We’ve been clearing brush on our property for five long, long years now for three important reasons. One of those reasons is not because we are gluttons for punishment. But sometimes I wonder. It’s also not because it is our idea of a good time. It isn’t. Here’s the view of our backyard in 2019. Looks like an idyllic scene, right? Many things can look idyllic in the right light and from a distance and with the sound turned off, including history. What that photo does not show is that twenty years ago, most of the trees and brush behind where the kids are playing did not exist. That’s approximately…

We live in a place on the East Coast that typically experiences four distinct seasons and we’re currently wrapping up one of my favorite seasons – summer. The best part of summer is being outside. In summer it’s like the entire area comes alive with activity. The air is buzzing with positive energy. The trees are leafed out providing shade just when you need it. The flowers are bursting with color. The trails are full of bikes and foot traffic. The water is packed with swimmers and paddlers. The parks have festivals, movie nights, and summer concerts. We see our neighbors more during the summer even if it’s just to…

I’d be willing to guess that most people reading this blog post live on or have lived on a property that has a tree stump or two dotting the landscape. Our property has several tree stumps! It’s not unexpected. Trees do have a lifespan. They become diseased. They might become damaged. They might grow in an area that threatens a structure. When any of these things happen, the tree is cut down and, often, the stump is left to rot away. Do you know how long it takes a tree stump to fully rot away? Decades. It can take decades, especially if the tree was a hardwood species. We recently…

I have a bright idea. Let’s talk lighting today because our Colonial Farmhouse has received a literal glow up with the addition of some solar landscaping lights. One of the perks of living in a rural area without much light pollution is that we can see the stars on a clear night. One of the downsides of living in a rural area without much light pollution is that it’s dark at night. I mean really dark. Dumb ways to die dark. In a ‘better light than never’ decision, I added solar landscaping lights to our, well, landscaping last summer. Every night for almost a year now, I’ve looked out the…

Friends, I am delighted to dig into today’s topic and share 10 fun gardening finds with you. This is an aspirational post for me because I’m delusional convinced that I might grow to enjoy gardening if fun and pretty things are involved. I’m not a one trick peony, I mean, pony, so it could happen, right? By the way, I’m using the term gardening loosely here. If it has to do with plants and I thought it looked neat then it landed on the list. Here are 10 fun gardening finds that caught my eye. COPPER TRELLIS I was today years old when I learned a circular copper trellis was a…

I’m considering adding more rhododendrons to the landscaping directly in front of our Colonial Farmhouse. I know it’s not necessarily newsworthy to tell you I’m thinking about doing a thing but I haven’t decided if it’s a good idea and even if it is I might chicken out and do something else. Yet, here we are. Honestly, if someone else wanted to take care of the landscaping decisions for me, I’d be so happy. It’s just not a topic that gets me excited. Unfortunately, there is no one else. I double and tripled checked. I’m stuck with myself on this one. We currently have three rhododendrons. One to the left…