This week I am digging what looks to be a red-shouldered hawk that perched on a tree branch just outside my window. Well…not “just” outside, more like 20-30 feet away. I did have just enough time to grab my zoom lens and snap a couple of photos through the window before she flew off. Looks like she is clutching some type of rodent. I noticed that each of her legs has a band. Some searching turned up this website regarding…
thoughtful thursday: the winter sky
February 7, 2019Isn’t winter the best for stargazing? The air seems clearer and the stars sharper and brighter. One of the best things about the winter sky are the great views of the constellation Orion the Hunter. This is one of the best known and loved of the constellations. Orion is one of the few constellations that I already knew before meeting the man, who is much more versed in astronomy than I was, or still am. I’ve learned a great deal…
gardening for the birds
January 25, 2019Did you know that the way you garden can directly impact the behavior and even the survival of bird populations? I’ve been trying to get some good photos of the birds around here, but the camera is never ready when the birds are! Here are some easy things we gardeners can do to make a difference: make good use of bird feeders. My fave right now is this one from Brome. plant native plants in our gardens and landscape. I…
native plants
January 18, 2019One of the things I’d like to do in the garden this year is to plant some native plants. Thanks to my favorite gardening podcasts, The joe gardener Show and A Way to Garden, I am becoming increasingly aware of the importance of adding native plants to my garden and landscape. Native plants are important for several reasons: the local wildlife, including insects, have evolved along with these plants and depend on them for food and shelter. native plants are…
thoughtful thursday: everything is connected
January 17, 2019Today’s musings are based on the book, Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius. He was a 2nd century Roman Emperor and philosopher. I’ve posted on my readings from this book before (here, here, and here), but it has been quite a while. I’ve picked the book back up and am starting from the beginning again. Every time I read this book, it seems as if something new catches my thoughts and won’t let go. It’s so full of insight. This book seems…
a peaceful winter walk
January 7, 2019Greetings! Hope the new year is treating you well! I am staying warm and preparing to take a seed inventory. In the meantime, the weather was very nice this weekend and I got outside to do a quick virtual garden tour (video below), if you are interested. This is something new I am starting on the blog this year. Kind of as a way to document and also as a way to share our space and garden. The plan is…
holly…perfect for christmas
December 7, 2018Is there a more perfect plant for Christmas time than a holly shrub (genus Ilex)? Well, maybe poinsettia, for some folks…my vote is still with the holly. According to Wikipedia, Ilex is “a genus of about 480 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. The species are evergreen or deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers from tropics to temperate zones worldwide.” Some interesting facts about holly taken from this really good article…
those amazing bats!
September 24, 2018I’m talking about those flying mammals that seem to evoke a love ’em or hate ’em response in us. It may not surprise you guys to know that I fall squarely into the “love ’em” group. Sure, they do look a tad scary and they may not have the kind of face that makes you want to kiss them on the nose (like my sweet labrador, Trixie, has), but they are truly unusual and cool animals. Some interesting facts about…
the sun is back and the days are shorter
September 16, 2018The beautiful sun came back to us! If you have been reading along, you may know that gloom was setting in. I am so happy to report that the sun is back, even though the days are shorter now. I’m kinda getting used to that; after all, it has always been that way in the decades that I have been on this earth (and, of course, much much longer than that!). The change of seasons from summer to fall means…
book review: woodswoman by anne labastille
August 21, 2018I just finished reading Woodswoman by Anne LaBastille. Published in 1976, this book was hard for me to put down. It is an autobiographical recounting of one woman’s life living alone in the Adirondack wilderness in a cabin that she mostly built with her own hands. Coming off of a divorce from a man she was married to for seven years, she decided that the solitary life amongst nature was her calling. She bought some acreage in the Adirondacks and…
