Julena's Place

Gemini to Taurus

2011-01-14T15:51:00.004-05:00

Making the rounds today is a story that says the signs of the zodiac are incorrect and there has been a shift. What? How can they do this?

Suddenly, I am no longer a Gemini, but a Taurus. No longer the twin, known to be dual-natured and flighty, complex and elusive; now I am the bull, steadfast and prudent, solid and loyal--a bovine, for heaven's sake! (Pardon me if you are also a Taurus.)

One of my coworkers read the description of a Taurus and helpfully offered, "Well, you ARE stubborn."

Harumph!

That may well be. But what about "witty and communicative?" What about "intellectual and lively?" I am those in spades! What about my "mercurial" nature? Am I suddenly "solid and stubborn," like a bull? No. I reject this new designation. And while I do not read my daily horoscope, and I believe our lives are influenced much more by attitude and application than by astrological sign, I am not going to accept this new assignation. I reject it, and that's that. I refuse to be budged. Like a...like a...bull!

Photo of Gemini rose from Edmunds' Roses.

Brush to Paper

2010-11-21T14:34:00.005-05:00

Writing has taken a back seat to painting lately. I just needed to put brush to paper and not think. Thinking leads to trouble. Between over-thinking and negative self-talk, it's a wonder I ever get out of bed in the morning! But, temporarily, at least, I've duct-taped the mouth of my mind and have been painting. The results are not good, but I am learning from each exercise. Two self-portraits--admittedly somewhat severe--are above, as well as a floral experiment on watercolor canvas and an attempt to paint a tomato (hard) and a pear (fun).

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T18:01:00.002-04:00

Here's a different twist on Halloween, and I like it. The witch looks friendly, the cat is cuddly and the pumpkins are smiling. Here's to a Happy Halloween!

Wild Roses

2010-10-18T08:45:00.008-04:00

Fall color isn't limited to foliage. Look at the three clusters of rose hips, all gathered on the 2010 Walk With Nature, an annual stroll along the canal path I mentioned last post. Aren't they lovely? And rich in vitamin C, too. It won't be long before the winter birds devour them.

Rosa multiflora features the tiniest hips. This rose is a non-native, once planted as natural fencerows. Unfortunately, the multiflora ability to thrive might have been too much of a good thing as it refused to stay put and now riots along roadsides and edges of woodlots. It's earned the dreaded "invasive" status. Appropriately named, the multiflora rose boasts a myriad tiny, single, white flowers in the spring. The flowers are followed by the hips, orangey red fruits.

The other two roses might be the native swamp rose, rosa palustris, and the pasture rose, rosa carolina. These roses are somewhat showier, having larger, but still single, pink flowers, followed by larger, redder hips.

The roses in my garden, after generations of careful breeding, produce glorious, many-petaled blooms in a rainbow of colors. The fragrance of many of them will knock your socks off. But once the weather turns cold and the garden roses go dormant, the show is over. It's then that the plain winter cousins outshine their cultivated relations, and it's then that I know the birds and wildlife--and I--appreciate the wild roses. Rose hip photos by JulenaJo.

Miami Erie Canal Walk

2010-10-01T15:41:00.006-04:00

The Miami Erie Canal links the communities in this part of Ohio historically and literally, running through them like an artery, the shallow, slow moving water and surrounding vegetation creating a corridor of beautiful habitat for wildlife. Through the efforts of the state and groups like MECCA, the Miami Erie Canal Corridor Authority and Heritage Trails Park District, the canal towpath is preserved for hiking, and it coincides here in my northwest part of the state with the Buckeye Trail, a hiking trail that loops the entire state. This means there is always a nice place to go for a walk in these parts.

Although I don't often see animals other than the occasional duck or groundhog on the path, I think it's because they hear me coming a long way off. Gourdo and I usually have the dogs with us when we visit the trail. But the scenery is spectacular, especially on these beautiful autumn days.

2010 Ohio Gourd Show

2010-09-27T08:03:00.009-04:00

A year in the garden has paid off for Gourdo, whose entries at the 2010 Ohio Gourd Show scored a rainbow of ribbons (only a few of his entries with their ribbons are shown above). Congratulations, Gourdo!

The weather was perfect for the show at the Darke County Fairgrounds in Greenville, OH. Everyone seemed to be having a marvelous time viewing the selection of dried gourds and everlastings, seeds, dyes and other gourd-related paraphernalia that was available for sale. The artwork was again truly inspiring. It never ceases to amaze me what people can craft from gourds. There were lamps, jewelry, musical instruments, bowls, vases and all kinds of decorative pieces from the whimsical to the truly aesthetic.

Gourdo eagerly anticipates this show every year, as do hundreds of like-minded gourd nuts. For those of us who attend with a gourdie, it's a time to sit back and watch our loved ones revel in their passion. It's fun to observe from the sidelines, so to speak. My father, who has zero interest in gourds, attended the show with me one one year and had this to say about the hordes of grown men and women dressed in gourd jewelry and playing gourd instuments: "They are a very nice bunch of people and they seem harmless enough." That always makes me laugh to think of it. How else can you sum up such an interest? It is a little silly, but it's a lot of fun. Gourdies spend tireless hours planting, watering, training and worrying about their gourds. They harvest and watch over them as they dry, moaning over prized fruits that crack or turn to mush and rejoicing over ones that dry beautifully--which in the case of a gourd means hollow and hard and covered in mold. They rigorously scrub them and they carve, burn or paint them. They share them with anyone and everyone.

When they enter shows like the Ohio Gourd Show, they do so only for the personal satisfaction. The handful of ribbons Gourdo brought home will be cherished all year. He knows his garden was a success. There will be no money, no fame, no measurable glory for all his efforts, but that blue ribbon will fan the flames of his passion all year long. Way to go, Gourdo! I'm proud of you.

Butterfly Summer 2010

2010-09-24T07:58:00.005-04:00

If I were to sum up the summer of 2010 with one word it would be this: butterflies. This was the summer of butterflies. We had hundreds of them in my little flowering oasis. Buckeyes, black swallowtails, monarchs, silver spotted skippers, sulphurs, cabbage butterflies, tiger swallowtails and more swirled in kaleidescopic frenzy about the butterfly bush and nepeta, especially. It was dazzling. I hadn't seen a buckeye since I was a child! Pictured above is just one sedum in my garden--and all of the flowers in my garden were just as loaded with butterflies. It was astonishing.

I would put a chair in the center of the garden and sit there, with scads of butterflies swirling about me and it felt like heaven must feel. Fragrant, warm, surrounded by color and beauty. Amazing.

###

I would be remiss if I did not at least attempt to explain my absence from this blog:

The long, dreary months of last winter gave way to a wonderful spring, and I was overjoyed. Plants that normally fail to bloom in my garden due to late freezes rewarded my impatient vigil with glorious bowers of color and fragrance. June provided warm days and plenty of rain. But the warmth grew quickly uncomfortable. There were few balmy days, but plenty of blistering ones. Thankfully, the weekly rainfall continued, but the 90+ degree heat and humidity drove me indoors, and there I languished. Without the sunshine to restore my soul, it was as though the seasonal winter blues never really left.

If I had one goal for this blog, it was to never let it get bogged down with negativity. So I quit writing. Several of my friends asked me where I'd gone and I just had nothing to say. A blue cloud had settled on me like a shroud.

Now, as I face the prospect of another winter, I am peering out of my turtle shell. I can't remain completely silent for much longer, but what direction my writing will take is a mystery even to me.

Undaunted Daylilies

2010-06-24T17:02:00.003-04:00

Undaunted daylilies thrive in roadside ditches, on deserted farmsteads, and on old gravesites with no one but Mother Nature tending them. Unbothered by insects or disease, they multiply without becoming invasive. For a few weeks in midsummer they burst into bloom, a cheerful sight wherever they live.

In my garden I grow a double orange variety passed along to me by my aunt, and a green-throated red variety, 'Pardon Me,' that I bought at a discount store. A frilly unnamed variety grows next to the common orange daylily out front by our sentry light.

Daylilies bloom as they are named: each blossom opens in the morning and closes the same night, then it is finished. Plentiful new blooms show daily for a few weeks--a nice, steady show. Grassy green foliage provides a lush filler for the flower bed for the remainder of the season.

Any plant that can do all that--with no care whatsoever on my part--gets a thumbs up from me. Daylily photo by JulenaJo.

Tiger, tiger.

2010-06-05T13:18:00.003-04:00

Tiger, tiger burning bright

In my garden, a delight!

Birds and butterflies abound in the garden of 2010. I've witnessed the fledging of a brood of bluebirds, and an industrious wren couple has recently set up housekeeping. Chipping sparrow babies are to be found all over the yard, flitting after their parents, noisily demanding to be fed.

A mockingbird has graced us with its presence, singing at all hours of the day and night--even at 3:30 a.m! I followed a crested flycatcher pair around the yard as I attempted to identify them. Obviously, I finally got close enough to do so. Barn swallows have put a nest on our front porch. It's inconvenient to have them swooping defensively at anyone who braves the front door, but they eat insects, so we're happy to have them.

I've seen tiger swallowtails, like the one pictured above on a buddleia, sampling nectar in the garden, and also ruby-throated hummingbirds. I try to plant flowers known to draw hummingbirds and butterflies. Coral bells, nepeta (pictured below), salvia and buddleia are all magnets for these colorful and entertaining garden visitors and they do well in my sun-drenched, zone 5 garden. Photos by JulenaJo.

How You Look At It: 'Black Lace'

2010-05-28T11:01:00.008-04:00

There are two ways of looking at trees: the closeup examination of a single specimen, noting the shape, size, leaf form and habit of an oak tree, for example; and the overall view of the forest, where the combination of multiple oaks, maples, hickories, etc. creates a completely different perspective.

So it is with gardens. Some folks wander into my backyard and say, "Nice flowers." They are seeing the "forest" view. Others, upon seeing my flower garden, say, "Wow! What is this? And that? What is that?" They are "specimen" viewers. I tend to be a specimen viewer, and it's a challenge for me to look at my garden with "forest" perspective. I think the most gifted gardeners are able to switch perspectives easily and can even plan for a garden that appeals on both levels. I am, sadly, a novice at this. Sometimes I look at my garden and think it is all too uniform. Every plant seems to be too much the same size, the same color, the same value--to use a painterly term.

I've created it as a collector of specimens, with an eye to only that. I've failed at looking at the overall design and "forest" view. I'm working at this problem, but have had little success in overcoming it.

Even so, there are some standouts in my flower bed that fill the bill on both levels and almost everyone comments on them, regardless of how they see a garden. The sambucus 'Black Lace' is just such a focal point. Right now it is covered in large pannicles of pink, which pop against the feathery, nearly black, foliage.

If you want an easy plant for the back of the garden, this is it. It would also be excellent planted near the house, a dramatic entryway plant that doesn't get too large, yet is big enough to make a statement. Untrimmed it will reach approximately 8' in height. It's hardy in zones 4-7 and appreciates full sun or part shade. In my windy, exposed garden it maintains an attractive shape without pruning.

An elderberry, it should produce fruit, but I've never seen any on mine. I think it might be that birds get them. Best of all, 'Black Lace' sambucus is a beauty no matter how you look at it! Photos by JulenaJo.

Notes from the Rose Garden

2010-05-20T20:51:00.004-04:00

So far this year the garden is looking better than I expected after the way several plants turned chlorotic on me last year. To help pull them out of it, I've been heavily feeding the roses. The plentiful rain helps, too. The blooms are numerous and huge. Just look at the blossom of 'Brilliant Pink Iceberg,' shown above. The reverse of those lovely painted petals is white. What a stunner!

I've been ruthlessly ripping out anything that looks weak. I lost the multi-hued rose 'Flutterbye.' Only one malformed shoot sprouted this spring, so out she went. I wasn't about to wait and see what the monstrosity produced by way of bloom, if anything. The plant was obviously diseased.

Out went the trio of 'Carefree Delight' shrub roses. While I've been a great fan of this rose ever since seeing the glorious hedge of them at Whetstone Park of Roses in Columbus, OH, I had to admit they just were not performing up to snuff in my own wind-beaten backyard. In addition, the super prickly canes prevented any possibility of weeding under and around them, and every year there were dead canes that I had trouble cutting out. I've been happily contemplating what might go in the hole they left in my flower bed.

The roses that looked chlorotic last year are still looking a little peaked. I've been drenching them with Miracle Gro Rose Food every week in addition to the regular granules I use every six weeks. The yellowed leaves are taking on a little green finally. Whew. Who would ever think that a rugosa like 'Wildberry Breeze' would go chlorotic? Aren't they supposed to be foolproof? I guess NOT! The floribunda 'Angel Face' looked bad, too, but she's rallying.

Ah well...the backyard smells heavenly. Now if we'd just get a few sunny days so that I could get out and enjoy it! 'Brilliant Pink Iceberg' photos by JulenaJo.

Dogwood in Bloom

2010-04-27T21:13:00.003-04:00

The dogwood in my garden is blooming beautifully this year for the first time. It escaped a late freeze that prevented bloom last year, and enjoyed a shot of rain recently that allowed the "petals" to fully unfurl. I put the word petals in quotes because they are really bracts, protective coverings for the flowers which look like a cluster of beads in the eye of the blossom.

The dogwood flower is a beautiful sign of spring, and it's rich in Christian symbolism. The four bracts represent the cross of crucifixion. Each sepal bears a mark representative of the nail marks in the hands and feet of Christ. The flowers in the center of the blossom represent the crown of thorns. The red berries that are often found on dogwood trees represent the blood of Christ.

Although dogwood trees are said to prefer moist, acid soil, it's obvious that the one in my yard is thriving in clay and in spite of a dry, difficult year previously. And, although it doesn't show in the photos I took above, behind the dogwood is blooming a beautiful lilac bush for the first time ever in my yard. A neighbor who always calls when her lilac blooms to make sure I get bouquets told me to help myself to the numerous suckers that had sprouted beneath her large shrub. After just 2 years the baby lilac produced enough flowers for me to cut my own bouquet!

And so my garden grows. Photos by JulenaJo.

The Wonder of Warblers

2010-04-13T09:39:00.003-04:00

Yesterday as I was leaving work I heard a "check, check" from the topmost branches of a blooming ornamental pear tree just outside the library building. I saw a tiny bird nervously flitting about. I stood beneath the tree, trying to get a good look, knowing it had to be a migrating warbler. Yes! A yellow rumped warbler, or myrtle warbler as the eastern species is often called. The yellow side patches clearly gave it away. This is a first sighting for me. Warblers are confusing, I think, though not as confusing as sparrows--I had to make mental note of the field marks and ID the bird when I got home. I felt fortunate to have seen it.

In April and May the warblers are migrating, and if you pay attention, you might see many colorful birds in the treetops that are only passing through on their way to their breeding grounds, wherever they may be.

I've always been interested in nature and birds (and flowers), in particular, but I am not an experienced birder, by any means. Birds fascinate me, though. How could there be such a dazzling array of species? Why are some plain and others brightly colored? Why do some sing sweetly and others not at all? Why do some eat seeds and others worms? And why do they migrate and how do they know the way? How can such a tiny creature fly thousands of miles? It's all mysterious and wonderful. And it assures me of God's existence.

I often overlook the infinite wonder of people, I guess, because I am one. I overlook the wonder of stars, rivers, mountains--all because they are familiar and I take them for granted. But warblers? How can one overlook the wonder of a warbler? Here is a tiny bird, just passing by unobtrusively. In all my 50-plus years I have never seen a myrtle warbler. Yet every year hundreds of them flit through the treetops on their way to where, I do not know. People speak of feeling God's presence in the mountains and oceans and other huge natural splendors, but this little bird comes to my attention and I am no less moved.

Garden Notes: The snows that covered the garden throughout February were depressing, but the payoff comes now, in the garden. Everything was protected by the cold with an insulating blanket of snow and is blooming wildly now. There's a lot of work to be done, but it's all a pleasure. The roses that showed chlorosis last year appear to be suffering this year as well. Action needs to be taken, but what? Photo from Wikipedia.

Bluebirds are Back!

2010-04-01T07:38:00.004-04:00

One of the best things about living in the country is the return each spring of bluebirds. Townies never see them, nor do woodland dwellers. I almost pity them. The eastern bluebird is truly a piece of the sky sent down to earth--the back feathers of the male are dazzling cerulean, the deep rust breast feathers are a cheerful counterpoint. Often I hear the arrival of the bluebirds even before I see them. The gay trill is not unlike that of its cousin, the robin. Here's a link to a site where you can hear the call and read up on them: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/eastern_bluebird/id

Another informative site is http://www.sialis.org/

We've had much luck in attracting these charmers to our five acres. In fact, one year a gourd that stuck in a fence and dried there even became a home to them. After seeing the birds fluttering around it, I asked Gourdo to drill a hole in it and within minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird happily set up housekeeping!

