In the garden

Blue flax

I love these little flowers.  I'd like to have a terrace full.

The gerbera that won't quit.

The terrace beds are all planted.  

The top is herbs - lavender, cilantro, basil and rosemary.  

Second terrace is spinach and beets with a few lettuce plants and blue flax on the corner  

The third terrace has lemon thyme and parsley plus newly planted dill and bush beans and penstemmon, comfrey and chives planted last year.

The bottom terrace has irises, a lovely fragrant variegated rose, leeks, perpetual spinach from the fall, and daylilies.

Along the bottom, in the retaining wall garden, (you can see the pool fence and edge of the pool just beyond it) from left to right, lamb's ears with a potted gardenia between them, two kinds of lettuce, two kinds of chard, banana peppers, radishes and then the shady area with a cranesbill geranium, caladiums, impatiens, bleeding heart, more lamb's ears and a potted lady's mantle. (that last little shady section was planted after I took the picture, sorry).

Along the top of the wall are shasta daisies, black-eyed Susans, knock-out roses, and hostas.  

I may plant some purple lobelia or petunias along in front of this section.

 And on the other side of the brick walk, just across from the retaining wall bed, a little mulched pathway and beds that are starting to fill in nicely with hostas, coral bells, gold dust acubas, lemon balm, and growing up the lattice on one side, a Lady Banks rose, and on the other side, a fall clematis.  At the end of this walk is another bed (that you can't see) where I am trying straw bale gardening for cucumbers.  There is also bee balm, purple salvia, obedient plant, and another rosemary just beyond the old garden chair.

In front of the retaining wall, the Julia Child (knock-out type) roses that I planted last year are doing beautifully this year.  I've just reworked this area, weeding, digging, amending the soil and moving the yellow Asiatic lilies and planting a ground cover of purple vinca.  I have mulch for the path here and am pleased that this area, that was rather an eyesore last year, is starting to look prettier.

I've dug a new bed near the pool, in the corner between the bricks and the new pool fence.  I'm watching the sun here and think that it is a close second in exposure to my top terraces.  I really have so little sun in this garden.  It is a challenge to find spots with a full six hours (about the minimum for really productive veggies).  But this spot is looking pretty good and it is all ready for tomatoes and flowers - zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, four o'clocks, larkspur, and yarrow.

There is another area beside this new bed to dig, and pots to plant with container type cherry tomatoes and peppers.  I am hoping for a very productive and beautiful garden this year.  I do love such a mix of vegetables, flowers, herbs, and perennials.  

There are a lot of challenges in this garden - slopes, heavy clay soil, shade from large oaks and hickories - but it is evolving into a lovelier garden each year.  And that is what makes a gardener happy... more to do and more beauty to coax out, nurture, and enjoy.

Ribbonwalk

The next Monday, Coty and I explored Ribbonwalk.  This is not part of the Greenway system, but is a nature preserve, now managed by the Mecklenburg Parks and Recreation Department.  Covering 188 acres, just north of the intersection of I-77 and I-85, this spot is a little woodland oasis.

What I love about this nature preserve is the variety of habitats and seral stages, from a Piedmont old field, through the various stages - young pine forest, mature pines, young hardwood forest to a climax mature hardwood forest.  A very unique feature is the Beech Grove with a number of very large American beech trees which are estimated to be 150-200 years old.  This particular grove of trees has been designated a Treasure Tree Grove and there are some massive and beautiful old beeches.

There are a few very old white oaks, as well, including this one which has been wired from the top to the ground to protect it from lightning strikes.  Several of the old scags  are the remains of trees that were struck by lightning.

We were shocked to see this beech, one of the "treasure trees" that had fallen, probably in one of the big storms we've had in the last few weeks.  It still had green leaves on it, so it's demise was very recent.  I climbed around on the tree and felt like I was walking on the back of an elephant!  Not that I've ever walked on an elephant's back, mind you, but I imagine...

When the beech fell, it took out a bridge and several smaller trees.  It left a huge gap in the canopy, as well.  So sad to see it down, but when we looked at the trunk, it was rotten in the middle.  It was one of the largest and oldest trees in the grove.

