There was a time when I worked as a gardener at Vassar College - and Marty was my supervisor. We go back over 20 years, and the friendship that grew out of those early days is as strong and as vital as ever. We live about two miles apart, with Marty being on the river side, while I am on the hill. This is the view from his patio -
If you look at the bottom of the image you'll see the outline of the train that passes below the property. I can hear that mournful whistle late at night.
Marty invited me over for dinner the other night and we sat outdoors and listened to the cicadas and ate delicious food and watched the antics of this one -
That's little Angie and she suffers from terminal cuteness and too-smart-for-her-own-pants-ness! She is very vocal and likes to join in any conversation.
When you make a living designing and maintaining gardens (not to mention upkeep of several greenhouses which contain, among other plants, precious orchid collections), it would seem that your own gardens would be hugely splendid. Marty has always kept his personal gardens small and delectable.
He's the one who got me started with figs -
as well as so many other kinds of plants, truly, I owe a good portion of my education as a gardener to Marty's careful tutorage. He allowed me free rein with the Shakespeare garden at Vassar and I'll always have wonderful memories of our times working together. Except for the spraying. We were all certified in pesticide application, but Marty always made ME suit up and go into the 100+ degree greenhouses to spray. I loathed it. I think that he did this because I knit on every break. And then I taught my coworkers to knit. He liked to call me Madame DeFarge.
A gardener after my own heart! I wonder if this Buddha would like to come up to my hill and keep my Hotei company!
Marty raises canaries whose song will give you goosebumps! (or, as Scott says, 'God bumps'!)
This is an unusual breeding and as soon as Marty explained it all, I promptly forgot. Once you've heard these birds sing, every other thought and sound slips away.
Marty invited me over for dinner the other night and we sat outdoors and listened to the cicadas and ate delicious food and watched the antics of this one -
When you make a living designing and maintaining gardens (not to mention upkeep of several greenhouses which contain, among other plants, precious orchid collections), it would seem that your own gardens would be hugely splendid. Marty has always kept his personal gardens small and delectable.
Marty raises canaries whose song will give you goosebumps! (or, as Scott says, 'God bumps'!)
4 comments:
What beautiful pictures, and your writing is equally gorgeous. Wonderful to read and view after paying my bills this morning! xoxo
Love the little schnauzer.
It sounds like you had a great time with your friend Marty. Beautiful scenery.
Hi Jody, another beautiful, beautiful post! Your friend has a wonderful garden and what a view. We have a train that goes through not too far from us. I don't hear it every night, but when I do it is a very soothing sound. We had some rain last night and when it stopped the forest behind our home became alive with sounds. The voices of a million little frogs and night creatures croaked and chirped away, like an orchestra tuning their instruments, all slightly off key! :) The little birds are beautiful too. Have a lovely evening and a great week ahead. Delisa :)
Great reeading your blog
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