Hogmanay and First Footing

Happy New Year to All!!!

My husband and I were very active in the Scottish Community in Columbus up until we moved to Whidbey Island.

In Scotland, New Years is a huge holiday. Here I'll ask you to go to google and look up Hogmanay, the Scottish term for New Years. Also google "first footing"... another Scottish tradition. According to this tradition, the luck you will have for the next year is determined by the person who is first to enter your house on New Year's Day. The very best luck you can have is for a tall, dark haired man to be your First Footer. He should bring a loaf of bread and a lump of coal with him. These signify food and fuel for the year.

We have participated in a few such celebrations. One of the most notable was at Mac's Cafe in the Gallery District in Columbus. It was great fun.

I hope you all have a very Happy New Year and enjoy good health, good food and enough wealth to keep you comfortable for the whole year.

The Christmas Forest...

I hope everyone has the very best of times in your special holiday this year and for many years to come.

This is our Christmas Forest and Village. It's a little different every year but I've been building a Christmas village for as long as I can remember. Mother always used to arrange little paper houses under the Christmas tree and I would watch and pretend it was a real village with real little people in it. When I got old enough, she started letting me arrange it. Sometimes I'd put it under the tree like she did but other years I'd set up a card table and put the village there. It didn't matter to Mother. However I wanted to do it was okay with her.

David and I have always had a tree. Our first tree was a 4' white flocked artificial tree. We were looking for a regular green one and I happened to look way up high in a large store. There on the very top shelf, all by itself was this little white tree. It looked so lonesome and forlorn. I pointed it out to David and he understood immediately. So it was our first tree.

Then one year, we went to a garden center to buy a live cut tree. We looked at several but there again I heard a call. I walked down the row to a little tree that was clear down at the end, sort of tossed aside. I lifted it up. It had a bent trunk and some branches were missing... I called David over. Again he understood immediately. That tree was so beautiful after we had it all decorated. We (I) couldn't bear to part with it until Ground Hog's Day. :-)

So, many trees and many Christmases later, we moved into our present little Cape Cod house. It was too small for our usual tree, so we bought a Christmas Forest. Three short (1', 3' and 4') narrow trees. We used them last year and they're perfect again this year. And the village is very happy at the edge of the Christmas Forest.




At this Special time, may you Find
Love, Peace, Health, Renewal.
Hope, Food, Safety, Warmth.
Friends, Family, Trust, Home.
May they stay with you all the year long.

My Solstice Tradition

About 12 years ago, I began my own Winter Solstice Tradition. I wanted to celebrate the return of warmth and light by myself (although I wouldn't mind if others joined me). I didn't want any big fuss or fanfare, just recognition of the Power beyond my imagination that was going to chase away the dark and the cold and bring back light and warmth and make the world live again.

So, 12 years ago, at midnight on December 21, I went outside to a tree on the lawn of the house were living in. I patted the tree gave it a hug and reassured it that warmth and light was coming and it would be all right. I still do this every Solstice Eve. Short and sweet but meaningful to me... and I think, to the tree.

Last year in this, our new house in Ohio, we didn't have any trees, so I "borrowed" the neighbor's gigantic oak which is right beside our driveway, gave it a hug and a pat and said that it would be all right. The cold was going to go away.

This year, I'll have our own trees to reassure at Solstice tomorrow night. We've planted 5 trees on our little city lot. Here they are.

Acer griseum, Paperbark Maple


Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansey', Eastern Redbud


Betula nigra 'Heritage', River Birch


Picea, Spruce (sorry I can't remember the cultivar)


And finally, the fifth young tree is Cercis canadensis, Redbud (a different cultivar from the first one)


So, maybe tomorrow, Monday night, you will think about the miracle of the planet we live on and be happy that the warmth and light will be returning, plants will be growing, all us gardeners will be checking every day to see what is growing and be thrilled when we see that miracle returning again.

Go pat a tree and plant a flower (next spring).

December Bloom Day 2009

I'm so glad Carol from May Dreams Gardens is hosting the Bloom Day each month. It makes me get out and take a look around for blooms.

Pickin's are pretty slim now, but I found a couple surprises.

On December 3, I found this lovely little lady.


On the 13th, this is what I found:

Thank you lovely lady, we'll catch you on the flip side next spring.

I also found this brave little guy, only a little worse for wear.

I've had pansies blooming every month since early last spring. Very interesting year, 2009.

No more blooms but here's a really nice surprise for my garden.

Rosa 'Cinco de Mayo' was not only a wonderful bloomer, but just look how colorful it gets (for a rose) when the deep chill hits.

Happy Holidays everyone.

