The Poet's Perspective

Lawn & Gardening Tips 2

Gardening & Lawn Care 2

Welcome to the latest edition of the Poet's Perspective. Today I'll be presenting Part 2 of my Gardening and Lawn Tips. Part 1 can be seen here.

http://www.capecodtoday.com/blogs/admin?ctrl=items&blog=205&p=12973

Balancing Color in Perennial Gardens

    It's important to strive             

for balance of color when                                      

 planning perennial beds.                     

 Doing so assures that there

 will be something in bloom

at all times. The early risers,

 like tulips, crocuses and

daffodils can be planted very

 closely between other plants, as they soon pass by and are cut down, providing room for later bloomers. Next to bloom are the early irises, providing color for May. Strawberry plants also bloom around then, and can provide pretty pink flowers if strategically placed in beds. Evening Primrose is also appropriate for late May color.

 Day Lilies, Tiger Lilies and Asian Lilies provide robust

 color for late June and early July.. Soon follows many

 varieties of Hosta. Eccenacia is another popular perennial for that time of year.

      Chrysanthemums and Coreopsis goes hand in hand for late summer/early fall color. Rose of Sharon is another popular late bloomer.

Annuals

         Annuals provide great color throughout the season and add dimension to your yard.

One way to highlight their brilliance is to hang them in pots at eye level. Try planting some in a cluster to spruce up a dull corner of the yard. Pop some in among perennials to complement their color. I make sure to use Osmocote slow-release fertilizer when planting annuals, as they respond well to it.

    Occasionally it's nice to plant perennials in large amounts along the edges of beds, or filling an entire bed with flowers. This kind of work can strain the back and appear somewhat tedious, but there are tricks to making the job less painful.

  Adopt an assembly-line approach, first removing the flowers from their pots and laying them out for easy access.

Rather than digging each hole separately, make a trench. That allows you to fertilize in one pass and arrange the spacing just as you like it before planting.

    Make a trench and add fertilizer. Lay the plants in with the spacing you desire.

 Bury each row before starting the next. Soon will have all the color you might want.

I mentioned deep fertilization in my last installment. 

My Asian Lilies seemed to be responding  well.

Over the past weeks they have reached a formidable size and are ready to bloom.

 These lilies were bought

 last summer in an 8 inch pot.                 

Now they measure over 40

 inches high and three feet  across.     

      Cutting Height for Lawns

I'd  like to stress again the need for  maintaining a good height when cutting lawns. Often the highest setting is most appropriate. Cutting  lawns too short causes stress, reveals bare areas, encourages disease,

supports low-growing weeds and thwarts             

 growth. If you see yellowish-grey instead of

green you are cutting too short. What you are

 seeing is the roots.

    Even some so-called "experts" make the error of cutting too short. If your landscaper seems to be a "landscalper" encourage them to raise their machines to a height of 2-3 inches. Your lawn will be greener and richer and won't burn out in the summer heat.

The Joys of the Outdoors

    As you spend more time around the yard and develop relationships with the plants you'll discover new things every day. Maybe it's watching for the first royal purple shoots of spring, or seeing luscious flower buds and knowing that they'll soon show their bounty. You might find that the creatures of the earth share your appreciation, birds and bees visiting your yard.  Watch the birds if you turn over soil or mow a lawn. They will jump right in after you leave, grateful for new foraging opportunities.

  Most of all, let the sights, sounds and smells of nature provide respite from your daily stresses. Often they can be an antidote for the intensity of modern life.

I am taking on new work for water gardens, waterfalls, perennial beds and garden maintenance.

I also offer sharpening services for lawnmower blades,  scissors,  shears and other cutting implements. Contact me via the e-mail link on the right if you are interested in any of these services.

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Father's Day Remembrance

I was preparing my newest post, Lawn & Gardening Tips 2, when a question struck me like a ton of bricks. “What do you want for Father’s Day?’ The resulting thoughts were not of my own priorities, but that of remembering my own father, Walter Dean Mayo.

