And so it goes…

Tags

blueberry, DIY project, garden, home, home garden, life, wild birds

Spring in central Virginia continues, despite the human condition. Mother Nature always wins. She has run wild since late March delivering freezing 29F temperatures one night then 80F the next week. Wow! My poor peony crop has never seen such dramatic swings. Yet, for the past two weeks, I managed to harvest enough flowers for bouquets to sell at market. Happy customers are unaware of my road of angst traveled to get there.

slowly a peony harvest in 2020

The O’Neal blueberries are another story. The bumblebees did a splendid job of pollinating the flowers early on. Fruit swelled on the stems, yet they too experienced the dramatic temperature swings. My three shrubs are now ten years old. How time flies. Over the years, I experimented in numerous ways on how to deter birds and one nocturnal four-legger from my cash crop.

A few years back I began experimenting with tulle, yes the stuff wedding veils are made of. Standard bird netting is evil and can snag, injure, or kill a wild bird, therefore I NEVER use it. Tulle on the other hand is soft like an angel’s kiss. Notice in this photo the Mylar strips, whirligigs, and even a fake snake on the ground. None really discouraged wildlife.

Last year I applied more tulle, the widest I could find at Joann’s. This was more effective, but made my harvesting job much more difficult, although every time I lifted the tulle, I felt like a bride. 😉 One curious raccoon would get tied up in the edges, and there would be strips of tulle around the ground next morning. NOT good.

2020 Improvements…Since blueberries are part of my landscape, I do not want to build a permanent structure around them. Therefore, I purchased eight eight-foot garden stakes to form a minimal frame to hold the tulle higher and wider than the shrubs. On the tops of the stakes I placed inverted, one-quart PETE containers to protect the tulle. Yesterday, I only spent about an hour installing the stakes and applying the tulle. Tentatively held in place with clothes pins, the tulle remained in place overnight and, fingers crossed, throughout the harvest weeks ahead. Notice the black-ish line on the ground along the tulle’s perimeter…that is spent coffee grounds, collected from one local coffee shop. Last year I discovered that raccoons despise the scent/texture of coffee grounds. The space left under the tulle will hopefully prevent critters from tearing it. Since I spent the part of three March days hand sewing this 11 yards of double-wide tulle, I want to see it last a few season. Yes?  

What do you think of my recent solution?
Gardening is all about evolution.
And patience, and resilience.

Only the cleverest catbird or cardinal will find their way under the tulle to the berries. I don’t mind sharing a few, but since I harvested thirty pounds of berries from these three shrubs in 2019, I will not share many with wildlife.

Regular market customers are already lined up for their share of this blue superfood come June.

Now back to the peony harvest. Overcast skies this week threaten rain on partially opened buds, not quite ready for harvest. Peonies and rain are not the ideal combination for floral bouquets. A giant circus tent would be ideal for protection, but alas that will not happen. And so it goes…

I hope you and yours are well and safe. I enjoy hearing from you, so please take a moment to drop a comment.

Copyright © 2020 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

Transform, transition, resilience

Tags

garden, gratitude, home, life, The New Normal

Fear can paralyze us.

Change can anger us.

Gratitude can transform us.

Since March 16 my life is forever changed. And for the better.

We must have hope for the better.

At first, I was in denial about the pandemic. Cases had not yet arrived in my small town. I did not wear a mask until a month ago. I live in the country, and believe the air is pure. I limit my trips to town. Already a compulsive hand washer (being in food production), I quickly located gloves to protect my flesh from harsh hand sanitizers while out in public.

Overnight, ordinary supplies vanished from store shelves. I began to order back-stock of my supplies. Shipments arrived from Florida. Supplements from Amazon arrived late or vanished altogether. Then restaurants closed. Schools closed. Death tolls began to mount. Life is no longer normal. A global shift. A mighty cull. A change out of control.

I must transition or suffer.

The Good Begins:

The first Saturday in April is the beginning of the farmer’s market season here in Central Virginia. This season is my 20th. I have been ready for change for over a decade and change happened in a BIG way. Our public market is closed until further notice. Fortunately, our management scrambled and bought a software geared to online farmer’s market shopping and drive-thru pick up. At first I resisted — many hoops to jump through. I had to open a PayPal account in order to receive payment. NO!
Hesitantly, I joined the other reserved agricultural/value added vendors, and by week three sales quadrupled! I am awash with new business. Customers never before seen. Apparently they want to Buy Fresh, Buy Local and with gusto!

This is how it works:

Monday through Thursday, the public can place/preorder items listed on the site. They also pre-pay so there is no cash exchanged. Vendors gather with their vehicles in a city park, socially distanced, and from 8-12 on Saturday, while customers drive through, trunks open, and vendors place their orders in those trunks. The revenue goes into a City PayPal account, and after they deduct their commission, the balance is transferred to vendor’s accounts. Easy peasy. Technology is fantastic when it works for the overall good. And this is GOOD.