Attracting bluebirds is only part of the process, though. Protecting them from the evil English House Sparrow (HOSP), a non-native competitor for their habitat, is the largest part of the providing haven for bluebirds--as well as for tree swallows and any number of other native birds. I used to feel that if a species is so tenacious as to be able to adapt and survive anywhere, it should. After all, it's nature's way, isn't it?

This is true, perhaps. But it's also human nature to protect what we love. And we love bluebirds.

I've had adult bluebirds killed on the nest and newly hatched bluebird babies stabbed and ejected from a nest by the HOSP who wants a nest box. It's heartbreaking.

I'm not sure what the answer is, but, for me, traps are a problem. I can't kill the enemy even when I catch him. Shooting isn't easy either. The HOSP is as wary as the bluebird is friendly. I'm hoping two things will help this year, an elaborate arrangement of fishing line around the entrance of the birdhouse which supposedly makes it spooky to the sparrow, and eliminating HOSP food source. No more millet! Black oil sunflower seed and thistle seed only in my feeders.

We shall see.

The bluebirds are here and are busy at one of the houses. In the offing I hear the bold chirping of the HOSP. Will he let the bluebirds be? The drama continues for another year. But if we're lucky, we'll see the successful raising of a bluebird family in our backyard. Photo from Wikipedia.

Spring Notes

2010-03-18T19:52:00.005-04:00

It's been a long time since my last post. A serious bout with winter blues gave way to a serious late winter cold and I've been low, low, low. Recovery seems to be just around the corner, however--just in time for spring!

My dad always says that by St. Patrick's Day we'll hear spring peepers. Every year I tell him this will be the year we won't have them that early. Every year I am proved wrong and it always seems like a miracle. How can we go from a snow-covered vista to vernal ponds overnight? I don't know, but every year we do. This year I heard the peepers' chorus a full week before St. Paddy's Day!

In town, I've seen snowdrops and crocuses in bloom. Here in the country, green shoots are making their appearance but nothing is blooming yet. When the ground dries up I'll have to clear out the flower bed and prune the roses. I might even get a chance before Sunday, when the weather is supposed to become damp and chilly again.

At any rate, spring is coming! I'm so ready! Photos courtesy of Wikipedia.

In Like a Lion...

2010-02-28T13:23:00.002-05:00

The sun is trying to peek out today, but I'm not sure the winter weather is quite ready to leave us. I think March will be in like a lion--and, hopefully, out like a lamb. I'm glad there is a small break in the snow and ice today so that my son can come to visit us. It's been too long since I've seen him and I am looking forward to it.

Meanwhile, out in the flower bed, the only activity is the foraging of tree sparrows and goldfinches and even a few brave robins, come out of the woods to look for fruits left hanging on ornamental trees and shrubs. The winter winds have tilted all the shepherd's crooks that hold thistle seed socks. Wrought iron ornaments have fallen into the snow and are buried. I'll right them when the snow melts away. There are patches where the snow has already receeded somewhat, but those patches reveal mostly puddles of mud as the ground is still too hard and frozen to allow water to sink in. I hope all the snow we've had this winter renews the plants in my garden that struggled last year, in particular the oaks and roses.

I'm thinking of purchasing some seeds for starting indoors. One year I did flats of vinca and it was nice to have something going on in early spring. It was cheap, too, compared to buying flowers from a nursery. Mid-March is the time for sowing seeds indoors. The calendar says spring is coming, even if Mother Nature isn't letting us know!

Mid-February Scenes

2010-02-19T13:27:00.004-05:00

I'm sharing some scenes from my little neck of the woods this mid-February. The first shot shows how the snow is banked up beside some of my roses. I wish the roses were covered in the snow, actually, as it would provide better protection for them, but this is ok, too. At least the wind cannot buffet them while the snow lasts. Today is sunny and relatively mild and some of the snow is melting off. Lest we get too comfortable with that, the television warns more snow may come sometime this weekend. Enough, already!

In the middle shot is the new baby, Bruiser. Bruiser is a blue heeler, also called an Austrailian cattle dog, 7 1/2 weeks old. The name "heeler" comes from how these shepherd dogs nip at the heels of sheep and cattle when they work them. The breed is supposed to be smart and affectionate. So far he seems to be pretty smart, but he is awfully young. Bruiser is the most speckled pup I have ever seen. Apparently, he was all white when he was born. It will be interesting to see how his coloration develops as he matures. Roxy is accepting her new playmate well, I think, and he has made these late winter days a tad more tolerable around here, to say the least.

The final shot is of the lovely bouquet of mauve roses and alstromeria that my daughter received from her boyfriend for Valentine's Day. These luscious roses have opened beautifully. She thoughtfully left them out for the whole family to enjoy, and, believe me, I do!

What's new with you?

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T08:41:00.003-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! Here are your flowers!

"There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart...pursue those." -- Michael Nolan.

Let's make a list today of the things that catch the heart. Perhaps they are things already pursued and "caught." Perhaps not. Look around. Listen. What makes you smile? What warms you in spite of the chill outdoors?

Look and listen, and see those things that catch your heart. Then look closer. At your loved ones. At your home, room by room. At your garden (if it's under snow, as is mine, a little imagination is useful here). At your dreams. Spend some time with these today and hold them close, even if you can only do so in your heart. Dream, visualize, draw close, and love. It's like a Valentine for yourself--and those around you, too. Enjoy!

Desperate For Green? Check It Out!

2010-02-13T21:48:00.007-05:00

Where can an Ohioan go to visit 14 blooming gardens this time of year? If you're as desperate for green as I am, why not check out the 54th annual Central Ohio Home & Garden Show, February 27 through March 7 at the Ohio Expo Center (Ohio State Fairgrounds) in Columbus. It will be a great place to get fresh ideas for your garden and landscape.

As if the gardens aren't enough to bring you to the show, there is a great line-up of special guests. Garden writer Traci DiSabato-Aust, author of The Well-Tended Perennial Garden and High-Impact, Low Care Garden Plants: Tough But Beautiful Plants Anyone Can Grow, will make an appearance on opening day, February 27, at 1:00 and 3:00 PM. She'll answer questions and autograph books. Shane Tallant, host of HGTV's Designed to Sell will also make appearances on February 27 at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM, giving guests tips and ideas for home decorating without breaking the budget. On Sunday, March 7, at 11:30 AM, Geof Manthorne and Mary Alice Yeskey, stars of Food Network's Ace of Cakes will share inside secrets from their show.

The Central Ohio Home & Garden Show hours are Saturdays 10 AM to 9 PM; Sundays 11 AM to 6 PM; Closed Monday; Tuesday and Thursday 3 PM to 9 PM; and Wednesday and Friday Noon to 9 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults; children 12 and under are admitted free. Check their web site for more information, www.DispatchEvents.com/home_garden.php, and I hope to see you there!

Easy Does It

2010-02-07T13:22:00.006-05:00

Wowza!

Doesn't the photo of the above rose make you smile? What delicious color! You can almost taste the raspberry and orange sorbet swirl. Yum. And the irresistable ruffled petals practically beg to be touched.

Meet 'Easy Does It,' the only rose to win the coveted All American Rose Selections title for 2010.

What are All American Rose Selections?

According to the home web site, http://www.rose.org/, AARS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the introduction and promotion of exceptional roses. For the past 70 years, gardeners from all over the United States have tested roses in their gardens and reported their results. Each year the most outstanding roses are chosen to become winners, and are promoted as such in nurseries and garden centers.

What does all this mean for you?

As a home gardener with a passion for roses, I can say that an AARS tag on a rose means it will undoubtedly be among the best performers in your garden. The complete list of past winners can be found on the web site, and there are also lists of the best performers in various regions. For myself in Ohio, I find the Midwest list of interest. I already grow 'Carefree Delight' and 'Knock Out' with great success; I'm thinking of adding 'Julia Child' and perhaps 'Bonica' or 'Cherry Parfait.' I've seen them growing in other Ohio gardens and they always are impressive.

About 'Easy Does It': as a floribunda, the rose will undoubtedly bloom profusely all summer long. It will hold a nice rounded shape. The flowers will be good-sized and somewhat fragrant. In addition, the reports say 'Easy Does It' has excellent disease resistance. I think I'll be on the look-out for this one in the garden centers come spring.

Check out the AARS winners recommended for your area. It's a great place to start your search for new roses to plant when spring finally makes its arrival.

Goodbye January

2010-01-31T11:46:00.005-05:00

Above is the view from my kitchen table, where I sit writing today. At least the sun is shining on this last day of January, but we woke to single digit temps and a stiff breeze that let us know winter still has us firmly by the scruff of the neck. Every now and again we are given a little shake, as if winter wants to let us know it could break us, if it really wanted. I'm not going down without a fight, however.

I've been low this winter, not feeling up to writing much, and today's sunshine was enough to rouse me. Gourdo, who has to keep busy always, has been at work on a project, building shelves to house a television and books in our living room. Ooooh yeah! Food Network is on!

The house is turned upside down as a result of the bookshelf project. I think that is adding to the feeling of malaise. As soon as I'm finished with this brief, keep-in-touch post, I'll attack the disarray and maybe whatever order I manage to restore will help with the mood around here.

I'm starting to plan trips to the various home and garden shows within an hour or two from us, and I'm also looking online for seeds to start in March. I have a few items on my wishlist and they are proving difficult to locate. Is that because they won't grow here in Ohio? My garden research really heats up now that January is done. If I decide to start seeds indoors, early March is when I'll want to have seeds and supplies at hand.

Goodbye, January, you vicious beast! I'm glad to see you go! Photos by JulenaJo.

Flowers in the Snow

2010-01-22T11:33:00.004-05:00

Although I seldom remember my nightly dreams upon waking, there was a period a few years back where I had a series of recurring, vivid dreams about gardens.

One such dream featured an overgrown, neglected rose garden that I would discover in the yard of a house that, in my dream, I was considering purchasing. The house was always different. Sometimes it was an eerie Victorian mansion, damp and ornate, but long-unoccupied--on the verge of collapse. Other times it was a suburban modular, plain and unappealing, also long-unoccupied but otherwise habitable. Several times it was one of the two houses I grew up in as a child.

In all cases, the thing that really piqued my interest was the garden. Dazzling, unusual flowers grew in an untamed tangle all around the house. Roses grew with wild abandon, canes rocketing out of the soil to reach dizzying heights. I always had to reach up and pull the opulent blooms down to smell them. I couldn't wait to lose myself in the garden, trimming and pruning and restoring order and the lost beauty of the original garden. In every dream, I had misgivings about the houses, but felt irresistably drawn to the mysterious, old, neglected gardens.

In another series of recurring dreams, I find myself walking in the snow. Suddenly, I come across a garden in full bloom. I'm stunned and marvel at the beautiful red tomatoes hanging on lush green vines and at scarlet poppies waving on prickly stems above a drift of white snow.

How does this happen? I wonder. What kind of gardener can make flowers bloom in the snow?

I wake feeling happy after these dreams, but I have no idea what they indicate about my psyche. Who dreams of flowers in the snow? What does it mean?

I carried a bouquet of dried flowers and seed pods outdoors for a photo today. I'm looking forward to planting lots of everlastings this spring. I like the idea of flowers that last all winter. I need flowers in the snow. Photo by JulenaJo.

National Hot Tea Month

2010-01-06T21:31:00.008-05:00

Some of the teapots I've collected since I was about 13 years old are shown above. That year mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas and, much to her surprise, I requested a teapot. It was the first of many to follow.

Since, I have received several from my godmother and other family members, and two from my late, beloved grandmother, which I treasure most. One of those, the most unusual in my collection, is seen in the first photo. It's a squatty, stacking set with what I believe is an "occupied Japan" mark on the bottom of the pieces. It's quite charming, and I've never seen anything like it elsewhere. The small brown pot in the center photo is of a more commonly seen style. It belonged to my great grandmother. I love to imagine her using it so many years ago. The last pot shown is the one that started my collection that Christmas when I was a girl.

I was happy to share my collection with the library where I work for a January display, as January is National Hot Tea Month. It's the perfect month for it, don't you think? With the frigid temps, the snow, and the gardens frozen over, there is nothing finer to do than brew a cup of tea and sit, sipping, with a good book--or pile of garden catalogs.

Regular black or green tea is brewed from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, a lovely plant in its own right. How the leaves are processed determines the type of tea produced. I like my Camellia leaves with a hint of added flowers, as in jasmine or lavender, or with the citrus oil of bergamot (an orange, not an herb) as in Earl Grey. I even have tea with rose petals in it. Of course! It must be the gardener in me. At any rate, I find a cup of hot tea to be soothing, warm, and delicious. According to the health literature I occasionally peruse, tea is loaded with antioxidants, too. Bonus.

Won't you join me in celebrating National Hot Tea Month? Let's brew a comforting pot of tea and get comfortable with our books and catalogs. It's the next best thing to spring! Teapot photos by JulenaJo.

Bests of 2009 and an Invitation

2010-01-01T20:41:00.004-05:00

Let me recap the past year. I love making lists. January 1 is a great time to do so.

Best Flowers of 2009

Sunflowers: Moulin Rouge and Strawberry Blonde varieties were stellar in the cutting garden.

Rose: Knockout--the original Rosa RadRazz outperformed all others in a year when even the rugosas took a hit due to drought.

Annual: Nasturtium Empress of India makes a huge impression with its round, dark, blue-green foliage and its startling cherry red blooms. I grow them in the front of the bed and in a mass. The flowers are edible, too! Second best would be the equally old-fashioned snapdragon. I grow the taller varieties and they are impressive, blooming all season long and never needing to be staked even in our windiest conditions.

Perennial: Tough call here. Catmint blooms for a long time and draws butterflies, but so does buddleia, which is also fragrant. Crocosmia 'Lucifer' has attractive foliage as well as gorgeous blooms, but so does the variagated iris. And the coral bells! Their airy blooms soften the garden and bring in hummingbirds. I really cannot decide here.

Best Food of 2009
I've enjoyed a lot of really good food this year, but these dishes stand out as the best by far.

Pioneer Woman's brisket. Holy cow. Look here for the recipe, www.thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/brisket_baby or better yet, just buy her cookbook.

Rachael Ray's crispy chicken cutlets. Gourdo made this for Valentine's Day as well as for Christmas Eve. Every bite was yum-o, as RR would say. Here's the link: www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/crispy-chicken-cutlets-with-basil-parsley-sauce-recipe/index.html

Giada de Laurentiis Mascarpone Mini Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze. Everything you ever wanted in cake. And more. www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/mascarpone-mini-cupcakes-with-strawberry-glaze-recipe2/index.html

Best Books Read in 2009
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Hands down. The best.

Contenders for second and third place include The Lottery by Patricia Wood and The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

Aha Moment of 2009
I'd been listening to The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle when, like a lightning bolt, it struck me that I am neither my thoughts nor my emotions, that who I am is separate from them. Yes, that's what the book is about, but it HIT me. Very liberating. For almost 12 whole hours after that aha moment I felt terrific--free of worry and quite at peace. I haven't quite figured out how to live in the now all the time yet, but I'm working on it.

And that leads me to my New Year's Resolution: to simply Be Here Now. (Remember Ram Dass? Tolle and he both impressed me!) Thanks for reading. I hope you'll journey along with me into 2010!

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T11:38:00.003-05:00

The vintage postcard reminds me of our little Roxy. Isn't it cute?

Our family, which gathered together for Christmas, is scattering for New Years with everyone going separate ways. Gourdo and I may go out to dinner, but we will be home early and will undoubtedly spend a quiet evening at home.

I may page through some English Garden magazines, dreaming about what to plant in the 2010 garden. I am keeping in mind the fact that I had several plants that looked as though they may not make it through winter. I may have gaps to fill.

There are flowers I will not do without: nasturtiums and sunflowers for their bold color and cheerful countenance; and allyssum for its honey fragrance. Roses will figure prominently, of course. The flower plantings are whimsy with me--I just plant what I like where I want to see it. However, in 2010 I want to think beyond the bounds of my flower bed and consider the whole of my yard as garden. Ultimately I wish to create a yard that shelters and frames our home. I want to enhance the view both ways: when looking at the house from the road, as well as when looking out at the vista from our home. I think January will be a month of perusing books and magazines, then sitting down with a graph-paper sketch of our yard, penciling in ideas that might create the look I want here.

We started with five flat, empty acres. There are a few limits: zone, wind, clay. But within those few constraints there is a great deal of freedom. I'm looking forward to the garden of 2010!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T11:09:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas! Here's your season's greeting!

