Beyond the Garden Beds: Life These Last Few Weeks

Wow! What a few weeks I have had. I looked back and found that I have been sending this email every single week since 2007, first as Behnke Nurseries and then, in 2019, as Beyond Behnke’s. Through all the changes over the years, one thing has stayed the same: my love of sharing stories, plants, and a little bit of life with all of you.

It’s hard to believe it is already July. I hope, like me, you have been enjoying your garden. We have a small area roped off, so I can see my daylilies blooming this year. The dear deer get the rest in our other garden beds. With all the rain we’ve had this spring, my soap shavings didn’t work out as planned.

And what about all this rain? I understand we, at least in Howard County, are still in a drought warning. However, it feels like all it does is rain. I have such a new appreciation for my late father-in-law, Marshal Fleming. He used to complain every time I brought home a new tree or shrub (I had written before about how he mowed at his house, my daughters’, and our lawns). And when he and my husband would get the loppers out to chop lower branches, I would cringe. Now that I am the one helping mow (Marshall never would let any of us help), I get it. If one more low branch smacks me in the shoulder or knocks my hat off, I will be getting those old loppers out myself. And, going around everything, those zero-turn mowers are nice, but sometimes things happen.

These last few weeks have been packed with so much fun, and I’ve been out and about all the time. So many lunches with friends! Just last week, I met up with some of Behnke’s Best, including Hank Doong, Alfred Millard, and Jennifer Park. I have also had more time to visit some of my favorite local garden centers, like Sun Nursery and Thanksgiving Farms. It was so nice seeing the Orchid Lady, Carol Allen, there, another of Behnke’s Best. She explained to me that my little mini Cattleya orchid needed a lot more sunlight, as she repotted it. (Photo below.) I was also able to attend many of my grandson’s ball games, and last weekend, I watched him play in the All-Star game. We had a wonderful day seeing “The Little Mermaid” at Toby’s Dinner Theater in Columbia. I haven’t been there in so long.

That was some of what I’ve been doing in June, besides weeding. And here it is, July already – time for me to get ready for next week’s Christmas-in-July Craft Show. I hope you can stop by. All air-conditioned, and all my glass ornaments will be on sale!!

P.S. I’ll be back in your inbox in August with more stories and seasonal tips, just keeping it simple through the summer. Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!