The first week I nearly had a stroke when I checked my orders. Until then, I had become resigned to an inevitable annual loss. Instead, I never had this demand at the old market. I hit the ground running, delighted that organization is my forte, and at my ripe age, still functions. No more guessing nor speculating. No more exhausting chit chat with market customers. No more crack-of-dawn risings. I am over the moon!

Supply shopping became a game. Some hits, some outs. Helpful suppliers and new ones found online have performed flawlessly. I am grateful. So grateful. As a one-woman operation, every bit of help is appreciated! Angels appear in the most unexpected places.

The Advantage:

With stay at home orders in place, families want/need an excuse to get out of the house. From the safety of their automobiles, this drive-through venue allows an outing (even dogs attend) for the entire family, albeit behind closed windows. Vendors are gloved and masked, and communication is nil, except for a wave or thumbs up. When all orders are picked up, vendors too are free to leave. Such a delightful change. Everyone wins.

Back at Swallowtail Cottage:

This spring has been one for the record books. On April 19, we had a killing frost of 29F. For zone 7A, this is harsh. The annual cash crop of hundreds of peony stems/buds were wilted to the ground. This has never happened in the nineteen years I have lived here. They seemed to recover once the sun rose, but most stems have remained in a stupor ever since.

The Oriental poppies are splendid this spring, yet the peonies are having a difficult time with these unusually cold nights.

Mother’s Day is the sweet spot for peony bouquet sales, yet I merely harvested 18 stems suitable for sale yesterday. Meanwhile, last night we had another hard freeze. Mother Nature is playing hard ball, for sure. This calls for resilience.

The jury is still out on whether the blueberries will ripen. They are in fruit now, but they have never experienced killing frost in their young lives…

O’Neal blueberries beginning to ripen

Meanwhile, the garden’s chives and parsley are beautiful now, and both make for a signature chive/artichoke/walnut pesto most popular with customers. Win.

Chives and their edible flowers first thing in the spring…yummy as pesto.

My pimento cheese, buttermilk biscuits, blueberry scones, and Key Lime Pies are finding new popularity. Every Friday, I spend hours in production. Win.

I currently produce/sell 200 of these per week!

Good food, comfort food, service to the community, and entrepreneurial fervor guide me. One customer stated, “You are getting us through this!” which nearly made me weep.

My kitchen during five hours of production every Friday.

The new normal.

Meanwhile the garden reminds me that life goes on despite horror and sorrow. The butterflies lay their eggs on the Pipe vine and parsley. The chrysalises that overwintered with me, are now emerging to fly blissfully away upon the breeze. Those at risk of freezing, I now raise indoors and release on milder days.

Pipevine caterpillars munch away blissfully indoors as cold temperatures prevail outside. These I collected as eggs.

The butterfly castle houses one newly emerged Pipevine swallowtail who spent the winter in the shed as a chrysalis. I released it as the temperature rose.

The Eastern Bluebird pair successfully raised their first brood of four nestlings who fledged on May 1.

Three nestling bluebirds day nine ~ Swallowtail Cottage.

The hummers returned from their tropical retreat on April 20th. The white-throated sparrows finally left this week to migrate farther north for summer. Chipping sparrows are here now, gleaning what they can find in the mulch and under the feeder. Titmice, Northern Cardinals, Red bellied woodpeckers, and the wee Black Cap chickadees also nest and thrive. Many other wild birds grace my gardens, creating a wonderland of endless entertainment, and beautiful views from my windows.

So close your eyes, click your heels and repeat…”there is no place like home.”

For now I am safe, well, productive, and grateful.

How are you faring? How has life shifted for you?

Copyright © 2020 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

 

An Artist’s Way

Tags

garden, home, homebound, inspiration, life

Yesterday, I had a telephone conversation with a creative neighbor and the crux of the topic was: In this life, I strive to surround myself with beauty. Above all else, my eye craves divine images of nature, architecture, and wildlife. Perfection is an illusive goal. This fact I finally resigned myself to a few years ago. Yet, still I strive to surround myself with as much gorgeousness as I can muster, sans the help of a trust fund.

No more strolls amoungst grand estates of Europe, no fantastic scuba trips to the Maldives — I reside locally now and have for nearly two decades. Most of my poetry was penned in the late 1990’s before I began this single family house adventure in 2001. My Book of Garden Poems won no recognition in NYC or London. No longer do I draw and painting has fallen to the chores of this needy box. I have found creative opportunities in my kitchen and gardens. This is my first home on half an acre.

Photography helps me stay attached to my creativity, and this rural place surrounds me with endless visual opportunities. Additionally, this blog, which was born in 2011, provides a home for writing. If you are new to this blog, currently there are over 200 posts that combine both photography and prose. While you are house bound, please take time to explore the two draw-down menus within this work in progress. They are found in the left hand side of this page.

With so much global angst these days, I decided to add slices of beauty I recorded over the past nineteen years. Join me and unwind. These are my images/glimpses of near perfection.

