Just about everyone knows that I am a reader. Therefore there is nothing (well, almost nothing) I like better as a gift than a book. When I had regular paid employment I always prayed that the day after Christmas would be on a weekend so I could devote that day to reading my Christmas book. And I’ll confess, I often bought myself a book – for just in case, but I never needed to worry. Here are some…
"A star rose in the sky, and glory from on high Did fill the night with splendor. Came birds with joyful voice to carol and rejoice With songs so sweet and tender." The Carol of the Birds Merry Christmas to all! We wish safe travelling to all those moving from here to there to celebrate with family and friends. May joy and laughter fill all your celebrations.
Yesterday Elizabeth Licata at Garden Rant wrote about Tovah Martin's new book, The New Terrarium. I haven't ever made a terrarium but at least three and possibly four years ago a dear friend gave me a berry bowl for Christmas. Elizabeth's post reminded me that I hadn't seen it for a while. I went to look. The berry bowl, planted with moss and partridgeberry (?) has always lived in our Great Room. It is usually not heated in…
Between the concern about GMO seeds and a difficult economy, gardeners are more and more interested in seed saving. The Seed Savers Exchange has been around for years and is now celebrating 35 years of helping people find and continue growing heirloom, open pollinated seed for hundreds of vegetables and flowers Kent and Diane Ott Whealy founded the SSE and you needed to be a member to get seeds (and they were free) from the owner of the…
All hail the Winter Solstice, December 21, the shortest day of the year. The sun will only appear in the sky for 9 hours and 4 minutes. Winter has arrived. Snow covers the fields, and frigid winds blow. Nowadays people grumble about the shortness of the days and complain about seasonal depression. Yet we are able to turn on the lights and heat, put on some music, and go to a well-stocked pantry to get ready for supper.…
The dictionary defines the word gift as “Something that is bestowed voluntarily.” Sometimes, at this time of the year with Christmas garlands around every product in the supermarket, drugstore, department store and boutique there doesn’t seem to be much of the ‘voluntary’ available. And yet, sometimes a gift is not only truly voluntary, it is inspired, perfectly suited to the recipient at that particular moment, a gift that fills a secret need or desire. My first…
While reading and enjoying my morning coffee I looked up to see this flame reflected in the framed map on the wall opposite me. And opposite the south windows where I have hung chandelier crystals to catch the sun sending rainbows dancing across the room, for a little while every day. As we come closer to the Solstice we are all more aware of the sun, and the diminishing hours of light and warmth. But there was the…
The Christmas cactus is blooming right on time! However, there isn't much else in flower right now. The Thanksgiving cactus bloom has gone by and the abutilon has a couple of puny blossoms, but not photo worthy because there are so many different kinds of blooms to show this Bloom Day. We visited daughter Betsy and her family this weekend. Her orchids are blooming. She says she regularly gets them to rebloom. She is not known for having…
“The garden just grew,” Bruce Aune said with a slight shrug as we sat in his living room and looked out across a still green lawn to a neat curving border. All the perennials had been cut back, but shrubs, evergreen and deciduous, and small trees remained, providing the bones and structure of this garden. While it is true that the garden had changed over time as Bruce and his wife Anne moved into retirement, it had not…
Nan of Letters from a Hill Farm, up there in Maine, is the winner of Right Rose Right Place and 2 dozen CowPots. Nan is a voracious reader as well as enthusiastic gardener so I know both will be put to good use. Congratulations Nan. Happy reading and planting. Thank you all who have visited and helped me celebrate my second anniversary as a blogger. These two years have brought me gifts I could never have imagined, so…