THE FOREST GARDEN IS IN FULL BLOOM HERE AT THE VICARAGE.
THE DAY LILLIES ARE EVERYWHERE THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN BRINGING THEIT BEAUTY AND BRIGHTNESS.
AND THE HOSTAS ARE LOVING THE WARM RAINS WE HAVE BEEN HAVING.
THIS YUCCA WAS JUST A ROOT CUTTING WHEN I PLANTED IT A DECADE AGO. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THINGS.
ABND FINALLY HERE IS THE ANTIQUE HYDRANGEA I PLANTED LAST YEAR. IT HAS GONE INTO BEAUTIFUL BLOOM.
Well as I said in yesterday’s video, Spring is almost here!
Of course it will be months before the tulips and daffodils poke their heads up through the ground. Like wise it will still be months before I can turn the ground in the garden beds and put the cold crops into the ground.
One thing I know though is that months go fast. So this week I will plan out the garden.
It won’t be that intricate, but you get the idea. Also this week I will be purchasing some of the plants I will be starting from seed or root. I have a whole space I set aside in the fall for Jerusalem artichoke.
I can’t wait to get started!
Forgive the Game Of Thrones reference please. Today was the first day of daylight savings time. Two days ago it was 75 degrees here and we had enjoyed two more days of Indian Summer in Massachusetts. This morning the dogs were up at 2 A.M. and it was down in the 20’s when I took them out for a walk.
I got a lot done last month towards the winterizing of The Vicarage and the forest gardens, but there is much more to do before the true winter settles in.
There are still cellar windows to be covered in bubble wrap. It’s a new thing I am trying in the cellar to see if it improves the insulation in the dead of winter. This came as a suggestion from my sister who uses it on certain portions of her apartment in the Netherlands. The plastic at the cellar doors also needs to be hung. It was a big help last year with the winter wind.
Most of the leaves are gone now. Just the Norwegian Maples still hang onto their leaves. They light up the forest garden in the early mornings making the light almost magical. I still have some garden areas to prepare for next Spring. I am planning on planting a stand of Jerusalem artichoke out by the grape vines.
And I have plans for a pumpkin patch next year. So there is some cutting and dirt turning to do before the ground seriously freezes. I also have a few more rocks to move into place around the picket fence area before they freeze together in the winter storms.
It was a beautiful fall. Now it is time to get ready for the holidays and the New Year.
We are falling quickly into autumn here in northern Massachusetts. The evenings get down into the 40s, but the days are still in the 70s. It’s that time of year when I fight with myself about whether or not to put on the heat at night. So far my frugal self is winning.
This morning I admit, I turned on one of the mobile heaters in the living room just until I didn’t need to wear a blanket in the house.
Today is my Sabbath so I have been trying to be mindful all day about my prayer time and about taking in the beauty of my surroundings.
The gardens are still full of beautiful fall flowers, like this stand of Maximillian sunflowers.
The nasturtiums are in flower. I have been adding the leaves and flowers to our salads these last few weeks.
The Japanese knotweed is absolutely beautiful right now too.
This St. John’s Wort is letting us know he is ready for what is to come.
The white and purple asters have been remarkable this year.
These tiny rose hips are already attracting the wild birds around the area. We are sure to be loaded with cardinals and bluejays this year through the winter. I hope we can get some good footage from Kristine’s camera.
While my daughter is not a fan of the goldenrod I love the brightness it brings to the season.
Today was not a big work in the yard day. I have been sitting out for my prayer sessions, but most of the day I have been in doing paperwork. Last week was yard work week. I got a lot of mint harvested and hung to dry.
I also mowed the whole yard…except the forest path. That I am afraid is looking pretty unkempt just now.
But Kristine got the chicken paddock moved. The chickens love it!
Well, all except for Partly Sunny. She escaped this morning through a hole in the fencing. We found her hiding in the bushes just behind the paddock. She complained when we put her back in the chicken yard, but I just checked on her and she seems resigned to her fate…at least for now. Kristine moved some of the fencing to deal with the hole and I am going layer some field stone around the bottom edges of the paddock to shore it up. All in all we are doing pretty well getting ready for winter.
WHAT DOES YOUR WORLD LOOK LIKE THIS FALL? OR IF YOU ARE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE WHAT DOES YOUR SPRING LOOK LIKE?
I love the Indian Paintbrush that comes at the end of Spring. We have a little at The Vicarage, but my neighbor has it in everywhere!
This week for my weekly community challenge I am participating in SHARE YOUR WORLD.
This week all of our weekly questions are regarding Spring. Here is what our hostess asked this week:
1. What to you is the first sign of Spring?
The bird calls change. The males start to sing their songs to the ladies.
2. Do you have a favourite flower at this time of year?
I love tulips in the Spring.
3. Does your country exercise the hour change?
Ugghh! Yes! It is this weekend! It makes church an hour earlier for me. Less sleep than usual. I will not be crabby! I will not be crabby! I will not be crabby!
4. Do you spring clean your home throughout, change furniture around or keep to a normal routine?
I don’t change inside furniture around much, but part of the Spring routine is uncovering the lawn furniture and getting it put back in place for the summer.
Gratitude: I am thankful for another week with my mother and my family gathered around her. Here is a picture of Mom and my daughter Melanie taken while Melanie was here taking a turn watching over Mom.
Notes From the Vicarage 