The January Landscape

January 13, 2020 by R. Craig Eaton

Here at Elm Cottage, January and February are without question, the slowest of gardening months. The chrysanthemums and pansies of the autumn easily and quickly blend into the frenzy that becomes Christmas. In December, evergreen wreaths decorate the house, and pots of greenery and winter foliage brighten the landscape. All of this allows for the seasons to just keep going, one blending seamlessly into the next; always something fresh and new to look at. However, once the holidays are over with and the decorations come down, sometimes the January landscape can suddenly appear rather barren and cold. We try very hard for that not to happen - even in the depths of winter - as the garden should always shine.

**Holiday planters can easily provide garden interest throughout the winter months with just some minor adjustments**

One of the easiest ways to continue garden interest at this time of the year is to keep outside containers going strong. Depending upon your paricular gardening zone and climate, it certainly may be possible to have a good amount of variety at this time of the year - even with using things left over from fall plantings - like pansies, which do survive the winter months in many areas. The autumn standbys of cabbage and kale may seem to have been done with come Christmastime, but if you can keep them going (or even store them away temporarily during the holidays and then bring them back out again) you will be very appreciative of their rich color and striking foliage come January. Cyclamen, hellebores, and certain bulbs - such as snowdrops - may even be something that you can work with in your particular part of the world right about now. These flowering beauties truly help to add some much-needed color and life to an otherwise barren landscape.

Here in USDA Zone 7, not all of those things are possible in January, so I work with what I have. Yes, my pansies and kale are still looking pretty good, so I am using them in some of my containers. No flowering bulbs are yet present here, but come late February and into March I do hope to start to see some life. Until then, one of the best things that I can recommend is to keep your ‘holiday’ planters going strong. If, for the holidays, you tucked evergreen branches into some of your pots or planters, let them stay! If your arrangement is looking particularly ‘Christmassy’ due to red berries, or the like, then remove those and leave the rest in place. Maybe add a few branches of something freshly cut from the garden, or some new greenery if it seems to need some refreshing. WIth just some minor alterations, holiday planters can easily last from November through the winter and well into March.

Of course, one of the best things to do in order to have something to look at in the garden during the winter months is to plant things that will provide such interest initially. When visiting a garden center or nursery in May or June, most of us find that we are preoccupied with all of the pretty flowers that are in bloom at that very moment. Even the beautiful perennials lined up and looking green and healthy, but not yet in bloom, do not catch our attention. And this is a mistake. To have true garden interest, we need to have things blooming (or at least of interest) throughout the year. Many of our gardens have a grand flush of flowers during one season only - usually late spring to early summer - and then trail off for the rest of the year with only some sporadic things blooming here and there.

And winter is of course the time in the garden that lacks the most amount of forethought when planning a garden. All gardens need winter interest. And that can easily be obtained by planting even a few evergreens. Conifers, holly, rhododendron - so many plants can add that particular structure a winter garden truly needs; it’s just a matter of determining the right plant for the right location and picking some of your favorites. Evergreens will ground your landscape and provide structure and interest all year long. They should be the first things planted, in fact, when planning a new garden; they are without doubt the anchors of any good garden design. So if your January landscape is looking just a little bit bleak right about now, consider adding some evergreens - even if only in the form of seasonal planters. Anything that we can do at this time of the year to give some life to our outdoor spaces is welcome, indeed!

Until next time…

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A Slow Start to The New Year

January 06, 2020 by R. Craig Eaton

So, it is suddenly a brand new year, as well as a whole new decade - how marvelous and exciting! However, I must admit that I am a bit slow to get to the party that everyone else seems to be attending that is full of resolutions and plans and optimism. I suppose that, like you, I too was invited, but am delaying my entry for just a little while, and I am not exactly sure why? There just seems to be a certain amount of sluggishness and hesitation on my part; my eyes are truthfully still a bit bleary and not yet ready to focus.

To be quite honest, the state of the world seems to be in some rather dire circumstances right about now (and that is probably going to be the most understated description of world events that I may say in the entirety of the year!) and that alone is enough to knock anyone off their game. I do have a feeling that 2020 is going to be a terribly bumpy ride for anyone wishing to tag along. I have also recently experienced some personal loss, so my outlook on certain things is not particularly rosy at the moment. Obviously, none of these events are putting me in any particularly energetic mood right now. Admittedly, I am feeling a bit of melancholy, to put it mildly. So January is indeed off to a very slow start for me, personally.

