I just remove them and start them in their own new pot. I keep them on the windowsill in my bathroom, usually 3-4 are growing at any given time, and bada bing – instant homemade, thoughtful gift.

I usually have some extra pots in the shed that are a bit nicer than what I use for seed starting. You can always grab some from a yard sale or goodwill to have a few on hand. I don’t have to tell you where or how to get potting soil. Then in 5 minutes you have a gift.