Carolyn M Johnson

05/09/2026

Eleanor Bradshaw never thought she’d be starting life over in her mid-forties. But when her husband announces on their anniversary that she’s become too “boring” and “unadventurous” for him and that he wants a divorce, that’s exactly where she finds herself. Heartbroken and unsure of w...

05/09/2026

PLANTING A FAIRY GARDEN by Carolyn M. Johnson in NATURE PLACE JOURNAL, MAY 2026

Bring a bit of whimsy to grounds outside surrounding your home, and indoors too. Focus on a back or front yard's corner or flower bed, under a tree, on a patio's or porch's container plants area. Consider too a window flower box too, and a large flower pot for indoors. At the spot you choose, set about making your own unique creation: an all-natural whimsical fairy garden.
For your project, gather dirt and moss, flowers growing small, plus herbs, mushrooms, mini cacti and succulents. Acquire miniature pieces of nature like twigs, bark strips, pine cones, acorns, tree trunk slabs, tiny stones or pebbles and small rocks.
Get particular natural items to create special whimsical features in woodland or seasonal settings. Provide ground cover like potting soil and Scotch moss, floral highlights, and special extras. Small or dwarf plants (me keeping my growing zone 4 in mind) may be fairy fern, fairy castle cactus, forget-me-nots, American lily of the valley, johnny jump ups (yellow and purple), plus sensitive plant, boxwood, and floss flowers; herbs such as mint and creeping thyme; cacti or succulents including echevaria (desert rose); and mushrooms like wine cap, colorful oyster, and reishi varieties.
As for the tiny stones, place to make paths, maybe with twig archway/terrace entranceways. The small rocks can surround the area like a low-enclosure border wall.
Next, make or get accessories with natural materials such as real resin, pottery or ceramic items and figurines. Include miniature furniture like benches made of twigs or bark for sitting to take in water areas or landscape, teatime table and chairs, a small terra cotta or ceramic pot placed sideways as if it's a dwelling with an open doorway. Include a bridge of bark strips and placed over water 'made' of blue crystals. A twig ladder or stone path can go uphill to second and third garden levels. Tree trunk slabs can provide a two- or three- tiered garden.
Make this fairy garden, outdoors or inside, unique by aiming for a theme. In my case, I'd have a fairy reading a book, maybe sitting on a swing; while a boy fairy plays a musical instrument nearby. A watchful owl (wisdom symbol) perches in a tree trunk hollow maybe made with a pine cone. Provide a signpost of tiny wood slabs (maybe wooden popsicle sticks cut in half) with an arrow shape at each one's end, and offering etched messages or directions.
Populate the area with more unique figurines, maybe a fairy girl and boy sitting together, a mini-bunny maybe from Beatrix Potter stories, a tiny unicorn from a Harry Potter tale, and a little hobbit from Tolkien's world of middle earth, perhaps guarding a Red Book. Nearby gnomes may be guarding treasures like stashes of precious colorful stones. Elves and dwarves can be helping garden upkeep. Add figurines of birds, butterflies, ladybugs and fireflies: nature's whimsical creatures adding to the garden's nuance.
Don't forget a wind chime so there are subtle breezy sounds 'rounding out' the mystique.
Maybe your garden will suggest the 'atmosphere' poet Emma Lazarus suggested with
"Quaint midsummer fairies and their kin...
on blossom, branch, and grass
gambol and dance, and winding out and in
leave circles of spun dew where’er they pass..."

04/27/2026

nephew - Mark Swasey and Tina Cushman

04/27/2026

sister - Janet Swasey

04/21/2026

NATURE PLACE JOURNAL April 2026
RASPBERRIES AT TUG HILL VINEYARDS by Carolyn M. Johnson

As winter hurls its last punches, spring's presence edges into my northern New York region with tentative backyard bird chirps and above-freezing temperatures, and I think of warm weather activities.
Recently, while I remembered happy past times, I recalled my dad's little raspberry patch in a tiny New York City backyard where my sister and I grew up. It was an unusual activity for such a small space.
When I shared my memory with my sister, she reminded me of tasty breakfasts with raspberry-filled cereals, usually corn flakes or rice crispies.

