One of My Favorite Books of All Time!

As you can tell by my last few posts I'm getting a little itchy for spring. I'm excited to see what plants survived the winter and to put some more work into my new garden. 

However, I still have a long way to go until it's time. 

One of the things that will tide me over until I can get my fingers in the dirt is reading my gardening magazines and getting ideas. And, of course, browsing around online. 

I just renewed my subscription to Garden Gate Magazine for 2 more years and I can't wait until the next issue arrives!

But as it gets closer and closer to spring the thing that really gets me in the mood to get out there and play in the dirt is reading my favorite book. 

I have to tell you outright, this is not a sponsored post, nor is it an affiliated post. I just truly love this book. 

Out in the Garden - Growing a Beautiful Life

I found Dean Riddle's book quite by accident the first year I moved up to the country from New York City. I was browsing around in a little village called Phoenicia and wandered into a super cute home store called The Tender Land Home.  The book was on display and I snatched up a copy to give it a read. 

And I was completely and totally hooked. 

The author, at the time of writing, was splitting his time between an apartment in NYC and a small rental cottage near Phoenicia. Despite not owning the cottage he put in the most lovely garden that has been featured in many, many publications through the years. 

Dean Riddle's Garden

I was fortunate enough to visit Dean's garden during a garden tour that first summer I lived in the Catskills and I fell instantly in love. I could very easily spend every waking moment in that garden and never grow tired of it. 

Dean's book is about so much more than just gardening. It's very much about the connection between yourself and the environment around you. He has been living simply and mindfully for many years, and inspires me greatly to do the same. He embraces the beauty around him and the quiet simplicity of a country life. 

Dean Riddle's Garden When Dormant

Dean's garden is equally beautiful when at rest, which is the hallmark of a truly talented gardener. 

Dean Riddle's Garden When Flowering

When it's in flower the garden is beyond beautiful. It's a riot of color and texture - I could spend hours examining every plant, every combination of color and form. 

Dean Riddle's Garden

Dean's writing is beautiful and poetic and he weaves stories of his life among stories of his garden and humble home in the Catskills. 

I hope to be able to incorporate even a small portion of Dean's incredible garden style into my new garden. 

And I hope that you give Dean's book a read. 

And that when you turn that final page you put the book down with a sigh and the urge to read it all again from page one. 

I'm very much looking forward to my pre-spring ritual. 

What's yours?

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The Garden at Christmas

I never thought I'd be writing a post about my garden at Christmas but who would have ever anticipated this bizarre weather we've had? 

It's 60 degrees with a misty rain right now, and the clouds are sitting on the mountain peaks all around giving everything a very ethereal look. 

I'm glad to have the day off to putter around my little house taking care of some chores before heading back to work tomorrow. 

It was a lovely holiday!

And tomorrow is back to reality. And winter shall truly arrive. 

Our little reprieve is over. 

This warmer weather meant I could spend a little time in my garden this weekend, which was terrific - what a bonus! I have to say, even though we just got finished with Christmas and yet to have our first real snowfall I've already got spring fever. 

That's not good. There's a long winter ahead of us. 

Looking at the garden from a distance there's not much to see. But when you are a true gardener you notice the smallest little buds - everything is more significant. 

Like the new growth on the roses by the veggie garden - I feel terrible that these tender baby shoots are going to be frozen in another 24 hours. 

The Parsley is still going strong - I should probably harvest this today.  Last chance for fresh herbs right out of the garden this season, I believe!

Another week of this weather and I would have been able to harvest fresh Chives as well. 

I'm still concerned about what is going to happen with my Garlic. The shoots are so big now, this green growth is surely going to be killed within a few days....what will happen to the bulbs below?

The Strawberry plants continue to send out new growth. Since I have them in pots I will stash them away for the winter in the garden cottage and hope for the best. 

The Violas continue to amaze me - they have bloomed continuously since April - 8 months of straight bloom. That's unheard of up here on the mountain top!

I'm not complaining, that's for sure. It's been nice to have something bright and colorful to look at since we have no snow sparkling on the branches. 

Even the Dandelions are blooming in the grass - and I have to say they look pretty cheerful, like a little spot of sunshine in the December garden!

I doubt we'll see any more flowers for the season - the snow is due to start tomorrow, along with a half inch of ice. 

I'm glad I had this last weekend to play in the dirt. 

It smelled like Spring. 

Bear Butts and Bare Trees

I saw my bear the other night. More specifically, I saw his butt. His bear butt. His bare bear butt. His big bare bear butt. He was heading across the road into the apple orchard a few properties down from mine. I'm thinking from the....ahem....deposits he left in my driveway that he eats a LOT of apples. 

Anyway. 

His butt is not the only thing that's bare around here. It poured out of the heavens all night last night along with very heavy winds - the combination took down most of the leaves that were still clinging on to the trees. 

This morning the sun was shining beautifully and it was weirdly warm. I let my fire die for the day so I can clean out the fireplace. Tonight it will be in the 30's. Very strange weather. 

I grabbed my camera to take a few photos of the bare trees around my property to share with all of you. 

I have a view of the mountains from three sides of my house now. No complaints there!

Most of the undergrowth died with the recent frosts - I can see way off into the woods now. Which is great for spotting a bear. Not that I want to spot a bear....

