And so, on this warmer than usual weekend in November, the garden becomes the reflection of what has been. The leaves are off the maple trees and thrashed to shreds in the lawn. The grasses are still green from plentiful rains. A few violets have reappeared, confused by the waning sun but warmth of some days.
It’s time to harvest the herbs. Lovage, thyme and tender oregano are picked and dried for many a lovely pot of stew. The blueberries almost recovered from the attack of the gypsy moth caterpillars in June. The greedy things ate all the leaves giving the bushes a desperate, deadly appearance. A second foliage did grow out by September. No berries, not a chance.
The peach tree blossomed and produced a massive crop of fruits. After three years of late frosts that nipped the buds, success! To quote a line from Nathaniel Hawthorne’ s Introduction to Mosses on an Old Manse, “and peach-trees, which, in a good year, tormented me with peaches, neither to be eaten nor kept, nor, without labor and perplexity, to be given away. ” I learned to make a lovely peach butter blended with blackberries. A scrumptious dessert for everyday.
The perennials give way their strength and return to the earth. The vinca vine seems to be spreading over rocks and into the field. The lilac is perfect. The forsythia has gone crazy and is overwhelming everything. How did they get so large! Plenty of pruning for winter afternoons. Now is the best time to consider the winter trim to the massive maples starting to cast too much shade on the yard. How high they reach to the sky now. All to do still.
The one friend who won’t be returning to the garden next year are the dear old shoes. Four years of tramping all over has worn them to shreds. These shoes were always a bit too large. We went all the way to Sicily together the first year. They climbed up the hillsides of Segesta, past the fig trees into the amphitheater and gazed out at the azzure blue sea. We climbed the cliffs at Scala dei Turchi. We walked through the great cities of Modica, Noto, Taormina, Naro, and Ragusa. They felt the pain of the blood blister that grew to be a frightening thing. We stood in the mists over Tripani and felt the presence once again. She is here. The goddess did make herself known at Donnafugata, Ortygia and Erice. My foot was so swollen by the time I got home. How I will miss them. Maybe I’ll save them for the annual brush burning and give them a dignified exit. Let the element of fire take them to ashes. How I will miss them.
So, the bunny comes out of hiding once more to greet the walkers on their daily journey. This bit of whimsy under the rhododendron and settled in a bed of sweet woodruff. Now comes the dream time to plot and plan for that great garden to be. Next year, I promise to be more attentive and grateful for this space. This beautiful garden. My solace and my savior.
Glassgirl’s Studio & Gallery in downtown West Brookfield Massachusetts is a unique emporium. In an area noted for antiquing, the shop sells a funky collection of handmade jewelry, art prints, and contemporary gifts more common to touristy towns like Northampton or Nantucket. Proprietor Jennifer Geldard, an international glass bead and jewelry artist, says, “its an uber-cool place to stop.” The challenge is attracting customers in a sleepy little town of 3,000. After two years in her current location, she has established a local and regional following. But, don’t think old retail. The savvy merchant brings the buyer into the store the virtual way. The social media sites, Pinterest and Facebook, help a niche retailer reach regular and new clientele.
Geldard prefers to devote her time in studio to her art. “I am an artist, I don’t want to spend my energy trying to advertise my jewelry and art. I make enough money to pay the costs, that’s all I want to do, take care of the rent so I have the freedom to create. I couldn’t survive here on my art and jewelry alone, I had to bring in the other merchandise to pay the bills. I brought in Rebecca recently to share the retail space. My focus is on being a successful artist. The town supports that after two years of building a following.” Many of her best clients are other glass bead makers. The time, effort, and expertise required to produce a quality finished piece is understood best by others in the profession.
Geldard also wants to do children’s book illustration. She is taking an on-line course from Make Art That Sells with Lilla Rogers. Instructor Gabriella Buckingham says, “it is a unique resource for artists who are passionate about what they do and determined to make a living out of their art while staying true to their style.” The course teaches the artist how to create a professional portfolio and pitch it to an editor. Techniques for selling are learned including how to teach and live feed sketching from in the studio.
LuceStellare 