by Alice Rush
IN MAINE, summer ends just a little too early. I’m more of a cool weather person, so I’m usually not sorry to say goodbye to hot summers, especially like the humid one that we had here up north this past season. I am sorry to see the moths, butterflies and dragonflies leave our yard. There is something about seeing those little signs of life that brings me joy, but the leaves changing is also nice.
When the seasons change in Holland, I’m sure there are those who share my loss in seeing these creatures move on, but it seems that there is always some form of nature that Dutch people enjoy regardless of season. Plants and flowers are usually so inexpensive and easy to get, and they are displayed so beautifully in windows. That isn’t so easily seen in the United States. In fact, it seems that most natural decor is pulled inside or abandoned for the cooler winter months here. I’m sure that is the same in some respects in the Netherlands, but the beautiful window decorating remains always, and I love that.
But Alice, you say, you can do the same in your home. Ah well, yes and no. Aside from it being significantly more expensive, our cats enjoy the window sills and would likely push any plants down, plus these cats seem to eat any plants within their grasp. I could grow cat grass specifically for them, and put that in the windows, but I would still need to secure it from falling down. Then there is the inevitable mess that will be created anyway. I have enough to clean up with the endless cat fur from these fuzzy family members.
ALL OF this is leading up to my task for this weekend of taking down and storing the hydroponic Tower Garden. The cucumbers are tapering off, the weather is cooling and I don’t think we can harvest much more from it. We’re still waiting for tomatoes to turn red in other parts of the garden. As mentioned, the season is just very short here.
I have a friend who actively sells and teaches about the benefits of the Tower Garden and the fresh produce that can be grown year round if I bring it inside and position it near a window. If only I had more space and more windows. It is just too big a piece to bring into a small house, and the cats would take too much pleasure in all of that vegetation conveniently available to destroy. No, I’ll just start planning for next year and specifically looking for plants with a short maturity for our short summers.
* Alice is a Maine realtor and a licensed helicopter and fixed wing pilot. She first met her Dutch husband in Maryland in 2005, and married him four years later.
