October 2023
August 2023
“Did you know that a bee dies after he stings you? And that there’s a star called Aldebaran? And that around the tenth of August, any year, you can look up in the sky at night and see dozens and dozens of shooting stars?” Elizabeth Enright
Summer is coming to an end. But it will be going out in style.
August brings the best bounty of the season—ripened tomatoes, ripe melon, sweet corn on the cob, and zucchini are just a few favorites. Canning season is here, too. The fragrance of pinks and August-smelling stocks.
Although the majority of blooming plants bloom in spring through early summer, that doesn’t mean the show’s over in the garden come August. Plenty of perennials and shrubs wait until August to flower, not to mention the many annual flowers that should be hitting full stride by now – if you’ve kept them watered in the heat. The trick is making sure at plant-buying time that you’ve planned for August color. That’s easy to overlook because most gardeners shop for plants in spring to early summer and tend to buy what’s in bloom then.
August color requires imagining what a plant will look like in bloom later, even if there’s not so much as a flower bud on it at buying time.
Here are some of the best August-blooming perennials:
- Agastache
- Purple coneflower
- Hardy hibiscus
- Russian sage
- Sedum
- Panicle hydrangeas
- Shrub roses
- Blue mist shrub (Caryopteris)
July 2023
On those warm summer nights everyone loves to search the heavens for a display of shooting stars. It is so magical. Close your eyes and make a wish. It just might come true. But one of the greatest thrills, if you love nature’s shooting stars, is a wonderful pyrotechnics display.
Fireworks play an integral role in all sorts of celebrations around the globe, from India’s Diwali festival to Japan’s hundreds of annual summertime fireworks displays to one each and every night of the year near a Disney theme park. But they are most anticipated here in the United States as a major part of our Fourth of July celebrations.
However, their origins go back centuries before our first Independence Day fireworks display in Philadelphia in 1777. The earliest form of pyrotechnics can be traced to China over 2,000 years ago when people are said to have roasted bamboo stalks until the air inside the hollow stalks exploded – thus the firecracker was invented.
John Adams, on July 2, 1776, two days before the Declaration of Independence was signed, wrote this letter to his wife:
"This day will be most memorable in the history of America," he predicted. "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival... It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade... bonfires and illuminations [fireworks]… from one end of this content to the other, from this time forward forevermore."
…and so it was. On July 4, 1777, the first anniversary of America's country-hood, there were indeed fireworks, and there would be for more than 200 years to follow.
We have done John Adams proud. Fireworks have come a long way since that first display. In the 1830s our modern fireworks were born and celebrations took on a new light.
If you watch a fireworks display this Fourth of July, you will witness over 2000 years of danger, invention, and beauty wrapped into a simple package. From exploding bamboo to our night skies being illuminated by these beautiful and colorful shooting stars, science has brought us a long way. Enjoy the celebration.
Fireworks play an integral role in all sorts of celebrations around the globe, from India’s Diwali festival to Japan’s hundreds of annual summertime fireworks displays to one each and every night of the year near a Disney theme park. But they are most anticipated here in the United States as a major part of our Fourth of July celebrations.
However, their origins go back centuries before our first Independence Day fireworks display in Philadelphia in 1777. The earliest form of pyrotechnics can be traced to China over 2,000 years ago when people are said to have roasted bamboo stalks until the air inside the hollow stalks exploded – thus the firecracker was invented.
John Adams, on July 2, 1776, two days before the Declaration of Independence was signed, wrote this letter to his wife:
"This day will be most memorable in the history of America," he predicted. "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival... It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade... bonfires and illuminations [fireworks]… from one end of this content to the other, from this time forward forevermore."
…and so it was. On July 4, 1777, the first anniversary of America's country-hood, there were indeed fireworks, and there would be for more than 200 years to follow.
We have done John Adams proud. Fireworks have come a long way since that first display. In the 1830s our modern fireworks were born and celebrations took on a new light.
If you watch a fireworks display this Fourth of July, you will witness over 2000 years of danger, invention, and beauty wrapped into a simple package. From exploding bamboo to our night skies being illuminated by these beautiful and colorful shooting stars, science has brought us a long way. Enjoy the celebration.
June 2023
Let’s have a picnic.
June is a great time for one. It is warm but not hot and muggy yet. So, let’s plan one.
First – get out that red checked tablecloth. You don’t have one. Okay, then the blue – we will just make believe it is a red checked cloth. Next, find the picnic basket. Oh no! You don’t have that either. Well find a thrift store and you will find a picnic basket for just a few dollars. They love wicker.
