What The Squirrels Know

I know I talk a lot about the squirrels that live next door, but they have provided me with some of the most interesting and enlightening experiences I've had while sitting at my desk and looking out of the windows. I've learned about parenting, defending one's home and stash, and how to have some good old-fashioned fun. Recently, however, I've also learned that squirrels can also be good predictors of the winter to come.

For example, the effort to collect and store food becomes more intense. The flurry of activity speeds up more some years than others. The building where I live is surrounded by chestnut and black walnut trees, and as soon as they started to ripen and fall to the ground, the squirrels were all over them. That was back in September and early October. Now the poor things are rooting through the two giant dumpsters out behind the two buildings every day for whatever they can find. I've taken to putting out peanuts, seeds, and vegetable cuttings just to supplement their diet of dumpster food. I swear it seems as if they are on a mission to stock up as much food as they can ... like they know something about how severe this winter will be?

I did a little online research (God bless Google) and found out that a tough winter is ahead if the squirrels' tails are very bushy. I've been watching the family next door and it does seem to me as if their tails are, indeed, much bushier than normal. This morning they looked positively double in size! Speaking of size, the whole family seem to be packing on the weight, looking a bit on the pudgy side of late. According to what I read, that is also an indicator of a harsh winter ahead. The third item I read is that if squirrels build their nests higher in the trees, that, too, is an indicator of a harsh winter to come. Since my squirrel family lives inside the rooftop of the building next door, I can't use that as an indicator. Besides, who wants to go through the winter in a cold, drafty tree when you can spend it protected with a roof over your head? That sounds like a pretty smart move to me!

As far as I'm concerned, I've learned so much about life and nature from watching animals over the years that I'm more likely to follow their example than trust the human weather predictions, so I'm starting to stock the pantry with staples like beans, rice, soups, and such ... maybe I'll add a few nuts to the mix, just to keep up with the neighbors!

And so it is. 

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! Can you believe how fast October flew by (like a witch on a broomstick?)? It seemed like only yesterday that we were buying school supplies and sending the kids off to the first day of school. Now the leaves are full of color, the morning air is crisp and even chilly, and pumpkins adorn everyone's porches and front steps. I'm pretty sure I've seen a lot of ghosts, goblins, and zombies in my travels as well.

Remember Halloween when we were kids? We didn't go in as much for the store-bought costumes. It was a fun challenge to put together something ourselves. It made us unique, plus it saved mom and dad lots of money! It let us use our imaginations instead of being swayed by big, colorful store displays. I think that's one of the things I loved the most about Halloween, the chance to stretch our imaginations and create a costume unlike anyone else's.

The other thing I loved about the holiday is when we went out for trick or treat. I wasn't all that interested in the candy (unless it was chocolate). I loved the feeling of the night, the crunch of the leaves under our feet as we moved through the chilled darkness, following the lights and decorations on our neighbors' houses. There were less zombies and vampires back then, and more witches, skeletons, and ghosts. I always secretly wished I could find out what it was like to ride a broomstick across the Halloween sky.

This year there will be lots of characters from video games, from scary movies or Disney princesses. It will be even more fun this year after the previous two years when it wasn't safe for them to go door-to-door. To all the caring, thoughtful people and organizations who provided them with a neighborhood Trunk or Treat, a heartfelt thank you. There would have been no Halloween at all for the kids without you. 

So from Flower Bear and everyone here in the garden, a happy, safe, and fun Halloween. BOO!

And so it is. 

When Is A Scarecrow Not A Scarecrow?

 

Every year I look forward like a child to our annual trip to the pumpkin farm. We haven't been able to go for the last two years and I am excited to be able to finally go this year with my family - just waiting for a nice, sunny day. Meanwhile, this weekend, I was able to placate the 5 year old in me by taking a drive with my sister to our area's yearly Scarecrow Contest where contestants create and showcase their creativity, and we get to vote for our favorites. This year, the idea of "scarecrow" took on a whole new meaning, and two exhibits in particular made a huge impression on me.