In closing, what thought strikes me significantly this week is the fact that home is my safe place and my gardens are my sanctuary. Are you feeling safe?

Please use this time to discover newfangled ways in which to see the beauty in each and every day. We are in this together.

Your comments are always welcome.

Pleased with her investigation 2009

This single Lily-flowering Ballerina tulip is simply magnificent. I moved others and they vanished. I celebrate this lone specimen the entire week it blooms. Planted here in 2003.

the narrow gravel path is embraced by tightly shorn boxwood hedges.

I could not resist capturing how the sun played with this timber frame structure, a “duplex” that shares a central chimney.

from the front porch, I feel as though I could fly as a bird. This same view has inspired visitors since the 18th century.

I could not resist capturing this tender moment between father and infant

I could not resist this image. An enviable braid.

end of summer bouquet

Miss Kitty sighting?

Sunday mornings I crave a wee breakfast that is special; a meal that celebrates the end of a very long week.

heritage roosters feeling their oats and making an empressive show

exhilarating moments

another year has passed. Tonight we bid 2014 adieu and welcome the new year.

Across the river, we played tourist at the Capital Waterfront.

all plumped up in order to stay warm

one handsome barn

sunset one Sunday

Quite a show today in the last day of September

someone’s lovin’ life!

cairn for Miss Kitty

nestling bluebirds day nine ~ Swallowtail Cottage. Would you feed them GMO food?

PS. While you are cooped up and looking for exceptional video in 4K Ultra HD…check out this channel, Amazing Places on Our Planet on YouTube. The next best thing to being there. 😉

Copyright © 2020 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

Sunday’s monster project

Tags

DIY, garden, home, rock

This boulder/stoop looks innocent enough, yes? Slowly over the past 18 years, it settled to the right, causing a problem, since I use this door every day. Project: raise the stone on the right side three inches. Many contractor estimates were outrageously expensive, so it became a DIY with help…

It almost did not happen.

Why a man cannot follow instructions is beyond me. Even when they come from another man of professional experience!

First: The hired help arrived late Sunday, and was unprepared — without the critical stone dust and proper jack. We had agreed on all materials Friday during a phone conversation.

Second: I had to then wait another hour for him go look for supplies.

While I waited, I excavated most of the hole myself….MOI who should not be doing this kind of work as my body pain is fierce the following day, despite rest/meds.

Ready to roll. 

With my tools organized, I awaited the arrival of my hired help…a local handyman. Hurry up and wait became this project’s motto. Sooo

My wheelbarrow quickly filled with wet, heavy clay. This kind of grunt work I outgrew years ago. My mind is willing, the body, NOT SO. 

This dig required depth and undercutting the stone in order to place the bottle jack beneath the edge. 

When the guy finally returned an hour later, his rusty jacks did not work and I thought I might have to stop again and to drive to town to purchase a jack. Turned out, the guy’s son lives nearby, so helper-guy left again in search of that jack. More time to kill.

At least the afternoon was pretty and sunny, so while I waited I weeded (with tweezers) my moss patch by the shed door. (Instead of spitting nails!)

When helper returned, I asked him to place the salvaged 10″ granite square in the bottom of the hole on top of some gravel so the jack would have a solid footing…and he refused. He wanted to keep digging deeper to hit solid ground. If I had agreed, he would still be digging!

Next, he helped himself to one of my small landscape stones and when that stone quickly sank into the wet clay, I suggested the granite again. FINALLY, before I hit him in the head with a shovel, he yielded and added crusher/rock to the hole, added the granite sample, and placed the new jack on top…not in the center mind, but in a cock-eyed position. Safety first, out the window…(No photo of this event, as I had my hand on the shovel, not the camera!)

He then said “I don’t give a s—t what someone on the internet says…I am doing the job my way!” Well. OK then. I had taken advice on this project from a blog follower who built major buildings in DC. (sigh)

Turns out, the use of the gravel/granite worked and up went the boulder….right into the siding. (oops)

Following few more maneuvers with a pry bar, one slab of marble under the front of the boulder, a rectangular paver under the back edge, and a few tosses of gravel dust tamped under the end, I called it quits. Helper promises to return to tamp the edge of the dirt end after a few rains. Then a top coat of gravel will cover the repair. Time will tell.

As the afternoon faded into shade, the boulder now rests a bit more level. Shall we take bets on how long it will remain that way?

At least this dastardly boulder project is over I am without a trip hazard! Geeze! For now.

What I suffer for this (expletive) house/property!

Finally: A hot shower, two tall glasses of local stout, Tylenol, and bed with the heating pad should ease my journey.

Would you have taken on this project? Comments welcome.

Hope that your Sunday was more enjoyable than mine. 😉

Copyright © 2020 By Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

Meanwhile

Tags

Buxus, garden, garden projects, home, life, winter garden

Back at Swallowtail Cottage, landscape projects are happening. Monday I awoke with the message, “remove those Nandina and transplant the six young Buxus to the back foundation!” I immediately concurred, yet these subliminal projects are 1% inspiration, and 99% implementation. Conception is the easy part; there is a disconnect with the follow through. Somehow the subconscious fails to understand reality.
I humbly admit, the execution of this project nearly slew me on day three.

