Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature
Vacationing in the Florida Keys conjures up visions of warm breezes, swaying palm trees and fancy mixed drinks. And where we are staying in Islamorada, this idea has mostly been realized for the last few weeks. One part of this vision (at least for my wife) is a supply of coconut water from the surrounding […]
When visiting the Florida Keys one feels as if one has entered a foreign realm. Neither the plants nor animals have any direct northeasterly comparisons. There are no palm or mangrove trees on the beaches of Connecticut. Prehistoric looking pelicans do not swoop down catching fish with their pterodactyl-like beaks in Stamford harbor. And a […]
As our home in Connecticut is threatened with a potentially nasty winter storm later this week, Juana and I are relaxing in the relative warmth of Gainesville, Florida. Late in life snowbirds, we have taken to spending much of the winter months in the tropical Florida Keys. We visit the homes of family members on […]
July is when most things in the garden start their growth sprint. Tomato plants can seem to double in size in a few days after a heavy rain and bright muggy days. Lettuces will bolt overnight given high temperatures and bright sun. And if one is not diligent, weeds will overtake everything. Such summer garden […]
We make a quick stop at the Jacques Cartier Provincial Park, a park that offers red sand beaches and spots for camping. There are a good number of campers in the park but far from what would be here if this were in the states with such a lovely view and vantage on a holiday […]
A few of you may have noticed that my postings of the last month or so have been sparse (or to be more precise non-existent.) It is not from lack of things to do in the garden or interesting events/observations but rather a particularly hectic stretch of life that made blogging difficult if not impossible. […]
The irony in bird watching is that the birds you often seek by crouching for hours in the woods waiting for a simple, plaintive song more times than not don’t show up making your stealthy, early morning walks for nought. On the other hand, you can be more successful if you hang out near well-supplied […]
In the Northeast we take water for granted. In fact we sometimes curse it in the summer when hot and damp conditions combine to promulgate fungi, slugs and other residents of our gardens that turn lovely plants into mush or fond memories. There are no such problems in Southeastern Arizona where the land appears to […]
Being on a north-facing cliff, I have always recognized that our gardens reside in a unique micro-climate. Everything emerges late compared to gardens in town or even a few hundred yards up the block, which is more southerly facing. But our recent visit to the Ramsey Canyon in Arizona has really shown us the incredible […]
It is interesting to get differing opinions about topography. When Juana and I decided to take a guided tour up Ramsey Canyon a few days ago, we were told that the first part was flat and the portion leading to the overlook was a little steep with switchbacks. Now where we come from, flat implies […]