This is a familiar lyric heard on the radio during the Christmas season made popular by Julie Andrews. In the movie, Sound of Music she sings to the Captain’s frightened children to calm them down during a storm. Music indeed soothes the soul. Another favorite this time of the year are Christmas stories shared. They connect one generation to the next. Many have themes including... Read More
Let’s take stroll down memory lane, a very long stroll. Approximately 2400 years ago, the Salii (Etruscans) of Southern Europe adorned themselves with corona sutilis. This special item was constructed of flowers, more specifically roses, and formed into an elegant chaplet to be worn at a festival events. The ancient Romans wore them to denote power and pride. The Greeks, wore this as token of... Read More
Sometimes the simplest most heartfelt messages are shared in childhood. These memories are kept safely away in the recesses of our mind. It takes a child (or a children’s movie) to be reminded of a song and a prayer for those we love. In this case the 1987 movie, An American Tail, is a story of two mice, Fievel and Tanya. When Fievel gets lost... Read More
As the holiday season approaches, one is reminded of a time of gathering with friends and family. You may be young or ‘older,’ travel near or far, but memories of home return. Edgar A. Guest stated, “So at last I think we always come to see that the hometown, whether it be a great city or humble one, takes its place in the mind and... Read More
With all the leaf raking going on, now may be a good time to consider building a compost pile. Use all those dry leaves and turn them into black gold for your garden beds. However, this process will not happen by itself. It requires the right ingredients, blended together in the right balance for this scientific process to take place. And it will require your... Read More
Sure, gardening takes time. But it does not have to be that daunting, overwhelming experience we perceive it to be. All you see is neglect when you look out the window. You’ve convinced yourself you just don’t have the time. Then nothing happens, the cycle repeats itself, nothing happens. Don’t get trapped into thinking you have no time for developing the garden you would like. ... Read More
Old Apple House in Autumn Seeping down from the cracks in the knotted ceiling, And lifting from the depths of the earthen floor, An oddly released and subtle scent comes stealing From the hoardings of many an autumn gone before. And now afresh the Pippins, Baldwins, and Russets Heaped high in bushel baskets add their scent To linger long in this ancient house long... Read More
For thousands of years humans spent their short-lived existence as hunters and gatherers. The ebb and flow of the seasons was their unwritten calendar. Large animals kept marching forward to greener “pastures.” So, we followed. Somewhere along this ancient timeline was a budding horticulturist with a curiosity of green growing things. Most likely what happened was they experienced tired feet and were really poor at... Read More
Initiated by the National Honey Board in 1989, The National Honey Month of September marks an important time for honey producers and beekeepers across the nation. In the United States, honey collection season typically concludes at this time of the year as bees begin to secure their hives and prepare for winter. In the spirit of celebration, here are a few fun, crazy facts you... Read More
Have you noticed? The morning air is growing cool and crisp. Touches of autumn are beginning to envelop the hot, sticky days of summer. Anticipation awaits the dawning of a new season and a certain bittersweet emotion of the sun sinking earlier upon the horizon. Thoughts of color fill the mind – the softening of summer’s riotous colors slowly fading into rich, jewel-tone hues –... Read More