During dormant months (November-March) here in Virginia zone 7A, I do my best garden work; most biting insects are absent, and cool/dry temperatures permit invigorating days outside.

This week: Following breakfast Monday, I began making phone calls. This project required man/muscle power. The photos below capture the efforts of four men over three partial days.

Before view of Nandina in the rear foundation planting…really sad after 18 years. FYI: Do not plant this Heavenly Bamboo, as the berries contain cyanide and will kill any wild bird who eats it. I did not know this when I planted them, and for years I removed the berries in the fall. Eventually, this plant became too needy and leggy so OUT they went to a local burn pile.

If you don’t know what Nandina flowers/berries look like, here you go:

Yikes! During late spring, Heavenly Bamboo create white blooms. This particular day, I had a black snake sleeping amoungst the blossoms, just below my bedroom window. In the last few years, the Nandina flowers became infested with thrips…a sucking insect not welcome in any garden.

Pretty but deadly. If these Nandina berries are left on the plants during winter months, wild birds often mistake them for food and when consumed, birds will die a cyanide death. Another reason NOT to have this plant in any garden. Unfortunately, since they are inexpensive plant material, many property developers use them copiously.

The discard pile grows: As my enthusiastic neighbor dug with his wicked serrated shovel, the tarp rapidly filled with stems and roots. What a tough job; not one for the weak, fragile or moi.

Monster roots on eighteen year-old Nandina. Removing the heavy clumps of soil was another laborious task.

Day Two: On a very overcast winter day following removal of the blasted Nandina, the rear of the house is now dull and became my very own Tabula Rasa. Gosh, no curb appeal here! The turf appears especially pathetic.

Meanwhile, the baby Buxus (Green Velvet) await their transplant from the rear border. I propagated these beauties from tiny cuttings about eight years ago. They provide good material for boxwood wreaths come November and benefit from hand trimming. When I asked the landscaper what he thought each plant would cost in a nursery he answered $350! What a fine example of home propagation savings!

Day Three: Bare ground awaits the family duo of landscapers. Yes, only two men and three hours later, the bed was transformed. Of course the landscaper has been in digging commercially for over 20 years, and they did not stop the entire time. Hurrah! I phoned at the right time when he had an opening! Normally he is booked for months.

With the Buxus installed, I watered them in after finding a hose that was not frozen. Around 3 PM, I headed to the home store and toted twelve bags of pine bark mulch and five bags of pea gravel back in Baby 5. The gravel was added over the larger stone next to the terrace wall and at the foundation, to keep mulch/mud from traveling/splashing on the house. Nice and tidy. By dark I was knee-walking exhausted! Soon to bed with the heating pad, Tylenol, and mugs of  hot herbal tea!

Today: Once again, Baby 5 comes to my rescue. Loaded and backed up to the rear turf and my wheelbarrow, this auto has seen me through many a rock/mulch/dirt project. The edge of the rear border now resembles a mine field, and six holes need filling today. I scored ten partially open bags of topsoil for 1/2 price (that I spotted yesterday). The only caveat…get to the home center before 7AM before other frugal gardeners descend. So it goes.

Rock is the solution at the foundation. It keeps termites from migrating to the foundation, and holds back the mulch.  IF any debris drifts onto the gravel, a quick blower pass, and voila! spotless. Today it looks great.

PS: Before the landscape pair departed, I had them relocate this young arborvitae to a sunnier location.

This small Buxus (propagated here) was also relocated to a brighter location. Its former location is now home for the arborvitae. One man accomplished both transplants in twenty minutes. Geeze! Since all material is now dormant, I hope they quietly settle in and wake to spring full of vigor! Me too for that matter! 😉

Now left is to find an area for the adopted/uprooted iris.

The length of their roots surprised me when I dug them on Friday. For now, they will reside in paper bags in the basement fridge at 40F. I will make an effort, as both varieties are beautiful and sweetly scented.

My ongoing dilemma is to find a way to raise the right side of this stoop/boulder. Following fifteen years of stepping on one side to enter the back door, the massive rock has settled enough that I have nearly twice fallen off . Who knew, little old moi could cause a mammoth boulder to settle? So far one pry-bar was put to the test, and the only result was a bent pry-bar. The area is too small for a Bobcat. Any ideas?

The 17F reading this morning has given way to sunny a 52F. I must go have lunch, get out of YouTube mode, and get that frozen topsoil down if thawed. Ah, a gardener’s job is never complete.

The new view from inside the house. Calm and uncluttered.

Now to await spring and warmer soil, so masses of wildflowers can be seeded in the distant herbaceous perennial border.

