I love snowdrops, those wonderful harbingers of spring. While I am not a “galanthophile” who goes gaga over the slightest variations in snowdrop markings, I have been slowly amassing a collection of different varieties over the years. I bought most of mine from the Temple Nursery, a tiny concern in Trumansburg, New York, operated by … Read more
It has been a long winter in this part of the world. After several “open” winters with little snow and relatively warm temperatures, we have been treated to cold weather, often coupled with high winds, and repeated snowy days. Everything is relative, of course, and compared with parts of Minnesota, our snow amounts have been … Read more
As St. Patrick’s Day approaches every year, people start to talk about “the wearing of the green”. Individuals who eschew green clothing and accessories 364 days a year, paw through drawers and closets to find green apparel or jewelry to wear in honor of the patron saint of Ireland. They also eat the green, as … Read more
The winter solstice has happened, which means that as each day passes, the western hemisphere gains about one minute of daylight. Of course it will take some time before those daily gains make a difference in daily life. In January and February, storms often obscure the increased daylight, making it harder to pluck hope from … Read more
There is an old Christian hymn that starts, “Lo, how a rose ere blooming, forth from a tender stem.” The lyrics continue, describing a rose that blooms “amid the cold of winter.” Despite the fact that a winter-blooming rose is a seasonal impossibility in this climate, I persist in looking for one. In fact, that … Read more
