New England's Narrow Road

The Air Up Here

When I visited North Carolina one year I remember standing outside on the deck of the house we had rented just breathing in the cool, dry air. I lived in Florida and air like that never happened. We would get less humid air – our “winter” – but it still was not the same as the “northern” stuff.

I realized then how much I missed that lack of humidity that wasn’t brought about by air conditioning.

I also thought it was odd to think of the Carolina’s as “north”. I never could get used to everything being north when I lived in Florida.

Now that I am back in New England the world seems right again. North Carolina is in the south and the air I breathe up here is mostly wonderfully dry. I swear there is no air like the air up here. Even during this hot, and sometimes quite muggy, summer we get a break and the air clears.

This morning at 4AM it is like that.
I just let my cats out, against my better judgment, and I went outside on the deck to scare away any wildlife that might want to hunt them, and the air is just awesome.

The day before yesterday I finally bought an air conditioner to help with this humidity we’ve been having, and now the temperature has dropped to about 40 degrees! But I love it.
It feels like Fall, but I am not fooled. It’s only the beginning of August and we are bound to have more humid, muggy days, but this morning I feel the energy that comes with this sweet smelling northern air.

St. Augustine Photos

house in florida — St. Augustine, Florida

For the past twelve years or so I have not taken a vacation. I haven’t planned a get away and just relaxed at a nice place for at least that long. This year is no different. My kids came to visit me, which has been so nice, but not at all relaxing. Siblings quarrel and eat lots and are constantly on the go.

My second to oldest son came up from Florida where he had just spent a weekend in St. Augustine with his girlfriend. It’s one of my favorite places to visit and not too bad (tourist wise) if you choose an “off” time to visit – whenever that might be. He took some photos of the old houses there as well as the much photographed Castillo de San Marcos Spanish fort which was built using coquina rock.

Just thought I’d share.

My Favorite Gardening Blogs

As this page was written many years ago, my favorite blogs from back then, apparently no longer exist. I don’t want to delete the page because people are finding it, so I’m adding some links below for those of you who live in New England and do gardening. I’m in Florida now

The photo here was taken when I rented a duplex in Antrim and managed to get a little garden going. So here’s the blog notes from back in 2009? How do I tell when a blog post was written?

We’ve had a hot summer so far in the northeast and the tomatoes and cukes in my garden are loving it! After having a tough time last year with the full month of rain in June, I was reluctant to plant. But my neighbor came by with a rototiller and made the garden twice as big (yes, that’s it in the photo) so I felt like I had to try to grow something in the space.

I’m very glad I did. I’ve eaten a few cherry tomatoes and 3 cukes so far, but the larger tomatoes are numerous and all the plants are green and happy!

Gardening Blogs to Read and Follow

This is being updated now in 2020 and they look like worthwhile places to visit. Since my daughter, who lives in NH, is planning to raise chickens next year, I included a blog about that.

Shrunken Heads

My neighbor and I have noticed how small the hydrangea blooms are this year. I am wondering if it’s just happening in our yard or all over.

I kept thinking that they would grow bigger, but it doesn’t appear to be the case. Most of the flowers on my shrub in the front yard are a pretty blue, but the ones growing out back have more shades of lavender. I need some new photos to update my “BlueHyd” store with new products and I depend on the shrubs in my yard to provide the flowers to do so!

I’d love to have a white shrub to photograph, but these colors give me lots of options. In fact, last year I had a greenish flower that I used to design with and it has been a good seller.

Recently I helped a customer design her wedding invitations and reply cards for a wedding on Cape Cod in August when, as she said, the hydrangeas will be in full bloom. I hope the flowers are larger down that way and I bet that her wedding will be lovely.