I have always been very affected by mood and emotions. There are days when that has become a bit more of a struggle than normal (one of the main reasons that I originally created my garden was to assist with some mental health issues - much more about that to come in a future blog because it remains important on many levels). Every year after the Christmas holidays I do find myself feeling a bit blue. There is always a sense of deflation; a certain sadness and depression always sneaks in no matter what I do. This feeling typically fades away before I know it and life goes on. This New Year is just slightly different, and that is okay; allowing oneself the proper time it takes to recover from grief, depression or anxiety - all of which I am experiencing currently - is necessary for a full recovery.

So while the new year does bring promise and hope and opportunity, it is also not a magical elixir that instantly erases everyone’s problems, or makes one immune to sadness. I truthfully think that so many of us set ourselves up for failure when we pursue a calendar-demanded ultimatum or deadline - meaning resolutions and such that must start on the first of January, no matter what. While it is wonderful to make plans and to have expectations, sometimes the 'all or nothing’ dose of January-fresh-starts leads to ultimate doom, simply because the restrictions imposed are often too harsh and unrealistic. Our very best attempts for rejuvenation are often fleeting at this time of the year, only because they are mostly put upon us, much more so than we actually seek them. Real and long lasting change takes great effort and commitment and hard work; a mere change in the numeric day or calendar year is not the cure-all that some of us wish.

That said, I by no means wish to deflate anyone who has so taken on a brand new start this January. Good for you and I wish you all the luck in the world! For many of us, sometimes just such a restriction or deadline, or a time of the year to do something is exactly what we need to spur us on to action. As we are all different in how we think, act and behave, of course there are different paths for us each to take. I say, if you find motivation in any form, then by all means attempt to at least say hello. If it does not work out as planned, there is nothing wrong with trying again. Perseverance is what truly will provide ultimate change. Currently, I am just not there yet, but do hope to be within reasonable time. Sooner than later, would be my New Year’s plan, if pressed. And once I do get started, catching up with all of you now well on your way, I do hope that we can each send one another an encouraging wish or two!

Happy New Year to All!

Until next time…

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The Last Days of 2019

December 30, 2019 by R. Craig Eaton

As we countdown these last few days of the year, realizing that we are staring at a brand new decade, thoughts of renewal and fresh beginnings take firm hold. It is not yet January, so these are not ‘resolutions’, but just ideas of how things - body, mind, home, garden and life - can be made better. And not necessarily better as in the way that most people may think of in the definition of that word, but better in a sense of just making things easier and more useful, more healthy and natural, more beneficial and real. Above all things, these last few days of December make me feel appreciative and thankful for the year just now passing, and I hope to renew those feelings in bigger and better ways in the coming year.

The week between Christmas and the first of January is a lazy ‘holiday’ week around here. A few social engagements, a couple of days away perhaps, but mostly the time is spent just catching up from all of the energy spent since Thanksgiving. The house is still decorated and it still very much feels like Christmas. That feeling lasts well through the last week of the year and then seems to abruptly stop on January 1. To me, the last week of the year is always a time for reflection and appreciation. Sitting down to one more holiday dinner in the dining room, looking up at the Christmas tree, a toasting glass in hand, is reminder enough to realize how very fortunate we are, and to understand how wonderful it is to spend yet another holiday season together with family and friends in our beautiful home. These times are not taken for granted; we are mindful of the precariousness of fate.

**The end of the holiday season at Elm Cottage**

So as we make our plans to close out this last year of the 2010’s, and as we step cautiously into the decade that will be the twenties, my mind begs for just a bit of clarity, for a touch of freshness. And as happy as I currently may feel, I am certainly all in for taking it to the next level and to clear out any demons or baggage that may linger from years past - those things that tend to hang on and to haunt us all from time to time. Why take those things with us into the New Year? Nope. Good riddance, I say. Clearing mind, as well as house and garden, will be the main tasks that I look forward to engaging in as we turn the page of the calendar.

Reveling in just the last little bits of Christmas - and enjoying every moment of it - I do also think of the clean slate that the next week will bring. It seems that I always start to make plans the very last week of December every year - in my head, jotted down on paper and stored as notes on my phone. The more the merrier and all the better to have in order to come up with a good plan for the new year. At this time of the year we are all given a blank slate and a do-over card; I definitely have plans of making some changes. Just getting on a better track to good health is the first one on the list. Making better choices in general is also a part of that ideal. And as far as the house goes, the kitchen certainly needs some work done, so I am starting to think that there is a new plan there (there is always work to be done in an old house). And the garden - always the garden - lots of plans for the garden! I am so anxious to get back outside and to truly ‘garden’ once again. But spring will be here before we know it; I am not one to rush anything; all in due time.

