tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39183509337885134112024-03-20T21:58:00.645-07:00Back Yard MusingI garden, teach children, read voraciously, travel summers, and visit friendsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-56968554608064534372014-10-31T10:22:00.003-07:002014-10-31T10:22:30.953-07:00The Eagle and the White Heron<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Every day they arrive</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">and by dusk they are gone</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Rain on the river brings the eagle</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">and the white heron</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">They know that brooks can run dry</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">but this is a river</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The eagle rises to the top of an old pine</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">watches with steel grey eyes</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Listen</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Rain without sound</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">makes the river shiver</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The white heron holds its</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">glorious posture standing on a rock</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">All summer I watch and listen</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">as their reflections shimmer in the old water</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I listen for their advice</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">One midnight they came to me</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> like emmesarries</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">dared me to fly through the thick woods</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As I lay on the granite in the time of sleep </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I sighed</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">a sigh so deep from within my blood vessels</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It shook the leaves to the ground</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Now I know why the calcium in my bones,</b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>will turn to stardust.</b></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-15392385353759998182014-10-31T10:19:00.001-07:002014-10-31T10:19:13.726-07:00Writing Credo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="font-family: Herculanum; font-size: 46px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I am going to write a novel and get it published. I’m going to do it because writing a novel is worthwhile and because I have the talent to do it because I have something important to say to the world. I refuse to let anything get in my way.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-28809486919920690732012-12-11T10:14:00.000-08:002012-12-16T18:04:52.657-08:00Wednesday's Poem<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<h2 class="title" itemprop="name" style="color: #f88000; font-size: 1.583em; margin: 42px 0px 12px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Waiting At The Window</span></h2>
<div style="margin-top: 20px; min-height: 570px;">
<div class="KonaBody">
<div style="font-size: 1.167em; line-height: 1.5; margin: 12px 0px 21px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">These are my two drops of rain</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Waiting on the window-pane.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">I am waiting here to see</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Which the winning one will be.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Both of them have different names.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">One is John and one is James.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">All the best and all the worst</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Comes from which of them is first.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">James has just begun to ooze.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">He's the one I want to lose.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">John is waiting to begin.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">He's the one I want to win.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">James is going slowly on.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Something sort of sticks to John.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">John is moving off at last.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">James is going pretty fast.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">John is rushing down the pane.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">James is going slow again.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">James has met a sort of smear.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">John is getting very near.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Is he going fast enough?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">(James has found a piece of fluff.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">John has quickly hurried by.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">(James was talking to a fly.)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">John is there, and John has won!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Look! I told you! Here's the sun! </span></div>
</div>
