Sweet & Sassy Scribblers
​
  • Genres
  • Fiction
    • Books for Children
    • Fantasy
    • Thrillers
    • Mysteries
    • Women's Fiction
    • Science Fiction
  • Nonfiction
    • Well-being
    • Spiritual Psychology
    • Poems, Essays, Etc.
  • Heart Song Ghostwriting
  • MindSlap! - Spiritual Psychology
  • Let's Get Our Hands Dirty
  • The Scribblers

It’s Almost Spring, and I’m Not Ready

3/8/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
The calendar says it’s still winter. However, the occasional 70-degree temps say otherwise. Granted, the warmth is widely interspersed between the usual overnight dips into 30s and daytime highs in the 50s. Soon, though, the thermometers will creep up the scale and stay in the toasty zone. I can’t wait!

All four seasons have their advantages, and I like them all, but spring must be my favorite. It’s a magical time of year. My little part of the world transforms from a gray, monotonous landscape to a gorgeous rainbow of colors, seemingly overnight.

Right now, the Carolina Jessamine vines are peaking out of ditches and thickets, showing off their bright yellow flowers. They’re usually the first native plants to bloom. I think of them as nature’s way of informing us that spring will soon be here.

I enjoy keeping track of the bare twigs and the leafless bushes as they begin to sport new life. By paying attention to minute changes, it’s not such a surprise when roadsides become speckled with varying shades of blue, white, pink, and green. I love to watch the bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, and other creatures as they leave their winter homes to explore the blossoming treasures.
​
Yep, spring is just around the corner.  

Picture
Wait, Wait, I’m not Ready Yet!
It’s already March, and I haven’t even started winter sowing. Now that we’re in our new home, I’ll try to get some annuals started. Last weekend, Silke and I loaded up a U-Haul trailer and transported all my worldly goods to our new home. So, after we get everything inside the house sorted, I’ll be able to concentrate on outside stuff.

Unfortunately, the pre-planted garden beds are filled with non-native bushes such as Japanese privet, Chinese holly, and the invasive Heavenly bamboo (Nandina). They’re going to go.
​
The few Yaupon holly bushes will remain, even though they’re a dwarf cultivar. I’ll fill in around them with mixed wildflower seeds from the SC Native Plant Society.

​That will be our first task – not too difficult, even though we’ll have to clear away about six inches of wood mulch to get to the soil.

Picture
Next, we’ll tackle the bare ground. To begin with, I want to plant some flowers and veggies along the chainlink fence and then work out from there. One good thing is that there’s no need to smother grass with cardboard or many weeds to pull up. That’ll make life a little easier for our first planting season - the first of many to come.
​
Converting our yard into an insect/bird/wildlife paradise will take a long time, as in years. It’s overwhelming to contemplate all the work ahead of us. I know we don’t have to do everything all at once, but time is a factor.

I wonder if I’ll live long enough to see my dream come true. Hope so. At any rate, I’ll plug away at it as best I can.

0 Comments

Looking for Inspiration

2/9/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture





​

​We’re still waiting to move into our new home. There’s a hold-up with the title, so Silke and I are searching for ideas on landscaping our yard while the bureaucratic red tape runs its course. As I stated in my previous post, we have a blank canvas to design our pollinator wonderland any way we want.

Looking Online
Since we’re both new to this venture, we’ve been looking online for inspiration. Folks all over the world have created magnificent gardens that I’d love to emulate. Of course, it’ll take years to replace all our turf grass and bare ground with a colorful panorama that’ll reflect our dreams. But we’ve got to start somewhere, right?

GrowItBuildIt.com must have been reading my mind. Last weekend, they published an article on starting a native plant garden from scratch. I was already familiar with the basics – choosing the site(s), determining the sunlight, moisture, PH, etc., prepping it, and choosing the proper flowers. However, having all the information in one spot for reference is nice. It’s a keeper!
​
The blog post reminded me that time is slipping away to prepare the seeds for spring. I had planned to spend the colder months winter sowing the wildflower seeds I’d collected last summer and autumn. Unfortunately, though, that project is still on standby until I have a permanent residence. Hopefully, I’ll have a chance to winter sow some annuals during February.

Picture
Looking Closer to Home     


​Meanwhile, there are other sources of inspiration of which we can take advantage.

Brookgreen Gardens is a fabulous 9000-acre nature preserve housing magnificent sculptures and native habitat.