04/21/2026

Fast-forward to the present. Now, we both live in northern New York in a town with the Tug Hill Vineyard, which features u-pick or pick-up-on-site raspberries, among other berries!
We can, in a way, re-create our memories. Doing so, we can also take part in a national, seasonal past-time for all ages at this vineyard—an afternoon of berry-picking!
While Dad featured the well-known red raspberries, Autumn Red, Tug Hill has this type plus golden-yellow and purplish-black raspberries.
When picking Tug Hill Vineyard raspberries and other berries a while ago, my sister and I discovered that raspberries grow from the end of June to September. This vineyard also uses minimal pesticides and other chemicals, similar to the way our dad grew his bushes.
Following guidelines, we picked a pound or quart. Each held a branch with one hand and picked raspberries with the other hand. We selected bright-colored, plump, firm, and full raspberries. We realized we couldn't help but pick and eat one or two on the spot as we gathered our little stashes to buy. We learned unripe raspberries won't ripen once picked and quickly mold when left at room temperature. Ripe ones last only a few days when refrigerated but can easily be frozen to last longer. First, wash them, cut off hulls, and then enclose the raspberries in airtight plastic bags before you put them in the freezer.
These days, instead of picking our own, we buy Tug Hill Vineyard's on-site picked raspberries, and then sit on site for some restful time to take in the panorama of manicured gardens.
In our early and later visits to the vineyard, we'd return home planning which recipes to bake with our fresh-from-the-vine raspberries (what a poet called "nature's juicy gems"). Sometimes it was raspberry muffins, tarts, cobblers, danishes, cheesecake, or raspberry cream shortbread cookies with raspberry iced tea. We might also just cover bowls of cereal with this delicious tart fruit sprinkled with dashes of whipped cream or sugar.
Whether eaten straight from the vine or in favorite recipes, as someone reported of the Massachusetts' u-pick Nourse Farm: "raspberries truly earn their reputation as a berry good choice."

04/21/2026

RASPBERRIES AT TUG HILL VINEYARDS by Carolyn M. Johnson
in NATURE PLACE JOURNAL April 2026

As winter hurls its last punches, spring's presence edges into my northern New York region with tentative backyard bird chirps and above-freezing temperatures, and I think of warm weather activities.
Recently, while I remembered happy past times, I recalled my dad's little raspberry patch in a tiny New York City backyard where my sister and I grew up. It was an unusual activity for such a small space.
When I shared my memory with my sister, she reminded me of tasty breakfasts with raspberry-filled cereals, usually corn flakes or rice crispies.

04/21/2026

RASPBERRIES AT TUG HILL VINEYARDS by Carolyn M. Johnson
As winter hurls its last punches, spring's presence edges into my northern New York region with tentative backyard bird chirps and above-freezing temperatures, and I think of warm weather activities.
Recently, while I remembered happy past times, I recalled my dad's little raspberry patch in a tiny New York City backyard where my sister and I grew up. It was an unusual activity for such a small space.
When I shared my memory with my sister, she reminded me of tasty breakfasts with raspberry-filled cereals, usually corn flakes or rice crispies.
NATURE PLACE JOURNAL - April 2026
Fast-forward to the present. Now, we both live in northern New York in a town with the Tug Hill Vineyard, which features u-pick or pick-up-on-site raspberries, among other berries!
We can, in a way, re-create our memories. Doing so, we can also take part in a national, seasonal past-time for all ages at this vineyard—an afternoon of berry-picking!
While Dad featured the well-known red raspberries, Autumn Red, Tug Hill has this type plus golden-yellow and purplish-black raspberries.
When picking Tug Hill Vineyard raspberries and other berries a while ago, my sister and I discovered that raspberries grow from the end of June to September. This vineyard also uses minimal pesticides and other chemicals, similar to the way our dad grew his bushes.
Following guidelines, we picked a pound or quart. Each held a branch with one hand and picked raspberries with the other hand. We selected bright-colored, plump, firm, and full raspberries. We realized we couldn't help but pick and eat one or two on the spot as we gathered our little stashes to buy. We learned unripe raspberries won't ripen once picked and quickly mold when left at room temperature. Ripe ones last only a few days when refrigerated but can easily be frozen to last longer. First, wash them, cut off hulls, and then enclose the raspberries in airtight plastic bags before you put them in the freezer.
These days, instead of picking our own, we buy Tug Hill Vineyard's on-site picked raspberries, and then sit on site for some restful time to take in the panorama of manicured gardens.
In our early and later visits to the vineyard, we'd return home planning which recipes to bake with our fresh-from-the-vine raspberries (what a poet called "nature's juicy gems"). Sometimes it was raspberry muffins, tarts, cobblers, danishes, cheesecake, or raspberry cream shortbread cookies with raspberry iced tea. We might also just cover bowls of cereal with this delicious tart fruit sprinkled with dashes of whipped cream or sugar.
Whether eaten straight from the vine or in favorite recipes, as someone reported of the Massachusetts' u-pick Nourse Farm: "raspberries truly earn their reputation as a berry good choice."

