Mrs. Greenhands

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:41:00 +0000

Christmas Amaryllis make a great gift for a gardener's Christmas:
http://ping.fm/jtMzf

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:43:00 +0000

Check out the invasion of the lady bugs:
http://ping.fm/ARpeq

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:49:00 +0000

A great gift for the gardener on your list - Kentucky Gardener magazine:
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rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:34:00 +0000

Upcoming events at the Lexington Arboretum:
http://ping.fm/R0SE2

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:14:00 +0000

Why do we need to rake fall leaves?
http://ping.fm/ON4c1

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:53:00 +0000

How to extend the growing season in the Bluegrass region: http://ping.fm/slvE6

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:21:00 +0000

This week's Food Friday - Hearty Pumpkin Stew:
http://ping.fm/EfabF

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:20:00 +0000

It's not too late to buy a pumpkin for Halloween - check out these different varieties:
http://ping.fm/ARQoY

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:11:00 +0000

What's growing around the Bluegrass? Amur Honeysuckle is aggressively invasive:
http://ping.fm/1Y4Ph

Evolving Halloween Traditions

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:53:00 +0000

(Photo copyright Halloween Addict)

The Halloween season is upon us and there are many superstitions and symbols connected with this holiday, many coming from the home garden. The Irish have a legend about Jack-o-lanterns telling of a man named Jack who couldn’t enter heaven because he was in so much misery. He was also afraid to enter hell because of all the jokes he had played on the devil. So, Jack was sentenced to wander the earth with a lantern until Judgment Day. Jack’s lantern was a hollowed-out turnip stuffed with coal.

The ancient Druids of Britain believed that on Halloween night, ghosts, spirits, faeries, witches and elves came out to harm every day people. They thought cats were sacred and had once been humans, turned into cats as punishment for evil deeds. This Druid belief is the basis for modern-day witches, ghosts and cats at Halloween. People began dressing as these creatures, using dyes made from vegetables and fruit to turn their faces into grotesque monsters.

The Druids also had an autumn festival called Samhain, or summer’s end. This holiday is still practiced by the Wiccan religion and pagans today. It is a time of feasting on all kinds of food that has been grown in the garden throughout the season. The custom of using leaves, pumpkins and cornstalks as Halloween decorations also comes from the Druids.

In the United States, Halloween was not a significant holiday until the 1800s arrival of Irish and Scottish immigrants. Halloween celebrations began to take on a modern form as Americans replaced the Irish turnips with pumpkins for making Jack-o-lanterns. The practice of “souling” – visiting homes and offering prayers for the dead in return for gifts of food – was replaced with trick-or-treating and Halloween parties.

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:50:00 +0000

Many Halloween traditions started in the garden: http://ping.fm/R9Xql

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:57:00 +0000

While fall pears are in season, try out this yummy Country Pear Cobbler: http://ping.fm/HBDu3

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:13:00 +0000

Kentucky pears are ripening all over the Bluegrass: http://ping.fm/ssgQS

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:03:00 +0000

Fall care of ornamental grasses: http://ping.fm/eDDG2

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Pumpkin bread also makes a great holiday gift: http://ping.fm/DPmcs

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:13:00 +0000

Learn how to save pumpkin seeds to plant for next year: http://ping.fm/ydrVS

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

What's blooming around the Bluegrass - Oriental Bittersweet: http://ping.fm/tzADN

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:32:00 +0000

Upcoming events at the Lexington Arboretum: http://ping.fm/2H7A6

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Preparing perennials and biennials for winter: http://ping.fm/IE4Qs

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:44:00 +0000

Food Friday - Cushaw Pie: http://ping.fm/YK529

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:26:00 +0000

Check out what's happening at the Salato Wildlife Refuge in Frankfort, Kentucky: http://ping.fm/l9BJF

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:09:00 +0000

There is still plenty to do in the garden - now is the best time to prepare for fall: http://ping.fm/j4jv2

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:20:00 +0000

Check out my newest article on Chrysanthemums - http://ping.fm/2vvwW

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:39:00 +0000

Check out this great article on storing fall vegetables and fruit - http://ping.fm/cyr4Q

Welcome to Ragweed Season

rightmyerrants@gmail.com (...... Bobbi) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:54:00 +0000

Have your allergies kicked into overdrive? Blame it on Ragweed. Check out my new article on Examiner.Com.