      As I struggled with the temptation to push aside all that the subject entails I still felt compelled to tell his story, a story of a man who lived with a certain intensity and left the world quickly.

   He was born in 1950. He grew up in Duxbury and spent many summers in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. His first job was as a driver for Hood, delivering milk to The Cape, perhaps emulating his grandfather, Walter K. Mayo, who was President of Hood’s Ice Cream Division during the 40’s.

      He met my mother in 1969. I was born three years later in Natick, where my parents were living while Dad finished school at Babson. My parents’ relationship was short-lived, its details better left for another day.

  My father began his career in radio, first working for WPLR New Haven. He received  this award in 1975 for his salesmanship.

 Then he worked at WJIB in Boston, WBCN and WATD. After he remarried in 1979 he moved us out to Western Mass and worked first for WAQY and later for WGGB TV Springfield. He had two more children. 

      His radio career both resulted from and reinforced his appreciation for music. He scheduled many concerts in conjunction with promoters, and always had promotional tickets and backstage passes to the best shows.           

         Many of these tickets were never redeemed, including Roy Orbison, The Stones , Ella Fitzgerald and others.             

    Some other artists he enjoyed were Taj Mahal, Bruce Springsteen and the Grateful Dead, Bela Fleck , Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin.

     His radio career waned as time went on. Personal struggles weighed heavily.

    He divorced his second wife when I was 12. He moved to New Hampshire and managed WMDK Peterborough for awhile. After that he worked several years as a traveling salesman, selling ads for hotel directories.

    He was joyful at the arrival of his first grandchild, who acted as a sort of tiny referee to quell the well-placed anger wedged between father and son. The new life served to renew that relationship. His grandson came to know him.

      Dad bought a jet black 1966 Thunderbird which he planned to restore. He was also working on a 1977 MGB before he passed.

We shared a love of old cars and he liked to help with my '73 VW Karmann Ghia.

                   On May 27, 2002 I received a call. My father had a catastrophic stroke, and was on life support. I was the sole respondent. As I sat beside him in his final hours, I could sense his loneliness. I grabbed a notebook and wrote, not to gratuitously present the sad circumstance, but to document it for those who should have been around. I learned an important lesson, that of forgiveness. I was grateful for having done it when I did.

      Those folks who were absent at his bedside were perhaps farther back in that learning curve, through no fault of their own, waiting for that lesson to sink in.

   As I looked back upon his life I was struck by his tenacious optimism. Whatever blows were dealt to him he still retained outward hope and happiness. Whatever financial challenges came about, he still kept all the heirlooms for future generations to appreciate.

These lessons are reiterated today, to children who will someday address their own challenges.

     Take a moment to reflect on your own father. Feel free to share in the “comments” section. We all have parallels within our own lives. If you are now a father, take note of how your perspective has changed with the role reversal. Our journeys, however circuitous, lead ultimately to the wisdom of the ages.

Walter Dean Mayo

Born-January 13, 1950

Died-May 29, 2002.

Father’s Day (2002)

16 June, Father’s Day.

But my own father passed on the 29^th of May.

No sun shines through the cover of Cape Cod gray.

All vestiges of childhood go the wind’s way.

The comfort I find these days-

Comes utterly not from religion-

For no soul can reconcile a Creator’s ways.

When the world deals our daily derision-

For long, I felt the equation had changed.

Blames domain, with forgiveness, exchanged.

But each day passes with new boxes opened.

And new anger, acceptance and forgiveness emerge.

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Poems for Lovers

          The language of love often mimics the subtleties of spring, each clutching passion and beauty for fleeting moments. Poets have long been the ambassadors of Romantic love, knowers of the wonder and pain associated with such pursuits.

    Today I will share some centuries-old poetry along with some work of my own.

Lovers rejoice!

    Secret Love
by John Clare (1793 - 1864)

I hid my love when young till I
Couldn't bear the buzzing of a fly;
I hid my love to my despite
Till I could not bear to look at light:
I dare not gaze upon her face
But left her memory in each place;
Where eer I saw a wild flower lie
I kissed and bade my love good bye.

