Author Archives: Maraleen

June 24 2016: Fireflies, Fritillaries, and Flowering Milkweed

June 24th 2016 : Fireflies, Fritillaries and Flowering Milkweed Another delightful and enchanting and seemingly magical element has begun; the fireflies are back seeking their mates through light signals like dancing stars or Tinkerbells, just making me happy to be … Continue reading

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June 2016: Eating Roses

Rose petal jam and hummingbird nectar, in my kitchen Monday morning. …………             haiku by Maraleen It is with immense joy that I can once gain make rose petal jam, this time from my very own rosa rugosas. Way back in … Continue reading

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Beautiful Month of May 2016: Challenges and Remedies

The Beautiful and Challenging Month of May 2016 The days are cool enough to work hard in the garden, cleaning, hauling, amending with compost and mature cow manure, and shoveling mulch wheel barrel by barrel from the 3 cubic foot … Continue reading

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May 5 2016

Every year the migrating ruby throated hummingbirds return to our home between May 2nd and May 9th.  Since this first week of May has been cold, rainy and generally dreary, I thought the hummingbirds  would be delayed. As I walked … Continue reading

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May 2, 2016

Tis cold, dreary and raining, hovering around 40 degrees F.  Yesterday, the first of May felt like the beginning of March and today there is a hint of spring with dashes of lightening and rolling peals of thunder. At least … Continue reading

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Spring 2016

Everything is affected by everything else. How different this spring has been.  With hardly any snow and much milder temperatures, the bears awoke on March 16th this year, contrasting with April 28th, an extraordinarily cold last year.  My indicators are … Continue reading

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June 2015

Bears have good memories.  Since they raided the bird seed in late April, they returned only to tear down the hummingbirds feeders a few days ago.  Oh no.  Yes, there are many flowers for the hummingbirds here, including the fabulous … Continue reading

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The Merry & Dry Month of May 2015

Roots are deep for the trees and perennials since they are all flourishing in various shades and textures of green and many flowering even though it has hardly rained at all this May. On May 10th our views of the … Continue reading

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April 2015

April 10th:  At dusk, I went to our local supermarket five minutes from home that is nestled next to the mountains.  I saw a funnel of at least 100 vultures gracefully soaring on a warm thermal whirlwind.  Even though some … Continue reading

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June 25 2014 in the garden

There is so much beauty, drama, mystery and challenges in my garden, that the world fades to the distance. The wisteria planted three years ago has just created her first magnificent and fragrant purple flower.  My husband Steve and I … Continue reading

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