Remember how this tree looked just recently?  Well the leaves are just about completely gone now. And the pile of leaves that was underneath it? Also gone. I came home Monday and found my sweetie sitting in a pile of sweat and leaves. He spent his afternoon blowing them onto a tarp and dragging them into the woods. He's such a honey. I might just have to keep him!

My resident deer loves to hang out behind this shed. In the spring I think she had a fawn bedded down in there - she would let me get fairly close to her but then would hiss at me. I never had a deer hiss at me before! It was a little frightening, not gonna lie. 

There are lots of leaves left to take care of back here. When they are done coming down they will be mulched into the lawn so they can break down to feed the lawn. Eco-fertilizer. 

Any pots that had any sort of a flower still blooming are now gathered around my garden cottage. Many pots were dumped and stored inside and there was some more work done around the foundation this week, again by my sweetie (see - a keeper!) but that's a post for another day. Making progress on the fall cleanup, bit by bit!

I can see right into the horses' paddock now. I think they may have been in their little barn this morning - the paddock was a giant mud puddle after all the rains. 

The front trees are just about done also - which means a better view of the mountain but also a view of the road. And the folks driving by can see my house now, if they bother to look for it. 

The sunshine is gone now and the rain has returned with a vengeance. 

Like I said, weird weather. 

What's it like in your neck of the woods? 

The Wildlife Outside My Window - Good and Bad

I love the wildlife outside my window! Even when I was living in the city I had a little bird feeder and a bird bath outside my bedroom window. I took such delight in that little bit of wildlife that would come eat the treats I would put out for them.

On that note, most of these photos were taken through the window so excuse any fuzziness.....

I felt sorry for the little critters when I moved away, as I do with each move. They get used to having regular meals provided for them and then all of a sudden....nothing.

Well, that's not happening again since I've decided I'm never ever moving again. Ever.

I love looking out and seeing all the critters, large and small, that bring me such joy. Like my little chipmunk friend.  And my neighbors' horses, seen so clearly out my bedroom window now that the trees are getting bare. They are my favorite neigh-bors - ahem. Sorry. 

Not all the creatures bring me joy and some of the wildlife up here on the mountain can be quite scary. 

Like the coyotes. And the bobcats. And the snakes. Ewwww, I hate snakes. And the skunks. And the porcupines. 

And the bears. They are the scariest of all. 

And I had my first real visit from one last night....well, first time in this house. 

I went to put the peanuts out for the birds this morning and one of my feeders was missing. I found the feeder pole on the stairs and a chunk of wood torn from the deck railing where the bear had climbed the stairs, reached over the gate, and tore off the feeder pole. And took the feeder. 

He carried it down by the driveway and broke it to bits. Destroyed it. Grrrrrrrrrr!

It's not the first time I've had a bear take the feeders....not in a long shot. It's just the first time in my new house. 

Crap. I was really hoping they didn't know where I lived!

We gathered the pieces and my sweetie will figure out what parts I'm missing and I'll contact the company for replacements. This company is fabulous, they truly stand behind their product. 

Funny that it's a squirrel buster isn't it? I wish they  made a bear buster! 

It doesn't exist. Not that I know of. If anyone knows of a way to truly keep the bears away from the feeders please share! 

I'll have to bring the feeders into the garage every night before dusk now. Until I'm off his regular feeding route again. Or he goes into hibernation. 

The bear at my last house didn't hibernate in the winter. I had to bring the feeders in every single night, all year. It's irritating to have this extra chore every evening but for me, watching the birds outweighs the annoyance. 

I found a replacement in the garage, installed the feeder pole again, and waited. It wasn't long before we were back in business!

The Nuthatch is coming for the suet. He'd like to get to the peanuts but the Blue Jays won't let him. 

This will do for now!

This is the first time I've seen the Mourning Doves on the flat feeder. 

I honestly wasn't all that sure they were bright enough to figure out there was seed in there! My sweetie calls them the Doofus Birds. He's kind of right....but don't tell him I said so!

The Blue Jays have been regular visitors for a while now but this is the first time I ever captured three on there at once - usually they are too busy fighting!

It didn't take the Gold Finches long to figure out how to work the replacement feeder. Smart little pipsqueaks!

The Dark Eyed Junco comes around looking for tidbits on the ground. Although they are primarily ground feeders they will come to the feeders as well on occasion. 

The Finches like this little thistle feeder outside the kitchen window. I really enjoy being at the sink and watching them up close! 

This poor little Mourning Dove was trying to stay warm on Sunday morning when the temps were in the teens - I felt so bad for him! Look how he fluffed up his feathers to try and stay warm! Yup, that was snow on the railing. That was this cold blustery day.

I love watching the antics of the squirrels. They are such goofy little critters! This guy looks like he has ants in his pants waiting for the other squirrel to have his fill. 

Waiting not so patiently for his turn at the feeder.....he's looking a little anxious now. 

And he gave up. Perhaps the Blue Jay bullied him away. 

The Blue Jays are ganging up on the squirrel but he doesn't seem to be bothered at all. 

Getting a little impatient now....."Come on, you've had enough - it's our turn!"

What kind of wildlife do you see out your window?