Not A Good Year

Many of you know that I over the past 20 years I have laboriously planted thousands of daffodils in my yard. Each spring I wait patiently to observe the fruits of my labor. But this year has been disappointing. There were hardly any flowers. About 1/2 to 1/3 of the blubs never got any flower shoots at all. And, since the weather has continuously bounced back and forth between winter and spring, the cold temps and snow have taken a toll on the flowers that did bloom.

Since daffodils need a dormancy period, I initially thought that the warmer winter had affected  the bulbs adversely. But then I noticed that every one of the bulbs that I planted this fall bloomed. So now my hypothesis is that it was the extreme dryness of last summer that affected the flowering (or lack thereof) of the bulbs this spring. I don't know if that is really the case, but that is my unscientific guess.

So, my apologies to any of you waiting to see the daffodil show at my house. Just like me you will all have to wait until next year.

Aww….Come On….This Is Unfair!

Somebody controlling the Woodland Valley weather play station in the sky obviously does not know the rules! It is supposed to be spring! The weather is supposed to be sunny and warm, but no, that is not what happened overnight.

It rained yesterday but changed to snow about 8pm. I woke up to find 2 inches of snow covering the ground this morning. Grrrrr….we had a few awesome warm days and I had let my guard down weather-wise. I should know better. The bad news is that my daffodils are covered. The good news is that it seems to be melting fast. It is all very frustrating though. The winter of 2013-2014 has lasted way beyond it's expiration date as far as I am concerned.

The First Daffodils……FINALLY!

It is a GORGEOUS day here in Woodland Valley! The temperatures are in the 60's and it is a joy to be outside! And to add to the excitement of the temperate weather, the first daffodils of the 2014 season bloomed today……at last!! Usually by this time the little beauties on my hill are just about reaching their peak. Not this year! After the longest, coldest winter I can remember they are have just started to bloom. Depending on the weather moving forward, peak should be in the next couple of weeks. But the flower show has started and spring has returned to the valley at last!

Loving My Bee Balm

Although we still haven't had a hard frost, the growing season here in the valley is coming to a close. At this point I am looking around my property and pondering what I planted that did well and what did not and making plans for next year.

One of the favorite things I grow around my house is Bee Balm (also known as Bergamot). It is native to the Catskills (which is a good thing), spreads well (actually I find it to be slightly invasive) and looks great. And the most amazing extra benefit of it is that the butterflies, bees and hummingbirds (especially the hummingbirds) love it. During the summer I would say there is a hummingbird in it about every 10 minutes.

I thought I would pass my thoughts about this on to the rest of my neighbors. You might want to consider planting some yourselves. That way you can ditch those hummingbird feeders that you have to clean and refill all the time. Plant some bee balm and get the same results. It it bright and cheery and blooms for several months. And you will love having those charming little birds around all day without having to do any work. Just a thought.

Shandaken Garden Tour Today

Don't forget that the Shandaken Garden Tour is today. You can still get tickets! Enjoy all the beauty!

Shandaken Garden Tour

"Shandaken in Bloom" Garden Tour
 to benefit the Phoenicia Library 

 Six Glorious Gardens
   
 Saturday, June 29th
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Rain or Shine

Tickets: $25 Day of Tour
and Advanced Tickets $20 (on sale now)

Proceeds Benefit the Phoenicia Library

TICKET PURCHASE:
Tenderland Home, Main Street, Phoenicia
Phoenicia Library, 9 Ava Marie Drive
(across from the Phoenicia Post Office), Phoenicia.
MAP pick up:
at the "Gazebo", Main St & Route 214, Phoenicia
on day of tour

A tour of six gardens in the heart of the Catskills: formal landscapes, country cottage gardens, butterfly gardens, bog gardens, vegetable beds, ornamental trees and orchards.

Gardeners in Shandaken are very creative. Challenging gardeners are deer, woodchucks, rabbits and the pest insects; steep slopes, odd micro-climates, too little and/or too much rain, relentless sun or deep woodland shade.

Nevertheless, every year enthusiasts surprise us with abundant beauty and diverse gardens in these ancient mountains.

