Squirrels and Onions

I have nothing against onion grass—except for the fact that it is invasive and springing up throughout my yard and garden beds.  I have nothing against gray squirrels, which are similarly ubiquitous.  During this time when we are all “sheltering in place”, the battle against both has taken on a new dimension. I went all … Read more

When the Going Gets Tough

Coronavirus has turned the world upside down.  This is not the first time that the world has turned upside down, but it is the first time in just over a century that a contagious disease has threatened so many people.  Gardening might seem frivolous in the context of a global pandemic, but in reality it … Read more

Hope Springing

This year, Presidents’ Day marked the first foray into the winter-struck garden.  The temperature was finally above 45 degrees, the endless rain had stopped, and it was a Federal holiday.  That trifecta of events was the winning combination that sent me out of doors first thing in the morning.  I reconnoitered, pulled out the garden … Read more

It’s Alive

In Western New York, where I grew up, we did not put away our winter clothes until Memorial Day.  Now I live in a gentler climate and when the “official” first day of spring arrives, I expect the garden to be well on its way to mid and late spring glory.  We have had a … Read more

Rain Delays

In his novel, An International Episode, author Henry James says, “Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”             I agree with him, but the flip side of that quote might be something like, “Rainy weekend, rainy weekend; to me those have always been the … Read more