The brilliant colors of fall have blown away, but there is still a richness to the autumnal woodlands that I drive through every day. The sun was warm and low in the sky when I took these photos yesterday, but I know that warmth is ebbing. The day began with the lowest temperatures, 26 degrees, so far this season. And yet, even though the cosmos and salvias finally gave up the ghost, there is still a bit of…
We will have more salads during the winter, but this is the last of the lettuce from our own garden. The seeds were a sample from Renee's Garden, Ruby and Emerald Duet, a combination of a small ruby leaf lettuce, and baby butterhead. They were among the very first lettuces I planted in spring and then throughout the season, and obviously the very last to be harvested. This is a wonderful combo of hardy lettuces with such good flavor!…
Today, just for today, I have nothing on my mind but getting to the polls to vote. I hope that is on your mind, too. In Heath we voted at the Community Hall, in the handicapped accessible downstairs which is also the Senior Center. A lot goes on at the Community Hall, Senior Lunches, Food Coop distribution, meetings, forums, parties - and voting. We use a low tech approach, using a 'machine' that counts the number of ballots,…
We are fortunate to live in an area where our children know where their food comes from. We have farms that grow vegetables and fruits, and sheep, beef and poultry. These farms mean there are barns and tractors - and an autumnal hayride. These hayriders came back to the Charlemont Federated Church to make lunches that included local cider and home made pumpkin cookies. The cookies just looked like pumpkins, but real pumpkins were ready for carving. Parents…
We are supposed to ‘live in the moment,” but that can very hard for a gardener to do as the seasons shift. I am putting the vegetable garden to bed and dividing and cutting back perennials, but I am also thinking about spring. I’m thinking about how long and dark the winter can seem and how hungry for color I get by the time March draws to a close. If you are hungry for early spring color you…
Governor Deval Patrick visited the Heath Elementary School today. He met the staff and students for a brief All School Meeting before he went to the gym to meet with various officials and townspeople. School Superintendent Buonicanti gave a short civics lesson and asked the students if they knew who Deval Patrick was. One boy instantly piped up, "He's going to be elected next week!" The Governor said he certainly hoped so. A sixth grader wanted to know…
I planted this redvein Enkianthus because the description promised pendulous clusters of bell shaped yellowish flowers. I imagined a graceful plant with graceful flowers, but this is what mine looks like at this time of year. It is so upright - as it was described - that it is almost corseted, it is so rigid looking. I am disappointed in the shape of the shrub which can reach up to 12 feet, but it is growing slowly. The…
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Late June is rose season, but a few roses refuse to give up. 'The Fairy' is a familiar stalwart from June through October. That is five months of bloom high on our windy hill. Pink Grootendorst, an old rugosa, is almost as dependable. This bush has several little sprays of blossom. I love the frilly, pinked edged flowers. The new family of Knockout roses are proving to be equally hardy and determined. Notice the two buds at the…
Saturday afternoon was perfect for a golden drive to the new Bullitt Reservation for its grand opening. This is the newest project of the Trustees of Reservations, preserving 262 acres of meadow and woodland, and retrofitting the old caretakers cottage to meet Gold Leed standards. This building will soon be finished and will serve as the new offices of the Hilltown Communities Initiative and the Hilltown Land Trust. The soon-to-be office building is super insulated, and yet breathable,…