gardening, outdoors

My neighbor’s hive

“The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.”― Henry David Thoreau I've never been sure who tends them. I suppose that someone does even though I'd like to imagine them coming and going from a hollowed-out tree on the hillside above our home. Wild honeybees are largely a thing of the past. Not… Continue reading My neighbor’s hive

family life, gardening

Serendipity & Sorrel

A whopper container on our deck has somehow become a buffet for wild things. It started out innocently enough as a pot full of violas and pansies. They were the first deck flowers of the growing season, strategically placed where I could see them from the kitchen window. As the garden marched into summer, however,… Continue reading Serendipity & Sorrel

gardening, spiritual life

3 truths learned in the 2020 garden

“It always amazes me to look at the little, wrinkled brown seeds and think of the rainbows in 'em," said Captain Jim." L.M. Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams Dickon Sowerby and The Secret Garden. Hercule Poirot and his vegetable mallows. Have you ever noticed that literary gardeners are often just short of supernatural? In scripture,… Continue reading 3 truths learned in the 2020 garden

gardening, spiritual life

Hot mess or hot opportunity?

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Leo Tolstoy, Russian novelist The view from our kitchen window is different than it has ever been in the 12 years we have lived in this very old house. It's also different from outside the house, which is located on a busy… Continue reading Hot mess or hot opportunity?

gardening, recipes

Liz’s autumn-garden pesto

“Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile." John Howard Bryant, American farmer/poet Flowers are setting seed. Herbs are setting seed. Fat spiders have made wooly nests for their eggs in every crevice. Somewhat tattered butterflies have already tucked their next generation under leaves. A no-fuss lunch -- basically garden to table. It's true. All through the garden,… Continue reading Liz’s autumn-garden pesto