Category Archives: Uncategorized

April 22, 2013 · 2:23 am

TULIP TIMING

For years I’ve planted tulips along the path to my garden house.

I’ve chosen to cluster them all there

Rather than dotting them around the garden

The effect is quite good.

Even dramatic in a good year.

I’ve also hosted many spring parties in my garden

But I’ve never gotten the two events coordinated.

Until this year.

Back in January we began planning a bridal shower for my friend Gay’s daughter.

The best day was last Saturday, April 20th.

Gay asked if my tulips would still be blooming.

No chance I replied.

I’ve never known tulips to last that long.

Now this is the latest and coolest spring I can remember.

In fact, there is yet another freeze predicted for next week.

So the tulips began to bloom.

And bloom and bloom.

They have lived through no less than 4 overnight freezes

Including one complete with ICE!

They’ve just kept on keeping on.

Flushed with sunlight

And backed with still blooming Redbud trees.

Ali and Friends

Yesterday they really strutted their stuff.

Which only means one thing.

I want to plant more next year!

Gail

PS: Hopefully after the final “last freeze” next week we’ll get to really dig in and start gardening!

“PERFECT” GARDENING DAYS

I’ve never been a fan of the word perfect.

After all I grew up on a farm

Where nothing is ever perfect.

I did marry an attorney

Whose job it is to be perfect

God has such a sense of humor!

I try not to use that word.

But there are times when it truly does apply.

This weekend turned out to be full of “perfect” gardening days.

Which is surprising since last Wednesday we had an ice storm

Featuring frozen Tulips

And Redbud trees.

So when yesterday dawned cool and cloudy

I was ready to garden.

As you may recall last fall we opened a new client choice food pantry

For hungry people in this part of the state.

We serve over 800 individuals and families each month.

And we are working hard to provide them with healthy food choices.

So naturally we decided we’d grow some of that food.

A generous soul named Michael has worked tirelessly to organize this project.

A month ago 10 raised beds were built.

And yesterday morning we planted them.

With plants and seeds donated from Atwoods.

And the help of volunteers from Chisholm Schools.

In 3 hours we planted 10 raised beds.

Stuffed them full of early season veggies and greens.

What a gift!

The day continued with…what else…a nap!

Nothing better than napping on a sunny spring afternoon.

Then I began to work on the roses that I have so ignored all spring.

Each rose got a good drink of water laced with 1/4 cup of Epsom salts.

They gulped it right up.

Next I finally got around to cutting away the dead

And tying New Dawn to the fence

It gets a bit unruly from time to time.

A couple of quick flower arrangement for Sunday’s church services

And the day was done.

This afternoon was less focused.

Just piddling around

Trimmed the hedges outside the kitchen window

Pulled more of that @#$#@ poa anna grass

Before it goes to seed.

Planted a flat of alyssum

The one spring annual that can withstand

Next week’s promised last freeze

Then spent a few minutes sitting among the tulips

They are like children.

When you bend down to their height

You enjoy them so much more.

An unexpected clap of thunder

Brought a soft brief spring shower.

God watered everything in.

It was a “perfect” gardening weekend!

Gail

2 Comments

Filed under Alyssum, Bouquets, Dead Heading, Flower Arrangements, Gardening, Hunger, Redbud Trees, roses, Seeds, spring, Spring Flowering Bulbs, tulips, Uncategorized, Vegetables

April 1, 2013 · 2:27 am

Easter Egg Hunt

I love gardens

And children

So it is with great joy

that once again we hosted

The 1st Presbyterian Church Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday.

My friend Kay is my partner for this.

She gives her considerable talent, creativity, energy and education

To the children of our church each week.

She does the lion share of the work for this event

Along with other talented friends.

Four generations of friends, neighbors and church members gather for the fun.

When you think of it, what better place for an Easter event

Than in a garden.

But you may recall I was concerned that because Easter is so early this year

That my garden wouldn’t “look good”.

The grass was not picture perfect green.

Actually it’s mostly brown and still crispy.

Just a few things are blooming

Forsythia, hellebore, pansies and violas

And plants are just emerging from their winter’s sleep.

When will I ever learn that I am not in charge here!

God has it covered…every time.

God…and Kay

She had many activities and stories.

