Gardening in Eastern North Carolina

The crops are in–both vegetables and flowers. For the most part, I’ve planted my usual cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, begonias and vinca. The hardy stuff I’ve had good luck growing in the past. But as I do each year, I’m experimenting with something new.

So what’s this year’s gardening experiment?

I’ve been thinking about the Monarch butterflies I used to see around the yard when I was growing up and wondering where they’ve all gone these days. I googled: due to loss of habitat and climate change, monarch butterflies are now an endangered species.

An endangered species! Headed to extinction?

Photo Credit: Center for Biological Diversity

I knew there’s a connection between Monarch butterflies and milkweed. Another Google search revealed that yes, monarchs lay their eggs specifically on milkweed, and the caterpillars eat the foliage. And–bonus for me with my deer, squirrel, and rabbit problem–the leaves are toxic to most species of birds and animals.

So I’ve invested in a big milkweed, which I’ve planted in a sunny location. Fingers crossed that I’ll attract some Monarchs who will lay eggs, and I’ll get to witness the whole caterpillar to butterfly metamorphosis. I’ll let you know what happens.

Another garden experiment: In my purging of kitchen items a month or so ago (when I had that bout of de-cluttering fever), I almost sent a pretty piece of crockery to Goodwill before deciding that maybe it could be repurposed as a planter. I’m not sure how well this ceramic canister will hold up to the elements, but right now, planted with vinca, it certainly adds a splash of color to a bed.

Nothing new here with my plant stand on the back porch: all matching drought-resistant, heat-tolerant begonias. Come July and August, I’ve learned, these flowers bloom better than anything else planted next to the heat-absorbing brick.

I try to barter with the squirrels by offering the deer horns, which they love to gnaw. Maybe they’ll be too busy sharpening their little rodent teeth to dig in my flower pots, uprooting my plants to hide their nuts.

In Other News:

I’ve taken a weekend trip and a day trip lately. The 99th annual meeting of the Garden Club of North Carolina took me to the historic Lambuth Inn at Lake Junaluska. Having been a Methodist now for over 40 years, I’d heard of many church groups going to this spiritual retreat center but had never been myself.

What a beautiful setting in the mountains of western North Carolina, 25 miles or so from Asheville. I enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and the walking trails around the lake. As we sometimes sing in my Methodist church, “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.”

I did join some fellow church members on my day trip. It’s official: I’m now part of one of those old folks groups that gets together to eat and/or go on adventures. Members of the Lamplighters (don’t you love that name) loaded up in two church vans and went to Raleigh on a recent Monday morning.

After brunch at the State Farmer’s Market Restaurant, where I ate not one but two big biscuits, the group toured the impressive Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, the seat of the Diocese of Raleigh. Dedicated on July 26, 2017, the Catholic cathedral can hold over 2,000 worshippers.

This new cathedral is as grand as many of the old ones I’ve seen in Europe. I couldn’t quit taking pictures.

From planting the garden and flower beds to taking a couple of trips, I’m having a busy and fun April. And did I mention that on the way to Lake Junaluska, I managed both going and coming to stop in Charlotte to see my baby girl granddaughters.

Photo Credit: Dad Franklin Keathley

The one candle celebrating one month

Adventures in Babysitting Times Two

I hoped that my stamina would match my joy when I was asked to come to Charlotte and help take care of my infant twin granddaughters for a week.

Photo Credit: Franklin Keathley (Dad)

Before the birth of these girls on March 3, my youngest grandchild was a sturdy seven-year-old boy. It had been a while since I’d changed a diaper and soothed a fussy baby. I was a younger grandma then, with a little bit more energy. I wasn’t quite as addicted to my afternoon nap.

But I was willing in spirit and decided my weak flesh would have to get tough. I couldn’t wait to love on those sweet baby girls.

Photo Credit: Franklin Keathley

I arrived with barbecue and Brunswick stew from Smith’s Red and White for the new mom and dad, along with the bud vases I’d put in church the Sunday before in honor of the twins’ births.

I soon learned the girls were given a bottle of pumped breast milk every three hours. Around the clock. Day and night: 6 am, 9 am, noon, 3 pm, 6 pm, 9 pm, midnight, 3 am. Rinse and repeat.

