Dead Wood…

Dead Wood…

by Jeannie Design & Garden Tips
Dead Wood… I perfected the fine art of eye rolling when I was thirteen. So charming.  I’m guessing I came to this expression in response to something my father said when I thought I knew way more than he about the world and that he was purposefully trying to work my nerves. Since that time when I’m annoyed, it’s my fall-back look. I was in full eye-roll mode last week when my letter to all of you grand folk was stuck ... Read more
Ode to Blake…

Ode to Blake…

by Jeannie Tis The Season
“This is how I shall measure time….” I can’t find the poem. I found a short essay from which the poem was crafted, but the poem may be lost, which is not surprising since there have been many moves and nearly three decades between. The search was not exhaustive so there is yet hope. I remember only fragments of the poem, the last line being, “This is how I shall measure time.” When my son, Blake, was ... Read more
Garden Style…

Garden Style…

by Jeannie Whimsey
“We are stardust, we are golden…..And we got to get ourselves back to the garden.”   –Joni Mitchell I am more than just occasionally tardy and I know it is a bad habit. I was late to an evening appointment today but I feel it was for a good reason: the sun was on the lemon-yellow tree peony with such bright perfection I had to stop and take a good look. And a photo. ... Read more
Tools of the Trade…

Tools of the Trade…

by Jeannie Design & Garden Tips
A few years ago I was deep into the spring clean up and had hauled many rounds of debris to the curb to await borough collection–some stacked in piles, the rest in refuse cans. I knew the truck was close by because Katie gave me a three-bark alert. I continued to work when I heard two masculine voices say, “Look at all this. I don’t think I can lift this container ... Read more
In the Dark Garden….

In the Dark Garden….

by Jeannie Plants
In the Dark Garden… I’m thinking the garden is a whole different place when the night creatures come around in comparison to how I see it by daylight. I’m thinking of wide-eyed cats in moving along the perimeter of the fence, small mice emerging from their holes in the walls, owls looking down at the whole of it from a perch in the pin oak. Last week I noticed some “calling cards” on the patio chairs. Hmmm…..My best guess ... Read more