Happiness

Happiness is warm sun—ha, ha! Well, happiness is a lush garden, a beautiful sunset, a wonderful smell of rain in the air, a laughing child. I'm thinking this morning that now at the end of the year, happiness is a goal. You all know I've been through hell this last year with the divorce and move, etc. And I've had lower than low points emotionally. And now, I'm free. In my freedom I at first thought I might go wild. Be like a teen again, but now, I'm feeling different energy. Perhaps like a growing plant, reaching for sun and water. Or perhaps like a child, discovering new each day, or each moment even. So now as I experience happiness, I want this to be my way of life. Even if it isn't every moment that I feel happy, I can aspire to more strung together.

AMAG, the chaneled Masters. say that this brilliant state of joy is our natural state. I know I experience joy or bliss from time to time, but not all the time. What would that be like? Something to taste, maybe slowly, taste every day, more and more. Ways to taste this bliss, think of the grandbaby running his fingers through my hair when he turns shy meeting new friends, or discovering a bloom on a orchid, or having my cat curl on my lap, laughing with a friend, hiking in the snow, listening to the birds, sitting with a crying friend. Yes, even that last one has an element of joy in it. Whenever we feel our hearts connect and it is beautiful.

Now I know this is a contrast to what I was writing back in August. I was just hanging in there. I've done multiple things to heal: Vit D, writing, sitting with friends, therapy, acupuncture, exercise, art. You name it, because it takes everything to get over loss. And it is still here inside of me, like a bulb underground, and it could grow, if I gave it something to grow on. But right now, here at the new year, I'm into happiness and I'm inviting you to try it out too.

Hugs, Flower

Winter Walk

Yesterday I walked around Lake Padden with a friend. The snow was still a foot deep near the top of the trail and very wet, puddles beneath it in places, but it was a sunny day and the air smelled so good and the company was good. The maples were dripping tannin-like substance, staining the snow beneath then. Winter wrens were chirping. The moss and the ferns were bright green against the white. Nature in winter, ah so good to get out. It isn't always possible if you live in a place where it's blowing and very cold. But here, we get those springier days, even in winter. And when the sun comes out so do the people. And people were out on the trail with their dogs, walking around the lake on the icy trail, passing by the lake with its skim of ice close to shore. We took the high road, which was snowier and easier to walk. Stopped once to listen to the wrens. My friend is an ornithologist, so I got some instruction on the birds in the woods at winter.

And when we dropped around to the lake, a number of ducks were feeding near shore. He pointed out the canvas back, the ringed neck duck, the grebe, merganser, and of course the one I know, the mallard. Ducks aren't my forte, although I know many birds. I guess we're more familiar with the birds we grow up around: crow, robin, sparrow, swallow, owl.

I've heard that ducks and geese make good weeders for fields of mint. Have you ever driven past a field of mint? Ah, the aroma. When I had ducks and geese, I didn't find them good for the garden. Their feet were too big and they waddled through the seedlings, mashing them. The chickens were okay, although sometimes they got too exuberant in the newly sprouting garden. I'm sure you've seen them really going at it, scratching the soil to find the bugs. They loved the tomato worms, those big worms that look like they have huge eyes. Very disgusting creatures that eat your tomatoes like crazy. Fortunately, they are easy to see and pick off.

Must go now, as I have the grandbaby today. Happy all most New Year.

Flower

Chinook Winds

When I was growing up in Spokane we, even as children, would speak of the Chinook winds. The winds that would come from the south, warm winds that smelled like spring, blew through the night and when we awakened in the morning, all, or mostly all of our lovely snow was gone. So now, we are having a Chinook. I looked out there this morning and mostly all of the snow is gone. I'm close to sea level, so up hill it will remain, I'm sure. But here we are back to our usual weather, which is both a good thing and a sad thing--I didn't get out on my skis like I'd planned. But the sledding was satisfying in a way that nothing has been in a very long time. There will still be ski opportunities, this winter.