The day of Christmas Eve is a a busy one here. We have last minute presents to get or wrap, food for the evening meal to prepare, a house to clean, a dog to bathe. Anticipation runs high, and, I have to admit, a bit of anxiety adds an edge to the emotions. I tend to worry about weather: the forecast here is for freezing rain tonight. That would put a damper on the festivities which include evening Mass, a delicious dinner prepared by Gourdo, and the immediate family gift exchanges. The morning sky was red: Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning. Maybe the red sky was only Rudolph from the North Pole, about to start his journey. I hope so!

We have family gatherings for the remainder of the week, so it will be a while before I return here. Merry Christmas to all! May Santa be good to you. May your loved ones be near to you. May health and happiness be yours throughout the Christmas season and in the coming year.

Christmas Pretty

2009-12-19T14:26:00.006-05:00

What a cute gift idea! A friend who collects pretty dishes and glassware created these lovely dessert stands and gave them to me for Christmas. I can use them individually or stack them. Won't they be the perfect servers for homemade buckeyes, divinity and fudge?

Meanwhile, today we had our first real, sticking snowfall. Gourdo is on his cookie baking spree and his mother is here lending a helping hand. My official duty as taste tester is a tough one, but I'm on top of it.

In just a few more days Santa will be here!

Dear Santa

2009-12-15T20:11:00.004-05:00

Is there a gardener on you holiday shopping list? If so, let me make a few timely suggestions!
How about a magazine subscription? I can't get enough of The English Garden, Garden Design, Fine Gardening and Horticulture. Other good choices might be Organic Gardening or Birds & Blooms.

Pruning shears are a great gift, as are hand-held weeders, cultivators and trowels. Garden gloves are always appreciated--get extra long leather or heavy duty ones for those who love roses. An apron with lots of roomy pockets is handy for most gardeners, and a caddy for hand tools and seed packets is convenient, too. It doesn't have to be anything expensive--just a simple one from the discount store will do.

Gardener's hand soap and a nail brush is a thoughtful gift. Combine it with a soothing cream to make it extra special. How about a wide-brimmed hat? Watering cans, sprayers and sprinklers all make good gifts for those who love to garden.

If you'd like to let your gardener choose his or her own gift, there are always gift certificates. Who wouldn't love a certificate from David Austin Roses? Or Klehm's Song Sparrow? Or Bluestone Perennials? Or Burpee?

I hope I've given you some good ideas! And I hope Santa reads this blog entry!

Hunting Season

2009-11-30T08:43:00.006-05:00

Today is the first day of gun season for deer.

It's not just the deer that need to take cover. This morning I have heard shots all around my house. I feel like I should hide in the basement until dusk, when the hunters cease and desist.

I'm neutral on the subject of hunting. My dad hunted when I was young, and it afforded me the opportunity to see animals up close, developing a keen appreciation of nature within me. We ate the harvest. I am not a vegetarian, by any means--and that means animals die to feed me. I know the deer herd will suffer if it is not thinned. I still hate to think of killing a creature so wild and beautiful.

All that being said, there are ethical ways to go about hunting. And then there are other ways.

It's not only local landowners and those with their permission whose shots I hear coming from the small woodlots around my home. I don't mind them so much. Some shots being fired are from gangs of men and boys driving around in battered, mud-spattered pick up trucks and SUVs, hoping to see a deer break cover. They then leap out of their vehicle and take shots. I say men and boys because I've never seen a woman do this, although, to be fair, there may be some who do.

I've had to chase these wild-eyed and armed people off our property--and we don't even have woods! I've seen them park beside the road and leap out of a vehicle to lay in the roadside ditch and fire at deer that were flushed from a woodlot by others who, with or without permission, entered it from the other side to do just that. It's a crazy, reckless time, and it surprises me that there are not more accidents than there are. I hate it.

And so: I pray for the safety of all those out there this hunting season.

The Buck in the Snow
by Edna St. Vincent Millay

White sky, over the hemlocks bowed with snow,
Saw you not at the beginning of evening the antlered buck and his doe
Standing in the apple-orchard? I saw them. I saw them suddenly go,
Tails up, with long leaps lovely and slow,
Over the stone wall into the wood of hemlocks bowed with snow.

Now lies he here, his wild blood scalding the snow.

How strange a thing is death, bringing to his knees, bringing to his antlers,
The buck in the snow.
How strange a thing--a mile away by now, it may be,
Under the heavy hemlocks that as the moments pass
Shift their loads a little, letting fall a feather of snow--
Life, looking out attentive from the eyes of the doe.

Photos from Wikipedia.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-24T08:59:00.004-05:00

Have a Safe & Happy Thanksgiving. Here is your postcard!

But I can't leave this postcard without comment. It's beautiful, isn't it? The table is gorgeous, laden with traditional holiday fare and a stunning bouquet. The hearth is so warm and cozy. The whispered "Thanksgiving" wafted in the steam from some delicious bubbling soup is a whimsical touch. And that delightful cat is so pretty as it gazes into the fire.

What?

I know and love cats. No cat I know would be sitting there gazing contentedly into a fire if there was an unattended table with a roast turkey sitting on it. If this were a photograph, it would have had to be snapped in a split second, just when the turkey was placed on the table. A second later, the scent of that turkey would have drawn the cat to the table, where it would risk life and limb--and a squirt from a water bottle--to nab a drumstick. I had to chuckle at the unknown artist who created such a scene. I think a woman did this, don't you? She must have been a real dreamer. I'd have loved her.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Survival is Silent

2009-11-21T08:45:00.009-05:00

The garden is quiet now. I can't tell you what day it was exactly that the birds quit singing, but they did. It's nothing more ominous than the approach of winter that has driven them away to warmer parts of the world. Gone are the bluebirds, kildeer, thrushes and wrens. The remaining birds are not singing. Survival is the mode now, not breeding. Survival is silent.

On warmish evenings, even as late as earlier this week, I would hear the occasional field bird--perhaps a horned lark?--twittering as it settled for the night. I might even hear a weak chirp of a cricket from the pile of foundation rocks where the barn used to be. Now they are silent, too. One more insect generation is gone, with the future buried in the sand and clay, waiting for the return of warmer days.

Our property is slowly evolving, an oasis springing out of flat farmland. As our trees gain maturity they will attract different kinds of birds, winter birds. These are the birds you might hear in the woods as they flit about looking for food: chickadee, cardinal, tufted titmouse, nuthatch, woodpecker. So far we don't have these, but one year we will. I listen all winter. December, January, February and March will all pass in profound silence. Then one day in April or May there will be the most magical song on the air. It might be the trill of a song sparrow. It might be the tinkling notes of the horned lark. Another winter will be done.

Note: The above photos of the horned lark, black capped chickadee, and cardinal are used with permission from the most awesome Ohio nature web site, www.ohio-nature.com.

Mid-November: Things to See

2009-11-14T17:44:00.007-05:00

Today was sunny and mild so I pulled thistles and sprayed weeds in the flower bed. I did this as daylight faded to dusk, so I hope the spraying is effective. It was too breezy to risk it earlier in the day. I have other garden chores to attend to; maybe tomorrow will also be pleasant.

After the blaze of autumn color that we had the past few weeks the vista here is dull and brown. Above I show the view just beyond my flower beds. Although it looks barren, every little movement made by the local populations of deer, fox, coyote, raccoon, rabbit and hawk is more visible now. I find my eyes constantly sweep the horizon, looking.

Oh, and speaking of things to see: the stars on these clear evenings are dazzling. As we approach new moon (Nov. 16, to be exact), the sky appears velvety and dark, and the planets and stars glitter all the more brightly.

I stolled the yard with Roxy, our little yorkie-lhasa apso mix, last night at about 10 PM. I faced west and searched the sky for constellations--I'm no pro, but I do recognize the Big Dipper. I turned around so I could take everything in, and there was Orion, the hunter, caught mid-leap over the eastern horizon. "Oh, there you are!" I said out loud. Roxy looked up at my comment, but soon found the enticing smells of night more interesting than anything I had to say. Between my skywatching and her ground-sniffing, we observed the night and found it to be excellent.

Random Notes: The November Yard and Garden

2009-11-11T20:17:00.007-05:00

A couple of days ago I snapped these photos of my flower bed and Gourdhenge. I made a few random notes about my November yard and garden. Doesn't the sky look leaden? It wasn't terribly cold that day though--we've been having rather mild weather so far. I haven't cleaned anything up yet for winter. I suppose I should take advantage of the relatively warm days we've been having to prune and weed and rake, but by the time I get home from work it's dark.

I noticed the grass has taken on a healthy green color again as we've had some much-needed rain this fall, but the lawn is patchy and full of weeds. I have heard that weed killers (glyphosate) should be applied in November, before Thanksgiving. I hope I have a wind-free day to tackle some patches of thistle that have sprung up in the flower beds. It would be nice to eradicate some of that problem now.

Many of the trees have lost their leaves already, but the Cleveland pear in my second photo is still a blaze of color. Attractively shaped and hardy, this ornamental tree is less prone to breakage than its cousin, the Bradford pear. I wish I had a row of them, but am happy to have even this solitary specimen.

In the third and final photo, Gourdhenge stands, a skeletal frame in the recently plowed garden. Gone are the riotous, lush vines that covered the structure and the surrounding area. The soil will rest from gourds, perhaps becoming the site of my cutting garden next year. Gourdo is experimenting with rotating the flowers with the gourds. Just as our local farmers rotate their crops of soybeans, corn and wheat, we need to rotate the gourds with other plants in order to help control disease and insects.

Cleaning up in the yard and garden now should reap benefits next year. I hope Mother Nature grants us a good weekend so I can tackle those chores before the really cold weather arrives. Photos by JulenaJo.

Silently Waiting

2009-11-07T09:10:00.004-05:00

The garden cherub looked so peaceful and pensive all summer. He appears melancholy on the inside of the patio door, where he rests for the winter.

It's for his own good. I learned the hard way that most small statuary and garden ornaments need protection from freezing weather. A lovely mosaic birdbath lost all its tiles over winter a couple years back. I won't make such a mistake with this little fellow.

So he, and his companions, will remain indoors for the winter. I sit with them and we all view the garden until spring, silently waiting for the return of warmth and another season of growth.

Winter? Not So Bad

2009-11-05T20:39:00.005-05:00

These terra cotta pots filled with lush, living plants thrive at my mother-in-law's house. I am embarrassed to admit that I do not have a green thumb when it comes to house plants. It's mostly a water issue, I think. I either under-water or over-water. Then there is the matter of fertilizer. Some? None? How much? What kind? Which windows shall I position them in? Southern exposure is too hot; northern exposure is too dark. Alas!

I remember a college roommate who filled an entire bay window with stunning houseplants. They were her babies. She spoke to them and coddled them and I always felt the plants responded. I admired her, but could never emulate her.

Much better for me is any plant grown outdoors. There Mother Nature does the work, and I take in the compliments. Ok, perhaps I am downplaying my involvement. I've experienced sore muscles and exhaustion from hours spent digging, sowing, cutting, raking, and weeding. Man! I get tired thinking about it. Perhaps winter is not so bad after all. I will read the catalogs and review my notes and daydream, daydream, daydream. It's all so much easier on the back! Photo by JulenaJo.

Voting Day

2009-11-03T08:02:00.002-05:00

Sometimes, when we get caught up in the challenges and stresses of daily living, it's difficult to count one's blessings. On our election days we're reminded of a huge blessing that we mostly take for granted: freedom. Our national freedom comes with a price, it's true, but every Election Day you have the right to vote for people and issues you believe in. Don't want to vote? That's your right, too. No one's going to make you--you're free here. I am going to vote today, though; it's a small price to pay for freedom.

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-27T20:18:00.004-04:00

Happy Halloween!
I'll be visiting my sister in Tennessee for a few days, so my wishes for a fun holiday come to you early. Sending me off on my journey is a group of scary gourd heads, crafted by Gourdo, his mother, and our oldest daughter. The gourd in front and center looks diabolical, with the gleam from the camera flash in his eyes. I'm sure they'll ward away evil in my absence. BooooOOOOoooo!

Stars, Sparkles, Seeds and Snaps

2009-10-20T19:45:00.009-04:00

Stars: The sepals of spent roses look like stars in my autumn garden. Some roses may form hips, red or orange, vitamin C-rich fruits good for tea, jelly or jam--and a superb food source for winter birds.

Sparkles: Frost rims nepeta leaves and sedum blossoms. On sunny autumn mornings there are a few minutes where the garden sparkles like it has been scattered with diamonds before the frost melts away. I found it impossible to capture on film, but those fleeting moments are breathtaking.

Seeds: Rudbeckia nitida seedheads add interest to the autumn garden and provide food for the finches. Viewed closely, the intricate pattern is a marvel.

Snaps: Old-fashioned snapdragons retain bloom until the bitterest frost finally brings them down. These pink beauties seem to glow in the morning sun, apparently unfazed by the frost that blackened flowers all around them. Garden photos by JulenaJo.

A Break in the Dry Spell

2009-10-11T20:46:00.003-04:00

It's been one month since I've made a blog entry. Writer's block!
Everything seems to be in transition these days: the garden, my handcrafting, my reading and writing.
Everything seems to have gone dry for me. It's like the drought that plagued the county all summer sucked my creativity dry, too.
What finally snapped my month-long wordless spell was a trip to Hocking County to visit my mother-in-law. At her gentle insistence, I sat down to paint with her. It was good to dabble with watercolors again. I've been wanting to do so for a while, but I seem to procrastinate even doing the fun things these days. The little painting above, which I hastily and poorly photographed just so I could get something, anything posted tonight, was the result of an hour or so of putting brush to paper. Although it isn't a masterpiece, it accomplished something within me: a break in the dry spell, a creative renewal. Viewed from that perspective, I think it's beautiful.

Sweet Autumn Clematis

2009-09-12T10:34:00.007-04:00

Sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora) is the star of my September garden. I planted it on the east side of the pergola that covers our brick patio, and it's taken a couple of years to attain enough height to provide shade. By next year I expect it will reach the pergola top. When the vine explodes into bloom in late summer and early autumn, it is entirely covered in small, fragrant stars. Heavenly.

A perusal of literature about sweet autumn clematis reveals mostly accolades about this extremely hardy, healthy vine. That being said, there are some negative reports. According to my favorite online source for plant info, www.davesgarden.com, all parts of sweet autumn clematis are poisonous if ingested, and some people experience allergic skin reactions to it. Others experience hay fever from its pollen. I've not had any trouble with it, and I tie wayward vines to the trellis without gloves. No sneezing either.

Apparently, the vine is considered a non-native invasive, as well. I might not have planted it had I known that fact. However, I have never seen seedlings in my yard, garden or flower beds. And while I am sure it would be happy to ramble over a nearby redbud tree, I simply train those tendrils to their arbor.

As far as care goes, I let nature take its course. I never watered or fertilized it during this entire season of drought, and it survived unscathed. I have not pruned it. Some recommend pruning back hard in early spring, but I let it go, and new growth eventually sprouts from the previous year's vines--all the way out to the very tips. I think it's best to simply consider the size and scope of this vine, and let it grow as it will. It will reach 20-30 feet in height, which is perfect for a big pergola or privacy fence, but not for a wee arbor. You'll want to make sure whatever structure you train it to is sturdy enough to support it.

Although the reviews of the sweet autumn clematis are mixed, for me it is a gem worth growing. Sweet Autumn Clematis photos by JulenaJo.

Grasshopper

2009-09-11T08:22:00.003-04:00

I fear and loathe grasshoppers. In my mind's eye, grasshoppers are the size of the one in the photo above. They are like military helicopters: armored, khaki colored, and slightly scary in the way they hover over the garden this time of year, waiting to descend and devour. Townies never see the huge 'hoppers that we get out here in the country. I've been laughed at and ridiculed many times, but no one can shame me out of my fear, even if it is admittedly unreasonable.

Fortunately, this year was not bad, insect-wise. I had only a handful of Japanese beetles, and almost no other pests to speak of--not even mosquitoes. Still, the risk of running into a grasshopper limits my time outdoors. Crazy, isn't it?

Many people seem to have a fondness for grasshoppers that I simply cannot fathom. They are destructive creatures that will eat anything. Plagues of locusts destroyed the grasslands in the mid-1930s. I'm sure that during those years of drought and dust and grasshoppers, people thought the end of the world was coming. Obviously, it wasn't.

In my own yard, I've seen grasshoppers consume ornamental grasses, roses, and window screens. Yes, window screens. They are seemingly impervious to chemical controls, but praying mantises will catch and eat them, as will birds.

