Being Consumed...

       



BEING CONSUMED......

Sitting in my garden this day, 

I wonder just how long I should stay.

The tendrils of vines are reaching my way.

Hoping to catch me in their clutches today.

The rain this summer has caused them to grow,

beyond anything I seemed to understand or know.

They are climbing the trees and porch posts,

to heaven they reach and climb and go..........

I wonder if I were not here and the tendrils had their way,

would they find themselves covering my house, the

windows and the doors? 

Would they climb the chimney and over the roof?

At this moment I fear I mustn't sit to stay.

The vines are taking over, I can almost hear them laughing, 

I can't be sure, I'd better get to pruning 

or they may soon be attacking!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Cynthia (DeRemer) McDonald  -  June 2013

Winter Fairies

Just outside, beyond the lace curtained window, is a flower garden inside a beautiful wrought iron fence.  It is a very special place.  Oh, it may look quiet and snow covered to you, but on this snowy winter day, but I believe the little town of Fairy Wonderland is thriving and very busy.



These little fairies are happily moving among the little igloo buildings, with twinkling lights, visiting one another and gathering for a drum and dance.  The fairies will celebrate near the little pond, ice skating and a bonfire will be enjoyed after the drum and dance ceremony.   They are celebrating the ending of winter, the coming of spring.  This late winter, early spring snow is a bonus, bringing much needed moisture to spring blossoms in the Fairy Garden.




Fairy Guardian

The snow covered earth sparkles like diamonds from the twinkling lights of the fairy lanterns beneath the snow.  The Fairies, themselves are dressed for the occasion, scarves of woven sweetgrass, legwarmers from last summers dried flower petals.  Their hats are made of various seed pods and padded with downy fiber to insulate them a little.  You know of course they don't really need warm clothing, they do it because it makes them happy!  Their boots are pointy and have little tinkling bells that jingle when they walk, it all adds to the joy they have for living with nature every day. 

Winter Bittersweet 

Their little winter village has fences of icicles that will eventually drip away, leaving the meadows of their village open giving them freedom to run and play.  They delight in taking picnics to the fields of spring and sitting under blooming violets and dandelions for shade. 

The village of Fairies have been living in my garden for many years, they are happy here, they don't seem to mind that I don't trample around too often and make all things tidy to our human eyes.  They like things to go a little wild, because they love beauty in the wild things and so do I.

I've seen them on occasion.  My favorite moment, when they were dancing around the spring daffodils, holding hands with one another and skipping around and round the clump of beautiful blooming yellow flowers.  Another time they were dancing in the tree leaves above my hammock.  I had to squint my eyes ever so slightly to see them, they hide from most who are too busy to notice.

Once when we were doing baskets of flowers for my daughters wedding, I ask for the fairies to help keep them growing and flourishing during the growing process before the wedding.  I have never seen such beauty surrounding those baskets.........

There is also a little tea set in the garden, they love to have tea parties and especially like it when I leave them sweets, a little candy or cookie is always welcome. Today I think I'll make them some hot chocolate and marshmallows for the celebration tonight.  Going to be quite an event, I can almost hear the drum and little tinkling bells.

My Fragile Backyard Eco-System

Little pond 2009

I am in a quandary now that spring has come.  I have some issues that need my attention and very quickly.  I can't seem to make up my mind how to handle the effects of our little Eco-system in the back yard.  

Last winter my little pond where my twenty year old goldfish have lived, was damaged when a large fallen branch punctured a hole in the liner.  I took the pump out and caught the fish and moved them to the horse tank for the winter.  Due to the constant rain, I have been unable to put in a new liner and the fish have been happy enough in the horse tank.  Until yesterday........  disaster came with warmer temperatures, my big beautiful fish suffered from the warmer water and of the 8 fish, I lost four.  In a panic to save the other four, they were quickly immersed in cold water and I am happy to say, those four, are doing fine this morning.  I have two little fish and two twenty year olds left. 

frog pond 2011

I know I must get the pond back in working order.  When I came back to the house after the fish crisis, I go to the partially filled pond and two frogs jump into the water.  That is when I realize that they have made the pond their home and probably have little tadpoles swimming around in that large greenish puddle of a water.  Taking out the liner of the pond requires everything to be out, plants, frogs and whatever else might be living there.

The question I have, can I destroy one Eco-system to accommodate another system.  The fish need fresher clean water with a pump to circulate the water to keep the oxygen levels good and frogs like quiet, less clean water to call home.  I am trying to figure out a way to keep my goldfish happy in cool and in clean water. I also want to allow the frogs to grow and live at my back door.

It is hard for me to decide one over another, I pray for an answer, stay tuned...........

Joyful Flowers



Oh my, I do it every year and by August I am questioning my sanity.  Today I bought flowers.  Not for anyone but myself!  I love the bright colors the flower bring into my life.  The red and white inpatients are so pretty in their beautiful blue flower pots.  They do so well on my shaded porch. 