<div class="poet" itemprop="author" style="font-size: 1.417em; margin: 22px 0px 25px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;">Alan Alexander Milne</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="date" style="color: #666666; margin: 5px 0px; text-align: right;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-19589224792941234272012-12-11T05:25:00.000-08:002012-12-11T05:25:02.887-08:00Yellow Mill River<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-runrKK3NVCh5ma1vjEwFjjWZuSEt4ZLf5cBMum2zDpSFcNclwpmLlhT8Awm8BTgEdNUI2lXnG0qp0ZGa5JnfxMU2vPwuHTl160pSp-ZCZZlBel0erd0TuXhYY3Ol5SLoFqQyF_SMUz2A/s1600/Yellow+Mill+River.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-runrKK3NVCh5ma1vjEwFjjWZuSEt4ZLf5cBMum2zDpSFcNclwpmLlhT8Awm8BTgEdNUI2lXnG0qp0ZGa5JnfxMU2vPwuHTl160pSp-ZCZZlBel0erd0TuXhYY3Ol5SLoFqQyF_SMUz2A/s320/Yellow+Mill+River.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Mill River </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is winter. I am awake. The street is slick with a chilly light rain that will soon turn to snow. I am six and cannot sleep. The window is cold, I trace my name in the frost. Night is suspended between sleep and sleet. I am a child insomniac carefully watching the rain and the river.</span></b></blockquote>
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The view from our window was the Yellow Mill River. The river ended right before the NY/NewHaven railroad tracks surrounded by streets named Waterview and Seaview Avenues. When my mother and I moved to Father Panick Village, our first apartment, I was 4 years old. A three room apartment seemed spacious to me compared to the boarding house rooms my mom had rented since her arrival from Puerto Rico. The late night view from the bedroom room held a fascination for me as I watched the lights of the factory reflected on the water and tried to imagine who lived across the water, who were the people who never turned their lights out, who, like me, could be up so late.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-11206300104792728782012-12-05T11:40:00.000-08:002012-12-05T11:40:00.149-08:00Wednesday's Poem<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
70 by Emily Dickinson<br />
<br />
"Arcturus" is his other name—<br />
I'd rather call him "Star."<br />
It's very mean of Science<br />
To go and interfere!<br />
<br />
I slew a worm the other day—<br />
A "Savant" passing by<br />
Murmured "Resurgam"—"Centipede"!<br />
"Oh Lord—how frail are we"!<br />
<br />
I pull a flower from the woods—<br />
A monster with a glass<br />
Computes the stamens in a breath—<br />
And has her in a "class"!<br />
<br />
Whereas I took the Butterfly<br />
Aforetime in my hat—<br />
He sits erect in "Cabinets"—<br />
The Clover bells forgot.<br />
<br />
What once was "Heaven"<br />
Is "Zenith" now—<br />
Where I proposed to go<br />
When Time's brief masquerade was done<br />
Is mapped and charted too.<br />
<br />
What if the poles should frisk about<br />
And stand upon their heads!<br />
I hope I'm ready for "the worst"—<br />
Whatever prank betides!<br />
<br />
Perhaps the "Kingdom of Heaven's" changed—<br />
I hope the "Children" there Won't be "new fashioned" when I come—<br />
And laugh at me—and stare—<br />
<br />
I hope the Father in the skies<br />
Will lift his little girl—<br />
Old fashioned—naught—everything—<br />
Over the stile of "Pearl."</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-63578568070760728412012-12-03T16:25:00.004-08:002012-12-03T16:25:49.790-08:00Beginning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">What is so difficult about beginnings? I used to think that beginnings were easy.I made big plans and then eventually I'd have to scale back. Bored, disenchanted or discouraged? I wasn't sure what got in the way.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz2Hm17BEUY7ArLjkfudYuNFgTGixKLIeFpJPWf-R84Fe5XavEbVZUl6se8zBb7YDc0qZUNhRxKZOnH9Gitl9A8V2oHvUwDRCsBjTujUqcoTvlAEINKLa7D-_PebhqSHKnB7ucsFt0uOQ/s1600/IMG_0757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimz2Hm17BEUY7ArLjkfudYuNFgTGixKLIeFpJPWf-R84Fe5XavEbVZUl6se8zBb7YDc0qZUNhRxKZOnH9Gitl9A8V2oHvUwDRCsBjTujUqcoTvlAEINKLa7D-_PebhqSHKnB7ucsFt0uOQ/s320/IMG_0757.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">I'm reminded of things I began and never finished. Like that beautiful handmade Swedish rug I started in the 70's. I never finished it even though I kept it for more than 20 years. I thought that some day I would finish it. But I never did and finally I tossed it out! There was a part of me that probably was a little afraid of completing the project because then it would be judged. At the time I thought everything I made had to be perfect and since I knew it wouldn't, I short changed myself by not trying. I've learned a good lesson throughout the years, and that is, nothing is perfect. I've learned to break through the limits and judgements I place on myself and I've become stronger. When you are strong you probably don't judge yourself as harshly. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-2768890071634903652012-12-03T11:38:00.000-08:002012-12-03T11:56:52.521-08:00Metal Spoon Daisy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wow! I haven't posted to this blog for over two years, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been gardening. In fact, I've been doing much, much more! As it is December 2012 Im going to post about making things to give away. You know that the more you give away, the more you get back. So this year it is knitting. I'm going to post some new pictures of things I've knitted. Oh so exciting!!!<br />
<br />
