Little did I know

That sunlight slanting in through the window took half the day to get here and maybe about an hour to retreat. As I sit down to write, it is with a little trepidation. You see, while I try to blog about pleasing things, what I'm about to present you is not so. Pleasant, that is....

WARNING: This blog post is not for the faint-hearted. Sensitive persons should consider carefully before reading any further.

Now, don't say I didn't warn you. Today I'm going to talk about:

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Garden Pests

I do not like spiders and snakes. I do not like anything that celebrates evil and darkness. I do not crave blood and gore.

Little did I suspect that if I were to dabble in gardening that I would be tempting ugly and creepy-crawly critters to share my world with me. Let me explain:

Do you see this herb planter? This is the one I bought on Columbus Day, and gradually this week I noticed in a peripheral sort of way as I rushed by it, that it was beginning to look, well, consumed. And in retrospect, I think that the air was singed with the scent of sage, rather noticeably, more than it had been in the week or so after I put it in the sunny dining room window.

And on closer inspection, I saw a lot of dirt on the carpet. I blamed Tammy and Tucker, thinking they had been nosing around in the pot, maybe even stirring up that sage scent.

On even closer inspection, I thought that the distribution of the dirt on the carpet didn't really look the way the usual puppy messes do. A little too evenly scattered, not clumped together, etc. I felt like a CSI investigator, brought in to analyze blood spatter. (See, I warned you this post would be icky.)

And then there was this finding: not a good picture because it is filled in with fallen leaves, but there is a largish hole dug in the ground beside one of the new David Austin roses. I know this happened in the last week and I know it was perpetrated by a rather large Cocker Spaniel. I know this because a rather large Cocker Spaniel tracked mud into my home one day after it had been raining. He smelled suspiciously of RoseTone and required immediate bathing. (And the kitchen floor required immediate mopping.)

But while the canine(s) is (are) definitely to blame for the rose-bush vandalism, I discovered that the true culprits for the holes in the sage leaves and the dirt on the carpet were not he (they). It was something way more sinister, and definitely not for the squeamish.Eeeeeeeewwwwww!

These are just a few of the inchworms I pulled off the undersides of the sage leaves.

After I took this picture, I pulled off at least 6 more, and man, do I hope I found them all. One had encased itself in a bit of a woolly coccoon, and when I dropped it in with the others, they attacked it. I'm shuddering...

And I figured out that the dirt on the carpet? Worm Poop! Are you grossed out yet?

So now, this fuzzy little culprit doesn't seem so bad anymore. (She is actually the undersize Cocker Spaniel, who was not responsible for the rose bush fiasco, but is guilty enough of other things that it isn't completely inappropriate to characterize her as a culprit.)
But like children, she looks sweet and innocent when asleep.

So, I set about trimming away all the damaged leaves on the sage, harvested the most overgrown parsley for the rabbit, culled out the dead chives, did nothing to the thriving rosemary and turned the pathetic half-dead thyme into the sunshine, vacuumed up the worm poop and gave the planter a generous watering.

When I cleared away a good bit of the vegetation, I found the care tags pushed deep into the dirt, all clumped together, and almost buried in the dense foliage understory of sage and parsley.

I washed them up and now will be able to consult them to gain a little insight into what I should be doing to keep the herbs growing.

So, here it is, you can see the little bitty bit of thyme just above where the rosemary is in the left of the pot. Next to it is a heuchera (Coral Bells), called Key Lime Pie. I was so taken by the yellow/chartreuse of the foliage! There were 4 there and I bought all of them, and 3 are now around the lamp-post, but I'm not sure where to put this 4th one. I'm hoping it will winter over in the dining room, and by Spring I'll know where to put it. It may just end up being a replacement if one of the lamp-post ones doesn't make it through the winter.

So, all's well that ends well, right?

Not so fast..... you can only see it in the above picture in retrospect, but....

There was one more icky-yucky worm that had coccooned onto the chest of drawers! I nearly screamed. But I pulled myself together and got a tissue and plucked it off. It was so fat that even with my light touch, it burst and bled out its green lymph. I flushed it, shuddering all over.

Then I had to have a sit-down and a cup of tea.

And that, my friends, is my Halloween horror story.......

On a more pleasing note, here is the last of the white lobelia I had in my urns this summer. Should I pot it up and bring it in and see what it does in the coming months? We're supposed to have a hard frost tonight, so I filled in the rose-bush hole (with more Rose-Tone, I know, I know....) and put a lot of fallen leaves around the crowns of all three. I'll have to get more serious soon and really get them covered and protected. Stay cozy!

Can I grow David Austin roses?

According to the David Austin website, I should be able to....

