Serve by Design

"Storing Up!" Image credit: clipartmax.com Fall officially arrived a few weeks ago. The temperatures are moderating, the trees are changing from their summer green to yellow, golden and deep red colors. Another sign of this transformation to autumn is how wildlife prepares for the harshness of winter.  Since my desk is next to our French doors, I have a ringside seat to observe the squirrels who may be God's best example of prudent industriousness. These speedy and ambitious tree mammals come in two main varieties: the nimble grey squirrels with white chests and the slightly slower-paced fox squirrels with their distinctive rust-colored coats. At this time of the year, they are doing what squirrels do. They are "squirreling away" nuts for the long winter months! (Hey! That almost rhymes!) I have a beautiful maturing oak tree in the back yard that has produced an abundance of acorns this season. They are falling all around the perimeter of the tree like one of na...

I love summer and freshly mowed grass, trimmed shrubs and flowering plants on the property! I am far from a Master Gardener, but I do have an appreciation for things that grow. We have a manageable number of trees, shrubs, and border plants throughout our .55-acre corner lot. I also add a select number of flowers each spring to some pots and a raised flower bed. It's all I care to water, prune and otherwise nurture until the first freeze comes in late fall. This work of nature feeds my inner spirit and gives me energy. I remember hearing a friend say one time about her need for nature, "I have to move to think!" I resemble that remark when I get outdoors! Vibrant Daylilies in Bloom! What I love about the perennials of daylilies that border in the corner of the backyard is how low maintenance they are! They are incredibly hard, deep-rooted, and extremely tolerant of adverse conditions. Yet, these tall, spiky and grass-like leaves serve such a useful purpose in visually def...