June in the Gardens

Here it is June already. Birds and squirrels, gardening and B&B guests are getting my attention these days. Stevens Point has had its share of rain already this month so creatures and plants in our gardens are quite happy. Already summer travel has provided plenty of opportunities to share the gardens of Dreams of Yesteryear with guests.
I like to describe to my guests what the property, especially the gardens, were like when Bill and I purchased our historic home, the J.L. Jensen House in 1987. The huge yard was quite overgrown with trees, shrubs, vines, and Lily of the Valley. Cedar hedges that were nearly as wide as they were tall topped the stone rip rap on two sides of the lot. A bittersweet vine near the west porch crawled over the roof and looked like it would be the plant that ate the house. Grape vines had tangled their way relentlessly through the Lilacs (not a bad thing if you like to make grapevine wreaths J). Pachysandra had managed to make its way up to the top of the mama and papa pines. Although we had just bought a large old house that needed lots of attention, we couldn’t wait to sort through the gardens to discover what kinds of plantings had been placed here by early owners of our house. I imagined Jensen family members planting these varieties a century ago. But, I also imagined that soon enough I’d be using my back, knees, elbows, and muscles to have my way with these plantings. After all, what is the purpose of a garden if not to accentuate the house? J
We’ve owned this historic home over 23 years now and I think we have pruned and trimmed every inch of the yard. As guests stroll through the formal and informal gardens of Dreams of Yesteryear, they now can gaze upon antique plantings that have been lovingly nurtured back to health. Honeysuckle, Bittersweet, Lilacs, Roses, Cotoneaster, and Bridal Wreath are a few of the plantings we've given a second chance at life. Of course we couldn’t resist the allure of the local nurseries and have given some new plantings a first chance at life in a Victorian garden. A variety of Hostas, Dragon's Blood, Lavender, Bugle Weed, Sedums, Artemisia, Iris, Jacob's ladder, Wild Ginger, Anemone, Lamb's Ears, Perovskia, Euonymus, and Lillies have found a home in our Victorian garden.
So as I write this I realize it‘s officially the first day of summer. With no purpose in writing this except to ponder my gardens, I wish you a happy summer and invite you to come enjoy a stroll through my garden.

Gardens at Dreams of Yesteryear

It's been a long time since I've entered a blog. Shamefully, I'll admit it was Christmas. Now here it is June and Christmas is but a memory and birds,gardening, and B&B guests are getting my attention Stevens Point has had it's share of rain already this month so birds are chirping happily and the gardens are lush. And the best part has been sharing these treasures with bed and breakfast guests.

As guests comment on the gardens, I like to describe to them what the property was like when we purchased our historic home in 1987. The huge yard was quite overgrown with trees, shrubs, vines, and Lily of the Valley. Cedar hedges that were nearly as wide as they were tall topped the the stone rip rap on two sides of the lot. A bittersweet vine near the west porch crawled over the roof and looked like it would be the plant that ate the house. Grape vines had tangled their way relentlessly through the Lilacs (not a bad thing if you like to make grapevine wreaths). Pachysandra had managed to make its way up to the top of the mama and papa pines. It was exciting to sort through nature's green to discover see what kinds of plantings may have been placed here by early owners of our house.

Over the years we've pruned and trimmed our way to returning the yard into the beautiful Victorian landscape we enjoy today. As guests stroll the formal and informal gardens of Dreams of Yesteryear, they enjoy gazing at mature antique plantings that have been lovingly nurtured. Honeysuckle, bittersweet, lilacs, roses, cotoneaster, bridal wreath to name a few are the plantings we feel we've given another life. Guests also notice the other plantings that we've added over the years. No gardener can resist the many varieties of hostas or the dragon's blood, lavender, bugle weed, sedums, wormwood, iris, Jacob's ladder, wild ginger, anenome, lamb's ears, provoskia, eunemome, and lillies we couldn't resist adding to our gardens.

I Wish You the Christmas Spirit

Well it finally came. The first real snowfall of 2009. Thank goodness! I've spent three days at my job in the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Tutoring-Learning Center trying to sandwich in the business of decorating the Writing/Reading and Content Tutoring Labs for the holidays, two days decorating my mother and dad's house and tree, and countless days/hours decorating our home--the Dreams of Yesteryear Bed and Breakfast. And guess what? I wasn't in the Christmas spirit in the least. But today changed all that.

Today we had our first real snowfall of the season. I woke up to discover my lawn covered with white, and to the slippery roads that paved my way to work. Looking through the windows I felt like I was in a giant snowglobe. The tips of the tree's branches were dusted with white, the large snowflakes melting on the heads and shoulders of the students as they came into our office, and the weather prediction of snow for the next five days has finally put me in the Christmas spirit. It feels good to feel that Christmas excitement again.

You would think that as one gets older, the excitement of Christmas would wear off. But, it is truly that magical time of year even for us adults. I love the anticipation that pours from Bill's and my six grandchildren this time of year, the beautiful sentimental feeling evoked by the old classic Christmas carols, the Advent Season as we prepare for Christ's coming.

I hesitate to put a damper on my Christmas spirit by turning on the news or even thinking of the state of our nation and economy this time of year. So join me and let's not make the world's problems take main stage right now. Instead, let's embrace Christmas and trust in He Who knows our problems and can make them go away. Perhaps if we can hold onto that Christmas spirit, the rest of the world's problems WILL go away.

Bill and I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed 2010!