As we come up on the end of the year, some reflection on the past year usually happens and then some goals are usually set. What I like to do is keep an on-going journal for New Year's Eve celebrations. Usually I spend some time writing down what I did during the year--significant things. Of course, 2008 was my divorce year. And then I make some intentions for the following year--for instance this year I want to find a new place to live. A place that I can really move into and feel comfortable. This place of 525 square feet is like living in a hotel room. And I pay for monthly storage fee as well--which seems to be a waste of money. To have all my belongings here would feel more settling.

Now that the snow is going I can make a plan to get the leaves on the garden. Mike has a truck, which is a good thing to have when you need to move leaves or top soil or manure. I'm glad I'll have his help with my plot. Plot sounds like underground real estate. Funny--that's what my mortician friend used to call it. I'll say pea patch from now one.

Okay, have a good day and begin thinking about the positive qualities you'd like to bring to life this next year.

Peace, Flower

Back At It

Gosh, there is so much work and emotional stuff leading to Christmas day, and then it's over. Perhaps you overspent, or overate, or maybe you didn't pick up the phone and call a loved one, but there is always time for making the moves you didn't make. Today you could call. Today you could eat less. Today balance your checkbook--make a plan to save some money.

Sometimes I get in a funk thinking life isn't worth living, but really, I have so much good in my life. Just take my sweet grandbaby. I wonder sometimes why I can't stay focused on my good. I read the other day that if you list a range of feelings, say from ecstasy all the way to deep depression, and you locate yourself on that list, you can raise yourself up a notch at a time and begin to settle where you would like to be emotionally. One way to do this is to think of an time that was happy, so that you can focus yourself on the scene when you're down. For instance, the laughter of a child, or a particularly hilarious moment with friends. Jeep thinking of the situation, and you'll see. You'll bring yourself up.

Yesterday we sledded at my daughter's house. They have a new home and their yard is steep and so is the cul-de-sac. We started at the side yard and ended in the street down below. It was some fast and windy run. Very fun. After we tired of this, and were getting a little sore too, we built a snowman who's head looked more like a wolf than the traditional round-faced guy. It was completely fun.

Okay then, happy happy--and if you find nothing to do today, look at seed catalogues. Perhaps plan some gardening that you can start early. Peas and potatoes, not far off. Imagine turning over the dirt, working up a sweat. Imagine all the flowers in bloom.

Peace, Flower

PS In the picutre, the grandbaby is eating the raisins we used for the eyes and buttons on the snowman.

Merry Christmas

This is Fairhaven in Bellingham. This is an unusual amount of snow for us. See how much is on top of the cars. Unbelievable. Now it sounds like it's raining. It will be a sloppy mess for awhile.

Today I'm baking cookies, listening to Christmas music and cleaning house. At the end of the year, I like to sum things up. Clean up and put away--make a fresh start. I wish I'd down a little better job with getting to the leaves at the garden, but alas, I'm easy on myself for a change. The new soil I turned over in my life--to be gentle and happy, we all must be, really. Why be a Scrooge? What is so important?

Okay, happy happy. And if you are in snow, have some fun. If you are with family, love them fiercely.

Merry Christmas.

Flower

Solstice

A group of us celebrated Hanukkah and the solstice last night and it was good. Lots of laughs and good food. A fire in the fireplace and champagne. We made some affirmations for what we want to explore during the darkness and other wishes we'd like to manifest. Later I drove home through the falling snow, dropped my friend at her place and came home and watched a movie.

We have more than a foot of snow here. Amazing, and so close to Christmas. Definitely a white Christmas this year. There will be no leaves blanketing the garden for awhile-since now the leaves are buried under all the white stuff. But that's okay, this weather will pass. Generally there isn't snow on the ground all winter in here.

I'm thinking of fetching my skis. They are in Ferndale in the storage unit. Wish I'd planned ahead. There have been lots of skiers and snowshoers out and it looks like fun. And I hear cars on the road--how the roads are today, I'm not sure. Last night it was slippery. Probably the same today.

My plan is to go to the studio and work. Perhaps get so sketches going for a series I want to work on. Something about the heart and all the objects (objections?) it holds.

