June. The month of my birth. The month of roses and honeysuckle, pearl and alexandrite and moonstone. The transition from spring into summer. It’s been busy, as you might imagine. Lots of things going on around the farm — there is no end of work to be done. Enjoying the new blooms on my roseContinue reading ““It was June, and the world smelled of roses.””
Primrose Path
Perhaps what surprises me the most about our huge flowerbeds is that no one thought to put paths through it. It’s a dense jungle that is difficult to weed and water in some places. I told L last year that I was going to add stepping stone paths in several spots for easier access. IContinue reading “Primrose Path”
Here comes the sun
Despite the chilly start to the month, May is warming up nicely. And the garden is responding. I’m doing my veggie garden in containers this year since the raised beds are dismantled and we still need to clean up that entire area. But grow bags and 7-gallon pots are working quite well. I have YukonContinue reading “Here comes the sun”
A Quick Trip to Cleveland and Tudor England
My mom and I got back yesterday from a mini vacation. We drove up to Northeast Ohio to stay at my aunt and uncle’s house in Lake County, just east of Cleveland. Our main reason for going was to visit the Cleveland Museum of Art to see The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England.Continue reading “A Quick Trip to Cleveland and Tudor England”
Finding Balance
Things have really picked up with my travel advisor biz this past week. I made several bookings — all for the same trip — including hotel destinations and tours. I now qualify to level up to advanced status, though I have to take the training and pass the exam first. I’m considering it. Though I’mContinue reading “Finding Balance”
Spring in my step
Ohio’s mud season is pretty much over, I hope. We’ve had a few dry days, and the temperatures keep rising. Our yard is still squishy in a few places, but in just a few more months, we’ll be complaining about how dry it is. I got out yesterday to start my spring cleanup. We haveContinue reading “Spring in my step”
Happy anniversary, Words in Bloom
A year ago today, I registered my business name with the state of Ohio. Happy 1st anniversary, Words in Bloom! I was ill-prepared to start my own business on March 30, 2022. It was a long-term goal that I hadn’t given much practical thought to. But circumstances moved up the timeline before I had aContinue reading “Happy anniversary, Words in Bloom”
A Memory from the Emerald Isle
It’s St. Patrick’s Day, which stirred up a particular memory from Dublin, Ireland — a brief moment, an interaction with a complete stranger — that stuck with me all these years. In the summer of 1999, I was among a group of Ohio State English majors studying British and Irish literature at Bath Spa UniversityContinue reading “A Memory from the Emerald Isle”
The Game’s Not Over
My writing and editing business, Words in Bloom, will be a year old at the end of this month. I registered the name with the state of Ohio on March 30, 2022. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I’d make it to the first anniversary. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come closeContinue reading “The Game’s Not Over”
Hello, March
I’m not sorry to see February in the rearview mirror. March is here, and it’s coming in like a lamb. It’s supposed to be 70 degrees today. February went out like a lion. A couple of days ago, we were sheltered in the basement due to two tornado warnings that overlapped in our area. IContinue reading “Hello, March”
Karyn Johnson 