Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 64
SINGING IN THE GARDEN
Scarlet Joy
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look
back and realize that they were the big things.
-Robert Brault
Text and art by GINNY NEIL
he last oak leaves rattle in the wind as my sister,
daughters-in-law and I tromp through the
wind-blown grass of the meadow in search of
a bit of winter color. We reach the path that
winds through the woods and pause for selfies.
This is a tradition that began 36 years ago
when I married My Own Farmer and moved
to the farmhouse on the hill. Every Thanksgiving, after
cleaning up the detritus of our meal, the women of
the family go for a hike. We are headed to cut
armloads of branches from the winterberries
(Ilex verticellata) that dip their rooty toes in
the rocky swamp below the hill.
The berries are showing off their scarlet
" come-hither " blushes to more than humans.
Birds scatter as we enter the swampy
grove. In another week, the berries will be
gone, eaten by the bluebirds, mockingbirds
T
64 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
and blackbirds who are still hanging around. " SCHLUP!
My foot slips off one of the tussocky humps of grass that
are the only safe path through the muck, and I struggle to
pull it out of the mud without losing my boot.
When we reach the winterberry grove, we take turns
bending the slender branches down to be snipped. Soon,
we have gathered enough stems for every mantle and every
entrance. As we carry our treasure back to the house,
I think about my mom, who for so many years was
part of this grand gathering tradition. Even when
her health declined, she would don her yellow
wellies and follow us to the swamp.
Most of my haul will go in large urns outside
my doorway because the wood stove
that keeps my ancient farmhouse toasty is
too hot and dry for live decorations. Everyone
else takes the blankets and boxes they've
brought along and stuffs the berried branches
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 3
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 4
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 5
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 6
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 7
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 8
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 9
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 10
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 11
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 12
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 13
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 16
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 17
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 18
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 19
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 20
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 21
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 22
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 23
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 24
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 25
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 26
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 27
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 28
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 29
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 30
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 31
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 32
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 34
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 35
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 36
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 37
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 40
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 46
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 51
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 56
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 57
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 58
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Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 60
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 61
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 62
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 63
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 64
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 65
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 66
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - Cover4
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