More later. Flower

Plenty of Snow

Well, I don't know how much it snowed last night, but there is plenty of white stuff out there. I think I'll get up and going and step outside, take some pictures, wander around a bit. This is unusual weather for us, this much snow may be record. When we were kids we were thrilled when it snowed. We had the sleds out right away and the ice skates and headed for the park across the street. Here, down at the slough there is ice, which is interesting because salt water comes into the estuary and salt water doesn't freeze. There is an open stream still, running through the ice covered mud. I walked down there yesterday, cold, cold cold. Today, as well as my jaunt outside, I'm going to do some inside things, then dinner with friends. My cold seems a little better today. I will lie low with one more movie to watch, lots of tea, and more chicken soup. It's the garlic that heals.

Speaking of garlic, Growing Great Garlic will tell you how to prepare the beds for all the varieties you might plant. Try out a bunch of them. I didn't have luck with garlic, I already told you that. But some elephant garlic grew. I'd say try that to start, if you want to venture into the garlic business. Elephant garlic tastes different, greener is how I'd describe it. It's the easiest to grow.

So yesterday I learned how closed off my heart has been. This makes me sad, because I was thinking that my grandson had helped me open it. But then this gentleman joined me for a Sufi concert and the combination of his attention and the devotion of the whirlers, popped my heart open. Then this interesting thing happened, my heart had some grouchiness in it. Can you imagine that? I thought that when the heart opened, then I'd be spewing forth warmth and good feelings. Not entirely. I felt the snarl, I felt the tears, I felt the joy. It was all there in one cracked open heart. Could be garlic will help with this condition. And I'm thinking heart breathing, that's when you breath in and out of the heart; it's partially imaginary. Anyway, plenty of time to do such things on snowy days. Plenty of time to open the heart.

That's all for now. Enjoy.

Flower

Weather

Another storm is coming in. I heard at four this afternoon and I'm thinking movie and tea and garlic chicken soup will be for me, since I now have a full blown cold. Which I thought was only a little tickle, as I thought I'd had a little cold for awhile. When the grandbaby gets colds, so do I. So staying in and working on the Christmas cards, the class proposal for spring, and perhaps a little work on my book. And also, I'm thinking now, what do I want in life? Since we are coming up on the new year, knowing what I want in life will be good. Since life should be interesting, not drudgery. I am still doing some things that I'd consider drudgery. Even the art becomes that at times.

At the end of the year I like to take time to review what I've done all year and see what new things I want. There is the divorce, that is what is old and done now. And there are new possibilities for love. That is what I'd like this year to encompass. A love interest. Speaking of which, I met an interesting man last night. We went to a sufi concert in the neighborhood. It was interesting to be in a building covered on all the interior walls with rugs. These are imported from Iraq and Iran and Persia: different places. It is a huge space and once inside with the music etc, I just felt transported. And then I wanted to continue to be transported. That makes me happy, moving in my mind to someplace else, trying out all the good feelings.

So today, I can transport myself with art and music and movie, good food. And I can figure out what will happen for the new year. Gardening, friends (love) and good writing. Of course there will be more loss too. I feel something coming. Aged parents, friends, other things. I hope not too much more loss. It is hard on everyone. We could make a pact to envision good for the planet and thus ourselves. To imagine what we could each do for each other and the earth, a commitment for the coming year. I'm going to ride my bike and take the bus. And I'm going to follow through with my art projects, believing in my creativity as the source of my happiness.

Ciao! Flower

More Snow

Well it's coming down, still. I went out last night to the Allied Arts Membership Soiree--which was fun, but the setting wasn't as intimate as the time before when we met at the Chuckanut Winery. This was at the Allied Arts Holiday Show. Which was sparkling and smelled good. Lots of jewelry, pottery, stained glass, baskets, paintings, etc. And good music, a one man band with banjo, harmonica, and foot drums. I like the one man band, so much music coming out of one fella.

So getting there was a risk, since it had snowed all day. Many folks took the bus. It's pretty easy getting from Fairhaven to downtown, on the bus. I may start doing this very thing, given winter is upon us with a vengence. I'm curious if the schools are closed this a.m.

I woke this a.m. with a slightly sore throat. I have an event tonight, one tomorrow night, the following night and the solstice. A busy social girl, which is the only way I'd have it. Sometime I feel a little guilty to be so busy, but hey, what's a single girl to do? I say, have some fun.