Confession time: I’ve lived in this area for 30 years, and this past weekend was the first time I visited Brookgreen Gardens. I’ve wanted to go, but being an introvert, the crowds swarming the numerous Myrtle Beach tourist attractions, along with unpredictable traffic prevented it. I’ve never been brave enough to drive up there. But luckily, this time, Silke offered to chauffeur us.

I’ve got to admit, I regret missing out on such a treasure for all those years. It was worth the hassle. The place is a naturalist’s paradise!

The property comprises formal gardens as well as undeveloped salt marshes, woodlands, and river bluff forests that protect over 2,000 species of native plants and insects along with a variety of other wildlife, including wild turkeys, fox squirrels, and a multitude of songbirds.

There was too much to see in one trip. We bypassed the non-native flowers populating the formal gardens and toured the lesser-traveled paths with guides from the Native Plant Society. We only visited a small portion of the acreage, but it was awesome. Strolling along the walkways was an educational experience. In just a few hours, I learned a lot about the indigenous plants in this area.

Horticulturist Jason Flynn gave us a tour of his pride and joy – Brookgreen’s native plant garden. He explained how local geology played a role in the evolution of plants, insects, and animal life in South Carolina, and highlighted some of the effects of humans on nature. We’ll have to return in the summer to experience the grandeur of Jason’s garden in full bloom. Sadly, all we observed this time around were the remaining stems and dried flower heads of the native plants. However, we did get the names of some flowers and shrubs we can plant in our yard. Excellent!
​
On the next trip, I plan to follow the Trail Beyond the Garden Wall (TBGW). Originally, it was reserved for staff as a shortcut between the north and south ends of the Gardens. However, now it’s open for the public to see and admire the fantastic native plants out there.

Picture
I don’t want this to sound like an advertisement, but Brookgreen Gardens truly is a pleasant haven to get away from the rest of the world. Walking under the live oaks draped with Spanish moss while enjoying an up-close and personal view of the many ecological wonders truly outshone any images we viewed online.
​
I look forward to incorporating everything Silke and I have learned into our Hometown Habitat. It’ll be a learning experience for us and, hopefully, our neighbors. Through our efforts, I hope to spread the word about the decline of pollinator populations, loss of habitat, and the importance of reintroducing native plants while having fun playing in the dirt. Keep your fingers crossed we can make a positive difference.


0 Comments

Where Do I Begin?

1/26/2024

2 Comments

 
Picture
December and January have been wild and crazy. Nothing's left of the homestead Bob and I shared for nearly 30 years, and my new home isn't ready yet. My life is in limbo, transitioning from an established, comfortable routine to a future of new beginnings.

Saying goodbye to a predictable former life could be viewed as a sad and scary experience. Yet, instead, I'd rather think of it as engaging in an exciting, new adventure that'll add new memories to ones already stored in my heart.

Tiger and I have enjoyed our 'vacation' in a fabulous Air BNB while waiting for the paperwork to be completed on our upcoming dwelling. I absolutely love our temporary lodging but can't wait to move into our new place.

It's going to be trial and error learning how to refurbish neglected furniture – giving the unloved wooden items a second chance to shine. But what I'm really looking forward to is creating a haven for the insects, birds, and other critters that'll be sharing the property with us.

The yard is a blank canvas to landscape as we like. Eventually, our acre of grass and woodland will be covered entirely with native beauty. But where do we begin?

My friend and housemate, Silke, and I are relatively new to this game. I've had a couple more years of experience identifying native plants. However, it will still be the blind leading the blind as we design a landscape that looks appealing yet, more importantly, is beneficial to wildlife.

Winter is the perfect time for planning. I want to map out where to put a diverse selection of flowers, trees, and shrubs to provide food and shelter for all the creatures visiting our little piece of paradise.

We both love the acres and acres of untouched woodland bordering the backyard. The scenery offers the peace and tranquility only Mother Nature can provide. A sizable portion of our yard is undeveloped, and a quick walk-through found some lovely indigenous plants. I can't wait to see what pops up this coming spring and summer.   

On either side of us, though, are houses. I've lived in the boonies for the past thirty years and am not used to having close neighbors. Living in a neighborhood will be a challenge for me. Granted, there's at least ¾ acre separating the homes. However, that's still too close for my comfort. I'm a hermit and like my solitude.  

A hedgerow made with fast-growing plants will make a perfect all-natural privacy fence. We can plant some dormant shrubs and trees during February. That'll give them time to adjust to their new home before spring. A hedge isn't a quick fix; the barrier will take a while to grow, but patience is a virtue, right? Meanwhile, a six-foot fence will keep our dogs in and neighbors' eyes out.


