Mersydotes

Just last weekend we spent the most exhilarating day planting trees with Mama and Papa Mersydotes.  It was the right time of the year to put in their new maples and red buds- yipee!  We drove out to their land through the newly harvested corn fields.  After the wall of green all summer, it felt both barren and wonderfully freeing to be among the open and empty fields. When we arrived at the property, we divided into teams. Mr. Mersydotes worked with Papa and Tio Mersydotes digging holes.  I learned that each hole should be three or four inches wider than the root ball of the tree or shrub: In the meantime, Tia Mersydotes and myself were in charge of mixing the freshly dug-up soil with compost and peat (so as to add acidity).  Since we both have creaky bones, this was the perfect job for us, and we made a good team.  Isn't this the most beautiful soil you've ever seen? The greyish soil is what had been freshly dug up, the deep black is the mushroom compost, an

This weekend I tried out a new pattern for Bavarian crochet.  I think it turned out quite well- I especially like the texture which is nice and thick, making it ideal as a hot pad or potholder.  And they're pretty enough to hang as decor in the kitchen! It looks like a very complicated optical illusion, but it was quite an easy stitch pattern!  I tried it first in teal... And then again in rose... I think I'll send the blue one to my great auntie- it will match her kitchen perfectly! ~Mersydotes

Ooooohhhhh!  I have been so excited to write this post, ever since last weekend!  We are fortunate enough to live near an absolutely amazing pumpkin patch where over 400 kinds of gourds are grown and celebrated every year.  That's what I love- a celebration of amazing natural diversity!  Would you like to come along to the pumpkin patch with me today?  Here we go! At the entrance you are greeted by all the signs for the fabulous parts of the pumpkin patch.  Where would you like to go first?  What lovely mums!!!!!  All the jewel colors of the floral rainbow! Next up is the astounding array of gourds- all shapes and sizes, colors and patterns. What a feast for the eyes- can you believe such variety in the gourd family?!  In fact, there were so many gourds that they had started growing on trees! My very favorite part was the gourd mountain- 400 varieties carefully piled up- wooooooowwwwww! But most striking of all was the pumpk