I met her in the greenest dells
Where dewdrops pearl the wood blue bells             
The lost breeze kissed her bright blue eye,
The bee kissed and went singing by,
A sunbeam found a passage there,
A gold chain round her neck so fair;
As secret as the wild bee's song
She lay there all the summer long.

I hid my love in field and town
Till een the breeze would knock me down,
The bees seemed singing ballads oer,
The fly's bass turned a lion's roar;
And even silence found a tongue,
To haunt me all the summer long;
The riddle nature could not prove
Was nothing else but secret love.

                                        The Sweet Song

He offered his tilted head in a tribute befitting her beauty.

Perhaps if he could taste a kiss, he’d thus confirm that she was real.

 The kisses would speak of tenderness.

 A touch requiring permission,

 The caress of hands rough from strife,         

 Yet precise in their hunger.

 A sigh would issue forth, angel’s breath without pretense.

The cold exterior could melt like an ice cube in August, leaving

 only vital moisture, of which the thirsty one urgently partakes.

 The bard might breathe a sonnet as a tribute to the lonely one,

tasting through verse.

 The sweetness of nectar, the swollen iris, open with longevity like the coreopsis.

 Bees browsing Rose Of Sharon.-     

The sweet song of pollination-

I Care Not for These Ladies

by Thomas Campion  1567-1620

That must be wooed and prayed:                   

    But when we come where comfort is,                          

These ladies must have pillows,

The Lover’s Call

Whose fate befalls the lover's call?

When proffered forth by alcohol?

Which lovers forage first in lust?

To find heartfelt intentions stirring distrust.

Whose hands caress whose? Whose doe eyes peruse?

Who thinks themselves amply able to choose?

When love appears as flickering evening lights-

Breath issues forth in fits and starts.

Hungrily each partakes.

Herein we see joining of hearts.

The Beatles were well-known for Abbey Road but I only recently discovered that the lyrics for Golden Slumbers were written over 400 years ago.

Cradle Song                                                     
by Thomas Dekker (1572 - 1632)                         

Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,                            
Smiles awake you when you rise.
Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry,                   
And I will sing a lullaby:
Rock them, rock them, lullaby.

Care is heavy, therefore sleep you,
You are care, and care must keep you;
Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby,
Rock them, rock them, lullaby.

Sonnet #2

Imagined lover one was a maiden born from sun.

I’d draw first breaths of her at sunrise.

Imagined lover two brought renewal to my view.

She’d gasp and blush at the plan we had devised.

Imagined lover three was a nymph born from the sea.

We walked beachside and shared a sad embrace.

Imagined lover four called her home the forest floor.

Like a drop of April rain was her taste.

Number five was born from wind and air.

As we kissed we traded moistened breaths.

Number six was the one with the stars in her hair.

I met her midway up celestial steps.

I awoke still dreaming an earthly angel, encompassing all that’s above.

And I wished it all were obtainable, if not for the tangles of love.

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Budget-Minded Meals

Feeding Your Family on a Budget - (Part 2)  See Part 1 here.

Welcome to The Poet's Perspective. I'll be sharing some helpful hints and recipes designed to feed a family well without straining the budget in these often difficult times. These meals/ products are all supported by one overriding feature, the  ability to feed  a family of four for about $150/ week. My breakdown is usually around $60 at Trader Joe's, $60 at BJ's and $30 at Stop & Shop.

Featured products.

         TJ's sauces- Several TJ's

 specialty sauces are worth mentioning,

as they are inexpensive, very flavorful and offer dimension to your dinners.

Here you see Sesame Wasabe Oil, Thai Yellow Curry,  Soyaki and Sweet Chili Sauce. The Sesame Wasabe oil has a nutty, not too spicy flavor. The Thai Yellow Curry Sauce has Cocunut Milk as it's second ingredient, and is perfect for many dishes. Soyaki is a Teriyaki-Soy sauce with great flavor and copious sesame seeds that add texture.

