A lovely morning walk

Beaver Lake in mid-morningThere's a human-created lake (Beaver Lake) in North Asheville that's truly magical. It's a neighborhood lake, supported by the surrounding community, with the only "fee" being for boaters and dog-walkers.I admit that we've been scofflaws, bringing Woody for walks without...

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Fall colors

I'm grateful to have two wonderful places to enjoy fall color and inspiring views.The views from the windows in our small mountain house are glorious right now - at their peak.Black gum from studio windowkitchen window viewview from the deckview from my small studioThe views from the windows in our...

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A long fall season

This is a magical time of the year. In the Southeastern U.S., we have wonderful fall colors, spread out over many weeks.In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and in the Southern Appalachians, where I live, it is a time of both senescence and renewal.Yes, the leaves are turning color and dropping,...

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Beautyberry bread

Gathering the berries. I used only the ones at the ends of the branches because they are the last to ripen.I robbed the birds!Many birds feast on our beautyberries (Callicarpa americana) including mockingbirds, catbirds, and cardinals.  So I felt guilty removing even one cup of their winter berry...

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More monarchs

A warm afternoon yesterday saw more monarchs nectaring on the big Buddleia, as they were heading south. These must be some of the last stragglers (I hope). By the weekend, temperatures look to be seasonally cold, and probably the first frost/freeze -- depending on the the lows.The first monarchs are expected in Mexico any day now....

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Waterfall magic

My gardening companion just received layouts for his upcoming book about waterfalls and wildflowers.  Woo-hoo- I'm so excited and proud for him (it takes DISCIPLINE and hard work and a lot of time to write books;  many, many hours over days, nights, and weekends, with lots and lots of work,...

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More fall views

A morning hike in the mountains of Western North Carolina:view beyond the fielddistant viewreflections on Bass P...

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Biltmore walled garden

view from terraceLast Sunday's visit to Biltmore included a visit to the walled garden, as well as a walk up to see the far vista from the terrace.the creativity with grasses, mums, and Mexican bush sage were nice, and way beyond the usualthe mums were the stars, but the interesting twists with grasses...

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Fall light

This is the first full week of clear, crisp sky we've had so far this fall.  The characteristically soft, hazy light of spring and summer blew away, leaving behind dramatically blue skies.We don't see this kind of blue very often in the southeastern U.S.  Today's walk felt different, almost...

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An amazing mushroom

I've never seen a mushroom that looked like this before (nor had my gardening companion).Its markings echo long-ago learnings about selective pressure around moths, and industrial Britain. (They became darker as coal ash polluted the air over a century ago).Nevertheless, this was an extraordinary-looking...

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Gardeners know when to "fold"

Gardeners are gamblersWe plant seeds or seedlings and we bet that we'll end up with a bountiful harvest, but it doesn't always happen that way. So when a crop is in distress, we need to yank it out and move on to something else. Case in point: our fall cucumber crop that I talked about last time. We...

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Mignonette

So I was reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and I reached a spot in the book where Mary has found the secret garden and decided to grow flowers in it. She has her friend Dickon buy seeds for her. He bought her poppies and Mignonette. He told her they were the sweetest smelling flower...

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Tapping into the creative side of gardening

I've been thinking about this topic for a while:  this post a couple of years ago reflected on some of my thoughts then.I totally rediscovered my creative side through gardening and thinking about designing with plants, in general.Writing about my nature and gardening observations has been a wonderful...

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Still more monarchs

one of many monarchs nectaring on the large BuddleiaThe flow of monarchs continues;  the abundant Buddleia flowers are actively being visited, with the nectar resources shared with Painted Ladies, skippers and other butterflies, and bees of all sor...

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Monarchs, in abundance!

I wish I'd managed a photo today, but our one butterfly bush (Buddleia spp.) was covered in nectaring monarchs all afternoon, along with a few painted ladies and frittilaries.There were at least 25 monarchs visiting, at about 4 pm, when I went out to check with my gardening companion (and assistant, too).  Marvelo...

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Remembering...

We often walk through downtown after dinner, when we're in the mountains.  We enjoy seeing the scene -- tourists, locals, street musicians, and restaurants full of folks.  Our dog Woody likes the walk, too. Asheville has been a destination for visitors throughout its history, from its heyday in the early 20th century, to its resurgence over the last three decades.There are many "travelers"...

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Thank you, garden clubs!

In an odd twist, my garden club group in the mountains is co-hosting our District meeting (it cycles around the member clubs) tomorrow. I never thought I'd be a member of a federated club, but was recruited by someone who's become a good friend, and who was one of the founding members of what is a wonderfully eclectic group of folks -- young, old, and everything in between. We meet at different times...

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