The Making of a Terrarium

I have the terrarium bug again, and now I'm stepping up the game with interesting containers and more elaborate landscapes. Here, I will show you how I created this plant enclosure with steps and a pond.

I've always had a love of houseplants and terrariums, ever since I was 10 or 11 and my mom gave me one of those scientific growing kits. It came with a petri dish, a clear cone cover, and a bean seed. Within days the seed sprouted, traveled up through the hole in the top of the cone, and wound its green tentacles around my pole desk. It was fascinating to watch it grow, roots and all.

In my adult years, I took a liking to more elaborate terrariums. Here is a 40-gallon aquarium I turned into a jungle setting, fake snakes and all.

Now I am into smaller, more interesting containers, like this birdcage glass and metal enclosure I purchased as a Christmas gift to myself. Here's how I turned it into the finished terrarium.

1. First I sealed the bottom corners and part of the inside crevices with clear silicone since the enclosure it not 100% watertight. After letting it cure for a few days, I added a layer of dark gravel and activated charcoal. Then I covered that with black mesh.

2. Next I baked some sifted potting soil at 200 degrees for 45 minutes to remove any possible bugs or contaminants. I covered the pan with aluminum foil.

3. The pond idea I got after removing the top tray of a store-bought salad. The large round area would serve as the pond. Brilliant, right?

4. I placed the "pond" on top of the mesh inside the terrarium, then formed dirt around it so the back was higher. I kept the pond area covered with cardboard to keep the soil out.

5. Next I placed small slabs of thin slate stone to form the steps and secure the soil in the back.

6. Then I thought about where I wanted the plants. The moss I purchased at a local nursery that was kind enough to scrape a chunk from below one of their outdoor plant bins.

7. Now came the fun part: placing the plants and inserting the moss. The plants include a nerve plant (fittonia), a button fern that recovered after I almost killed it, and a peperomia puteolata. You don't need too many because plants will grow and fill out spaces.

8. I added dark rocks and water to the bottom of the pond, but it still wasn't enough. Then I saw these two guys at Dollar Tree: a Zen turtle and frog. I laid down a bridge with a couple of sticks, and now the pair can chill out within their peaceful surroundings. I may change it later, but for now, it's pretty cool to look at.

So there you go. It takes a little bit of preplanning (plants and hardscape materials), but now I have something alive that I can enjoy for months and hopefully years to come.

Day Trip: Front Royal, Virginia

I'm guessing it's been well over a decade, maybe even two, since I made the drive out to Front Royal and the Shenandoah. This seems like a shame because the trek is only about an hour away. With the weekend weather perfect for an outdoor excursion, I left home around 9 am and pointed the car due west.

One of the many overlooks along Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park.

My first stop was the historic district of Front Royal. Below are some of the many sites I took in with captioned commentary:

Murals abound in the historic district.

It's nice to see old-school theatres still a part of these small towns.

Another mural. I asked a man if he'd smoke his cigarette in front of it for the picture.

An abandoned building that could be something real nice one day.

A Confederate memorial in honor of locals who served stands on E. Main Street.

 A mom taking pictures of her children in front of a Virginia LOVE sign.

Not the best shot of downtown buildings. The district extends through several cross streets.

Sculptured naked men watching the town folk move about below.

An Earth Day celebration in the Town Square.

A couple resting on an ice cream bench in front of an ice cream store.

The outside of a pottery store.

Wonderful cups and pots made by Arlene. She introduced herself and we had a nice chat.

A tributary of the South Fork Shenandoah River called Happy Creek flows along the edge of town.

I noticed this stately home up on the hill of the east side of town.

The Randolph-Macon Academy can be seen up on the hills from the downtown area.

Next I headed for the entrance of the Shenandoah National Park just a few miles away. Passenger cars are charged $30 for a week pass (expensive), so I opted for the $80 year pass to all National Parks. Below are pictures of a few of the many overlooks in the first 20 miles of Skyline Drive.

I tried to get artsy here with an Impressionistic filter on my camera.

A couple visiting from New Jersey and I took several pictures together on Range View Overlook.

Day Trip: Leesburg, Virginia

After two days of working until the wee hours of the morning on a new project, I decided I needed to get out and enjoy some of this wonderful Spring weather--before it gets too hot! So I set out this morning to nearby Leesburg, Virginia. Even though it is only 30 miles away, I don't believe I've ever checked out the Historic Old Town. Now I have.

A view down Loudoun Street in Old Town Leesburg.

I began with a stop at the Virginia Magnolia Antique Mall on Rt. 15. I hadn't visited this place in probably a decade. Lots of interesting items, and now they have a basement and a two-story barn out back. I talked myself out of purchasing the $19 glass terrarium below. Here are some pictures:

I don't know. $18.95 is a little pricey for this.

One of those old barns where you feel like you're going to fall through the floor.

Always a war going on somewhere. This framed paper is dated May 13, 1898.

Next I drove into Old Town just about 4 miles up the road and parked in a free parking garage. It's a good thing I was in the shade, because I picked up a new buddy along the way. Picture at end.

Below are some various scenes along Loudoun and Market Streets.

The Delirium Cafe. I almost stopped here for lunch. They serve Belgian beer.

Cut flowers in a window on the top story of an old building.

The Loudoun County Courthouse. A Confederate statue called the "Silent Sentinel" was removed from the front courtyard on July 21, 2021.

Beautiful to see all the flowering trees in bloom.

Along the way, I stopped into a few shops. One was an independent bookstore that also sells plants! Here are some interior pictures of Birch Tree Bookstore:

Then there was this old movie theatre. I need to check out the inside next time.

Of course, I had to take some selfie pictures and other interesting shots to round out the day.

