Around the Garden This Morning

It's chilly this morning, 42 degrees right now,  but the sun just came out and I think it's supposed to warm up in the next few days.  I didn't work yesterday, so I spent a few hours cleaning out more pots (only three left!). I dump all the old plants and dirt in Pine Valley (the area under my pine trees), chop it all up real good with a shovel and then cover it with fallen pine needles. Some day this is gonna be a great area to plant things. I think of this as my easy compost pile.  A few weeks ago I noticed a head of lettuce there. Maybe one of my neighbors thought it was a compost pile too? I chopped it right up and covered it up! Then I rinse out all the pots and scrub them with a brush. There is still a lot to do, cutting back perennials, raking leaves out of the garden beds. Some people leave their gardens until the spring to clean up, but I like to get things cut back and neatened up before winter.

There are still lots of birds around, I saw a fat cardinal yesterday sitting in my birdbath. Tried to get a picture but he was too quick for me.

 Still a few roses blooming...

Euphorbia still looks good in the garden.

I haven't brought in my succulents yet. I stuck them under the window overhang on the deck during Storm Sandy to protect them from the winds. I'lI probably bring them in this weekend and put them in bins in the garage.

My least favorite job...

First Frost

We had our first frost yesterday morning, and I actually remembered to get out there and take a few pictures. Last year our first frost was October 31, so we got a few extra days this year. I guess it's time to empty the rest of the pots and get this winter started.

Faith, a Novel

"It was a thing I'd always known but until recently forgotten: that faith is a decision. In its most basic form it is a choice."

This is a beautifully written novel about a well-liked priest in Boston who is accused of molesting a young boy in 2002. The story is told by the priest's half-sister, Sheila McGann, against the background of the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church in 2002. Once she finds out about the allegations against her brother, Father Arthur Breen, Sheila comes to his aid and support. In trying to help him, however, she finds more questions than answers and must balance her trust in and love for her brother with the inevitable doubt. This is a book about faith, not necessarily religious faith, but faith in those you love.

This Irish-Catholic family is divided in its support for Art; his mother, who has always thought Art can do no wrong, cannot believe the allegations against her son the priest, but is ashamed to step foot inside the church. His brother Mike, married with two young boys, cannot face Art, and must deal with his wife's contempt for the Catholic Church. What I found most moving was the look into the loneliness and isolation of this particular priest. Many times Father Art thinks about what his life would have been like had he not entered the priesthood, or if the Catholic Church had allowed priests to marry. When he befriends and helps a needy single mother, Kath, and her son, Aidan, he finds companionship and comfort. But then somethings goes horribly wrong, accusations are made, and Father Art finds himself cast out of his church, more alone than ever. I thought the author showed a very human,, very compassionate portrayal of Father Art and the life of this priest. This isn't really a novel about sexual abuse or the Catholic Church, but about a crisis for an individual priest and his family, and the way one accusation changes the lives of so many people. It was a book I didn't want to put down, suspenseful and carefully written, giving little bits of information as Sheila discovers secrets about her brother and her family.

Fall Weekend at Landis Farm

Another fun weekend at Landis Farm! Eileen and I drove up on Friday morning (Prudy and Judy had gone the day before) and after stopping at the farm and saying hi to Evelyn and Earl, we had our usual light lunch at Country Table in Mount Joy--turkey and filling, mashed potatoes, cranberry relish, rolls and butter). Then we drove around to one of our favorite shops, the Old Mill House near Strasburg, where we always get ideas for Christmas decorations, as they have the best holiday decor ever. After a stop at a few shoe outlets, we headed to downtown Lancaster for their "First Friday" event, which Evelyn had suggested we might like. On the first Friday of the month, all the shops and art galleries stay open late, music is playing outside and in some of the galleries, and lots of people are out and about. It was pretty cool, and we all bought some things--art, jewelry, pottery. I love how old towns revitalize their downtowns with events like this. There are lots of cool restaurants and wine bars, and we were planning to stop in and have a glass of wine, but we were tired and so decided to come back to the farm and eat. We had some cheese and crackers and then Prudy made a big salad and Eileen made us Julia Child omelettes with our farm fresh eggs.

"First Friday" in Lancaster

Downtown Lancaster

Making omelettes

We have been buying vegetable soup for years at a nearby church that sells it by the quart at their Christmas Bazaar. So on Saturday morning Eileen and Prudy got up early and picked up 19 quarts of soup for us and Evelyn. Luckily Evelyn has about a million canning jars, so she gave us the jars. Yum, it is delicious.

Then we were off to Weavers for some coffee and grilled sticky buns (best ever breakfast), then did our shopping there for favorite Lancaster Co. foods--bacon, sausages, macaroni and cheese, noodles, bread.  We spent the rest of the day driving around the beautiful Lancaster County countryside, stopping for a few hours in Lititz to go chocolate shopping at Wilbur Chocolate, and walk around town. We had lunch at a restaurant Evelyn has told us about, Lititz Family Cupboard and then drove to Ephrata to 10,000 Villages. We came home that evening and relaxed, sitting around the kitchen table all night drinking wine and talking, and having a warm and comforting dinner of vegetable soup and bread, and cucumber salad that Judy made. I'm not even mentioning the pumpkin pie, orange cake, pumpkin roll, and cookies that we snack on. If it sounds like all we do is eat when we are there, that is about right.

