Lady Bugs! Though I am sadly allergic to my plants; my “happy place” is my indoor garden. During this challenging pandemic, I have found myself spending more time in that room than ever before. But many of my most beloved plants have aphides. I have tried various products, cleaning each infected leaf, and finally...
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Not So Fast I tend to wait a rather long time before giving up on a plant, even a weed. I often think a plant in distress is just going through a rough period, and will get better, or at least might get better. That might is usually enough of an incentive...
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The Hawaiian Room Bear with me; this post does belong in Nature, I promise. Before going to visit my Aunt Helen, in Florida, I had not heard the term “Florida Room”. It is another way of saying solarium, sun room or sun porch; the idea of an additional living space, which helps to...
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Winter Has Arrived Regardless of how we may all be feeling, I think we can still appreciate the beauty of a snow covered world, especially on the first day of winter. I have ventured out, into the backyard, to capture a bit of this winter wonderland. The river behind the house...
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Is that Pink in the Autumn? Falls palette is supposed to be yellow, orange, red, and ultimately brown. These vibrant colors are usually seen against the steadfast evergreens, which you know will keep you company through winter. But look at these splashes of pink, yes pink! I do not expect to see...
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Opuntia Microdasys Or Bunny Ear Cactus I cannot honestly say why I am drawn to this cacti, but I am. Yes, like all of its siblings and cousins, those spines are painful, and you must be careful when handling it. But in these days, which feel covered in thorns, I so want to...
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Aechmea The Bromeliad with that Pink Flower, not a Pineapple, the other most famous Bromeliad I am still here, though I am having trouble writing about food and plants and especially history, in Public Square. Can politics be put aside? I do not know, but regardless of how or why we got here,...
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Gardening Through Quarantine (My first keiki {baby orchid} in Maine, and it bloomed!) There is so much in our lives, which at the moment can feel frivolous; but I do not think gardening falls into that category. I garden for many reasons, including because I enjoy the process of planting seeds or cuttings, and...
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Ginger (The ginger is to the right of the horse, in the big, black, round pot.) I have harvested a portion of my ginger crop! Every day I drink a ginger and lemon tea; I often add powdered ginger to pork and chicken; and of course use it to bake with and as a...
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Indiana Dunes At separate times, Kate and I each happened to watch a program on PBS about these Dunes; we were both left with a desire to explore this stretch of sand. Of course, as our travels are so often serendipitous, we did not find ourselves in Indiana on a warm, sunny,...
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