Next, think about where you want to set up this picnic. You could go to your favorite spot in the woods where you take your early morning walks. Use a tree stump for the tabletop. Or maybe you prefer to spread that red checked tablecloth (or blue) by the edge of the ocean.
Now for the menu. There are countless cooks and chefs that feature picnic menus in their countless cookbooks. There is Susan Branch, Rachel Ray or even MARTHA. I have looked through several and here are a few favorite ideas of what to bring on your picnic. These are Susan Branch’s suggestions.
June is a great time for one. It is warm but not hot and muggy yet. So, let’s plan one.
First – get out that red checked tablecloth. You don’t have one. Okay, then the blue – we will just make believe it is a red checked cloth. Next, find the picnic basket. Oh no! You don’t have that either. Well find a thrift store and you will find a picnic basket for just a few dollars. They love wicker.
Next, think about where you want to set up this picnic. You could go to your favorite spot in the woods where you take your early morning walks. Use a tree stump for the tabletop. Or maybe you prefer to spread that red checked tablecloth (or blue) by the edge of the ocean.
Now for the menu. There are countless cooks and chefs that feature picnic menus in their countless cookbooks. There is Susan Branch, Rachel Ray or even MARTHA. I have looked through several and here are a few favorite ideas of what to bring on your picnic. These are Susan Branch’s suggestions.
Right about now, are you worrying “how am I going to get off the forest floor or out of the sand? Okay! There are picnic tables at Crab Meadow or if you want to venture further there is the river’s edge at the Peconic Herb Farm where there are lots of tables and benches to enjoy your picnic lunch. OR, if all else fails – open the back door and go out on the deck – but just enjoy your picnic. Make believe your cloth is red checked, you have a picnic basket full of goodies, and you are at the edge of the ocean. But best of all - enjoy.
May 2023
May is the month in which we honor Mothers but there is one Mother we should not forget – Mother Nature. She paints each scene with a delicate hand and warms the earth with her hugs
There is the lush thyme wandering between the bricks meandering towards a dilapidated potting shed which she has transformed by surrounding it with her beauty. A lilac tree heavy with its purple flowers resting against its timbers. A web fashioned by a spider against a broken pane of glass kissed by Mother Nature with the crystalized beauty of the morning dew more delicate than the finest lace. And the air, perfumed by the breeze carrying her sweet scent.
Mother Nature brings the world alive, and the world is beautiful. But her beauty does not lie solely in what we see. There is beauty in the sounds of nature, the songs of birds, the whisper of the wind in the trees. Nature has a myriad of wonderful scents, from the flowers that are gently opening their petals to the scent of falling rain on a spring morning. The enjoyment of a walk through a cool forest on a summer day or along the seashore burying our bare feet in the warm sand.
Think about the sunrises and sunsets that we get blessed with every day.
In all things of Nature there is something of the marvelous. Enjoy!
There is the lush thyme wandering between the bricks meandering towards a dilapidated potting shed which she has transformed by surrounding it with her beauty. A lilac tree heavy with its purple flowers resting against its timbers. A web fashioned by a spider against a broken pane of glass kissed by Mother Nature with the crystalized beauty of the morning dew more delicate than the finest lace. And the air, perfumed by the breeze carrying her sweet scent.
Mother Nature brings the world alive, and the world is beautiful. But her beauty does not lie solely in what we see. There is beauty in the sounds of nature, the songs of birds, the whisper of the wind in the trees. Nature has a myriad of wonderful scents, from the flowers that are gently opening their petals to the scent of falling rain on a spring morning. The enjoyment of a walk through a cool forest on a summer day or along the seashore burying our bare feet in the warm sand.
Think about the sunrises and sunsets that we get blessed with every day.
In all things of Nature there is something of the marvelous. Enjoy!
April 2023
Who is that mystical magical creature known as the Easter Bunny?
While legend has told us that the Easter bunny is a long-eared, cotton-tailed creature who hops from house to house to deliver festive baskets, there's more about his history that you might not be familiar with. Before you break out the delicious Easter desserts and begin your annual family egg hunt, take a minute to learn about the Easter bunny's connection to this special holiday.
How did a rabbit become associated with Easter eggs and how did he come to be such a beloved symbol for children over the years? The Easter bunny came to America along with the German immigrants in the 1700s who reportedly brought over their tradition of an egg-laying hare from the Old Country. The rabbit would lay colorful eggs as gifts for children who were good (although science has a little trouble with this explanation). The fabled bunny delivered these eggs to the children of the household on Easter morning.
Legend has it, the children would make nests in which the bunny could leave his eggs and even sometimes set out carrots in case the hare got hungry. Remind you of any other holiday traditions? And eventually this custom expanded from just eggs to include other treats such as chocolate and toys. Easter baskets have only gotten more and more elaborate over the years, as one trip to the store will confirm.