There's more. I've also been into DIY projects and have found so many things I want to make. Pics of that will be coming soon!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-74813585725640665072010-12-08T12:53:00.000-08:002010-12-08T12:53:37.296-08:00It's a Dog's Life<a href="http://animoto.com/play/v9S8I4sUQe2c5YWIIOokpg">It's a Dog's Life</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-30077852154484011442010-06-15T07:05:00.001-07:002010-06-15T08:23:57.730-07:00When the carnival cameThe carnival came to town and my cat ran away. I bet your laughing, but it's true. Zinny, our black short hair has been with us for 14 years. She is really an unusual cat in that when we walk Oliver, our dog, she follows. She loves being outdoors just sitting under the hostas keeping an eye out for chipmunks and bunnies of which our neighborhood is full. so when she didn't come in for her hourly drink, we started getting worried. Suffice it to say that by 9 pm we were convinced that she was a) lost b) stuck somewhere c) caught by a coyote d)dead! It was horrible. If you don't have a pet it's hard to understand how attached our family is to Zinny and Oliver. What followed was a harrowing 4 days while Maya put out a Pet Amber Alert, canvassed the neighborhood, and plastered the area with poster of Zinny. Everyone knows Zinny and no one could find her. This story has a happy ending, however. She appeared at Maya's window at 3 am. None worse for the wear and hungry as all get out. The carnival left town and Zinny came back. Go figure.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-71761010382837187142010-06-04T10:00:00.000-07:002010-06-15T07:27:40.109-07:00Why I love shade gardening"<span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-family:times new roman;" >When we talk about shade, we all have our own ideas about what is shade. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">I came across an article written in 1997 about shade gardening by Tony Avent<br /></span></span><p> <span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;color:black;" >"There are as many theories to explain our love of shade garden as there are people to espouse the theories. Perhaps it is our longing for enclosure that is satisfied with the canopy of a tree, or perhaps it is simply the search for a cooler spot on a hot summer day. Ironically, visitors from countries like England always migrate to the sunnier beds...perhaps tired of their overcast perpetually misty climate. I am always amazed how few shady gardens there are in England. </span></p><p> <span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;color:black;" >When we talk about shade, we all have our own ideas about what is shade. I like to begin by explaining that all shade is not created equal. It's sort of like going to the store and asking for white paint. A clerk will quickly respond, "Do you want flat white, glossy white, antique white, eggshell white, clear white, or what?" You see, all shade is not necessarily the same. </span></p><p> <span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;color:black;" >I like to define shade by using several categories: morning shade, afternoon shade, light shade, and dense shade. </span></p><p> <span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;color:black;" >Other than the age old issue of soil preparation and enough irrigation to account for the tree roots, the recipe for successful shade gardening lies in the correct plant selection." </span></p><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial,Helvetica;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-28766020972463773012010-06-03T14:01:00.001-07:002010-06-04T07:31:35.181-07:00In The GardenYesterday the first grades in my school presented their Frog and Toad plays based on Arnold Lobel's stories "Frog and Toad." My favorite is <i>In the Garden </i>where Frog plants some seeds in the ground and then worries endlessly about when they will grow. He yells at them, sings them a song and reads them a story all in an attempt to make them grow. Little does he know that seeds grow in their time not his. I love this story because I once felt that way about gardening. Afraid my plants wouldn't grow, fearful I'd forget where I planted them, etc., etc.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-49345451811028861552010-05-30T05:19:00.000-07:002010-05-30T05:24:21.759-07:00Reasons for keeping a garden guideYou know those little plastic plant name tags that you find in the plants? I keep them. Last fall I purchased more than a dozen perenniels, and I dutifully kept the tags, but forgot to log in where I planted things like japanese anenemones and dwarf indigo. I have the tags but I can't remember where I planted the plants! Very frustrating. So, I'm making a mental note to use my garden journal with specific details for where I've planted. Those little plantic tags are there for a reason.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-24590352930209386002010-05-27T06:49:00.001-07:002010-05-27T06:49:50.069-07:00NevermoreIt's not a backyard anymore. It's a collection of gardens.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-19538546402560436432010-05-20T06:39:00.000-07:002010-05-30T05:18:25.526-07:00How the back yard became a gardenTwenty years ago we moved into our lovely colonial style house in a quiet neighborhoodin the suburbs of Brookline. The backyard was beautiful and large enough for my children to play outdoors. We celebrated all of my young daughter's birthdays in June. We sectioned off a square to grow vegetables, but soon learned that the yard became more and more shady as spring moved to summer. Today in 2010 we have created outdoor spaces that have evolved into a charming sanctuary filled with hostas, cinnamon ferns, a tiny pond, climbing hydrangeas and a dwarf Japanese maple. <br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918350933788513411.post-11614933047535997232010-05-20T06:24:00.000-07:002010-05-30T05:18:25.533-07:00Getting Ready<span style="font-family: courier new;"><font size="3">Getting the back yard gardens ready for company has been a month-long adventure. Yesterday's rain brought down more branches and leaves and made the whole area quite soggy.<br /></font></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0