Tag Archives: Gardening

All the feels of January

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Hello! How has your January been? I have to say that January is not my favorite month. I’m thankful that we have a tiny bit more daylight every day, and that we’ve had some beautiful sunrises on days that we’ve even had quite a bit of sunshine (today’s feature image with a pink sky is during one of those lovely sunrises). But we’ve also had stormy weather, and very cold weather. So I am taking heed, and having a tiny break from gardening. I did buy a bunch of seeds, though, which makes me very happy! It was one stop shopping this year, as Irish Plants Direct had everything I was looking for. No new surprises here, as I’ll be planting: Coleus, Baby Bear pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds (various varieties), Sweet Pea, and Marigold.

I’ve had fun photographing my very dead sunflowers in the garden. The freezing weather gives them a certain charm, or intrigue. There certainly are a lot that are still standing. My garden is playing it coy, with only tiny bits of color here and there. I’m hoping that will change in the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, I am trying to keep a positive attitude! I hope you are, too. 🙂

In Peace,
Dana

Collage of frozen images from the garden: sunflower, prim-rose, rudbeckia, ornamental grass, hellebore, pittosporum, and contorted hazel.

Top row from left: Sunflower, Primrose, Rudbeckia – only half frozen as the morning sunlight has melted the fronts.
Second row from left: Ornamental grass, Helleborus Aspen High, Corylus avellana ‘Twister’ – also known as corkscrew hazel (mine grows out, instead of up!).
Third row from left: Pittosporum (Tom Thumb), Sunflowers, Corylus avellana ‘Twister’.

A garden ready to sleep

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Hi there! It’s time. The garden is resting after a super productive year. Actually, it probably started resting last month, but I’m just noting it now. I’ve gotten much better at leaving as much plant material as possible for bird and critters over the winter. I used to love clearing everything away for my fall ‘clean up’. But for the sake of wildlife, I will surrender my need to clear and leave lots of goodies for whatever creature wants it.

This fall did have one lesson in store for me. You should *not* leave plant material to overwinter on structures. My pumpkin arch did not survive one of our recent storms, due to having a mass of sweet pea greens on one side of it. I am sure it would have survived had I cleared the drying plants away. Lesson learned!

I have not spent much time in the garden lately. Lots of different things going on, and when I have had time, the ground has been too wet to work with. But I like to do ‘walk abouts’ now and again, to note any changes and take a picture or two. I loved seeing the last, yellow, leaf on my Strong Annabelle hydrangeas! It provided such a great contrast to the brown beech hedging. And I was so surprised to find lovely blue flowers on my mop-head hydrangea! Most of the hydrangea flowers have turned brown with the cold weather. But there are still a few very small flowers, on this semi-sheltered shrub, who are as pretty as can be!

collage of a dried sunflower plant with lots of black seeds and a cherry tree in the background with orange leaves, a small blue hydrangea flower, and final picture is of a single yellow leaf of a hydrangea plant next to a brown beech hedge.

The picture of the sunflower was taken in November, as can be noted by the orange leaves on the cherry tree in the background. But the sunflower is still standing in the garden today. The tiny blue hydrangea flower is also currently in the garden! There are a handful of tiny flowers still alive on this shrub, which is such a treat to see.

There of course is wisdom in resting, and not just for the garden! While I started my ‘rest’ a bit early for the winter, I think it has done me a lot of good. I hope you will also enjoy some type of break this winter. 🙂

In Peace,
Dana

I am not perfect.

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August garden of Sunflowers, Pumpkins, blueberries, apples and 3 pears

This post has been floating around in my head for quite a while now.  Here’s where I’m coming from:  I really like Instagram.  For me it is an easy way to flick through loads of pretty pictures.  Pick a category, any category, and you’ll find someone who eats, breathes, and lives all day long just that category.

I also love taking pictures!

Here’s where my feelings of imperfection come in.  That eating, breathing, living just one category of a thing, is just not me.  I have lots of interests and I’m always jumping all over the place trying to get as many different things in as possible. My Instagram feed covers just about every topic you can imagine 🙂

So my garden, while I love it, is anything but a masterpiece.  I manage my time in the garden to allow me to do other things.

early summer garden

My crochet projects?  If I set my goal to 3 projects a year, I can usually nail that!

This year’s crochet project challenge was a sweater!

Biking?  I really like biking but I don’t want to spend every free minute on my bike.  I’m happy if I get out twice a week; one short bike ride and one long bike ride.

My husband usually keeps me company on my bike rides, which I think is awesome. I love this route along the water in Annagassan.

My house is clean and tidy … if I am given plenty of notice before company comes over.  Otherwise, we sport a “lived in” look.

this is as tidy as it gets … Did you spot the Irish time on the left and NY time on the right? 🙂

This is me, and all of my imperfections.  I have fun with what I do, and I am O.K. with that.

August is for making lavender wreaths! They are whimsical and “artsy” rather than “perfect”.

You won’t find me specializing any time soon.  That jumping around from interest to interest is what keeps me going.

spring time garden

Last year I tried my hand at painting an old cabinet and I had so much fun I’m going to try painting a dresser this year.  One project at a time.

Refinished bathroom cabinet added some zing to this room!

At this stage in my life, I can tell you pretty certainly that this is who I am.  I love what I do, all of it.  I accept that I’m not in any “perfect” category, but I am in a category of “good enough to make me happy”!

How about you?  Would you say you are “good enough to make you happy”?

In peace,
Dana

Another one of my favorite past times: coaching swimming! I’m lucky enough to be a part of my daughter’s swimming.