Message from the Mountain

The Center recently had a flowering crab apple tree donated to the Ormond Gardens. Its location has changed the garden landscape, expanding its beauty to another level. An act of kindness can literal…

I recently walked from the Orchard over to the Lupine Field and spent a few moments sitting on a bench taking in the surrounding beauty. I returned to my life in the valley grateful and knowing I had…

I do not usually think of lilies-of-the-valley having color other than green leaves this time of year, but they actually produce bright red seed pods. One of my great joys is discovering the unexpect…

I love to snack, but I have learned that there are snacks that are perfect for me and those that are not. The deer have found the perfect snack in Hosta plants at the Center. We share with them. Our …

As the summer flowers begin to fade, a collection of plants, such as stonecrop, are making their presence known. I so enjoy watching the changes taking place. Unfortunately, there are people that do …

Recently, my wife scattered a pound of lupine seeds throughout the Orchard with the goal of enhancing what Nature is already doing. The future flowers will be good for the wildlife as well as bringin…

There are still more flowers being transplanted into the Ormond Gardens as we enter the second week of September. We have some more Brown Eyed Susans adding color, but the real investment is in next …

We recently bought a covered bridge to span an old stump so the fairies would have a safe way across. I think of streams in the mountains that do not have bridges that require some creative thinking …

Recently I visited the Mountain on a perfect fall day. I enjoyed my time there and thought about perfect days. Just because it was perfect to me, it might not be perfect to others. Every day has mome…

Nature has gotten out its fall paint brushes and is busy decorating the landscape. People are also decorating with fall motifs inside and outside their homes. It is okay to bring positive pleasure in…

It was a great summer of growing for the birch trees. Now their bark has begun to split and peel away, making room for new skin to form. People are going through changes and peeling away old beliefs,…

The tiny yellow flowers, easily overlooked and often considered a weed, grow silently on the garden floor. At the same time, they provide a balance to the larger flashy flowers. In life, there are sp…

The clusters of small white roundish flowers growing in an area of the orchard caught my eye. The wildflower book identifies them as Pearly Everlasting. It reminded me that the energy in each of our …

Earlier in the season, Derek transplanted a lot of flowers, and one of them has really made itself known, growing to over four feet tall with bright yellow flowers. It is, I believe, a helianthus, a …

All the pieces of the small boulder, before it had been fractured, were still in order as if waiting to be glued back together. People can be fractured physically or mentally. Fortunately, we can mak…

I know we are constantly being watched as we walk in the woods by animals and birds and insects, but did you know there are plants that are keeping an eye on you, too, like the white baneberry. There…

Today is the first day of meteorological fall. There are hints of the change of seasons, but overall, one day feels like summer and the next one may be colder. We can experience the seasons of life w…

I love walking under the canopy of mature trees. Where the trails are open to the sun, there is a lot more work to keep the new growth cleared. In life, we can walk under the protection of our Source…

I saw a clump of tall white tall flowers in the Lupine Field and made my way closer to investigate. From there I saw a purple cone flower for the first time this year. It reminded me that I can disco…

I often believe that I am getting positive messages from Spirit affirming that I am in tune with my soul’s purpose, such as hearts of all sizes appearing at just the right time. I believe we all get …