I found this very cool website, which explained to me the definition of plant hardiness zones, and how to use it to predict what will successfully winter over. Now, mind you, I have already killed 5 rosebushes in a little bed I planted a few years ago. I didn't protect them through the winter, and I lost 2 (3?) the first winter, and the rest the next winter. Now, even if you have never been to Maine, perhaps you've heard that we have pretty cold, snowy winters?
Take a look at this post.
According to the David Austin information, I coulda' shoulda' woulda' done more to protect them from extreme temps. Ugh. I wish I had, especially the one of the 5 that was a DA rose, one of their oldest and most fragrant ones, the Abraham Darby. I also was guilty of neglecting their feeding and watering. Oh yeah, that and I had planted them in an area where they probably didn't get enough sunshine.
So, I'm trying again.
On Monday, Columbus Day, a nursery was closing for the season and selling off their stock at 50% off. Well, I'm a sucker for a bargain. They had some of 3 DA roses left (among other brands), and I bought and planted 1 of each. I made sure that the plants I chose had at least a bloom on them. I needed the fragrance for inspiration.
I also bought violas and coral bells and a large potted herb garden with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. And chives.The herb garden will remain in my dining room in front of a low-silled southwest facing window. Trixie, our rabbit has already been a happy beneficiary of the parsley! (I really must take more pics to post!)
So I brought my lovely greenery home and determined that I needed 3 rose holes dug, and 6 little holes around my lamp post to alternate the 3 coral bells and 3 violas. How convenient to have 3 sons. Can you see where I am going with this?

Yep! I got all 9 holes dug for me. I tried a little harder this time with the roses. I bought Rose-Tone and put it in the holes, with some old dead leaves (organic matter) that had come down from the trees in the yard. I should have a composter and feed the roses from that, and with future feedings I can use contributions from Trixie, if you know what I mean. The spot I chose probably doesn't get enough sun, but I have all winter long to campaign to take down a few critical tree limbs to greatly increase the amount of sun each day.And of course, any time there is outdoor activity, the dogs have to be a part of it. I'm surprised they didn't get into the spirit of digging holes! The funniest part was when Tammy, who is half the size of her brother and (thinks she) controls all of his access to food, water and affection, was drawn to the biological/organic aroma of the Rose-Tone and posted herself as sentry, growling if Tucker transgressed any closer than about 8 feet in any direction.We have the safest Rose-Tone in Maine.

David Austin Roses

A quick teaser! William Shakespeare 2000
Sir John Betjeman

Golden Celebration

Now, why might I be teasing you with lovely David Austin roses?

Beautiful Saturday!

The weather is gorgeous here and I might get a chance to do some yardwork. There are some overgrown shrubs in my yard that really need to be cut back before the snow flies. And a neglected rosebush, that has gotten punier and more pathetic every year. It's on a side of the house I rarely go to, and I have sort of given up on it. I guess I'll have to read up on what I can do for it. Probably just cut it way back, mulch it, cover it and see what I can do next spring...probably need to feed it something.....
I looooove roses, but don't have a particularly green thumb. What I really mean to say is that even though I think I love them, apparently I don't love them enough to learn what they want from me, and consistently nurture them along. A few years ago, I put about 5 of them in the ground one fall when they were on sale at the nursery, and it took me only 2 years to kill them with neglect. I never did figure out if it was the deer who were eating the blossoms just as they opened, or my dog, who seems to be obsessed with any flowers with a terrific scent. But I never actually caught her in the act of chewing on them, just suspected. Since we got the cocker spaniels and the yard has their...ummmm...scent, the deer seem to be leaving my hosta and yews alone. Our yard used to be right on a major path for them and there are lots of them around here. Now we're a little off the beaten path so to speak!

Have you noticed?

That I started by talking about roses, but my pictures (thanks to Google images) have been trending back to lavender? Not the color, the plant.

This summer, I planted 3 lavender plants around my granite lamp post. Then I almost killed them by not watering them. The Gaillardia that I planted with them didn't mind, and we for a while had regular enough rainfall that garden-neglecters like myself were able to get away with our woefully wayward ways. Then we had a dry spell, and the lavender began to look more and more pitiful, or so I would think in a passing way as I pulled out of the driveway in the morning. I have finally salvaged with aggressive sprinkling in the last couple of weeks and next year will be the test as to whether I have learned my lesson that the lavender doesn't like to go dry.

A few years ago, I developed an obsession with scent of lavender. It seemed so old-fashioned and I love all things old-fashioned... I have never been particularly drawn to the color purple (except in flowers: violets, lilacs, pansies), favoring blues and greens, particularly soft, muted pastel shades and blends. I am nauseated by the stereotypical purply-pink combos that dominate the toy market for little girls, but I do like pinks, especially if they trend toward coral and peachy tones.

