Sheets, peonies are blowing in the Indiana wind with "Wamshowers."

Sheets, peonies are blowing in the Indiana wind - KPCNews: Kpcnews

This past week my email box has been full of requests from "Warmshowers." All of a sudden it is time to bike across America and they have found beds, showers, and laundry at my house.

This week's column features two of the young men who came visiting last week from Korea. As always enjoy and thank you for reading. I took the photos as they were leaving my garden.

Until tomorrow.

Joe

Honeysuckle

Early June night skies with the Roman gods and Shakespeare.

The early June skies are so stunning. The past few evenings I have enjoyed a campfire in my back yard as I am lulled into a trance just watching the night skies. The moon is cradled in the West and Jupiter is as bright as any star.

In Metamorphesis, it is stated that June was named after Juno, queen of the gods. However, today's scholars feel that June is derived from the Juniores, the lower branch of the first Roman legislature. Which ever the case, June inaugurates our summer bringing with it fireflies, corn and the hymns of the birds.

And how can we forget William Shakespeare during this month? 

When I consider every thing that grows 
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment; 
When I perceive that men as plants increase, 
Cheered and cheque'd even by the self-same sky, 
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease, 
And wear their brave state out of memory; 
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay 
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight, 
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay, 
To change your day of youth to sullied night;
And all in war with Time for love of you, 
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.

Sonnet XV

However you like it, welcome to the merry month of June.

Until tomorrow.

Piping our way into summer!

Last night I invited friends into my garden to celebrate the beginning of summer! (I know the official date is June 21!) It was a long winter for those of us in the north so we decided to celebrate the ending of winter. What better place to celebrate than my garden.

We started the evening with poetry from James Whitcomb Riley, our Indiana poet laureate. My neighbor, Lee, and I read poetry while guests gathered under the maple tree.

A potluck followed and then my surprise for the evening arrived! My friend and buddy, Mark Gropp, came into the garden playing the pipes. It was a great surprise for everyone. Mark played and enjoyed conversation with everyone and then played some more.

Into the deep dusk of the evening, we set off a bright yellow sky lantern as Mark played his last tune. We watched it travel up into the sky following the path of the waxing moon.

It was a wonderful evening with music and merriment and good friends in my garden, of course.

Until tomorrow.

Mark Gropp, piper extraordinaire.

Rupert Brooke and my French Lilacs...

"Just now the lilac is in bloom,

All before my little room;"

Rupert Brooke

During these late spring days, not only do my peonies bloom, but so do my French lilacs. They are a bit different from the old-fashioned purple lilacs. They are more delicate in nature and a paler lavender as well.

My bushes are right outside my parlor window. (I like saying that better than living room!)

This past week I held two meetings during the twilight hours with the windows wide open, and the scent was so strong that several folks commented on it.

The bushes are probably too close to the house, too close to the windows, but nonetheless, I love living in a bit of a forest right here in Indiana at the House at White Picket Gardens.

Here is a photo from my French lilac tree. If only, if only you could smell it!

Until tomorrow.

The Peony Flower

Indiana's State Flower

This is the first bloom on my peony flower in my garden. I think it is one of my favorite blooms, and I know I wait and wait and wait patiently for this striking flower.

According to Wikipedia, "The peony is named after Paeon (also spelled Paean), a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. Asclepius became jealous of his pupil; Zeus saved Paeon from the wrath of Asclepius by turning him into the peony flower"

It has been depicted in many art forms such as this painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir..

The General Assembly in Indiana chose it to be the state flower in 1957. This replaced the zinnia which had been the flower since 1931.

As for me, I just love it in my garden. It sits right outside my backdoor and permeates the entire garden with its scent. 

Just watch out when you pick a bouquet for your house as you will find a few ants crawling out of the petals!

Until tomorrow.

From patch to pie with John Fogarty...

Rhubarb in my garden.

My first rhubarb pie of the season.

This is the first year for my rhubarb in my garden. Sometimes I wonder why I didn't plant it earlier, but nonetheless, here it is now.

When I was a little girl, my sister, Jessie, and I used to sit out in our grandma's patch pulling up rhubarb and dipping it into little tin cups of sugar. My grandma would always tell us that we would get stomach aches, but I don't remember ever getting one!

Making my rhubarb pie in my kitchen made me think of my grandma. She froze the rhubarb and then, in the deepest part of the winter, she pulled it out and cooked it slowly on the back of the stove. The smell permeated her house along with the scent of her sugar cookies. I can still smell it today.

So, give rhubarb a chance, and if you don't like it, you can at least sing the song by John Fogarty!

Maya Angelou

"Find a beautiful piece of art. If you fall in love with Van Gogh or Matisse or John Oliver Killens, or if you fall love with the music of Coltrane, the music of Aretha Franklin, or the music of Chopin — find some beautiful art and admire it, and realize that that was created by human beings just like you, no more human, no less." - Dr. Maya Angelou

I do not think any of us have enough words to express our grief on the passing of Dr. Maya Angelou. Her name is a household word. Who does not know of her and her work? It seems as if folks like Maya Angelou should live on and on sharing her wisdom with us who crave and need it so.