Two people had been doing the job of feeding. Until my arrival, that had been Mom and Dad, but Dad was now due back at work and wouldn’t be home during the day. I didn’t protest when told I was relieved of night duty. I was needed more from 9 am to 6 pm.

My husband, Granddaddy Al, stayed part of the week and helped. In fact, the only picture I have of my week of nursery duty includes him. My son-in-law snapped this photo, maybe the Sunday night we arrived. (The days began to run together…) I was too busy to think of asking for or taking more pictures myself.

When my daughter had talked about putting a couch and a television in the babies’ room, I’d been skeptical. I’d pictured traditional nurseries, the ones decorated in pink for girls and blue for boys with cute little prints of circus animals or the alphabet or some such baby stuff on the walls. A nursery with cribs, a rocking chair, a changing table, and maybe a small chest of drawers.

But I was a fan of the girls’ room from the minute I sat on that comfortable leather couch with all those pillows and looked out the high windows above the cribs or watched HGTV at yet another feeding. When I wasn’t gazing adoringly at the faces of those sweet girls I held in my arms, of course.

I loved the green moose head, the antlered chandelier, and the framed travel posters on the wall behind the couch.

Photo Credit: Franklin Keathley

Evidently, it’s a whole new world in nursery decor. And also, I learned, in bassinets. Those two you see in the picture above are called Snoos. There’s a switch you turn on to provide white noise and to rock the babies gently as they sleep. This electronic bassinet will even pick up the speed of the rocking when the baby starts to get fussy, the idea being to lull an infant back to sleep. And get this: if an infant can’t be soothed, the Snoo will send a text alerting a parent that “your baby needs your attention.”

These Snoo bassinets worked pretty well during the time I was there. No one had to pace the floor with a cranky baby for any amount of time.

As Friday approached and it was time for me to leave, my daughter began to experiment with different ways she alone could give both girls a bottle at the same time. One method involved putting them in their car seats, sitting on the floor between them, and holding a bottle in each hand to feed.

As mothers do, she’ll figure out what works best for her and these two sweeties. I took my tired but happy self home, already looking forward to my next adventure in babysitting times two.

Photo Credit: Franklin Keathley

March Madness and More

March Madness doesn’t begin with the ACC basketball tournament. Oh no, it starts tonight at 2 am, when Daylight Saving Time kicks in. We all might enjoy an extra hour of daylight in the afternoon, but every morning those poor schoolchildren are back to waiting for the bus in the dark.

A little crazy to start so early with the time change, in my opinion.

Speaking of time, by now some of you (dare I hope many of you?) have read my third cozy mystery in the Narrow Creek series. If you’ve finished Money and Murder in Narrow Creek, I could certainly use your review on Amazon. More reviews will help me reach a broader audience.

It’s super easy to post something. Here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=1662942427

You don’t have to write anything long or profound. Look at these examples:

“I’ve enjoyed all three books in this series. Nice to read something that is clean and still interesting and intriguing!“

“Having read Patsy Pridgen’s previous two books about Dee Ann Bulluck and her shenanigans in Narrow Creek, NC, this book met all my expectations. It was funny, interesting, and my favorite. Patsy is really developing her characters and her timing in the 1980’s made this novel close to my memories of that time frame. Thanks, Patsy, and am looking forward to your 4th!“

Contrary to what some people think, it’s not a requirement to buy the book from Amazon to review it there. So, please, if you haven’t already reviewed Money and Murder in Narrow Creek, take a minute to do so. Pretty please…

Enough about book reviews! Let’s take a tour of the yard. The daffodils that bloomed prematurely at the end of January are about spent as are the flowers on the camellia bush.

But there are plenty of blooms to replace dead daffodils and camellia blossoms. The forsythia is coming into its own, and I have these first lavender flowers on an early-blooming azalea.

And look at my alyssum, a carpet of tiny snow-white flowers that never fail to show up in early spring. I need to buy more to add to this bed.

The day lilies and irises are also emerging.

Blooms and sprouts are not the only things spring has brought to my house. My daughter and her husband have blessed our family with twin girls, born 03/03. Aren’t these two just the sweetest things? I could eat them with a spoon!

I began this post with what I consider a bit of March Madness, so I’ll end with another example. In a country with a population of over 333 million people, can we really not find two younger candidates for the highest office in the land?