Finally, I added two vintage tuteurs to the Buxus bed. The largest one is in the rear border where a Nelly Moser resides and climbs with abandon throughout the Oakleaf Hydrangea during the growing season.

Job well done? Have I inspired you to get out in your gardens and tackle a big project?

I enjoy comments placed on this blog…not in an email as this blog is intended to inspire all followers. Cheers!

Copyright © 2020 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

Let’s clean up our act

Tags

EWG, garden, health, home, housekeeping, inspiration

During the winter, when most of the garden is quiet, I keep my brain stimulated by turning my attention to my household and the products I use within. Many products are carryovers from habit. Since I make every attempt to live lightly on this earth, I decided in 2018 to look more closely. Yes, I use vinegar, baking soda, and other benign items, yet scrutiny was necessary for other areas. Fortunately, I discovered early on www.ewg.org. Do you know it? Hands down, it helped me rule out many products from kitchen, bath, body, dental, cosmetics, laundry, dishwasher, and window categories. Below are some winners that I tested personally and highly recommend. Many were recommended by my dermatologist, and although they are not all rated A, they are rated higher than most. And as a mature gardener, I must pay more attention to my skin, as you will discover below.

Go ahead, have a look at the products and see if they make sense to you. Do you use them already? Of course, every decision is yours. I just make every effort to respect the earth and reduce my carbon footprint. Furthermore, I will make clear that I do not profit by mentioning any products. This blog is solely intended for education and inspirational purposes.

Finally, a laundry detergent that delivers. My clothes have never been cleaner. Even my garden togs appear like new. I was happy to discover this jug at Walmart after finding a smaller size at Whole Foods Market at a much higher price.

Another fantastic find thanks to EWG. I found this at Whole Foods Market, fell in love with the cleaning power, then found this 45 tablet pack on AMZN for waaay less money. Go figure. Please note, I run my dishwasher at least twice per week, and NEVER rinse anything before loading…rinsing wastes incredible amounts of water folks. Not necessary with this product. No rinsing aids needed either. Glassware, flatware, pots, pans, you name it, all come out sparkling.

OK, now for the bath & body part of this report…

Normally I take five minute showers, but once a year I will splurge and fill the tub with bubbles, hot water, all my body brushes…dim the lighting, play a favorite CD, and off I go to blissville. Once I made an effort to carry the gray water to the yard, but my back later said “nah.” At least my septic drain field will be happy.

This bath pillow is a must. It came from the Body Shop years ago and is always ready when I take the plunge. Nearby is a bar of locally made soap. Ahhh.

I never used Herbal Essences (bio-renew) products until now. Thanks to EWG, I now know about Procter & Gamble’s efforts step up and clean up their products. When reading the fine print, not only are the ingredients 87-90% natural origin, P&G partnered with Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for their endorsement (www.kew.org) and a portion of proceeds support the efforts of this grand historic English garden. Win, win! These products hit US shelves in 2018 but I bought from AMZN. FYI, the fragrance is mild/pleasant too.

Now to the nitty-gritty. As I age, I am always on the hunt for skin moisturizing products that deliver. I have returned buckets to BBB that failed my tests. The products seen here made the cut. The brands were both recommended by my dermatologist, and the specific types match my needs. So far so good. Just remember your coupons if you shop at BBB. I love that store!

First I began with the SA Cream in 2017, then when I faced skin cancer on my right hand this spring, I learned about the Healing Ointment. Now I mix the two…ointment into the SA Cream...great for dry legs, feet, hands. The EO bubbles came from WFM years ago and it is pleasant… with long lasting bubbles.

BEFORE PHOTO: Do you see the weird node between my two knuckles? It came up in early April 2019 and I just thought it was a thorn from the garden. When it failed to heal, I checked with my dermatologist and yes, indeed. The first biopsy revealed skin cancer! GULP! HOW??? I wear garden gloves and attempt slathers of sunscreen, but nope, the doc said, ” this is squamous cell carcinoma from cumulative sun exposure” … from driving the car to whatever else I did from childhood on. Growing up, I never wore sunscreen while horseback riding, swimming, mowing, or the like. And oh, that time I was badly burned when collecting clams during low tide while in Puerto Vallarta in the early ’70’s. Yes. My. Dears. UV rays are cumulative.

DAY AFTER MOHS SURGERY: This is the result of my brilliant surgeon who does nothing but MOHS cancer surgery. I was nearly bonkers by early November when the surgery day finally arrived. How much skin? How much loss of use? How much down time during my wreath/holiday season? I nearly needed anxiety medication. These questions could not be answered until biopsies were examined after each excision at the appointment. Thank angels, the doc removed all affected tissue the first round. After an hour, I was sent home with a bandage. And this is how I learned about the Healing Cream, as the wound was not stitched, just a daily bandage change with Healing Cream for six weeks while the area slowly healed from the edges. Today, I have no loss of use, no pain, just a small scar that will improve over the next year. In closing, let me be an example for readers…see your dermatologist annually for a full body check, and research/WEAR sunscreen. I was lucky this time. Melanoma (the worst skin cancer) will kill us if not discovered early.