If you are a person of a certain age, you will recognize the image above from that all-time classic movie: "Little Shop Of Horrors." It's the giant Venus Flytrap plant that kept wailing "feed me." Can you even imagine how much work and craftsmanship went into that exhibit? I don't know if it would scare off any crows, but it would surely entertain them. I guess you'd have to have a pretty big garden to put him in. He was about 6 feet tall and just as wide!

Of all the submissions, the one below is the one that to touched my heart the most:

I have to believe that if you want the best for your garden, having Mother Earth right there watching over it has to be your best bet. Isn't she lovely? I can tell you from having been up close and personal with her that she emits a serene feeling of wisdom and love. 

The winner won't be announced until the end of the month, but I'm hoping Mother Earth takes the prize. I guess the idea of a scarecrow, like beauty, is indeed in the eye of the beholder. Try it yourself. See if you can come up with a new idea of what a scarecrow can be. Have some fun. 

And so it is. 

So What's The Big Deal About Autumn Anyway?

Welcome to October! One cannot scroll through social media these days or turn on the TV without seeing all sorts of photos and quotes about autumn finally arriving. The stores have been geared up for weeks ahead of time, their shelves filled with fall decorations and, of course, scary Halloween decorations as well. It's almost as if we are being hit over the head with it wherever we turn. So, what's the big deal about autumn anyway?

I can only speak from my own personal perspective. First of all, you can't beat the colors. Sure, spring is filled with promise and hope after a long, dark winter, but autumn celebrates all of that hope and promise fulfilled  in its bountiful harvests, blazing colors, and crisp scents in the cooler air. It's as if Mother Earth is making sure she goes out with a bang before all is asleep once again under that snowy blanket. 

The older I get, the more autumn takes on an almost spiritual meaning for me. I appreciate the beauty of the land so much more. The colors and variety of the harvest makes me want to take to my kitchen and cook up a storm, feeding my soul as well as my body. Most of all, autumn inspires me. While I try not to dwell on the idea of my passing some day, when I do go, I want to go out just like Mother Nature does every year. I want to go out in a blaze of glory, full of the life I've lived, the people I've loved, and the gifts I've been able to share. Until then, I want to live full out, full of color, glory, and the crisp wind in my hair that says "Here I am, world. Let's play in the leaves!"

And so it is. 

Thank You, Johnny Appleseed!

I know I talk about apples a lot but, honestly, have you ever come across a more useful and prolific fruit in your life? I mean, there is no end to what you can do with them, not to mention how healthy they are for you. They are rich in fiber and antioxidants. They have been linked to a lower risk of many chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Apples may also promote weight loss as well as improve gut and brain health. How's that for a a bunch of reasons to enjoy them!

You may have heard the story about Johnny Appleseed when you were a kid in school. As the story goes, Johnny, whose real name was John Chapman, was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, in 1774. His dream was to produce so many apples that no one would ever go hungry. While the story told to children is of a man wearing a pot on his head, traveling across the country planting apple trees, what he actually did was to buy up tracts of land to plant thousands of acres of apple trees. He headed west in 1792 when he was 18 years old with his half-brother, Nathaniel. Eventually Nathaniel would stay behind to help their father with the farm and Johnny continued westward. Folklore also says that he was thought to be funny looking because of the way he dressed. It was said that he traded apple trees to the settlers for their cast-off clothing. After 50 years of walking the throughout the country, he died in March of 1845 at the age of 71 from pneumonia. It is said that it was the only time he was ever sick in his whole life.

I have nothing but thanks and gratitude for old Johnny and what he gave to this country. I honor the beautiful produce that he gifted us every year by paying a visit to our local apple-claim-to-fame, The Cider Mill, here in beautiful Endicott, New York. There you can see first-hand how apple cider is made, as well as their famous (and delicious, I might add) donuts - the maple ones are my favorites. Along with learning about how cider and donuts are made, you can choose from an unending variety of things made from apples: pies, applesauce, cookies, muffins, jams, jellies, butters, and even slushies. In addition, cheese, jams and jellies from other local producers are also sold there. My favorite part of my visit, however, is outside the building where every kind of apple you can think of are for sale: Cortland (only an hour's drive from here), Gala, McIntosh, Granny Smith, Delicious, etc., are all for sale in huge bins. Along side them are veggies and fruits of the season, freshly harvested: the first of the squashes, gourds, blueberries, and, of course, the first pumpkins, although there will be many more of those come October. I am in my glory every time I go there. Even though it is smack dab in the neighborhood, once you'e there, you swear you're out in the country enjoying the gifts nature has to offer. It is truly one of the highlights of the coming season for me.

