Bucolic

Bucolic

Lovely word, isn’t it? Last week I had a chance to use it.

I drove out to the Berkshires, which is a corner of New England that borders Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut. I was there to take my son to the Lime Rock Race Track. This is not bucolic, but it is where you can take your teenager for a one-day driving course, during which professional drivers put your children into situations that you hope they’ll never face. But, if they do, they’ll be ready.

driving course

 

This is my third son to go through the course. It truly does turn them into excellent drivers. However, there’s only so much watching my boy spin out on a skid pad that I can take. I went for a drive that didn’t involve squealing tires.

The Berkshires are truly bucolic.

field

 

When I see a sign like this I stop.

farm sign

I  bought brisket, hot dogs and ground beef from the Whippoorwill Farm Stand and had a nice chat with the farmer about her cows.

I drove past this sign. The Old Farm Nursery looked promising, so I turned around and pulled in.

old farm nursery

 

This is what traveling serendipity is about. The Farm Nursery turned out to be one of the most spectacular garden centers I’ve ever been to. First you see this:

plants

 

There were plants that I would have loved to bring home. I was taken with this green coneflower.

green coneflower

 

There are shade plants.

shade

 

The ferns were nice to look at, but what was spectacular was the pergola. Look at the patterns, color and light!

pattern

 

There was a white garden. This planter was a centerpiece.

white garden

 

There was a magenta garden.

magenta garden

 

And there were borders with all colors.

border

 

There was a formal pool.

pool

 

If someone had been serving iced tea and cakes, I’d never have left.

There were garden ornaments.

rooster

 

I loved these locally welded plant supports. My least favorite springtime gardening task is setting up the peony cages. These would solve that, and look beautiful, too. Alas, they were out of my price range. However, that boy tearing around the track at Lime Rock has learned how to use a welding torch. I know what I’m asking for for my birthday.

peony cages

 

And there was this clever idea at the shop entrance – chicken wire on the wood porch to prevent slipping when wet.

chicken wire

 

It was time to  go back to Lime Rock. As I drove, I tried to absorb that bucolic feeling. It’s good to carry a little bit of it inside of me, especially with a teen driver by my side.

dirt track

Comments:

  1. Loved the tour with you! Noticed the chicken wire on the side of the barn and floor of porch. We will use the idea and put wire down across our bridges over the irrigation ditch because it gets icy in winter. Notice God is watering your garden back there today!

    PS.. We finally were able to order some Koop Clean from a place in Montana!! … That’s the closest place out west.
    Do you still like it?

    • Torrential downpours today, with thunder. Then sun. Then thunder. One of those days.
      Yes, I still like using the Koop Clean. Let me know if you think it’s worth the special order. Pine shavings are perfectly adequate, but my hens like scratching around in the Koop Clean.

  2. Husbands and or sons that weld are a gardener`s dream come true. I am lucky enough to have both and have been blessed over the years with many cool items that have been built for me for our garden. Most of them have been made using re-bar. It is cheap to buy and looks wonderful as it ages outside in the elements. My sons started the trend building me Obelisks that I designed then as they got better at welding they made an arbor of their own clever design. My husband has built beautiful gates amongst other lovely creations, the latest to contain are hens to the backyard has a sweet brass chicken welded into it(added by my son Joe). So I am excited for you with your creative and lovely garden to have a welder in the family. :)

  3. Super photos Terry.

    I see you had rain today. How do you keep your white leghorns so clean? I noticed even when out in the rain they were white, whereas mine look like they’ve had a mud bath.

  4. I don’t know how you dragged yourself away from Old Farm Nursery to pick up your son!

  5. What an awesome driving class for teens!

    I love borders around buildings and fences–the more varied, the better! I agree about the iced tea and cookies ;-0

  6. Hi there,

    Thanks so much for this lovely tour and for sharing it!! Reminds me of the pleasant hours I spent driving my sweet little ’91 Escort through bucolic (I love that word too) Massachusetts… hope I get to do it again with another car. You’ve got a good eye for photography too! Say Hi to the hens & goats for me! 8^)))
    — Marian

  7. My goodness! I love that nursery! I especially love those peony cages. I say if Monsanto wants to mess with plant life, leave our food alone and create us some peonies that don’t flop. I am going to have to see if hubby can turn out a few of these cages for me too. They would also be cute to run old tree limbs between in the hen pen for roosting.

  8. Lovely tour! Thanks for sharing. The chicken and the rabbit ornaments together….how apt for you….almost as if you were meant to go there.

  9. Great self restraint not to come home with the car filled to the brim with plants and cages strapped to the top!

  10. Terry! Wonderful post today! What a great place you live in! I was worried about you though?! They said there was a tornado outside of Boston in Revere? Where is that in location to you? I presume all is well since you posted this morning!

    • That was the first tornado seen in these parts in 60 years – and there was NO warning! It landed about 30 miles from here. Remarkably, no serious injuries, and out here all we had was a bit of rain.

      • Tornado’s are pretty rare in MI too and generally small and touch down in a corn field “if and when” we do have one. 2 weeks ago, without warning, the storm that past over my house produced a very damaging tornado about 6 miles west of me. You just never know.

  11. WOW, what a wonderful day! Not only did your young son have a great experience that will last a lifetime, you had a mini vacation. A day away out of your usual surroundings is like a breath of fresh air. Especially if it turns out to be as rewarding as your day was. The Berkshires are a beautiful area with such beautiful towns. So glad you had this time away with your son and some time for yourself.