All of which told the story of Easter

Resurrection and new birth

From the live grass for the Easter baskets

Planted a month ago during Sunday School

To the annual Lady Bug release

(Aphids don’t stand a chance in this garden)

To enacting butterflies emerging from their cocoon

(A card table covered with a brown cloth)

Learning about and experiencing nature

Taking flight.

Is there a better way to spend a glorious spring Saturday

Than to create memories for children and adults

To experience nature

And God

What a gift.

Happy Easter,

Gail

1 Comment

Filed under Butterflies, Easter Baskets, Easter Egg Hunt, Forsythia, Hellebores, Lady Bugs, Uncategorized, Violets

March 25, 2013 · 12:58 am

ANTICIPATION

Remember that old ketchup commercial?

An upside down bottle

Cap off

Carole King singing “Anticipation” in the background.

But the ketchup just wouldn’t come out.

This spring feels like that ketchup.

It just can’t get started.

And so we awoke this Palm Sunday morning

To yet another snow.

After all it is still March!

But I’m just a little anxious.

The fact that I’m having the church Easter Egg hunt next weekend

And my yard hasn’t even been scalped

Is driving me just a bit!

So today I did a little “snow gardening”

Yes, it was cold.

And windy.

But after putting on tights, pants, sock liners, socks, boots, wool sweater, coat, glove liners, gloves & ear muffs

Combined with sunshine and a wind block.

It was pretty toasty out.

Smiling violas kept me company

Just waiting for companion tulips to appear

The leaves were wet with snow

But they rack up just like dry ones.

And there is life beneath.

The hope of spring

Of garden days to come.

Of blooms to breath in

And share

Of life!

Sunshine’s on it’s way.

Enjoy the week.

Gail

5 Comments

Filed under Easter Egg Hunt, Forsythia, Hellebores, Rake, spring, Uncategorized, Viola, Winter Garden

March 18, 2013 · 1:11 am

Garden Travels

It’s finally here…Spring!

Officially on Wednesday.

It’s just a bit soon here to begin digging.

You can start cutting back all that brown dead stuff

And racking back that protective coat of leaves.

But instead of standing at the window

Staring into the backyard

Wringing my clean hands

I’ve been lucky this past month

And gotten to visit not one,

But two glorious botanical gardens.

About 3 weeks ago Virginia, Debra and I

Spent an afternoon at the Desert Botanical Garden.

I’m not really a desert person – Virginia is

It was after all a garden, so I was happy to tag along.

So glad I did.

There was a bit of Chihuly glass.

If you don’t know Chihuly glass

Get to know it

It’s art…beyond belief.

Butterflies were another draw for me.

A butterfly pavilion had been added for the next few months.

Being in a small enclosed space with hundred of butterflies.

Or…flutterbyes as I like to call them.

Is…well…like having God doing a fly by.

Really low!

Now, I’m not someone who travels a great deal.

Quite the opposite.

I love being home.

Somehow just two weeks later John and I were heading to Dallas

It was warm and sunny while we were there.

Yesterday on our way out of town we visited Dallas Blooms.

And bloom it does!

The Dallas Arboretum was lit up with no less than

500,00 spring flowering bulbs.

Bed after bed of daffodils and tulips.

Underplanted with violas of every combination.

Pots of Ranunculus

Shouting “It’s Spring”

Planter boxes with the tallest ornamental cabbage known to man.

We were in Texas after all

Brides taking their wedding portraits amongst the glory of it all.

And many princesses complete with crowns, gowns and velvet couches!

There’s a tradition there I need to explore.

Then there were these two darling boys.

Who I was certain had found a lady bug

or caterpillar

or some wonder of nature

Because they had turned their backs on this breathtaking beauty.

Look closely

It’s an iPad!

Somehow I kept from screaming at them.

It’s starting here.

Hellebores are always first.

Patches of daffodils are beginning to bloom

Next will come forsythia and flowering pear trees

Then the big parade begins

I can’t wait

I’m just grateful for such a splendid preview.

Take in a little spring this week.

Gail

6 Comments

Filed under Butterflies, Daffodils, Forsythia, Hellebores, Ornamental Cabbage, Spring Flowering Bulbs, tulips, Uncategorized, Viola

December 25, 2012 · 8:25 pm

Christmas Birthdays

Thirty Three years ago today
Elliott was born
2:43 a.m.
Dozens of family and friends came to welcome him to the world.
It was a joyous Christmas.
With many more to follow.

