Gardening
Windy Knoll Animal/Bird Stories 1995
It could have been a morning long ago – a clear morning following a rain, which made conditions just right for weeding the flower beds and herb garden. Up front let me say we have one very amorous female dog (Sadie), one adult male dog (Jake), who is just now being introduced to amorous females…
Read MoreWindy Knoll Fowl 1989
Yesterday John brought a box in and set it down on the sun porch — it certainly contains a sign of Spring. One of the Muscovy ducks has been setting on a nest in the barn and John found 12 ducklings that she had pushed out of the loft. When he arrived on the scene the…
Read MoreA Windy Knoll Report
Remember twenty days ago I started feeding the brandied fruit in preparation of baking a Friendship Cake? Well, today is the 20th day and feeding day, as well. The brew starts with starter, peaches and sugar and after ten days we added more sugar and pineapple chunks. Today we added two small cans of cherries and…
Read MoreNon-gardeners Have Not a Clue July 2001
As I stand here and deadhead the old-fashioned rose (the Japanese beetles have just devastated it). I can’t help but remember our recent visitor. We were expecting our youngest that morning; however, she never gets here ’til about noon so we opted to work in the shade garden for a while. I left lunch simmering on…
Read MoreSome Windy Knoll Hydrangeas
Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing to have? I meant to get these pictures on Monday and had an early doctor’s appointment remarking to myself “I’ll get the pictures when I get back.” Duh! I didn’t get back before the flood gates opened and, of course, the blossoms are now wet and hanging low. With this…
Read MorePlanting by the Signs
We attended our Master Gardener meeting yesterday and heard a most interesting program on planting by the signs. We’ve never paid much attention to this — John says he plants when he gets the ground ready. The speaker said to squeeze a handful of soil in your hand and if it sticks together, it’s too…
Read MoreOnions Make Us Cry
Making us cry is not for the reason you might think. Last August John put out winter onions in the garden — he got carried away and put out too many. Of course, family members and others enjoyed pulling them up and eating the tiny little things in cold weather and they were pretty growing. …
Read MoreOn Growing Rosemary
At this writing we have three beautiful clusters of rosemary growing here – one in the garden , one in a flower bed next to the house and one in a pot. Some years ago I saw an ad in the Georgia Market Bulletin and the lady was selling deer-repellent rosemary— but no shipping. In…
Read MoreThe Rewards of Butterfly Gardening August 2005
Lepidoptera means scaled winged and describes the butterfly with its most obvious features – wings covered with flattened scales. Few people think of butterflies as pollinators, but just like bees butterflies pollinate plants too. One report states that the number of honey bees in the United States has decreased by 25% in the past decade…
Read MoreGardening Pros and Cons June 2009
Before John and I returned to the country to live, we had a clear understanding about a few things such as row crops and large gardens. And at this writing I’m reminded of that understanding. I recently received a litter from a quilting friend who has moved to the lovely north Georgia Mountains and among…
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