A COVID Baby Shower

A COVID Baby Shower

August 30, 2020

Following my mom‘s death in the middle of May, life quickly began motoring ahead, almost without missing a beat. Since May, life moved so fast in Spring I almost couldn’t keep up. Most immediately, front and center was planning for the arrival of my first grandchild in mid-September. I’d promised them a shower! I gathered names from family and released my first party invite the week after my mom’s death, scheduling it for July 25- Thinking the pandemic would allow us the opportunity for a multi-generational extravaganza. Not so fast.  Pretty quickly, I had to hammer down guest invites to less than
Read More

Memorial Day 2020

Memorial Day 2020

May 25, 2020

See the White Feather Hosta I bought a few years ago. I’ve moved it several times as it failed to thrive. I was so committed to having such an exotic looking hosta, I never gave up. This Spring it re-appeared and I waited to see if once again it might wilt and turn green but guess what? It’s happy and growing this year. Nestled into some dark green and rock neighbors, it really gets to strut its stuff. New garden memories being made. My mother died May 14, in the midst of the COVID 19 outbreak but not from it. She
Read More

Serenity Now

Serenity Now

May 12, 2020

Sheltering at home for those of us able to do so has its blessings. Projects that have gone begging for months have re-appeared with a vengeance here in Litchfield. Are YOU bored? Give me a call, I’ll take care of that for you. One big project is repair to our god of the garden – Serenity. Serenity is the wooden Thai Buddha we bought in Brimfield MA. He’s been sitting on his throne for almost ten years now. We move him into the barn in winter, but the weather and rain have overcome him. Once again, this is the year to
Read More

Florida: Where Art Meets Nature

Florida: Where Art Meets Nature

May 4, 2020

Florida is many things. Boring is not one of them. Our recent trip on the eve of Spring break, drove that point home. Do you recognize any of the wanton Phalaenopsis orchids in the photo, thriving on the tree trunks? ( I’ve killed several attempting to raise them a dry New England home). They’re at home in Florida. One thing that jumped out in Miami was how intensely nature informs art. I’ve never been to the south of Florida before. As with many temperate places, warmth creates an enduring sense of wellbeing in the out-of-doors. As a plant lover, I totally appreciated
Read More

Celebrating Beauty

Celebrating Beauty

April 8, 2020

Beautiful people bring the sunshine. Getting together with others is on hold and will be until the pandemic passes. And when will that be? Social distancing makes one realize what we had. And will we learn to be kinder and more patient in the interim? I hope so.  I’ve once again dug into sewing and shooting scarves for Spring 2020. It’s been tedious as my hand is still not 100% after December surgery. Beautiful colors keep one going in crazy times. See more scarves here. Photo Shoot First, There Was Florida I took so many photos in Florida during our March
Read More

Sunshine in St. Pete’s

Sunshine in St. Pete’s

March 26, 2020

Nothing quite says sunshine like the close up of a white angel trumpet lily. Truthfully, this gorgeous flower did not bloom in my March garden. Since we REALLY needed a little sunshine in our lives – we happily headed south just before Spring Break. And, we left there literally the day before the youthful crazies descended to pack the streets. Social distancing was not yet in vogue. Mother Nature has a way of washing cares away. There are many places in the country I haven’t yet visited, but this year I was determined to visit southern Florida. Larry did not
Read More

Imagination Brings Winter Respite

Imagination Brings Winter Respite

February 17, 2020

Welcome to Fantasy Land Connecticut- where the summer cactus is in full bloom and imagination runs wild. Weather this year has been a bit strange; hot, cold, freezing rain and intermittent snow. Know what I mean? A couple weeks ago, I ventured out to the garden as I was starting to see tiny buds on trees. I was horrified to see some bearded iris roots emerging from the ground. There’s no question that even as the days grow longer, we have some winter left. It’s got this gardener worried. Everybody OK out there? After hand surgery December 18, I’m still
Read More

The Garden-Winter Dormant

The Garden-Winter Dormant

December 29, 2019

This winter I’ve felt particularly dormant. Apologies all around for not maintaining blog posts in recent weeks. My right hand is still in the first of two casts following hand surgery on December 18. This, and future posts are being dictated voice to text. What a drag. However, surgery was the entrée for the Ultimate Christmas Gift. A couple weeks ahead I received a text from my daughter-in-law. ”Could we bring dinner?” No second request needed. Christmas dinner was awesome as several couples and my son, the Maple Bacon King, descended on the house and prepared a MOST tasty dinner.
Read More

Color Transitions

Color Transitions

November 21, 2019

Well, I managed to cover the boxwoods this year without freezing to death. The gardens have finally been put to bed in preparation for winter and the holidays. Not before the ground colors conspired to deliver a gorgeous last fall palette of colors. I’ve been thrilled with the bush covers we bought last year- and learned the hard way to not store them in an unprotected outbuilding. One of them got half eaten last year. Some tips about winter garden care in general. We tagged a tree last weekend at Angevine Farm in Warren CT. I can’t tell you exactly
Read More

Scarf Ordering Deadline This Saturday

Scarf Ordering Deadline This Saturday

November 12, 2019

The holiday ordering deadline for new scarf production is this Saturday, November 16th at noon to guarantee delivery.  I’m having hand surgery in December and the cast is on for five weeks. (yikes) I offered up my left hand eight years ago and it came out great, but who can say goodbye to her writing sewing, dressing, everything hand for five weeks? Fortunately, we have some scarves in stock too- including those fabulous new WARM all cotton infinity scarves. Or, see all the scarves here! Ladies Night Out See you later this week!!! Come on down for a visit to Litchfield, Thursday,
Read More