Picture
Let the Work Begin
We are very fortunate that only a small bit of the yard close to the house was sown with grass. The rest of the property is just plain dirt. Perfect! Not having to remove a lot of useless grass is a significant advantage. Plus, laying out garden beds in the autumn/winter gives us more time before the growing season. Another bonus is that it's cooler, with no gnats or mosquitoes.

Now comes the planning. How do we transform the bare compacted dirt into a home for native flora and fauna?

Common sense and my limited experience tell me that properly preparing the ground is crucial to a successful garden. I don't want to disturb the insect and fungal life underground, so there will be no tilling. We'll break up the surface layer and even everything up. A layer of leaves will make an excellent covering that will kill any grass or weeds trying to grow. The leaves will also break down and fertilize the garden beds. I don't have to tell you that pesticides will never poison our land!

An excellent piece of advice I picked up in Ohio State University's Pollinator 101 webinar is to work with nature in the existing landscape - not against it. During her session, Shana Byrd from the Dawes Arboretum said the first step is site evaluation. "Map out your lawn and determine what would work best in the area you want to convert to a garden. Before you start designing your new addition, determine the level of sunlight, soil type, soil texture, moisture, drainage, and size."

That'll take care of prepping the ground. Now, what are we going to put in the garden?

Picture
Winter Sowing
Step two in our master plan is to have some flowers ready to plant in our prepared garden beds. My favorite method of germinating flowers is winter sowing.

It's so simple:
  • Use transparent or translucent containers (Water or milk jugs, soda bottles, produce containers, etc.)
  • Place potting soil and seeds inside the containers.
  • Leave the containers in an area where rain and snow will keep them watered.
  • Then, forget them until spring. The seeds will germinate at the proper time, and the hardy seedlings will tolerate transplanting and changes in temperature and conditions.
That's the basics. For more detailed information on winter sowing, check out this post.

So, between prepping the soil, planting some shrubs and trees while they're dormant, and winter sowing, Silke and I should have a good start on our landscaping. Another critical factor we'll incorporate in our design is to connect the planted areas so insects can move from one patch of flowers to another without traveling a long distance. 

There's a lot of work ahead of us. I know I can't transform the entire yard this first year. However, I want to lay out several garden beds as the groundwork for years to come.  
 
Wish us luck!

2 Comments

A December Not to Remember!!

1/12/2024

0 Comments

 
PictureTransitioning from one home to another.
I’m glad December is over with. It was mostly okay. However, there were a few days that were terrible. The nightmare bits revolved around losing my home.

Back in the late 1990s, my husband and I leased a hunk of farmland. We leveled and smoothed it out, hooked up our mobile home, and planted grass, trees, and a few bushes. Over time, we transformed the former cornfield into a lovely little homestead.

After Bob passed away in July 2020, it was no longer the same. Everywhere I looked reminded me of my loss. I wanted to move. I dreamed of buying a place to plant many native flowers, shrubs, and trees - my own pollinator paradise. Unfortunately, that was a fantasy my budget prohibited from ever coming true.

A girl can dream, though. I shared this dream with friends, and one of them decided to help me turn my wish into a reality. A few months ago, we joined forces to look for land where we could each set up a home. I was so excited! We searched for acreage with various types of habitat – wetland, wooded, and cleared – and planned how to create our own wildlife sanctuary. It would take time, but we were in no hurry.

Then came the bad news. The land where my little trailer has sat for over 20 years was being sold, and I had 30 days to vacate the premises. I couldn’t believe anyone could heartlessly throw a 65-year-old widow out of her home, especially over Christmas. Money and greed bring out the worst in people, I reckon.
​
Well, long story short, we found a place. It won’t be ready within 30 days, but I really don’t care. Like I told the landowner; I’m doing the best I can with what I got. What can they do, evict me? 

PictureLate December in my garden: the asters are still blooming and the swamp sunflowers and evening prmrose offer lots of seed for birds to munch on as well as foliage for insects to nest in.
The Creatures Who Live Around Me
During December, I wasn’t the only one looking for a home. Most of my time was spent sorting through 30 years’ worth of stuff, sorting out the keepers, things to give away, and the useless garbage nobody wants. However, I didn’t let the time constraint keep me from my daily walks.
It was easy to see I wasn’t the only one madly rushing around looking for a home.

