Thoughtful musings on various topics by interesting people at Blithewold

Gratuitous snow

I’m getting awfully tired of posting snow pictures (are you sick of seeing them?) but every time we have gotten dumped on, it has been too pretty not to get the camera out. This last snowfall came without … Read more.

A sow-called spring

I haven’t spotted any crocus, snowdrops or early daffs blooming yet, and I know the calendar says spring is still a whole month away, but in the greenhouse the growing season officially kicked off yesterday. … Read more.

Picking from the cutting garden

One of the best perks of a garden is having a ready and steady supply of stems to pick to bring inside for flower arrangements. We’re lucky to have a whole garden — The William … Read more.

Leap of faith

Waiting for the Chiltern seed order – which included a dozen varieties of sweet peas – to arrive tested our faith (and taught me a little lesson about putting so many precious eggs in one … Read more.

Early summer annuals

Today is the official start of summer (Happy Solstice!) but we have been celebrating the season for weeks now. Everybody around here calls it summer when sailboats fill the harbor and beaches start charging for … Read more.

Limbo

Given that March felt like May and April felt a little like July, it’s been really hard not to move everything outside and start planting annuals and tomatoes as if it’s safe. But then didn’t … Read more.

Sweet peas and springter

I really don’t know what to make of this season. The last few days have been in the bird-song-balmy 50’s but we woke this morning to fat flakes. They have already turned to freezing rain … Read more.

Tough decisions

I can’t remember if the honor of choosing Blithewold’s sweet peas was conferred on me or if I grabbed it like a greedy toddler (“Mine!”) but it’s one of those tasks that I enjoy so … Read more.

Can you smell that?

I’m definitely on a fragrance kick lately. I don’t know if it’s that my nose is compensating for my other senses – I’m near sighted and I don’t always hear too well… Or if it’s … Read more.

How to stay sane

We are poised on the edge of the pit of despair (a.k.a. March). I know a lot of people choose to remove themselves from danger by visiting the tropics at this time of year. While … Read more.