November 6, 2025

At Beyond Behnke’s we envision a community where gardeners can come to share stories of their successes, ask questions, and get answers. We see a world where gardening and nature can bring people together to celebrate the joy of growing plants.

~ Stephanie

A Thanksgiving Poem

~ CJ Beaman

'Twas the night of Thanksgiving, I just couldn’t

Sleep. I tried counting backwards,

I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers beckoned, the dark meat and white,

But I fought the temptation with all of my might.

Tossing and turning with anticipation,

The thought of a snack became infatuation.

So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door

And gazed at the fridge full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,

Pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,

'til all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky

With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.

But I managed to yell as I soared past the trees...

Happy eating to all...pass the cranberries, please.

Post Cards, Tea Sets and

Apple Crisp

It’s hard to believe another year is nearly over. As I look around, I still see little reminders of my mom, things I’ve been trying to decide what to do with.

There’s the old tea set that’s seen better days. I wrote about it last spring when I got it, polished it up, and wondered what to do next. Now I’m realizing it might be time to bless someone else with it. (You can read more about it here: Whose Tea Set Was This Anyway?)

Then there’s the bundle of postcards, some of which I believe were from my grandmother, Rose Behnke, simply because she loved the pictures. Many were written to my mom by friends in the 1950s. They don’t take up much space, but I still find myself asking: do I need to keep them? Or are they stressing me out each time I walk by?

This past weekend, I took a day to sort through them all, looking on eBay, seeing that there are people who collect these old postcards. But the weekend wasn’t just about sorting and decision-making. We also got to see all four of our grandkids in costume on Halloween! And my granddaughter Zoe

Photo of the month, by Larry Hurley

Fresh Flower Display at Hotel Bellagio Las Vegas L Hurley

Beyond the Bright Lights: The Gardens of Las Vegas

I've been to Las Vegas a couple of times. I'm not a gambler, don't like crowds, not much for shows...so I guess I'm not the typical visitor.

But I enjoy walking around the hotels because they do such a great job with the landscaping and there are nice interior displays as well. We stayed at the Bellagio, which has a terrific fountain show that we would watch from the window in our room. They also had outstanding fresh cut-flower displays. One thing that caught my eye was that a flower arranger was replicating a Claude Monet painting in cut flowers. I thought that was a fun idea. I'm sorry that I have no information on the floral designer.

Behnke's & The Beltsville Small White Turkey

Beltsville Small White Turkey at Behnke's

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, I started my yearly tradition of pulling out my grandmother’s old cookbook and reading all the notes in the margins that she wrote about different turkey dinners. Oma (that is what we called her) always got her turkey from Maple Lawns in Fulton, MD…and for 35 plus years, so have I. What I did not know was that before she started buying her birds from her friends at Maple Lawn, my grandparents actually raised turkeys at Behnke’s.

While I am not really sure about the whole story, I did hear that these turkeys were some of the “Beltsville Small White Turkey” breed that the U.S Department of Agriculture Research Center in Beltsville bred from 1934 to 1941. The idea was to create a bird that would answer consumers’ demand for a turkey that would fit in small refrigerators for apartment dwellers, into small ovens, and feed small families.

November Garden To-Do List

Wildlife:

It’s not too early to start feeding the birds. You might pick up some unusual birds at the feeder as they move South for the winter. Read The how-to’s of feeding birds in winter, as reported by wildlife expert, Natalie Brewer

Now’s also a good time to clean all nest boxes and feeders. Scrape and remove debris and scrub with hot, soapy water. Rinse and let dry. Some birds that are cavity nesters such as (chickadees and titmice) may use the nest boxes for roosting during the winter.

Don’t put your bird bath away. Birds need fresh water for drinking and bathing throughout the fall season. Clean frequently and keep filled with fresh water.

To provide shelter for wildlife, you can build a brush pile in the corner of your yard or near the edge of a wooded area using your fall trimmings. Brush piles offer winter protection for ground dwelling birds, small mammals, snakes and box turtles.

Click Here For More Tips

SAVE THE DATES

November 8 ~ Windfield Fire House

November 29 ~ Carroll County Ag. Center

December 7 ~ Turf Valley

Treasures That Tell a Story

One of the joys of this little shop has been sharing pieces that spark memories, the kind you unwrap each year with a smile.

As the seasons change, I’ve decided not to restock our Old World Christmas and Egyptian Museum Glass Ornaments once they’re gone. The few that remain are truly the last of their kind here at Beyond Behnke’s. The two above are 50% OFF

You’ll still find our Fairy Garden Pieces and other customer favorites available, each one a small reminder of beauty and playfulness, no matter the season.

Wishing you moments of calm, color, and quiet joy this November.

~Stephanie

Click Here To See All Our Old World Christmas Ornaments

Click Here To See All Our Egyptian Museum Glass Ornaments

Click Here To See All Our Fairy Garden Items

Quilled Greeting Cards

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