The jars of ointment, salves, serums, and lotions will not only improve my overall skin appearance; I already see a difference. My hands appear years younger/smoother than these earlier photos. 😉

So dear followers, when you have time, please visit EWG and see if your current products/cosmetics/home products stand up to environmental scrutiny. Let’s all pay attention and do our part to ease the pressure on our beloved planet.

Since publication I learned about juice BEAUTY (www.juicebeauty.com), an organic fruit stem cell skincare technology that received high ratings. I am trying their mascara, foundation, and dust. Jury’s still out.

Go lightly into our tomorrows.

Are you inspired by this post? Comments are always welcomed. Cheers!

Copyright © 2020 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

All I want for Christmas

Tags

Christmas, downsizing, garden, home, life, Mindfulness, simplicity

During the month of August in the USA, “Christmas” begins creeping onto retailers’ shelves…yes in August. There are even bits of Halloween and Thanksgiving decor making an appearance, yet the crushing push to consume before year’s end begins. This mentality is also visible in the waistlines of obese Americans…a loss of mindfulness and willingness to run out the clock. Loss and run are both keywords.

This observation causes me to shrink and place invisible blinders on until January… while the current state saddens me to the core. This state of loss, running, consuming, and unrest fuels the growing poverty, drug addiction, and homelessness in America. A condition that oozes across borders, as America, a once highly revered nation, settles into stagnation and violence. Where did humanity hit the rocks? Is it possible to pick up the pieces? Can hopelessness be reversed?

Last week, a neighbor commented on the price of Christmas trees, due to climate change/drought and shortage of trees. I encouraged her to follow her instincts and downsize Christmas. Her children are older, and this could be a teaching moment that could last a lifetime.

Let’s peel back the layers and reach the true meaning of this holiday.

An iron tree…everlasting, small, and holding only my favorite ornaments. I am grateful for the sweet memories each one evokes. 

Every December I look to my gardens for celebration. The Buxus need their annual pruning, and give plenty of material for fresh wreaths. Below are a few photos of this year’s bounty…

Simple and elegant. I so enjoy turning French wire ribbon into lush bows.

A small ‘Provence’ lavender swag made for a friend after creating the wreath seen below. This holiday is a great time to show appreciation.

Isn’t this lovely? Fresh lavender, fragrant, and appreciated by one woman at last market. She plans to hang it in her kitchen.

Back in my kitchen, steaming hot cocoa with a pinch of cinnamon warms me after a cool morning of wreath making outdoors.

An entire head of organic cauliflower was the base for this delicious soup.  Perfect and simple, the recipe may be found in my memoir.

A wee Cornish Game hen roasted beautifully with organic Brussels sprouts.

The only way I cope with this season and the state of our nation is to step away from the crowds and noise, eat simply and mindfully, and give thanks every day for small blessings.

All I really want for Christmas is an open heart, compassion for myself and others, and the ability to remain connected with the present without judgement.

May you put down your devices, take time for breath, and embrace the happy times.

Copyright © 2019 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

When critters call

Tags

Coffee ground uses, DIY, garden, garden critters, home garden

Good morning all!

Garden challenges can sometimes be an uphill climb. Let me share what I learned this summer.

Back to garden topics: I am having issues with not ONE but THREE adult raccoons who have been a nuisance in my Free Union gardens since May. They really appreciate my organic gardening efforts as they visit every night.

Once we figured out what was invading/defecating, I conferred with our local wildlife center and tried all of their repellent suggestions. When lights, noise, and ammonia were not not effective, I continued my quest. This morning, I want to share DOES work, so that my garden followers may add these to their battery of knowledge.

I love raccoons, yet they have been a huge nuisance this year. Since early spring, I wracked my brain to outsmart/repel the digging/climbing critters.

Photo by Olia Gozha on Pexels.com

What DOES work:

Spent (used) coffee grounds! I collect spent coffee grounds from our local Whole Foods Market barista (they are happy to give to me) and then toss the grounds wherever the raccoons are digging. I enjoy the scent of coffee, yet never acquired a taste for the beverage, as I cannot make it taste like the professionals. So, spreading the often warm grounds is pleasurable. Just wear old clothes and rubber gloves, as this process is messy and grounds scent lingers on skin.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Did you know that spent coffee grounds become a neutral PH and add a nice dose of nitrogen to plants? Additionally, if you keep an earthworm farm or want to treat worms in your raised beds, those wigglers crave coffee grounds!

Back at Swallowtail Cottage: The family of raccoons obsessed over my mature daffodil bulb/grape hyacinth beds during August and I just discovered that if I applied pine bark mulch over the area, the raccoons quit digging there! Voila! So off to Lowe’s I went with Auto for bags of the stuff. I can never apply too much mulch here…hence my nickname “Mulchqueen”. I should own a pine forest.