Birds didn’t take very kindly to me disturbing them as they prepared their overwintering grounds in the woodlands surrounding the fallow fields. They were busy taking advantage of summer’s vegetation as it wilted away, cushioning the interior of their shelters and covering the ground, protecting all who retreated to those safe havens.
​
Goldenrod, asters, and other late-blooming plants provided pollen for the insects stocking up for the winter as they instinctively worked toward preparing a nice warm spot for themselves with plenty of food for their offspring.

Hopefully, the bees, butterflies, wasps, moths, fireflies, ladybugs, and ground beetles will take advantage of the leftover plant stems, fallen leaves, and bare ground in the garden beds for their nesting. I’ve also left plenty of leaf litter and brush piles to provide shelter from predators and the elements for any bird, possum, rabbit, pollinator, snail, worm, millipede, or other critter that needs it.

Mother Nature has taught me a valuable lesson. No creature, whether it has two, four, six, eight, or no legs, should ever be homeless. Every living being deserves the basics of food, water, and shelter.
​

Contributing to nature means so much to me. Little things that you and I can do make a big difference to the living beings with whom we share this planet. Just leaving a pile of leaves or brush, not removing dead flowers from the garden, and leaving snags and decaying trees where they are create homes for insects, birds, and animals. It doesn’t cost anything, and the rewards for them and us are priceless. 

The Gift I Finally Uncovered
In closing, I realize this wasn’t a December not to remember. My life has turned a corner, and I will be safe and warm this winter. Plus, I have been able to provide shelter for the creatures with whom I have been sharing this precious piece of land before I leave. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Despite what often feels like chaos, if we hold onto the faith in our dreams, Life will shift circumstances until what felt imbalanced morphs into balance. This is what a miracle looks like. The Universe responded to the level of my belief and manifested more than I could ever have imagined! I’m fortunate to have everything I need and honored to be able to share it with creatures around me.
0 Comments

There’s No Turning the Clock Back

6/2/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
Miracles do happen, folks. So far, all my winter-sown flowers are still alive and growing! Believe me, that is an amazing accomplishment. Through the years, many unfortunate plants have met their demise at my hands. Not intentionally, of course, but I’ve never had the skill or patience to master the fine art of growing anything. I’m so surprised and thrilled to finally be a success at gardening. An amateur, yes, but a happy one.

But wait, there’s more.
​All the volunteer native flowers I transplanted into my garden survived their traumatic experience too. I’ve read all kinds of gardening advice saying wildflowers will not survive the shock of transplanting and to always wait until they’re dormant. I couldn’t help it. I had to try, and it worked.
​
I only moved a few Small’s ragwort, daisy fleabane, lance leaf coreopsis, colicroot, and lyreleaf sage from the roadside to my yard. Those species were well represented with lots of cousins peppering the area, so I didn’t feel bad about removing a few of them. I’ll use their seeds next year along with the seeds I collect on my walks. I have my fingers crossed that the bush hog doesn’t chop the rest of the indigenous flora down before they’re ready to harvest.

Picture
​I want to save all the native plants I can.
It’s heart-wrenching to witness the destruction of a habitat that’s been around for eons, untouched, except by the creatures living there. Every year virgin woodlands and meadows are cleared for development. I’ve watched our community expand with new homes, businesses, and farmland. No one seems to realize the hidden price of all this ‘progress.’

It’s not only the flora.
​So many insects and other wildlife co-evolved with the vegetation and rely on it for food and shelter. When the trees, shrubs, and bushes disappear, the creatures become homeless and perish.

I spoke with a young man last weekend. His family farms hundreds of acres, and he’s next in line to inherit the business. He was spraying the corn fields with weed killer that day. We spoke of the decline in pollinator populations due to habitat loss, overuse of pesticides, and climate change. He patiently listened as I climbed on my soapbox and ranted against systemic insecticides. Surprisingly, he actually agreed with me.

He cares about how his actions affect the environment and takes great care as he sprays the herbicides. To prevent overspray, he uses the minimum pressure possible, drives slowly, and only sprays when the winds are calm.

That’s a positive start. The problem, though, is his family’s need to make a living as commercial farmers. They want to preserve the native plants, animals, and insects. Yet, they must continue using treated seeds and pesticides to produce the large harvests their livelihood depends on.

It’s a Catch-22.
What do we do? There’s no turning the clock back and returning to the pre-chemicals days when commercial farms were much smaller, and the countryside was more natural.

Is there a compromise?
​
We need to find a solution to this problem or else…

0 Comments

Who Said Old Dogs Can’t Learn New Tricks?

