A Day in the Life of My Garden May 25, 2008

My garden is finally looking interesting. Plants are getting big and lush. Things always look better after the lawn is mowed too. A little contrast for all the big floppy plants.


This is a nice closeup of the Husker Red and the Taurus Cerastium. I wish it would creep a little faster but my dry soil and the wind keeps things from getting too lush, too fast.

Here is a closeup of my purple ajuga. The electric blue flowers and dark purple foliage is mmm, mmm good.


Today is the local libraries book and plant sale. I picked up some more lambs ear (like I need any more of that) and some hens & chicks. I am thinking about doing a large planter with drought tolerant perennials instead of annuals.... which every year get beaten up by the intense sun on my back porch. It certainly is no more expensive than buying annuals and might be a money saver if I can winter it over in my garage.

Studio Portrait of Henry

This was taken on Mother's Day this past weekend, by my mother, of all things. Henry isn't usually photogenic. He always seems to look as if he has done something wrong when you snap a picture of him. This image is a classic good portrait. The subject is unaware that the photo is being taken and is completely natural, even thinking of something other than having his portrait done. I might even venture to say he is thinking how tasty that three day old dead frog laying in the road up yonder might be rolling around in his mouth. It shows his winsome good looks and soulful eyes that had me from the get go.

BTW- who knew how controversial Husker Red Penstemon would be? I'd like to be on the record as saying that their flowers are definitely disappointing..... other than the way they are held aloft those long, black stems like the daintiest of butterflies on a string. I use to think that Starlings were the ugliest bird imaginable until someone described their backs as containing as many stars as the night sky. How could you hate anything that conjures up that sort of imagery?

You Ain't Livin' Till You Got Some Husker Red

Doing a little yard work today... actually doing a lot of yard work today. I was sweeping in front of our property.... getting rid of sand, leaves, broken up pavement, pine needles, sticks and on and on. Finally got a chance to relax in the main show, my garden. And I came to the conclusion that you don't have a garden till you have some Husker Red Penstemon. Mine is just showing its color. That is a beautiful Tim Rowan piece in the background.
I am so crazy about Husker that I have two major patches and a small one. Here it is with Ruby Glow Sedum in the foreground and Moonshine Yarrow in the background.











You can alwasy console yourself with some Dragon's Blood Sedum, but it is less dramatic.

A Day In The Life of My Garden May 10, 2008

Things have really started leaping, jumping, climbing, growing. While it doesn't really look like it from these photos.....just compare it "A Day In The Life" of a week ago. There is a little more color and some distinct roundy moundy green or yellow forms. This shows our horse barn come garage and the Casino - the old rec hall for the Inn across the street. The properties got separated by a bankruptcy back in the late 60's.

This is my main garden looking towards the river. I LOVE that blue spruce. Still looking a little barren.... but wait a few more weeks. As early as it is I still had to mercilessly squish with my bare hands a few lily beetles. They are the devil incarnate.
This a beautiful garden orb by NH potter Jane Kaufmann. Her quirky drawing style adds wit and whimsy to any garden....... even us serious gardeners. I think it looks so perfect nestled into the purple ajuga..... and such a charming backdrop of concrete foundation! (not)

Henry modeling next to some of the ubiquitous peony rings used to prop up everything from catmint and veronica to well, peonies.

Summer Whiffle Cut

Before













After

The Color of Skin

I got thinking a little bit after describing my dog to somebody that he tends to be described by his looks. To the outside world Henry is definitely a terrier mix. That is how he was described to me when I adopted him. While his looks are cuddle-riffic, I think Henry would be more accurately described as a beagle/hound mix. His personality is thoroughly Beagle, it is undeniable. He has that devil-may-care attitude about everything, and if he catches the scent of something.... fugetaboutit. He is gone.

It makes me think about my friend, Debbie , who moved in next door when I was 5 years old. Her father was black and her mother was white. She would be described as black (or mixed race) if you went by her looks. The laughable thing is that she is definitely French Canadian. It is an ethnic group that is easily recognized here in the Northeast. Her speaking cadence, her values, her way of dress. Despite her coffee colored skin I know what she truly is.

Wouldn't it be nice if people recognized that which is on the inside....and more authentically the person we are?

Root Canal- Blech.

I had to have a root canal on one of my back teeth this past week. They cost huge amounts of money, require large amounts of Novocaine to anesthetize you from your scalp to collar bone, leave you with chapped lips from drooling all over yourself for three hours and require that you are okay with listening to a grown professional sing, in its entirety, Killing Me Softly and other oldies hits while they work.

The most amusing thing though is that I learned that the highest praise that can be given to a dentist by another dentist is to be called "conservative." Apparently these guys are loath to be considered a cowboy, a risk taker, a living on the razor's edge kinda' guy.

My regular dentist recommended a specialist to do my root canal with the words..."he is a great guy, really conservative." Knowing my dentist's politics I figured I would be in the hands of a very competent Republican. Later in the week I asked a good client, also a dentist, for the reputation of my root canal specialist (Endodontics for those of you in the know). He concurred with my original dentist...."he is very good, very conservative."

I always wondered how words get shanghaied by professions and become code for something that the rest of us don't always understand.