It’s great to be home in New England for fall. I’ve finally gotten outdoors to begin the tear down of frozen wilted plants. Lots left to do. I try never to rush this work because it’s a special time and like other things that require effort, you can easily grow to dislike them if you binge and try to do it all at once.
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The rain of the last few days has been prolific. If you are lucky enough to find a late bloom, keep it close, they’re becoming limited in supply. Only the hardy ones survive end of season craziness. Dahlias are some of those hardy survivors.
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I gave up growing morning glories several years ago when they started invading their neighbors space. Now, I’ve discovered a new place for them, I sew their dewy images into beautiful scarves. It wasn’t so much the flower vines traveling all over the garden as it was their insistence on climbing every plant they touched. And. After the first year, they rarely bloomed, so their prime “reason for being” had passed. I still have MANY fab photos of the glorious midnight blue flowers. Maybe another year.
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Something well crafted is something that’s well made, even handmade. Art is far more esoteric. And probably NOT functional, as a craft might be. Sounds a little confusing. What determines art or craft?
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A garden can bring truth to bear on everyday life, as hard as we might fight it. Right now, my garden is full of itself. Blooming and growing green like crazy. With all the activity out there, I’m still inclined to want more and more. What’s going to bloom next, what next do I need to plant, why are the azaleas not more full?
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Eleanor is a small terracotta planter we bought at Campo de’ Fiori in Sheffield MA. The pot was modeled after a friend of shop owner Robin, who grew up in Rome. The store takes its name from a small piazza where his mother used to buy flowers and vegetables. My Eleanor is outside in the garden on the stone wall- waiting for warmer weather so we can decide what kind of plant hairdo she’ll wear. However. April is the cruelest month. Are your buds covered with ice again?
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It’s been written that floor coverings likely originated from stalks of organic materials loosely applied to dirt floors to warm or visually improve them. In this way, floor coverings would also differentiate one home from another. The concept was not dramatically different from today. Shopped for a rug lately?
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The Christmas season heralds sensations of traditions that have lasted generations of families. It’s written that our sense of smell alone triggers more brain activity than visual stimulation. Think of it, the sight of a rose vs… its scent. Which holds more memories for you? The scents of Christmas. No question in my mind. What are yours?
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To some extent, “getting into the holidays” can incrementally increase tension. Anybody else feel a certain amount of increasing stress over… gift expectations, family time, whatever? I found an article written by Arthur C. Brooks that helped me, it might also be of interest to you. An excerpt…
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From Montreal. This year I’m thankful for a brief visit to Canada. Could it become more than a visit? Only time will tell. At least we have our passports now. And I’m grateful not to have to cook turkey this year – or any giant side dishes designed to overstuff. This isn’t the first year we’ve taken a “bye” for Thanksgiving and I strongly recommend it every five years or so.
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