Category Archives: Uncategorized

And in my garden, there is not much to show for it, though sedums, Silver Mound artemesia, and the “October Skies” aromatic aster are above ground and looking tidy and fresh. On Wednesday overnight, we had a hard freeze to 27 F. That afternoon, I looked out the window of the place I work, andContinue reading “One Day of Spring”

No photo with this post, since borrowing pictures from an ad would be copyright infringement, and anyone reading this can look up “Tertill” yourself, though if you do, the ads for this little machine will start following you everywhere around the Internet. The Saturday Wall Street Journal has inserts devoted to all the stylish, expensiveContinue reading “Weed Robot”

Looking at my small, bare garden beds just before the snows and after the snows are melted away, I realized that my annuals and perennials are, as Russell Page once said, no more than “brightly colored hay”. I had thought by adding a Montauk Daisy or two I might add a little substance, since theirContinue reading “A Small Shrub for a Small Garden”

No photo today as I open up this blog for the season. Nothing much to see but bare ground. But even bare ground is better than the World out There. John Prine was right. “Blow up your TV”. “Throw away your paper” I cancelled cable TV weeks ago, unwilling to pay car payment sized billsContinue reading “Wisdom from the late John Prine”

I am a 70 year old semi retired nurse. I work a few times a week in a nursing home. This past Saturday CVS came to the facility and gave the staff the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. They were professional and very organized. I had a sore arm, but no other reaction .Continue reading “A Public Service Announcement About the Covid Vaccine”

In the snowless months my bird feeders were well away from the front door and the flower beds. Now -when a fall could shatter my hip- I have moved them nearer the door. I will pay for the safety in April, when I will have to rake up the debris. I find watching the feedersContinue reading “Out in the Dooryard”

More than snow and cold are keeping us inside this year, and long hours in front of screens and streaming do not feed the soul. I would like to recommend a book that will. “Mountain Meadow” a book by John Buchan written in the last century, is the story of Sir Edward Leithen, who travelsContinue reading “Inside”

My first visit to Plum Island yesterday. Birders and Bicyclists out in numbers on a warm, calm day. There were only a few late asters blooming, but the leaves and grasses were resplendent. On the muddy flats on the marsh side we saw many Greater Yellowlegs dashing, swimming, and spinning. No pictures, alas. Birds stymieContinue reading “Plum Island October 18, 2020”

This is Isodon effusus, the Japanese Spur Flower- a late bloomer. Here it is in the Bow Garden. In the South it is a re seeder.It is sold as Zone 6a. This garden is Zone 5b, but plants can do surprising things. And another striking blue late bloom- “Blue Monday” annual salvia.

What a difficult year to start a new garden. A darkness over everyday life. A terrible drought. An early frost. Yet here is the African Mallow I bought from Annie’s Annuals. An optimistic plant, if there ever was one. It was about 10 inches tall when it went into its container, and now is 4ftContinue reading “Lessons, not Mistakes”