One year I planted a pot of rosemary in my garden. As rosemary is not hardy here, I put it in a clay pot and sank the whole pot into the herb bed. When September rolled around, I dug up the pot and brought the rosemary indoors to overwinter. I placed it on a sunny corner of my work desk, so I could enjoy the invigorating scent all winter.

Imagine my surprise when, on a warm day in mid-February, I discovered the tiniest of grasshopper nymphs hopping over my paperwork. They'd hatched from the soil in my rosemary pot. I was raising grasshoppers! They were kind of cute, I guess, but after a couple of days I didn't see them anymore, and I was hugely relieved. This house isn't big enough for me and a military helicopter. I mean, grasshopper.

Signs of Trouble

2009-09-07T08:31:00.007-04:00

Relatives from Columbus commented on the dry conditions here this weekend. Although they live less than a 2-hr. drive from us, they have not experienced the drought we have this summer. Even people living on the other side of the county haven't. It's as though there is a pocket of hurt, and we are smack in the middle of it. Copy and paste the link below into another browser window to read about it in a local paper (with apologies if the article is no longer there--I have no idea how long they keep articles in their archives):

http://www.dailystandard.com/archive/story_single.php?rec_id=9702

In fact, we have had several years of drier than normal conditions, and it's taking a toll on things. The first signs of trouble came to my 'Wildberry Breeze' rose, a rugosa that should shrug off most challenges, and to the 2 youngest oak trees on our property. I fear we may lose all three plants. Most of my roses are showing degrees of chlorosis. I believe minerals are present in the soil, but without adequate moisture, nutrients aren't getting into the plants. I watered all summer, but there's no keeping up when there is a desert all around. My flower bed and the gourd patch are oases, but they still suffer. I had been trying to plant things all along that can take drought because I do not like to spend my mornings watering, so not all is lost: it is still mostly beauty and joy. There will be changes in the look of my garden next year, though, because some of the trees and roses will undoubtedly be lost.

My flowers are for our pleasure, though. It's the farming community I am most concerned about. The corn is producing small ears that are not fully developed. The bean fields look beautiful, especially now as they turn dazzling yellow, but the pods are apparently not as full as usual. People will be taking a hard hit--just what we need in this time of economic woe.

Last night I heard rain, but it merely spit. I never had to get up from bed to close the windows. It's too late for the crops, but if autumn could bring some rain, maybe, just maybe, it would revive some of the young trees and roses enough to see them through the winter. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The Gift Book from God

2009-09-02T20:05:00.013-04:00

I want to share a little story with you about a spiritual classic that I first read in my early twenties: The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton, a monk at Gethsemane in Kentucky, who died in 1968. At the time I discovered this book, I was struggling (as ever!) with my Catholicism. Merton's autobiography chronicles his upbringing as the son of a non-Catholic, nonreligious artist; his self-absorbed youth; and his restless young adulthood. Eventually, his hunger for more led him to find God in the Roman Catholic Church, and he entered the monastery.

Merton's descriptions of encountering Christ in the Eucharist flooded my heart with love for God and for the Church who draws Him so near to us. It was profoundly moving, and as a result, I have read several books by and about Merton.

This, in turn, led me to discover another great spiritual writer, Henri Nouwen. Nouwen's writings are so full of love for God and his people that they filled my own heart with even greater desire to know God. Nouwen, too, was a restless seeker, and went from post to post, including teaching stints at Notre Dame, Harvard, and Yale. Eventually, he found his vocation at the L'Arche community of Daybreak in Toronto, Canada, where he lived with and served the mentally handicapped.

Although I love all of Nouwen's work, I was particularly delighted to read his Encounters with Merton: Spiritual Reflections which seemed to bring both of my brilliant spiritual mentors into clearer focus.

Alas, as time passes, the fire from these readings fades. So, when a friend of mine who loves to browse used bookstores asked me if there was any book I'd like her to scout for me, I immediately requested The Seven Storey Mountain, as my original copy was long gone and I wished to re-read it.

I never believed she'd find a copy, but when my birthday rolled around, she happily presented me with the book. I accepted her gift, turning it over in my hands. It was a hardbound copy with a plain dark cover, and in great condition. Wondering if perhaps she'd found a first edition, I opened it.

Copyright, 1948. A first-year edition, but with no "First Edition" mark. What gave me goosebumps was the signature of the previous owner, H. Nouwen. Below that was an inked stamp: HENRI J. M. NOUWEN Dept. of Psychology University of Notre Dame. The book came from my friend; the gift, though, came from God.

BOO 5/17/2002-8/26/2009

2009-08-27T20:10:00.006-04:00

Tuesday night I made the difficult decision to have our dog, Boo, euthanized.

Although she was only 7 years old, for the past half a year or more, a tumor was growing in her abdomen. It caused her no pain and did not slow her noticeably until Sunday morning. Gourdo and I took the dogs for a walk, and she started out running ahead of us with her usual zest, nosing into every groundhog hole and checking every tree for squirrels. The return was a different story. She lagged behind us for the first time ever. Monday she seemed fine, but by Tuesday night she was in misery. It was a sorry night for both of us. Wednesday morning I brought her to the vet. She was completely absorbed in her pain by then, and I was completely absorbed in her. It was horrible.

I'll spare you the details of all this, and instead, I'll share with you a few of the good things about my dear Boo.

Boo was a miserable puppy, born in a barn to people who didn't coddle or interact with the litter. She was peppered with fleas, had runny eyes and nose, and a wispy, brittle coat. Her tail was bald and bent where a steer stepped on it. It was her pathetic-ness rather than her white coat that earned her the name Boo-boo. She was wary of humans in general, and men in particular. She was terrified of the broom and of the vacuum cleaner.

Oddly, though, she loved fireworks. Everything from bottle rockets to smoke bombs were cause for delight. Even sparks from a fire circle excited Boo. Once she broke free of our hold and snatched up a lit roman candle. She ran all around the yard with it, firing colorful balls of fire at anyone who tried to get it away from her.

As she matured, she finally mellowed a little in her attitude toward men, but she always remained a vigilant guard dog whose bark would deter any but the most intrepid individuals. She loved my dad, though. When he came for Sunday visits, she greeted him with cries of joy and she stayed near him till he left to return home.

She loved to visit grandma in Hocking County. As soon as we'd turn off Route 33 and onto the road my mother-in-law lived on, Boo would sit up in the van and stick her nose out the window, deeply inhaling the scent of the forest.

She slept beside my bed, and every night she'd give a long, exaggerated sigh as she settled. It was so comical! Don't dogs sleep almost all day? Why the big sigh as if to say, "Man, I am SO ready for bed!" It always made me smile.

If anyone left a dirty dish sitting in the kitchen sink she'd pull it out and clean it off, breaking the dish more often than not. She shedded prolifically. Although she was not permitted on the furniture, and we never caught her there, patches of white fur indicated exactly where she spent the day while we were at work.

She figured out how to open the cabinet to get into the trash. She ate garbage. She tangled with skunks. She chased cars. She growled at men. She growled at children.

But she loved her family, and we loved her. We'll miss her. And I believe, as many animal lovers do, that we'll see our pets in heaven. Until then, Boo.

PSALM 36:6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O LORD. (NRS)

1CORINTHIANS 15:38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. 42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Rogue's Gallery

2009-08-21T21:09:00.009-04:00

Feast your eyes on the mug shots of five garden rogues: thistle, bindweed, purslane, lambs quarters and black medic. I'm sure there are some places where these devils are welcome. I know purslane and lambs quarters are edible. Some people probably even welcome them. But I don't.

Thistle is the worst, I suppose, as this rogue is armed with spiny leaves that make pulling a literal pain. Not only that, it has a taproot that reaches to China, as well as a penchant for colonizing. The only good thing about thistle is the goldfinches seem to love the seed. I wish they'd eat every bit of it so it didn't self-sow so rambunctiously.

Bindweed and its kin are morning glories that take over wherever they happen to grow. I've seen lawns and flower beds completely choked out by bindweed. They aren't difficult to pull, but supposedly every bit of root left in the soil regenerates into a new plant. Nasty habit, that.

Purslane has succulent leaves and fleshy stems. It has a habit of spreading wide and low over the ground. It produces zillions of seeds that sprout in every nook and cranny of our patio. Quite nutritious, I'm told. Maybe someday I'll gather up the nerve to try it. Of course, should I find I like it, it will undoubtedly quit growing in my patio and walkways and garden as prolifically as it does. Alas.

The last mug shot is of black medic. The trefoil leaves remind one of another spreading, weedy groundcover, white clover. Black medic has small yellow flower heads and it spreads out in a tangled mat all over my flower bed. When I go to pull it up its little black seeds scatter everywhere. I'm tempted to vacuum my flower beds.

All summer I pull and hoe, but by August it's impossible. The rogues have the upper hand. I quit. Weed photos by JulenaJo.

Hints of Autumn

2009-08-12T08:36:00.007-04:00

Ok, it's still really early, but to me it feels like autumn is definitely on the horizon. There was fog this morning. Dew on the spiderwebs. Darkness barely lifting at 6 a.m. I took a few photos to show how it looked outside my back door. I even included a photo of my "creative potting" technique! LOL There is a story there, but that's for another day.

I so dread seeing summer's end that maybe I get a little jumpy at the first inkling of autumn. Now, granted, I enjoy all the seasons for their various blessings, but winter is harder and harder to bear the older I get.

This summer has been odd in so many ways. Cooler than ever, for one thing. No bugs, for another. That is probably because it's been too dry for insects. I've seen more honeybees though--they've been swarming to my birdbath and the Russian sage--and I'm happy for that. But I've not seen more than a few beetles on the Rose of Sharon and the roses. There are no mosquitoes.

Evenings on the patio are a delight without insect pests to bother us. The only concerns this year are lack of water and the rampant weeds, especially thistle and black medic. August Fog photos by JulenaJo.

Busy Week, Fun Week

2009-08-09T10:21:00.007-04:00

We have just completed county fair week and another Saturday at Farmer's Market. Talk about busy!

Our daughter brought her horse to the fair as a 4-H project, and she entered showmanship, pleasure, and contesting classes with him. In one short year she's learned how to care for a horse and how to ride well enough to enter these classes and enjoy it. Even though she didn't place, she rode as well or better than some who've been riding from little on. Watching her perform at the fair was the most fun I've had in years. Fair week was also the most exhausting week we've had in years.

Meanwhile, the cutting garden that I've been tending all summer has yielded gorgeous armloads of sunflowers, cosmos, larkspur and zinnia for the Farmer's Market. But guess what? They don't sell! Imagine that! People kept commenting on them and touching the Velvet Queen sunflowers. "Are these real? Oh my gosh! They ARE! Beautiful!" Not one stem sold. I gave my bouquets away to another vendor rather than take them home. I told her I might just skip the flowers next weekend but she pointed out that they did make our booth space the most attractive at the Market, and that drew people to it. What did sell was my tatting and crochet work and the dried gourds my husband has been dying and crafting into birdhouses. We're running out of gourds and there are 3 more weeks of Market to go. I will be busy crocheting and tatting this week.

Our weather continues to be extraordinarily dry and, for the most part, cooler than usual. Today, however, we'll see temps in the 90s with a desiccating wind. It feels as though a storm could blow up, but Gourdo says there is nothing in the forecast. Our lawn is non-existent, but at least we are saving money on the mowing. Some of the young oak trees and roses look extremely chlorotic. I'm sure the dry conditions have a lot to do with it. Even though I've been watering the roses, it's a very stressful situation for them. On the other hand, Gourdhenge, as you can see in the first photo above, looks marvelous, simply marvelous! 2009 Garden Photos by JulenaJo.

Home, Sweet Home

2009-07-28T09:03:00.003-04:00

For weeks I've been hearing a male house wren singing all around the yard. I assumed he was trying to convince his wife to take up housekeeping in one of the bluebird houses on our property. Yesterday, though, I saw him fly to this old can that someone left to rust over a metal fencepost. Soon his wife appeared, too. Both of them took turns entering it, bringing food to their babies.

When I drew near to photograph the can I noticed twigs hanging down. Here it is: Home, Sweet Home.

For me, this is cause for celebration. I don't know why the little wren is so dear to me. It is drab and brown, and it is very small. You'd never notice a wren at all if it weren't for its song, a persistent, cheerful trill that is the very sound of summer. You can hear it and see photos of the wren here: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_wren/id.

Perhaps one reason I so enjoy having the wrens nesting in our yard is because when I was a child my grandparents used to hang wren houses in their trees, and my grandmother, whose name I've taken as my online name, was always so happy if a wren took up residence in one of them. She and I would sit on her porch and watch the wren family all summer.

Grandpa built the wren houses, carefully making sure that the opening was exactly the size of a quarter. Anything larger and the horrible "spotsie"--what my grandmother called the non-native and invasive House Sparrow--would take over the house.

"Spotsies" have been my own enemy here, as they've ruthlessly driven out the native and desirable Eastern Bluebirds from my next boxes. The story of broken eggs and killed adult and baby bluebirds is heartbreaking fodder for an entry some other day.

At any rate, the cute little wren houses were always painted white with green roofs. Grandma dictated where they should hang--it was important that we could easily observe the house from the comfort of her porch. And we spent many pleasant hours watching those birds, from the hopeful attempts of Mr. Wren to lure his spouse to a chosen site to the clumsy first flight of newly fledged babies. One of the cutest things about wrens, I think, is how Mr. Wren, during his initial courtship, will earnestly begin to build a nest in a box. When he finally convinces Mrs. Wren to move in, she scolds angrily and tosses his pitiful attempt at setting up housekeeping out the front door! Then she begins anew to build a nest, this time to her satisfaction. Honestly, how can one not anthropomorphize that kind of behavior?

The coffee can abode is well out of sight from my patio, so I won't be able to watch it, but I still enjoy the summer song of my little wrens. I'm happy to have them in my garden. Wren Nest photo by JulenaJo.

Note: See how brown the grass is in the above photo? While we are not technically in a drought, we have had a very dry summer and it's taking a toll on many of my trees and plants.

Thank you, Sunflower!

2009-07-18T09:33:00.005-04:00

"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow." Helen Keller.

The above quote by Helen Keller seems perfectly suited to both my frame of mind as well as the sunflowers harvested recently from my new cutting garden. I planted a variety of them and they are beginning to bloom now, just in time for the busy month of August at the Farmer's Market.

Colorful zinnias, snapdragons, and cosmos are also coming into bloom. All of these flowers can be directly sown into the garden in early spring, are not bothered by insects, and produce reliably even when the weather is less than cooperative, making them an ideal choice for growing in a cutting garden. And who can resist the charm of a bouquet that includes sunflowers? Not me!

Sunflowers appeal to me on many levels. Their cheerful, open faces delight--no mysteries or secrets are hidden there. Bees and birds feast on them. And their habit of following the sun intrigues me. That is why the inspirational quote by Helen Keller springs to mind as I admire my garden of sunflowers.

As I cut the sunflowers for my bouquet I was reminded to keep my face turned to the sunshine. I needed a gentle reminder of this lesson today, and isn't it serendipitous how a few minutes in the garden provided it? Thank you, Sunflower! Sunflower photos by JulenaJo.

Garden Update

2009-07-03T10:47:00.008-04:00

The blog has taken back seat to other pursuits recently, including the actual work in the garden, as well as tatting and trying to come up with things for the Farmer's Market. I am not particularly pleased with this year's flower bed. Weeds, especially thistle, are winning the war I wage against them. Lack of rain is taking a toll, stressing everything--except the thistles--in spite of frequent watering with a hose. The lawn is riddled with bald patches and is more weeds than grass. Today I squashed the first Japanese beetle, munching away on my Rose of Sharon. The Rose of Sharon opened its first blossom today, too, coincidentally.

Gourdo is concerned about the lack of rainfall, especially now that the gourd vines are starting to scramble up the sides of Gourdhenge. We've seen a few gourd blossoms unfurl each evening, attracting night-flying moths, which pollinate the creamy white flowers. No sign of baby gourds yet, though, much to Gourdo's consternation.

Another concern of Gourdo's and mine is the yellowing of our pin oak trees. They look chlorotic and we fear their eventual demise. I haven't taken a soil sample in to the county extension office for testing, but that's what various garden web sites recommend, as the wrong amendment to the soil could make the matter worse.

We've had many years of relatively easy gardening: now we're up against some challenges. I'll let you know how it goes! Garden 2009 photos by JulenaJo.

Farmer's Market

2009-06-20T13:45:00.005-04:00

Our community puts on a Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings in the summer and early fall. It's held on a covered bridge that crosses between a community parking lot and a lovely park. This is the first year for us to participate. Our table of goodies is shown here, featuring mostly gourds and some cut flowers and tatting/knitting that I crafted to sell. The rest of the bridge filled up with vendors as the morning progressed but by noon it was all over. We made a modest haul, but it was a lot of fun and we're looking forward to our next scheduled weekend.

