Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
Visiting my daughter Sarah and grandson Charlie a few days ago, Juana, Charlotte and I take advantage of the splendid day we are presented with and travel to a local wildlife sanctuary in Ipswich. The first thing I spot is an artistically stacked wood pile that has a massive branch cutting through it. I don’t […]
Juana was cleaning out the closet the other day and found two of the many bibs she made for Charlotte years ago. The first, with vegetables and fruit, and the second, with farm animals, had been stored with the hope that someday another grandchild would be able to wear them. And that day is now […]
I’m not sure when I got the idea about writing a book about my horticultural therapy experiences, but it was probably around the time Charlotte was born. I was pretty much retired and Juana and I were taking care of Charlotte during the day and my horticultural therapy program was starting at Ann’s Place. Prior […]
After all the snow is shoveled, Juana and Charlotte decide to take a tumble to make snow angels. They try to coax me to fall in the cold and frigid snow. I decline their kind offer.
Though it has warmed a bit, I decide to start some microgreens early. Prior to the big freeze we had last week, I brought in the two trays of Corn salad (Valerianella locusta) I had dug up in the fall. They had been surviving well in my greenhouse, but I did not want to tempt […]
At the entrance of a drab, red-bricked building hidden in the woods, I push the buzzer on the intercom, identifying myself and the persons I am there to see. A crackly, static-laden voice acknowledges my request, and after a minute the large, gray steel entry door swings open toward me. I am led down a […]
2021 in review. Better late than never. These are among the most favored by me and others of the Instagram posts I made last year in seasonal succession. Included is a brief recap of each picture. In a little over 10 months, I have gone from zip to over 3,200 followers. Thank you all. Bunnies […]
It’s a great day to cut down our Christmas tree! Over a decade ago, I decided that it was silly (and expensive) to go out “over the river and through the woods” to purchase a tree when my property has plenty of space to grow tiny conifers. So I planted over a dozen seedlings and […]
The final strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) harvest of Sunday was also the first of our blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum). I have been spying them from a distance looking for when an entire berry rather than just one side becomes blue. Our birds have been cross with me as their attempts to penetrate the defensive veil encasing […]
As tomorrow is the Fall equinox, I thought that a scavenger hunt at Ann’s Place would be a great way to celebrate the changing season. I have put together a slideshow with the rules and the objects that people should search for in the different gardens and around the exterior of Ann’s Place. My ‘Where’s […]