So tonight, sitting by the fire with a few new books and some garden catalogs - dreaming of spring - my mind wanders. This is the perfect ending to the year, allowing me to reflect and to plan, to dream and to prepare. Mostly, a few quiet hours just allows me to breath and to relax. Yes, the countdown at midnight will be as fun or as chaotic as we choose to make it, but once the clock does strike and the new year begins, the party that we either willingly or hesitantly went to will end and our regular day-to-day lives will begin again. Fresh beginnings - that’s what it is all about. The days of the calendar can always be cleared, the past wiped away and brand new starts taken. Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy New Year and hoping that it is filled with new ideas and exciting plans, good thoughts, good health and great happiness. See you in 2020!

Until next time…

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Christmas Countdown: The Finishing Touches

December 23, 2019 by R. Craig Eaton

December has indeed zipped by, just as expected, and Christmas is only a couple of days away now. I always hope to have everything done that needs to be done well in advance of Christmas Day, but that never seems to happen, so I am always left hurrying around, tending to the things that still need to be done. No matter how prepared we are for the holidays, there always seems to be something more to do. And that’s okay, as long as we accept that being busy is just a part of this time of the year. If at all the last minute details start to make the season more of a chore than something enjoyable, then by all means do feel free to just accept that not everything will get done, and that is okay too. The main thing that we all should be doing as December comes to a close is to be enjoying the merriment and festive nature that these last few days of the year provide.

I was fortunate enough to get away for a few days last week, enjoying a pre-Christmas vacation to the seaside town of Cape May, New Jersey. Walking along the gaslit streets and viewing the Victorian architecture, with the houses festooned in all of their holiday finery, was a delight. The charming town is a gem to stroll, with so many interesting homes and gardens to view, and unique stores to shop. At this time of the year in particular, with everything decorated so beautifully for Christmas, I found myself taking pictures everywhere I went, getting some good ideas for my own use next year. And as enjoyable as any vacation is, one taken during the frenzy of December can really do wonders to recharge one’s batteries and to relieve some of the stress that we all invariably feel right about now. I was a little anxious at first to even go away and to leave so much undone at home, but once on vacation all of that was instantly forgotten about and I was indeed in a different and calming world. I allowed myself to relax and to enjoy and to appreciate, knowing that soon enough I would be back home and that everything would get done in time…probably.

And of course, as happens to all good things, the quick trip away was over before I even knew it and I was back home with a list in hand of what still needed to be done to get ready for Christmas. But the time away gave me a bit of a renewal and clearing of mind, so that I was more than happy to return and to take on the rest of the chores. And I use the word ‘chores’ very lightly in regards to what needed to be done. The few last minute things were more than enjoyable to tackle, at least for me. Having to add a few extra ornaments to cover the bare spot that I saw on the dining room tree, repairing an ancient and broken Santa figure, or fixing the strand of lights that unexpectedly blew off of the planter boxes during a particularly windy, winter storm was nothing that I minded doing. For me, that is simply the ‘busy work’ of the season, and work that I enjoy.

Surprisingly, once home, I realized that I was more ahead of the game than I had thought. After making a few small purchases while away, my gift shopping was all done. The house was mostly decorated too - with perhaps just some ‘finishing touches’ in need. The baking has yet to begin (no one needed the extra temptation of passing by freshly baked cookies too early), but that will get done when it gets done, and if not, the local bake shop will be a fine alternative. Grocery shopping for Christmas dinner will be done two days before, so that’s not a worry either. The presents are wrapped. The bar is stocked. The white lights are twinkling once again on the planter boxes, as well as on the wreaths that decorate the outside of the house. Can it be; am I really all finished?

The list has been checked (twice in fact, for good measure) and it seems that all things are indeed on schedule. Yes, I am just now noticing that the star on top of the tree has slightly tilted to an angle that is anything but straight, and that the candle drawer is looking a little sparse, seeing that we use so many of them at this time of the year. The wood pile is going to need to be refreshed too if we plan on having a few fires between now and the New Year. And that last minute present just arrived as well - from that person you were not supposed to be exchanging with this year - so perhaps a quick trip to a nearby store will be needed in order to get just one more gift. But that can all wait - there are still a couple of days to go; I am not going to allow myself to rush or stress. Actually, I am still in a bit of a relaxed mood from my vacation. Besides, there is already a nice fire burning in the fireplace, the hint of holiday music is softly playing in the background, and the Christmas tree is looking particularly dazzling this year. So for tonight, I am just going to settle in with a good book, throw another log or two on the fire, and sit back and enjoy. The finishing touches can be done tomorrow…

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Best Wishes to All for the New Year!