Oddly, the fresh-cut flowers weren't the big seller for us, but they did draw a lot of comments--as did the tatting. Everyone's grandmother tatted and the sight of me sitting there with my lace and shuttle in my hands drew comments from many passersby. The biggest draw by far was the gourds. A lot of people commented and several were delighted to spend $5 or $10 on a dried, hard-shell gourd. The ones stained red in the photo are apple shaped and sold immediately. Gourdo was pleased.

I heard from other vendors that the day was slow. If that's the case, I can't wait to see what a busy Saturday looks like.

The cutting garden and gourd patch have been keeping us busy, but this first, tentative foray into selling at the Farmer's Market has renewed our faith in what we're doing. That sitting there at the market watching the world go by is fun is the proverbial frosting on the cake.

Oh, and speaking of cake--there were so many delicious baked goods at the market! It was hard to keep from spending every dollar we made on the cakes, fry pies, rolls and jams from the neighboring vendors.

Do yourself a favor and pay a visit to a local Farmer's Market soon. It's a great way to spend a morning and the fresh produce, crafts and baked goods are amazing. Farmer's Market photos by JulenaJo.

Meet 'New Dawn'

2009-06-10T20:48:00.009-04:00

If you haven't already met 'New Dawn' you are in for a treat. I planted her early last year along with two other roses on the west side of our pergola in a narrow, six-foot long bed. It quickly became apparent that I'll be moving the other two roses. 'New Dawn' is taking up every bit of room, and she's still a baby. The first year she just "settled in." Now she's about to go wild, sending out thick, healthy canes in every direction.

I had been trying to train the canes up, but finally decided it was not going to work. The vigorous growth demanded space. I fanned the canes out and re-tied them. You could practically hear the plant sigh with happiness. Ahhh.

Dozens of fragrant blooms have already opened from head to toe along the length of the canes, with scads of fat buds in the wings, waiting their turn to burst into bloom. Each blossom has that old fashioned character that I so love in a rose. The petals unfurl like fresh linens billowing on a summer breeze. They are a soft, delicate pink, and the foliage is a dark, glossy green that is the perfect background for the blooms.

Hardy to zone 4, 'New Dawn' does fine in my Ohio garden with minimal winterizing. This spring I had to trim off a few dead ends, but nothing more. The foliage doesn't seem to mind the wind that whips around my yard more often than not.

Friends of ours who live in town have two 'New Dawn' roses growing up and over an arbor. Granted, townies have more protection from the elements than we do here in the country, but their roses scrambled up and over the arbor in short order, and the canes reach to the heavens as though seeking foothold there. Although our friends attack their plants with loppers each year, trying to keep the rampant growth from burying their arbor, I think our rustic pergola can withstand whatever 'New Dawn' dishes out. Twenty-foot canes would be welcome here as I want some shade for my patio.

This is the first year for me to experience the spring flush of bloom for 'New Dawn' in my garden; I am interested to see what the rest of the summer holds. It seems to me that our friends have little bloom after the first flush. An internet search leads me to believe that this is a common occurrence. I'm hoping that the great amount of sunshine here, plus diligent deadheading, will encourage quick and plentiful rebloom.

Notes: 'New Dawn' was introduced in 1930, a sport of 'Dr. W. Van Fleet'. It was the first ever patented plant in the U.S. In 1997, 'New Dawn' was named as one of the world's favorite roses and was inducted into the Rose Hall of Fame by the World Federation of Rose Societies (www.worldrose.org). New Dawn Photos by JulenaJo.

'Black Lace'--A Sizzler

2009-06-08T08:43:00.005-04:00

Black Lace. What a sizzling name for one hottie of a plant.

Here in my Ohio garden one of the star performers is the Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace', a dazzling, dark-leaved elderberry. It's in the back of the flower bed, where the dark, finely cut foliage sets off everything sited in front of it. Right now it's covered with pink flowers similar to Queen Anne's Lace. Sterile berries will follow. The fruit is edible, but I leave it for the birds.

I added this gem to my garden several seasons ago, and as it grows taller I find myself wishing I had two or three more of them. The graceful shrub will attain a size of approximately 6-8 feet tall and wide. It's perfectly hardy in zone 5, and it is reputed to be hardy to zone 4. It withstands the wind, the heat, the cold--everything Mother Nature has to offer. I see no signs of any kind of disease or pests.

'Black Lace' Sambucus may be used as a substitute for Japanese maples in gardens and yards like mine where conditions wreak havoc on tender trees. That's a stellar idea for this sizzler. Black Lace Photos by JulenaJo.

A Rose By Any Name

2009-06-03T09:32:00.007-04:00

Some books are irresistible. So, for me, is A Rose by Any Name: The Little-Known Lore and Deep-Rooted History of Rose Names. This book is a charmer on many levels. Most obvious to the casual peruser of books is the eye-catching cover and glorious selection of artwork throughout the book. This is not a straightforward encyclopedia of roses with glossy photos and descriptive text for each entry. No, this is something more--the artwork is culled from heirloom rose catalogs, paintings, rare books, and magazines. The thick, creamy pages are edged in soft green. Each chapter features a rose in text and in art, as well as others of its class or relation. Yet, for all its beauty, the book is not a mere gift book (although it would make a great gift for any lover of art, antiquities or roses). The text is delicious, too: informative and fact-filled, the authors' love of roses permeates every line. It's a delightful and chatty ramble through the history of roses and the people who love(d) them. Want a small taste? Below are the first lines from the entry on 'Dr. Huey', the sturdy rose on whose rootstock many modern roses are grafted.

" 'Dr. Huey' really gets around. In Brooklyn, New York, for instance, this local denizen is often seen lounging against stoops, crowding doorways, and leaning over concrete grottos that house statues of the Virgin Mary. Ninety miles east of there, upscale Hamptons nurseries sometimes tag the same plant "Long Island Red," claiming to have found it on old estates, and price it at $350 a pop. From the rush of buyers you'd have thought they were hawking heirloom Tiffany sterling. Sure, this rose is beautiful--but only for a day or two. Then heat and humidity leave the velvety flowers hanging like rags, their limp petals the color of dried blood. This is 'Dr. Huey', undercover agent of the rose world."

Don't you love it? Check it out from the Library. You, like me, might find you have to get a copy of your own!

Variegated Iris

2009-05-28T20:53:00.006-04:00

Often gardeners are thought of as being frugal individuals. After all, gardeners recycle kitchen waste into compost, grow and put up their own food, and share and swap plants and seeds with each other--all frugal activities.

But there is another side to gardeners. For, while we will happily scour the discount bins post-season in hopes of scoring cheap seeds and plants past their prime, we will also spend rather recklessly if we find something unusual and rare. How frugal is that?

Case in point: the variegated iris. I had to have it. I don't recall what I spent for it when I bought it a couple years ago--maybe $30 or so, but I do recall it was a large-sized container and I cringed inwardly. It seemed like a lot of money at the time, and it's not THAT exotic or rare. However, since I knew I wanted it, I squelched those second thoughts as quickly and mercilessly as I do Japanese beetles on my roses. I have not regretted it.

In fact, if I wanted to, I could justify the expense and consider it money well-spent. The foliage on this plant is a spot of sunshine in early spring, and it lasts well into summer. The cheerful purple flowers are a mid-spring delight. Like other irises, the variegated sort multiplies freely. I expect to be dividing them in another year or so. Frugal!

Right now, this is the only variety of iris in my garden. I longingly peruse catalogs and the offerings of fellow gardeners, but I hesitate to indulge. While nothing can beat the form and splashy color of irises in the spring garden, they tend to have a relatively short bloom period. And the foliage, especially on bearded irises, gets ragged after a while. Because of this, I haven't quite figured out how to work irises into my mixed flower bed.

While visiting in southeast Ohio last weekend I was invited to tour a private garden which featured long rows of heirloom irises in a rainbow of colors. It was stunning, to say the least. I didn't ask what was in the beds the rest of the year, and I wish I had. I might have learned how to better work this old-fashioned beauty into my own garden. Variegated Iris photo by JulenaJo.

Icebergs in May

2009-05-24T20:12:00.012-04:00

Whenever I visit a nursery or garden, my eye is drawn to the unusual. That's how the two roses above found their way into my garden. 'Brilliant Pink Iceberg' is at the top, a lovely rose that looks as though its light pink petals were hand painted with strokes of deeper pink.

'Brilliant Pink Iceberg' is a floribunda rose, a relative of the classic 'Iceberg,' aka 'Scheewittchen' (Snow White, introduced in 1958) from the house of Kordes in Germany. It's not too tall in my garden, well under 3 feet, and it blooms prolifically. It resists black spot and disease, and the blooms have a sweet, light rose scent. The buds are long and pointed and beautiful to watch as they unfurl. Best of all, it's got an unexpected knot of deep burgundy stamens at the center when the flowers fully open. That's what caught my eye when I first saw the rose--that distinctive and unusual dark center.

Last year I added 'Burgundy Iceberg' to my garden. The second rose above, 'Burgundy Iceberg' features striking, dark, wine colored blooms, and the nice size and shape, lovely pointed buds, and overall good health of its famous relatives. It surprised me with its very first blossom this spring, however. Some of the petals are pristine white--obviously flaunting its noble 'Iceberg' heritage. These Iceberg descendants show a lot of variation in their coloring, as a Google image search reveals. It will be interesting to see how 'Burgundy' performs for the rest of the season.

Notes: Gourdo's mom welcomed mama cat and the trio of kittens. We will help her neuter or spay them when the time comes. Almost all the roses in my garden bloomed this weekend. Many of the flower seeds planted in the cutting garden are up. I'm looking forward to having tomorrow off to putter about the yard and gardens. Thank a veteran! Brilliant Pink and Burgundy Iceberg photos by JulenaJo.

Today's Trash

2009-05-22T19:04:00.008-04:00

Why do people think they can dump unwanted pets in the country? It is something I have seen many times over the years, and each time it blows me away.

Mama and her 3 kittens were deposited near our house yesterday. I have no idea by whom or when. The coward no doubt opened his or her car door and plunked her and her litter onto the ground and drove off hurriedly, before anyone could notice.

The cats are clean and well-kept. Judging from how mama wants to come right into the house with us, I expect she lived at least part of her life with a human family, indoors. She's loving and affectionate. I believe this must be her first litter as she is barely full grown herself.

Mama hid her kittens and scoped out the situation at our house after being left behind. Are these people friendly? Do they like cats? Will they have food and water? Will my babies be safe with them? Can we sleep here?

Maybe it seems like I'm giving this creature human thoughts, and you think I shouldn't do that. But once she saw we welcomed her and fed her, mama brought her kittens to the door. As soon as a rug-lined box was rustled up, she nested there with her babies. She ate and drank. She purred. She followed us as we worked about the yard and garden. She still seems to love people, even after being abandoned.

We would love to keep these kittens and their mother, but it is simply not practical for us. First of all, we already have a cat, Jasmine, and two dogs, Boo and Roxy. Boo has a strong hunting instinct. I'm afraid she might view these kittens as prey. Secondly, we would have to spay or neuter all of them, and this is a bad time for us to come up with that kind of money. So, the bottom line is, we have to do what the previous owner shirked doing: we have to find homes for these adorable creatures.

We are visiting Gourdo's mother this holiday weekend and will bring the cats to her house. She has agreed to take two of them, but the kittens are not quite old enough to leave their mother. I'm hoping she will keep the entire litter until the kittens are weaned. Then we can all try to find a home for the remaining two cats.

Note: Willy White Socks, above, has extra toes. He and one of his siblings are six or seven-toed. The third kitten and mama do not. The technical term for this is polydactyl. Ernest Hemingway had a polydactyl cat, and the many-toed descendants of his cat live on today at his former home and museum in Key West, Florida, where they are provided for by the terms of his will. Cat Photos by JulenaJo.

Double Blanc de Coubert: A Dazzler

2009-05-20T21:38:00.006-04:00

Every day there is something new in the garden. Today it was Double Blanc de Coubert bursting into bloom. The sight and scent of this rose are magnificent. Remember how severely I pruned my roses just a short while ago? Obviously, it did not harm them any. The white of these petals is dazzling, without a hint of cream or pink. Seldom in nature does one see such a pure, unadulterated white. The blossoms remind me of new white sheets, freshly laundered, hanging on a line to dry. The petals are even slightly rumpled, the way linens would be as they flap in the breeze.

Double Blanc de Coubert is hardy to zone 3 or 4, reblooms all season long, resists disease and pests, and needs little care, although deadheading is recommended, as it is with most roses. It's said to reach 6 ft. in height and width, but it attains probably half that size in my zone 5 garden--very manageable. On the downside, Double Blanc de Coubert doesn't take well to the vase. It begins to wither almost immediately upon cutting. Even on the plant, the blossoms fade quickly and unattractively. Since new buds are always coming on, that's not much of a problem, in my opinion.

Notes: The first iris blossom opened today. A ruby-throated hummingbird, male, has been visiting the coral bells every day. Planted tomatoes and peppers today. Still have a few flowers to get in, and some seeds to plant. The first gourd has sprouted. Lots to do before the holiday weekend takes us away! Double Blanc de Coubert Photo by JulenaJo.

Stern Task Master

2009-05-17T21:24:00.008-04:00

There hasn't been as much activity in the blog as I'd like, but there has been activity in the garden. With his unblinking, green glass eyes, the clay tile lizard has been overseeing it all from a sunny spot between the ajuga and the ranunculus repens. The ajuga was rescued last year from the lawn. It was ground cover around the old house. The old flower beds were razed and turned to lawn and ajuga came up every year, but was mowed before it bloomed. Last year I dug some up and put it in the flower bed, where, as you see in the second photo, it is thriving. The bees love it because it blooms so early and there are so few sources of nectar then. Bumblebees in particular seem drawn to it. I love it, because it's attractive and crowds out weeds, but is not overly aggressive.

The ranunculus is not a dense ground cover, but spreads with loosely thrown runners and offers cheerful yellow bloom that takes up after the daffodils fade. I'm happy to let it spread wherever it will.

The third photo above shows the drumstick allium that I planted last fall--and the sad state of my flower bed. It's much less weedy now, as I spent quite a bit of time on it this weekend. I hoed and pulled and planted and moved things around. In addition to the work on the flower bed, I planted several rows of flowers in what I hope will become a cutting garden. The cutting garden is back by "Gourdhenge," the timber structure in the background of the allium photo. A variety of sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos and other old-fashioned flowers went into the rows. If they do well, I plan to sell bunches of them at a local farmer's market this summer. We shall see!

At any rate, the work outdoors leaves little time for blogging, and much more remains to be done. Packets of seeds, tomato and pepper plants, and bags of mulch are all over the house and patio, begging silently for attention. Eventually, the bulk of the work will be finished. I can sit with my feet up and enjoy the fruits of my labor. For now, though, it's almost overwhelming.

Oh, the green-eyed garden lizard is a stern task master! He cannot follow me into the house at night, though. I'll sneak a little writing in here and there as time permits. Cheers! Lizard, Ajuga and Mid-Spring Garden View Photos by JulenaJo.

The First Rose to Bloom: Rose de Rescht

2009-05-12T19:48:00.007-04:00

The first rose to bloom in the garden this year: Rose de Rescht. What a lovely old garden rose!

While many old roses bloom only once, in spring, Rose de Rescht is classified as a Portland rose and reblooms all season. This small class of roses is among the first European hybrids bred from Chinese imports. The class earned its name from Margaret Cavendish, the Duchess of Portland (1715-1785), who used her wealth to amass great collections of art and natural history, flora and fauna. She established a zoo, an aviary and a botanical garden, which is sadly long gone.

The Portland class, including Rose de Rescht, is repeat-blooming and fragrant, perhaps due to ancestry that includes autumn damask, 'Quatre Saisons' (Rosa damascena bifera). Rose de Rescht bloom are fully double pompoms of vivid cerise red, almost fuchsia, with hints of magenta. The blooms are not large, only 2-3 inches in diameter, but the intense color makes them pop in the garden. The rose is reliably hardy in zones 4-9 and will attain a modest size of 2 by 3 feet.

I found a wonderful article on the web, if you're interested in reading up on this wonderful rose: http://www.pswdistrict.org/text/articles/romnov04.html. As Rose de Rescht is one of the roses I planted late last season, I am just getting to know her myself. That first bloom is a winner, though. I'm sure it will be a long and happy acquaintance. Rose de Rescht photos by JulenaJo.

