Santa (a.k.a. The World's Sweetest Fiance) was good to me this year and brought me my first pair of Felco pruners. I have been drooling over these for awhile now. Unfortunately, I won't be able to test out their world famous, smooth, tight action, or awesome cutting power and precision just yet. Well, I suppose I could whittle some marshmallow-roasting sticks. But, I think I can contain myself until spring. I love that they will last forever with a little bit of care. You can order replacement parts should you ever need them, they are easy to repair, and they can be sharpened without taking them apart. Just in case you would like to check them out for yourself, here is the website: http://www.felcostore.com/index.jsp
We are plant-sitting an AeroGarden for Blake's sister, Ren. I had heard about these 
before, but had never seen one, and certainly never bothered to research them. Ren had visited a store which was going out of business and had them for sale at half price. I would be highly tempted if I were to find such a deal. They are not cheap. This indoor garden is extremely easy to use, and you can grow anything from herbs and flowers to tomatoes, peppers, and lettuce greens. The AeroGarden is computerized, and tells you when to add water or nutrients, and it automatically turns the light on/off. How much simpler could it possibly be? It also gets bonus points for looking really cute sitting on top of my counter.
7:37 AM
6:17 AM
I found this giant toadstool in the woods behind our house. It looks like a good place to rest... (if you were a toad). This is the last of my fall-like photos. Winter is definitely upon us here in Vermont. We got our first snowstorm yesterday - the end of the storm that even made its way to Louisiana. I'd say we got about 8" of snow at our place. After work yesterday I was really looking forward to coming home and taking the dog for a walk. She goes nuts in the snow... she jumps into snowbanks, bounces around, and sticks her whole head in the snow if she smells something curious. It is really quite amusing to watch her having so much fun.
This is my last weekend of class. Yipeeeeeee!! This past semester I was taking Anatomy and Physiology II and English Composition. It was an enjoyable semester, although very time consuming, as you can see with my lack of posts for the past month or so. I will be taking my last test tomorrow. It is always a little strange for the first week or so after classes end. I find myself with all of this time on my hands and not really quite sure what to do about it. But, I am looking forward to doing the things that I have been missing. This winter I would like to do some knitting, and I would really like to learn to quilt. The quilting will include learning to sew, because I am pretty much clueless when it comes to operating a sewing machine. I could probably find the "on" button, but that's about it. In addition, my pastels are collecting dust in the spare bedroom. Oh yeah, and I have been itching to go spend an entire day wandering around Barnes and Noble reading books and sipping a fancy coffee...
7:10 AM
Gathering Leaves...
by Robert Frost
Spades take up leaves
No better than spoons,
And bags full of leaves
Are light as balloons. I make a great noise
Of rustling all day
Like rabbit and deer
Running away. But the mountains I raise
Elude my embrace,
Flowing over my arms
And into my face. I may load and unload
Again and again
Till I fill the whole shed,
And what have I then? Next to nothing for weight,
And since they grew duller
From contact with earth,
Next to nothing for color. Next to nothing for use.
But a crop is a crop,
And who's to say where
The harvest shall stop?
7:53 AM
When it comes to gardening, one of the things I love the most is that there is always something new and exciting to be learned or discovered. Despite the cold temperatures (currently it is 15 degrees) and snowy landscape, I am dreaming of a few additions I will be making in the garden come spring. This Ensete Maurelii - Red Abyssinian Banana grows to 10' tall in temperate climates, and the leaves can grow to 10' long. I love the red that appears on new growth as well as underneath the leaves.
Canna 'Panache' is a bit different from other cannas. It's delicate rosy-apricot blooms are orchid-like and great at attracting hummingbirds. Visit the Gardener's Journal for some great information on overwintering both bananas and cannas. It's pretty easy to do, and worthwhile if you want to add some tropicals to your garden, but are lacking the tropical climate. I am also anticipating the arrival of two other additions: my English Rose 'Evelyn,' which bears giant, apricot-colored flowers of a shallow, saucer-like shape, with numerous small petals inter-twined within. And last, but not least, Hypericum moseranum 'Albury Purple,' with the colorful orange-yellow blooms and purple-tinted foliage. I have found the zoning information on this one to be a bit confusing, but I am determined to give it a try.
'Evelyn'
Hypericum moseranum 'Albury Purple'
Hypericum moseranum 'Albury Purple'
8:03 PM
Just when I thought I had planted the last of my bulbs, I found a few others that I decided I couldn't possibly live without. It began with an order to McClure and Zimmerman for 3 varieties of allium (schubertii, purple sensation, and atropupureum), 2 varieties of tulips (black parrot and the fringed blue heron), and 3 foxtail lilies (eremerus bungei). Then, I was reading about the art of potting bulbs, as well as forcing bulbs. Elizabeth at Gardening While Intoxicated has some great information on planting, potting, and forcing bulbs. She also makes it sound really easy, I might add. : ) So, as I was reading and learning, I thought "Hey, I can do that!" However, I would definitely need to order some more bulbs!! Another visit to McClure and Zimmerman and Old House Gardens, as well as one or two visits to The Lily Garden, and I have become crazed by the desire for more bulbs. Here are a few of the goodies I found:
'Schoonoord', early, double-white tulip
'Sulfur Queen' Hymenocallis
'Conca d' Or' Orienpet hybrid lily
'Elise' Aurelian hybrid lily
Just one week after planting my tulips, some critter has already discovered the darn things! I found the mangled remains of a tulip bulb sitting on top of the dirt not far from where it was planted. Those crushed shells in the bulb fertilizer seem sort of useless!! Ah, well, hopefully the little bugger doesn't come back for more!!
11:54 AM
I must admit... I am a complete sucker for a man with a banjo... er... um... I mean fiddle... oh man... no wait... um... I am a sucker for a man who knows just what to do with his... cello. Let's just say, I am a complete sucker for some incredible banjo pickin' mixed with some silky, sultry vocals, as well as one of the best fiddlers I have ever seen, topped off with a cellist that can do things with a cello that I have never seen before in my life. This would be the makings for a group called Abigail Washburn and The Sparrow Quartet. My wonderful fiance got us tickets to this show at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in Burlington, VT, and it proved to be the most delightful, wonderful, and entertaining evening!! I would have to describe this music as 'eclectic bluegrass'. You can hear a sampling of their music at their website, which also includes a list of tour dates. Did I mention that Bela Fleck is touring with this group?? Abigail Washburn and The Sparrow Quartet features:
Abigail Washburn: vocals, banjo
Ben Sollee: cello, vocals
Bela Fleck: banjo, and a bit of a comedian, I might add
Casey Driessen: fiddle
If you have the opportunity, please check them out!! I have also included a link to each artists' website, which are definitely worth a visit.
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