Blogger is working again, but I forgot what I was going to post. Lots of ponding around the area, no real cold yet. We purchased our Christmas tree yesterday, it is not as nice as last years. But nice enough. This year we have a balsam fir called a “sno-fresh “, I think. Something like…
November 11, Notes
It was a gray, dreary day today. Very November in Ohio. I didn’t go outside even once. I should do the last mowing for the year, and that will tend to mulch up what is left of the leaves. I came across an article on planting living Christmas trees, it almost made me want to…
Lunar Eclipse and Colder Weather
I am not sure if I will have a chance to get anything in the blog later…. so this may be it for the day: I forgot to mention that we watched the lunar eclipse the other night. It was an unusually clear night (my poor husband always wants to see the celestial events, but…
Fall Garden Cleanup
Using The Leaf Vacuum This past week we did quite a bit of garden cleanup to make good use of the nice weather. The leaf vacuum works, but it is heavy and on our somewhat rough (but flat) ground it still had to be pulled backwards. Quicker and easier than raking, but if you could…
My Leaf Vacuum/Chipper
Yippeeee! I finally got it! My husband bought my long awaited leaf vacuum chipper machine! YAY! I don’t know how we will pay for it and today I do not care. I am so excited to use it and make much mulch for my garden. He looked it up online, it was the Sears Craftsman….
Robert Frost ‘Storm Fear’
Storm Fear – Robert Frost: Storm Fear by: Robert Frost When the wind works against us in the dark, And pelts with snow The lowest chamber window on the east, And whispers with a sort of stifled bark, The beast, ‘Come out! Come out!’– It costs no inward struggle not to go, Ah, no! I…
Ritual of Planting Spring Bulbs
I planted my tulips and crocus today, finally. The Triumph tulip that I planted was called ‘Red Lips’. It has a white base with red edges. Sort of the reverse of ‘Merry Widow’ or ‘Lucky Strike’. I have a thing for red and white tulips. I seem to have lost my gusto for planting the…
October State of the Garden
It is a beautiful autumn day. Sunshine, clear skies, and changing foliage, warm with gentle breezes. A beautiful day. October, and Where Are All the Flower Bulbs? I went to the stores (several) looking for crocus bulbs and bone meal. This is the height of the bulb planting season, right? All the fall planting areas…
Fall Color in My Garden from Surprising Sources
One thing that sometimes surprises is the wonderful leaf color of some common perennials. Right now, in my garden the Platycodons are turning the most wonderful yellows and gold. The hostas also turn this color and they stand out against the purples of shrubs such a the purple sand cherry. Daylilies (Hemerocallis) and Siberian Irises…
St. Francis Joke All About Gardens
A Christian Garden Joke “One heavenly spring morning, God got into a conversation with St. Francis about lawns. The conversation went something like this……. GOD: St. Francis, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there in the USA? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle, and…