Boo-Boo: Skunked!

2009-05-06T08:15:00.013-04:00

Skunks eat grubs. Did you know that? I like skunks better than Japanese beetles, whose larvae hide in my lawn and flower beds. So, if skunks are eating those, I guess I can like them for that reason. I really hate Japanese beetles, though, so you can imagine how little I like skunks.

However, in my world, as in yours I have no doubt, skunks and dogs do not mix. Meet Boo, the Great White Hunter. The horribly smelly, stinky, Great White Hunter. Small mammals -- BEWARE!

Boo is a white German shepherd-mystery mutt mix, rescued from a farmhouse where puppies were viewed with no affection whatsoever. When I found her, she was a miserable six-week-old with runny nose and eyes, flea-riddled and terrified of humans, especially men. She cowered whenever I got out the broom to sweep the floors. She hid from men as a pup and growled at them as an adult. Her tail was kinked and bald, as a steer had stepped on her in the barn where she and the other pups were living, their only solid food coming from table scraps that undoubtedly did not provide them with proper nourishment.

I feared it was a mistake to adopt one of these obviously troubled puppies, but my daughter insisted. We put the pup in a cardboard box and got in the car. On the way home, my daughter tried to come up with a name, "Princess! Beauty! Snowball!" All woeful misnomers. I glanced in the rear-view mirror at the pathetic creature peering out of the box and said, "Poor little boo-boo." When we got home and plopped the puppy at Gourdo's feet, a father's day present, he said, "Where'd you get this boo-boo?" I looked at our daughter and said, "Sorry, kiddo, I think we have the puppy's name: Boo it is."

Boo has been a challenge from the beginning, but she's family. I don't entirely trust her around small children or small animals. She no longer is quite so fierce (terrified) around men, but whenever she's nervous about anything she growls. She still casts a dubious eye at the broom, retreating to another room if I get within 10 feet of her with it. Roxy came to live with us when Boo was 4 and I was concerned about how Boo would treat her, but the relationship they've worked out has brought a lot of laughter into our lives. Roxy jumps on Boo, bites her, steals her food and toys--and Boo tolerates it all with uncharacteristic good humor. Roxy never does a thing without looking to see what Boo does first. Roxy has mellowed Boo and brought out her good side.

Anyway, I've digressed. Back to skunks.

The first skunk Boo encountered had wandered into our attached garage seeking garbage or maybe shelter. Boo cornered it behind the trash cans, and I thought it was a kitten. She dragged it from its hiding place by the scruff of the neck, and I was right behind her, yelling, "Drop it, Boo! Drop it!" My son, hearing the commotion from the house, opened the garage door just as I realized it wasn't a kitten but a skunk. I backpedaled out of the garage, shrieking, "CLOSE THE DOOR! CLOSE THE DOOR! SKUNK!"

Boo was sprayed. The garage was sprayed. The entire house reeked for weeks.

Apparently, Boo didn't remember that lesson earlier this week when she discovered a skunk in the woods. She came trotting home across the field from the woods--you know that happy jaunt dogs have with the wide, toothy grin and waving plume of tail? That was Boo. The stink preceded her like a breaker--no, a tsunami. Gourdo hosed her while I scrubbed with vinegar and dishwashing liquid. She spent a couple of days out of the house. I think we have most of it off her, though, as she's merely funky now, rather than skunky.

As ever, she is still our boo-boo. Boo photo by JulenaJo; skunk photo from Wikipedia.

Bargain Shrub

2009-05-03T14:30:00.005-04:00

Because I'm always looking for a steal when I shop for garden plants, sometimes I don't get what I bargained for. The above plant is one such "bargain." I ordered it online from a website I read about last year that offered "free" plants. The site offered several items that I wished to incorporate into my garden, so I took the bait. I had checked out the site to see if it was scam and the only complaints that I could find were that the items were very small. I didn't care about that--after all they were "free." Of course, the shipping and handling were monstrous. Still, I reasoned, I'd be getting a lot of material for my buck.

Much of what I ordered did not "take" in my garden. I sort of figured it was a gamble, so I was disappointed but not overly so. The nanking cherries survived and blossomed this year, so that was good. One of the two echinops ritro survived and looks great. Two New England asters are coming up gangbusters--I guess those are practically foolproof. I found the baby's breath while I was weeding, and it survived winter only to take a serious hit when I inadvertantly whacked it with a hoe. I hope it recovers.

The above plants--there are two, and the heartiest of them is in bloom now--thrived. But what are they? I have absolutely no idea. I ordered American highbush cranberry. I don't think that's what this is. Don't they bloom white and have a different shape of leaf? Whatever this is, it's very attractive, and I'm pleased with it. I just wonder if it will bear fruit and what size it will get to be? Does anyone out there know? If so, enlighten me, please! Mystery Shrub photos by JulenaJo.

Oh, Happy May!

2009-04-30T21:30:00.007-04:00

Happy May Day!

Let me share one of the most wonderful and miraculous things about spring: new life.

This little fellow was born a bit over a week ago on a Sunday evening at the farm where my daughter works and boards her horse. We were responsible for watching over mama over that weekend as the owners had to be out of town for a family wedding. Mama was one restless and uncomfortable gal. We were so nervous for her!

I think she waited for her people to get home, though, because they weren't there very long on Sunday night before little "Jeff" made his appearance. We received a phone call, and my daughter and I were there within half an hour of his birth. We stayed for about two hours. I could not tear myself away before he learned two things: legs and milk.

Never have I seen anything so miraculous before, nor so incredibly cute. He staggered around the barn on rubbery legs, completely unable to control where he went. After the first half hour or so, he began to suck whenever his muzzle encountered Mama, nuzzling her belly, legs, and flanks. It was blindly, instinctively, knowing there was something wonderful near, but not quite knowing how to attain it. Mama watched proudly and protectively. She didn't seem to mind if he stumbled near a human, but let him get too close to another horse (even though they were all locked in their stalls and could only watch through barred openings) and the surprised onlooker was given a show of heels. Finally, he found nourishment, and at that moment everyone breathed a sigh of relief--even mama, I think! And I felt silly, but there were tears of joy in my eyes.

That was then. Now, of course, he has complete mastery of his knobby-kneed legs. He bucks and twists and cavorts just for the thrill of it. "Look at me!" "Watch this!" "See what I can do!" Then he prances over to gaze at visitors, and his shy, innocent eyes are fringed with the most incredibly long eyelashes. It takes my breath away just to look at him.

Oh, Happy May!

"Jeff" photos by Gourdo.

Framing a Dream

2009-04-26T22:35:00.006-04:00

This is the beginning of a gourd man's vision. Old timbers. Nails. Sweat.

Gourdhenge: It must be sturdy enough to withstand high winds, lashing rainstorms, and the unbelievable weight of many gourds. It must be tall enough so that long-handled dipper gourds can stretch to lengths of over six feet.

We aren't talking about any old gourds here. We're talking prize winners.

Gourdhenge and Prizewinners photos by JulenaJo.

Musings, Mystery, and Gourdhenge

2009-04-24T20:38:00.005-04:00

Today, at last, we had warm weather. I saw the thermometer on the bank sign in town read 80 degrees Fahrenheit. A brisk breeze kept things comfortable. Tomorrow is supposed to be similar, I think. About time!

I managed to get into the yard a bit after work to assess the pruning I did last weekend and to see what is new. Although I am pleased to see the fragrant pink viburnum blossoms are opening (Viburnum carlesii 'Juddii') and the grape hyacinth, wild violets, and 'Thunderchild' crabapple, too, I was disappointed to see the forsythia won't have any more flowers. The plant bloomed at the very bottom, but nowhere else. It looks as though there will be no blooms on the Cleveland pear or on the dogwood, either. What gives? It's a mystery.

I wonder if it was the colder than usual spring? I noticed it didn't seem to affect weeds any. I'll have a bumper crop of dandelions and thistle to tangle with this year.

Gourdo took advantage of the good weather this afternoon to harvest old timbers from a fallen barn next door. (With the owner's permission, of course.) He's happily sawing and pounding out nails tonight, planning a "Gourdhenge." Gourdhenge is his term of endearment for a huge, rough timber arbor covered in gourd vines. He created one several years go, and has always longed for another. Gourd vines grow so rambunctiously it won't be long before the monstrosity is covered in a tangle of green. A galaxy of nightblooming blossoms will cover the arbor and, eventually, gourds of all sizes and shapes will garland the structure. It's really something to see--even if gourds aren't your cup of tea. Above you see little Roxy, bravely sitting in the gourd patch of two years ago. Ok. Not so bravely. You'd never catch me sitting out there like that. Those gourds'll getcha if you sit still too long. I'll stick with roses. Gourd photo by Gourdo.

Pruning Day

2009-04-19T10:02:00.006-04:00

"I think I killed my rose bush."
This was an unsolicited comment from a woman in the Kmart nursery section. We were standing, side-by-side, perusing the selection of roses for sale.
"What did you do to it?" I asked.
"I pruned it," she said.
"Well, I don't think you killed it by pruning it," I assured her. Then I asked her what kind of rose it was. She had no idea; it was there when she bought the house.
After a brief discussion, I deduced that perhaps her rose was a hybrid tea that had died down to its rootstock. I suggested the possibility to her and her bewildered look spoke volumes. She had no idea there were things like hybrid tea, floribunda and grandiflora roses, much less grafted, budded and own-root roses. I tried to explain about grafting and I sensed it was all too much.
"Could you help me pick out another rose to replace it?" she asked.
I could and did. All she wanted was a rose that bloomed a lot and didn't need any care. Well, to my mind that ruled out all but the Knock Outs and perhaps a 'Nearly Wild.' She left very happy with a Double Pink Knock Out and a jug of systemic "2-in-1" rose food, another suggestion of mine. It is a granular fertilizer that also keeps aphids and thrips at bay. They even have "3-in-1" now, that keeps black spot and other rose diseases under control. You never have to spray!
After I sold her on the product I added, "It's a great product, but you can't eat your roses if you use it!" Another bewildered look.
Sometimes I can't help myself.

There are a number of good books and web sites that cover pruning roses. I have read them and am still somewhat bewildered myself! It all seems like too much work. Basically, what I do is let roses go until spring. On a nice day in March, I go out and shorten any really long stems by about one third, trying to cut above an outward facing "eye." At this time of year, it's hard to tell for sure, so I don't worry too much about it.
Then, once leaves break out, I get more serious. I cut out any branches that show no signs of life and I ruthlessly thin out the bush, eliminating crossing branches, any that are too low or misshapen or that grow to the inside of the shrub. I aim for an up and out look. I then shorten the branches another third or so, and here I am more careful to cut 45 degrees down and inside and just above a bit of new growth that is pointed in the direction I want the rose to grow--generally out and up.
The three new roses that I planted last year all get just a light trimming of the dead ends with a hedge clippers. No worry about individual branches and growth direction. I just want any and all healthy growth this year.
All that being said, if a rose dies, it wasn't meant to be. My best advice is to buy healthy and hardy roses and let nature run its course. And a little "3-in-1" doesn't hurt, either. Pruning Photos by JulenaJo.

Easter Bounty

2009-04-14T18:56:00.005-04:00

Our Easter weekend was spent in Hocking Hills--a good 3-hour drive southeast of us. Everything is a good two weeks ahead of us there, and it's never more apparent than in the early spring. Most obvious was the Bradford pear trees which made a stunning show everywhere. They aren't blooming here yet. My kids commented that we should have them in our yard, too, but beautiful as they are, I won't. I do have a Cleveland pear, however. It's supposed to be less prone to breakage. We will see!

But that wasn't the best part of our weekend. Read on...

The rain on Good Friday, followed by sunshine on Saturday and Sunday prompted wild morel mushrooms to pop from the forest floor. My three kids range from 16 to nearly 22--far too old for Easter egg hunts. They hunted morels instead, and what an exciting hunt it was! There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to where morels decide to make an appearance. The only thing is, if you find one, you will undoubtedly find others nearby. Finding the first one is the hardest. You scour the leaf litter for a wrinkled grayish brown nugget, feeling that it's hopeless. Then suddenly, there one is, just before you! My sister-in-law said she thinks they pop up behind her when she's walking along. "I don't see any at all, then I turn to walk back and there they are, right where I passed only a moment before."

Our bounty was washed, patted dry, sliced in half, then dredged lightly in seasoned flour. After sauteeing in butter they were enjoyed by one and all. Yummy!

Easter Sermon--Fool for Christ

2009-04-10T09:37:00.007-04:00

Roses for Easter. Of course. Now, allow me a moment of preachiness. Pass this post by if you aren't interested in Good News. I won't be offended.

May your holiday fill you with the "peace of God, which passes all understanding." (Phil. 4:7.) That is my new/old catchphrase, having recently read a small book by Joyce Meyer, called "Peace: Cast All Your Cares Upon Him." It came to my attention at the Library at a time when I needed it, as I've been worrying about family and the dire economy. Who isn't these days? It's had me in knots.

However, maybe, just maybe, wringing hands and wailing will accomplish nothing. Maybe we can "wait upon the Lord" (Is. 40:31.) with an attitude of happiness instead. Would that be foolish? I don't think so, but if it is, I don't care. I choose happiness. I choose Christ.

Yes, Christians are fools. Fools for Christ. (1 Cor. 4:10.) I know it sounds crazy to believe in Jesus and His divinity. While we can easily believe that He was brutalized and put to death, we sometimes have trouble with the idea of Him being raised in glory. And yet, in spite of the spin the media puts on Christianity, even today Christian churches everywhere will be filled with joyous followers. What kept the first disciples, who faced ridicule at the least and brutal death at the most, true to their story? What keeps us going today? It's an age-old question. It's one you won't see the media touching.

Christians are happy fools. We know there is One who has power over death. Once you wrap your heart and mind around that fact, it is totally liberating. Yes, we can be happy, no matter what. Wow. How amazing is that?

Happy Easter!

Kaleidoscopic Colorplay

2009-04-07T19:36:00.005-04:00

Kaleidoscopic colorplay is what I seek in my garden, and few plants deliver this as beautifully as Flutterbye, above. Red buds open to fragrant, single yellow roses that turn orangey red as they age. All colors can be found in a single spray. I love the hot colors and the cheerful countenance of this reblooming rose. A vigorous shrub, Flutterbye will attain a height and width of 6 to 8 feet, and can be trained as a climber. Flutterbye is hardy in my zone 5 garden and shows resistance to black spot, mildew and rust. Flutterbye Rose photo by JulenaJo.

Easy Edging

2009-04-05T12:23:00.003-04:00

Shown above is a trio of tatted edgings that I've recently been working on. Busywork, really. The upper left bit was supposed to be a tatted heart, but I completed one half and realized I'd made a mistake and had to abort the project. I may use the resultant 3 inches or so on a card or collage. Tatbits are too pretty and precious to waste.

The light orange edging, composed of split rings, I started simply because a friend gave me a ball of pretty thread and I wanted to practice split rings. It's delicate and would be a lovely collar trim.

It's the center edging that most intrigues me. It's one of the simplest edgings I've ever done, and it is also one of the most attractive. To me it looks like an Arts & Crafts motif of leaves. In fact, my 19-year-old daughter, who teasingly refers to tatting as "twiddling," made the comment that she would like a necklace made of this lace. Maybe I'll work it up in color and present it to her on her birthday. It's all rings, so I'm using up several bobbins and Clover shuttles worth of white thread remnants. I want to free up those shuttles and bobbins for other projects. A bonus is I can carry the single shuttle required for this edging in a small plastic bag with me to pull out whenever I have a few minutes to work on it. The pattern couldn't be simpler, a repeat of four rings performed thusly:

Ring A: 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p, 8 ds, rw.
Ring B: 4 ds, p, 4 ds.
*Ring C: 4 ds, p, 4 ds, p, 8 ds, rw.
Ring D: 4 ds, join to last picot of previous ring A, 4 ds.
Ring A: as above.
Ring B: 4 ds, join to last picot of previous ring C, 4 ds.
Repeat from * for desired length.

Easy!
Tatted Edgings photo by JulenaJo.

Fickle is Typical

2009-04-03T20:50:00.004-04:00

It's hard to believe that in a few short weeks the ornamental peach tree in the front yard will look like this. Pleasant weather over the last week or so teased leaf buds out along the branches, but so far they remain tightly closed. The dismal forecast for next week: cloudy, windy, and possibility of snow. I hope the hidden blossoms aren't lost to the cold.
This spring seems atypical to me. However, I'm not sure there even is such a thing as typical April weather--unless fickle can be considered typical.The hyacinths and daffodils seem shorter and later than usual, but at least they're making an appearance. The forsythia is blooming at the bottom of the shrub, where the branches are protected by grass, but the buds on the upper branches remain tightly closed so I don't see color unless I'm standing right next to it, looking down. Any day now all of these first flowers should open. It will be interesting to see what they do in the cold. Will the flowers be unfazed by snow showers? How do such fragile-looking blossoms withstand the cold? I wish roses could bloom in the snow. But each flower blooms in its season, and I appreciate them all the more for the wait. Peach Tree photo by JulenaJo.

