Texture of Bark on an Old Oak Tree (three)

Nikon D90, Aperture Priority Mode, Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX, CPL filter, tripod, f/10, 1/2s, ISO200, edited in Corel Paintshop Pro X4.

From The Confessional

A fanfare of trumpets, a roll of drums, a celebration was called for. What for you may well ask, to which the answer was to mark a rare event this year - a weekend without rain! I set about to make the most of it spending as much time I possibly could outdoors. Sunday was especially productive as I had no other demands on my time. It was a day that really reflected '"the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" - swirls of morning fog slowly giving way to a still and sunny afternoon. The mercury did not rise to any great heights but it was the ideal weather for pottering. I spent some time in the 'Not Waving But Drowning' border dividing a too big for its space 'Solomon's Seal', thinning out a boisterous clump of geranium phaeum and contemplating other moves. Then on to the greenhouse and the area behind it where I made a start on clearing away some of the debris before it can haunt me in the spring. The day was punctuated by one or two discoveries which made me hang my head in shame, namely ;

• A tray of stunted, overcrowded nicotiana mutablis seedlings which had never got pricked out. The fact that they still survived is a testament to the amount of rain we have had this summer. If you have not come across this before it is a most attractive half hardy annual with lightly scented flowers, that subtly change colour. The flowers are initially white, then change to a dusty rose before morphing into a deeper magenta, so that with time the plant bears flowers of all three colours. Now this has survived overwinter here before, although not last winter, so I have prised the seedlings apart and planted a dozen of the sturdiest ones into individual pots. They will overwinter in an unheated greenhouse so may survive my neglect.
• A clump of brunnera which was lying on the ground behind the greenhouse. This had been dug up in early spring but for some reason had never been potted up. Again the abundant wet stuff must have kept it going. It is now has its roots in a pot - whether that will be too much of a shock to the system remains to be seen.
• Perhaps the worst horticultural crime of the year was the pot containing a physocarpus opulifolius 'Lady In Red', which I had tried for size in the 'Not Waving But Drowning' border. You know what it is like when you are not sure whether a plant is the right place or not. Well I took so long in deciding that the poor plant has rooted into the ground. A careful extraction is now required. 

Finally I have to finish by admitting that those happy and healthy looking squashes you can see at the top of this post did not come from the allotment plot. Much as I would like to take credit I must be truthful - they were bought from a supermarket this morning ~

 

Give credit to our local branch of Morrisons - they stock a good variety of British grown squashes most autumns. As the season progresses I'm sure that they will have other varieties in store. I did grow squashes from seed and planted them but whilst mine festered the plants that I gave to my allotment neighbour thrived. He has taken great pleasure in regularly showing me their progress but has told me that at least one squash has my name on it.

What about you - have you got any guilty horticultural secrets that you would like to share with the rest of us? 

      

Texture of Bark on an Old Oak Tree (two)

Nikon D90, Aperture Priority Mode, Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX, CPL filter, tripod, f/10, 1/6s, ISO200, edited in Corel Paintshop Pro X4.

Never Give Up On Your Dreams

For those of you who know me you know that I've always got too much going on and generally speaking I like it that way.   In the next several weeks I may be testing even my juggling abilities, but I'm excited to try.  

I've been dying to tell you about something but it has taken me a while to share it for fear that it wouldn't be happening but the date keeps getting closer so I'm going to share my news.  To start with my job is  amazing.  I have the joy of being able to help people with my company engage in volunteering.  Together, we work to make communities better - to make a difference in our community. 

For over a year now I've been the President of the Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta.  The CVC as it is called is one of the most wonderful organizations that I've ever been involved with and the friendships I've made through this involvement means so very much to me.  Because of my involvement with the CVC, this summer an incredible opportunity crossed my path.   The CVC was invited to travel to Zimbabwe to participate in a conference on corporate social responsibility and so, I'm going. 

If you've read this far and thinking "wow," let me just say that I am too but I've been "wowed" for a couple of months but for a different reason.  