My Amaryllis Story, the Beginning

Early last January 2009 (maybe late December 2008, I bought an Amaryllis bulb in a package at Lowe's. It was half price or less because it was after Christmas.

I didn't have much hope because there was what appeared to be a dried up baby flower stem.... not developed very far.

But I dutifully put the "soil" in the pot, added water, and finally planted the bulb according to direction. I waited.

Soon large green strappy leaf tips appeared and grew and grew and grew. It was quite pretty, but as I suspected, no flower stem. So I just let the leaves grow and when the summer temps arrived, I put the pot outside on the edge of a planted I created for my Hosta on the north side of my house.


It looked pretty there with the Hosta and seemed happy, so it stayed until frost threatened this fall (October?). I brought it inside, with the still lovely green leaves. I cut the leaves off and let it dry out.

About a week ago or so, I started watering it again. I began by filling the pot with water until it was full to the top. For a couple days, I added more water to the top until the soil could absorb no more. Then I waited.

I didn't have to wait long. With in 5 days or so, a tiny green pointed top appeared. Now today it's over an inch tall.

When I hold it up to the light there is another similar shaped green thing "inside" the first on which now it rather large. (Excuse my thumb)


So I'm waiting again. I don't know whether the new (here invisible) green point will be a flower stem or another leaf. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I'll keep you posted.

EDIT: Here is an excellent link on how to care for Amaryllis bulbs to get them to rebloom. I did some of these things. I only found the link today (12/11/09)

Decorating for the holidays

We have our little house all spruced up for the holidays. It's dressed for all the holidays of this season, Christmas, Hannuka, Kwanzaa, Guadalupe Day, Santa Lucia Day, Boxing Day and St. Stephen's Day, New Year's Day, Hogmanay and any other December holidays that I may have missed including by own personal thanks for allowing us all to renew and grow again for another year.


We have a Christmas house in the daylight also, red roof and green shutters.


And a closer view of our deck.

The Museum has closed....

I guess there was a reason after all for the sad look on Rory's face... We had to take him back to his breeder. He had issues that we could not deal with and cute as he was and a precious little soul, he was not the doggie for us. The breeder will find a new home for him that will be better for him. He will make a dandy earth dog or maybe even agility. He has all the natural talent and more that makes a good Earth Dog and he LOVES to be outdoors. And his energy abounds. He is a tracker and a digger (aren't they all) and he likes small, dark places. All he needs are some basic commands and he'll be ready to go ratting.

Next spring we'll begin a search for an adult dog that wants to live with us.

New Curator of the Museum of Precious Cairnish Antiquities

Rory Dubh MacDaye (his new full name) has been named to the position of Curator of the Museum of Precious Cairnish Antiquities. He began his career in this field on August 21, 2009. He has grown in his knowledge as first his eyes opened, then as he was able to totter about and later he began to appreciate The Antiquities themselves.

After moving to the location of his first commission, his first duty was to file his most favored Cairnish Antiquity... a limp two week old leaf from a cabbage plant when Mommy (Beth Ann) pulled it unceremoniously from the garden. He cared for it diligently, filing it in one drawer, then removing it and refiling it in another until he was sure we were not watching. Security is primary at the Museum of Precious Antiquities.

This shows three file drawers that The Curator uses: Logs around flower bed, beside AC in leaves, and under hose trolley in leaves (loose papers).


His first filing location was the soft soil file cabinet under log borders around a flower bed.


Oh No! They were watching!! Gotta move it!


Next he decided he liked the style of the filing cabinet next to the Air Conditioner, again in a pile of leaves, errr lose unfiled papers.


Finally, still uneasy about security, he made two more moves, under the hose trolley and under the boat tarp.



Another night when he was making his rounds, Rory Dubh (pronounced Doo, in Scottish Gaelic fashion, any consonant followed by an "h" is silent) remembered which drawer he had filed one precious item. He uncovered it and carefully placed it in another drawer and covered it. He turned around and saw me watching so he quickly uncovered it and moved it two feet away and refiled it after checking to be sure I was not watching this time. I have learned to be furtive.

Finally yesterday, Rory (while he was "out back" with Daddy David) hopped up into my only unfenced raised veggie bed, dug a shallow hole, filed a treasure, carefully covered it again, and hopped out. He noticed that David had made note of this activity so he took it out again and refiled it elsewhere in an unmarked cabinet. Notice where Sir Rory had been overzealous in his filing...the one broken garlic and the one bent one.... broken and bent but I suspect they will survive. :-)
BTW, the Curator, being a bit obsessive, is always careful to replace both the dirt and then the leaves in the new file drawer.


Today I fenced that same veggie bed which had been filled with next year's garlic crop.