Until next time…

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Vintage Ornaments (and other thoughts...)

December 16, 2019 by R. Craig Eaton

At our house, as soon as Thanksgiving is done - the very next day in fact - Christmas begins. And Christmas mostly begins with decorating the house. If you have been reading our previous blog posts, then you already know that we have been busily ‘decking the halls’ for the past few weeks. The house - both inside and out - is now fully decorated. Wreaths with red and gold balls and white twinkling lights decorate the outside windows of the cottage. The inside is filled with the soft glow of thirteen trees. Which leads me in the direction of my latest thoughts: vintage Christmas ornaments.

As long time collectors, we have watched our various collections grow over the years. And our Christmas collection is no different, which has grown in size rather substantially. This collection in particular has increased perhaps more than any of our others, as Christmas items are so readily available for purchase these days through online sites. Years ago if we were looking for a particular item - perhaps a tree stand from the 1920’s or a particular kugel - it went on a list and became a part of the hunt for when we next went to an antique store. Of course now, one simple online search will lead you to all sorts of options - usually very many options - so the mission of 'collecting’ has become much easier than it once used to be (and admittedly, perhaps not as much fun at times). The upside is that you most likely can find exactly what you want, when you want it - as long as you are willing to spend what the online dealer is asking.

And perhaps I digressed just slightly, but my point being is that if we wish to add something to any of our collections, whether that be Christmas items or vintage toys or art pottery - the opportunity to do so is easily available 24 hours a day. And while not necessarily a bad thing - rather fun to be honest - it has taken away the classic ‘hunt’ for those wonderful items that we once longed for - as those items can now be purchased instantly with only a few key strokes and a credit card. Not a complaint, just a fact, and one that we are all very much used to now. Having multiple options and easy commerce from around the world is both interesting and exciting, and provides many opportunities - both for buyer and seller. That said, I do hope that we all continue to actually go in person to the amazing antique stores and thrift shops that can never truly be replaced. The same can be said for estate and garage sales, which can provide the perfect occasion to add a little something to our collections that we did not even know that we wanted/needed. Classic ‘antique hunting’ through brick and mortar locations can never be beat, although instant gratification from online shopping is something that we all certainly enjoy.

Our Christmas collection is the perfect example of a collection that has grown much larger due to the ease of finding new things. And particularly - our vintage ornament collection (which nearly has a life of its own) - has grown the most. We have always had a love for Christmas, with many fond memories of the nostalgic decorations of the past that always added the precise amount of sparkle to our childhood holidays. Thankfully, a large part of our families’ Christmas decorations have not only been saved, but have been passed down to us over the years. This was perhaps the true beginning of our entire collection as we know it today - our family ornaments and other holiday decorations. Over the years we have added to that beginning collection. Antique stores and vintage shops, estate and garage sales - and now the internet - are all venues that allow us to find and shop for that beautiful, shiny new thing that we so very much desire!

‘Look at that ornament’, I might say. Or, ‘Oh, that would look so good on the tree in the living room!’ We have all had those moments of temptation, and if one gives into those moments enough times, one finds that they soon have a much larger collection of things than they thought. We find that out each year at Christmastime when we bring up the boxes from the basement and start the yearly decorating ritual. Of all of our items - we certainly have more ornaments than anything else. And we have enough ornaments to go on thirteen different trees! From a few boxes of combined family ornaments, our collection has indeed increased. We now, as collectors often do, put our collections into ‘sub-collections’, or categories. Meaning, while we generally do collect Christmas ornaments, we have broken down that one collection into many - which currently includes, in part: Victorian ornaments, vintage glass balls (such as Shiny Brite), Santa Claus ornaments, Kugels, 1970’s ornaments (think Elf on The Shelf), traditional ball-shaped ornaments, and vintage milk glass lightbulbs that we hang on our tree as ornaments.