And The World Thinks Go

2009-03-31T19:53:00.005-04:00

"April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go."
- Christopher Morley, John Mistletoe

"April hath put a spirit of youth in everything."
- William Shakespeare

April is a promise that May is bound to keep, and we know it."
- Hal Borland

"Hark, I hear a robin calling!
List, the wind is from the south!
And the orchard-bloom is falling
Sweet as kisses on the mouth.

In the dreamy vale of beeches
Fair and faint is woven mist,
And the river's orient reaches
Are the palest amethyst.

Every limpid brook is singing
Of the lure of April days;
Every piney glen is ringing
With the maddest roundelays.

Come and let us seek together
Springtime lore of daffodils,
Giving to the golden weather
Greeting on the sun-warm hills."
- Lucy Maud Montgomery, Spring Song

Oh, and April is National Poetry Month, to boot.
Enjoy! Happy April, everyone! Fuchsia photo by JulenaJo.

The Day Awaits

2009-03-29T09:25:00.005-04:00

I'm giving myself--and you, friends--a pick-me-up nosegay. The fickle spring weather has brought me a little low. Last week was sunny and fairly mild, but today the temperature outside is dropping. Early morning sunshine has disappeared under a ragged layer of cloud that holds promise of raindrops and maybe even a few flakes of snow.

It's tempting to give in to a full-blown sulk, but before crawling back into bed and pulling the blankets over my head, I think I'll do something creative. I have a tatting work-in-progress. Art supplies beckon. I've two or three books at hand that I could delve into, including: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese and Laughter on the Stairs, the Beverley Nichols sequel to Merry Hall, which I wrote about on March 12.

As I peruse these options, the day doesn't seem quite so lost. Instead, it looks more like a gift. Of course, as I wrote this I sipped a large, energizing cup of coffee. I must be off. The remainder of the day awaits! Nosegay clipart from Dover.

Golden Wings

2009-03-26T19:57:00.007-04:00

I don't remember when I first met the lovely rose, Golden Wings, but I do remember doing a double-take and saying, "Wow!" A large shrub or low climber covered with 5-inch, single blossoms of pale yellow, Golden Wings makes a beautiful statement in the garden. Each blossom is sweetly fragrant and sports a silky knot of stamens in its heart. Hardy in zones 4-9 and easy to grow, with attractive, medium green foliage, Golden Wings might be just what you need in your garden--especially if you want a bold shot of soft yellow there--and in your floral bouquets.

Golden Wings may be trained attractively up a trellis or sprawled over a fence, as I first saw it, but in my own garden I grew it openly as a shrub, allowing it ample room to gracefully spread to its full 4- to 6-foot height and equal width. The sunny yellow flowers complemented all the pinks and reds in my garden. Blue or purple flowers would be electric beside it.

Although Golden Wings received the America Rose Society Gold Medal in 1958, and the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit in 1993, an online search provided few links to nurseries supplying it. I did find it at www.davidaustinroses.com. A quick tour of the David Austin online catalog is dizzying, with each offering more gorgeous than the last. Check it out! Golden Wings photo by JulenaJo.

Pussy Willow

2009-03-21T17:58:00.005-04:00

A friend gave us a bouquet of pussy willow branches. The soft catkins really do look and feel like soft kitten toes. I don't have one of these trees in our yard, so I'm hoping they take root. As members of the willow family, they should do so quite easily.
This is a lovely sign of spring and it reminds me of first grade. A classmate brought in huge bundles of branches -- enough for every child in the class to take a few home. Mom put them in a vase. When my little sister saw them she was delighted. "What ARE they?" We told her, "Pussy willow." And then, wickedly, we both told her that kittens would grow from each fuzzy bud. As her excitement grew, so did our guilt. We had to fess up rather quickly. I'll never forget her mournful, "So kittens WON'T grow from them?" When we apologized and said no, there would be no kittens, she quickly lost interest in the pussy willows and in us. Amazing how much indignation she could muster up at that tender age. I smile, remembering.
Happy Spring! Pussy Willow photos by JulenaJo.

Unsolved Mystery

2009-03-18T19:51:00.004-04:00

Speaking of the mysterious squill of two posts ago reminded me of another mystery that occurred in my garden. Years ago an acquaintance asked me if I would like to have some of her barnyard roses. She did not know what kind they were as they came with the property when they bought it. All she knew was they were the most beautiful white roses she'd ever seen. They were spring blooming only, she said, but they had an exquisite fragrance. I went to her house and was delighted to see the most gorgeous white roses--very large and blowsy. She was right: the fragrance was divine. I happily accepted her kind offer, and she dug up a nice clump of them for me.
I planted them in my rose garden among the pedigreed and named heirloom roses and the David Austins, and I looked forward to seeing them bloom the following spring. And bloom they did, with fragrant abandon. However, they were not white at all, but a sensuous clear pink. I was delighted as I prefer pink roses to white, generally.
When I told my benefactor that the roses were pink at my house, she looked baffled and said, "No, they are pure white." I believe she thought I'd lost my mind. It's an unsolved mystery. The only hypothesis I have is that the soil in my yard somehow affected the flowers, perhaps much in the way soil pH affects the color of hydrangeas. The mysteries of gardening are all part of the appeal, for me. Who knows what surprises the Garden of 2009 will bring? I can't wait to find out! Pink Bud photo by JulenaJo.

Think Green

2009-03-16T10:02:00.005-04:00

I'm thinking spring-green thoughts this week in honor of St. Patrick's Day, March 17. The vintage postcard above caught my eye because it has roses, of course. Its verse is more St. Valentine than St. Pat, but I like it anyway. Hope your week is a green one!

Solitary Squill

2009-03-15T11:06:00.005-04:00

I have in my garden a solitary squill. That's not the name of it. It's Scilla siberica by name. I mean there is only one. I originally obtained it from an elderly neighbor, Alice, who lived in a farmhouse half a mile down the road. The clump of squill never had a chance to proliferate in my garden before the Great Relandscaping Disaster of 2002, and after, a solitary squill would show up in the new lawn every spring, but eventually it petered out.
Two years ago, however, I noticed a few blades of "grass" growing where I had the dog run. As the grass hadn't really broken dormancy, I investigated more closely, and decided it was a bulb of some sort. I moved the dog so she wouldn't crush it and kept close tabs on it. When the clump finally bloomed, I was thrilled to see it was a solitary squill. How did it get from under the locust trees in front of the old house, where I originally planted it, to the side of the old barn, where the dogs run? I had no idea. Rodents, maybe? Seed? It is a mystery.
Before the plant could die off into oblivion, I transplanted it into my flower bed. It bloomed last spring, weakly, but it's coming up strong this year. I'm so happy! The photo above doesn't quite capture the true shade of electric blue of it. I hope it spreads wildly.
I saw a grassy field of them blooming at St. Charles Seminary near the cemetery and it seemed such an appropriate final resting place for saints. Fragrant, sighing conifers above, and a heavenly blue carpet of scilla below--very serene and peaceful. I'm sure there's scilla in heaven, and I could have a bit of heaven on earth in my garden if I could just get this solitary squill to be fruitful and multiply. I'll let you know how it goes. Scilla Siberica photo by John Crellin.

Merry Hall

2009-03-12T18:25:00.005-04:00

Here in northwest Ohio, capricious March weather will afford at least a few weeks more before yard and garden work begins in earnest. I'm spending the time reading about gardens, and there is no more delightful garden writer to read than Englishman Beverley Nichols (1898-1983). I first discovered him years ago when I spied his Down the Garden Path (1932) on the library gardening shelves. The book told about Nichols' first garden. His love and delight in flowers is infectious--what he wrote about winter-blooming flowers, in particular, thrilled me. However, it's the razor-sharp wit that keeps the pages turning. He's a blend of Gertrude Jekyll and Oscar Wilde, if you can imagine that. Now I'm reading yet another Nichols treasure, Merry Hall, the first in a trilogy.

Originally published in 1951, Merry Hall describes the author's purchase and renovation of a derelict house and garden in post-war England. The sure way Nichols expresses his opinions on all things horticultural and human is delightful and informative. Nichols' account of the home buying process is blisteringly funny--especially hilarious is the description of his friend who rattles his keys with condemnation every step of the way. I laughed aloud at the antics of his gardener, the indomitable Oldfield, who turns a blind eye to anything and anyone meeting his disapproval. And who hasn't known a "Miss Emily," whose warm letter of welcome to the neighborhood reveals a shockingly bold attempt to manipulate. His telling of an offending hedge, and the champagne-soaked plan to eradicate it had me howling. I'll tell you one thing: I won't be drinking and gardening any time soon. I will be reading the rest of Nichols' garden books, however. Timber Press has reissued many of them recently. Check out the following website: www.beverleynichols.com.

Then hie thee to a library! Nichols books await!

Frog-Song in the Air

2009-03-10T18:14:00.006-04:00

On the way home from work today I spied a lawn scattered throughout with purple crocus blossoms. A boy about 12-years-old had abandoned his bicycle on the sidewalk and was picking a few of them. He'd obviously been stopped on his ride to wherever he was going by the amazing sight of that beautiful lawn. The expression on his face was one of wonderment--quickly followed by a look of guilt when he saw me watching him. I had to flash a smile his way. I thought it was cute that he couldn't resist them, and I hoped the homeowner wouldn't be too angry.

I also saw buzzards (Cathartes aura) circling in the sky over the south side of town. It gave my heart a lift to see them--it's another sure sign of spring's return. As if that weren't enough, the spring peepers aka tree frogs (Pseudacris crucifer, see photo, above) were singing from the vernal pond in the woods behind our house when I arrived home. I know they'll be silenced in chilly days and nights ahead yet, but we are really on the last leg of our race to spring.

The bulbs are continuing to show green tips in my flower bed. I walk out and look at least once a day, marveling. It's amazing how they appear out of the cold, dank mud--you'd think nothing could thrive there. Although the new shoots seem to grow quickly, it will be weeks before anything actually blooms. I don't care. After months of silent cold we have bird- and frog-song in the air and a hint of green on the gently warming earth.

I have a lot of garden clean-up and pruning to do. Perhaps I'll tackle some of it tomorrow as I have taken a vacation day. Although it will be chilly, I think there will be a break in the rain, and I'm rarin' to go! Spring Peeper photo from the United States Geological Survey, an agency of the U. S. Dept. of the Interior.

Cheeky Checker

2009-03-08T10:10:00.006-04:00

I believe this little fellow is the white checkered skipper. All I know is he gave me a good chase around the garden last summer as I attempted a photo. I felt the entire time that he was laughing gaily at me. This was suggested by the jaunty angle of his wing, the cheeky way he darted off every time I drew near. He's tiny, and not very colorful, being mostly gray and white, but the bold checkering of his wing is attractive. He must have been drunk on lavender nectar when he finally relaxed enough to let me snap his portrait.

Off-the-cuff observations of the day: many of the migratory field birds are back. I've seen kildeer and assorted varieties of blackbirds. I've not yet heard red-winged blackbirds or the spring peepers call from the woods, but yesterday temperatures soared, so it won't be long. Today is cooler, and it's raining. It's funny how quickly we went from single digits to an unnaturally warm 75 degrees Fahrenheit. I'm glad it is more seasonal today. I noticed a few of the bulbs I planted last fall are breaking the soil. I'd forgotten where I put them so it is exciting to note where the green tips are showing up. I am not a planter of "drifts," much as I love to see flowers blooming so, because I hate to disturb what I already have in my garden in order to dig them in. Instead, I tucked a few things in here and there in hopes that they'd naturalize. This year's odd daffodil or muscari will be the lovely cluster in a few years. Sadly, I also see tender young dandelion leaves sprouting in the flower bed, along with other perennial weeds. And so, another season is about to begin. Checker Butterfly photo by JulenaJo.

And God Said, "Let's Color!"

2009-03-04T09:31:00.011-05:00

What I know about orchids you could put on the head of a pin. I've stated in the past that I am not much of an indoor gardener--these lovelies do not live with me. They were on display at Ft. Wayne. Aren't the fantastic form, colors and markings on these beauties incredible? I can't help but believe in God when I look at these. Yes, I have science training. I know about Big Bang and "evolutionary development necessary for procreation of the species." It all makes remarkable sense. But. LOOK! This is starstuff, wonderfully made, and in my heart I just know that after He made it, God took out Divine Magic Markers and colored on it. Orchid photos by JulenaJo.

Ft. Wayne Flowers

2009-03-01T22:04:00.008-05:00

Everything from flats of colorful coleus to arrangements of exotic and unusual orchids were on display this weekend at the coliseum in Ft. Wayne this weekend. Gourdo and I took it all in, dreaming of what will happen here once the weather warms up.
We both bought seeds. Gourdo bought--you guessed it--gourd seeds. I'm wondering if he'll resurrect "Gourdhenge" this spring? It was a pergola-like structure covered with gourd vines. Quite impressive!
I bought flower seeds. Nothing too unusual: cosmos, larkspur, zinnias, etc. for the cutting garden I hope to install. I snapped up as many different kinds of sunflower seeds as I could.
There were lots of hydrangeas on display at the show. All of them were brilliant blue. I overheard people commenting about how their hydrangeas always turn pink. I think it's a challenge in this neck of the woods to grow them blue. It requires acid soil and ours just isn't. No matter how much I've tried to amend the soil with acidifiers, it never seems to turn them the brilliant blue of pot-grown hydrangeas. I think pH is easier to control in potted plants. Also, in order to give hydrangeas the sheltered location they crave this far north, I end up putting them near the concrete foundation of the house, and that in iteself affects the pH, in my opinion. I'd rather enjoy them as pink flowers and turn to other plants for spots of blue in my garden.
If the displays I saw are any indication of what will be popular in landscaping trends this year, I'd say colorful foliage plants like coleus will be big. Weeping trees are popular, and every kind of tree seems to be weeping lately. Using exotics as annuals is something I noticed. It seems as though every nursery carried a selection of exotics. There were lots of succulents, including varieties that I'd drooled over in gardening books and magazines. I refrained from buying any live plant material because I didn't want to play nursemaid to them for the two more months of cold weather that we have ahead of us.
Gourdo gathered flyers from a number of nurseries. We plan to take a spring road trip in May and check them out. It should be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to it already. Flower photos by JulenaJo.

Home and Garden Show

2009-02-27T22:47:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow Gourdo and I plan to take in the Ft. Wayne Home and Garden Show. It's always fun to see what's new and get ideas for the coming gardening season. Attractions this year include Don Engebretson, "The Renegade Gardener." I love his title. I wonder what makes him a renegade? I hope to find out! He'll do presentations on home landscape design and container gardening. (See above for one of the containers I created in my own garden. I rather liked the chartreuse sweet potato vine and glowing white verbena against the dark foliage of the magilla perilla.)

Master Gardeners and nurserymen and women will also give talks and demonstrations on various topics. There will be dozens of displays and vendors, too. By the time we leave the show, I'm sure I'll be more on fire for spring than I am already. Patio Container photo by JulenaJo.

Add Imagination--See What Happens!

2009-02-25T21:13:00.003-05:00

Kitten is dreaming of sunshine and an open window. Around him, sheer curtains are swaying in the balmy spring breezes. What is this hanging here? It sparkles! Rainbows dance all over the kitchen. If he could just get his paw on it!

I haven't had my art supplies out in a long while--too busy knitting, then tatting. However, I did recently sort through some of my little paintings. It's always a surprise to see what I've done in the past. What? I did that? It's like I painted a dream and half forgot about it later. Looking at my past work and my sketchbooks makes me want to take up the brushes again. Water, pigment, paper. Add imagination. See what happens!
Crystal in the Window watercolor by JulenaJo.

Promises of Buttercups

2009-02-22T09:59:00.005-05:00

Creeping buttercup, ranunculus repens, is one of my favorite groundcovers. It's easy to grow and spreads well by runners, forming a glossy, deep green mat. In spring hundreds of butter yellow buttons cover the plants, followed by occasional blooms the rest of the summer.
I received a start from a friend when we first moved here, and it thrived in my sunny yard. I passed starts on to a coworker who also loved it. Creeping buttercup spread madly in her yard--a shaded plot, I might add.
In my own yard, it was eradicated during the 2002 relandscaping project. My coworker was kind enough to give me another start last year, which I tucked in under my rugosa rose hybrid, "Wildberry Breeze."
Now that's an eye-popping combo: rich pink, papery rose petals; leathery dark green wrinkled rose leaves; shiny dark ranunculus leaf mat; and electric yellow buttercup buttons. So much color and texture to experience all in one small spot. It's wonderful.
Whenever the snow melts off, I see tiny new ranunculus leaves poking up out of the wet mulch beneath the roses: harbingers of spring, promises of buttercups. Ranunculus Repens photo by JulenaJo.