But it is a wonderful time of the year. Nature’s rebirth all around us and lots of chocolate to share on Easter morning.
While legend has told us that the Easter bunny is a long-eared, cotton-tailed creature who hops from house to house to deliver festive baskets, there's more about his history that you might not be familiar with. Before you break out the delicious Easter desserts and begin your annual family egg hunt, take a minute to learn about the Easter bunny's connection to this special holiday.
How did a rabbit become associated with Easter eggs and how did he come to be such a beloved symbol for children over the years? The Easter bunny came to America along with the German immigrants in the 1700s who reportedly brought over their tradition of an egg-laying hare from the Old Country. The rabbit would lay colorful eggs as gifts for children who were good (although science has a little trouble with this explanation). The fabled bunny delivered these eggs to the children of the household on Easter morning.
Legend has it, the children would make nests in which the bunny could leave his eggs and even sometimes set out carrots in case the hare got hungry. Remind you of any other holiday traditions? And eventually this custom expanded from just eggs to include other treats such as chocolate and toys. Easter baskets have only gotten more and more elaborate over the years, as one trip to the store will confirm.
But it is a wonderful time of the year. Nature’s rebirth all around us and lots of chocolate to share on Easter morning.
March 2023
March – the world is turning green again. It is magic. There is new life growing in your gardens. Take a walk within the boundaries of your property. Feel a soft touch on your cheek. A slight spring breeze? or the flutter of fairy wings so close. Is it a bird song you are hearing or is it a wee titmouse warning an elf that you are dangerously close. A spider has spun its web crystalized by the dew in the early morning rays or has Mother Nature tatted lace shimmering between her newly emerging branches. The sun grows warmer each day. There are buds peeking up everywhere.
Those creatures that live in the magical realm of nature love flowers. Be sure to invite them in by planting a few of their favorites - bluebells, foxglove, forget-me-nots, heather, hollyhocks, lilacs, lilies, marigolds, pansies, peonies, primrose, and roses. In addition to flowers, clover, ferns, and thyme are plants especially attractive to fairies. And be careful of those mushrooms sprouting up around the gnarled and twisted trucks of your oldest trees. It is a favorite hiding spot.
Keep your eyes open for the signs. They are there. There is magic in all of us and there is magic in your gardens. Look for it! Embrace it! Love it! MAGIC!!!!!
Those creatures that live in the magical realm of nature love flowers. Be sure to invite them in by planting a few of their favorites - bluebells, foxglove, forget-me-nots, heather, hollyhocks, lilacs, lilies, marigolds, pansies, peonies, primrose, and roses. In addition to flowers, clover, ferns, and thyme are plants especially attractive to fairies. And be careful of those mushrooms sprouting up around the gnarled and twisted trucks of your oldest trees. It is a favorite hiding spot.
Keep your eyes open for the signs. They are there. There is magic in all of us and there is magic in your gardens. Look for it! Embrace it! Love it! MAGIC!!!!!
February 2023
There are many traditional ways to show your love on Valentine’s Day. Most came down through past
decades. As celebrating the day became more popular, people began giving out little handwritten notes and
other love tokens. By the early 1700s this practice had reached the United States, with pre-made valentines
showing up in the mid-1800s, thanks to a woman named Esther A. Howland.
Her cards, lovingly made with real lace and ribbons, were sentimental and sweet, and an immediate hit on the
commercial market. In fact, Howland, a one-time student at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary who became
known as the "Mother of the American Valentine," made an estimated $100,000 annually, about $ 3 million
nowadays.
And you must thank Richard Cadbury for being responsible for forever tying the holiday to chocolate. The son
of the manufacturer of Cadbury Chocolates, he began packaging his family's product in beautiful heart-shaped
boxes to drive up sales.
But maybe, just maybe, you don’t want to go the commercial Hallmark route, or a diet prevents overindulging on
chocolates. There is one very nice practice that may be fun for a change. Send your partner, your best friend,
your daughter a bouquet that tells a story. So many beautiful flowers and there are countless books online or on
library shelves that tell you their meaning. Here are just a few.
Of course, the rose. The deep red rose sings of happy love, the white rose – innocence and purity, pink
symbolizes perfect happiness; the yellow rose means friendship, while a purple rose means love at first
sight. The number of roses you give also matters. A single rose means love at first sight, seven roses represent
infatuation, and nine roses symbolizes deep and lasting eternal love. The daisy stands for innocence and loyal
love; hydrangea speaks of understanding; ivy means fidelity; lavender stands for devotion to each other, Queen
Anne’s lace represents sanctuary and zinnias are lasting affection. There are many, many more.
