wystansimons

Seed

The Christmas tree has faded, jettisoned on the blueberry bed, composting itself. (When it isn’t rolling into our neighbor’s yard pushed by roaring winds.) The strings of lights are finally down and boxed. Even the Christmas cards full of smiling friends are tucked away. Why does it always feel darker after the holidays, even thoughContinue reading “Seed”

Cauliflower Pizza

Spring is about to spring, but it ain’t here yet. This is still the season for winter vegetables, and even those are hard to get if you’re eating local grown… This is a recipe for cauliflower pizza that I discovered and we really enjoyed this winter. While you start your seeds and nurture them throughContinue reading “Cauliflower Pizza”

As the Weather Outside Grows Frightful..

The weather report said two nights of low 30s, and we figured it was time. So in come the potted lemons and caldomin oranges, the olive tree and friends. For the next few months they will only huddle and peer out at the brick pathway along the house’s south side, where they basked all spring,Continue reading “As the Weather Outside Grows Frightful..”

Starting Over — or Not?

It’s been just over two years since we left our Maryland gardens behind, and moved to Pennsylvannia. After 14 months of a torturous, CoVid-complicated, mold-complicated renovation, we have a year under our belts in this new home. The next natural step is to start building gardens. Right? Only our love of gardening is at conflictContinue reading “Starting Over — or Not?”

Winter’s End

Can it be already two weeks since I sat on the beach, watching our host David water his sea grape transplants on Peter Bay? They needed the help. The height of the dry season, David told me. I left frozen garden beds under piles of snow, but I could feel them calling to me.It’s notContinue reading “Winter’s End”

Suburban Growing…But Not Plants

Lately, I have been trying to un-aquire stuff. Trying to peel down, through layers of accumulated possessions, that grew up around us in our 30 years of marriage. The layers that moved with us from MD to PA last summer, and currently fill FOUR storage units and our apartment. Yes four. It’s embarrassing. I hadContinue reading “Suburban Growing…But Not Plants”

Oh Oh…IgG-o

Queen of Procrastination, I have avoided writing this post for 19 months A record? Hah. But now, after lying dormant, the Suburban Gardens blog entombed perhaps and clinging to a reed like a sleeping caterpillar, now emerges transformed! And from henceforth —- Wait, let me start at the beginning. Two summers ago, HUGE CHANGE ploppedContinue reading “Oh Oh…IgG-o”

MidSummer Nights Dream

For any gardener in Maryland last week, your dreams were of rain. Wasn’t it just a few months ago that we were soaking, gross and saturated? WAY too much rain? Mud in my chicken run was so deep I worried for the health of my baby chicks! But now those chicks are teenagers and experiencingContinue reading “MidSummer Nights Dream”

Sprung

My lettuce seedlings accuse me. I skitter past the trays under the grow light where limp green straggles out over the edges of a plastic pot, overcrowded and desperate for soil and sun. Or more water, to be honest. More water would do it. “Soon,” I think to them. Guilt, guilt, guilt. I love thisContinue reading “Sprung”

Oh Egg-cellent!!

Too many eggs. YES. This is a problem I can LOVE. After months of pitiful laying, my flock is cranking out eggs even before spring begins, as the hours of sunshine per day increases. I removed two of the mean hens from the flock, who were drivingthe other girls away from the food. (Butchering themContinue reading “Oh Egg-cellent!!”