Labor Day is a holiday meant to celebrate the working-folk by giving us a day off. But for those of us who love the outdoors, Labor Day marks the beginning of a glorious time of year where work and play ramp up to a level worthy of the wonderfully cool weather. Read on to see how I like to spend my day.
In a perfect convergence of circumstances, my recent love-fest with seasonal fresh peaches provided—in addition to sweet peachy bliss—a perfect laboratory for trying out a homemade gnat trap. Read on to find out how it worked.
Mmmm, peaches – the ultimate taste of summer! My favorite way to eat a peach is outside on the porch, leaning over the edge, with peach juice running off my elbows. Mid- to late-summer is the best time to find tree-ripened peaches at your local farmer’s market or roadside stand. Read on for tips to finding the best ones.
This summer has been an unusual one for me. Normally, my natural states of being include “working,” “sleeping,” and “sometimes some other stuff.” This summer, however, I’ve got a cast on my foot, which means I’m spending a good deal of time in a chair on the porch with nothing to do but redefine myself. I’ve been forced to change the pace, and it’s giving me some wonderful insights about my own little patch of earth.
The other evening, I had the most interesting conversation with a hummingbird. She came right up to the porch and sipped from the butterfly bush, not two feet from my speechless self. Then, she buzzed over to the finch feeder and tapped the red top pointedly with her bill, and then she buzzed into a spunky little hover right between my eyes and cleared her throat. Loudly.
Gooseneck Loosestrife – a.k.a. Lysimachia clethroides – what a mouthful of a name for such a simple, lovely plant! This plant taught me an important lesson in my journey as a gardener…
There is the sweetest nest of baby robins in a young tree near my house! Robins are great fun in the garden, from enjoying the hatchlings to watching the adults pull fat worms from the ground. Here are some facts and tips about caring for robins in your own garden.
I’m a little embarrassed to tell this story, but here it is. This is an African violet, one of a trio of violets that I’ve grown rather unsuccessfully for years. African Violets are known to be a little fussy, but I thought I was doing everything right, yet they sat there stubbornly, season after season, refusing to bloom.
