Oh, I know we only have four days left in February, and we can hear March calling. But remember, she is a fickle girl. She can bring more “wintry mix”, bone chilling mornings, pointless drizzly days. So, here’s a suggestion.Hie Thee Hither to Hannaford, and grab a bunch of spring. Tulips in sunny yellow, tinged … Read more
It’s May, the peak of the year from my perspective. The forest is filled with lacy new leaves in every shade imaginable, from pale pink to vivid green. The songbirds swoop and dive, rejoicing.We are raking, feeding, planting. My farmer husband drives me nuts with his precise cultivation techniques. We tenderly place a new crabapple … Read more
The first chill of October crept in overnight and surprised me. As I walked into church on Sunday morning, wishing I had thrown on my heavy sweater, a yellow spot of color in the grass caught my eye. Was that a stray snapdragon? Did it not know that summer was over? I hurried on into … Read more
I must confess that unlike many of my favorite friends, I am no more than a random gardener. I am stunned and often perplexed by their rambling rose bushes, their flowering dogwoods, their hardy and exultant perennials. Part of my marginal attempts is due to pure laziness, as I know that gardening is an art … Read more
Are we sure that January has only 31 days? Because I’m not. Christmas is over, the decorations waiting in a clutter to be packed up and carried into the attic. Our poor dead tree finally had to be disassembled, its branches drooping under the weight of the ornaments. Not nearly as much fun as putting … Read more
I, like our friend Robert Frost, have safely trodden under the leaves of another year. We have successfully removed the oak leaves from our 15000 square feet of lawn, not a mean feat in one’s 70’s, and dumped them into the woods to be matted down by winter rains and snows, to be reclaimed by … Read more
There it is, way back in the fridge, hidden behind the ginger ale. The last eggnog of the season. I check the expiration date, open it gingerly, and sniff. Hmm. Smells OK. I take a tremulous sip, reckless, and savor the creamy taste of Christmas, Oh, I wish it were not over so soon. I … Read more
Yes, you heard me right. Daffodils, not lilies. This is April in New Hampshire and the lilies are yet to come. Did anyone else notice their bright yellow heads dancing valiantly in the snowy wind just last week?Consider the daffodils. They are not stressing out over much of anything. Daffodils just ARE. Here is a … Read more
This tiny silvery green helicopter frequents my deck on these hot summer afternoons, taking advantage of his feeder. The other day he and his wife (perhaps? I have no way of knowing) flew straight at my head in some sort of attempt at intimidation. Such courage. I’m not sure of their intent but I stood … Read more
“Nature’s first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold;Her early leaf’s a flower, but only so an hour.So leaf subsides to leaf, so Eden sank to grief;So dawn goes down to day, nothing gold can stay.Well, Mr. Frost, I know that you are the expert on poetry, and this is one of my favorites. … Read more