Well there will be no gardening today, but sharpening tools is a good idea. And if you have broken tools, such as shovel handles, replacing them is a good idea. A neat winter job, start up the grinder and fix those dented edges on the hoe and shovel, and on the broken tools, remove the pin and pull out the wedged in wood. I hear you can burn it out if you can't pry it out. Then put the new handle in and nail in the pin. Simple. And cheaper than buying a new shovel. Clippers can be taken to a sharpener and things with moveable parts, oil or use WD40. Clean the garden shed, make sure all your seed is put away so the mice don't get it.

Happy snow day,
Flower

Snow Again

In the PNW, when it snows, even if it is as little as an inch, it can turn to a sheet of ice in a minute. There's just so much humidity, so that is what has happened now. A little snow, more than an inch, with ice beneath here in Bellingham. Driving on the main roads is fine but if you're off on the side roads, you can plow into something easily, slip sliding away. The road outside my place is steep and solid ice. I came down it last night after a tango lesson and slipped all the way to the bottom of the hill. Even the brake-tapping thing didn't work well. Fortunately there were bare places, pavement near the bottom of the hill.

Now, let me tell you about tango. I was the only student in the beginning class--because of the snow--and it was a thrill. At first I thought, oh my gosh, what am I doing. He's going to be teaching just me--but then it turned out beautifully. The tango step, the tiny turns, the chest to chest connection. The lead, the man, subtly shifts your weight so to guide you where he wants you to go. I got it, the feel of waiting until I knew precisely what his intention was for me. He said, in tango, the woman is the queen. If she doesn't look good, the shame is on the man. He's made her look that way. This will be a good experience for me.

Okay, I'll now clunk off in my rubber boots through the snow, huddled in my down coat--which is so not tango beautiful, but I will work on letting my feminine beauty show itself despite the weather.

Stay warm, Flower

Feed the Birds

There are many tiny birds that scrounge for seed in the garden in the winter. Even when there is a skiff of snow, they are out there scratching like chickens looking for a meal. Tossing them some millet is nice, so they don't have to work so hard. A feeder with black sunflower seeds for the tiny birds, like the gold finches, the purple finch and the chickadee. And then there is the mix of grain, millet, sunflower seeds, etc. Suet will put a little fat on their bones. In Kingston, we had two bird feeders: black sunflower seed, and a millet mix. We also hung suet. Now we had a problem with raccoons climbing the tree and pulling down the feeders, so we tried those poles, and wires to hang feeders from the eves. The crows where a stitch, landing on the suet feeder, hanging upside down, getting a few pecks in then falling and flying off. Even the flickers would try this acrobatic feeding pose. If you have cats, put bells on their necks. You always loose a few birds, which is sad.

Now having piliated woodpeckers and downy woodpeckers around is great. Only the small wood peckers would ate at the suet, but the big ones seemed to come around when there was lots of activity. I didn't like it when the starlings came in—always such big flocks eating everything.

Now, I don't have a bird feeder, but planting sunflowers in the garden provides food for the birds. Just leave the stalks there and let the heads dry. The seed will dry and the birds will come. It's so sweet to see a chickadee on a big sunflower head picking out the seed. Other seed that's good in the garden is weed seed. Now you know I'm the bad gardener, although Mike is going to help me get the plot together, then there won't be so much seed for the birds. It will be pristine. Now the snow and ice is on the garden, but that's okay—it won't be here long. And very cold weather is supposed to kill certain bugs that can become pests. So a little good cold is fine for the garden. And you can sit inside and drink tea and watch the birds.

Okay, happy gardening and be sure to remember the birds. See A Guide to Pacific Northwest Birds for identification.

Flower

Snow, where are you?

A big storm was predicted yesterday, and the news folks went wild, like some big wreck or other disaster had just happened. So everything got canceled, and here we are the morning after, no snow, at least not here in Bellingham--and it was supposed to come in during the night--3 inches--and more than that to the south.

I'm wondering if this kind of broadcasting could be toned down a bit. Perhaps if when the weather folks get excited about something, they could just say, you might want to stay home tonight, but we really don't know what this storm will do. Unless it's a hurricane or something. I mean, it so excites everyone.