We hear a lot about how old Joe Biden is at 82. But Donald Trump at 77 is not far behind. And get this: Joe Biden’s birthday is November 20, so he’ll actually be 83 shortly after Election Day, and Donald Trump will turn 78 in June. Aren’t they tired? At 70, I know I am.

I’m in a garden club where anyone 80 or over is exempt from being an officer. Not a bad idea, in my opinion.

Photo Credit: New York Times

How to De-Clutter a Closet

Remember that picture I posted a month ago of my messy shelf of gift-wrapping supplies? The clutter that sucked the life out of me every time I went hunting for paper or a bow in that closet? Well, I’ve shaken myself out of my mid-winter funk and done something about it.

Before

After

I began by clearing the shelf. Bows, paper, ribbons, and boxes were tossed out of the closet and onto the floor of the guest bedroom, ready to be sorted as soon as I dusted the now-empty shelf. Doesn’t an area always look bigger when it’s bare?

I then started organizing by putting the rolls of wrapping paper in a tall box I found in the attic. Before, these rolls were lying on the shelf, hidden by bows, ribbon, and tissue paper. Now, I can easily see my wrapping paper options, including when I need to buy more.

Next, I sorted through tissue paper. Yes, I’m one of those women who smooths out the tissue stuffed in gift bags and carefully lays aside the tissue enfolding presents in a box. I guess I have some of that Great Depression, waste not/want not gene from my grandmas.

I didn’t realize how MUCH tissue paper I had accumulated, though. I decided to toss some of the more wrinkled sheets like this pretty pink one on the right.

I still had plenty to put back in the closet, laying the tissue flat to smooth out wrinkles and layering it to show my different color options. I found a package of unopened white, which I put on top of the pile to remind myself not to buy any more tissue paper any time soon.

Tissue paper was not the only unopened surprise. I also discovered a small package of never used gift wrap.

Tackling the bow and ribbon mess was probably the hardest job.

First, I pulled out the big bows, the ones once tied by ladies who work in those cute clothing boutiques. I can’t tell you how many times these fancy bows have been on birthday gifts to my daughters. Gifts that are opened in my house, where I can swoop in and rescue the bows before they are trashed. How’s that for recycling?

These bows were carefully placed on the shelf on top of the tissue paper.

After rescuing my big bows, I studied the large assortment of what I had left. True, I like to re-use, but I draw the line at squashed bows or seriously wrinkled ribbons. I threw a bunch away.

I compensated ditching these bows and ribbons by saving small pieces of wrapping paper. You know the end pieces that are often left over when you wrap a larger present? These pretty papers can be used on smaller gifts.

I’d already stacked quite a few gift bags, saved mostly from presents I’d received, between the wall and the box of wrapping paper when I discovered even more gift bags. These were hidden on a pull-out shelf of an old desk that sits underneath the gift-wrapping supply shelf.

I don’t think I’ll ever need to buy another small to medium size gift bag!

I had quite a pile of trash, some to be put in the outside recycling container. I like to save and re-use, but it did feel good to de-clutter and simply throw away the ratty stuff.

My reward for about an hour of work was an organized gift-wrapping supply shelf that will save me time when I’m hunting for paper and bows.

What To See in Panama

I’m back from my mid-winter trip to Panama, where it was 90 degrees and very humid. It felt like August in eastern North Carolina, but I was near or on the water quite a bit, sightseeing and riding on the Panama Canal.

Watching Ships on the Panama Canal

Riding on the Panama Canal

Yes, the man-made Panama Canal is without a doubt the number one tourist attraction in the small Central American country of Panama. This 51-mile waterway through the Isthmus of Panama connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific, providing a huge shortcut for ships.

Can you find the Panama Canal on the map?

I’m not particularly interested in engineering, but I did pay enough attention to the tour guide to understand the basics of how the Canal operates. Locks at each end of the Panama Canal provide enough water to “lift” ships up to the artificially created Gatun Lake, a big body of water in the middle. Ships coming from both the Atlantic and Pacific meet here and pass one another. Then locks lower the ships at the other end of their journey.

Our tour group visited the Miraflores Locks, where spectator stands were set up for guests to witness the locks in action.