When I was perhaps seven years old a missionary from Rhodesia came to my church.  As a child I listened to him share stories about the country and the people and from then on I was convinced that I would be a missionary in Africa - not just Africa, Rhodesia.  Until the age of twelve or so, deep inside I knew what my future looked like though I kept that small nugget tucked deep inside my heart.  As a G.A. (stands for Girls Auxiliary, later Girls in Action), every week I would keep the missionaries in Rhodesia in my prayers.  But teenage years got in the way and I adjusted my career goals.  And so as an adult I began to study French and decided that when I finally retired I would join the Peace Corp so that I could fulfill my childhood dream of working somewhere in Africa.  The French seemed like a great way to learn the language and be able to combine my dream with a new goal.   There are plenty of French-speaking African countries.   Who would have ever imagine that 50 years later an opportunity to go to the place I dreamed of would come to me?  To me this is nothing short of a miracle.

I've cried several times since the email arrived asking for someone from the CVC to come and help with the seminar.   The people making the request have no idea that their request was, for me at least, a dream come true. 

There will be more about this journey I'm sure but for now I had to write to say  that you shouldn't give up on your dreams.  Dreams do come true and while they may come in a different form, they can also end up being better than anything you would have ever imagined.  

Texture of Bark on an Old Oak Tree

Nikon D90, Aperture Priority Mode, Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX, CPL filter, tripod, f/10, 1/3s, ISO200, edited in Corel Paintshop Pro X4.

YOU deserve to stay here….you really do.

   I don’t know about you….well, actually…I think I DO know a bit. Love that.

But me?  I LOVE old    I love ancient    I love vintage….I love cobblestone streets   I love sandy lanes.

I love meandering.

I love beautiful landscape. I love being connected through history in my houses and my towns….even

maybe especially…in my people. 

I live in Florida.

cue:: screeeech :: coming to a halt::

Ok…I love Disney as well as the next. No, wait, NO I don’t.

Indeed…there ARE gorgeous corners that aren’t Disney~fied in this state.

I LOVE finding them…and  love when they find me.

And when I do….I sigh a little sigh….and breathe a little deeper.  I just do. Sorry Goofy. I do.

When I can….I love finding a local hotel…Not the chain which  CAN be  wonderful and consistent.

But I love different, unique…some history…often boutique.

Boutique is maybe a misnomer…doesn’t have to be fancy, posh…I don’t need wine coming out of the walls

 but HAVE stayed in one such place… here. Oh My. Go if you can.

  Gaudy, wacky and Small works well for me.

And I search for it. Spooky is even ok…Like this place…My kids SWEAR it was haunted.

 

Enter: Winter Park, Florida. At the fringes of all that is Disney, in Orlando.

But oh so much more.

This past weekend we had the lovely experience of spending time in this cobblestone clad town.

We chose to stay at the vintage Park Plaza Hotel….

smack in the middle of the town…surrounded by, and above many  great unique stores and restaurants…

Speaking of stores…I Loved this place…you get to taste a bounty of different oils and vinegars….

Me? I brought home Red apple white balsamic vinegar to pair with sage mushroom olive oil.

Fall. sigh.

The streets are old cobblestone. There are also regular stores…cloaked in vintage architecture…

 

Restaurants galore….and small parks

and train stations…

And art. lots and lots of art…and relaxation.

The hotel was everything I love….ancient  for Florida standards

creaky wood floors…brass key fobs…valet parking

Robes….

and breakfast in the morning on your balcony overlooking the main street

The room was a touch mysterious…small doors leading…   where?  But perfect for us.

Other rooms  there are only 28  have original brick walls.

and…maybe we invited a FEW too many friends to join us

…as we enjoyed our breakfast

 

 

Whatev.

The more the merrier.

No?

If you are near….Find Winter Park. Stay at Park Plaza.

Because.

A Poem For October

Today is National Poetry Day. The theme for 2012 is stars ~

"Well it's a marvelous night for a Moondance, 

 With the stars up above in your eyes

 A fantabulous night to make romance

'Neath the cover of the October skies

And all the leaves on the trees are falling

To the sound of the breezes that blow

And I'm trying to please to the calling

Of your heart-strings that play soft and low

And all the night's magic seems to whisper and hush

And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush"

~ 'Moondance',Van Morrison,