The Years To Remember

These just don't stop! My sister and I met in Millerton for our annual ride on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail with lunch at the Oakhurst Diner. 27 miles was a bit rough, but we explored the north end which was being extended for a few miles - yay!  Spring is just wonderful! I have trouble staying inside when it’s so lovely outside. I have been starting each day with a soak in the hot tub, 32 oz of water, and listening to the birds. Then I start on the yard/gardens.  This was all grass at the start of the day. Now wild geranium and day lilies of all colors. I think I'll intersperse with some liatris, then mulch.  I divided and planted more day lilies and astilbe to better locations. I made a new flower bed around a crabapple tree, then did some hard pruning of trees. Problem solving project: I have no water near the side garden and have to drag heavy hoses around from the front or back to water the plants. I found an old post in the shed, and a curtain hold back in the garag...

Tulip time! I spent the past few days in the garden - my happy place. Over a month ago I made a list of jobs I wanted to do in the garden to attract more pollinators. The only job left undone was to make a bee hotel out of my sundial post. So I did a little research as to hole size, depth, etc… and made this: Before After - a bee hotel of sorts. My drill bit was dull and I had a hard time drilling neat holes. I hope the bees won't mind. Lots of astilbe clumps and day lilies were dug up and relocated above the wall, as well as a bit of mowing the lawn. I also got stung by a wasp which has happened before, but the level of swelling was far beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.  My hand and arm got so swollen! I don’t know what caused such a reaction, but I’m planting lots of lemon balm, rosemary, and lemongrass around, which I’ve learned repels wasps. The yard and garden wall were full of wasps looking to make homes. I want to attract bees and repel wasps so I think I have some more...

I am amazed each year when this lone Greigii tulip flowers. It has been in my garden since the first year I moved here, 29 years ago! There are quite a few other plants that have survived that long, including a huge swath of lavender plants, bee balm, iris, and day lilies. I need to spray the few unfenced tulips with deer spray or they will be eaten.  These late daffodils just bloomed today - I like their little orange trumpets. I have been spending my time going to medical appts. and pottering around the house, with a few errands sprinkled in. I just finished a round of vestibular therapy for my ear and balance issues. It's a miracle that I survived five separate flights on my recent trip with no further ear damage. As my ENT said, the damage is done. Now for another ear surgery in May - hopefully the last one. The weather has been fine with a few thunderstorms interspersed, but there is so much to be done in the garden this time of year. I bought a new mailbox and post that I nee...

  Good morning April 7! Almost every year it snows a bit in April so we should all be used to it. When it happens though, people act as though something truly remarkable has happened with all the news stories and social media posts of disbelief and almost outrage. It's tiring. Do people have such short memories? Anyway, the snow is melting almost as fast as it falls and spring weather will be back for good in a day or two. And daffodils. I've been recovering slowly from my trip in terms of jet lag. Two naps a day and still sleeping at night, seems to be the worst of it. It's a small price to pay considering I don't have anywhere I need to be these days. In conferring with Peggy and Geri, they also had an extra long recovery period from the trip. We really had such a great time and pretty much exhausted ourselves. I hosted a movie showing Monday of Andy Weir's The Martian . My book group recently read Project Hail Mary by the same author and a few science fiction av...

  Before I took off with the ski group to Norway, I had a short visit from my sister so we could both volunteer up in Lake Placid at the World Cup Cross Country Ski event.  Theresa was very interested in the military gear of the Army mountain division. They were as bored as we were so let Theresa try out their gear. It turned out to be a training day with no need for volunteers, but they gave us vests, and told us to walk around and answer any visitors questions.  Theresa being Theresa. Training runs. So we walked around, chatted with a few people, met the Olympic silver medalist - Ben something, ate well, shopped and got sent home early - a fine day and another free ski voucher for next winter. Gore mountain is still open for skiing, but I'm into gardening and biking mode now. We stopped for dinner at the Paradox brewery and enjoyed dinner there. Theresa stayed overnight, then headed home to pack for her ski trip in Vermont.  The next day I was picked up by Peggy an...