It’s Coming
Fall is well on it’s way here in NE Ohio. The leaves are starting to get really pretty. Hopefully we don’t get a big wind storm or rain storm move through. Looks like it’s shaping up to be a beautiful fall, we’re hoping to be able to spend a few days out enjoying it. We were able to visit the Algonquin Mill Festival yesterday, I’ll be posting photos of that tomorrow.
As I write this post it’s 80 outside, not that I’m complaining it will give my last few green tomatoes a few more days to ripen and it gives my carrots & cabbage some more warm weather for growth.
So what do you do to enjoy the changing seasons?
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Gifts for a Gardener
My mom is an avid gardener, as is my dad. Growing up we had a huge garden and grew most of our own food. My mom canned like crazy in the fall to preserve all of our hard work for winter enjoyment. My parents don’t grow as many edibles now and they focus their time cultivating beautiful flower gardens. So what do you buy for an avid gardener who has everything? A local garden gift membership of course.
For Mother’s & Father’s day I bought my parents a gift membership to Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens. They both love spending the morning there walking around the garden. Now they can go as often as they want (and since they can take guests I can go along as well). I just got the membership since my dad was out of the country till now (I wanted to make sure they get the most out of their membership).
I think these kinds of gifts are perfect. You give someone an experience instead of something tangible.
I will surely be buying more gifts like these in the future.
So anyone else like giving gifts of zoo, garden or museum memberships?
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Beautiful Beneficials
Queen Ann’s Lace was one of my grandmother’s favorite flowers. I know they’re considered a weed, but they are a beneficial plant to have around the garden. They attract beneficial insects and they are edible and can be used for medicinal purposes as well. Most of the plants we classify as weeds were brought our country by immigrants long long ago for specific purposes. This Garden is Illegal has a great post about Queen Ann’s Lace.
I pull some of the Queen Ann’s Lace from my gardens, but I try to leave some around, it’s just too pretty to get rid of it all.
Do you have any weeds/wildflowers growing in your gardens?
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The Itsy Bitsy Spider
While out walking through the woods last week I almost walked right through this little guy’s web. He’s barely bigger than a kernel of popcorn. Amazing how intricate their webs are.
Spiders are one of those insects most people hate, but they’re so beneficial in the garden. They eat all kinds of other bugs (including mosquitoes). When we first moved here we had tons of those huge wolf spiders in our basement and around property. I grew up in South America with tarantulas & brown recluses, so I’ve easily made peace with the small North American spiders that inhabit Chiot’s Run. I know they’re good for my gardens, so I’ve taken to naming them instead of trying to kill them, makes them a little more endearing (I had a huge one I named Winston last year and it turned out he was a she – so Winstonette she became).
So do spiders creep you out or do you welcome them to you gardens?
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Can I Get a Hip-Hip-Horray for the Ohio Department of Health?
While at the farmer’s market on Saturday I noticed a sign at one of the booths.
The farmer’s market accepts WIC. I’ve heard of larger communities in more progressive states doing this, but I didn’t know the program had reached rural Ohio. How exciting. I sure hope that there are a lot of people taking advantage of this program.
Is this happening in your area? I sure hope so.