I must add too, that as collectors, as large as our collection has become, we do not add frivolously to what we already have. Our family ornaments that started the collection are the most important to us, and are indeed our favorites. The ornaments that we have purchased since, to add to the collection, are also ornaments that we very much love. Most of these purchases have been fairly well thought out decisions. An impulse buy from time to time is a normal occurrence, but most of those have proved to be great additions to our collection as well. Occasionally, a few questionable items (what were we thinking?) have slipped into the collection, but they usually are found out quickly enough and given away to someone who would better appreciate them. What we are left with, and what we do still continue to build on - our collection - is something that truly matters to us and that we love and appreciate and care for; after all, no object should be unwanted in a home, or else it should be passed along to the proper person who could genuinely enjoy it. Such philosophy came from the original Arts and Crafts movement of the 1800’s and it is still an idea that makes great sense today. Simply put, the way that we personally feel about any of our collections, about any particular item in our home - and yes, even about our Christmas ornaments - is that they are beautiful and important and have special meaning or good memory. If not, what is the purpose?

Until next time…

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Collecting Christmas

December 09, 2019 by R. Craig Eaton

It starts out with a few favorite things - maybe a Santa Claus ornament that you have had for years, or something that you purchased on sale one year after the holidays. Perhaps you have a few ornaments or decorations that were from your family, or from when you were ‘little’ and that have somehow remained with you. These things you hang on the tree, or display in your home every year when the autumn leaves have dropped, the days have shortened and December rolls around again. Many people go through this same ritual year after year, just as you or I, as the holidays announce their impending arrival.

But what happens when you start to add to those simple beginnings and you begin to buy a few more things - just to build upon what you already have? What if you actually do this regularly, or for a few years? And how about those ornaments that you get every year from ‘secret Santas’, friends or co-workers? And don’t forget the January sales that no one is able to refuse - tucking away bargains from that fifty-percent-off sale that caught your attention. What happens when one box of Christmas decorations in the basement or attic suddenly grows into several? What happens when you find an online site that sells everything fabulous and vintage and exactly what you have been looking for? What happens when we start to seek things out, indeed, just to add on to what we already have?

Well, then you are certainly on your way to ‘collecting Christmas’! Many people who celebrate Christmas already feel like collectors - they know they have a good ‘box or two’ of holiday decorations that they happily look forward to decorating their homes with each year. This collection is also most likely added to little by little each year - if even unknowingly so. Who can resist that beautiful ornament that you find in some small shop during your summer vacation? A little addition here, a sale there, a gift or two from good friends, and suddenly our ‘collections’ grow; this is how one small box can easily become many more over the years - which is not a bad thing at all!

Of course, true collectors of Christmas - who fully identify as such - go well beyond the ‘summer vacation’ ornament purchase and can find themselves anywhere in between a true passion, an obsession, or perhaps even a bit of an addiction - albeit a happy one. Just like with any other type of collection - from stamps or coins to books or antique transferware china - once one begins to acquire a ‘particular something’, one usually wishes to keep acquiring that particular something and to ‘build up’ the collection. And there may even be particular items - wants and wishes, or even that very hard-to-find ‘holy grail’ item that you so desperately want, that you then begin to make very targeted searches for something much more specific, or nuanced. This is when you are indeed a true collector, and not merely one who has randomly ‘acquired things’.

Here at Elm Cottage, our Christmas collection is rather extensive. We are also fortunate enough to still have many of our family holiday decorations, which have been passed down through the generations. We are now the lucky caretakers of wonderful memories of Christmas past, and could not be happier to proudly display our collection each year. Of course, we have greatly added to this initial collection, as collectors do; an antique store or estate sale is not something that we can easily pass up when presented with the opportunity. I cannot tell you how many boxes of beautiful, vintage glass ornaments that we have stumbled upon rather randomly while simply stopping at a local house or garage sale. We also cannot pass up the opportunity to stop at nearly any antique store that we pass, so of course from time to time we do find additional treasures to add to our own collection, merely by default, it sometimes seems. Online shopping sites such as eBay and Etsy are also the perfect venues for finding something particular and wonderful to add to a collection.

And as collections grow, they tend to become much more particular, or narrow of search. Instead of simply collecting ‘Christmas’, one may choose to, or be more drawn towards, a specific category - such as Shiny Brite ornaments or vintage snowmen. Personally, I would never pass by anything that truly spoke to me and said that it wanted to come home with me (yes, things do say that); sometimes I just see something and know that it belongs in our house. Other times I may very much like something, but resist the temptation of purchasing, realizing that there are times when enough is enough; restraint is important for collectors with any addictive tendency! And that is why sometimes collectors with a larger collection do become much more particular over time. I would never pass by a well-priced grouping of vintage ornaments, but since we do have so many at this point, I am no longer on the ‘hunt’ for additional ornaments (at least not of a more typical variety). Nowadays, I look for things that are more unique instead of just adding additional ‘things’ to my collection. I am also currently drawn towards anything of an older vintage - the true antiques of the Christmas world, which are getting harder and harder to find, and pricier in cost, as well.

