by HollyBeth Anderson | May 27, 2015 | flowers, Garden, gardening
Bumble bees, native to the United States, not like the humble honey bee that was imported in the 1600s from Europe are in danger. As with all 250 species of bees, they are in dire trouble and dying off. That is why I delight when my backyard is a bevy of buzz with all...
by HollyBeth Anderson | Apr 12, 2015 | chinese medicine, Garden, gardening
Azaleas, in the same family as rhododendrons, can live for hundreds of years. Native to Japan, they can reach a height of 12 feet. With over 10,000 different varieties, one is at a loss to choose between them. This one is golden azalea or native azalea and is...
by HollyBeth Anderson | Apr 4, 2015 | beauty, Garden, gardening, organic skincare
Columbine is a native wildflower to North America and is in the same family as the buttercup. Its name comes from Latin meaning dove like (Columba) and eagle (Aquilegia its scientific name). Symbolism of the flower ranges from foolishness to seduction. It is that...
by HollyBeth Anderson | Feb 1, 2015 | beauty, Garden
We asked Rebecca Bessert to enlighten us on our newest ingredient, apricot seed oil, in our new body oil. This wonderful summer fruit brings back memories of my grandmother’s trail mix, which was primarily composed of dried apricots. The fresh fruit is great because...
by HollyBeth Anderson | Sep 14, 2014 | Garden, gardening
This swallowtail butterfly greeted me this a.m. in my backyard. There are over 550 species of swallowtail globally and roughly 30 in the US. They are the largest butterfly species in North America. Their name comes from the forked wings that resemble swallows. Their...
by HollyBeth Anderson | Aug 31, 2014 | birds, Garden, hummingbird
Why have I only now truly appreciated the flora and fauna around me? Take hummingbirds for example, all the years living and traveling in other countries and I am just now truly in awe of them in my backyard when clearly they were more abundant in Latin America. The...