It's like what has happened with the stock market these last few months. The news folks shouted fire and we all started running. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not be a lemming. I don't have any desire to be like everyone else. I do know that being individual takes a lot of courage. One has to be willing to let go--yes, that's it, just let go of the collective mentality.

So if we hadn't all canceled--Eileen would have gone to her lovely singing class, I would have gone to my lovely party, so-and-so else would have... But then again, what happened is just what was supposed to happen, right? That's what the new age thinkers say anyway. Or maybe not new age, but the thinkers that believe in the "now." Everything is happening in the now, and that's just what it is. So experience it and be happy.

I was awake until at least 1:30 in the morning. I had many adventures of the mind during that time. This morning I've vowed to get a practice going that will settle my mind down. I'm such a worrier. I worried about the garden, about what I'll do later this evening, about gaining a pound from all the cookies I've been eating, about love, about loss; I wrote a essay in my head and almost got up and turned on my computer, once I got up and ate cookies and watched TV. This really isn't necessary, is it? All this unsettled energy? Was it the full moon? Was it the gentleman I met at the neighborhood potluck? Was it the art show I'm having today? Was it the snow? I don't know, but I think I'll refer to a well known sage for some good advice: The Miracle of Mindfulness: Thich Nhat Hanh

Okay, so today, I'm having an art show in my studio in Fairhaven. Come by if you get a chance. Love to chat.

Peace, Flower

Full Sun All Day

When I was married I had to stake my claim on my garden space, if I didn't, my favorite space would be hoed up when I wasn't looking, or turned under while I was waiting for some pretty plant to dry so I could use it for a bouquet on the kitchen table.

It was an ongoing quarrel we had. You garden there; I'll garden here. Don't cross this line! Remeber as kids digging our toes in the dirt, making the line. I didn't realize that everything was going this way--I mean, work, house things, friends, etc. Always my line was ignored.

Now I know that what he really wanted was to do everything himself, and at the same time, complain that he had to do everything himself. I'm throwing my hands in the air thinking about it. But what does this have to do with the garden?

Well, now that I have a garden space all my own, I'd be happy to share, since I can't do it all myself. Last night at a Christmas party a fellow gardener asked to share my space. That makes two now that would like to share it. He would be a good one, since his plot is so much in the shade. I have full sun all day. Which is nice. But I don't need to be the full sun all day--another words, we can all be in the limelight part of the time, or maybe just being humble is good. Just being a little garden growing quietly.

What can you do with a person that has to be the shining sun all day, every day? Nothing. There is no relating to that person. There's just no way around it, you stand in there light, and that's it. I wonder if there can be two suns on my planet? I think so, but how to convince someone that you are a sun as well. This has been my question, as a woman, as an artist, as a soul trying to make a difference on this planet. How can I shine brightly, being in my fullness, without trying to outshine someone else. Is it just competition? Or is it control?

I think the answer is to be alone long enough to really take root. Something that is well rooted can't be taken over, like mint. It's usually there for keeps. You've heard of the batchelor who's been alone so long that everything has to go his way. Maybe women should be that way too.

Okay, I've gone on long enough. Today, instead of the grandbaby, I get to celebrate with writing friends from the Kitsap Peninsula. We like to periodically do an art project together. We'll be making masks this time. And we'll eat, always, we eat well and have a lot of good laughs. We are all working on being our own suns.

Happy Day, Flower

Endings

Everything comes to an end. This is a painful process for me and I've had my share of it this last year with the divorce and all. Leaving my home on the water. Leaving old friends behind. Even my cat Scooter stayed with my ex. But I have a new home, which is the amazing thing about life. Things wind down, and then they come back again. Perennial. And in the garden the same is true. Letting soil rest is important. Restoring it essential. We all know this. And letting ourselves rest is valid too. I'm thinking now of how I expect myself to be on all the time. Now I know I need to rest. At least enough to recoup my energy and gather my thoughts. So as we approach the solstice, rest is something to give our attention too. Settling into the ending before we go puffing off on the next race. And with the economy the way it is now, perhaps everything is coming back to some point of quiet, some reforming place, so communing place with nature and each other.

