Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
I recently discovered a beaver lodge on Turtle Pond, which is hundreds of yards from my home. This pond is undergoing extreme eutrophication as half of it is filled with reeds, organic material, small trees and bushes. When I moved to Ridgefield over 30 years ago, I would take my daughters fishing here to catch […]
There are a couple of sure signs that Winter is on the wane. The loudest is the emergence of Spring peepers. Their chorus is a sign that they (and the mud they have hibernating within) have warmed. These amphibians are ready for action. The plaintive cries of males looking for a mate drown out any […]
The typical surprise of Spring growth is more intense this year as we have not had the prior weeks to observe its tiny signs. Instead, the melt of six inches of snow last week creates a fresh show for us. Crocuses planted by squirrels in the lawn have emerged as have the snowdrops. Like in […]
Breaking in new help is always a challenge, especially when it is my granddaughter Olivia. 🥰 Mid-March is when I need to start up my seedlings for the Spring. The first batch is a combination of microgreens, herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, stevia) for my horticultural therapy classes and some greens to put into the cold […]
The irony was not lost on either Juana or I. After over six weeks in the tropics where the temperature never dropped below 70 degrees, we come back home to a Nor’easter and 6 inches of snow. The first thing we did upon arriving late in the day was to don our snow boots and […]
Beach combing is a twice daily pastime for Juana and me. Every day we find something new and exciting. But these days are now behind us as we head back north to rejoin our family, friends and frost 🥶.
The other day I spotted a golden trumpet tree (Handroanthus albus) in fill bloom. Like the Canary Island date palm, of which there are many on our street, this South American native is one of many non-native tropicals that adorn the Keys.
Though the Keys are a skinny set of islands, they are chock full of wonderful nature surprises. We recently visited the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center (@keepthemflying ) to see all the good work the organization is doing. It takes in hurt birds and either heals and releases them or takes care of them for […]
One of my favorite sightings when I am in the Keys are iguanas. These colorful invaders from Central and South America are highly invasive and typically litter and chomp on the landscape. But this past Christmas, the Keys had record low temperatures, which killed large numbers of these reptiles. So in my daily bicycle rides, […]
A full moon appeared out of the ocean last night. Juana and I rock back and forth on a porch swing enjoying its reveal and the shadows it casts upon the sand and sea. We will soon be heading north, back home, though moments like this give us pause.