Popcorn and Elliott Christmas 1984

In time having a Christmas day birthday was well…overwhelming.
So we began a series of 1/2 birthdays on June 25th.
But after a few years I was feeling guilty about ignoring the day.
So was born Elliott’s Christmas Cookie Decorating Party.
The first was just before his 5th birthday in December of 1984.
I don’t recall how many we had but they did stretch well into
If not through his years at Taft Elementary School.
So on a December weekend afternoon a couple of dozen friends would come.

We would roll out the cookie dough on the kitchen island

Will and Elliott cutting cookies

Then cut an array of trees and angels and reindeer and santa claus cookies.
Once baked the decorating would begin in the dining room.

Elliott, Brady Henderson and Anthony Frevele with help from Geraldene Stevenson

My memory is it was a huge flurry of activity
Lots of sticky fun
There was a core of “Taft Tigers” who would come.
As well as the older kids of friends who came to “help”.

Trevor Johnson, Gwen Glasser and Kyla Buxton

Sometime in late elementary the inevitable happened.
Elliott outgrew the party.
We substituted with a chinese auction for all boys
But I still miss those cookie decorating days.
So last year I began to think about re-creating these memories.
Decades have gone by so I wasn’t up to the numbers of past days
But I could handle a few.
Luckily Cassidy and Sloan are right next door
And Tori is always willing to indulge me.

Cassidy and Sloan “creating”.

So last year we had a very fun and sticky cookie decorating afternoon.
I made the mistake of using a royal icing recipe
Way to runny.
Pretty much coated the table top with icing.

Now as it turns out there was another baking memory.
There were a few years when Mother and Daddy lived in OKC

That she had all of her grandsons make gingerbread houses.

Ben, Elliott, Brok & Will building gingerbread houses

And we’ve done it at the afterschool program at our church for a decade.
So this year we did a simplified gingerbread house.
Graham crackers glued to milk cartons
With just the right consistency of store-bought icing for glue.

Much less sticky and just as much fun.
So the tradition continues.
Adjusted over the years for the changes life brings.
With more in years to come I’m sure.
Happy Birthday, Elliott
And Merry Christmas to everyone.

We’ll be back to gardening come spring.

Till then enjoy the winter’s sleep.

Gail

4 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

October 21, 2012 · 1:58 am

DAYS OF GRACE

We are having some splendid days this fall.

Granted, a few days are warmer than usual.

But overall this is one of the reasons

I love life on the Great Plains.

Indian Summer.

The cool crisp days

Filled with sunshine

And hope.

Many here are putting in fall vegetable gardens.

Our summers have gotten a little “toasty” for tomatoes.

So now we often get as many if not more in the fall than summer.

That has certainly been the case at my house.

Because I have ridiculously over committed myself this fall

I’m finding little to no time to spend in my garden.

I have managed to get some transplanting done.

Ferns, Hostas and Hydrangeas have all been relocated

To a happier home – hopefully.

I’ve pulled fallen plants out of the ground where they block my path.

Beyond that I’m afraid time in the garden just isn’t happening.

These are the days that my garden teaches me grace.

That unrelenting giving that God and gardens are known for.

It’s as if they are saying to me

You can ignore my but…

I’m still here.

I’m not going anywhere.

I will be here for you

When you take a minute to slow down

And let me in.

I’m not only here

I have much to give

To teach you

And to share.

Gail

4 Comments

Filed under Basil, Bouquets, cockscomb, Dahlias, Fall, Fall Vegetables, Gardening, Tomato, Uncategorized

September 16, 2012 · 2:25 am

BENIGN NEGLECT

Yesterday I took a friend on a little tour through my garden.

Frankly, it was embarrassing.

I knew I hadn’t spent much time in my garden

For weeks.

But I hadn’t realized what bad shape it was in.

It has a major case of “the flops”.

Between the rain

And Peg looking for bunny rabbits

Plants – especially cockscomb – have fallen down everywhere.

Paths are almost impassable.

Weeds are well…being weedy.

It isn’t pretty.

Luckily, today was a spectacular day.

Cool with a high of around 65 degrees.

And cloudy all day long.

So I spent the day doing what I should have done all along the way.

Cutting back

Pulling out.