Of course, no matter what you collect - whether it be metal ice skaters, nativity sets, figural light bulbs, vintage houses or Victorian ornaments - your collection should be made up of the things that make you most happy and that you enjoy having in your home. Hopefully your collection is also full of good memories too. A Christmas display in particular, should be something that we are happy to share with others who may visit with us over the holiday season. Many of us work very hard trimming our trees, arranging the wreaths and getting that last little elf to look just as perfect as possible on top of the bookshelf, just so that we can invite our friends and family into our homes to see exactly what we have done and how we have ‘decorated’ for the holidays. Proudly showcasing our homes, and our collections, is just another way to celebrate this festive season. So go and unpack those boxes, trim your tree, dust off that angel figure and put your favorite Santa Claus exactly where he wishes to be; you will surely know. Happy collecting, everyone!

Until next time…

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Decking the Halls at Elm Cottage

December 02, 2019 by R. Craig Eaton

Well, it’s officially December now and we have just had our first snowfall of the season. Almost as if on cue, the quickly approaching holiday season seems to have orchestrated a blanket of soft white to start off the annual season of everything ‘ho-ho-ho’. Here at Elm Cottage we definitely enjoy the winter holidays and all of the hustle and bustle and fun moments that this festive time of the year allows. Of course, as avid collectors, it is also the time of the year that we get to rummage though the storage boxes in the basement for our carefully-put-away Christmas collection that has been hibernating since last January.

It does seem to me as if it were just August, so I do not really know where the time, and of the fall months in between, has gone, but here we are again with December just about begging us to provide a bit of extra sparkle to the darkening days. We do wait until Thanksgiving has passed, but once December arrives, the mums and pumpkins are sent to the compost pile and the delicately stored boxes of decorations are unpacked one by one. We generally bring the boxes up from the basement in order of what room we are decorating - bringing everything for that one room up at the same time - unpacking it and laying it out so that we know exactly what we have to work with. It is always a fun and special time of the year when we begin to unwrap our holiday decorations, thus beginning the annual, multi-week task that is ‘decorating for Christmas’.

Inside and outside - the halls and the landscape, the house and the garden - all become festooned with holiday finery. Outside, the house is decorated with natural, evergreen wreaths and other greenery, as well as many things cut right from the garden (red-twig dogwood branches are a particular favorite). The inside of the house is decorated with faux greenery and trees, and there are many reason why. First of all, we have had so many of these things for years now - the trees - they are not something that we want to simply dispose of for no reason; no sense having things sent to a landfill when they are perfectly good and useful. Also, as we do have a rather large collection of Christmas ornaments, we need more than one tree (last I counted it was 13). It just would not be practical, or safe for that matter, to display as many trees for as long as we do (our decorations are usually up for at least six weeks), so faux greenery inside of the house is what works best for us.

We always start decorating on the day after Thanksgiving and that usually continues for a good week, if not more. Decorating the outside of the house requires additional time. And no matter how many times we think that we are ‘all done’, there always seems to be something else to do; ‘finishing touches’ almost becomes a mantra. And the work continues right up until December 25th. I use the term ‘work’ loosely of course, because as far as work goes, it certainly is fun work! The memories that each unpacked ornament brings is a unique feeling that is special to this time of the year alone.

And while our collection has indeed grown rather large over the years, each and every item truly has meaning for us - it is not simply a collection of ‘things’. This is not only the case for our holiday collection, but for any of our collections, for any item brought into our home that we live with and love - each and every object is appreciated. Unpacking the collection, we can remember who’s family a particular ornament came from or who gave us something in particular; when and why. We also remember the items that we have acquired ourselves, whether from a visit to an antique shop or through a chance stop at a local estate sale. No single item in our Christmas collection - or any item in our house for that matter - is simply a commodity; each and every single thing - from a strand of vintage ribbon to an old bottle brush tree; from a nineteenth century Victorian ornament to a worn out old Santa Claus, is precious. Each item in our collection has particular meaning and special memories. And that is why so much care and effort and time is spent at this moment of the year to display, and to enjoy these things as best we can.

