Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold

Sweetness and light

It doesn’t get any sweeter than s’mores and hot cocoa, and the night is never brighter than a bonfire. Or three. Blithewold’s new event, Christmas Sparkle, kicked off last Friday and as someone who is … Read more.

Acknowledgements

Any holiday or page in a book set aside for expressions of gratitude is just the best thing ever. So I thought I should celebrate this Thanksgiving by at least attempting to acknowledge the the … Read more.

Decadent Decorations Dominate the Staircase

Although Hurricane Sandy struck Rhode Island last Sunday-Monday evening, Blithewold’s dedicated decorators were back in action Wednesday, pushing forward with their decorating mission. While walking through the mansion I was able to speak with a … Read more.

Ticking time bombs

It was a big and busy day yesterday, in more ways than one. We passed another milestone in this year’s garden calendar – the first real killing frost fell finally. And while that marked the … Read more.

Gifts of Nature

To me it still feels too early to talk about the holidays – I avert my eyes from any commercial Christmas display at least until the day after Thanksgiving – but Blithewold’s decorators have been … Read more.

Plenty

For gardeners, this blustery cusp of fall into winter is the true turning of the year – much more real to us than the holiday in January that opens the calendar year. As our gardens … Read more.

Still life

The other day during lunch I cast my eyes around the room as I always do and instead of looking through it to my own messy thoughts I actually saw the clutter and made a … Read more.

Baubles that sparkle

I’m stuck on a baublular theme because I have to rave about what Fred and Dan have hung from the trees this year.  Each year the staff, volunteers and visitors are surprised by yet another … Read more.

Mixed greens

We’ve all been busy at Blithewold decorating for the holidays and Gail and I have had the particular pleasure of being reacquainted with the abundance of evergreens on the property.  The other day we walked … Read more.