In the creative process, it happens like this also. The energy is used, then it needs to gather again. A friend once told me that there is ingathering and outpouring. You need both. And if you don't give yourself the time to gather, there will be nothing to out pour. I'm thinking that the darkness is the time to do this. It is the time to rest more, to drink tea, to let the garden rest, to hibernate. Perhaps read or paint a little or enjoy friends and watch the weather, eat well. It is a resting time that will heal us. It's a natural thing to do.

Well, now that I've said that, I have an incredibly busy rest of the week and must get to it. After this week, my goal is to settle in and do less. To consciously mark off time on my calendar to rest. Let's see if it works.

Happy holidays,

Flower

Party

My grandbaby calls candles parties. And this is a party time of year, right? and it can go overboard, or rather I can, with too much sugar. The Redbor kale plant is like a party in the garden. And it isn't full of sugar, highest in calcium of all the veges you eat, and when surrounded by snow, so pretty, just looking out the window thinking about it is like a lovely wrapped gift at a party. Don't even have to eat it--which is another gift.

The Rebor the Ripbor and the Red Chidori are fairly expensive kales. All upward of $10/gram. Red kale in the garden however, is astounding and hardy to below freezing, so it may be worth it. I've never grown the expensive ones. I've grown the Russian Kale, that has such a pretty purple tinge to the stems.

When I first started growing kale in Indianola, we had a hard freeze and I thought, well that's the end of that. The leaves looked frozen. But it warmed up and the leaves looked normal and on it went, growing through the winter. If you pick off leaves along the stem and pinch out the top occasionally, you'll have kale until spring.

Today I'll enjoy my writer friends, a party with a toast and a little food. I won't be serving kale, although I could. I am serving green beans and sliced beef—a little bubbly and cookies. So that's all for now. Got to get finished up here. Oh, for orders of kale, see territorialseed.com
Ciao!

Winter Veges

I've told you about wintering over your carrots and chard and kale, now cabbage and bok choy and chinese cabbage also will last in the fall for awhile, but it will get eaten by slugs. I love the way a tattered cabbage looks, but if you want to eat it, you may want to keep those baby slugs away. How to do this? Especially in a rainy climate? And if you have pets and don't want to pollute the watershed, perhaps give up the idea of chemical slug bait entirely. Iron, well it is a chemical too, but not the kind that hurts the birds and fish and cats and dogs, is good to use. And it works. I have found that when it rains, you have to reapply--which means in our area, that's lots of iron. I don't know if there are long term studies about iron in the garden. You could look it up on the internet

A lovely dish in the fall is chard and lentil soup. It's warming and flavorful and great with hunks of winter bread, that hard crusty bread you have to work for. Last night I ate dinner with my daughter and son-in-law and grandbaby. We didn't have winter soup, we had meatloaf and chicken--both store made. Once I wouldn't have eaten something store boughten--all my food had to come from my garden, or something I made. Yesterday I talked to a woman who makes all her own food and grows all her own vegetables. She said her guy buys vegetables at the store--she was appalled. She grows her own and eats her kale from the garden.

There's a good book about winter gardening that can be had for a not much coin. Try it, winter gardening that is, you'll be surprised at how much you can grow, easily. Be sure to cover the carrots with leaves's if you haven't already. Four Season Harvest
Ciao! Flower

Potatoes

Those little fingerlings are good to eat about now, with the cold weather here, and the desire for more carbs. It's December and the ground isn't frozen yet, so this means go out and dig the rest of the spuds. I love how crispy root vegetables are in the fall. We always ate sliced potatoes with a bit of salt. Dad would do the peeling for dinner and that's when we got the treat. We thought it was a treat, anyway. I'm thinking that any carrots and potatoes that you eat this time of year have more moisture in them, that's what makes them so crunchy and delish.

When I lived in North Carolina for a couple of months in the early 70s, the potatoes the neighbors grew where as big as bakers you buy at the grocers. I grew disappointing potatoes this year. They are small and gnarly, but it's so rewarding digging them anyway. I've heard from many folks that the gardens did the worst ever this year, so no worries, right? There's always next year.