Photo by Trygve Finkelsen on Pexels.com

With this newfound knowledge, yesterday I applied (very fragrant) pine mulch to an area where I just planted new echinacea plants and, yay! this AM, NO DIGGING! Hurrah!

Who knew?

Ah ha!  My plan for next April/May when my blueberries bloom/fruit, I plan to strew plenty of coffee grounds around that area to ward off predation. And hopefully the silly raccoons will not do a repeat performance and get tangled in the draped tulle! 😉

Let me know if this garden tidbit is helpful. Or perhaps this is common knowledge and I missed that memo. Either way, please share this post with other gardeners where raccoons are a problem.

A green/sustainable solution, yes? Since coffee shops are a dime a dozen around the planet, most of them will gladly give gardeners the spent grounds to work wonders in their gardens. Just bring your own bucket.

Coffee filters are also biodegradable, so add them to your raised beds for a carbon hit.

Off to more garden chores. Look forward to the first frost and fewer biting insects. Alas, I will miss hosting summer hummingbirds.

Happy fall. Happy gardening!

Let me know in the comments section if this information helps.

Copyright © 2019 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

for the love of rock, II

Tags

DIY project, edging, erosion, garden, home garden, Keto, rock, summer garden

Those who follow this blog know how much I love rock, boulders, stones, and pebbles. For nearly twenty years, I have resided on a half-acre in the foothills of of the Blue Ridge, USA.
Back in 2001, I only had one option when shopping for a home. I knew where I wanted to buy, but had no options. The house I bought was a badly neglected, twenty-eight YO fixer-upper. The gardens were non-existent, yet I had to relinquish my farmhouse rental in thirty days. This blog has recorded my ongoing projects, mostly DIY, requiring all of my coping and problem-solving skills.

As mentioned afore, this property is sloped on one end creating many challenges and solutions for erosion control. Over and over. Two steps forward, one step back…for nearly two decades.

Lower patio area prior to major storm erosion. Replaced mulch and rosemary with pea gravel, peonies and rock.

During summer when temps rise quickly, morning chores begin before the neighbor’s rooster calls. As heat and humidity rise, I default indoors for most of the day. YouTube provides hours of informative content regarding gardens, history, and fabulous inspiration. Standing stones are often discussed when visiting the UK, and I took them to heart when arranging found rock on my wee property.
For years, I gathered rock and stone and hauled it home. Concrete paths and stoops were jack-hammered out, replaced with purchased boulders for both front and rear access.

Front boulder at door. All beds in this photo are changed entirely.

Today’s view of house front. See my hanging chad bay window? So glad to have calm in that bed. What do you think of a large planter under the bay filled with ferns?

The front path today…rain runs through it smoothly, leaving the path in tact. My hands and knees are really getting a workout this summer to keep weeds at bay!

I even add pebbles to decorative planters around the property. Tending live container plants is too labor intensive, and I love the look of pebbles. “Rock is forever” is my mantra.

Even wee Carolina wrens love bathing in this shallow saucer, adorned with a stone I carried back from New Mexico.

This is a winter shot of the front bed where I divide the turf from the mulched bed with river pebbles. During the growing season, this divide requires some weeding, but is effective and slows down water during heavy rains.

This was also a wash area every time it rained. So gravel was the answer. One heavy rain since placement confirms its success. Gravel will continue to replace mulch where ever it is appropriate. What took me so long???

Anywhere there is mulch, I tend to stabilize with found rock. Up till now, I usually placed rock flat. NOW, thanks to standing stones inspiration, I am retracing my rock edging. By digging a small trench where the stones lay, I reset them standing. This gives more of an edge, slowing water and keeping mulch in place. Voila!

These beauties did not require much standing, yet do a great job.

Just trenched and upright as of this morning, water will slow down and mulch will remain where I placed it. All these hostas were removed in 2019. Too much sun and they burned. As a trade for digging, one area resident with a shady garden is in heaven. 

One upright stone in the peony bed does a splendid job (combined with others along this sloped bed edge) and slows down rushing water. My own standing stones here at Swallowtail Cottage. 

Along the back foundation bed, a wider swath of pea gravel combines nicely with smaller “standing stones” to slow water. Turf one side, mulch the other.

With an occasional blower sweep along the rocks and a strim from the Grass Hog, mulch remains mulch and turf remains at bay…all being very tidy. You like?

This garden plaque says it all.

As I now sit in my pleasant air conditioned cottage during the hot July afternoon, all aches vanish from the hand and knee weeding/toiling of early this morning. Sharing my garden success with readers and fellow gardeners brings endless pleasure. Are you inspired?

Gardens are for sharing and I hope you enjoyed being a vicarious visitor. Let me know what garden projects you are undertaking.

Keto followers: End of month three and my IF is going great and for longer time. In fact I now go out early AM without eating and do plenty of garden chores before retreating from summer heat. IF has raised the bar for energy levels. WaHooWa!

Have you learned anything today?