And of course we stopped at our favorite gourd place, an Amish farm right down the road from Landis Farm. They have an amazing selection of gourds and a whole barn full of gourd birdhouses, and in the fall it is amazing with all pumpkins too. They also sell pumpkin pies, and that's where we buy ours. Of course we do.

And I was happy to find one of these great green knobby gourds like Evelyn had at the farm--isn't it awesome? 

We sure do love our Lancaster County weekends, and we remarked several times over the weekend how lucky we are to have found Landis Farm, which has become our home in PA for so many years.

Our favorite farm

Fall Weekend in Lancaster County

I'm off to Lancaster County this morning with Eileen, Prudy, and Judy for our fall weekend. This weekend is much more relaxing that when we go in the spring, when we are madly shopping for plants and trying to stuff flats of plants and bags of mulch into our cars. We are going to visit some Christmas bazaars, maybe some outlets,  shop for our favorite Lancaster County bacon, get some chocolate at Wilbur's, and just enjoy one of our favorite weekends together.

Garden on November 1 and Middle of the Night Garden Planning

November 1

I had a hard time sleeping last night, surprise surprise, and after my usual counting backwards by threes, counting the slats in my window blinds, planning Thanksgiving dinner, and going over just about every aspect of my life, I started in on my garden and what I could do differently. I started out by trying to figure out where I could plant more bulbs, and it quickly turned into extending current garden beds and starting a new hydrangea garden. In our side yard at the back, we have four big white pine trees, and right now we just have mulch under them, but I have always wanted to plant azaleas there. I was thinking I could plant some bulbs there, too, plant five or six cheap and cheerful azaleas, and then extend the bed toward the fence and put in some hydrangeas. Or I could do a hedge of hydrangeas somewhere, something I have always wanted, but where to put that? And then I want a gingko tree, oh,  and a crape myrtle too.

Storm Sandy

Well, we seem to have done okay with Storm Sandy--we never lost power, a few flickers, but a lot of people are without power in the area, including Brooks in Arlington. Things really got wild last night, with really strong winds and hard rain, but this morning things seem calmer. Still raining, but no wind. I just went out and took a long walk and took these pictures. I didn't see any damage in our neighborhood, just lots of leaves and some branches down. So much for fall foliage. But it did feel good to get outside and get some fresh air. Things should improve today as the storm moves away. Federal government is closed again today, but the metro reopens at 2 pm, so life should be getting back to normal soon. Phew!

USMC Marathon and Hurricane Sandy

Ready to run

We had a busy weekend, mostly taken up with the USMC Marathon yesterday. Of course everyone's mind was on Hurricane Sandy, but the race went off well, only a slight drizzle at the beginning and some wind, but no big rain. They were incredibly lucky, as one day later and it would have been canceled. It's very inspiring to watch this race--all these people who have made such a commitment to run the distance. Walt had a good run, but says this will be his last marathon. I've heard that before...

The start of the race

Yea for the Marines

Hello monument

Almost to the finish line and he's still running!

The rain started last night and has not stopped, and it's only supposed to get worse later today. Everything here is closed--federal government, schools, libraries, no metro or metro buses. It's so weird to have a weather event like this in October. We are expecting massive power outages, strong winds, and tons of rain. This rain is scary already. Hurricane Sandy is here. Fingers crossed.

Button Ferns and Paris

Planting button fern in Paris, 1974

As I was watering my indoor plants the other day,  I started thinking about which plants are my favs. I have several kinds of ferns that I like, but if I had to pick one it would be my button ferns (pellae rotundifolia). They are a very graceful small fern, with dark green button-like leaves. The first button fern I ever had was when I lived in Paris in graduate school. I planted it in an old yogurt pot that I had brought back from Turkey after visiting Tom and Evie in Istanbul. So many times I have wished I still had that pot! Anyway, since then I have always had one or two button ferns. They need frequent watering and I can't tell you how many times I have found one all shriveled up. But fortunately, they are great rebounders, so you can cut them all the way back and new growth always comes up and in a month or so it is a happy plant again.

Maidenhair ferns getting a drink

Button fern

Button fern

Still Going Strong

I know I've said this before, but this Mexican heather plant is amazing. It has bloomed and looked good every single day since June, even when I forgot to water it. Another pot that has been a real winner this year is my big pot with perilla, lantana, angelonia, purple sweet potato vine, and that's a variegated scented geranium next to it. I love the combination and it has bloomed all summer and fall, too. I keep thinking I should pull these out and replant with mums for fall, but I can't make myself do it because they still look so good. But their days are numbered, as the first frost is coming soon, I'm sure.