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A Tough Winter for Herbs

June 17th, 2019

This past winter was a tough one for herbs and plants that don’t like wet feet. While it wasn’t a particularly cold winter, it was a wet winter. The biggest issue was that we has a spring thaw and then a ton of rain, then it got cold. As a result, many of my herbs didn’t survive the winter. About half of my catmint didn’t survive, lots of the oregano and thyme, tarragon, lavender, the list goes on. Only the perennial dry loving herbs were affected. Luckily, most of them are easy to propagate or start from seed once again. The catmint is one I was most dissapointed by, I had a mass planting of it in the foundation garden under the living room windows. About half of the plants didn’t make it through winter.



Other than looking a little sparce this spring, it’s not a huge issue. This is ‘Walker’s Low’ catmint and can be easily propagated by cuttings. In fact, I’ve already started 10 new plants that will be transplanted in a week or to fill in the gaps and expand the patch.

One reason I grow this variety of catmint is that it doesn’t set seed. Catmint can be a prolific seeder in the garden, given the right conditions. Since these root so easily from cuttings, I expand my patch this way. In fact, my entire patch came from one plant that I brought with me from my Ohio garden. In the future, I plan on keeping a few extra plants growing out in the nursery bed to replace any that don’t make it through the winter. It is pretty rare to have any issue with this plant, it’s typically tough as nails and can live through just about anything, too much water in the winter proved to be too much for some of these beauties.

Did you lose any perennials this winter?

After the Rain

June 4th, 2019

Ten days ago we had a rain storm move through during the afternoon. When the rainm moved through the sun came out, meaning there was a rainbow somewhere to be seen….



It was right in front the house. This was probalby one of the brightest rainbows I’ve seen, with a very faint second one above it.

Still Winter

February 13th, 2019

In early February, it starts to feel like there is hope for spring to come once again. The sun rises higher in the sky and the days start to get noticeably longer. There are warmer days, the snow melts from the roof and drip, drip, drips on the ice/snow below. February is still very much a winter month though, it’s probably our snowiest month. Last night a winter storm rolled through leaving us in a blanket of white. As sit here at my computer working, I’m seeing the snow sticking to the window behind my cup of pens & turkey feathers.

I used to be pining for planting and spring by this time, as I get older (and busier), I’m learning to love the stillness of this season (not that it’s still by any means). I start seeds later and later each year, trying to savor as much rest as possible and get in lots of reading during the winter. So this morning I’m enjoying the snow blowing outside my window.

Do you live in a place with distinct seasons? Have you learned to appreciate each one for what it offers?

Winter Sunsets

January 14th, 2019

During the winter, the sunsets are typically stunning. I’m not sure why they seem so much prettier, maybe it has something to do with the fact that we can see more of the sky in the west when the leaves are off the trees? Maybe it has something to do with the sun setting so early? Perhaps it’s just something about the atmosphere during the winter months. The other evening, I was working in my office and noticed this view out the window.


Funny enough, while I was taking photos, Mr Chiots texted me and said “Did you see the sunset? It’s amazing this evening!”

Do you find yourself noticing different things in different seasons?

Friday Favorite: Fresh Snow

December 21st, 2018

One of my favorite things is a fresh coating of snow. It makes everything lighter and brighter, especially when the sun shines! Earlier this week, we got a few inches of snow.





Sadly, we’re supposed to get 2″ of rain today, so it will all melt away, leaving behind an icky brown mess and there will be no white Christmas.

Do you live in an area with snow?

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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