Category: forest living
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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 were still getting used to the place, we were awoken…
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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 days. I even tried to time block my days with…
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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 a world of hazy grey skies and the smell of…
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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, or a season of life, I can feel a bit…
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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 morning coffee taking in vitamin D and hoping the sun…
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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 plant hunters and brought back plants from North America, South…
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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. The snow has melted under the dormant trees in the…
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Visit from Spirit Animal
We put a bird feeder right outside our sitting room window. I suppose watching the birds is a form of mediation for me. This has been a tough winter. Lots of snow. Lots of cold. I enjoy offering food to our winter residents–chickadees, nuthatches, titmouse, downy woodpeckers, and the occasional blue jays and cardinals. In…
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Keystone Plants
The term ‘keystone plant’ has been popping up in my reading and in my native plant research. Keystone plants are native plants that form the foundation of an ecosystem. These plants are essential for the lifecycle of many species. They support a high percentage of caterpillars, insects, and birds. Fourteen percent of native plants support…
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Wonder
In a moment of quiet as I gazed out the back window, the word ‘wonder’ came to me and the hymn: I wonder as I wander out under the sky And wonder is my word of the year. As a gardener, when I stop with my list of garden tasks and simply stand or sit…
