Is there really such a thing as World Garden Naked Day? I find it hard to comprehend that anyone would willingly give mosquitos and other pesky critters a more expansive target for their next meal. And that’s not even taking into consideration the stabbing potential of thorns. Or walking on broken pottery. Or sunburn. That’s … Continue reading World Garden Naked Day – Do You Dare?
Nature
The First Edible Plant I Ever Grew
What was the first edible plant I ever grew? A tomato! Surprise, surprise! I was in good company. Not only did I grow up dining on fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes grown by my father (along with cucumbers and peppers), but my mother canned and froze some of those tomatoes for winter use and made pickles from the … Continue reading The First Edible Plant I Ever Grew
My Favorite Garden Photos
Well, this is a fun one. The theme for Day 5 of May’s Garden Bloggers Challenge is “my favorite garden or flower photos.” Most of my old garden photos reside on out-of-date laptops or back-up storage, but I do have some I’d like to share. My favorite garden flower is the purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). … Continue reading My Favorite Garden Photos
Another Day in the Garden
Bleeding Heart, Solomon's Seal It’s National Weather Observers Day—Who knew? Not me. Truth is, I observe the weather every single day. It’s the first thing I do in the morning. I get up, walk to the nearest window and move aside the curtain to see what Mother Nature has in store (for the moment, at … Continue reading Another Day in the Garden
Meditating in the Garden
I’ve seen some beautiful garden spaces with areas set aside to peacefully commune with nature or meditate. Such a space is on my garden to-do list, but I have other things on that very long list to do first. Oh, don’t get me wrong: I have places to sit and relax, but they’re not set … Continue reading Meditating in the Garden
Garden for Wildlife
Living by the woods, I always knew there were wild things living in and around my garden. I grew up watching squirrels leap from tree to tree, chipmunks disappearing into holes by the cement walk, robins pulling worms from the lawn, and the occasional snake sunning itself on a large rock. It wasn’t until I … Continue reading Garden for Wildlife
Winter Wishes and Persephone’s Dreams
A package arrived on my doorstep today, a big one. About six feet tall, but less than 12 inches wide, the box contained winter wishes come to life: alive, but dormant fruit trees. A couple of months ago, I ordered two apple trees, 2 elderberries, and one mulberry. Last week, I received notice that my … Continue reading Winter Wishes and Persephone’s Dreams
A Time of Beginnings
The only green in the woods is on the moss-covered stones or the occasional pine tree. Welcome to spring! We’re just seven days into the season and the daily changes in the garden are well under way. We’ve had a rollercoaster ride weather-wise this past week: warm days riding around with the car’s windows down, … Continue reading A Time of Beginnings
Thoughts on the Eve of Spring
Today is the last day of winter. The snow has melted, leaving only small patches here and there in the parts of the yard that spend their days in the shade. The witch hazel is a glorious yellow outside my window, its spidery flowers vibrant against the blue sky. Snowdrops and daffodils have emerged from … Continue reading Thoughts on the Eve of Spring
Welcome to Spring – Kind Of, Sort Of
The snow may be reluctant to leave, but it won't be long now. This past weekend, spring arrived on March 1st—meteorological spring, that is. Never heard of it? I’m not surprised if you haven’t. I didn’t know meteorological spring was a thing until a couple of years ago.While the dates of our traditional four seasons … Continue reading Welcome to Spring – Kind Of, Sort Of
Pen, Paper, Plant 