I think I have mentioned before

I have a problem of shall we say “editing”.

I let too many tiny seedlings

Grow into giant plants.

Too much of a good thing like cockscomb

Will strangle even a rose bush.

Rosa Julia Child and New England Asters

Tomato plants run amuck

Will completely shade other plants into oblivion.

So even though it’s very late in the season.

I’m whacking away.

Hopefully they’ll be time for all of this to recover.

And just in case there isn’t.

I’m throwing lettuce seed in all the empty spaces.

It’s a little late for that, too.

But what the heck

You never know

If you don’t try.

So the lesson here is simple.

From time to time

You have to cut things back

Or completely pull them up and compost them.

Begin again.

As the decades roll by its harder and harder to do that.

At least for me.

Familiar is comfortable.

Safe.

But then you end up living in the shade of your past.

You just don’t grow as much in that shade.

Not good

For roses

Or for people.

Fall officially begins next week.

Enjoy,

Gail

THE RIGHT STUFF

Over the years I have tried a variety of gardening tools.

I’ve narrowed it down

To what actually works

For me.

So, I thought I’d share my favorites.

Now…I realized that like everything else in life.

What works for me

May not work for you.

But this tool conversation has to start somewhere

And this seems the logical place.

First, let’s talk about what I don’t like

And get that out-of-the-way.

I don’t like what I call “cutesy” gardening things.

You know – trowels with flowers and bugs and frogs painted on them.

Not only are they too cute,

They just don’t stand the test of time.

No…I go to the other end of the spectrum.

Some off my garden tools look more like

Well…midieval weapons.

Take my very favorite

The Korean Hand Plow

Or its common name the E-Z digger.

I once gave these to all my gardening relatives for Christmas.

You can imagine what it was like going through airport security!!!

But they are to my way of thinking, the most logical piece of gardening equipment.

And they are ergonomically efficient.

Saving strain on the shoulder and elbow.

I use it for weeding, working up the soil and digging holes for seeds and plants.

I once lost one for months.

Only to have it fall out of the composter after a good spin.

It was really rusty, but still works.

If you can only have one tool.

This is it.

Next would be pruners.

I’ve tried them all

And lost them all.

Felco is the gold standard here.

A number 6 or 7 is sized for the average woman’s hand.

But as it happens I didn’t really like my #7 Felcos

So when they disappeared into the late summer garden

Never to resurface

I replaced them with Okatsume Pruners

Which I found at, of all places, Amazon!

I’ve managed to keep them now for several years.

The bright orange handles help me locate them in a sea of growth.

To keep them sharp I use this handy little pruner sharpener I discovered a dozen years ago.

And rakes – gotta have them.

I have 2 favorites.

A small hand rake.

Oh so handy when I’m on the ground cleaning out under

Hydrangeas, overgrown well…everything this time of year, rose bushes, etc.

You get the idea.

Then there is this handy little expandable rake.

It goes from very small to a regular size.

And everything in between.

Which means you can make it work for just about any job.

Now, so as not to frustrate you I think it best to tell you where to find all of this.

Normally, I’m a locavore when it comes to shopping

But since for some reason many of these are not carried in garden centers

I think I will give you websites.

Kinsman at www.kinsman.com is a gold mine of really good gardening tools and supplies.

There you will find the Korean Hand Plow, the pruner sharpening kit and the hand rake.

The bigger rake is found at garden centers and hardware store.

Another quality online source is Lee Valley Tools at www.leevalley.com

So, that’s the beginning of my tool story.

We’ll talk of others again soon.

As I see people around town many ask if I have any flowers left

After the heat.

So here’s the answer

Yes

Another great tool…

Drip irrigation www.dripworks.com

It saves me every year.

Enjoy the week.

Gail

1 Comment

Filed under E-Z Digger, Garden Tools, Hand Rake, Korean Hand Plow, Pruner sharpening kit, Pruners, Rake, Uncategorized

September 9, 2012 · 1:25 am

THE FIRST CRISP MORNING

It’s here!

That feeling of fall.

Cool

Crisp

Refreshing

Renewing

So….rather than sit inside and write a blog.

I’m going outside

To let fall soak into every cell of my body.

I will follow this with the blog I wrote – almost completely.

Last week.

But never sent.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this glimpse

Off what’s blooming

In My Garden

Enjoy the week,

Gail

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