Diary of a Garden - 2025 edition

My concept of gardening has changed a lot.

I know now that it not just buying a pretty plant.

Its not even knowing your zone, the soil's acidity/clay/sand, 

                            how much water, how much sunlight.

It's being there, working with the soil, the animals, the bugs, the sun, the rain,

                                not even thinking about plants.

Its noticing what shows up. 

                                Tending to what you like. 

                                Removing what you don't.

It's listening and responding.

Ok its not ALL exactly like that, but I'm getting there a lot more often.

Livinglifefully.com has an appropriate quote 

                            from Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen:

People can learn to study their life force in the same way that a master gardener studies a rosebush.  No gardener ever made a rose.  When its needs are met a rosebush will make roses.  Gardeners collaborate (with the entire network that is the rose--mine) and provide conditions which favor this outcome. 

Rainy Day

Noticed the pinecone in the earlier picture closed up.

Here's an explanation on why that happens.

Pinecones close when it rains. Here’s how they do it!

Native Alabama Bamboo

There are 3 bamboos native to Alabama.

"Until the early nineteenth century, the canebrake ecosystem covered large portions of Alabama's river floodplains in every valley and parts of the uplands, reaching its greatest extent in the richest and most well-watered soils."

Encyclopedia of Alabama - Canebrakes

Long Leaf Pine

From my yard

Back After a Long Time

Haven't written in many, many years.
Older and wiser and much more appreciative of the nature occurring around me.

Here's Bill Finch with my current state of mind.

"We know more about what's invaded Alabama than we know about what's here. We never discovered this landscape. I think in many ways we've always been uncomfortable with diversity in Alabama..."

The True Story of Kudzu, the Vine That Never Truly Ate the South by Bill Finch

ITS RAINING!!! YAY!!

(hate you blogger by the way)

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Annual
Avg	5.75	5.10	7.20	5.06	6.10	5.01	6.54	6.20	6.01	3.25	5.41	4.66	66.29
2011	3.38	2.95	4.74	0.90	0.10

dying vine

pomogranate, squash and cabbage

privet makes the best honey