Saturday, November 24, 2007
A frosty morning here on the hill. 12 degrees and overcast with snow flurries falling from the east and nuthatches landing on the platform feeder like hover jets in high winds. I have yet to figure out the aerial maneuvers of these birds but it must have something to do with avoiding predators.
Karl the wonder dog was reluctant to walk very far with me this morning. I don't always agree with him but today I do as the walks and roads are still very icy. The Thanksgiving eve weather front changed from rain and 45 degrees to 19 degrees and slippery in three hours. This morning we got down the road past the lower hosta garden and when two of four of his feet headed south, we both headed for the house and the wood stove. His egg was over easy today; mine were scrambled.
As late fall chores are about completed, my thoughts are turning to our website, orders for next year and a marketing plan. The Internet is just so valuable a tool for all this and yet I am continually amazed when people ask how I find out certain things. One search leads to another and before the cycle is finished I have new resources and a longer "To Do" list. This morning was no different.
A gardener from Vancouver Island who belongs to the daylily listserv mentioned that a new poster promoting the Chelsea Flower Show contained a daylily and the picture apparently came from an English blog which she listed as: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/rakes-progress/november07/designerchicflowershow.htm
I went to the blog, checked out the daylily and before I knew it I was at the Gardening Blog Directory checking out blogs from Scotland, England and Ireland. A couple steps later and I was into hydrangeas and then back to the US visiting The American Hydrangea Society and a members' site that is recommended, Hydrangeas, Hydrangeas. It's prepared by AHS member Judith King and gives great advice on types and wintering over....and that's just what I was looking for! Gail and I really like hydrangeas and although we only have three varieties now, we want to incorporate a number of them at our new location.
If you have a few minutes or find that your driveway is like ours, try the Blog Directory and click on a different part of the world. The flower possibilities are limitless and what you can learn about another part of the world is fascinating. Today's fascination for me will be splitting some more wood and learning some more about Dreamweaver CS3 for our new website.
Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the sun is breaking through but the thermometer is stuck at 12. This is the part of the fall season that forgot it's not winter.
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
http://thevermontgardener.blogspot.com
http://vermontflowerfarm.com
