Hello Fellow Readers, I enjoy Halloween enthusiasts who decorate their homes as if it were Christmas with purple and orange lights, cobwebs and spiders. Even smoke machines reminiscent of the disco days. I came upon a house during a walk with Miss Ellie who barked a warning which she

Hello, fellow readers, The Shrewsbury NJ Garden Club invited me to speak during their 60th-anniversary celebration and asked that I send a biography. It’s an honor to give a talk; a bit nerve-wracking, too, speaking in front of a group of folks. A membership with Toastmasters in

Hello fellow readers, How dry we’ve been!  All summer long we’ve been dry with above normal temperatures and as we move into fall its starting off same-same. The Eastern Pennsylvania Weather Authority (EPAWA), who also covers Northern New Jersey, predicts fall to be warmer and dryer t

Hello fellow readers, Once again, I write from Virginia and admit I’m weary. Witnessing a loved one suffer is heartbreaking; Mom’s most enormous suffering is from fear. When I arrived Saturday, her deep cough and spiked fever seemed inevitable. To soothe her, I began readi

Hello fellow readers, The Blairstown’s Village Green, also known as the pocket park where the old Community Center once stood, benefited from a weeding frenzy and a hefty load of mulch. Thanks to a busload of energetic students from Centenary College in Hackettstown, NJ. Patti Doell w

Hello fellow readers, We’ve had a brief hiatus from the heat and humidity, but its quick return has me weary. It occurs to me one of the biggest challenges in the garden of life is limited time. It’s true finding time in the garden is harder and harder as the summer unfolds. I b

Hello fellow readers, One of the native trees that grace my yard is a shagbark hickory (Carya ovata). Its common name speaks for itself, with shaggy bark that stands out like a sculpture. But a treasure to some can be a nuisance to others. It’s true; the first time a golf ball-sized n

Hello fellow readers, Natural stone paths are charming, especially when decorated with cute little plants in the nooks and crannies. Done well, they look as though Mother Nature has invited you to meander. Rachel of Bangor, PA, asked how to create a step-stone path with plants that wo

Hello fellow readers, Jeanne of Blairstown NJ shared a gooey dilemma on her peach trees. Both trees have clear jelly-like globs on or near the fruit. Plus, a rust colored goo on some of the branches. One tree has a deep wound at the base of the trunk, yet that’s the tree producing edi

Hello fellow readers, To follow are tips and protocols of watering plants. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s been hot and dry. I’m all for zero-scaping, the trendy phonetic spelling of xeriscaping; also known as drought-tolerant or smart-scaping. In a nutshell, choose plants who