November 20, 2024
Kindness Grows In A Community
Kindness is often overlooked as we move through life. We expect life to happily happen. We know there will be good times and bad. Life can be tricky. We are rarely ready for the unexpected. It takes a loving family and the community’s kindness to help with the healing process. February 28, 2010, is a day that I will always remember. My niece, Alexis Diana Speight lost her life to childhood cancer. At Thanksgiving dinner
November 19, 2024
Leaves – Life Lessons from Above
Leaves are such a gift. We anticipate their presence in midwinter. We often take note of the buds on trees and shrubs in late winter. Watching them swell with the energy, these buds offer us a lesson in diversity. They produce leaves in all shapes, sizes, or colors, such as chartreuse, brightly colored, or variegated. Other tree and shrubs will produce blooms before the leaves. The first lesson nature teaches us is patience. Patience is
August 19, 2024
Unexpected Game-changers for A Changing Climate
Unexpected game-changers for a changing climate are appreciated when conditions are warmer than anticipated. (photo courtesy of First Editions /Bailey Nursery) Unexpected game-changers were exactly what we needed this summer. We experienced a season that was consistently hot and dry. With an ever-changing climate, selecting plants for the garden was a greater challenge than anticipated. This year, many gardeners carefully read plant tags, and chose plant combinations bred to thrive, all while wiping sweat from
July 2, 2024
Fireflies- Dancing Beneficial’s of the Garden
Fireflies are the beneficial disco dancers of the night. Sometimes, it’s the simple things that bring me joy. We hear so much about the decline of beneficial insects- including the fireflies or, as we called them – lightning bugs. As children, we danced around them at night and dodged them as they lit up in flight.Growing up in Washington, DC, summer nights, outside our childhood home were always filled with activities and laughter. We ran
Maryland has a home and garden tour that offers a peek into private homes and gardens. A few weeks ago, I attended a garden tour in Talbot, Maryland. The Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage offers a sneak peek into various private gardens that inspire anyone who attends. This pilgrimage has taken place since 1930. The ladies who curated Virginia Garden Week were responsible for inspiring The Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland. An event like this