Whimsy is this week’s mindfulness focus, inspired by Beebalm (Monarda didyma), now flowering in my garden. Whimsy includes playfulness and amusement. And Beebalm certainly has those characteristics. The flower tops “… resemble unkempt mopheads,” according to the Missouri Plant Finder website. I have always thought they looked like Dr. Seuss characters, little creatures with tufts on their … Read more
The word surrender often has negative connotations. We have lost; we are quitting or admitting defeat. And yet there are countless times surrender can be the healthy choice. In the garden, I have had to surrender to the fact that plants I grew successfully in Pennsylvania are stressed by the Colorado environment. … Read more
Movement and Transformation I love to wander through the garden at the height of summer, especially in the morning. There is a moment where the chaos of the day hasn’t yet intruded. It’s a time to drink in the lushness and beauty of the garden, as well as the stillness. But even in the seeming … Read more
Lavender, Usefulness and Tranquility Too Lavender plants flowering in four different parts of my yard are the inspiration for this week’s mindfulness focus – tranquility. If you are not familiar with the lavender plant, you are surely familiar with its fragrance. The scent of lavender reduces stress and promotes tranquility. And it … Read more
I am overrun with golden raspberries and can’t pick them fast enough. A great problem to have, I know! They are one of the most prolific plants in my garden – and so easy! I’ve grown the Fall Gold variety in Pennsylvania and now in Denver and they seem pretty happy in both … Read more
My New Mural My back yard is home to a new mural – a tree with curving branches and vibrantly colored leaves. Created by Amy Calabrese, it is painted on the side of my garage, and makes a backdrop for the currants and nettles. I can see the tree as soon as I … Read more
Early on Sunday morning, I led a mindfulness walk at Bluff Lake Nature Center. It was part of a whole weekend of activities at Bluff Lake in celebration of Summer Solstice. If you live in Denver and not been to Bluff Lake, it is a beautiful quiet space in the middle of … Read more
Summer Solstice arrives Thursday June 21st at 4:07 AM Mountain Time (6:07 AM EST). This marks the point when the northern hemisphere is at its furthest tilt toward the sun. Observers in ancient times would have noticed the sun moving in a northward direction and then stopping and heading back the other way. One … Read more
The last few weeks I have written about blight and bindweed – some of the problematic aspects of gardening. Even though the focus was on a positive word for each post, I realized a gardening newbie might be discouraged. It might seem that it is hard to get anything to grow, especially here … Read more
Blight in the Garden My apple and pear trees have been infected with blight, a fungal disease that can quickly kills leaves, stems, and fruit. But both of my trees are blight resistant varieties, which is a good thing, because so far, the outbreak has been manageable. Many years ago in Pennsylvania, I had an … Read more