A Crowded Miraflores Locks

Boats Go Single File Through the Locks

The Panama Canal was one of the most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. Before the United States successfully completed the project in 1914, the French tried and failed, losing an estimated 22,000 workers. Many died from malaria and yellow fever, carried by mosquitoes, a scientific fact unknown at the time. Plaza de Francia in Casco Viejo, the Old City part of Panama City, pays tribute to these fallen workers. The statue in front is of Pablo Arosemena, one of Panama’s founding fathers.

Plaza de Francia (The French Plaza) in Panama City

As fascinating as it is, the Panama Canal is not the only attraction in Panama. Our tour group left modern civilization in Panama City to visit an Embera tribal village in the heart of a rainforest. This Panamanian indigenous tribe attempts to preserve its culture by maintaining a simple lifestyle, fishing and selling handmade crafts (see my earrings in the first picture above).

Our tour group arrived via a motorized dugout canoe.

Transportation to the Embera Village

A lunch of fried fish (very fresh) and plantains was prepared for us, and we were entertained by dancers.

Embera Women Preparing Lunch

Even the Little Girls Dance

There was time to shop and pose with the medicine man.

Embera Children in Front of Crafts for Sale

My Husband and Me with the Tribe’s Medicine Man

As a garden club lady, I’m always interested in what’s blooming everywhere. Since most of my winter yard at home is without color right now, I was happy to see all the beautiful flowers of Panama. I recognized bougainvillea, but extensive research will be required to identify all these other exotic species.

Bougainvillea!

The animal life of this tropical country was often entertaining. What’s more fun to watch than monkeys?

The Panamanian White-Faced Monkey

Panama is known for the sloth. Not a lot of activity here, hence the term, slothful.

At Home in a Sloth Rescue Center

Panama City itself can be all shiny and new. I was not expecting so many skyscrapers.

But the city has a history. There’s something call Old Panama, which is now just ruins after the English-sanctioned pirate Henry Morgan ransacked the place in 1671.

Ruins with New Panama City in Background

Close-up of Old Panama Ruins

There’s also another old Panama City a short Uber ride away from the current capital. This historic district is called Casco Viejo (Old City) and has a great deal more to see than in Old Panama. Casco Viejo was built not long after the destruction of the first capital and features plazas, ornate churches, museums, shops, and restaurants. A fun day can be spent in Casco Viejo.

The Golden Altar in Inglesia de San Jose

Metropolitan Cathedral of Santa Maria

Plaza Simon Bolivarr

Street Display of Panama Hats

Our tour group leader arranged a couple of special dance performances for us. Panamanian dancers are lively and colorfully attired.

The Guy on the Left Appears in Panama’s Version of Dancing with the Stars

A Traditional Dance with Masks

A Dance Called the Rooster and the Hen

Elaborate Dresses Cost Thousands of Dollars

Our tour group spent a day and a half at the Playa Bonita Resort, so the eight-day excursion to Panama was a nice blend of educational activities, fun, and relaxation. My favorite type of trip!

Ways to De-Clutter

Like many people, I suspect, one of my New Year’s resolutions is to de-clutter. I fully believe junk expands to fill the space available…and then spills over. Just take a look at a shelf that I designated to store gift wrapping boxes, paper, and bows.

The Gift-Wrapping Supply Shelf Runneth Over

At least that shelf is hidden away inside a bedroom closet. Still, every time I go to get supplies to wrap a present, something inside me shudders. I want to live a simple, organized, clutter-free life. And by Jove, I’m getting started on this goal.

I’ve decided to save the gift-wrapping shelf de-clutter and tackle the kitchen first. Part of what’s prompted this urge to purge is that I’m bringing in even more stuff. My mother-in-law died a few months ago, and the family is tasked with emptying her house. A lot will undoubtedly go to the Salvation Army Thrift Store, but there are items to be saved.

Such as these Corning Ware dishes. The kind that you can cook in on top of the stove, serve from, and then put in the refrigerator with the leftovers. I don’t think you can find these anywhere today except at yard sales and occasionally, if you’re lucky to be there at the right time, secondhand stores.

I cleaned out a kitchen cabinet and organized a shelf of Corning Ware, adding my mother-in-law’s dishes to the few pieces I already had.

My Organized Corning Ware Shelf

To make space for the additional dishes, I took out a few that I’ve had for years but never use. The avocado green Pyrex dish is divided, with neither side holding much. I don’t make pies from scratch, and I’ve never liked the handle on that small Corning Ware dish.