I posted this on my Facebook page this morning, and thought it was fitting I should also put it on my blog. And whereas I never met her, her words have carried me through many situations in my own life.

Perhaps she gives us a standard to strive for or live up to; perhaps her words from the above quote are enough to get us through. 

So, this we shall remember, we are all just human beings.

Until tomorrow.

Read Me a Story...

This is just one of the art pieces at the Fremont Library.

Last week I told stories at the Fremont Public Library as part of the summer reading program. The kids were able to walk over to the library from the elementary school, take a tour of the library, and hear a tale or two.

This statue is right out the front door and a great place to just sit and take in the sun while waiting for students.

This week's article is also attached. Just click and enjoy.

Thank you for reading.

Until tomorrow.

Make sure you sign up for summer reading - KPCNews: Kpcnews

Happy Memorial Day

I took this photo of my flag on my balcony.

Today is Memorial Day, and a day off for most Americans. Here in Northern Indiana, the day could not be more beautiful. 

I was up early taking a morning stroll around my neighborhood. It was peaceful and quiet.

It is a day of reflection for those who have come before us and how they have preserved our freedom. Let's not forget them on this day.

If your town has a ceremony, please make sure you are there. In my hometown we will gather on the Mound at 9:00.

Happy Memorial Day.

\

The Secret Garden

“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.”

"The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Inside my own garden walls (picket fence) I have many little secret hide-aways. The raspberry patch is tucked into its own trellis as well as my rain barrel. 

If you look carefully you can find little blue bottles, broken pottery shards, and cottage bird houses.

One of my favorite little places is my Buddha garden. My friend, Kathy, gave me this Buddha for my birthday one year. He holds court over a small garden. At night I usually light a candle illuminating the space. Actually I have candles in all the trees as well.

If you aren't busy one night, come on over for a cup of tea or glass of wine and we can sit in the garden by candlelight and chat about our day!

Until tomorrow.

Green Grow the Rushes, O.

I arrived home on Sunday afternoon. The temperature was 101 degrees in Phoenix and in the 50's in northern Indiana.

I was struct by the green of the groves as we drove back home. The colors of spring are so beautiful with every color of green imaginable. The air was cool and fresh as well.

I had a wonderful time visiting my son and his wife and children. They are gracious and kind and so willing to share their lives with me. But there is always something wonderful about coming home no matter where you live.

Years ago I didn't have a home for part of the year. I lived in an apartment and I had to vacate the apartment during the summer. I lived on the lake and my landlord rented it out.  My things were in storage and all I needed was placed in the back of my Jeep.

During that time period I often heard folks talk about home...so much.

"See you at home."

"Where will you be home?"

"Are you home?"

"How soon will you be home?"

I was so in love with the word home when I had none.

So, driving home from the airport, I thought about how green was my home.

Until tomorrow.

Oh, and enjoy the Celtic Women!

This visiting family business is a good hobby...

This visiting family business is a good hobby - KPCNews: Kpcnews


Here is the link to my Saturday morning column. As you can see I am in Phoenix visiting Abe and his family. The following photos accompany the column.

Enjoy as always and thank you for reading!

Until tomorrow.

Abe's garden does not just feed caterpillars!

This is the caterpillar with Abe's business name, Papili-Machaen-Bairdi.

Just another morning in the kitchen!

The morning brings tedious work for the lepidopterist..

Kristin walked in on the morning scene, "Holy Moly!"

Mary Poppins meets "The Children's Hour."

The Children's Hour

BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

Between the dark and the daylight,

      When the night is beginning to lower,

Comes a pause in the day's occupations,

      That is known as the Children's Hour...

This is Holly with both front teeth out!

Brianna is licking off the frosting on our cupcakes! I can't believe she waited until dinner!

Traveling to Arizona is not just a change in time (three hours), or a change of scenery (small town to the desert), but a change in my status. I become the Nannie of stories, puppets, and songs under the big sky.

It is always sad to leave and not see my girls for a long stretches, but the moment I walk in the door, all time passes, and it is as if we were never apart.

They remember everything...every story, every song, and all of our activities. We have many to do: we must make cupcakes, read in the afternoon, have puppets shows with Goldibocks (she travels in my suitcase), and no that is not a typo. We also swim in the afternoon, and every night we sing songs under the big night sky.

I am so fortunate that there is a full moon tonight. The rising of the moon and the singing of the songs is an event that I hope they will remember all their lives. Our songs include, She'll be Coming Round the Mountain, Jennie Jenkins (every color), I See the Moon, and Good-Night my Darling, Good Night from The Music Man.

I love that when I visit I am the Nannie and nothing else. What more could a person want?

Don't forget to see the full May Flower Moon tonight.

Until tomorrow.