Further Info: Call Susan 845-688-7493
http://phoenicialibrary.org/

WV Hikers - Wildflower Hike Report

Paul Misko sent this report about the Woodland Valley hikers "Wildflower Hike" last Saturday. Here is what Paul had to say.

"It was a perfect day for a photo hike, with the hazy filtered sunlight, and barely a breeze. Perfect for grabbing some flower photos. There were a lot of downed trees from recent storms to climb over and around, as we visited each patch of blossoms along the way, much like a swarm of bees would do. Along the way we found a deer antler, and someone almost thought they may have possibly heard a bear, but it proved to be inconclusive. Several tips were shared, such as using a small magnifying glass in front of the camera lens to give you more macro capabilities. We eventually returned to civilization without losing a single hiker."

- Paul Misko

Wildflower Hike Rescheduled To This Saturday

The Woodland Valley Hikers outing that was cancelled last week due to weather has been rescheduled for this Saturday. If you are interested in joining the hike please email Paul Misko directly at the address below.

Saturday, May 18th:10:30-3:30.  Wildflower and Photography hike. This is the hike rescheduled from last week. Moderate 3 mile hike near the head of the valley. NO DOGS PLEASE. Space limited so you must register for meeting place and more details at woodvalleybear@gmail.com . Paul Misko

Happy Mothers Day

Doris (photos) and Dakin (poetry) Morehouse have collaborated on a Mother's Day message to everyone. We hope all the Woodland Valley mothers (and mothers everywhere) enjoy their special day!!

PS - This lovely magnolia lives by the Empire State Railway Museum and has survived several floods.
PPS - Dakin asked me to send his thanks out to everyone for the wonderful birthday greetings.

A Day for Mother?

Dakin Morehouse, 2010

 ~  ~  ~

Hmm … a day.  Yes a single day set aside … for Mother?

Seems rather meager to say the least …

And is it for the dear, patient Mother who bore and raised me?

Or the lady whom I made a Mother, and who raised our children?

And is it not for our dear Daughter who in turn made her  a GrandMother?

Then there is that expanding web of our Ancestral Mothers tracing back  forever,

Who’s lives were incomprehensibly harder than ours, and whom,

Were it not for their tenacity and commitment to our linage,

None of us would be writing … or reading these words of honor.

And then again, were it not for the Greatest Mother of all …

Our much maligned and too oft taken for granted Mother Earth,

Life itself may not even have arisen.

In the light of this awesome perspective,

I recall my Father’s words about the God, and reverence;

‘An hour each Sunday is precious little to contemplate and revere

the Great Spirit … who gave you a lifetime.’

So to all our revered Mothers, we honor you with every living moment,

And in particular on this special Mother’s Day,  we wish to affirm once again,

Our sincerest  “Thank you” … and that   “We love you dearly,   Mother.”

~  ~  ~

Great Year For Daffodils

This has been an extraordinarily good year for daffodils. I have never seen them bloom so well. The winter was long, wet and on the cold side. Lately, the days have been nice but on the cooler side, and the nights have been cold at times. The daffodils seem to love this weather. They came much later this year but they are all flowering at pretty much the same time and the blooms are staying open longer than usual. What a show!!!

First Daffodil

Well, spring is finally in the air here in the Catskills. Sometime during the middle of last week there was a change in the weather. It happens every year. I never can put my finger on exactly what changes, and the difference is very subtle, but suddenly you wake up one day and it feels less like a warm winter morning and more like a cool spring one. The difference is slight, almost imperceptible, but something IS different and FINALLY the nice weather seems just around the corner. I think of it as the first real morning of spring and breathe a huge sigh of relief. It has been a long winter.

And with the change in the weather comes the blooming. Today, I saw both the first Colt's Foot, and my first daffodil. The daffodil wasn't very large (about the size of a quarter) but it is a sign that the rest are coming soon. Those of you who know me know that I live to see my daffodils bloom. It will probably be another 2 weeks until the majority of them are in full flower, but they are coming!!!!

