My garden has offered some puzzles this year. I have a cucumber plant that looks healthy but didn’t seem to be producing any cucumbers. I am aware that cucumbers can hide among the foliage, so I looked carefully. As I was walking away disappointed, I looked upward and saw a…
The roses are blooming a second time. I picked this rose with such a lovely scent and a few more flowers for a vase. I picked off two Japanese beetles from the rose bush. I am pleased, because overall, I have seen just a few beetles. In years past I…
Last Saturday my daughter and I went on a garden walk sponsored by a garden club. We visited five homes with elaborately kept gardens. After hard work the home owners had achieved a theme for their garden. We saw cottage gardens, a garden focused on native plants, a garden with…
In the summer, Friday mornings have a special vibe. I grab my cup of coffee and head out the door to the Farmer’s Market. At the market people of all ages, children, and women pushing strollers are visiting the booths. I have some favorite stops. At the organic farmer I…
There are many parts of gardening that I enjoy. I have a large box of seed packets—some are seeds I have saved, and some are ones I have purchased. In April I start plants indoors, and watch for a sprout to appear. One year I was pleased with a tomato…
A special joy in springtime is watching the plants leaf out, and flower. I enjoy walking around the backyard, observing the daily growth. The gooseberry bush has little berries, but it will be a while before they are ripe. When I make applesauce, I will add gooseberries to the apples.…
Sunshine and rain help my garden to grow. We have had sunny days and some rain, but I have been watering the new plants. They need tending. Friendships also need tending. Kindness and words of encouragement are a blessing in a relationship. I have been thinking about a book my…
The lilacs are in bloom! Usually they bloom in May, but this year they are early. The trees and bushes are leafing out and perennial plants are emerging from the soil. I am looking forward to planting the garden. I have tomato plants, plus some herbs and flowers, that I…
During a gift exchange last Christmas, I received a little book, Dandelion Medicine by Brigitte Mars. The book has chapters on foraging, growing and harvesting dandelions. It also has chapters on the medicinal properties of the plant, recipes for both tea and vegetable dishes. The dandelions are beginning to bloom in my lawn,…
During a recent trip to Galveston, Texas, our family enjoyed time on the beach. The young ones walked into the crashing waves, riding the waves. I was content to listen to the rhythm of the waves while sea gulls and pelicans made designs in the sky, traveling in groups. We…