I am also attracted to the plants that require full sun, even though I don't have full sun, I still buy geraniums!  I found some today that were marked down at Lowe's, I don't know why they were reduced, they'll be wonderful potted up around our gardens. 

I also bought some Boston Ferns, I love seeing them hanging from the studio porch, they just "say" summer.  Of course, I also had to buy a couple of fuchsias, the hummingbirds love them and they are so pretty with their long graceful stems and pretty bright pink blooms, blowing with the spring breezes.

After being in Florida, I'm so ready for spring sunshine and warmer days.  So far it is just wishful thinking!  We are going to have possible showers for the next entire week!  Our yard is a swamp, I don't dare mow, I can't possibly work in the flower beds, ahhhh but I have flowers I can pot up for immediate enjoyment!   

PS..... Remind me in August, when I'm dragging the hose around watering pots of flowers, how much I loved them in the spring!

Our Trees

It's been a long hot summer here.  I don't remember summers being this hot when I was a kid.  I think part of the reason is because we lived in a woods, the shade from all those trees really kept us cool.  We have shade over our house, big old trees, the coolness is obvious to me.  I love those trees.

The trees unfortunately are not considered good trees.  They are fast growing, soft maples.  I understood, more about these trees after the storm we had last week and big branches fell from one tree and onto the roof of our house.  The branches came down with loud thuds, one after another.  I grabbed my flutes, with the little dogs close behind we left the room in which they were landing. It was rather frightening.

We have talked often about the need to trim back these trees.  I have a hard time with trees that have been pared back to look like little square branch boxes sitting on a big old stump.  It's not natural and too controlled.  I really hate the way a place looks in the winter with pruned trees.  I hate giving up the shade over our house in the summer. 

I wonder what would happen to all my shade loving plants that have thrived all these years in cool and dark places.  The birds also have found these trees to be a great place to raise their young.  I know my little frog pond will be filled with algae because of more sunlight.  Sleeping in the hammock might also be less protected and cool from the sun.  Trimming the trees will change the entire climate of our beautiful yard.  I am still pondering this problem about what to do with these trees.  There is no easy answer.

A Garden Scavenger Hunt

Last spring I worked really hard getting the gardens around my house in some manageable state.  This year you would never have guessed.  The gardens this spring are lush and thick with flowers that belong and others that have come to join the party!   I don't know how this happens, but every year I am more accepting of the things happening in my garden.

I got this brilliant idea last year and decided to finish the concept this year!  I think it is done and I couldn't wait to share it with someone!  I have kept with me over the years things I LOVE in an album, photos, articles, and this one list just kept coming to mind.  It is copied from a book that belonged to a friend, the book was called, Cultivating Sacred Space, by Elizabeth Murray.  She wrote that gardens have certain elements to create a relationship to a sacred idea.  So I devised a Garden Scavenger list for my grandchildren or anyone else that wants to play and search for things in my gardens.  The list will probably grow and change as the gardens grow and change.  Listed below is a few of the things you could find in my gardens and some of the sacred ideas behind the objects.

Arch - the arch is a representation of the rainbow.  It stretches from earth to heaven and back again,
           symbolizing the integration of power and love.

Gate -  a symbol of transcendence, it marks the departure from one world to the next.  What kind of gate do you think this one is?  Sanctity/privacy?  Does it open a new world for you to discover?  Does it serve as the threshold to the Fairy Garden?

Twinkling mirrors and pretty beads -  they hang from the archway, dancing with light in the breezes.   (these were added after the photo)

Bells and chimes -  throughout the gardens, invited to ring by the wind.  They symbolize the awakening to the life dreams, prayers and visions. 

Fairies - although the ones you might see are made of metal, they remind you to step gently, for
             fairies dance and play among the flowers and may be hiding while you are on your quest.

Ladybug tea party -  the ladybugs are having a tea party in the fairy garden.  Can you find the tea set
              near the blooming coral bells blooming in the spring.

Quote on a stone -  what does it say?

Winged Angel  -  he hides in the boxwood, he watches you as you walk the path around him.  (you can walk the garden paths in the winter too!)

Paths  -  they serve as a "metaphor of our process and our pace".  Slow down, enjoy life, look at the flowers, spend time in "your garden."

Glass Bulbs - are colorful, bringing pretty light to the garden, how many can you find and what colors

               are they?

Bamboo - although it bends in the wind, it doesn't break, serving as a reminder to endure and overcome

               adversity.  In my garden the bamboo holds pretty bottles in the fairy garden.  How many
               did you find and what colors are the bottles.

Fountains and water features - flowing with prosperity and abundance of life energy, water elements
               change the feel of the garden.  

Those are a few of the things listed, I also have Goldfish to count, Birdhouses to find, Garden flags, Tree faces, a toad house, swings, elephant ears (in the summertime), naming the cats and dogs and whatever else I can think of to cause one to walk through my gardens.  Do you think it will keep the grand-kids busy for a little while?


Photos come from 2009 spring and winter.