Monday, December 31, 2007

Looking Back at 2007 (Part IV)



Autumn came barreling along on the heels of summer and a few of the perennials and annuals that struggled in the dry heat perked up and put on a fresh show of growth and blooms. While I hate seeing the growing season come to an end, I do love the clear blue skies of October and the crisp cool nights.

The fall color is always a treat, too.




The Children's Garden that Mom and her fellow Master Gardeners have been working so hard to help establish in Van Wert had its butterfly release and ribbon-cutting ceremony in August. In October the Master Gardeners were given an Environmental Award. This award is given by Dominion and the Biodiversity Alliance and Mom, Sue Heappard (Van Wert City Parks Director) and I traveled to Cleveland to accept it.


On the way home from Cleveland, we stopped to visit Schedel Arboretum and Gardens and we were blown away by the beauty of them, as well as the fact that we'd lived our entire lives in northwest Ohio without seeing them. We'll be returning for another visit in the spring.


While in Cleveland, Kim (blackswamp_girl) and I finally got to meet each other in person! We had a great time perusing Petitti's Strongsville store together and I left there wishing we lived closer to each other. When you share a love of gardening the way we do, as well as growing up within 30 miles of each other, you feel an instant kinship.

I'd met another fellow blogger, Martha (Earth Girl), back in February when she was a featured speaker at the Allen County Home and Garden Show. We met again in July, when I visited the Gene Stratton-Porter State Historical Site, where she is in charge of the restoration of the gardens. I enjoyed the personal tour of the gardens and Martha gave me a Cornelian Cherry seedling (Cornus sp.) that is the offspring of the original that Gene planted many years ago.






We discovered wild grapes growing along the creek that runs behind our house and I made wild grape jelly for the first time in October. It was so delicious that I plan to make it again next year and will try it with the strawberries from our garden as well.





We found a Monarch caterpillar on the swamp milkweed in our garden late in September. This was later than usual and I took it in the house where it formed its chrysalis the very next day. About ten days later, it emerged from its chrysalis, a perfect and beautiful female. We released her several hours later and she began her long migratory trip to Mexico.



Fall is a good time for planting many things and we put some garlic in the ground for the first time ever. Of course there were the many spring bulbs that I said I wasn't going to buy (but I did) that needed planting and who knew planting tulips was so dangerous? We purchased two more Japanese Maples and got them put in the ground before the really cold weather set in.



The year closed in December with a major snow storm that provided us with good photo opportunities and insulation for the plants. Inside, we were forced to share the air with a jungle of greenery that wouldn't survive our cold Ohio winters if they remained outside. Life can be tough - what can I say?



And now, as we say goodbye to 2007, we realize how very blessed and fortunate we are to be living the life we do. God has allowed us to be stewards of so many living things around us - trees, birds, plants, flowers, insects, cats - and we do our best to take care of them inasmuch as is humanly possible.

We've shared much of our life this year via this blog and to those of you who visited and read about our adventures and misadventures, thank you for all your kind comments.

Now, on to 2008!


11 comments:

Meg said...

Oh, wow, those grapes must have been awesome. What a find!

Anonymous said...

You have had a eventful year! Hope 2008 will be a just as good.

Meems said...

Kylee: I know I said this before but it has been really fun to have this 2007 year in review since I missed most of these posts the first time around... not by choice but because I only started blogging this past summer and then it took me a while to realize there were other garden blogs out there.

How fun you got to meet a fellow-blogger. I love all your colorful autumn photos. And the Monarch- on your finger- how thrilling. I had three Monarch caterpillars today on my Milkweed.

I'm glad I found your blog this year and look forward to walking through your 2008 garden with you. Happy New Year and God bless.

Anonymous said...

How great that you and Kim were able to meet. That's a lovely picture of the two of you. I'm always delighted to meet other bloggers whom I follow, so I know that feeling of immediate friendship. Perhaps you'll see each other again one day.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

Love those bookends on the garden seat, where did you buy them? ;-)

A very happy and healthy 2008 to you and yours Kylee, with loads of gardening, kittycat and blogging fun!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Your "Little Acre" and all its inhabitants are certainly blessed to have you as a steward.

I too only found your blog in the past few months so I thoroughly enjoyed the review and I am looking forward to reading more about your Little Acre this coming year.

Cindy Garber Iverson said...

Kylee,

Your review of 2007 has been a joy to read!

I especially like your statement about stewardship. It resonates with me greatly.

I'm so glad that we "met" through blogging during 2007 and I am looking forward to another year of enjoying your gardens, kitties, and most of all your wonderful personality.

Be well and I hope you are feeling better!

Hugs,
Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage

MrBrownThumb said...

Great posts Kylee.

The last pic of the two cats on the bench is hilarious. They look like they're having a spat and not wanting to have contact with each other.

kate said...

I like the look of the children's garden building. It is always fun reading about your mum and you visiting various gardens, garden centres and arboretums.

I hope the two of you will be doing lots more visiting of gardens throughout 2008 too!

Unknown said...

That is so true. :)

By the way, in the coming year I look forward to seeing your beautiful garden in person!

Kerri said...

What a fun post! I've thoroughly enjoyed looking back through your year 2007. Your photos are always beautiful and your posts inspiring! Thanks for sharing...it's a real delight to be able to peek into each other's worlds, and a wonderful way to learn!
May 2008 be a wonderful year filled with rich blessings for you and your family.

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