Category: Seasons

Seasons

Happy New Year 2016

GeorgiaLeave a comment

Happy New Year!

I was hoping for a little snow around here, but Nature had other plans. The moisture and the cold air were not in sync; one choosing to come early and the other to blow in late. So we had a lot of rain–perfect for reading, snacking, and snuggling with cats–followed by a blast of clear cold air–perfect for walking, sky watching, and snuggling with cats. Being on fairly high ground, we didn’t suffer as much as some from flooding. A few towels in the basement stopped the little bit of seepage that we experienced. Others to our north and south and along the rivers were not as fortunate. Many communities were evacuated as the water rose quickly around their homes. Drivers attempting to cross flooded roads were swept downstream, and livestock drowned, having nowhere to go and farmers unable to help them in time. The swift and powerful force of water is hard to gauge, especially at night.

For me, the rain brought time for guilt-free reading. I have three new books: The Martian, Yorkshire Shepherdess, and Stillmeadow Calendar.  All sounded so good in very different ways, so I just began all three. Different books for different moods. Plus, I’m determined to read more books for fun this year. I’ve taken the plunge and set my Goodreads 2016 goal for 36 books. That probably doesn’t sound like much to most book lovers, but I will be very happy if I make it. Besides, I have friends to encourage me:IMG_2119I mean, really… what more do you need?

At last, the skies cleared, and there was no [good] excuse for not getting outside and taking a refreshing walk. We’re lucky to live near several sets of old train/trolley tracks that have been converted into walking/biking paths. These provide a more peaceful and relaxing alternative to navigating streets and sidewalks. And, the views are beautiful. DSCN0785

DSCN0782Here’s Joe all bundled up and looking very professional with his hiking poles. I have yet to master these.

As I mentioned, the cold air brought with it clear skies–in this case, the crystal clarity of a piercing blue sky. Usually, I find myself looking and waiting for interesting clouds and colorful sunsets before I get the camera ready. This time, the stark bareness of the trees against the rich blue sky was almost hypnotic.

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Look at the patterns in the craggy tree branches, especially that central oak. Amazing!

And so, as I think about the new year, I am excited about what it will bring. If nothing else, it brings opportunity… opportunity to see new places, begin new projects, and “finish up” old ones. Joe says that my projects are never really finished. Perhaps he’s right, but I look at that as a good thing. The creative part of me always sees new ways to modify things and new projects to try. I can’t think of a better way to spend my time, and you never know what you’ll discover. So, welcome, 2016, where will you lead us?DSCN0781

Seasons

Fall Garden Wrap-Up

GeorgiaLeave a comment

IMG_2067Welcome to fall, time of transition and preparation. The weather cools and softens, but there is a hint of the wild winter yet to come. The sun is bright but not baking; the clouds are gray but not ominous. Occasionally, a gust of wind whips up and whisks the leaves off the trees but then dies down quickly. Just a test. In the gardens, flowers and vegetables respond to the change. Some, like the alyssum above, put on a final big show, offering blooms that are bigger and better than anything put forth all summer. IMG_2061IMG_2062Impatiens, roses, lavender, and wild asters also seem to thrive in the cooler weather, surprising us with amazing late-season color.  After the long hot, humid summer, fall refreshes and energizes. And it’s a good thing, too, because there’s a lot to do before winter sets in.

Other plants have made their winter preparations early. Yarrow, coneflower, compass plant, columbine, and many others have finished their flowering and readied their seeds. We gather some seeds, leaving most to germinate in the spring.

The vegetable garden has ceased production except for a few peppers and some Swiss chard. This chard is amazing stuff–it’s colorful, tasty, super-nutritious, likes the cooler weather, and grows even better after deer come through and chomp it down to the ground. I like resilience in my garden.
IMG_2071Speaking of color, our young sugar maple, Schroeder, is doing his best to add to the fall palette. He doesn’t quite have the bright scarlet of more mature maples yet, but he still looks stunning. And like the chard, he’s a “deer survivor.” Two years ago, we awoke one morning to find his outer bark just about completely stripped away by a young buck. Quickly closing the barn door, we wrapped some wire fencing around his trunk and hoped for the best. The prognosis didn’t look good. When spring came, I stared intently at his branches almost daily, looking for signs of life in the tightly-closed buds. But I shouldn’t have worried. Schroeder made it through, and in fact, since his deer encounter, seems to be growing bigger and stronger than ever. Even so, each fall he gets his wire scarf, just in case.

Seems a little (just a little!) adversity makes you stronger. Resilience.