This is some sort of stuffed bear in front of a store.

A tribute to Stanley Caulkins, in front of where he ran Caulkins Jewelers for 61 years. He was also the co-founder of Leesburg Airport and a WWII veteran. "A role model for acts of kindness, charity and the greater good" is engraved on the plaque. Sculptor Jeffery L. Hall.

Nice ride. 1960s Camaro SS 327 at the intersection of Loudoun and Market Streets.

A very nice couple let me take a photo of their sweet dog. I wish I remembered her name!

Creepy-ass old photos of children in the Black Shutter Antique Center.

A colorful mural outside an eatery.

And finally, that little buddy I was telling you about. I purchased another carnivorous pitcher plant at one of two nurseries I visited. I felt I needed to save one of these "Little Shop of Horrors" plants that end up in just about every store that sells plants. This one looks as though it suffered from cramped space inside a container before it made it to the store. At a whopping cost of  $15.99, I promise to take very good care of it. Always check for new growth coming on any plant you buy.

Pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea)

"In Search of Good Times" article in Prince William Living Magazine

 

By Amy Falsofke

You might say Victor Rook does it all. Not only is he a beloved local author, but he’s also a book designer, editor/publisher, web designer and an award-winning filmmaker. In Search of Good Times, one of several of his published books, was just re-released as an audiobook, voiced by Andrew Pond.

In Search of Good Times follows the cross-country adventures of Joseph Manley, “Joe for short,” who’s recently become unemployed during the 2009 economic recession. Joe is suddenly convinced the characters from the two TV sitcoms, All in the Family and Good Times, are real and he needs to find them. So he sets off from Idaho to visit Chicago (where the Evans family lives) and New York (where the Bunker family lives). Along the way, he discovers lots of interesting people and places and even picks up a beagle!

Inspiration for In Search of Good Times

The Story

Rook said he was inspired to write In Search of Good Times after watching an episode of Good Times.

“One night, after watching an episode of Good Times, I got on Google Street View to locate the exact building in the Chicago Cabrini-Green projects where the opening shot zooms into JJ’s painting. Then, somehow, the story idea came to me of a man who believed the two fictional sitcom families from Good Times and All in the Family were real,” he said.

From there, the story developed.

“I knew one show was set in Chicago, and the other in New York City. So I closed my eyes and pointed to a map somewhere out west, far away. My finger landed on Rigby, Idaho, which is where Joe lives and begins his road trip,” said Rook.

Rook discovered an interesting fact related to his story.

“Surprisingly, Rigby is actually known as the ‘birthplace of television,’ because a graduate from a school there created the first blueprints of a television and later developed the vacuum tube television display,” he said.

The People and Places

Reading In Search of Good Times, you might be impressed with the level of details about the different places Joe visits between Idaho and New York and the different kinds of people that Joe meets. Rook talked about the research that went into the book.

“I mapped out Joe’s entire route on Google Street View, and most every place he visits is accurate. So there  was a lot of research on terrain, city landscapes, street names, etc. There was a lot of character and history research too, like WWII battles and Amish customs. A blue jay taps on Joe’s window in Idaho in the beginning, so I had to make sure Idaho even had blue jays,” he said.

Asked who inspired the main character, Rook said Joe is the “what if” version of himself.

“What if I were to go on this trip to see what I’d find? I wrote the book so the reader could feel like he or she was on the trip with Joe and discovering interesting people and places along the way,” he said.

The Influence of Good Times and All in the Family

While reading In Search of Good Times, you see the influence of the two beloved TV sitcoms Good Times and All in the Family, in Joe’s life starting from his childhood. These shows also had an impact on Rook.

“I was Michael’s age when Good Times aired. I have an older brother and sister who always fought. And after my parents divorced, my mother raised us as a waitress. So I could relate to the ‘keeping your head above water’ lyric in the opening credits. All in the Family was also a childhood favorite. It’s a story that anyone can relate to, even if they haven’t watched those two shows,” he said.

A Surprise Ending

Does Joe find the Evans and Bunker families? You’ll have to read the book to find out, but it’s a guarantee the ending will surprise you.

“As Joe travels across the country, you learn that there may be something in his past that propels him to make this journey. There are subtle hints along the way. It is definitely one of those ‘I didn’t see that coming’ type stories. But all the pieces come together at the end in ways you would have never imagined,” said Rook.

The Audiobook

Rook shared what making an audiobook is like and why he wanted an audio version of In Search of Good Times.

“I feel that In Search of Good Times is one of my best books. Knowing that a lot of people don’t read these days, I wanted them to have the option to listen to it as well. I auditioned close to 40 narrators before choosing Andrew Pond. He did an excellent job with the dozens of character voices. It was a lot of work and preparation. I described each character’s attributes as I saw them in my head so he’d know how to approach their voices,” he said.

Rook’s Success as an Author

Rook has received favorable responses from readers about In Search of Good Times.

“One woman told me it was her favorite book of all time. Another reader, who told me he usually watches movies instead, said he couldn’t put the book down while flying on a trip,” he said.

Rook has published six other books in addition to In Search of Good Times. His most successful book is People Who Need To Die, a collection of satirical horror short stories where “a fed-up society chooses to eradicate its most despised” like bad drivers, internet trolls, horrible bosses, Black Friday shoppers and more.

To get your copy of In Search of Good Times in print, Kindle or audiobook, visit  Amazon.com. To learn more about Victor Rook and the publishing and design services he offers, go to victorrook.com.

Amy Falkofske is a freelance writer and photographer. She has a Master’s degree in Film-TV with a concentration in screenwriting. She lives in Bristow with her husband, two boys and two Beagle dogs.