Wonder 387105127 1029827877972925 4556634956310972860 N

WONDER

“Wonder is an essential ingredient if life is to be made livable. Wonder is the cure — the cure for life-killing boredom. Wonder is the drug — the natural drug without which people may turn to narcotic drugs. Sure, most people bravely soldier on without wonder, and even do so without drug addictions and self-destructive behavior. But is that the point of life? To soldier on long after the thrill of living is gone? That’s not life — that’s life with all the wonder crushed out of it and compressed to mere existence. Wonder is what we’ve lost. Wonder is what we miss. Wonder is what we want. Wonder is our hidden Narnia into which we long to step and explore.”

~ Brian Zahnd (contemporary American pastor, author, and would-be mountaineer, in Beauty Will Save the World)

Are you aching for wonder in your daily life? Step outside into the sparkle of a rain-drenched garden. Meander along a stepping stone path under a cathedral of stately Dawn Redwood trees. Sit on a boulder and watch a hummingbird sipping the sweetness from an Azalea blossom. There is wonder in the grand vistas of mountain ranges sweeping to the edge of the horizon, but there is also wonder in the intimate garden setting just outside your door. Can we restore the wide-eyed wonder you long for by bringing beauty within reach of your everyday experience? We’d be delighted to help! 717-653-1273

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& wonder seeker)

Rocks: The Perfect Garden Accessories 366967819 995570801398633 4799726835244037532 N

ROCKS: THE PERFECT GARDEN ACCESSORIES

Rocks are incredibly practical in many applications: sitting, walking, jumping, eating (ice cream!), anchoring, stabilizing, strengthening, building, paving, sculpting, skipping, gathering, surfacing, collecting, beautifying, bordering, fencing, playing, climbing, exploring, sheltering, shading, beautifying . . . . What’s your favorite use for rocks?

Contributed by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& classic rock fan)

Finding Falling Water 385022785 1026732354949144 6153725375237472003 N

FINDING FALLING WATER

Recently, James and I spent a beautiful afternoon motorcycling along River Road near the Susquehanna River. We were searching for the Kelly’s Run Trail, a roughly four-mile walk through Rhododendron-covered, new-growth forest along delightful Kelly’s Run. We had last hiked the trail almost 30 years ago when our children were young but had not been back since. Now, with a rare, free afternoon, blue skies and sunshine, adventure called and we answered.

When we arrived at the trailhead, we were greeted by one of the rangers of the Lancaster County Conservancy. She told us about the trail just ahead of us and about other hiking trails and nature preserves managed by the Conservancy. We were amazed to learn that there are over 45 nature preserves in western Lancaster and eastern York County, Central Pennsylvania. Of these, over 20 have established parking lots and trails, and provide the best opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing and bird watching.

We were pleased to know that this organization has been gradually taking on management of some of Lancaster and York Counties’ wilder areas with the intent to make natural beauty more accessible to the public. Please visit the website to learn more about these fabulous places: https://www.lancasterconservancy.org/

Then, when adventure beckons, be sure to respond! You’ll be glad you did!

Gladly shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& local adventure seeker)

Beauty From The Garden, Even In December! 398549402 1047967386158974 6408515513512066462 N

BEAUTY FROM THE GARDEN, EVEN IN DECEMBER!

Whether you yearn for a festive wreath on your front door, a bouquet of evergreens for your Advent candles, or sprigs of holly on the mantle, there is scope for imagination and creativity in a garden that thoughtfully incorporates evergreens in all their varied textures, colors, and fragrances.

Late each November or early December, it’s my delight to head out into the wind with a wheelbarrow and some pruning scissors, and wander the garden in search of evergreen cuttings to grace the candles we light each week in anticipation of Advent.

And each December, I breathe gratitude for a husband who understands the value of evergreens in a garden–especially in winter, when the brilliance of autumn is a sweet memory and the glories of spring are a far-off hope. So I gather the luster of Southern Magnolia and Holly, the fragrance of Juniper, Pine and Spruce, the texture of Fir, Cryptomeria, Temple Cedars and Yews, add a sprinkle of berries from Pieris and Winterberry . . .

Slowly, reflectively, I shape our Advent wreath, all the while giving thanks for family and friends, meaningful work, sunshine, birdsong, evergreens, and Hope, Peace, Joy and Love personified that first Christmas so long ago.

Gladly shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& grateful wreath-shaper)

A Beautiful World . . . Right Outside Our Doors! 366945748 999636660992047 4604428844199857624 N

A BEAUTIFUL WORLD . . . RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR DOORS!

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.”

~Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964; former Prime Minister of India)

Shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& wide-eyed wanderer)

Give us a call if your “out-of-doors” is less than inspiring: 717-653-1273. We delight in bringing beauty, interest, and serenity to our clients’ gardens!

The Value Of Good 'Garden Time' 378342464 1016674242621622 7543295903058420825 N

THE VALUE OF GOOD ‘GARDEN TIME’

One of the many reasons why gardens are increasingly precious to us in this day and age is that they help us to escape the tyranny of speed.

Our skies are streaked with jets, our roads have turned into race-tracks, and in the cities the crowds rush to and fro as though the devil were at their heels.

But as soon as we open the garden gate, Time seems almost to stand still, slowing down to the gentle ticking of the Clock of the Universe.

~ John Beverley Nichols (English writer, 1888-1983)

Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman

Gardener’s wife (& ‘Garden Time’ advocate)