So, even as I write this, the boxes are being upacked and the swags of greenery are going up over the archways. Our vintage ornaments are being carefully unwrapped and hung on the tree. Santas and metal figure skaters, and dime store bargains galore from long closed stores are now finding their places here and there throughout the house. Victorian ornaments and old cardboard houses, which have been passed down through the family from previous generations, are now ‘decorating’ our home, as they once did for others. And we do have some newer items too - which will be the collectibles of the future - that are also an important part of our holiday celebration. The goal is to ‘deck the halls’ and to make everything as merry and bright as possible. As the days grow shorter and colder, and as we begin to spend our time indoors, the holiday season is always a welcome celebration of all things past, present and future. Time to hang another ornament on the tree!

Until next time…

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November Gardening Days (taking advantage of good weather)

November 25, 2019 by R. Craig Eaton

At this time of the year the weather seems to fluctuate rather dramatically. We can easily experience a chain of lovely, sunny days with mild temperatures one week, followed by a drastic and extreme drop in temperature the next, with harsh and steady rain threatening to flood the landscape. The evening temperatures are what usually prove to be the most chilling, with some nights seeing the mercury drop low enough to even provide frost or ice. The frost that we experienced last weekend was what finally did most of the garden in - forcing some still very exuberant plants into an early hibernation, and completely flattening others - browning everything it touched - crisping up the tips of the already curling leaves. But this is November, and that is what is to be expected from a very unpredictable month.

**The front garden projects continue on into November**

And what this means to a gardener is simply that we cannot count on too many more great gardening days at this time of the year, so when we do have one, then we should take full advantage of the nice weather and get outside and garden. One bright, warm day may fool us temporarily, but the frost on the pumpkins that arrives just hours later will surely take away any daydream of prolonged or continued garden work. The lesson of these days, and of this particular time of the year, is to take full advantage of the good days that we are given and to get moving and planning and taking care of our gardens. On the more inhospitable of days, when it is just too cold or damp to comfortably be outside, we must roll with the punches and work on other tasks indoors - perhaps sketching out future plans or garden ideas, or taking care of our indoor plants (more to come about that in a future blog).

The project that I began earlier this autumn in the front garden is a very good task to keep revisiting at this time of the year. Moving flower beds, rearranging borders and adding completely new pathways was rather a large project to begin at summers end, but nonetheless it was something that I willingly did take on, and so now must continue - and happily so! Having at first thought that perhaps the calendar may have outsmarted me, I gave in just slightly - doing only what I knew that I could get done - figuring that I would have to finish the project in the spring. But we have had enough very pleasant weather this fall that I have actually been able to continue and to make some further adjustments; the weather has been on my side, allowing me the ability ‘to garden’ well into November.

Yes, the project will indeed have to wait until spring to be fully finished (and which garden project is actually ever fully finished to begin with?), but I definitely have been taking advantage of some good, fall gardening weather and making headway. I fixed the shape and direction of a few of the pathways, transplanted several more plants, and finally got planted a few of the ‘stragglers’ that had just been hanging around the potting bench, still in their nursery containers and looking sad. I was also able to add more gravel to some of the new paths that I had thought may remain nothing but ‘dirt paths’ until spring. All very good gardening accomplishments, as far as I am concerned.

The finishing touch (at least for now) in the front garden was the addition of four new boxwood plants. I had to slightly move one of our birdbaths - which now sits in the middle of the front garden and has become a focal point - and when I moved it, the annuals that had been surrounding the base were sent to the compost pile, creating a large, empty patch of dirt at the base of the birdbath. And as beautiful as the birdbath is, it just seemed lost; it was crying out for something to ‘anchor’ it to the garden itself. I was able to find four ‘Petite Pillar’ boxwoods at my local garden center and they proved to be the perfect addition - surrounding and anchoring the pedestal of the birdbath to the ground, to the garden, and to the new pathways themselves.

The frost did indeed arrive this month, taking away most of the garden - certainly the last of the flowers. At this point I have one small phlox that is somehow still in flower, but that is all. And of course, only a few days after the temperatures dipped into the 20’s, they immediately rose back up into the 60’s and everything felt oddly like spring. Strange and fluctuating weather seems to be the new normal these days and something that we will all have to be getting used to as our climate changes. Again, another reason to take full advantage of the warmer days when they show themselves. Until the truly cold weather arrives, freezing the ground and making any real gardening work impossible, there is still time to fiddle away - fixing this and rearranging that - trying our very best to outsmart Mother Nature and to squeeze in the very last of our gardening chores this season before she decidedly says ‘no more’.

Until next time…

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Opening Up The Cabinets (early holiday prep list!)