It certainly would be fun to create a bouquet, and send a message to your Valentine using the language of
flowers and even more fun for the recipient to try and translate its meaning. Happy Valentine’s Day.
"Life is the flower for which love is the honey." ~ Victor Hugo
decades. As celebrating the day became more popular, people began giving out little handwritten notes and
other love tokens. By the early 1700s this practice had reached the United States, with pre-made valentines
showing up in the mid-1800s, thanks to a woman named Esther A. Howland.
Her cards, lovingly made with real lace and ribbons, were sentimental and sweet, and an immediate hit on the
commercial market. In fact, Howland, a one-time student at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary who became
known as the "Mother of the American Valentine," made an estimated $100,000 annually, about $ 3 million
nowadays.
And you must thank Richard Cadbury for being responsible for forever tying the holiday to chocolate. The son
of the manufacturer of Cadbury Chocolates, he began packaging his family's product in beautiful heart-shaped
boxes to drive up sales.
But maybe, just maybe, you don’t want to go the commercial Hallmark route, or a diet prevents overindulging on
chocolates. There is one very nice practice that may be fun for a change. Send your partner, your best friend,
your daughter a bouquet that tells a story. So many beautiful flowers and there are countless books online or on
library shelves that tell you their meaning. Here are just a few.
Of course, the rose. The deep red rose sings of happy love, the white rose – innocence and purity, pink
symbolizes perfect happiness; the yellow rose means friendship, while a purple rose means love at first
sight. The number of roses you give also matters. A single rose means love at first sight, seven roses represent
infatuation, and nine roses symbolizes deep and lasting eternal love. The daisy stands for innocence and loyal
love; hydrangea speaks of understanding; ivy means fidelity; lavender stands for devotion to each other, Queen
Anne’s lace represents sanctuary and zinnias are lasting affection. There are many, many more.
It certainly would be fun to create a bouquet, and send a message to your Valentine using the language of
flowers and even more fun for the recipient to try and translate its meaning. Happy Valentine’s Day.
"Life is the flower for which love is the honey." ~ Victor Hugo
January 2023
With a blink of an eye and a twitch of Santa’s nose Christmas is over. The Christmas music we have been listening to since before Thanksgiving stops abruptly almost before we swallow that last bite of our lemon meringue pie at Christmas dinner The tree is put away and all our beautiful baubles are carefully wrapped and stored until next year. The house seems so empty, so plain. We all experience a certain let down. Don’t let your spirits go down the rabbit hole. Enjoy the peace.
Fill the empty spaces with the beauty of nature. Go outside before the snow comes. Cut some of those fresh greens in your yard. If you have none, survey your neighbor’s yard. They are out there. Pick up some pinecones. Make a run to Trader Joe’s. They have wonderful bunches of flowers no matter what season. Fill your vases and urns with the greens and the fresh flowers. Put some pinecones in the fireplace. They are so fragrant when you start a fire.
Light candles throughout your home. Candlelight is magical and makes your home enchanting. Stop at a nursery when you are out and buy bulbs – paper whites and amaryllis. They are beautiful, fun to force and it’s very easy. In a shallow dish place some of the pebbles from your driveway, place the bulb’s roots down on the pebbles and add some water. In a few weeks you will have fragrant flowers all over the house.
No more rich food. It’s time for those hearty stews and delicious cream soups. Set the table with your good china and enjoy dinner with your family. This can be a wonderful time of the year too. Time to slow down, cuddle up by the fire and read a good book. Besides, spring is just around the corner.
Fill the empty spaces with the beauty of nature. Go outside before the snow comes. Cut some of those fresh greens in your yard. If you have none, survey your neighbor’s yard. They are out there. Pick up some pinecones. Make a run to Trader Joe’s. They have wonderful bunches of flowers no matter what season. Fill your vases and urns with the greens and the fresh flowers. Put some pinecones in the fireplace. They are so fragrant when you start a fire.
Light candles throughout your home. Candlelight is magical and makes your home enchanting. Stop at a nursery when you are out and buy bulbs – paper whites and amaryllis. They are beautiful, fun to force and it’s very easy. In a shallow dish place some of the pebbles from your driveway, place the bulb’s roots down on the pebbles and add some water. In a few weeks you will have fragrant flowers all over the house.
No more rich food. It’s time for those hearty stews and delicious cream soups. Set the table with your good china and enjoy dinner with your family. This can be a wonderful time of the year too. Time to slow down, cuddle up by the fire and read a good book. Besides, spring is just around the corner.