THETFORD – In winter, river otters head upstream into the uplands, seeking areas of fast-moving water that remain open, – at least open enough for an otter to slip into a stream in pursuit of fish. You might catch a brief glimpse of an otter along one of these smaller[Read More…]
Columns
Holiday Traditions Continue Beneath the Mistletoe
by Deborah J. Benoit, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The mention of mistletoe evokes images of a seasonal kissing ball adorned with its leaves and berries or of someone sneaking a kiss beneath a sprig of mistletoe hanging in a doorway. You probably don’t think[Read More…]
Walking a Bit Closer to the Edge
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – My father, raised conservative Dutch Reformed and later ordained an Episcopal priest, never would venture onto a computer or the internet, even when I gave him the computer and showed him how. When I asked him why, his answer was a bit evasive, but[Read More…]
Looking Up for the Geminid Meteor Shower
by Meghan McCarthy McPhaul FRANCONIA, N.H. – I’ve always loved the idea of watching the sky for shooting stars. But I’m much more likely to be up to watch the sunrise than I am to stay awake past midnight, when most meteor showers happen. Lucky for me, the upcoming Geminid[Read More…]
Holiday Gifts for the Gardener 2023
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Once again it is time to find the perfect gifts for your loved ones. Gardeners are easy to shop for because there are so many good things to shop for, and they will probably be pleased with whatever you choose. As a shopper,[Read More…]
Some Things are Worth Repeating
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – My friend, the late Walker Weed of Etna, N.H., was the oldest member of the Geriatric Adventure Society, and easily the most experienced. When he offered an opinion or a pronouncement, I listened. He opined one day that if you ever have had an[Read More…]
Holiday Plants are for Enjoyment and Gifts
by Deborah J. Benoit, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – As the days grow shorter, the wintry winds of December will bring with them a host of holidays—and holiday plants. Walk into most stores, and you’ll see shelves of poinsettias, holiday cactus and amaryllis among many[Read More…]
Canada Yew is a Native Evergreen
by Susan Shea BROOKFIELD – For thousands of years, people have decorated their homes with evergreen boughs, a symbol of eternal life, during the darkest time of the year around the winter solstice and Christmas. In addition to common species such as spruce and fir, I’ve noticed another evergreen in[Read More…]
Deer Camp Musings
by Willem Lange ST. HUBERTS, N.Y. — It was what my grandfather used to call a “Bummelzug day.” A Bummelzug is a local train that stops at every station; and when you’re having that kind of day, there are a million things you have to do before you can get[Read More…]
Growing Greens in Winter
by Deborah J. Benoit, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – There’s nothing like creating a salad of freshly harvested greens you’ve grown yourself from seed. The good news is, this is one crop you can grow year-round, indoors, safe from nibbling rabbits in fair weather and[Read More…]
Pine Siskins Irrupting
by Meghan McCarthy McPhaul FRANCONIA, N.H. – If you are prone to looking up as you walk (or pedal or drive) among trees, you may have noticed a bumper crop of cones clinging to the highest branches of white pine trees this summer and fall. Around my yard, the red[Read More…]
Beatrix Farrand was Pioneer in American Landscape
by Nadie VanZandt, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont PANTON – A prominent figure in the history of American landscape design, Beatrix Farrand née Jones (1872-1959) was the mastermind behind the idyllic grounds of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden on Mount Desert Island in Maine and Dumbarton Oaks Gardens in Washington,[Read More…]
