Author Archives: Maraleen

Drama and Beauty in the May Garden

Drama and Beauty in the May Garden Bears:  Hummingbirds return here around May 11th. This year, I put out five feeders for them on May13th. In the middle of that night, our dog, Amanda, started barking wildly; we knew something … Continue reading

Posted in butterflies, butterfly gardens, gardens, home made deer repellent, monarch butterflies, pollinator pathways, pollinators, spring flowers, spring renewal | Comments Off on Drama and Beauty in the May Garden

March 22, 2020 PLANTING SEEDS FOR THE FUTURE

I had first posted these instructions  on February 24th and March 13th 2019: How to turn milk jugs into mini-greenhouses. Since I use milk for cappuchinos, I save the plastic jugs throughout the year. Preparing the ½ gallon and gallon … Continue reading

Posted in butterflies, butterfly gardens, gardens, spring flowers, spring renewal, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Comments Off on March 22, 2020 PLANTING SEEDS FOR THE FUTURE

Early Spring Notes from the Garden March 2020

The warm weather is wonderful and worrisome.   The sap is running, little buds are forming, snowdrops, aconites, and the tips of daffodils are pushing up through the winter’s litter of leaves, and the air smells sweeter.   It was 75 … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Early Spring Notes from the Garden March 2020

Notes From a Winter Garden December 2019

December 1, 2019 My dog, Amanda, and I were home alone last week; actually, my cat , Samantha was quietly napping upstairs. Sweet Amanda barks when deer are close by, but this evening her hair stood on end, her barks … Continue reading

Posted in gardens, Uncategorized, winter birds, winter garden | Tagged | Comments Off on Notes From a Winter Garden December 2019

September 26, 2019 A Monarch Emerges

On this mostly rainy day, a monarch emerged, the one that had made its chrysalis in the ear of the Butterfly Horse sculpture.  As the rain became heavier, I brought him into a safe enclosure, filled with flowers: tithonias, black-eyed … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on September 26, 2019 A Monarch Emerges

Migrating Painted Ladies September 16, 2019

Every day for the past couple of weeks, dozens of Painted lady butterflies, Vanessa cardui,  flutter through my gardens, feasting on the many glorious flowers still in bloom.  Painted ladies are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.    … Continue reading

Posted in painted lady butterflies, Uncategorized | Comments Off on Migrating Painted Ladies September 16, 2019

September 2019 – Catching Up

I lost three weeks of August to a terrible summer cold that had me sleeping inordinate amounts of time rather than be in my gardens six to ten hours a day. Be that as it may, this summer has been … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on September 2019 – Catching Up

July 20, 2019: The Heat is On: The View From My Cool Room

July 20, 2019: The Heat is On: The View From My Cool Room Bless air conditioning on a hot, steamy day. The only room that has AC in our mountain aerie is my office. Saturday morning, as has been my … Continue reading

Posted in monarchs, ovipositing monarchs, Uncategorized | Comments Off on July 20, 2019: The Heat is On: The View From My Cool Room

Deer Repelling Bon Bons

In the continuing challenge of keeping deer from eating so much in the gardens, including monarda, lilies, sedum, hollyhocks, raspberries, and so much more, my latest invention is deer repelling bon bons.                 … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Deer Repelling Bon Bons

Summer Solstice: The Heat is On

The challenges and joys of gardening never cease. Now that the temperature is nearing ninety and the humidity up there as well, I feel like I’m walking through molasses physically and mentally. That said, it has brought to a snail’s … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Summer Solstice: The Heat is On