Fall Cleanup--Turning Over A New Leaf

Our gardens here at Juniper Hill are completely surrounded by woodland which means that at this time of year I am practically swimming in a sea of fallen leaves. And, at a time when there are so many other end-of-season gardening chores to attend to, there are only so many hours one can devote to raking.  After all, there has to be a little time left over for other important fall pursuits like trying to figure out why we are paying all that money for 350 cable channels but will face yet another long winter with nothing to watch.  That's why, wherever possible, I try to rely on mulching rather than raking.

Seasonal Shifts, Time Crunches, and The Ant and The Grasshopper

Illustration by Milo Winter ( 1886-1956)

There are days when I wonder why I garden at all. As much as I like to think of gardening as a relaxing and healthy activity, it can often be a high pressure affair. Don't believe me?  Well, let me remind you about the ant and the grasshopper.

The First Snowfall

The first snowfall is always enchanting although I have to say that the enchantment tends to wear off pretty quickly around here as winter's grip on these north woods gets tighter and tighter and the snow piles get higher and higher. Nevertheless, those first snowflakes are always beautiful and when they come on the heels of the fall foliage season, the scenery can be even more glorious.  I walked around the garden this morning and shot these photos.  I hope you enjoy them!

Behind The Lens

Behind The Lens- Autumn II

Nothing in the garden says October like pumpkins and gourds. And with halloween fast approaching, it's time for pumpkin carving. Do you have your jack-o-lantern yet?

Behind The Lens

Reflections  photo by Andrea Geesaman

Many of the best photographs you see on this blog are shot by Andrea Geesaman. Andrea is an accomplished photographer and graphic designer with her own studios located in Pennsylvania who, in the spirit of full disclosure, also happens to be our lovely daughter.  

I am thrilled to announce that she will become a regular guest contributor to Notes from Juniper Hill, sharing with us some of her beautiful images, as well as offering her own insight into the worlds of photography, art, and design as they relate to gardening, food, travel and the beauty of the natural world.  She will also be happy to respond to readers who have specific questions or comments about the process of garden and landscape photography; an area of interest to many of us who want to capture all the wonderful natural beauty that surrounds us.  

You'll notice a new, Behind The Lens, photography section with Andrea's photo on the sidebar, and by clicking on her image you will be able to quickly find all her latest blog entries. And right below that, you'll find links to some of our favorite garden photographers.  

You can visit Andrea's own website at http://www.dreaimagesandstudio.com.  

In this first post by Andrea she shares with us some of the beauty that New England has to offer this time of the year.

It's In The Air

photo by Andrea Geesaman

There is something in the air.  
You can feel it.