In addition to the woodland habitat, there are two ponds and a wetland area.  Beavers appear to be very active.  A beaver lodge can be seen on one of the ponds and a beaver dam crosses another.  We saw fresh beaver work, small trees chiseled to a point when they are cut down.  People do fish in these ponds. We met a man enjoying the quiet, fishing the first pond you come to - he told us he comes out to Ribbonwalk to get away from the world.  It is a lovely spot close to the city to do that.

We went in the middle of the day, so not the best time for birding, but we did see a great blue heron, mallards and Canada geese, a variety of songbirds, and we heard a barred owl.

I took both of my classes back to Ribbonwalk in the following week.  It's a perfect spot to observe ecological succession and to appreciate big, old, beautiful trees.  Kudos to the folks who worked hard to preserve this spot and keep urban growth from overtaking it.

Walking the Greenways, #2

Better late than never, right?  A few weeks ago, while I was neglecting the blog, Coty and I walked another one of our area Greenways.  We had a lovely, sunny Monday - was it three weeks back - and took time to walk part of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway.

The plan is to eventually have 15 miles of linked trails, starting just north of uptown Charlotte all the way to the South Carolina line.  Currently, there are three unconnected sections, so we figured we'd do the northern section, part of the middle section and save the southern section for another day.

When we arrived at the parking area  we found this sign. Bummer.  We did try calling the number, but just got someone's voice mail.

We walked past the soccer field at Alexander Park, but the gang graffiti under the railroad bridge was not so welcoming and we decided, since it is officially closed right now, to save this section for another day.  From Alexander Park, this section goes up to Cordelia Park on the southern end of NoDa.  It will be a well used section, someday.  But it wasn't the day we tried.  We will go back.  Here's more about this section.

On to Plan B.  We headed to Charlottetown Avenue and parked along the street (free parking for two hours) and found the northern end of this newest section of Little Sugar Creek.  If you've lived in Charlotte for any length of time, you may remember that this section of town, just north of CMC, was rather an eyesore for a long time.  An old, closed mall and large parking lot sat beside a sad looking, dirty creek.   I don't know the whole story, but the powers-that-be got together and tore down the mall, built condos, and some large and small retail, a few restaurants and best of all, worked on creek and habitat restoration and made it a lovely place for a walk near downtown.  I was impressed.

This is looking north to the point where this Greenway section starts.  See where the pavement ends just before it goes under the bridge.  Someday, this will be linked up, around or through uptown somehow, to the Alexander Park section and on up to NoDa.

Banners line this little section, diners sat at outdoor tables.   Really, this little walkway is quite a treasure.  Someone had a lot of foresight when they planned this.

The creek restoration includes some nice stone work at spots where other creeks and storm water drain into Little Sugar Creek.  

Just near the hospital, lots of redbuds, wisteria, and other flowering shrubs in were in full bloom.  If I worked at the hospital, I know where I'd take my breaks!

South to Freedom Park...

We walked about halfway through the park and then turned around and headed back north.  We had a deadline...

My walking partner and I were headed to see Jane Eyre at the Regal Manor after our walk.  We wanted to get done in plenty of time to make our 2:00 matinée!  

Nice views of the city skyline heading north.

This was a lovely walk.  I'd go again.  Freedom Park is beautiful, especially in the spring.  We plan to pick up where we stopped in the park and finish this central section, then drive a little south and pick up the southernmost section another day soon.

To read a little more about Little Sugar Creek Greenway, go here and here.

I promised you a picture

Here it is. 

 Erin and Clara in their Easter pretties.  

Pretty sweaters and pretty dresses.

Beautiful Mama and daughter.

Seventeeth Monday

For simple things, like

sheets billowing in the warm spring breeze,

Morning light,

tiny, fragrant garden treasures,

outdoor learning days,

and turtles on a log.

I give thanks.

And of course, there is more,

Much, much more....