04/18/2026

01/13/2026

NATURE PLACE JOURNAL, January 2026
ICE AND SNOW SCULPTING by Carolyn M. Johnson
Since moving to New York State's North Country region, I've discovered its' nature-connected happenings. Recently I've found out about a unique, fascinating, multi-faceted outdoor winter activity people do as the New Year starts. It's ice or snow sculpturing professionally. As a hobby, it's ice or snow sculpting or crafting.
Events featuring ice and snow crafting sometimes happen in towns where residents take part in award-giving contests for ice or snow sculptures in front yards, community parks, or fairgrounds. Sometimes icy items are centerpieces at outdoor or open-air party events.
If interested in doing ice or snow crafting, inspiration can found at these ice or snow sculpture festivals with competitions for professionals and avid aficionados.
Want to try this fascinating activity of ice or snow crafting? Want to "make snow sculptures in fun shapes" as said by Mary Alward at https://weather.thefuntimesguide.com/snow_sculpture-2, or "transform an ordinary yard into a magical wonderland" as said by Nadia Jones at ttps://anestwithayard.com/snow-sculpting-ideas/?
Photo: Snowman
First, decide what you'd like to create, and then research how to do it, find supplies, tips, and detailed instructions.
Investigating how hobbyists, amateurs, and children do it, can lead to locating basic images (e.g., animals, fruits, geometric figures, numbers, and letters). You can get unique ideas at local ice festivals and competitions or from photos of centerpiece sculptures at business Web sites (e.g., ArtBelowZero and Ice Dreams Sculptures), plus examples and help for young ice sculptors/crafters at South Dakota's Children's Museum's prairieplay.org,Canada's happyhooligans.ca and instructables.com,plus https://anestwithayard.com/snow-sculpting-ideas.
To make one's own ice or snow sculpture, buy plastic, acrylic, or silicone containers (or image molds), clear ice cube trays, ice (cubes or blocks), and chiseling tools.
For ice, boil then freeze purified or distilled water for better results than faucet water. Freeze in freezer or outside; maybe using 'directional freezing' (from top to bottom with special ice cube trays or a cooler filled with water.
If you decide to buy ice (clear or opaque), try Arctic Glacier in Clayton New York and Montreal Canada.
IPhoto: Ice sculpture Bird Phoenix
If you try freezing ice in a freezer with faucet water, time it precisely then slightly melt what's frozen to drain off impurities, which will give you clearer ice.
Containers and shaped molds, plus sculpting tools and colorings for hobbyists may be found at stores with kitchenware, party, and craft supplies.
To inspire your creativity, you might like to keep in mind something Renaissance stone sculptor Michelangelo said. Adapting Michelangelo’s quote, I suggest: Something already exists inside this ice. I just need to chip away to discover and uncover it.
Cat as shown. 1st place prize (2023): Snow Sculpture – Cat—at Watertown NY's Snowtown USA event:(near where Carolyn Johnson lives)