Garden in Progress

2009-02-21T09:50:00.005-05:00

Like the angel above, I've been thinking. What direction should the garden take this year?
Other blogs that I follow talk about "gardens in progress," and aren't they all? The above is my garden in progress. It's a haphazard collection of plants that works for me on many levels, but is far from what I would like to see here. We live on 5 acres, about half of which is yard. The remainder is incorporated into the neighbor's farm fields and is planted in a rotation of corn, soybeans and winter wheat. My yard and garden is an oasis in the midst of a desert of flat, fertile farm fields. There are woodlots dotting the horizon, breaking up the view. Often, these have sprung up where the land is too wet to be worth troubling with.
When we built the new house we lost some of the rich topsoil, I think, leaving behind a hard, uncompromising pan. Organic matter needs to be worked in near the house now. Fortunately, we have access to well-rotted horse manure, thanks to our daughter's horse. We also compost green materials and kitchen waste, and we bought a load of sand to dig in, too.
Although many of the plants that I love require full sun, and we have that aplenty, the wind here can be devastating. We've been planting trees--smaller ornamentals near the house and larger hardwoods as well as evergreens elsewhere in the yard. I'm hoping to create a windbreak as well as a "window" or a "frame" for the view beyond.
Originally, I tucked perennials randomly into the lawn as I accepted them from friends and came into them unexpectedly. This upset Gourdo to no end as he does most of the mowing. To organize things, he installed an irregularly shaped bed outlined in vintage brick around my collection. We increase the bed each year as the collection grows. We also create new beds. I planted a trio of red-flowering crabapples underplanted with nanking cherry. I think that should look fantastic in coming years--if they bloom in sync, as I hope, I'll have photos this spring.
At any rate, the garden is in progress (in my mind) even as another snow squall passes through the state. Garden Photos by JulenaJo.

Zebra!

2009-02-17T20:35:00.008-05:00

The blurry photo of a zebra swallowtail is not excellent, but I was happy to get it at all.
There were far more butterflies and songbirds when I was a child. Back then my brother was mad about insects and had a fantastic butterfly and moth collection. For my part, I kept birdwatcher's notes.
The two of us remain passionate about nature, and we've taken to contacting each other by cell phone or email to note phenomenon such as the first night of hearing spring peepers, or the spotting of an unusual bird. In one of these exchanges my brother mentioned to me that he hadn't seen a zebra swallowtail, quite common when we were children 40 years go, in ages. Neither have I. We've been both on the lookout ever since.
Last summer I finally spotted one, and I didn't have to go farther afield than my backyard flower garden to do so. I had been sitting on the patio, basking in the morning sun, when out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of something fluttering up around the eaves of the house. Although the sun was nearly blinding to me at that angle, I thought it looked black and white--it had to be a zebra. It fluttered up and over the house, but I figured with all the luscious flowers in the garden, the swallowtail would be back. I got my camera ready and waited. After lunch I was rewarded for my effort: the zebra swallowtail returned. As it floated from blossom to blossom I followed, camera in hand. It let me draw near, but it kept "shivering" its wings. There was no hope of a sharp image, but at least I did get several that were clear enough for positive identification--and for sharing. I was delighted to send them to my brother with the one word message: ZEBRA!
That was a day that filled me with happiness and hope. My little garden--a crazy mix of nectar-rich flowers and fruit bearing shrubs--is an oasis in the middle of acres and acres of soybeans and corn. Eventually, I'd like to fill the entire yard with fruits and flowers. It pleases me to think of how many more butterflies and birds will come to rest and dine here. It's a little thing, really, but there is such satisfaction in knowing that my garden is helping to sustain the natural world that I love. Zebra Swallowtail photo by JulenaJo.

Mid-February Musings

2009-02-15T10:25:00.012-05:00

"Was it the smile of early spring
That made my bosom glow?
'Twas sweet, but neither sun nor wind
Could raise my spirit so.

Was it some feeling of delight,
All vague and undefined?
No, 'twas a rapture deep and strong,
Expanding in the mind!"
- Anne Bronte, In Memory of A Happy Day in February

Mid-February one's mind really turns to spring, doesn't it? The sun is just a smidgeon brighter and warmer, the days are a tad longer, and spirits raise accordingly. There are more smiles. People seem happier. We looked winter in the eye and came out on the other side.
Now, granted, there may be storms ahead, but in a month or so there will be enough warmth for spring peepers to break into song.

"The February sunshine steeps your boughs and tints the buds and swells the leaves within."
- William C. Bryant

On warm days sap rises in the trees and you notice the faintest swelling of the buds. Oh, we're far from leaves yet, but there are whispers of life from within. A walk around the yard and garden hints at what's to come: the dragon's blood sedum is brilliant red; creeping ranunculus repens is sending up tiny wrinkled leaves under all the roses; willows wave chartreuse twigs like lace from their boughs. Still no sign here in Ohio of the bulbs I planted last fall, but I keep looking--every time the snow melts away I look.

"From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens:
the garden outdoors,
the garden of pots and bowls in the house,
and the garden of the mind's eye."
- Katherine S. White

I must confess that I do not do so well with pots and bowls in the house. Gardening is all about the outdoors for me. I either drown or wither everything I attempt indoors. I have 4 houseplants: a tired looking cactus; a wan and wee baby spider plant; a green but ungrowing vase plant; and a gangly, awkwardly growing night-blooming cereus that sends out long naked shoots willy-nilly in all directions. I hope the latter will bloom this summer, but I have serious cereus doubts. (Sorry, I could not help myself.)
The garden of my mind's eye is thriving, though. I envision rows of flowers for cutting, roses aplenty, and fresh vegetables. I dream of warm spring days filled with blossoming trees and honeybees, and nights on the patio, listening to the larks' tinkling song from across the fields. February sunshine seems to shout, "Spring is coming!" I'm ready.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T10:54:00.002-05:00

Have a beautiful Valentine's Day!

Morning Glory

2009-02-11T09:48:00.003-05:00

I found these morning glory seeds at a discount store and bought them because they were supposed to be doubles. The centers never fully developed as double on them, and they didn't get very tall, but they were beautiful. I'm showing them here today because it's muddy, gray and wet here today and I need something pretty to look at.
We have had a few days of temperatures soaring into the fifties, overcast and breezy. All the snow is gone. Water cannot go anywhere as the ground is still frozen underneath, so we have little pondlike puddles and mud. The heat wave won't last, though. There are colder temps and snow in the imminent forecast. Morning Glory photos by JulenaJo.

About Face

2009-02-06T08:20:00.002-05:00

One of the most beautiful roses I grow, in my opinion, is the rose shown above, "About Face." Classified as a grandiflora, "About Face" features lovely, high-centered blooms shaped like the roses you'll get in a typical florist bouquet. Generally the blooms are larger than those of floribunda roses, a class of tough roses that produces continuous clusters of flowers. I added "About Face" to the garden because of her unusual coloring. The bloom above is actually past its prime, if you can believe that. The closed buds are fiery red, leaning to orange. As they open, you see the top of the petals are golden. They are the largest blooms of the 20 or so roses I grow now, and they are the most exquisitely shaped. The first flush of bloom produces abundant blossoms, then there is a brief pause before more are produced. From then on until frost there are constant flowers coming on. Although afterward there are not as many flowers on the plant at one time as with the first flush, there is almost always something on the plant to cut for bouquets. Oddly, these absolutely delicious blooms produce no scent. I keep sniffing at them in disbelief. Oh well. I'm enthralled with the beauty of "About Face." I think she's a keeper! "About Face" photo by JulenaJo.

Valentatting: The Rose Heart

2009-02-04T11:24:00.010-05:00

Isn't this a lovely bit of "Valentatting?" It's tatting perfect for Valentine's Day--or anytime for someone who loves roses as I do. The flower is a variegated pink and the frilly heart surround is dusty green. I found the pattern at:

http://www.georgiaseitz.com/2002/neudorf.html

It works up quickly, and I love the outer edging, which looks like cluny tatting but isn't. I realized halfway through finishing the edge that I need to loosen up a bit. Trying to keep things tight was making a curl where it should lay flat. Hopefully, blocking the piece will smooth it out.
Neudorf's pattern calls for a tatting needle, but I used two shuttles instead. I also did not cut and tie the central ring; I just started in with the chains. It doesn't make as neat a center as the one shown with the pattern, but I don't think it's worth the trouble of working in loose ends. I may change my mind after I've finished and blocked it. Tatted Rose Heart photos by JulenaJo.

New Home; New Rose

2009-02-03T20:42:00.006-05:00

A young friend of mine closed on a house recently and is eagerly anticipating spring landscaping for the first time. He asked me to recommend a rose--something easy and that would not grow too large. For a second my mind raced over dozens of possibilities, but then I settled on a sure bet and said, "Any of the Knock Out roses will give you tons of color, and they are completely fuss free." "Sounds perfect!" my friend said. But is it?
From the above photo you can see the deep, blue-tinged foliage and the juicy raspberry color of the Knock Out rose. Other colors are available now, including a pastel version called Rainbow Knock Out. They are not fragrant, which is a huge strike against them in my opinion. I live for the heavenly scent of roses.
My first rose garden featured Madame Hardy and Felicite Parmentier, two heirloom varieties that bloom gloriously in spring for a few sweetly scented weeks and then are gone for the rest of the year. Most years thrips would find their way into the hearts of the pale, fragrant blossoms, causing them to shatter and shortening their season even more. Other years some of the many-petaled buds would ball and turn to mush. It is a challenge to celebrate the blooms I do get, while bouncing back from each year's inevitable disappointments. Growing a variety of different roses helps. Each of the different types of roses have their own charms to recommend them, and often when one rose does poorly, another will thrive. But some years are mighty disappointing.
I finally added Knock Out to my own garden because I wanted something to be always, reliably in bloom. I wanted a rose that wouldn't drop all its leaves with black spot late every summer. I wanted one rose that would never let me down. Knock Out is that rose.
I hope my friend will be very happy with his new home--and his new roses! Knock Out rose photo by JulenaJo.

One Month Nearer

2009-01-31T17:24:00.006-05:00

We were lucky.
We didn't have as much snow as many did this week. We didn't have the ice that paralyzed the southern parts of the state. Still, as you can see in the photos I took from the center of the road in front of our house, there was enough to keep road crews busy.
The worst part of our weather was, as it so often is, the wind. Although it wasn't blowing when I took the photos, gusts of wind wipe out the roads in a short time. Visibility is impaired by blowing snow, and unexpected drifts on top of ice make travel treacherous.
This was the last day of January. There's a possibility of more snow in the next few days--and winter is far from over. But we are one month nearer to spring. I'm ready. West & East photos by JulenaJo.

Sweet 16

2009-01-28T09:41:00.011-05:00

This young lady is my baby girl--pictured with birthday cake, with her grandmother at the beach, and with Roxy, in heels for a dance, and with her horse. Today she celebrates her Sweet Sixteenth Birthday. I'm so proud. Happy Birthday! xoxo

Gallica Gentleman

2009-01-27T20:34:00.003-05:00

This gentleman is a gallica, an heirloom rose blooming once in the spring, magnificently. 'Tuscany Superb' is his name. He's tough, shrugging off Ohio's bitter winters and blazing summers with aplomb. Although he can be a rogue, sending suckering canes where he will, this one indiscretion is easily forgiven. His deep crimson, velveteen petals hide a coronet of golden stamens at the heart of each blossom. Everyone who sees him will comment on the rich color and satin sheen of his many blooms. His musky cologne entices, but does not overpower. His foliage is neat and green, borne on a tidy, smallish shrub. Tuck 'Tuscany Superb'--and other once-blooming heirloom roses--into the back of a flower bed where they can be enjoyed in the spring, and grow into green oblivion for the rest of the summer. Tuscany Superb photo by JulenaJo.

Carefree Delight

2009-01-26T09:17:00.003-05:00

One cannot help but love the name of this rose: Carefree Delight. I first discovered this rose at the Whetstone Park of Roses in Columbus, Ohio. There they grow in partial shade that does not seem to hinder bloom one whit. Huge hedges of them are covered with masses of small, carmine pink blooms. There is zero fragrance, but there are plentiful small hips in the fall. The attractive foliage is glossy and deep green, reminiscent of holly leaves.
In my more open garden, Carefree Delight performs well, but not with the astounding vigor of the ones growing in the protected park garden. Even so, it makes a nice spreading shrub that provides great cover for rabbits and birds. When it's in its first flush of bloom the foliage is barely visible behind the masses of flowers, and it blooms in continual flushes right through the season until hard frost.
Although Carefree Delight is listed as a shrub rose, it performs like a ground cover in my wild, open garden. The winner of numerous awards, Carefree Delight is a hard-working, tough plant that requires minimal pruning or care to look great as a hedge or in a small grouping in the yard or garden. Carefree Delight photo by JulenaJo.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2009-01-25T11:17:00.004-05:00

Well, on one count we got it wrong, but on all other counts we got it right.
My sister, brother, and I decided to spring a surprise dinner on our father this weekend for his birthday, which is January 28. There was a break in the Ohio weather so my sister and her husband drove up from Tennessee and got a hotel room in Dayton for the night. She's the one who hatched the plan, basically. All I had to do was lie, lie, lie. I told my dad we were busy on Sunday, our usual day of getting together, and could I join him for Mass on Saturday night instead? I suggested a church near Dayton, said maybe I'd take him to Skyline Chili after Mass for his birthday because he likes it and it's cheap. (Skyline Chili originates out of Cincinnati: chili, beans and cheese over spaghetti. Great combo!) He eats dinner out almost every night, but usually at a place that is far less "fast food" than that. He likes it, though. It would be fun to eat there for his birthday, just for kicks, I told him.
So my husband and I drove Dad to church. While we sat in the pew, waiting for Mass to begin, I excused myself to use the ladies' room. In the lobby I met up with my siblings, and we all walked in and sat beside and behind Dad. My brother lives in the Dayton area, and so Dad wasn't TOO surprised to see him join us. However, my sister touched his shoulder from behind and said, "Happy birthday." He turned around with a polite but reserved expression on his face, expecting to see a stranger there. Then he did a double take. "YOU'RE here! How did you get here?" Such happiness broke over his face as comprehension washed over him that all of us kids were there to celebrate with him. It was a gift to us all.
I said, "Well, we couldn't let your 75th go by without celebration, could we?"
Dad retorted, "I'm not 75! I'm 74!"
Ha! Well, the joke's on us. But we celebrated anyway.
We didn't go to Skyline. Maybe next time, dad. We took him to the Paragon Supper Club and enjoyed a fantastic meal seasoned with much laughter. Then we went to a nearby bar for another drink and more laughter. We were tired for the drive home but it was so worth it.
As the temperatures dipped once more into the teens, my sister quipped, "Next year, you're coming to MY house for the birthday party!" We decided we would--but maybe in March. This January stuff is for the--snowbirds!
Happy birthday, Dad! Dad & Boo photo by JulenaJo.

Redeeming Love

2009-01-20T19:40:00.006-05:00

This weekend I devoured a wonderful novel that my friend Cheryl recommended to me, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. When she slid it over the Library check-in desk toward me, urging me to read it, I glanced at the cover, dismayed. A bodice-ripper, I thought, Cheryl reads bodice-rippers? Oh, no. I couldn't bear it. Yet when a friend recommends a book, I like to at least give it a try.
Boy, am I glad I did.
This is an inspirational historical romance. Whew! Francine Rivers is a writer who came to Christ later in life, and this was the first novel she wrote after that. Much of the above made me want to avoid reading this book. I generally shun romance as I find so much of it unrealistic and sappy, and I often find what passes for "inspirational" writing to be preachy and condescending. Rivers' novel features wonderful characters in a plot so gripping I could not put it down. Although the story is deeply satisfying in itself, the way the lovers, Sarah and Michael, grow personally, in their love for God and for each other, opened my heart to spiritual and emotional growth, too. All who walk the path of Christ, regardless of denomination, will welcome the messages revealed in Redeeming Love. Thank you, Francine Rivers! I look forward to reading more of your books. Thank you, Cheryl, for recommending a great read!
And now, readers, I urge you: do yourself a favor.