I have a tiny little project I'm developing. And it involves lavender. When I first got the idea, I was a bit discouraged because I am trying to be mindful of working out of my stash, but in not being a purply person, I doubted that I had much suitable.

But apparently at some point I picked up a collection of fat quarters!

And a few other remnants suitable for my project!

I wasn't giving my stash enough credit!

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Oh, and BTW, did you see the lovely begonia in the pic with the lavender fragrance items? So lush and pretty and I haven't killed it yet.... I think you can keep those, right? I'll have to go google "Care of Begonias"..............

Whew! It has been awhile! I've so often thought of sitting down and posting and then got busy with something more urgent.

So, I'm sitting down with my fourth cup of tea...I make mine rather weak and it's cold today....and finally getting to the posting.

Today, I've been doing a lot of browsing through my pictures and clip art, knowing that going through images I like will prompt me to write about things that are interesting (to me anyways).

I'll start with tea-for-one sets. I can't decide if I like them or not.... On the one hand, they are adorable in shape and therefore pleasing to the eye. They are the product of innovation and creativity. They are practical. They can be quirky, whimsical and nostalgic. They are a reminder to the individual to pamper one's self a little. On the other hand, they can remind the lonely that they are alone. Or the alone that they are lonely. They are not meant for sitting down with a friend for a cuppa and a chat. For that you need a bigger pot and 2 cups and saucers. Oh, and better yet, a plate of cakes and cookies! Makes you want to put your feet up, doesn't it? curled up in a wing chair?

But we are in a new age and if I had a tea-for-one set, I think I'd use it for sitting down at my laptop and checking e-mail, and writing posts here, and then all the up-sides would out-weigh the down-sides.

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This is my harvest centerpiece::I slaved over it for at least 5 minutes on Wednesday, when I was home with the boys on Veteran's Day. I usually go to the parade, but didn't this year. Not for lack of respect for our Vets- just needed puttering time at home.

I also took the picture of the roses that I have on my dining room sidetable. I wish I were better at styling and taking pics. They are breath-taking and would have made a much nicer picture in someone else's hands.

I'm going to use them as an excuse to tell you about a cheery and stylish lady named Kay. Kay was on the staff at a school I attended in the 1980's. She was probably in her 50's (looked much younger), and was impeccably mannered and socially gracious beyond anyone I can think of. She was always enthusiastic about whatever she did, and very professional in her role. I remember she once told me that she adored autumn colors. At that time, I was firmly entrenched in pastel blue, the way some people are about purple. I remember thinking how reassuring it was that Kay did indeed have a flaw. Everything about her seemed so perfect and well-groomed and tasteful. And then to discover that she loved autumn golds, reds, oranges and even browns. Well, that did it for me. Kay was inexplicably flawed in my mind. Now, keep in mind, that having survived the '70's and its fascination with orange and browns ("natural" colors), harvest golds and avacado greens, (think household appliances and vinyl flooring), I and many like me were rejecting all things macrame and hippy in home dec and fashion. This was an era of big hair and "jewel" tones, Dynasty and Falcon Crest. Everything was blue-based, even the pinks and greens. The popular neutrals were no longer ecru and ivory and beige, but instead any shade of gray. Green virtually disappeared in favor of "teal", a color label which, while appropriately assigned to shades of blue-green, seems to have widely supplanted "turquoise" even for aqua shades that are exactly the shade of the semi-precious stone. I feel like I "date" myself to use that color name now.

Anyway, back to Kay, she is likely retired now, and I hope is enjoying the fall foliage wherever she may be. And now, guess who is the autumn color enthusiast? Of course, it's me...and since I also love vintage aprons and hearts and flowers and the smell of laundry dried on the line, how perfect is this little vignette?

I bought this apron on ebay, couldn't resist. It is well-made and clearly was a gift for a young girl, based on the size. Can't you just picture her, rolling out the dough for her first apple pie? Or maybe making holiday cookies with cutters and sprinkling colored sugar on top. Or maybe it wasn't baking at all, maybe she was trying to learn how to fry an egg, how to flip it without breaking the yolk, to give Daddy his eggs over easy just the way he likes them. I remember my grandmother telling me that if you could fry an egg just right, you were really on your way....

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On a different note, I have finally photographed my cocker spaniel Tammy in her sweater. I made it almost a year ago and finally have a pic to post on my ravelry page. You shoulda been here for the photo shoot - it was hilarious. Tammy turned into a quivering lump of Jello! She gets so nervous when she doesn't know what you expect of her. And being a dog of very small brain, she rarely knows what you expect of her. I bring my outdoor urns into the dining room to allow the geraniums to winter over. There are buds on that plant, and if the sun streaming through opens them, I'll be sure to get a picture.....

