Archive for the ‘Branches’ Category
as the sun set by the pond
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, Branches, Inspiration, landscape, Middlesex Fells, nature, Photography, Spot Pond, water on December 16, 2023| Leave a Comment »
holiday trim
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, birch, colors, decorating, handcrafted, handmade, Inspiration, nature, Photography, pine on December 11, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Despite all of the holiday programming on television and the fact that I live in a neighborhood with many children and so many of the neighbors’ houses and yards are ablaze with Christmas scenes, I’m still not quite feeling Christmas-y. But Steve’s handcrafted trim is certainly helping.
a not so hidden gem
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged autumn, landscape, light, Medford, Mystic River, nature, nature photography, paths, Photography, trees on November 20, 2023| Leave a Comment »
A park near a neighboring school, adjacent to the Mystic River. I hope the middle schoolers take time to look up from their phones and enjoy the beauty around them.
the fells in fall
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged autumn, beauty, colors, Inspiration, landscape, Middlesex Fells Reservation, nature, nature photography, Photography, water on November 11, 2023| 2 Comments »
playing with color and textures
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged aesthetic, beauty, creativity, experimenting, flowers, Inspiration, nature, Photography, planting on September 9, 2023| Leave a Comment »
Flowers and herbs, real and faux. Just playing around with colors and textures and even scents (that’s Thai basil in front) to make a little spot of joy. Since this photo was taken the echinacea flowers have become seeds in a bag and a small bowl of blood oranges sits next to the faux orange flowers. Amazingly the Thai basil still looks the same. And when I lifted it just now I realized that the stems had grown roots. A certain fellow in this household has an upcoming planting project as soon as I find the right pot.
happy plant
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, tagged beauty, colors, flowers, gardening, geranium, Inspiration, nature, Photography, pink on August 7, 2023| 1 Comment »
if only …
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, tagged beauty, nature, Photography, rabbits, urban wilds, wildlife on April 17, 2023| 2 Comments »
an autumn garden indoors
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, tagged beauty, colors, flowers, indoor gardening, Inspiration, nature, Photography on November 1, 2022| 2 Comments »
This area was once filled with pothos that had way overgrown and once upon a time was lush and green but after much unattendance this summer had become gnarly and brown so … I cleaned house so to speak. Many a pothos tendril is sitting in jars of water waiting to root so this area may be pothos-strewn once more but for now light falls upon summer garden herbs and flowers that will hopefully find this to overwinter.
early autumn harvest
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, tagged autumn, beauty, colors, flowers, gardening, harvests, herbs, Inspiration, nature, Photography on October 16, 2022| 1 Comment »
harvest musings
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, tagged abstract, beauty, colors, edible flowers, edible gardens, edible plants, flowers, gardening, gardens, Inspiration, musings, nature, Photography, urban landscape on July 22, 2022| 1 Comment »
My dad used to say when he needed to pray he prayed in the garden. I don’t think I pray in the garden but the garden does provide respite as well as nutrition. For all sorts of reasons this year’s garden has been a source of joy … and a chore. In part I think I was too ambitious. I had no plan though I think I was pretty good about not planting things we didn’t actually eat. And we did try some experiments like kale that survived the bunnies and tasted so good cooked with store bought turnips … which inspired us to try planting turnip this fall. We’ll see …
The basement is full of hardneck garlic (which means that we were able to eat some garlic scape before the bulbs were fully formed). Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes everywhere. I’m trying to find ways to preserve them. The Italian basil, planted all over the place, has thrived. Lots of frozen pesto (and herb butters) to be had later in the year. I feel bad that life situations happened such that the Thai basil could not be used to our favorite extent (e.g. in stir fry) but the beautiful purple flowers were a treat for pollinators.
Though we near the end of a hot dry July I can look out the kitchen window into the garden below and I can see tomatoes reddening. Roma and Big Boy (or Girl) and a cherry variety. A lot of things are withering in the current heat wave. Sunday will be 100. There’s a part of me, and I did confer with that fellow, that knows some things have had their run and so in the cool of the morning I will simply need to weed and clean and begin to prep the earth for our fall plantings. I must say I never imagined that indoor and outside watering could be an exercise. But I think it truly is!
That is the beauty of gardening … the transition of seasons … engaging with the flow of time … it has been a particular joy this gardening season to see perennials planted last year, just green leaves, return and thrive and for the first time flower. Yes!
From the kitchen window I can see the bounty of the coneflower. I cut some of the flowers for the house and now know the rest will wilt and the dried seed heads will feed the birds into the fall. I watched them last year but never had my camera in reach. Maybe this year.
Words + Images 