The musings and adventures of an enthusiastic grower
When I was a kid, I don’t remember liking vegetables very much. I fit the typical cliché of a kid that had to be coaxed into eating anything good for them by smothering it in cheese. There were a few vegetables I would eat on occasion, but lettuce was not one of them. If we …
I feel that I have made several progressions as a gardener over the years. When I first started gardening, I grew only a few ornamental perennials for their ease and reliability. Gaining confidence, I then progressed to edibles, and finally, I started dabbling in growing annuals. I’ve found that along the way I have grown …
I’ve been noticing the signs for a while now, but I couldn’t bring myself to admit the truth. It started innocently enough, an extra seed packet added to the shopping cart every once in a while, but it has escalated over the years. Now it might be getting out of control. My garden beds are …
Eager for another field trip, I recently visited the SUNY New Paltz campus in New Paltz, NY. The college campus, situated on over 209 acres, has a range of habitat types and is close to forests, farms, and wetlands in the Hudson Valley. The campus itself sits within the Saw Mill Brook Watershed. In 2018, …
Continue reading "Field Trip: A Certified Bee Campus at SUNY New Paltz"
My husband and I love doing projects. One of our favorite pastimes is to peruse salvage yards and antique markets for hidden treasures. We find great satisfaction in taking beat-up items and rejuvenating and repurposing them. The majority of our projects involve refurbishing furniture for our home, but we also enjoy working on projects for …
There are few flowers that I enjoy the fragrance of more than lilacs. Their heavenly scent floats on the breeze for a few fleeting weeks in spring, and I look forward to that time each year. It’s a time when I can bury my face among the lilac blooms and inhale deeply, reveling in the …
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year since our world turned upside down. That’s over 365 days and counting of living a life where the COVID pandemic is constantly on our minds and part of our daily routines. Masks, hand sanitizer, and social distancing, all things reserved for particular circumstances in the …
They are one of the first blooms to greet us in spring, waking up bright and cheery after their long winter slumber. Braving the fickle spring forecasts, they emerge undaunted, unfurling their petals to welcome in the new season. Bringing smiles to all who notice their bright presence out in a world that is awakening. …
Ever since the evolution of language, humans have been designating names to the objects in their environment. Whether through symbols or spoken language, names evolved as a means of communication. Humans have gotten very good at the name game. We name our children, our pets, and objects in our environment; some even name their cars …
The signs are all there, the call of the red-winged blackbird, the emergence of the crocus, the first American robin sighting, all telling me that it is official. The days are getting longer and warmer, and the maple trees are in bloom. Yes, finally, spring has sprung. As I stroll through the landscape, noticing all …
THISTLE BE THE DAY 