Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
Floridians seem to be more playful with their mailboxes than us Northerners and Keys residents appear to amp that up a notch or two. Here is a collection of some of the more interesting mailboxes/posts that I have found in my daily bicycle trips around Upper and Lower Matecombe in Islamorada.
A bicycle ride yesterday reminded me that I am not the only migrant looking for a nicer place to spend the season. Tucked behind a communications tower I find an abandoned boat half-filled with water. On the port bow is written ‘protegida’, which means protected. On the starboard side, ‘por dios’ is written, which means […]
While one may think that coconuts are the only things to forage in the Keys, there are lots of other options. The other day Juana and I stumbled upon some desert purslane nestled next to some wind-blown palm fronts and a stone-like sponge. Differing slightly by shape and taste, this wild succulent is just like […]
Juana and I, like a pair of elderly migrating birds, have made our way South (way South) to the Florida Keys to warm our bodies and souls. With the exception of the past few years, we have been coming to the Keys to vacation for over 20 years. The tiny apartment we rent is on […]
It’s a perfect day to drive up to Millerton, NY, to pick up my yearly supply of organic soil for Ann’s Place. Between projects for my clients and the needs of the different gardens, I usually need about a yard of soil and compost. I get all my soil from McEnroe Farm who’s product has […]
We are spending a lovely holiday weekend at the beach on Long Island. The weather is perfect with bright sun and light, warm breezes. We decide to take an early morning walk with a foraging prey in mind: beach plums. Early September is beach plum season here and we hope to beat the birds and […]
It is impossible to capture everything in a blog about what you see on a trip like this. Here are a few vignettes of special sights. Classic covered bridge: This well-kept covered bridge is located in Uhlerstown leading us off the D&L to the D&R trail on the other side of the river in New […]
“Paddle right,” I shout. “Now left! Watch out for the rock on the right! Pull hard to the left. Keep the raft straight. Everyone paddle hard! We are heading for a boulder!” Ted and I take the day off from pedaling and spend it paddling down the Lehigh RIver in a rubber raft with a […]
We did it! Black Diamond and back. 73 miles. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect day this morning crossing the train tracks in Jim Thorpe heading north on the D&L trail. Following the Lehigh River, we start up a long incline that will not end until we get to our final destination. Between the […]
Passing over the Lehigh River, our departure from Sayre Mansion in Bethlehem is accompanied by the whistle and clacking wheels of an empty freight train below. Another cloudy day greets us for our 40 mile trip to Jim Thorpe, the area where anthracite coal was discovered in the 1800s. The morning ride along side the Lehigh […]