The birds are returning too. This week I have heard them chirping and calling to one another in the early morning. Woodpeckers, mourning doves, tufted titmice, red winged blackbirds, robins and assorted others, what a lovely sound. And soon our human snow birds will be coming home. So the birds and the nice weather are returning and the valley is coming alive. God I love the spring!

Belated Holiday Greetings

As I was coming out of my sugar induced holiday coma today I realized that I never wished you all a Happy Easter or Passover (whichever you may celebrate). For the non-secular among us I just hope you are enjoying the spring season and the slow greening and flowering of our gorgeous area.

And on the subject of flowering, my daffodils have been at their best in the last few days. After the snow I wasn't sure that they would stand back up. But they are proving to be hardy little devils indeed and rose again to their previous glory. I think that they will be peaking in the next day or two. Hopefully, the rain we are scheduled to be having tomorrow or Wednesday will not take them over again. They are looking very bright and perky and are a wonderful little celebration of the season. (see below)

Happy Easter, Passover and/or Spring to all!

Spring is Busting Out All Over!

Due to the strangely warm temperatures here in the northeast, both the daffodils on my hillside (see above) and the coltsfoot along the side of road (see below) have started to bloom in the valley. They are both about 2 weeks early! Temperatures have been in the 60s and 70s for most of the week. We reached a high in the low 80s yesterday. Very odd.....but I must admit, it is very enjoyable!

Spring Time on Giant Ledge

Paul Misko sent me this post a couple of days ago. Read on:

"A couple weeks ago I was on a hike with a forestry expert to check out the population of Ash trees. We bushwhacked up the western slope of Giant Ledge, and had lunch on the summit. Along the way I spied a few wild orchids in bloom. This orchid is called "Platanthera Orbiculata", and I've found these on other mountains in the area as well. On the way down, just below the summit, is the spring. The water is always flowing, and frigid, and since I finally remembered to bring a thermometer, I checked the temp. The water was 43 degrees!! My theory is that all winter long, the rock crevasses on the summit fill up with ice, which then slowly melts and filters through the rocky soil. If the recent heat wave is beating you down, then run up to the spring for a cold drink."
- Paul Misko

Daffodils 2010

My daffodils have come and gone at this point but I thought I would give all of you a look at this year's show. They bloomed strangely this spring, coming fast and then staying longer than usual. But they were beautiful all the same. Now I begin the process of deciding where I want next year's crop to go so I can mark the hillside. If I don't do this in the spring by the time fall rolls around I have no idea where they are in the landscape. I got some gorgeous new varieties last fall. Can't wait to order a new batch!!

The Daffs Are Here!!

I wait all year for my daffodils to bloom. The flowers are so optimistic, perky and bright. They just scream "Spring Is Here!". This year daffodil season started strangely. It was so cold for so long that I thought they would be weeks late. And then, out of nowhere, we had those 2 days of summer-like heat with temps in the 80s and they just popped up and started to open. Since then, the weather has gotten cold again and the blooming has slowed down once more. But I think in a couple of days they will be at their peak. I probably have somewhere in the neighborhood of about 5000 at this point and they look great! I want to give a special shout out to Pete Overbeck who dug up about 400-500 bulbs from the woods of Ohio and passed them along to me. I planted every last one of those little devils and now they are rewarding me for my diligence. Thanks Pete for giving me those extra bulbs. You are helping to bring me one step closer to my goal of naturalizing my whole hill. It may take another 20 years but I am determined!!

The Crocus Are Here!

Pete Forbis and Margrethe Cone sent me this photo a couple of days ago of the first crocus in their yard. Spring is finally here!! Now I wish my daffodils would hurry up and start to bloom!

Beautiful Flowers

There is a beautiful display of tulips blooming right now in front of the Phoenicia sign at the entrance to town on Rt. 28. These flowers were planted by WCA member Ted French. Outstanding job, Ted!

The Dafs At Their Peak

Although the weather over the past few days has been cold and rainy (with a little snow mixed in for effect) my 4000 daffodils are finally peaking. No matter what the weather, they are very optimistic, sunny little flowers!!

First Daffodil of the Season

The first of my daffodils bloomed today. Now if the other 4000 will just join this hearty little fellow there will be some show!! Can't wait, this is my favorite time of year!