Life will not be denied is a cry that goes up with some regularity at the End of the Road, often because some weedy thing is trying to get the better of me. But sometimes . . . there is an example of how nature simply abhors a vacuum. Earlier this year I posted about the acres of invasive yellow flags that grew in an abandoned beaver pond. Then, during the summer the dam gave way. Stinky water…
Pulling Together was the theme for this year’s Heath Fair. After such a cool, wet summer when it was hard to get a good hay crop in and Late Blight hit local farmers, as well as local gardeners who mourned over lost tomato and potato crops, it felt like we were all doing some heavy hauling. It takes a lot of people pulling together to prepare the for the Fair, from the vision and energy…
For more Wordless-ness log on to Wordless Wednesday.
Last week some friends and I declared a Girls Day Out and set off to the Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boyleston, MA. There is so much to see and enjoy and learn at Tower Hill. I always come away inspired. Some people manage to arrange several plants in a single pot for a beautiful arrangement. But it might be just as easy to get that beautiful arrangement by massing several pots with different plants together. A lesson…
Snoopy asked the question, “Is there any reason why mealtime should not be a joyous occasion?” In our family we have always welcomed the chance for joy three times a day, but in recently mealtime has been an anxious time for many people across the country. There have been a number of local responses to the plight of families who have been affected by the economic downturn. The Belly Bus showed up on the Greenfield Common last week…
Nearly 30 years ago when Thom Chiofalo first saw this plot of land in Rowe it was nothing but woods and an impossible slope. Now the approach is a green wall of hemlock set on a mossy carpet. When the sunburst gate flies open it reveals a vista of water and a grove of trees. A few more steps and I was enthralled by the vastness of the sky and the welcoming walks that lead down the broad…
Carol over at May Dreams Gardens held a lottery for this CobraHead weeder, but the Cobrahead company was so generous they felt everyone should be a winner. They promptly sent out our prizes and mine arrived just in time to start the major chore of fall weeding. I am embarrassed to tell you how many weeds my new Cobrahead dug out of this small area - dandelions, grass, and more. And it took only a few minutes. Of…
He who bends to himself a joy Does the winged life destroy; But he who kisses the joy as it flies Lives in eternity’s sunrise. Eternity by William Blake The golden days of summer are flying. Soon the hills will be a tapestry of rich color. I've already had to put a quilt on the bed. Many thanks to Carolyn gail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago for hosting Muse Day and giving us…
By the time the Heath Fair is done, the family has departed and the leftover books from the Friends of the Library book sale are taken care of, I am tired. The excitement, family noise and general chaos are all great fun, but last week I was feeling the need for some quiet. Some Serenity. Fortunately for me, my friend Kate's parents were renting the Serenity Stone Cottage for the month and they invited me over for tea and…
'Life will not be denied!" is the cry that often goes up when I am in the garden, especially when I'm pulling weeds that have come up in the path through layers of cardboard and wood chips. Sometimes the undenied life is beautiful like this tendril of a Grandpa Ott morning glory that just peeked through the slats in the Welcoming Platform in front of the house. A couple of years ago I planted a teepee of Grandpa Otts…