Many of our friends and neighbors are not happy that Daylight Saving Time has ended. In fact, some have let it be known that they are already looking forward to Sunday, March 13, 2016, when it’s scheduled to begin again. We’ve had to turn on the heat in the house a couple of times although … Continue reading Thanksgiving Season is Here
Observations
The Official Arrival of Autumn
This year the Autumn Equinox “falls” on September 23, the official arrival of autumn. A sure sign is that apples and pumpkins are for sale everywhere, with some farms advertising “pick your own.” We even saw an advertisement for “pick your own potatoes,” a first for us. Blooming in our gardens are the asters and … Continue reading The Official Arrival of Autumn
Dog Days of Summer
It’s hard to believe that August is here, the dog days of summer. Our recent hot-and-humid days are definitely getting shorter. There are tons of berries on the Kousa dogwoods; and when they ripen, they will keep many birds happy (as well as our resident rascally squirrels). While on the subject of squirrels, we scattered … Continue reading Dog Days of Summer
The Garden in June
The foxgloves (digitalis) are beginning to flower and they are always a delight. For the most part, they are growing where we scattered their seeds from their blossoms last year. Being biennials, the plants began to grow last autumn. We will repeat the process this year. For many gardeners the month of June is considered … Continue reading The Garden in June
Daffodils Continue to Enchant
The daffodils continue to enchant as do the snowdrops, crocuses and hyacinths. Joining them are some of the hellebores, bloodroot and Jeffersonia. Warm days have encouraged us to work in the garden and survey just how much damage was done by the record setting snow and ice. Sadly we now see damage from a different … Continue reading Daffodils Continue to Enchant
Forced Forsythia Branches
The mountains of snow are slowly disappearing, helped along by recent rains and warmer temperatures. It’s sad to see the damage done to so many of our shrubs by what has been called our “nightmare” and “unrelenting” winter. So many branches broken! In addition, several of our trellises are damaged. We’ll have lots of cleaning … Continue reading Forced Forsythia Branches
Snowmageddon
We are still in the midst of what is being called “Snowageddon” and “Snowpocalypse,” referring to the historical snowfall amounts of recent weeks. Our state is being referred to as “Alaskachusetts” with “The Boston Tundra” as its capital. The Weather Channel noted that our region has beaten the written record of more than one hundred … Continue reading Snowmageddon
Winter Moths
In addition to our outdoor decorations of wreaths, greens and berries, our house seems to be covered with winter moths. They are especially visible in the evenings around the front-door light. According to a recent UMass Extension Landscape message, the invasive species is distributed across Massachusetts. One of their research labs is working on a … Continue reading Winter Moths
Fall Trimming & Blooms
Fall has arrived, and with it, cooler weather and shorter days. Thankfully, we’ve had some much-needed rain. The pink blossoms of the fall asters ‘Alma Potschke’ are spectacular. Although the lower parts of the plants always seem to dry up early in the season, when their tops are in bloom, they are a joy for … Continue reading Fall Trimming & Blooms