Sunny Saturday – On the Road in Heath

  • Post published:10/22/2012
  • Post comments:3 Comments

After more t han three inches of rain came sunny Saturday and the pleasure of Saturday morning rounds. Past the abandoned beaver dam and off to the Heath Free Public Library. This is the prettiest abandoned beaver dam in Heath. We are not totally sure whether beavers have left our beaver pond or not. After the library onto the paved road and the Town Transfer Station. After the Transfer Station it was down 8A and off to Avery's…

Scaling Up Local Food

  • Post published:11/09/2011
  • Post comments:0 Comments

The Solar Dancer greeted all those who gathered at Greenfield Community College last Saturday to hear about and discuss our current local food production and food security and the ways that it might be stepped up. It was an exciting day because we live in a fortunate area that has lots of good farmland, with old (in the sense of established) and new farmers. These farmers operate farmstands and CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and participate in area Farmers…

A Marital Discussion

  • Post published:11/07/2011
  • Post comments:0 Comments

This fall I mentioned to my husband that I was amazed at how many beeches there seemed to be in the woods all of a sudden. How had I not noticed all these beeches before when so many of them grew right along the roadside and still retained their leaves when most of the other deciduous trees were bare. I knew that beeches kept many of their leaves until the old leaves were pushed off by new leaves…

Smith College Chrysanthemums

  • Post published:11/05/2011
  • Post comments:2 Comments

Sometimes a chrysanthemum is just a mum, but sometimes a chrysanthemum is Art. Artistically grown chrysanthemums will be on display during Smith College’s annual Fall Chrysanthemum Show which will run November 5-20 in the Lyman Plant House. A $2 donation is suggested. On display will be the stunning chrysanthemum cascades and other skillfully pruned and supported chrysanthemums, some in pillars, and some trained to a single stem with a giant bloom. Like the spring Bulb Show the Chrysanthemum…

Autumnal Surprise!

  • Post published:10/27/2011
  • Post comments:4 Comments

This fall we have truly been having a 'golden season.' The weather has been relatively mild, if rainy, and the usual flame of the maples was muted. But a golden glow shone on every sunny day. But today we got rain - and a surprise.   This photo was taken around 4 p.m on Thursday.  

Bridge of Flowers – End of Season

  • Post published:10/26/2011
  • Post comments:6 Comments

Chrysanthemums were planted in September. We want the Bridge to be full of bloom all season. I am so happy to see roses still in bloom. I am also happy to see a quiet river behind these dahlias. The dahlias are important at this season. But the weather has been so relatively mild that even the begonias are still blooming. The gardens will be put to bed and the official garden season ends on Sunday, October 30.  Have…

Vines For Shade

  • Post published:10/22/2011
  • Post comments:2 Comments

Over the Columbus Day weekend we sat out on our friends’ patio in the golden sunset before going indoors for a wonderful supper. As we admired the fields and the pond our friends told us they had decided to build a pergola over the patio, much as we had, to provide cooling shade on hot summer afternoons. The question was, what should they plant to provide that shade? We have a wisteria growing on our pergola (which some call…