And now I must tell you about the fabulous sunrises and sunsets we've been having lately. And great walking days. Huh, did someone push the scramble button on the weather, or something. Yes, 50 degree days and sun. Lovely weather to sit on a hunk of sandstone by the bay. If we can get our vitamin D in the winter, this is good. I take it daily, but getting out in the rays is even better.

So back to potatoes, they come in many varieties. I like the yellow fin. Very sweet and good baked or mashed. Also the regular russet is good. And red potatoes are nice in the spring. You can plant peas early, early and cook them with potatoes. I even think you can plant peas in the fall for a spring crop. They could rot, though. Experiment.

And one of my favorite cookbooks Yummy Potatoes: 65 Downright Delicious Recipes has a great potato, onion, and tomato dish. Try it.

Ciao! Flower

Applebutter

In the fall when all the great apples are ready I make applesauce and applebutter. When I was young I'd make soup pots full of applebutter, a beautiful sweet condiment to spread on toast and bread. The sugar in the apples and the brown sugar I added cooked and cooked until smooth and thick. We adored it--we being my first husband and I. I peeled the apples, usually wild that we found on land where we rode the motorcycle. Wild apples were tart and worm ridden, but we cut away anything bad and then cooked it all in a big pot. The house filled with fine smells of cinnamon and sweet sugar. And the tart apple smell, sort of roselike in ways. At the end of the day when it was done, we turned it through the food mill, removing cores and peel and stems and then the thick butter went into jars. We poured paraffin on top to seal them up and set them on the shelf.

Later I learned a simpler way to make apple butter. Peel and core the apples and put them in a baking dish in the oven. Of course the sugar and cinnamon are mixed in and the heat is low so it cooks slowly. Every so often the mess of butter is stirred. Not so romantic, but after a few hours, one has nice thick apple butter—just as good, I believe.

If you have orchards and store your apples in a cool place, you may be having some varities that are getting soft. These are the ones to cook. For more apple recipes see Apple Recipes

Peace, Flower

Indoor Gardening

If you have a nice sunny window, a box of herbs for you meals is a good thing. Also, I've grown lettuce in a little greenhouse in the winter. If you have a way to keep a sun room warm enough in the night for your little plants, you could keep yourself in greens all winter. I think greens are the best vege for me. It's so easy to throw spinach in with my eggs in the morning, or for a salad at lunch and dinner. They are great in soup or just steamed. Kale is great with raisins for winter, and in the spring with garlic and green onions. Growing green onions or chives indoors is realistic. Keep your little thyme plant for seasoning, and perhaps a little oregano. Of course rosemary will usually winter over--although I've had a few plants die during colder winters. I'm thinking about cilantro as an easy indoor grow, and how about mustard. You can also just do the sprouts and have lots of nutrition easily. Sunflower sprouts, mung bean sprouts, lentil sprouts, etc. Just get a sprouting jar. I'm onto this now--can't stop me. Sprouting Made Easy

Holy moly,
Flower

Long Division

You can still divide carrots. I was talking to someone on Friday who'd been lying in her garden, thinning carrots. She gardens like me: toss out the seed, let the beasties grow until they're pressing in on each other, then thin, transplant, eat, etc. This way you get a lot of plants to work with. See Victory Garden

Yesterday it was lovely again. I thinned my carrots in my dreams and then sat by the water for about a half-hour and watched some kind of duck swim about. My friend said they were buffleheads. I don't know ducks--but I loved how they lifted off them landed again. Their little feet were so cute, sticking them forward like a cartoon character coming in for landing. On the way, we walk the rails to Post Point, trees were full of singing birds. It was lovely. And there were many kayakers out; the water so calm and the kayakers gliding along. Ahhhh, hopefully more sunshine will return today. So nice compared to all that drizzle we had last week.

So back to transplanting. I always transplant the minitures. It works well for me. Although I'm sure there are the planters who dish out the seed along rows in units. These folks have their ways too. Giving garden gifts for Christmas is a good idea. Once a got a little cart that I could pull around on wheels. I could sit on it in the garden and inside were my tools: trowel, pronged thingy, digging thingy, seed, string, knife, iron slug bait.

Always in love with life,
Flower