Deadheading in the Garden

The temperatures are growing slowly cooler as Connecticut begins to prepare for autumn. This year, we’ve had alternate wild rainfall interspersed with hot/humid days. The garden has welcomed the rain but because of the heat, the soil dries out dramatically quick, requiring more watering then usual.  Earthworms are on the rise, I’m told that’s because of the additional moisture. I have so many earthworms that the soil is eroding in many places to the point where groundcover on a hill just slides down. At first in disbelief about the veracity of my tale, the local nursery finally suggested trying buckwheat
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The New Britain Museum of American Art

“Sleeping Children” by William Henry Rinehart (1825-1874) at The New Britain Museum of American Art. The original sculpture was a memorial for the children of benefactor Hugh Sisson. Another summer is coming to a close and I think it important to appreciate a local museum that offers one a spirit of contemplation. End of summer is always a thoughtful time as the garden, still full of life, is also poised to wind down to cold once again. The New Britain Museum is the first museum in the country dedicated to American Art. We visit when the spirit moves and are NEVER disappointed.
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Curious Bedfellows- Deck Refinishing and Scarf Design

The weather gave us a short series of sunny days to clean and stain the front deck. It’s taken roughly 500 days to get here. (We missed last year entirely) Happily, I was able to take short breaks to visit our little cactus- boasting four flowers this year- three in a row!  Deck Refinishing Friday, we taped, wet down and applied cleaner and brightener to the mahogany deck. The process is challenging- you wet the wood, apply the product, let it sit for 15 minutes, scrub the surface with a bristle brush, and rinse it off. Sunday, we stained and rubbed
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Clothes From the Garden

You grow the plants. Photograph them at high resolution with your Nikon of choice and design new creations in Photoshop. Apply those to a finish product and SELL said item. A tall order. Even though I’ve bought printing for marketing purposes, experimenting with printing to fabric was a whole other story. It would be exhausting to think about doing even part of the job, if I hadn’t fallen head over heels about the potential for creating beauty. The love of transferring nature to fabric has had its way with me relentlessly. Blogging about it is my confession. Pretty or handsome?
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