Resurrection!

and celebrating it early

with a birdsong choir in the background

followed by breakfast 

with our church family

an original Easter poem

and words that stirred

the love of our family

having boys home

laughing on the porch

Easter afternoon time with extended family

fun, games, talk, laughter

a phone call with my oldest best friend

morning time with friend, C, to spur each other on toward godliness

my Thursday morning women - we talk, study, pray

meeting Albert's parents and

dinner on the porch with

stories and friends,

helping hands and

the best food, shared

the first wood thrush of the spring

heard on awakening this morning

a walk

spring growth

garden promise

dirt to dig

seeds to plant

waiting expectantly for germination

picking herbs

a whiff of a fragrant rose

1768- 2003!

Blog?

What blog?

Oh, yeah.  I have a blog.

Don't worry, friends.  I am still here ...  and fine.  I've just been busy living ... with little motivation to write about living.

The weather alternates between gorgeous and treacherous.  When it's gorgeous, I just want to be outside.  When it's treacherous, I just want to be inside ... at my sewing machine.

I'm exaggerating a bit to call the weather we've had treacherous.  Folks in other places have had it much worse.  But we did have a storm one night with 90 mph winds which took down one Bradford pear tree and part of a very large oak branch.  Thankfully, nothing landed on our house.  But I think it's only a matter of time - surrounded as we are by these big oaks.

About that sewing machine.  It is my best friend right now, my creative side-kick, my machine of choice.  Sorry, Toshiba laptop.  I do like you, but you can't sew a straight seam.

Here's a little something I finished the other day ...

It is, of course, for Clara.  Simplicity 5695.

And this goes with it ...

I saw this sweet pattern here and fell in love with it.  A swingy little sweater coat.  It's a free download from Ravelry.  Here.  The yarn is Cascade 220 Quatro in turquoise (5018)  from Cottage Yarn.  I tried the cross-stitch embellishments in the "ditches" on the yoke, but liked it better without them.

A little Easter outfit for a northern clime.

 (I need a better hanger - a little bitty one that doesn't make the shoulders poke out!)

Would you like to see the sweater up a little closer...

Loops instead of buttonholes.  I like them a lot!

I can show you these pictures now because the package got to Erin, Luke, and Clara on Saturday.  I don't have to keep a secret any longer.  Whew!

I just can't wait to see Miss Clara wearing her dress and sweater.  That treacherous windy weather foiled us on Saturday.  Our power was out so no internet so no skyping to see our sweet girl wearing her new clothes.

I promise a picture as soon as I get one.

I have another major project in the works, but it is still a secret.  I hope to show you soon.  How soon, of course, will depend on whether I spend more time with the Toshiba or the Singer. 

Getting outside

This weekend promises to be a perfect time to get outside and work in my weed patch garden.  I'm with you, sweet Clara...hip, hip hooray for sunshine and dirt under the fingernails!

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month -  not that you need a special month set aside to enjoy poetry.  Still, there is something inviting and fresh about a month in which, if you are not accustomed to doing it, you take a little extra time to explore and enjoy poetry.

My Matthew celebrates this month by attempting to write a poem a day.  I'm looking forward to this year's offerings.

John Piper speaks here about the importance of poetry in the life of a Christian.

Ms. M-Mv discusses National Poetry Month and provides some links here.

My friend Bonnie writes often about poetry.

Garrison Keiler posts a poem a day on The Writer's Almanac.

This is a book I've enjoyed this year, not only for the poetry, but for the exquisite paintings by David Allen Sibley that accompany the poems.

 This is another book of poems I have enjoyed, a gift from my husband last spring.










And in honor of the day and this morning's class in which we discussed all things herp related, a poem ...

The amphibian

Warm
after a while on a rock,
drunk with sky, her green silk
shrivels with wind.  With a wet,
singular sound, then she creases
the silver film, turns fluid,
her webbed toes accomplishing
the dark dive to water bottom and
the long soak, until her lungs,
spun for air, urge her up
for breath.

She moves
in two worlds, caught between
upper and under, never home.
Restless: skin withering for wet,
and the nether ooze,
or nostrils aching to fill
with free air her bubble lungs,
heart thumping, tympanum
throat pulsing to flood
the darkening sky with loud
frog song.

-by Luci Shaw from Polishing the Petoskey Stone