Sweet Chili Sauce is like Sweet & Sour with extra kick, not overpowering but noteworthy.

                                    10 lb. Boneless Chicken- Offered at BJ's, Great value at $23

                                                                           TJ's  has  2 lbs. of Grape Tomatoes for $2.49

 Espresso Beans- These chocolate covered espresso beans are perfect for the afternoon doldrums.

 Jelly Belly- I have an admitted fondness for Jelly Belly Jelly beans.

BJ's has a 3 pound canister for $12.99  

                                                                                  Recipe Time

 Mayo's Signature Chili

        You will need.

         1 lb. Ground Beef                       

          1 onion

           chopped garlic

          1T  lemon juice

         TJ's Whole Kernel Corn 15 oz.

          TJ's Red Kidney Beans 20 oz.

 TJ's Organic Tomato Sauce 15 oz.

     TJ's prepared Beef Chili- 15 0z.

        Chili Powder,  Paprika, Cumin

Optional- Bell pepper, cilantro, jalapeno.

Brown the ground beef, onion and garlic together in a pan. Drain. Add to a pot with the canned ingredients. Do not drain the beans or corn, add as is. Spice using  4 T Chili Powder, 4T Cumin, 4T Paprika. Adjust spice to taste.

Simmer over low heat and serve with sour cream and corn chips or cornbread.

      Mini Meat Loaf- Mix 1 ¼ lb of ground beef with one finely chopped onion and 4T Paprika. Press the beef into  4 inch  x 2 inch rounds and place on a broiler pan.  Bake at 425F for 40 minutes or so. Drain after 20 minutes. Top with ketchup then if desired.

      Simple Stroganoff- Why pay for products like Hamburger Helper when you can make a healthier homemade version in larger portions.

Brown 1 lb’ of ground beef. Add to a large saucepan with ½ bag of egg noodles and 2T beef base. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and keep on high simmer for 10 minutes.

Thicken sauce by dissolving 2T Corn Starch in 4T cold water and add to pot.

  Serve with rolls.

    You can substitute beef/pot roast in this recipe, just braise beef  thoroughly in advance.

       Shepherd’s Pie

                 Brown1 lb. ground beef,  and 1 onion and cook  together in a pan. Drain.

Layer beef mixture with corn and mashed potato in a  casserole dish or pie pan. Top with parmesan cheese if desired, bake 30 minutes at 325F.

Taco/Burritos- When making  beef for tacos or burritos, never mind using a packet of spices, spice it yourself. Use chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, etc. in desired strength. To thicken, use corn starch and cold water added to the simmering mixture.

                            Kabobs-

Cut chicken into  1 inch medallions and  marinate for two days in a combination of  TJ’s “Soyaki” TJ’s Sweet Chili Sauce and a dash of TJ’s sesame wasabe oil. Don’t worry,  it’s not too spicy.                               

If using wood skewers soak them in water overnight to prevent burning

on the grill.  Create kabobs using the marinated chicken and vegetables of your choice.

Grill over high heat, turning frequently. 

Make sure chicken is cooked thoroughly.

It should be opaque and firm to the touch.

Serve over rice.

Another option is to marinate the medallions in olive oil, vinegar, basil and chopped garlic. After two days of marinating the resulting kabobs are tangy and flavorful. You’ll never believe you are cooking on a budget.

Snack Mix- Mix trader Joe’s Hawaiian BBQ chips with their low-fat cheese curls and their Honey Roasted Peanuts. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

   Trader Joes Hawaiian style Kettle chips

         are regularly priced at $1.99, and hold muster to any $3.50 bag of local fame.

School Snacks- Kids are always in need of healthy items to get them through the school day. Trader Joes has a line of organic fruit bars and granola bars, all priced at around $2 a box. Comparable items in Stop & Shop are $3.50 or more, and the "granola"  often consists of mostly crisped rice and far fewer oats.

Try looking for new ways to feed your family. There are options aplenty!

