The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul. – Alfred Austin My perennial flowers are loving this late summer heat wave, as long as I give them a drink of water (or two) […] Read more…
A Little Hydrangea Heaven.
Where is August going? I feel the tick-tock of the back-to-school clock already … and I haven’t even gotten to the Minnesota State Fair yet. (The State Fair, by the way, is a pretty big deal for my office – I will promise to blog a bit about all the ways we (wait for it […] Read more…
Monday Staycation – In Rewind
I am on vacation this week, and I have instructed the office not to call me unless it is a dire emergency. Since I work with very smart and understanding coworkers, I am sure they will heed my plea. (Seriously. I have awesome coworkers.) I need this week off. We don’t have big plans and, […] Read more…
Garden Joy in July
The gardens are in full bloom now, with the zinnias, coneflower and daisies putting on quite a colorful show. I think my favorite flower changes almost daily now – I love all my zinnia varieties because the colors are amazing and bright and so happy. But, the coneflower is a classic Minnesota perennial that is […] Read more…
Sunny Gardens
It’s 91 degrees where I live today – and quite humid! No complaints here – I love summer so bring it on. The mosquitoes, however, are loving it as well, but I doused myself in bug spray and went out to do a little weeding early this afternoon anyway. Both my flowers and vegetables are […] Read more…
Wordless Wednesday: Flowers and a Family Legacy
I love when the peonies start to bloom – gorgeous color and the flowers smell amazing! This particular peony has special meaning for me – it came from a cutting of the same peony that my Great Grandfather planted on the family farm I grew up on. It’s hardy, tough and vibrant – a lot […] Read more…
Sunday Wishes for Sunshine
Where is the sun? It’s been so gray and cloudy and rainy and cool in Minnesota. And not just for a few days – I’m talking for weeks on end. Our thermometer only reached 61 degrees today – quite a bit lower than our average high of 78 degrees this time of year. I think […] Read more…
Digging in the Dirt.
“It was such a pleasure to sink one’s hands into the warm earth, to feel at one’s fingertips the possibilities of the new season.” – Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden It’s true. I love spring for many reasons, but I especially love to watch the earth come alive, my perennial flower plants sprout up and the […] Read more…