I finally watched the Christmas movie, The Polar Express, and my thoughts turned to gardening, as they always do. Actually, my thoughts first turned to other trains that were named "Express", then I thought of gardening. I thought of the Hogwarts Express, which takes the young wizards and witches in the Harry Potter books to and from London and Hogsmeade, where they go to school in Hogwarts Castle. I also thought of the Orient Express, a real train that took travelers from Paris to … [Read more...] about All Aboard!
thoughts turn to gardening
Playing dress up, our thoughts turn to gardening
My sister and I, the sister who does not garden but does a really super job of weeding if she takes a notion to do some weeding, spent some time this morning sorting through old family pictures. As usual, my thoughts turned to gardening, as they always do. I had forgotten, until I saw these pictures, that I was apparently not always content to dress up Barbie dolls and baby dolls. I had to dress up shrubs. In particular, I dressed up an Alberta spruce, Picea glauca 'Conica'. Of … [Read more...] about Playing dress up, our thoughts turn to gardening
Riding an elephant through a garden center
I ran across a metaphor for how we think emotionally and rationally, and my thoughts turned to gardening, as they always do. In summary, our emotional thinking, when our instincts kick in, is like an elephant. Our rational thinking, which applies reason and thinks about the long-term, is like a little rider on top of that elephant trying to keep control of it. Now picture when you go to a garden center and see a plant you love from a distance. The elephant in you awakens, rears up on her … [Read more...] about Riding an elephant through a garden center
Reading Harry Potter and thoughts turn to gardening
Purslane - is this what Gillyweed might look like? I am reading all of the Harry Potter books this summer and my thoughts turned to gardening, as they always do. Naturally, I am interested in the references to herbology as one of the subjects that the young wizards and witches study. I noted today that it was mentioned in the fourth book that none other than Neville Longbottom seemed to do best in herbology. Poor Neville, slightly chunky, barely a wizard. Of course herbology is his … [Read more...] about Reading Harry Potter and thoughts turn to gardening
What’s your pickle?
What's your pickle? The other day, I watched an old Andy Griffith Show, the one about Aunt Bea's pickles. "Ya see" (that's Andy talk) Aunt Bea made some homemade pickles, and Andy and Barney acted like they liked them, even though they hated them. The pickles were awful and tasted just like kerosene. They did this on account of they didn't want to hurt Aunt Bea's feelings. Early in that episode, after Aunt Bea dropped off a plate of her pickles at the courthouse for Andy and Barney to … [Read more...] about What’s your pickle?
Selection Sunday, Our thoughts turn to gardening
I bought and planted violas. It's Selection Sunday, when college basketball teams find out if they've been chosen to play in the NCAA tournament, and our thoughts turn to gardening, as they always do. This is to be expected, what with everyone talking about seeding and who will get which seed in the tournament. What gardener wouldn't immediately think about their seed stash and which seeds they are going to start indoors and which seeds they are going to sow outdoors? By now, most gardeners … [Read more...] about Selection Sunday, Our thoughts turn to gardening