Feel free to share some of your own ideas in the "comments" section.

Thanks!

copyright 2009 Jonathan Mayo

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June is Nigh-Photos & Poetry

   Welcome to the latest edition of The Poets' Perspective. I'll be sharing some recent photos and poetry, as well as some older verses. 

I would like to thank the following educators, who helped to teach and inspire me.

George Albert, Charlie Andrade, Roger Cole,  Nancy Dempsey, George Hoar, Zara Kilmurray,  Dan McCullough, Maggie Nunes, J. Robinson Wells.

Irises are blooming!

East Bay, Osterville-shrouded in fog

Night air carries moans across the peninsula.

Suffering souls utter collective pleas.

Flung haphazardly into the misty depths of twilight-

Sweet hope girds the weakening links.

Ocean air will carry the chaff of pain away-

To swirl and eddy in incongruous playfulness-

Most critical life is held in fragile hands.

Circular thoughts held by threadbare minds.

Yet undaunted we go toward whatever awaits us-

Be what May, C'est la Vie.

Cautious hope will carry the day.

 A Box Turtle near Highland Light

A land snail with lilacs

He sat on his deathbed, holding his notebook-

Hoping to scribe a message to the world.

Of those critical omissions, those unspoken wonders-

He held valueless for so very long.

A deep breath was drawn, the task commenced.

I have seen andromeda dreams.

Aphrodite showed her orbs in mists of spring.

 The angels summoned tulips-

We witnessed blink-brief brilliance.

Held now tight to the soul-

The solstice tides summoned the waves.

The jetty awash with sight, sound and smell-

The night air carried lilac breezes.

Lightning bugs flew ‘round the children's heads

I saw endless summer days in the sun and the sand.

Passionate nights at the angel's command-

Days of defeat, where my soul seemed at odds

With the critical ascension of personal Gods-

I drew breath as a younger man hungrily,

As though the world full of air was all mine.

Never sharing with community or family.-

Smacked down by the tocks of Father Time.

I saw malevolence from smiling faces.

The sweet exteriors of contempt-

The dirty faces of unlikely angels-

The trappings of coerced consent-

The success of the wicked-

The poverty of the holy-

These enigmas all presented,

As delightful allegory!

So the old man goes...

Pilgrim Lake

The P-Town Monument peeks through the treeline.

The Return of the Birds

I saw a flash of neon blue.

Jay streaking dim daylight-

And then, like a Cape Cod rain-

A single cardinal came.

To outdo the neon blue,

A near impossible task.-

Oh, glory is well told,

In many flaps of wings,

Of springtime’s many hopes,

And life’s many wonderful things.

As optimism gropes-

For freely flowing words.

I credit the return of the birds.

 A lady's slipper- Race Point

 Photo by Brandon Mayo

The Bridges I’ve Burned

The bridges I’ve burned spanned far and wide.

Their remnants only visible above receding tides-

Subterranean pain courses swiftly through my veins.

Storm clouds consult me right before it rains.

If there’s any accounting for the power of my glare.

A hundred years of stories told might render you aware.

Young of age yet old at heart are the traits I call my own

I’m the most predictable bloke I know when I choose to be alone.

I am grounded by the cycles of summers and winters.

Of life and death’s frantic pace.

I find no time to hesitate.

Or slow the active synapsian race.

For fuel is to suffering what motivation is to rage.

Outlets aid us as we strut and fret our hour upon the stage.

Do no one harm with your hands.

Take paper instead and pen your demands.

And when the urge to throttle your fellow man seems utterly beyond control-

Take a breath, take a walk, mow your lawn, dig a hole.

Seek to mend bridges long past burned.

Hoist rusty girders from stagnant water and show what you have learned.

A gull rests at Stony Brook-Brandon Mayo

  Thanks again for reading my blog!

           Copyright 2009 Jonathan Mayo. except where otherwise noted.

Sorry about the sound quality.

This  band was featured on WMVY's Fresh Produce #5, one of the tightest, coolest reggae bands out there.

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