Simple Gifts Thursday, Aug 7 2014 

Esperanza and gardening , acairfearann 20:02

Cod, fresh corn, and green beans (from the garden) for supper. Simple gifts!

In a change from supper. There are many things in the world, both local and not, that I deplore; but there is great beauty nonetheless.  The beauty of the most simple sunflower; the thistles, monarda, yarrows, a multitude of flowers loaded with bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds; the peace of the pond where the wren (pair) was busily foraging in and amongst the deadfall; and where a solitary wood-duck was taking its ease. There, uncounted frogs fled from my steps. There the young buttonbushes, spicebushes, and maples flourish. I can do little indeed, but here I can take care.

 

Beneath the Library Windows Tuesday, Aug 5 2014 

gardening and Modern Photos , , acairfearann 20:41

At dusk…Oriental lilies, what could be better?

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The singing tree Sunday, Aug 3 2014 

gardening acairfearann 21:39

The big, lone hemlock towers above the south lawn at a good 75 feet plus in height. It is one-sided, having lost its twin which stood about five feet to the north some years ago, and during the winter it looks quite thin indeed.  But not in the summer, it gets additional leaves in the summer…. For most of its height, and on many of its branches it is covered in woodbine (Virginia Creeper). In the fall the entire north side of the tree is red. The woodbine vines at ground level are nearly two inches in diameter.

Woodbine blooms in late July here, hundreds upon hundreds, perhaps thousands, of tiny flowers.  So I wasn’t too surprised when I walked under the tree the other day, I knew what I was hearing.  The low, barely audible hum, almost as if there was a distant generator running somewhere. The same sort of smooth, constant hum one associates with transformers or big power-lines.  But only audible directly beneath the tree, step out from underneath and you can no longer hear it.  The entire tree must be loaded with every sort of bee imaginable. The birds abandon the tree for a few days, not surprisingly! They’ll be back and in the late fall will have direct access to the biggest bird-feeder imaginable.

 

Nothing extraordinary Saturday, Aug 2 2014 

Landscapes acairfearann 19:16

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Just the western sky stretching out towards infinity from the big green bowl that is the West Meadow.  A daily round that even on the most ordinary of days is an event that will always come again, but never never quite the same. Pretty amazing actually.

 

Layer Cake Thursday, Jul 31 2014 

Esperanza acairfearann 21:46

We have a new roof on the west side of the North Ell now, the last section that hadn’t been done in awhile (sixty years in this case). There was a reason it took our carpenter quite some time though…the lower curve of the roof where it flares out below the dormers had: two layers of shakes, a layer of tin, a layer of tar paper, another layer of tin, and a layer of asphalt shingles.  No wonder it looked rather bulgy!

Above the curve it was only shakes, tar paper, and asphalt.  This helps to explain the diffuse leaks at an odd point partway up: the tin must have effectively created puddles and dams that then leaked through onto the rafters and down the knee walls slowly.  Thankfully, there is no structural damage.

So something accomplished this summer any way!

 

 

Sunflower: Chianti Tuesday, Jul 29 2014 

gardening and Modern Photos , , , acairfearann 20:05

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Bzzzzz Sunday, Jul 27 2014 

Esperanza and Historical Events , acairfearann 13:58

There is one problem with New England summers…as illustrated in the guestbook from 1878!
IMG_9538

 

Dinner Party Saturday, Jul 26 2014 

Landscapes acairfearann 20:23

Not inspired by Esperanza, actually, but by another house in the same area built near the end of Hapgood’s career as an architect about 25 years after he designed Esperanza’s north end. It is a bit clunky, mostly because I tried to redirect it from its original!

Dinner Party
Resting in the lawn-green bowl
The pergola was wreathed
By honeysuckle and roses
And laughter rose beyond the lantern-light.
A gossamer thread leading back
To the shining house
At the dark woods’ edge
A swelling blossom
Of twilight gold

 

Late July, Esperanza Thursday, Jul 24 2014 

gardening acairfearann 20:04

There is much I could write about, much I could take photos of…

But instead, I would ask you to consider the scent of white Oriental lilies, bigger than the span of a hand, that incredible floral scent, for some of us it reminds one at once of Easter (the promise of resurrection if not eternal than at least of the coming season) and of high summer: that time of long days and great bounty when the garden overflows and people slow down just a little.

Consider also, a path carved towards the setting sun through the high grass, this year the shadows and the short grass give the feeling of carved jade. Or perhaps a flaming orange line, set against the green hills, all the daylilies blooming and when the sun sinks all that glorious color will fail…but tomorrow, perhaps? Maybe the steel-blue hostas bowing down across the paths in the deep shade?

Or maybe the sun, golden, setting now. By the week’s end it will be setting on the western hedgerow and not on the northern hedgerow. How fleeting is this summer!

 

It is hot out there…. Wednesday, Jul 23 2014 

Esperanza acairfearann 12:57

I don’t know how roofers do it. But do it they do. It sounds a bit like a cross between Morris dancers and woodpeckers at the moment. I think they are trying to get something down before the thunderstorms come through tonight.  Which would be wise, seeing as it is the northwest corner of the house that is being re-done and it is a bit large for decent tarp coverage.  It did need it….it had been closing in on sixty years before it finally really failed this summer.  Which is pretty good for asphalt shingles! Never mind exposure to countless thunderstorms, snow drifts of several feet, ice, a few decent hurricanes, and a lot of sun. I bet the new ones won’t last that long.  If they do, I’ll be ninety odd!

 

 

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