And so goes the story of Sir Rory Dubh MacDaye, the new Curator-in-Chief of the Museum of Precious Cairnish Antiquities as he proceeds with his duties.

The board of directors of M.P.C.A. is pleased with the success of the new curator.


Report filed by Beth Ann Daye

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, Nov. 2009

When I saw that it was Garden Blogger's Bloom Day for November today, I went out to see what, if anything was still blooming. Here is what I found.

The last (maybe) rose of summer, a little worse for wear.


And on another rose bush...


There is still a Blackeyed susan open and one partially open.


The alyssum is as happy as it was in summer....


Echinacea is still trying....


I know this plant but can't think of the name of it. Help!....


There's a couple blooms on the white yarrow.


My pink gaura is still blooming fully. It's a wonder.


Not a bloom but it's pretty and seen only in autumn. Sedum 'John Creech'


And last of all, the requisite photo of Rory, three mos. old, this time masquerading as a cougar cub.


Hope you enjoyed your trip through my garden for November Bloom Day. Thank you, Carol from May Dreams Gardens for hosting this.

Portrait...

Here's one new photo of Rory. There are lots more coming...

His Royal Highness has Arrived!!! HRH has a name: RORY... + More Photos

Today we drove a 100 miles one way to go pick up our new little fur kid.

He is an 8 week old male cairn terrier, a red brindle in color. Right now he is sacked out in his crate and dreaming puppy dreams. He is totally precious and a real love.

Here he is taking his first steps in his own front yard.


He's very young and very small so all he does is eat, poop, pee, and play, not necessarily in that order.

Here is Daddy and his little son.



We still need a name. We're thinking about: Hamish, Robby, Sean, Seamish, Rory, but none seem quite right. Any suggestions?

Sunday Morning:
We made it through the night. He slept in his crate by my bed from 11:00 to 3:44 a.m. when he started whimpering very quietly. I put my hand down beside him and he went back to sleep until 7:00. We gave up and got up. He has had breakfast, been outside in the BIG backyard and is back inside playing again. All is well.

More pictures and updates soon...

Here are some more...

Rory faces the front. Held by Mommy.


Rory faces left.


Rory shows us a quarter profile. Irresistible.


Rory sound asleep.


Rory discovers Daddy's best sock.


Hope you liked these. I'll wait now until he actually changes a bit. :-)

Quiz #6 -- The Answer!!

This one will be dead simple if you already know the plant. If not, you'll need to do some digging to find it. :-)



Don't forget to leave a comment. I really appreciate all of them.

HINT #1: This is an ornamental grass.

HINT #2: The seed head and stems dry and will last for years without dropping any seeds around the house.

HINT #3 and Last hint: My very favorite in the whole world ornamental grass with full view photo.



And the answer is: CHASMANTHIUM LATIFOLIUM, Northern Sea Oats

Thanks for playing, everyone.

Quiz #5 - CLOSED, answer below...

Here's #5. This is a little tougher. Good luck.



Remember the rule. If you look, please leave a comment even if it's just "hello". It makes me feel like there's a reason why I'm keeping this blog if I know someone's looking.

HINTS: Flower stem is about 1' tall. Deceased flower ball is about 1" across.

SOLUTION: This seed head is from Armeria pseudameria 'Joystick Red', a relative of Armeria maritima, Sea Thrift or Sea Pink. This one is a little larger and it's leaves are more strappy instead of grasslike. The color is rosey peach. Very pretty [LINK}.

Quiz #4

I told you the last one was an easy one... This one is not too hard either.

Name this plant. Hints will come later, if needed.



REMEMBER: The rule is, if you visit, leave a comment (even if it's only "hello"). Then I know there is some reason why I'm doing this blog.

Quiz #3

Here's an easy one. Name this plant.

Answer to Quiz #2

Time is up. Here are the answers to Quiz #2. Click on the image to see the larger view then match the letters with the Key below. When I was making the key, I discovered two more plants that I hadn't counted when I first put up the quiz. So, there are 14 plants, not only 12.



A. Molinea caerulea subsp arundinacea "Skyracer"
B. Chasmanthium Latifolium, Northern Sea Oats
C. Purple Fountain Grass
D. Fennel flowers
E. Physostegia flower stems after flowers are gone.
F. Carrot tops.
G. Helianthus Maximillian, Maximilian Sunflower
H. Parsley
I. Leucanthemum, Shasta Daisy
J. Lemon Balm
K. Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower
L. Gaura (only one blossom)
M. Russian Sage
N. Black eyed Susan

If some of you know the scientific names, please let me know and I'll add them. My friends from OSU Horticulture would skin me alive for that statement of forgetfulness.

Now I have to figure out a new quiz. Thanks to all for stopping by.