May Baskets a Part of May Day

A beautiful May basket graces a wrought iron gate in downtown Annapolis

Okay, I admit it. I am crazy for May baskets. I think they are great. Oh how I wish I had time to make one this year but it is already April 30th, and I don’t think I’ll have the time to purchase what I need, to create a decent May basket. The cherry blossoms in my front yard are already fading and the azaleas have not yet burst into bloom. The irises in the back yard are all the same color, in other words they are boring. You need a colorful palette and the flowers I have access to don’t quite suit the task so I’ll just have to take a walk around the adjacent neighborhoods and feast my eyes on other people’s May baskets.

The fun begins tomorrow morning Friday May first and since the weather is cool, the lovely flower arrangements in their baskets should last several days. For more about May baskets, you can read last year’s May blog or go to

Annapolis Economics or Enjoy the Good Weather

Even at 7:30 in the morning, the street of downtown Annapolis are still busy on Boat Show weekend and with two shows back to back, the hustle and bustle will continue.  I don’t know how many sales are being made, but everyone still likes to look at beautiful boats.

It’s that way at the shopping malls as well. I had a few errands to run on Saturday. The parking lot of the Harbor Center was filled with cars.  There were tons of folks stocking up on vegetables and plants at the Riva Road Farmers’ Market. Life goes on, even though the stock market has crashed (it was a crash wasn’t it?) and some businesses are either closing their doors or being  bought out–life goes on. The sky is bright blue, the air temperature is perfect with just a slight nip to the air at night, just right for sleeping. There’s lots of sunshine during the day to bolster my spirits. I’m just not opening any mail related to retirement accounts. I’m focusing on the present. In fact, right now is the best time to practice the principal of living fully in the moment and in the moment all is good and fine.  Sunday, I took the time to write a few notes to myself and remind myself that Sunday was a day for spiritual growth and reflection, a day I could spend more time outside than inside. It is a time to be thankful for what I have..

Monday, it was back to the grind of many many meetings. On days with so many office meetings I wonder how anything can get done. But that makes me appreciate those times I do have to myself when I can actually do some writing. Outside my window, while clicking the keys on the computer, I hear the crickets singing. It’s ten o’clock at night. Time to end this blog.

My Surprise Composting Crop

Well maybe you’re not supposed to put seeds in your compost heap. but I compost just about everything from eggshells and coffee grounds to potato peelings and apple cores. Not only do we get rich soil, but a plant or two often sprouts out of the heap of decomposing vegetation.
Last year it was a tomato plant. This year it’s a cucumber and pumpkins. The golden blossoms in the pumpkin vine are large and open up each morning to soak up the sun. Here it is August, and a few small pumpkins are starting to form.

Will they prosper and grow into fine pumpkins for Halloween, which is when the pumpkin seeds must have originally been “planted”? We’ll just have to wait and see. Want to create your own compost heap? Go to http://whatsupmag.com/jul06/composting.shtml

Annapolis Wildlife

The grass grows high some days in our front yard, and who jumped out right by my feet but a baby rabbit. I call him Bun bun. My husband Peter refers to him as Wilbur.

Our Annapolis neighborhood, a 20 minute walk from City Dock, is teaming with wildlife. Bunny rabbits skirt their way across the streets at dusk, families of mallard ducks select the secluded side yards of homes on the banks of Spa Creek to build their nests. A blue heron searches for breakfast at Old Woman’s Cove at daybreak, while squirrels busily dig up the spring bulbs I planted seeking nourishment for themselves and their babies.

Each morning leaving for my walk, I eye my one tomato plant with tomatoes (purchased at the Farmers’ Market) to check no one has been nibbling at its fruit. The leaves of my basil plant are mysteriously absent. But it’s in a pot, and I have  no witness account of a creature sampling its minty flavor.

With such a large population of rabbits, it’s not surprising to also see a handsome red fox steathily walking about in the evening near Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. Everyone has to eat. What’s next, coyottes? Has anyone seen any recently?