Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged full moon, Inspiration, lunar, moon, nature, Photography on August 29, 2026| 2 Comments »
Not bad. Thursday’s full moon. The image would have been better if I’d gone outside and used the tripod for a steadier shot. Instead I leaned out the second floor kitchen window contorting and trying not to shake the camera too much. Maybe by the next full moon, end of September, I will gather the courage to set up outside and take some proper shots. We’ll see …
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, cooking, Inspiration, Photography, pickling, writing on August 23, 2026| 3 Comments »
… how these turn out. It seemed like a good idea on Friday perusing the farmers market in Copley Square. Big beautiful baskets of mixed peppers. I need to keep busy and creative. Why not make some pickled peppers? 🙂
I’ve made pickles before but usually with cucumbers and/or thin slices of red onion. People seemed to appreciate them. This time, with the peppers, I added some garlic harvested from the garden. The cloves were small but the flavor very good.
I didn’t remember to pull on gloves but I did remember this time (ahem) to wash my hands after cutting the peppers before accidentally rubbing my eyes or eating a snack.
Probably the simplest recipe I’ve tried. Just a simple brine poured over the peppers and garlic. I’ve sometimes added fresh herbs. With the cucumbers I would have added some peppercorn. Uhm, not needed here.
Two jars. If tasty … I’ll know more tomorrow once they’ve had a chance to sit in the fridge for a bit … then one to keep and probably one to give away. What’s my favorite phrase? We’ll see … 🙂
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged animals, art, art installations, beauty, elephants, Inspiration, Photography on August 6, 2026| 3 Comments »
A herd of 100 life sized handcrafted elephants is making its way along the tree shaded Commonwealth Avenue Mall in Boston’s Back Bay. The free exhibit officially opens Saturday August 8 and runs through September 13.
On a hot and steamy day what a treat to walk among these beautiful creatures as the exhibit was being installed.
You can learn more about the exhibit here: https://thegreatelephantmigration.org/pages/visit
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged fishing, friendships, musings, nature, Photography, storytelling on July 28, 2026| 2 Comments »
Now growing up in southern Virginia, fishing was pretty common. All the male members of my family fished though somehow they neglected to take me along. So it wasn’t until I moved to Boston and met this quirky fellow who loved fishing that I finally held a fishing pole. That’s right, I held it. But to Steve’s consternation I didn’t move it. He tried to explain standing there with the line in the water watching the sunlight play upon the lake was not the same as actively trying to catch a fish. I told him, “I think I’m into the zen of fishing.” He just shook his head. Luckily for Steve, a good friend connected him with a group of men who’d been fishing together for decades since they were children. A spot opened up and Steve fit. About every two years they’d gather and make their way to a fishing hole in Canada. It was probably one of the most joyous experiences Steve looked forward to later in life. One of the gentlemen shared this photo with me in his memory.
Posted in Branches, Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged beauty, colors, flowers, gardening, Inspiration, nature, Photography on July 26, 2026| 3 Comments »
… it is probably best to do some good weeding before hitting multiple nurseries in one day. Didn’t pick up much but what I did I love. Let’s see if I can keep the strawflowers alive.
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, Uncategorized, tagged beauty, colors, container gardening, flowers, gardening, Inspiration, musings, nature, Photography on July 1, 2026| Leave a Comment »
… there is no rhyme or reason to the gardening on the porch/patio. It is a riot of colors and styles.
Each morning I rise to peek out and see scattered dirt as the squirrels rise earlier then I do and begin their daily quest for food.
I’ve let the backyard go. The only that will be harvested from down on the ground will be garlic planted last fall. When I look down there is the afternoon light I can see many happy baby bunnies nibbling at all the weeds and things that are overgrown. I do appreciate the perennials that have come back and have no bunny-appeal.
While I do feel bad about the yard, I am glad about the porch. There’s an increasing number of patio-specific fruits and vegetables and its been fun learning about those. And, of course, of course, there is still room for plenty of basil for future pesto making.
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged gardening, Inspiration, mint, nature, Photography on June 28, 2026| 1 Comment »
… how the chocolate mint wound up in my cart or the strawberry mint. I’m beginning to think one should never go to a garden center when one is hungry. The challenge is that I am not a huge mint fan as I’ve grown older. I’m afraid that if the garden center had had ginger, cinnamon, orange and apple mints, as well, I would have come home with them too! Interesting thing about mint is that it is hardy. So what do I do with it? I think it was nostalgia that made me pick up the plants. Growing up in Virginia I remember wild mint growing and making some tea … after I washed the ants off the plants. Apparently these mints are great for flavoring desserts, teas and cocktails. Steve and I don’t do cocktails but friends and coworkers may be receiving some unexpected gifts. We’ll see. 🙂
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged childhood, Contributing Writer, faith, Inspiration, life, memories, nature, nostalgia, Photography, poetry, rain, storms, weather on May 30, 2026| 3 Comments »
I don’t think the wind and rain this morning really constitutes a storm, per se, but there is a ruggedness to the weather that makes me reminisce about a younger me who would relish dashing outside, however briefly, to experience a summer storm. Not so much now. I am wrapped in a thick sweater, sipping hot coffee, and tempted to slip back under the covers where a sleepy Steve still resides. I’ll wake him in a bit because he has a calvacade of people coming through today, friends, family, tai chi teachers and so on. Meanwhile I share a poem I wrote, way back when, all the way back in 2010, about the storms of my youth in Virginia.
Summer Storms
The food I’ve purchased and brought North with me.Â
But the weather I could not carry in a cardboard box.
So when people ask what I miss, that is what I tell them,
I miss most the southern summer storm.
You know the ones,
the ones with rolling thunder trailing white lightening in their wake.
Sheets of rain falling like milk from the sky.
Such deafening noise and blinding light.
Children trembling as we peered past drawn curtains.
Unending it seemed but then poof!
Like magic it would stop, leaving silence in the air.Â
Darkness would part for the sun. Birds sang.
All that remained of the storm would be puddles
and leaves strewn across the front porch.
We’d step outside into a golden light.
God had scrubbed the world clean.
Just for us, you know, so that we could play.
And play we did until the sun set
and the lightening bugs came out and danced with the stars.
We would sit in the damp
winding down from another day well done.
That is why I miss the summer storm.
Posted in Inspiration, Kitchen Inspirations, Nature Notes, tagged flowers, gardening, Inspiration, nature, Photography on May 29, 2026| 1 Comment »
… survived the initial bunny attack and is somewhat thriving. Maybe bunnies don’t like the taste of cucumbers.
The pansies survived the birds snipping off its flowers to decorate early Spring nests.
The potatoes are thriving in their bucket nestled amidst the weeds.
And the scapes are forming on the garlic. Not sure how much more will be planted on the ground this growing season but feeling good about what’s out there right now.
Posted in Inspiration, Nature Notes, tagged hiking, Inspiration, natural new england, nature, Photography, urban landscape on May 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »
Hard to believe it has been well over fifteen or more years since I used to meander the trails of Edmands Park in Newton, MA. I wrote about the experience: https://wordsandimagesbycynthia.com/2016/11/17/revisiting-edmands-park/
And now I am honored to have a couple of my floral photos from the park in the the 2026 edition of the Newton Conservators Trail Guide. The layout, graphics and information is wonderful. Leafing through it actually inspires me to put on my hiking boots and head back out into the woods. If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll give it a try. Available here: https://newtonconservators.org/buy-a-guide/
Words + Images 