Speaking of my "ravelry" page, if you aren't familiar, it's an online knitting and crocheting community, an endless resource of patterns, projects and advice, as well as a way for each member to catalog successes and failures. I don't have a picture up on my profile, since I don't have one that makes me look like Marilyn Monroe. I found an image today that I'll be using, and wanted to share it with you.

I think I looked a little like that a few centuries ago.....I certainly had homemade calico dresses and pinafores and maryjanes and little white socks, and a love for my dolls.

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That's all for now..................tempis fugit.....................................

And the roses are fading on the vine................................

Maybe I should have used this image for my profile, since I aspire to age gracefully. I seem to have the sagging and wilting and drooping thing down pat.

Chapter 2: In which our heroine strolls in the President's garden

On the first afternoon, we had perfect weather. It was sunny and warm, but not too warm, and I didn't even notice the humidity, so it couldn't have been too bad. Not a cloud in the sky. And come to think of it, no mosquitoes. I started meandering at Paradise Pond. Paradise Pond is a misnomer. There is a sharp bend in the river, an elbow. At the inner curve of the elbow is where the real flow of the river is, deeper and faster. But around the outer curve, it is more shallow, with the current weakening as you travel away from the inner curve. There is even a tiny island built up there. It is the outer curve of this elbow, where the waters appear still, that is called Paradise Pond. The river itself, is really only a stream, and I think becomes a tributary to the Connecticut River south of Northampton, at the slightly famous Oxbow, notably depicted by the Romanticist Thomas Cole. When I can restore my right-click function, I can probably post his painting. Hasn't worked in 3 days and I don't know why.
In the middle of the pic above is an expansive sugar maple. Look closely underneath to the right of the trunk. There is a bench swing given by the class of '37. It seems that students have been contemplating the idyllic view for decades, even generations.

This is the view from the Sugar Maple swing. Can you see the island in the middle of Paradise Pond? On the far bank, you can't really tell, but that's where the track and Playing Fields are. When I was there, it wasn't very developed. Women have always been encouraged to engage in athletic pursuits at Smith, but only in recent years has there been an effort to really build up the venues. I remember wide open fields with minimal markings. I played intramural soccer once or twice, and wanted to play field hockey, but never did. I remember an Indian summer barbecue out there with chicken and corn-on-the-cob and coleslaw. It was a Saturday afternoon and there was a band. We sang at the top of our lungs: "Ai-meeeeeee, What-choo gonna' do-oooo.......Ah think ah could stay with you-ooooo...."And when you stand up from the swing and turn to your right, you look up a hill to the back of the President's House. And if you walk up the hill, angling to the right, you'll be coming around toward the front of the house, and you can walk right into the President's Garden.

There are peonies lining the path, their lush drowsy heads beginning to slump toward the ground for a rest.

There were only a few climbing rose bushes, with the blooms just getting started.

And a little iris struggling for relevance beneath the peonies.

Some with more success than others.

And some with a showcase all their own.

This foxglove was the only one.......... (This is a foxglove, right?)

I loved these colors together in the shade, but really couldn't set up a nice shot to catch the harmonies, never mind the melody.

Loved this little fern in the corner of the slate steps. Seems like there should be moss, to add even more texture.

No idea who this is...........St. Martin in the Fields, maybe? I'll have to do a little research......

And a final look at the President's House again, but only because I downloaded it twice, and I can't right-click to delete it.

It was so lovely.........but I didn't take pictures that showed the neglect in the garden. It was a little disappointing. I've heard that in the 24 years since I've graduated, when the budget has been trimmed, the groundskeepers, housekeepers, and maintenance department have suffered deep cuts. This makes me sad, for so many reasons. I have dear memories of the immaculate presentation of sweeping vistas and every little nook and cranny. Things were old, but meticulously kept up. Now, so much looks old and worn out. There is more of an air of decay. And frankly, I and my friends found it depressing. When I came to Smith, I had a complex case of culture shock, for so many reasons. I remember a profound sense of "self" importance, not in the usual sense. But in the sense that I mattered to the college. And it was at Smith that I realized that it was far less of a struggle to strive for excellence in a beautiful place than in a decrepit one. I used to disparage myself for not being so self-contained that I could thrive anywhere. Now I understand that part of being the best me I can be involves loving myself enough to take good care of myself. And that includes allowing myself to expend energy, effort, and resources to surround myself with order and beauty.

(You would laugh to see my home right now...)

I'm not talking about extravagance and luxury. I just mean permitting myself to attend to the aesthetic world, even if I'm just straightening up, sweeping up, and opening a window to let the sun shine in, turning off the TV to let birdsong in and the hush of the breeze soothe the soul.

Oh, I am a hopeless Romantic, if you haven't guessed............