Copyright © 2019 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

give a gardener a cool summer day…

Tags

garden, heirloom daffodils, perennial plants, raised bed gardening, summer garden

and she will take full advantage! Following weeks of high temperatures and dew points, Monday finally delivered a 60F morning high that will remain in place all week. On my garden schedule I had a large project looming and now was the ideal time to toil outdoors. Cooler temps allowed me the stamina to complete today’s chores by 9 AM.

Gardening, I have learned, will make a habitual weather watcher out of us all. Although my favorite time of year to garden is November-March, summer months demand attention. Weeds from all directions attempt to reside on my little half-acre, forcing me to  regularly go on patrol and snuff out (read yank/dig) any unwanted greenery.

In recent years, I became enamoured with the history of heirloom daffodils and bought many bulbs for Swallowtail Cottage. I chose dozens from catalogues and planted them into five unused raised beds. Long ago, I gave up fighting insects and fungal issues when growing veggies in the mid-atlantic region of the eastern US. (Zone 7a)

Just a sampling of my heirloom daffodils. Such a delight after a long winter. Varieties date from 1600-1800. 

This says it all on a summer day at Swallowtail Cottage.

This raised bed hosts both daffodil bulbs and my Wow-zer! Catnip

Thanks to the barista at the local Whole Foods Market, often I collect spent tea and coffee grounds and add to my raised bed soil for the worms…after bulbs were dug. Worms LOVE coffee grounds and I learned that once used, the acidic grounds become neutral.

Neatly turned soil with amendment underneath. What shall I plant next? Perhaps fall lettuce.

Beginning of the 2019 heirloom daffodil harvest. These bulbs quickly multiplied, requiring digging. They will become a cash crop at market this September, and I will continue the tradition of spreading heirloom varieties. If you desire heirlooms in your gardens, contact Old House Gardens and they will mail a catalogue and help in any way.

The drying table in the shed is filled to capacity with daff bulbs. They will reside here for up to a week, then dry soil will be removed, then they will be hung in net bags and held in the cool, dry basement until weighed and sold.

Harvested nepeta waiting for a basement transfer. As I dug the bulbs, the nepeta had to be removed, leaves were hand picked, rinsed, and spun dried. Since the shed is filled with bulbs, the patio table and sweater dryer will be temporary alternative spots for drying.

As I toiled, I could not overlook the stunning bloomers in my gardens. Award Winner Little Lime Hydrangea (Panicle Hydrangea)…planted in March 2018, is already a star. Oakleaf blooms so much earlier that this specimen is eye candy during steamy, hot summer days. As a dwarf variety, this beauty will be welcome for years to come.

Another newbie to my gardens is Tickseed (Coreopsis v. ‘Moonbeam’). Planted in June 2018, this cheerful perennial with its daisy-like lemon yellow flowers, blooms throughout the summer. Fern-like foliage is light and airy. In 1992 this garden gem won Perennial Plant of the Year. And best of all, it attracts pollenators.

Another showstopper this time of year is Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum). As soon as the buds begin to open butterflies spend all day nectaring. Talk about a WOW! factor! This herbaceous, late-blooming perennial is native to much of the USA. It is a wildflower and an herb that was used as an herbal remedy to lower fevers and other maladies. It does like wet feet so every morning I empty the dehumidifier water onto its roots.

If readers recall the front path redo a few years back…this photo reveals the challenges I continue to face with this property. I often say if I could get my hands on the guy who graded this place, I would hang him from the utility pole. Alas, the path work stopped the previously mulched path from eroding, yet the pea gravel allows massive weed infestation, requiring hand and knees weed removal. As often as I think on this challenge, (don’t want steps) I will continue to add pea gravel. At least it is a forever stone. Any ideas from readers?

The top of the path joins the wider entrance path, and my happy Morris Buxus, which I continue to adore. The dwarf Nandina were removed (failed to thrive), so remain the Buxus for now. The “hanging chad” bay window continues to dangle, yet I have my eye on a Houzz Corten planter…filled with perennial ferns…I think may be a simple, elegant, easy solution.

Adore my wee Morris boxwood? The two tons of river rock installed in this bed requires even more, as ground settles. My nickname was formerly “Mulch Queen”… now it is “Rock Queen!”

Baby 5 was my perfect companion during this gravel project. She held steadfast, despite my concerns that I would break her.

Last year’s view of house front. See my “hanging chad” bay window? So glad to have calm in that bed now. What do you think of a large planter under the bay filled with ferns?

On another topic: The Eastern Bluebird box with three predator guards and Hardie Plank strips on roof helps protect the nest from four-leggers and heat. I rarely have summer nesting Bluebirds, yet this year this box is in high demand.

Tired of losing wee toads to the window well, I added screen until I can imagine a better solution.

Summer Daze!

So goes the month of July 2019.

May August be kind.

Disclaimer: This blog is intended for both educational and inspirational purposes. Author receives no compensation for mentioning brands or businesses.

Copyright © 2019 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved