Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold
Sun catchers
This whole glorious summer-like week I have been in raptures over the light. How it slides in sideways through the morning and afternoon… (Are you stuck inside then? Shame.) How it would be blinding if … Read more.
Making arrangements
I don’t think I have been nearly noisy enough about the cutting garden this year. It is so knock-your-socks-off bloomerific. I’m also not sure I’ve mentioned just how fun it is to pick flowers from … Read more.
Equanimity
It feels like the pendulum has paused exactly mid-swing, balanced between seasons, temperature extremes, and in the high blue sky between dewy mornings and golden afternoons. Right here, right now, everything, except maybe my raging … Read more.
Where are all the butterflies?
The airspace over and through the gardens should be all aflutter right now. The garden is alive to be sure — it buzzes and hums; it zings and whooshes and pips (we still have hummingbirds), … Read more.
Kaleidoscope
I am always reluctant to say goodbye to summer but this morning, as I type with cold hands for the first time in months, I have to acknowledge a shift. The capricious weather has been … Read more.
How to slow summer down
I wish I knew that trick because once again summer seems to be flying by — despite long days in May and June spent planting; despite what felt like an interminable heatwave in July. But … Read more.
Slow gardening
This week has to have been the prettiest week of the summer so far. The sky is clear as a bell, a slightly lower humidity level has made it easier for internal thermostats to function … Read more.
Missed stakes
By now we have a pretty good idea of what plants in the garden are going to fall over by mid-summer and we usually plan way ahead to prevent floppage. We have whole sets of … Read more.
How we beat the heat
We didn’t. We just rolled with the sun’s punches, sweated buckets, and are still recovering. But even though we lost the fight in some respects — we lost a week with the volunteers, lost appetites … Read more.