So, thank you, Johnny Appleseed, for my apple pies, apple cider, apply smoothies, apple jelly, apple butter, and, oh, gosh, for that big, red, juicy apple itself! May it never fade away.

And so it is. 

September's Song

"Oh, it's a long, long while from  May to December,

But the days grow short when you reach September."

The mornings have been lovely this last week. Waking up now just as the sun is rising brings the first hints of Autumn in the air. It is crisp, and clean, and cool (thankfully), and these now cooler nights are hitting the tips of some of the trees as color starts to appear. September, how I've longed for you to be here, and here you are. Welcome!

The farmers' markets and roadside stands are now bursting with the first fruits and veggies of the harvest, with plenty to come in the weeks ahead. Already I'm pulling out recipes for squash, pumpkin, and, of course, apples ... lots and lots of apples. Here in upstate New York we are blessed with the perfect climate for apples of every variety. There are farms and orchards here who open their gates to folks and invite them to come pick their own. We haven't had the opportunity to do so these last few years, but this year we may see it coming back. How awesome it would be to be able to grab a basket and get at it again.

The other day when I opened the window and got a whiff of the clean, cooler air, just for a second I could catch a particular aroma that I always described to my kids as: "It smells like it's time for school." Of course I was the only one who could smell it, or feel it. I wasn't just teasing the kids growing up. If my Mom were alive she would tell you that even as a child I would share that moment with her when I opened the door and declared to her that it "smelled like school." I had that feeling the other day. Needless to say it spurned my yearly commitment to stocking up on blank notebooks, pencils, and pens, and to start searching for some topic to study which I undertake on my own every year, just like picking a course of study in college.  I firmly believe that learning is a life-long event and that we never stop, nor should we. How boring life would be if we didn't find new and interesting things to learn and to try. This year I am choosing to go deeper into vegan cooking, looking for more diversity and creativity in the kitchen. What better time to take that up than when it is harvest season and the best that our local farmers have to offer is all around!

So this September, I am singing a song of hope for apple picking, cooler days, beautiful leaves, and the excitement of discovery between the pages of vegan cookbooks and online. Just thinking about it makes me want to sing out loud!

And so it is. 

Back to the Land of Horse and Buggy

This weekend my youngest daughter and I took a road trip ... my first in three years due to surgeries and Covid ... to see her older sister who lives in Narvon, a town in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The weather was warm but breezy, and the scenery was just beautiful. I had not had the opportunity to see my daughter's new home since she moved there and I was totally enchanted with being back out in the Pennsylvania countryside and, in particular, in Lancaster County. Lancaster, in case you didn't know, is home to a large Amish and Mennonite community. It was not only a family road trip, it was also a trip back in time.

I lived in Pennsylvania for 21 years before moving to upstate New York. Although we didn't live in Lancaster County, we did see our fair share of how the Amish people lived. Visiting this weekend I was reminded of the commitment to tradition and to a simpler, kinder way of life, a life that so many of us have all but forgotten. I got to see the traditional horse and buggies on the road, the simple, prim attire of the women and children, the hard work and dedication to their farms, their stores, and all of their hand work that set them apart from the how most of society lives. The fields were high with corn waiting to be harvested, the farm stands were filled with ripe, luscious produce, and everyone from the oldest to the youngest were lending a hand, working side-by-side to do what needed to be done. Down to the smallest among those that we came in contact with, everyone was pleasant, polite, and ready to help or serve. It got me to thinking about almost every kid I know these days who think even an hour away from their video games is some kind of punishment.

Watching the Amish people this weekend and seeing their simple, but functional, homes and farms, made me step back and think about how much simplification and downsizing I've already done, and what more I could do to live a more authentic, sustainable, and satisfying life. If these hard-working, God-fearing, dedicated people can live that way, and still be quite obviously happy, it's certainly something to think about.

And so it is.