If my daughters don’t want this stuff, it’s going to the thrift store.

Items to Send to the Thrift Store

To make room for a couple of my mother-in-law’s glass tea pitchers that I think I’ll use, I took out two items in my glass-front cabinet that have been mainly just for show.

Showy but Useful?

Confession: I wavered and put back the pitcher on the left. It matches my canisters, and I have used it occasionally when I’ve remembered I had it. That big jar on the right in the picture above, though, is going to be repurposed as a planter in the spring. (Take the clutter outside?)

Keep the Pitcher: Useful and Matches Canisters

The pitcher also adds some color to that glass-fronted shelf in my kitchen. (The glass door is open for this picture.)

And the Pitcher “Pops” This Shelf

I know, you’re thinking, one step forward, two steps back. But I am parting with some tiny juice glasses from my husband’s grandmother’s house. I have other mementos, and I seriously doubt anyone but me knows where these glasses came from.

And that yellow candy dish I once picked up at a thrift store just because I thought it was pretty? Gone. That tiny cup from Cuba that I bought because I felt sorry for the lady selling it? Gone.

Going, Going, Gone

Hey, I’m making progress. Baby steps. If I can get rid of five things a week (without adding five things), that will be 260 items I’ve eliminated from my home in a year’s time. I’m not sure the math adds up favorably this week, since I added two tea pitchers and several Corning Ware dishes, but just getting that big canister out of my cabinet (the one I’m going to turn into a planter) seemed to free up some space.

I’ll keep you posted on how this de-cluttering, re-organizing project goes. Happy New Year!

A New Book, New Covers, and Other News

Tech support arrived this weekend and updated my blog. My youngest daughter has a blog herself and being a Millennial, is better skilled in technology than Wilma Flintstone here. In a matter of minutes, she added the picture of the cover of my new book along with an Amazon link on the sidebar.

I’ve completed the process of changing the covers of my first two books in the Narrow Creek series to better show that these novels are cozy mysteries. My techie daughter swapped out the old pictures posted on this blog for the new ones, something I’d been afraid to try to do myself.

As you can see, for my first book, Ms. Dee Ann Meets Murder, the new cover on the right is brighter and more playful. I like the picture of the truck, which Dee Ann, the narrator, describes in Chapter One as being loaded with “a good portion of what we owned….” as she and husband Joe move to the small town of Narrow Creek for his job as “the new man at the bank.”

My second novel in the series also got a facelift. This updated cover of Life and Death in Narrow Creek has a picture similar to the original cover but a style that matches the revised cover of the first book. Colors are more vivid, and the font style is less fussy, don’t you think? Readers will discover the significance of the poison sign on the front door of the big house, the home of Dee Ann’s landlords.

My daughter also tested the Amazon links for these books to make sure they still work properly, landing a potential customer on the purchase site. And she created a tab for the new book, Money and Murder in Narrow Creek, at the top of the home page. Readers can click on this tab to read a synopsis of the book.

Bam! Done! She was in and out of my blog lickety-split and on her way to Chapel Hill to catch the Carolina/Duke football game.

Other News:

There’s nothing like a fall foliage mountain trip. My husband and I love the Banner Elk area, especially Beech Mountain, where there’s an impressive overlook and Fred’s General Store.

This trip, though, we decided to venture from our Beech Mountain base to somewhere new. I’d read about West Jefferson in Our State magazine and convinced my husband that the three-hour round trip from Beech Mountain would be an adventure. (We probably could have shaved off some road time, but we took a scenic, road-less-traveled route.)

We found a charming downtown in West Jefferson, filled with shops, restaurants, and an impressive stone church, all surrounded by mountains glowing with the colors of fall.

Many of the shops had eye-catching displays outside their front doors. Here’s one that’s unique.

Besides author duties and taking a trip to the mountains, what else have I been doing this fall? Volunteering! This year, I agreed to be president of the Rocky Mount Garden Club. You may be thinking of ladies in white gloves sipping tea while discussing their roses. I know that’s the stereotype of garden clubs. We do talk about flowers–minus white gloves and tea sipping–but there’s a lot more to the club. We have interesting speakers on various topics related to gardening at our monthly meetings, and we’re involved in several community projects.

