Beth Carpenter Books

I love autumn. Love the harvests, the cool evenings, the pumpkins. I usually make an apple pie. One of the few downsides of living in Alaska and Arizona is we don’t get those incredible fall colors. Oh, we get some nice golden aspens, and the mountain ash are lovely and covered with berries. Just not the incredible blend of warm shades I’ve seen in pictures of hardwood forests. But I’m hoping I’ll get my fix. Next week, we’re visiting my husband’s grandmother in southern Illinois. I'm always amazed by the huge variety of trees there, and if we’re lucky maybe the leaves will have started to turn. I can’t wait to find out. In the meantime, this is my own spin on a fall display. Mums, because they’re traditional and beautiful. Sweet alyssum, because the lacy honey-scented flowers appeal to my romantic side. And hot peppers, just to spice things up a little. How are you celebrating Autumn?

Anticipation    -   Why don’t we celebrate Christmas all year long? One of my kids asked me that once in January when the bloom was off the new toys. I told him it wouldn’t be special if we did it every day. Anticipation is part of the reason Christmas is so much fun. I think the same is true of gardening. In early February, I found this cranesbill in full bloom in London. In Alaska, mine won’t be blooming until June. The picture below was taken in July. The cranesbill are in the lower left. I planted tulips under a deep mulch on the north side of the house once, and they actually bloomed on the Fourth of July.                                                   I don’t know if I appreciate flowers more than a Londoner, but I suspect I get more excited about them. If I hadn’t waited all winter...

Yesterday was Mother's Day. With my broken leg I'm basically home-bound, so it wasn't terribly exciting, but I had a good day. I had a long talk with my own mother, who will turn 90 this year. My kids spoiled me with flowers, chocolate, and books -- my three favorite luxuries. My husband took good care of me and made me tea.  Bottom line - it's good to be loved. I'm thankful.

I saw this article from Good Housekeeping listing some items that create a happy environment in the home, and we can all use some extra happiness, right? So I decided to take inventory.  9 Things Science Says Your Home Needs If You Want to Be Happy 1. Green or yellow walls - Check. Not bright yellow, but I think that brownish yellow counts. It's actually yellower than it looks in the photo.       2. Fresh flowers - Not at the moment, although I'm a big fan and I'm sure I'll be bringing home a primrose or bunch of daffodils soon. In the meantime, I have fake ones, as well as a pretty floral pattern on the shower curtain. Does that count? 3. and 4. Sentimental photos and v anilla candles - Check.  5. A journal - That would be this blog, and I agree that reading over old posts and comments does make me happy. 6. Furry friends - Check. She's definitely a day-brightener, even if she does think sq...

 It's summer again, and if it ever stops raining, I have work to do in my garden, and a mother's day gift of two new garden gnomes to introduce. I've been gardening on this lot for twenty-four years now, and over that time, the garden has changed and evolved. The former owner had established a perennial bed out front with globeflowers, campanella, cranesbill, and lilies. The lilies have started to fade away, but the others have self-seeded over the years, filling the bed, and I've added new flowers.  The one rhubarb plant in the backyard is now five huge clumps in different locations around the house. Ferns have multiplied to fill the shady spots. And there are more shady spots than ever, as the trees have grown and spread. Not long after we moved in, we build a fence, which created an awkward little pocket on the side of the house. I made that pocket my secret garden, a little private oasis filled with lacy foliage and pink and blue flowers, where I could escape an...