November 18, 2019 by R. Craig Eaton

Suddenly it’s November and all of the winter holidays are rushing at us full force! I will never understand how one day it still seems to be summer, and the very next, Thanksgiving and beyond. It always comes up so quickly, even though we have the entire year to prepare. The holiday season is just one great whirlwind - a rush - and whether we love it or despise it, most of us cannot escape it - so the better that we are able to adapt to the commotion (or festivities), the better off we will be in general to handle the season. A few preparations before the fact will help to manage the onslaught of family gatherings, parties and everything social that the season seems to insist upon.

**Opening up the dining room cabinets to take stock of what may be needed for the upcoming holiday season**

With the holidays in mind - and that means entertaining and company and perhaps a jolt to our ususal, personal routine - I take a deep breath and head full force into the storm. Realizing that the nearly six week whirlwind of festivies will require a bit of forethought and planning, I first go to the dining room cabinets and open them up to see exactly what I have. It’s actually one of the more ‘fun’, or interesting aspects for me - just to look through the crowded hutch in order to get an idea of what dishes, glasses, and serving pieces that I wish to use. As an ‘inheritor’ of many family pieces no one else seemed to want - and as a collector, in general - I am at no loss for unique and beautiful items to set my holiday tables. So opening up the ‘cabinet of wonders’ is always a pleasurable part of planning the holidays - mostly because I always find some forgotton dishes, or other serving ware that invariably brings back fond memories of parties past, and years long gone.

Finding the right pieces for a table setting or party is a personal choice for the host. Perhaps there are not many variations available - and that is just fine. As we all know, the gathering itself and the people with whom you are with are the true importance to any holiday festivity. But if you can make things ‘pretty’, or at least feel a bit more special than an ordinary, run-of-the-mill day, then by all means you should; the extra attention provided to even the smallest of party details will surely be noticed - and appreciated - by your guests. The winter holidays in particular seem to just beg us to provide our finest effort to welcome friends. And whether that be with fine china and flickering candles, or blinking lights and mismatched plates - it really does not matter - as long as the atmosphere that is created is one that will make your guests feel not only comfortable and relaxed, but welcome and special.

So the best advice that I can give to anyone who may be hosting any type of get together over the next few weeks, is to just take a few moments to plan. Once the decision is made to host a party and the invitations are sent out, then a game-plan must be made. The most sucessful of parties - from small dinners to elaborate events - are ultimately relaxed affairs. And that means not only for the guests, but for the host as well. There is nothing worse than having a house full of people and finding yourself running around at the very last minute trying to find serving platters or dishes, or to realize that you dont have enough glasses or napkins. Worse yet, finding that there is not enough food or drink (always have on hand more than you think you may need - and if you find yourself with any extras at the end of the night, your guests will surely not mind taking a few treats home with them). Just remember, a well intentioned evening can easily go very wrong, or at least cause unnecessary frenzy when not thoroughly thought through in advance. Jotting down notes of ideas, shopping lists, and other thoughts as they come to mind in the calm of the pre-party days always proves to be highly beneficial when planning nearly any type of event or party; an organized host is a relaxed host.

**Shelves of dishes, glassware and other serving pieces are ready for holiday entertaining**

And that is why I am now opening up my cabinets to take a look around - to more or less take a count of what I have and what I can use. We are hosting Thanksgiving here this year, so that day will be the first ‘holiday’ event, or party of the season, and I would rather start to prepare for it now than to be caught off guard later. I will pull the plates, the glassware, and any serving pieces that I wish to use. And depending upon which dinnerware that I end up selecting, I will then choose the napkins and other subsequent items - getting everything reading in advance. I also make sure to have any extra pieces that I may need handy - such as serving dishes, ice buckets, or bowls for nuts and candies, which I always place around the house for those wishing to indulge (our vintage silverplate is usually the go-to for this purpose).

The bottom line when hosting any type of a party is to pre-plan. All parties should be fun, but often times they become stress-filled occasions where food is still being cooked at the last minute, someone is running out to the store because the liquor has run out far too early, and the affable host is now anything but because guests are grumbling and complaining that they are both hungry and thirsty. Yes, the expectations and demands at this particular time of the year run especially high, but they can be tamed with some simple awareness and forethought. And enlist some help, by all means (always a good thing!). With just a little bit of effort, and some well-thought-out planning, any type of a party - even a holiday party - can run smoothly and peacefully without calamity or commotion for either guest or host. To be relaxing in one’s own living room with cocktail in hand, chatting to friends and laughing without worry of what must be done next, or that which may or may not be burning in the oven, is surely a sign of a successful evening. Just take a deep breath, dive in and enjoy!

Until next time…

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