• Bees and Hummingbirds

    When we first moved into a woodland home, I was expecting a lot of furry wildlife–deer, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, etc. I need to add porcupines to the list, though I never even thought they would be part of our life. During the night, when we… Read more

  • Schedules

    Living here in the North Woods, my living to a schedule has shifted. I used to love getting new planners and figuring out what goals I wanted to achieve in a year. I then created three-month action plans that were broken into months, weeks, and… Read more

  • Fireflies

    Wildfire smoke has kept me indoors for three days now. The temperatures are perfect for opening windows and working in the garden. But alas, windows are closed and I’m sure the plants are trying to cope with the smoke as well. We are living in… Read more

  • Persistence

    The one thing gardening has taught me is persistence. I do get discouraged when I go on my morning garden walk and see the deer and rabbits have eaten some plants to the ground. Part of it is my fault for not being diligent about… Read more

  • Noticing

    Summer is finally here. Lake Michigan isn’t at her summer best just yet. She still holds some of winter. An early morning drive revealed fog along the lakeshore. The water and air temperatures are not yet aligned. As seasons change, whether from spring to summer,… Read more

  • Late Spring Forest life

    I came back home to my Michigan north woods home from a trip to Scotland with summer bursting out all over. The trees have leafed out. Morels, supposedly, can still be found. And birdsong welcomes the sunrise. I’ve been able to sit outside with my… Read more

  • Travel

    I just got back from a twelve day trip to Scotland. We visited chefs and weavers and gin/whiskey makers. People who use the ingredients of their area to create something beautiful and delicious. We visited a garden in northwest Scotland that was created by Victorian… Read more

  • Life Finds A Way

    There is still snow on the ground. Mounds a few feet high in places. And its been raining and raining. Parts of garden beds are uncovered and snowdrops are blooming in those spaces and daffodils are pushing up through the soil. Life finds a way.… Read more

  • It’s Been A While

    Winter is still here near the end of March. We headed to St. Augustine the first week of March for some sun and fresh seafood. We came back to a slight melt. The snowdrops were starting to push their way through the soil. Then we… Read more

  • Play In The Garden

    I went to a creativity workshop yesterday and the theme was Play. As grownups, do we play? What does play feel like now compared to when we were kids? How can we play more in our lives? I thought of my garden and how I… Read more

Heart & Soil

Heart & Soil is written by & copyright Mary Pellerito