Author Archives: dirtynailz

Just as many of us are gathering boxwood to make lovely Christmas decorations there is news of a new blight that has infected boxwoods in neighboring Connecticut. It is caused by the fungus Cylindrocladium buxicola, which hails from the UK. … Continue reading →

I am at my desk, looking out over the lawn to the salt pond. It’s mid-December, and the grass is still  green. The sage and thyme in my vegetable garden are very much alive, because until a couple of days … Continue reading →

Since I seem to be in a “squirrely” frame of mind these days, let’s pause for a moment to consider the great squirrel migrations. Yes, like the mighty bison, gray squirrels did indeed migrate in huge numbers, across rivers (they … Continue reading →

For the past couple of months, people in New England have been talking about acorns – or the near total  lack of them. There just aren’t any, and what is surprising is how many animals are affected. Last fall, there … Continue reading →

Almost two years ago, I wrote about how a horrible insect, the winter moth, Operophtera brumata, was devastating our trees. This is the time of year we see them fluttering around. It’s mating season, so they are on the move. … Continue reading →

On Thanksgiving, before the feast, we took a walk at the nearby Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge. It was a beautiful day, as have been so many this month. We always think of November as gloomy and cold, but this … Continue reading →

I roasted a big turkey the other day, and before we went to bed, I tossed the neck out on our lawn, hoping the foxes would enjoy it. The next morning, it was still untouched, but it wasn’t long before … Continue reading →

We gardeners notice the little things. As I was weeding  my vegetable garden, I saw some tiny insects hopping around. On closer inspection, I realized that they were tiny baby crickets. I love that! We also look for little pests, … Continue reading →

As some of our loyal readers may recall, my  friend and frequent contributor to this blog, HerbDoc, had a stroke some months ago. Imagine my delight when I received this post from her in my email this morning. Welcome back, … Continue reading →

The strange-looking plant in the photo is the newest addition to my orchid family. The name is a real mouthful: cirrhopetalum bulbophyllum longissimum. (Even if I didn’t have one of these it would be fun to learn the name, just … Continue reading →