For example, this fall, garden club members filled a planter at the entrance of the new Red Oak Elementary School with pansies and ornamental cabbages. We also spent a morning at Peacemakers, a local nonprofit serving an underresourced area, putting out pine straw on the grounds.

Photo taken by Sarah Williams

I’m telling you about these activities because as president of the Rocky Mount Garden Club, I’m recruiting new members. If you live in the area and are interested in joining (or finding out more about the group), contact me. My information is under the Contact Patsy tab. We’d love to have you!

Okay. The join-my-club pitch is over. I’ll leave you with pictures of two trees, resplendent in their fall attire. The photo on the left was taken in West Jefferson a couple of weeks ago. The photo on the right was taken today in my front yard, which goes to show there’s beautiful fall foliage at some point just about everywhere.

Top Ten Reasons To Visit Scandinavia (and Estonia): Part Two

The Scandinavian countries consistently come out on top in surveys of the world’s happiest people. The tour guide on my recent trip to this part of the world certainly helped prove these studies true. Perla, a citizen of Iceland, radiated joy.

The bag you see on the shoulder of this beaming thirty-five-year-old was inscribed with the words, “Don’t look for happiness. Make it.” Perla did just that throughout our trip. She was our Nordic Visitor logistics coordinator, getting us on and off all those modes of transportation I talked about in my last post. When faced with a double-booking on a train, she didn’t panic but declared the situation, “very strange,” and worked it out with a train attendant. I can still hear her lilting, enthusiastic voice in my head.

She was the most cheerful person I encountered in Scandinavia but not the only friendly one. The warm, welcoming people, almost all speaking English, helped me feel secure and appreciated as a tourist. The safe and upbeat atmosphere of Scandinavia made it into my top ten list of reasons to visit this part of the world.

Perla told us her favorite city of the trip was Copenhagen, and after visiting, I have to agree and add it to my top ten list. The capital of Denmark, this city has quite a few attractions and just an overall good vibe. Our tour group floated down the Nyhavn, the famous canal that’s on postcards and refrigerator magnets. This area was once known for seedy bars and brothels but is now restored with waterfront restaurants in colorful old buildings.

Copenhagen is also the location of the Little Mermaid statue. This is not the Little Mermaid from the Disney movie, but the one featured in the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, the famous Danish author. The plot of Andersen’s fairy tale is more complex and not quite as “happily ever after” as the Disney movie. The statue is perched on a rock in the harbor and has become a must-see for Copenhagen tourists (including me).

Tivoli Gardens, the second oldest amusement park in the world, is also in Copenhagen. Although I wasn’t game for any of the rides, I did enjoy people-watching in this well-maintained, upscale park.

Another favorite activity of the trip was eating Scandinavian food. I’ll admit some dishes were a bit strange for my taste, but I always enjoy trying at least some of the cuisine of any country I visit. It’s part of the cultural experience, right?

So even though this Scandinavian lunch of raw herring with raw onions and beets wasn’t what I call delicious, I did taste some of everything on my plate (except the onion). If only that herring had been fried and those beets had been some good ol’ Eastern North Carolina slaw….

The fish soup was more to my liking as were the open-face sandwiches, called smorrebrod in Denmark. These sandwiches are made with the diner’s choice of a variety of toppings on Danish rye bread. The main toppings are usually some type of fish, meat, or cheese. The sandwich pictured here has chicken salad with sprigs of something green and a piece of bacon.

The Scandinavian countries may not have the collection of world-renowned art found in European countries such as France and Italy, but Oslo, the capital of Norway, does contain one very famous painting: “The Scream.” Seeing a version of this in the National Gallery in Oslo was one of my favorite moments of the trip.

I learned that Edvard Munch, the artist, created more than one version of his masterpiece. The most well-known version is the one I saw, which, incidentally, was stolen in 1994 but recovered three months later.

Reading about “The Scream,” I found Munch’s explanation of what prompted this painting.

I was walking along the road with two friends. The Sun was setting –
The Sky turned a bloody red
And I felt a whiff of Melancholy – I stood
Still, deathly tired – over the blue-black
Fjord and City hung Blood and Tongues of Fire
My Friends walked on – I remained behind
– shivering with Anxiety – I felt the great Scream in Nature

I can see all that in the painting.

