Message from the Mountain

Small yellow wildflowers grow in a large patch that looks like a sea of yellow floating on the surface of the Orchard. It is amazing the effect that one small blossom combined with others like them can have on the landscape. Positive actions can do the same in life. Support the show

The grasses in the Orchard and Lupine Field have matured and are ready to go to seed, insuring that a healthy crop will come back again next year. We are constantly spreading and sowing positive actions to help insure they will encourage others to do the same. Support the show

I recently discovered another day lily in a different color. It is redder than the others, and, as always, I am excited when I discover something new in life, whether it is in Nature or discovering talents in people I had not known before. Support the show

One Hosta plant in blossom does not make a big impact in the garden, but several plants blooming together create a beautiful bouquet. One action combined with like actions can make a big impact. Support the show

Hostas have big leaves leading to big expectations by people not familiar with them that they would produce big flowers. They happen to be very small. Sometimes big ideas with expectations produce small results.   Support the show

A different color day lily provides me a variety of the same plant all summer long. Life is full of varieties, and I sometimes look at that as the same thing, only differently. Support the show

The meteorological summer is halfway over and, as always, passing too fast. Keeping watch of day lilies as they bloom helps me focus on each day with the appreciation of the beauty surrounding me. It is so easy to miss these moments, and midsummer yellow lilies help.   Support the show

We have many different kinds of bugs (insects) that find their way to the mountain. Some are good for the plants and trees while others are not. Some exist below the surface, such as termites. We also think of bugged as having information secretly collected on us. Interesting how a word can be taken so differently. Support the show

Back in May we purchased and erected a new screened gazebo for summer picnics at the Cabin. So far it has been a summer of waiting for the weather to cooperate. Then again, I consider resistance as something that is working for us rather than against us. I will wait and see. Support the show

The forecast was for torrential rain, and we watched it turn our gentle brook ugly and listened on our scanner to emergency calls about roads being washed out. In a flash our environment changed, but we were prepared. Support the show

Now the pink lilies are in bloom, adding another color to the garden at the Center. I am surrounded with beauty, both from Nature and people who bring beauty to my life. Support the show

Derek recently spent a day and a half weeding and cleaning up his flower garden at the Center. My wife and I drove by just after nine in the morning expecting to see him working. Instead, there was a deer in his place. He didn’t see the deer, but we showed him the tracks. People doing good deeds are often not seen. Support the show

We stood beside the small frog pond at the Center admiring flowers when we heard a loud croak, and then another one from a different location. Following the sound, I searched for the frog. It was hidden in plain sight. Many people hide their abilities in plain sight. Support the show

I have found it takes a while for transplanted shrubs and trees to reestablish their root systems before they start to really grow. The hydrangeas at the Center took about five years. When people move or start something new, it can take some time to establish their roots again. Support the show

I love the different variety of daylilies in the gardens that provide color from June to September. When one runs out of flowers, another one begins. Then there is one variety that flowers all summer. There are people that have staying power and there are those that give up easily. Support the show

Another flower in bloom is the white astilbes. Their delicate appearance makes it easy for them to be overlooked by larger and bolder flowers. There are people who have a lot to say while others are quiet, but when they do speak, a few words make a big difference. Support the show

Years ago I planted a slender shrub with pink blossoms that, when trimmed, keeps flowering all summer. They have also reseeded themselves, jumping the stone wall. I think of people who go about their lives doing good things that could use some encouragement to do more. Support the show

When Derek began to plan the gardens at the Center, he saw it in his mind. He brought some lilies from his own garden. Now they are beginning to bloom. The future began with the planning. It is an interesting concept to believe that the past, present, and future are one. Support the show

When we had the Lupine Field created, the forester also included a healthy planting of clover to provide feed for the animals and nectar for the insects. That move has brought us many moments of joy over the years since. Nature and man can live in harmony. Support the show

Recently when we were walking over to the Lupine Field, we discovered a small mud puddle filled with tiny bubbles. I had never seen that type of thing before. I realize that there is always something new to discover in the Nature of Life. Support the show

My wife is very goal orientated. She is always active and often at her computer or her sewing machine, and when we walk the trails, she carries a hand pruner to snip branches that grow in the way. As for me, I am never done and always finished. She does make a big difference. Support the show

People are often labeled creatures of habit when they repeat certain things on a steady basis. These habits can be positive, like exercise or meditating, or destructive, such as smoking. We have a single turkey that often shows up at the same time in the afternoon. Support the show

The little flower garden at the Cabin has gone wild over the past few years, but it still has a few domestic plants hanging on. We are slowly introducing new ones to fit in with the still remaining ones. You may have thoughts with positive intentions that still remain in your heart. Support the show

Today we celebrate our forefather’s decision to create the great American democratic experiment that is still evolving today. People celebrate with barbeques and fireworks. Many have come to the White Mountains to find peace in Nature. Support the show

Years ago I remember reading an expert gardener’s opinion of orange day lilies. He felt they did not deserve to be planted in a flower garden. Personally, I love to see this common flower growing along the roads, and I know a common person has special gifts. Support the show