5/19/2023

0 Comments

 
​Who Said Old Dogs Can’t Learn New Tricks? I’m a little more mature (i.e. older) than most folks starting on a new venture and am learning something new almost every day. And enjoying it!

I’ve always been a nature lover preferring the solitude of the great outdoors. Being an introvert and fairly shy, I’m not comfortable being around lots of other people, especially folks I don’t know. Small talk has always been difficult for me. However, conversing with a curious bumble bee or a newly discovered wildflower is not hard at all. A little one-sided maybe, but usually I can express my gratitude at meeting them with no trouble. Unfortunately, talking solely to insects and vegetation is frowned upon, so I’ve come up with the perfect compromise – talking/writing about the things this old dog is learning from the plants and bugs.

Last winter, I experimented with winter sowing.  I planted a bunch of seeds gathered from volunteer native wildflowers I’d found along the roadside. After the plastic jugs were set up, I left them on my patio and let Mother Nature do her thing. The rain kept the potting soil moist, and since the plants were all indigenous to this area, the seeds were pre-programmed to remain outside and handle the local weather conditions.
​
The bottles and I waited patiently for spring. When the temperature finally began to rise, the seeds germinated and began to grow.  
Picture
I was so surprised that it actually worked! Usually, my experiments don’t turn out as planned.

During the same time, I’d also covered a couple of plots in the yard with cardboard to smother out the grass and weeds. That also worked! I only had a few patches of stubborn grass and some scraggly weeds to pull up. After loosening up the top layer of soil with my handy little garden rake, all it took was digging the holes and separating the flowers into small chucks to plant.
​
Surprisingly, the plants survived their transition and are coming along very nicely. I have swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius), bitter sneezeweed (Helenium amarum), blue mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum), bearded beggarstick (Bidens aristosa), evening primrose (Oenothera glazioviana), and a couple of aster species I discovered last autumn. 
Picture
Granted, there are a couple of non-native flowers mixed in. I have to confess, last year I was lazy and bought a packet of mixed wildflower seeds from the local dollar store just to see what would happen. Not much, I got about a dollar’s worth of flowers. The garden cosmos and marigolds proved to be bee magnets though, so I gathered some of those seeds and used them in my garden this year.

For my first attempt at winter sowing, I can’t complain about the results. A few species of bunch grasses and late-blooming plants haven’t germinated. Those bottles are still sitting in the shade just in case the seeds decide to wake up.

Now it’s your turn. Look over the easy-to-understand information about winter sowing and research the plants native to your region through the National Wildlife Federation, Xerces, Wild Ones, your state’s native plant society, or local groups and organizations.

Plan now and start collecting your bottles and seeds so you’ll be ready for next winter.
​
Happy Gardening, everyone!

0 Comments

    Greta Burroughs

    Through the Lens of a Nature-Lover

    ​

    No creature, whether it has two, four, six, eight, or no legs, should ever be homeless. Every living being deserves the basics of food, water, and shelter. By planting native plants, trees, and shrubs, I can do something toward providing the food and shelter these creatures need.

    ​It's amazing how plants and insects evolved to interact with each other, and how one could always instinctively rely upon the other for survival.

    That's what Mother Nature intended.

    Unfortunately, humanity's carelessness and greed disrupted her master plan.


    ​I'm on a quest to help restore Nature's balance by collecting seeds from, transplanting, or propagating the indigenous plants I find along the roadsides and fields before they are mown down or poisoned with pesticides.

    Then, if my gardening skills don't fail me, my yard will eventually provide a year-round oasis of native flowers, trees, and shrubs that'll provide the food and shelter insects need to thrive and never be homeless again. 

    Through the Lens of a Nature-Lover will share my journey as I discover, photograph, and rescue the plants and bugs no one else notices.

    Please join me in my quest to end homelessness. Thank you for caring.


    Archives

    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023

    Categories

    All
    Conservation
    Garden
    Invasives
    Native Flowers
    Other Creatures
    Pollinators
    Pollution
    Stewardship

    RSS Feed

    Picture
I will read forever because it lets me visit in my mind the worlds that I will never be able to see; it helps me put away the stresses of the day and relax into the rhythm of the story before me; it lets me bring to the surface and experience without regrets those feelings I hide away; it lets me re-experience the thrill of first love through someone else's eyes; it keeps my mind juiced so that it will never desert me; it is always there for me even when there's no one else. I will read forever no matter whether it is print or digital because the words will always call to me. ~ A Sassy Scribbler