I’ve yet to mention Estonia in these two posts about my trip, but the country’s capital, Tallinn, made it into my list of top ten. Finland and Estonia were part of a pre-tour package before my small group joined a slightly larger band of tourists for the guided tour of three Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Finland, and Norway.

I didn’t have high expectations of Tallinn. Estonia borders Russia and spent the years after World War II under Soviet domination until the breakup of the USSR in 1991. While I could see the Russian influence in the onion-domed architecture and even the type of souvenirs sold (those Russian nesting dolls), the Old Town of Tallinn was quite Estonian.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old Town is known for its preserved structures and city wall dating to the 13th century. The 13th century! Here in America, we think the 17th century is historic.

What’s not to love about cobblestone streets and an entrance with 13th century towers?

Again, here are the last five picks to round out my list of top ten reasons to visit Scandinavia (and Estonia): the safe and upbeat atmosphere, Copenhagen, Scandinavian food, “The Scream,” and the Old Town of Tallin.

There were other highlights. If you haven’t had enough, below are some captioned pictures.

A caged Ferris wheel ride in Helsinki gave us a panoramic view of the city.

Protest signs in Stockholm

Toddlers in sun hats in Stockholm

Bicycles rule in Scandinavia.

Warm outerwear provided for a “cool” experience

A nod to the Viking culture in Norway

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway.

Icelandair got us there and home.

Top Ten Reasons To Visit Scandinavia (and Estonia): Part One

My husband and I have just returned from a two-week excursion that our tour company titled, “Highlights of Scandinavia and Baltic Cruise.” How do I describe these “highlights”? I hardly know where to begin, so I’ve made a list of my ten favorite things about this trip.

First on the list would be all the different modes of transportation. We not only traveled by planes, trains, and automobiles, but also by ferries, buses, and boats. Reading the agenda before we left, I thought all the hopping on this and getting off that would be exhausting, but it was actually fun.

Two of our ferries involved overnight cruises. One took us from Tallinn, Estonia, to Stockholm. The second transported us from Copenhagen to Oslo. That’s the flag of Denmark in this picture.

High-speed trains are a novelty to me but common when traveling in Europe or Scandinavia. Our train ride from Stockholm to Copenhagen was comfortable and relaxing as was our trip from Oslo to Myral, Norway, where we boarded the Flamsbana, a quaint little train that took us to the famous village called Flam.

This combination train ride from Oslo to Flam has been called one of the twenty best train journeys in the world. We rode through the beautiful mountains of Norway as our train climbed to the small town of Myrdal, where we switched to the Flamsbana for our last twelve steep, curvy miles of the trip.

The Flamsbana stopped at one point in the journey for a photo opportunity of a waterfall and a visit from mysterious mountain “sirens,” who tried to lure us into the wilds with their eerie singing (see one dressed in red in bottom right of photo). Scandinavian culture is big on sprites, elves, trolls, and wandering lost spirits wailing by the waterfalls!

The train ride to Flam was a highlight, no doubt, but the Village of Flam itself made it into my list of top ten favorites. In contrast to all the big cities we wandered through, this small town of only four hundred residents was easy to navigate. There was no getting lost.

But the views were the best part of Flam. We hiked uphill to an amazing waterfall and were rewarded with a panoramic display of the surrounding countryside.

Photo taken by our friend Rick Adams

If I had to pick a number one reason I loved this trip to Scandinavia and Estonia, it would have to be the fjords we sailed on in Norway. Seeing the fjords was a major reason for my wanting to go, and I was not disappointed.

The names are long and impossible for me to pronounce correctly: the Aurlandsfijord, the Naeroyfjord, the Songefijord. They are the narrowest, wildest, and most beautiful in the world. Needless to say, these fjords have UNESCO World Heritage recognition. From the boat, I drank in the sights of majestic mountains, thundering waterfalls, and colorful houses along the shoreline.

Cell-phone pictures can’t capture the sheer beauty of the Norwegian fjords.

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Leaving eastern North Carolina in the hot, humid days of August, I appreciated the Scandinavian/ Northern Europe weather. In fact, the lower temps and humidity were a favorite part of the trip. I actually wore a jean jacket and a windbreaker on a couple of occasions.

Photo Credit: Rick Adams

My husband and I were able to walk our many steps each day without breaking into an absolute sweat as we would have at home.

Photo Credit: Rick Adams

Abundant rainfall–which, fortunately, we saw none of–and mild summer temperatures are evidently conducive to growing stunning flowers. I know you don’t have to travel to Scandinavia to see beautiful blooms, but oh, my word, enjoying the public gardens made it into my list of top ten things I loved about this trip.

Here’s a colorful display in Bergen, Norway, the last city we visited.

To recap, in no particular order, here are the first five of my top ten favorites: different modes of transportation, village of Flam, Norwegian fjords, the Scandinavian/Northern Europe weather in August, and the stunning flowers.

Wonder what the other five favorites are? Next week, I’ll let you know in part two of this trip recap.

Problems in a June Garden

In my last post, I showed you all that’s flourishing in my June garden. Today, I’ll tell you what’s not. First, let’s talk about damage from animals.

Deer are lovely creatures…in the wild. In my suburban neighborhood where they’re munching on my plants and flowers…not so much. They haven’t been bold enough to show themselves during the day, but I’ve seen them at night, recorded on the trail camera my husband has attached to a fence post at the edge of one of my beds.

That would be the bed where the sedum has been cropped. I guess I should be glad it doesn’t look worse, but believe me, before the deer snacked on it, this sedum wasn’t at ground-cover height.

Deer love the buds of my oakleaf hydrangea. Fortunately, Bambi and company couldn’t reach the top branches, which now are sporting some showy white blooms.

Lower, Deer-Nibbled Buds

Buds the Deer Couldn’t Reach

I’ve learned to put certain plants, like hosta, inside my gated backyard. So far, the neighborhood herd hasn’t been hungry enough to leap the fence, which my deer-hunter husband tells me is a possibility.

I’ve also tried spraying plants the deer love with an awful-smelling repellent, which seems to work for a while, but can wash away. And I need to remember to spray before the attack, not after.

Deer aren’t the only problem. The squirrel population in my yard seems to have exploded! These tree rats dig in my flowerpots, often uprooting what’s been carefully planted. They leave what look like aerator holes in the pine straw in natural areas, I guess from burying their winter food supply.

The biggest battle with squirrels, though, involves the bird feeders. These acrobatic critters will dangle from the gazebo to get to the bird seed. Sometimes they’ll actually land on the feeder itself, but more often, they’ll bat at it, scattering seed to the ground. And they’re not above knocking the bird feeder down. Then it’s buffet time!

Yes, that lid is supposed to deter squirrels from getting on the bird feeder.

I love birds, I truly do, hence the feeders. And I’ve even set up a couple of bird houses.

But do you think anybody’s home in these colorful, cute little cottages? Oh, no. Instead, Mama Bird has decided the wreath on my front door is more to her liking. After being scolded a couple of times by her loud, distressful screeching for daring to open my own front door, I now use only the back and side doors.

I was very careful when creeping up the front porch to take this picture. Can you see the hole to the right in the nest? My husband says there’s an egg in there. I don’t know how he got close enough to see without getting his eye pecked out.

So far, I’ve talked about problems caused by animals. But I can’t blame them for everything that’s gone awry in my June yard. I have to accept that sometimes my gardening skills are lacking.

For example, I didn’t realize how invasive mint is. I once foolishly planted a couple of sprigs in an herb bed, and this stuff took over. I’ve pulled up mint for a few years now, and it’s still popping up. Learn from me: mint goes only in a pot!

Bad: Mint in a Bed

Better: Mint in a Pot

In fact, mint, while the worst, is not the only herb that’s grown out of control in this bed. I really should cut back the oregano and rosemary, but I don’t know where to start, quite frankly. I tell myself the pollinators, ie, bees, love it.

Meanwhile, these two hills of lavender languish. This is the first year I’ve tried growing this aromatic herb. I had visions of harvesting the flower buds and making those lovely-smelling sachets like I once bought in the south of France, where there are fields upon fields of lavender.

What I’ve got so far, though, is not much of a crop. I guess growing conditions in Provence are different than in eastern North Carolina.

A garden is like life in that there are successes and failures, problems and triumphs. Those of us who love to dig in the dirt keep at it, the pleasure outweighing the disappointments.